Hey people!

I'm alive!!!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HA

Ha

ahem.

So...you may have notice (or not) that I haven't been around much lately. Today, however, you can find me over on the Relentless Writers' blog, talking about The Rhythm of a Good Book!

Wanna come on over and say hi?

Oh, and I also talk a very little bit about my new favourite book,

too. 

(I shall also be reviewing it later this week right here on my very own blog)

Toodles, and I do love you guys, 

Sunday Quote - How To Write a Damn Good Thriller

"Villains (...) are self-centred creeps." (p. 41) 

I don't know about you, but I absolutely adore reading books on writing. I think I'd be reading them even if I wasn't writing myself - it's just so very interesting to see how stories are built, how they can be constructed (and deconstructed) one element at a time. James Frey is excellent at explaining how stories work, why they work, and - more importantly - when and why they do not work. I've read a few of his books and they are all brilliant (How to write a damn good...). If you like reading books about writing, these are definitely a good bet!

Sunday Quote - The Still by David Feintuch

"Look upon me, and rue your treason!"

The Still is one of my all-time favourite books. David Feintuch is a great writer (I'm also rather partial to his sci-fi series, the Seafort Saga), and his books are of the kind I pick up again and again. In fact, I've read The Still so many times I had to go out and buy another copy because my original one was falling apart.

The book itself is the coming-of-age story of Prince Rodrigo of Caledon, a rather unlikable, arrogant fellow who nonetheless grew on me - he's flawed, there's no question about that, a spoiled brat, definitely, but he's not without redeeming qualities. When events thrust upon him the need to grow up and become a man rather faster than he ever wanted to, he needs to learn to step up and take his place. It's a rather painful, sometimes cringe-worthy process, and I'm still not entirely sure if one can consider Rodrigo a good man at the end of it, but that's part of what I like about the story. He's not perfect, and probably never will be - but things happen, and he changes in spite of himself.

This book is not lyrical, it's not pretty, it's not perfect, nor does it have the dark, almost cruel edge of many modern fantasy novels. It's classic in style and easy to read, and I will no doubt pick it up again one day. Another plus: it's not part of a long series of books, though there is a sequel (The King ).

Angels and Angles

Hello my dearies!

No, I'm not going to do a post on typos today... although that's an interesting one, isn't it, angles and angels? What I wanted to ask you guys was whether or not you've noticed the current trend towards angel-based stories. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that most of you have, in fact, seen this development.

What I find REALLY interesting is the way it started (as far as I could see) in the YA section of the market. I mean, there were LOADS of vampire novels out there (starting with Anne Rice) before Twilight came along. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I think most of the more popular angel-involved novels have been YA ones. And now we have more and more novels on the 'adult fantasy' side of things that involve angels, too. I'm thinking Tad Williams' Bobby Dollar Novels, here, or Lou Morgan's Blood and Feathers, and also the Fallen series by Thomas E. Sniegoski.

So I'm curious to hear what you guys thing - why angels? And am I right or did I miss something about where it started?

And Alex has done it again!!!

It's a very special week we have right now...it's almost time for Alex J Cavanaugh's long awaited third book in the Cassa series!!

Alex, who is also the founder of the Insecure Writers' Support Group (see tab up above), has once again outdone himself. He also gave his loyal followers an opportunity to ask questions, and I'm not going to withhold his answer... 

(to clarify: one of the questions asked by someone before me involved transparent pants....) 

My question was the following: 

What is courage? Although the transparent pants sound interesting, too...

and here's what Alex said: 

Courage is not being afraid to wear transparent pants in public!

Real courage is doing what is right and what needs to be done whether you feel up to it or not. It’s taking a leap of faith.

Alex certainly took a leap of faith, sharing his work with the rest of the world (in fact, I think it probably feels a bit like wearing transparent pants in public...)- and I'm heartily glad he did! Here's the blurb for the third volume in the Cassa series... check it out and see how Byron shows his courage! 

CassaStorm

By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

“CassaStorM is a touching and mesmerizing space opera full of action and emotion with strong characters and a cosmic mystery.” – Edi’s Book Lighhouse

“Cavanaugh creates such an unforgettable world, and these characters will stay with you long after their story is over.” 
- Cassie Mae, author of Friday Night Alibi and How to Date a Nerd

Find CassaStorm:

Barnes and Noble 

Amazon 

Amazon Kindle - 

Goodreads  

And you can find Alex here: 

Website

Twitter 

Goodreads 

I hope you have fun reading!!

All the best,



More book facts:

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera

Print ISBN 9781939844002 
eBook ISBN 9781939844019

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

books and movie-stars

I've been browsing the net (mostly wasting time I don't have) and stumbled across this one site on facebook. Amongst other things it's full of people suggesting the actors they imagine should play the different characters in a film version of the anita blake books by laurell k hamilton.

And what a fun exercise that was! (No I'm not being sarcastic)

It did, however, make me doubt my imagination at points - though to be fair I felt that way when I read the comic version. You know, when you read a book, you have a certain picture in your mind of the characters  the story is about. For me, these pictures develop rather fast, sometimes before there's been any sort of physical description in the book.

This can lead to disappointment when watching the movie, definately. And the more popular the book was, the more difficult the casting probably is. I mean, so many different people, with so many pictures firmly set in their minds, how are you going to find someone who actually fits?

I did actually post some of my suggestions for the Anita Blake actors, and was admittedly somewhat surprised at the rather indignant response I got about how unsuitable those choices were given the descriptions in the book. I had to think long and hard to reply to that.

I mean, I guess I didn't take the whole exercise very seriously, which apparently is a sacrilege in and of itself. But why should I? Also, like I said, everybody has certain pictures in their mind, and surely no two such pictures will be the same. Such is the joy of reading a book.

Once you have these pictures in your head, I guess some illustrations and/or actors just strike a chord. Or perhaps they just appeal in a more general way.

Well I guess that's it for my rant for now.