Review Tales
Trusted Reviews and Author Features Since 2016
Marked for Fire – Tales of The Gaia by James Clarke (Book Review #1917)
James Clarke’s Marked for Fire delivers an exhilarating journey into The Gaia, a primeval world teeming with natural energy, elemental power, and mythic intrigue. The first in a planned four-book series, this high-fantasy adventure sets the stage for a battle between man and nature, destiny and free will, and ambition and friendship. With its richly imagined world, complex characters, and timely themes, Marked for Fire is an engaging read for fantasy enthusiasts of all ages.
Read MoreHerald Petrel by Strange Seawolf (Book Review #1945)
*Herald Petrel* by Strange Seawolf is a gripping space opera that plunges readers into a dystopian universe where survival, corporate tyranny, and the ghosts of the past collide. The story begins with a catastrophic explosion that devastates the cargo spaceship *Herald Petrel*, forcing substitute captain Harold Galahad into a nightmarish scenario that echoes a tragic event from his past—a similar explosion that claimed the life of his beloved wife and left him crippled by grief and PTSD.
Read MoreTrevor A. Dutcher’s insight
Write what you know. That’s what they say, right?
Sure, some do.
Others say to write the book you want to read.
I guess I did both, now that I look back at the process. In my first book, Michael McGillicuddy and the Most Amazing Race, I sat down and wrote the type of book I wanted to read but couldn’t find anywhere. And once I had a taste for writing, I never wanted to stop.
So, I did the same thing for my second release, The Keepers of the Light, due on October 27. If you know me, you will quickly realize that you’ll find many of me (and others I know) embedded in many of my characters. And the Keepers of the Light was a joy to write. From the concept phase to the creative process, plotting out the many twists, and using real people to inform and guide my characters’ decisions and reactions, I wrote yet another story I wanted to read. I also used what I had learned through various relationships to shape my characters and bring them to life in a believable and relatable way.
They also say that publishing has rules. Readers have certain expectations from their preferred genre. For the most part, I think that is absolutely true, but it’s also a little too rigid for my liking. So, I may have taken a few small liberties here and there, tossed in a few genre-bending surprises, and, in the end, I wrote something I would like to read. Again, if you know me, this won’t surprise you.
I still have a backlog of several more books I plan to write, but for now, I will probably take some time to focus on The Keepers. I hope you take the time to explore my world. And as I always like to say, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Interviewing Iva Dimitrova
1-When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Maybe I should answer that it was when I first started working on my book some time ago. However, while writing it, I remembered that as a child, maybe still in primary school, I read Under the Yoke (1894) by Ivan Vazov (1850-1921), and I was so captivated by his mastery and the characters in the novel that I decided to try writing myself. A rather naive endeavor, of course. I wrote in a notebook, which I have no idea where it is today. I remember that in my ‘novel,’ the main heroine was fighting for her people’s freedom—no surprise, I was influenced by Under the Yoke. When I revisited some of the chapters later—short, but full of action—I noticed that in one scene, golden wheat stalks are swaying, and in the next, which takes place the following day, it is already snowing. Quite funny, but it’s interesting that as a child I wanted to be a writer. Years passed, and I had forgotten that dream. I thought I was heading down a different path, but it led me right back to the same dream.
Read MoreIt Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda C. Shaw (Book Review 2008)
Amanda C. Shaw’s It Will Have Been So Beautiful is a moving and richly textured debut poetry collection that challenges readers to reevaluate their relationship with the concept of “home,” particularly as the climate crisis looms ever larger in our lives. Edited by Eileen Cleary, this collection explores profound themes of identity, belonging, and resilience through language that is both sonically vibrant and deeply compassionate.
Read MoreFrom Family to Fiction by L. E. Denton
It all started in 1998.
I was at a critical point in my life. I had lost several family members and was stricken with the finality of human existence. How long, really, did one have to share the bounty of family? The gatherings during holiday time and the intimate conversations drive us to be better people? At the age of 43, my own frailty became evident.
Read MoreInterviewing Joanne Lécuyer
1- When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always had an active imagination but never thought about becoming a writer. I got my first story idea in 2004 but didn’t get back to it until 2009 (when I felt it was screaming for my attention). Once I had a solid draft, I got a few friends and colleagues with children to read it. They encouraged me to continue. I published my first chapter book The Witch, the Cat and the Egg, in 2010. Since then, I’ve published 10 more books. I now call myself a writer, and writing books for kids has become my passion.
Read MoreThe Unbearable Lightness of Prose by Brian J. Dolan
Writing has been a part of my life since childhood, but it’s rarely been for my own satisfaction, driven instead by mainly academic or professional concerns. In recent years, I’ve ground out several pieces a year for trade outlets, always with an eye towards a commercial outcome. Unsatisfying in the end, and a slog to write.
Read MoreINTERVIEWING BRIAN CONTE
With sadness, the author passed away before this interview was to be published. With respect to his wish, I decided to still post this interview. Jeyran Main
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always wanted to try it, but honestly, this book was intended to be just a birthday gift for my son. But I sent it in the publishers because why not, and six of them accepted it. I was very surprised but happy.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk, but in my book, I tried to get the writing to mature along with Zeb over the course of the book. There is a dramatic difference in the complexity of the writing at the end versus the beginning.
How did you get your book published?
I sent it in to about a dozen publishers, and six accepted it.
Where did you get the information or ideas for your book?
The book is based on a real adventure that Zeb and I had. We went to a desert island for three weeks. The first two entries are exactly the entries that Zeb wrote in our journal for those two days. On the third day, we kayaked to the nearest island, about a mile away. It was calm and there was no problem getting there and back. But later, I started thinking, “What if a storm caught us midway back to our island?“ It was entirely possible because the storms came up quickly out of nowhere. This book explores that scenario.
The story integrates many parts of our actual adventure as well. Taly, the “Wanderer” homemade boat, the shark incident, and most of all the tree are all from our real adventure.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love reading magical realism books. I tried to include some magical realism in the story, especially the boy and the tree.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?
Honestly that it was publishable and that people seem to like it. I didn’t consider myself a writer.
Is there anything you would like to confess about as an author?
When I first gave it to Zeb for his birthday, I asked him about it a couple of weeks later. He said “honestly, dad, it’s kind of mediocre.” Lol. So then I started a rewriting cycle. I rewrote it at least a dozen times, and cut down the size of it in half, before I finally considered it done. But I’ll never forget the first review Zeb gave me.
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