Review Tales
Trusted Reviews and Author Features Since 2016
Three Paradoxes Resolved by Writing Novels
My first suspense novel, Shrink Rapt, took me eight years to complete, an arduous and gratifying accomplishment. As a psychologist, I value life lessons, especially when they come in the form of paradox. Slogging through to the finish taught me three vital things.
Read MoreA Happy Ghost by Karl Kristian Flores
Somewhere in Kentucky
Today I breathe in a town I don’t know,
Whose warm weather is wet and thundering,
Whose streetlights droop from wires sinking low,
Whose milky life pace keeps me wondering.
To where I went I did not care—I turned.
I saw houses, some people, and some food.
Again? I wanted something different,
But us mammals are not so different.
Oh, and no one misses me! No one called—
I could be home, dead, in Paris, or here.
The free man knows people don’t ask for him.
They ask for things: work, your hands – never you.
All that time I was nowhere and no one,
But finally I am somewhere and me.
This past May, I graduated from college and entered the exciting, cold world of no one ever giving a shit about you. At university, I felt protected. It’s amazing what can make one feel secure— buildings that need magnetic cards to open, clean sidewalks, scheduled increments in the day to sit in a room and hear a person speak, and a framed piece of paper with your name on it. But soon, I was alone as everybody else.
Read MoreA Few Words BY BRETT SALTER
Dear Resident of the Earth Realm,
Imagine if you had the infernos of a mythical, fire dragon raging inside of you. Imagine if you had centuries of power and majesty trapped within your physical body. Now, imagine you are a tentative, thirteen-year old boy recruited to join an interminable war against forces from another realm preparing to destroy your world; and you are just the dragon to stop it!
That is the exact situation Rome Lockheed finds himself in during the events of the first book of my series, The Talisman Series. In this first book, “The Search for Synergy”, Rome begins a friendship with a strange boy at school who wishes to unleash the dragon inside him. You see, in Rome’s world, dragons no longer live freely like they did during the time of The Good King Arthur. In fact, they have all gone into hiding from the humans that persecuted them in the past. With the help of an overzealous knight-in-training and an eccentric, local librarian, Rome will try to uncover the powers of the dragon aching to emerge.
Time is of the essence as an army of monstrosities is banging at the ethereal plane to their world in a rabid frenzy. With a little “hope”, Rome and his colleagues can unlock the mysteries of the past and defend the realm for a safer future. Will you be a part of it?
As you can infer, I have written a fantasy book with middle grade and/or young adult audiences in mind. “The Search for Synergy” is the first of a 4-part series based on mythology, relics, and otherworldly creatures. Although only the first four books are self-published, I intend to expand the series to twelve (12) total. Each book is about twenty chapters long and runs between 40,000 – 45,000 words. In The Talisman Series: The Search for Synergy”, we get an insight into the three main characters and their aspirations. In the subsequent books, we meet new allies and have run-ins with more bad guys as the forces of good and evil ultimately race to an epic showdown.
Just a little history on me? I have self-published the first four books, but I own all the rights to them. I have been writing this series since 2017, but I feel like I have much more to offer in the way of a second series which I have already begun. I live in Georgia with my wife and two kids. Oh, and we recently added a dog named Walter Salter. I really set out to write books that I would find myself enjoying. So, I came up with this series littered with engrossing characters and cinematic action sequences which should hold the attention of readers of any age. If you want to get to know me or The Talisman Series better, I have links to Goodreads, Amazon, Authors den, and the Fandom page I created for my series. I emphatically hope you enjoy “The Search For Synergy” and /or all of the books in my series. For now, I will leave you with a warning to grip your Talismans tightly and keep a wary eye out for portals!
About The Talisman Series:
The Talisman Series will reveal the clandestine workings of the dragons and their knights who embrace the role of protecting our world from The Tyrant King and his evil minions. Whichever side controls the Talismans and their magic will determine the destiny of the world. The question is, what are these Talismans, and how can they be used for the good of humanity and the dragon dens? Read along to find out!
Links:
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35381372-the-search-for-synergy?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=SrCfLZTSyh&rank=1
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Talisman-4-Book/dp/B08L82QWBJ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=brett+salter&qid=1627606915&sr=8-5
- Authors den: https://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?AuthorID=214341
- Fandom Website: https://the-talisman-series-by-brett-salter.fandom.com/wiki/The_Talisman_Series_by_Brett_Salter_Wiki
The Many Reincarnations of Cinderella by Bruce Calhoun
Perhaps the most famous fairy tale in Western literature, Cinderella has been retold and reimagined in a staggering number of books and movies. The books and movies fall within two categories: modern day Cinderella stories featuring an underdog heroine and historical Cinderella stories with a twist – such as telling the story from the point of view of a mouse that gets turned into a horse. Cinderella has also become part of a catchphrase for any sports team that attains great success against all odds or any individual who goes from rags to riches. I will confine myself to commenting on a few historical Cinderella books, including my own: Ardennia: The Unlikely Story of Cinderella’s Prince.
Read MoreWhen plotting is too much by Dennis Scheel
Most authors, both new to the craft and well-seasoned, do some plotting before starting a new story. Some settle for a few points, but for others, their plotting has become so long that it can be a novel in itself. Pantsers are the exception to this rule; they write without any pre-planning. Everyone writes differently and there is no wrong way to write, so all of these methods are valid.
Read MoreLand’s End by T. B. Crattie (Book Review #1004)
Land’s End is a spy thriller story set in 1964, England. It begins with Brock Coole, a Southern boy and Sherbourne, who team up, putting a stop to machination preventing Land’s End.
Read MoreLuck be a Lady by Chris H. Stevenson (Book Review #1003)
Lucky be a lady is an urban fantasy story about Mason Hart, who loses everything in just 48 hours until Felicity Fortune shows up, changing things around for him. She offers him hope and lets him know that his luck has changed. Mason must find a solution as he finds himself at the centre of a battle between good and evil.
Read MoreNo way Back Today by Eric Shoars (Book Review #1002)
No way back today is a beautiful story written about Eric wanting to do something that has felt right for a long time. He decides to start his rock and roll band by gathering all his childhood friends before turning 50. Facing impossible odds, age issues, the story keeps you cheering on for the characters and sympathy towards the ordeals they face.
Read More1000 BOOK REVIEWS…done!
I hit 1000 book reviews! Rod Walters kindly wrote this for me.
Written by Rod Walters
Congratulations, Review Tales, on 1,000!
Anyone ever run into another book reviewer who has chalked up a thousand reviews? Of course you almost certainly haven’t.
Read More
Review Tales 