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A Grand Exposition by Kim Idynne (Book Review# 853)
A grand exposition is a historical mystery set at the 1889 World’s Fair. It begins with Elizabeth, who has recently lost her husband and son. She moves to Delhi with her daughter, Charlotte, and is told to stay away from the Indian neighborhoods. Things take a turn when Elizabeth falls ill, and Charlotte returns to the hotel only to notice that everything is changed. Her mother is gone, the room looks different, and no one believes anything she says.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Getting Published by Michael Jack Webb
Okay, it’s not really “funny.”
I began brainstorming about becoming an author in my mother’s womb. As a child, I loved to make up and tell fanciful, exciting stories, or act them out. A couple of the kids I grew up with formed a neighborhood drama company, and we put on plays. The first one was about kings and queens and dragons and mythical characters. I wrote the stories. Later, I switched to poetry in high school and college, hoping to catch the ear of a fair maiden, then tried my hand at short stories.
Read MoreReborn by T.M. Parris (Book Review #852)
Reborn is a political/espionage thriller story set in Hong Kong, China. The story introduces Rose Clarke as a disgraced secret service officer who has been given a task to track John Fairchild, a mercenary down. John has created a network that appears to be trading British intelligence.
Howie, His Parcel Winch, and the Smothering of the Human Soul by Gavin Wicklow
There is a gem of an Italian film from the early 1970s that’s titled Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion and stars the late, great Gian Maria Volonté. While watching it, it isn’t terribly difficult, even for someone like yours truly, who was not alive at the time of its release, much less a resident of Italy, to detect the righteous indignation burning and bubbling up through the film’s celluloid. Having committed what seems to be a murder of ennui, a police chief, played by Volonté, takes charge of the investigation and proceeds to do everything in his power to incriminate himself, short of climbing to Rome’s rooftops and broadcasting his confession to the world. A wry, brilliant, darkly comic, and ultimately infuriating film, it leaves a viewer to wonder, while witnessing his repeated failures in his quixotic quest: How could his associates be so blind, corrupt, or both?
Pandora’s Gardener by David Charles Mason (Book Review #851)
Pandora’s gardener is a humorous adventure mystery novel written about John Gardener, who happens to be the holder or a seemingly harmless price of computer hardware that can cause enormous harm to humanity. The technology behind it can bring global domination; however, John has no clue.
Thoughts on writing a collection of interlinked stories by Elizabeth Merry
Carey Harrison, novelist and playwright, said once, that if you get into the habit of writing novels, short stories, plays, or television scripts, then every idea you get turns itself into the appropriate length. And to avoid that, you should aim for different lengths, different structures. Although I have written two novels for children and a collection of poetry, that was a long time ago, and for many years now every idea turns itself into a short story. I don’t mind though; it seems to suit me best, and works best for me too.
Read MoreYou Won’t Know Unless You Try by June Rollins
In 1970, when I was in the eighth grade, I met with my guidance counselor to determine my electives. I told her I wanted to be an artist, and she registered me for Art 101. I still remember how eager I felt on the first day of class, sitting behind a huge paint-splattered table until the teacher began telling us what would be required in order to pass her class. Anticipation soon turned to fear, and I panicked. The occasional “C” was shame enough; to get an “F” would be mortifying. When the dismissal bell rang, I ran to my guidance counselor’s office and told her how I felt. If only I had. Instead, I told her I had been wrong. I thought art was boring, and I wanted to switch to Home Ec.
Read MoreThe Swing of Life by Sergio Bersanetti (Book Review #849)
The swing of life is the second part of a contemporary fiction/family novella written about Antonia turning 50. He is surrounded by everyone he loves. However, the party falls apart a bit with him having some unanswered dilemma. As days go by Antonia understands more and more about secrets that his family and friends have been hiding from him.
Author interview with Chris Humphreys
- What’s your favorite thing you have written?
Oh, so hard to answer! It’s like choosing between my children! (Uh, actually that’s easy because I only have one) I like different books for different reasons: the mad fun of The French Executioner, the cool adventures of Roxy in Chasing the Wind, the realized darkness of Vlad, the wild adventures of The Hunt of the Unicorn, the questions at the heart of Immortal’s Blood. And that’s only about one-quarter of my books. And then there are my four plays? Oh, don’t make me choose! I can’t!
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