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Posts Tagged ‘fiction’

Book Review: The End In All Beginnings by John F. D. Taff

December 11th, 2014 1 comment

51DbccRXT+LOoo, what’s that?

So a while back, M read a really good book with a few tiny quirks, and the author asked his readers for criticism.

I don’t think you’re understanding the magnitude of my statement, here. In an era where authors are accusing critical reviewers of bullying, the author asked for criticism. So M responded. The author was grateful! And the rest, as they say, is history.

Then this book came out, and it got way more press than I think anyone was expecting, and then we all realized it was totally worth it. Totally. So I planned to review it, and then M said I had to review it because John’s having a contest, and the winner will be written into his next story.

I could die happy as a character in one of John’s books. ~nods~

Anywho…my review: Read more…

Still on the fence about E.L. James and her books?

July 25th, 2014 1 comment

50 Shades of Grey Cover ArtWe all know how I feel about this series and its subsequent sex toy line. If not, I’ll sum it up real quick for you.

The 50 Shades series promotes ABUSE, not BDSM, and should not, in any way, shape, or form, be used as a guide to putting the spice back in your bedroom as the author and publisher (and pretty much the whole god damned vanilla world) have suggested.

The sex toy line isn’t particularly harmful. It’s just cheap, and the vibrators suck. I’m a kink toy snob. Mostly because I like to own kink toys that are aesthetically pleasing, well made, and will last a good, long time. This line is not at all kink toy snob worthy. It’s kinda ugly, if truth be told.

Now that my opinion’s out of the way, let me move on to why I’m here. I originally formulated those opinions before knowing jack shit about the author and after only reading the first book. I’ve still only read the first book. I can’t find the give a damn to read the second and third. I probably will eventually, but it’s so much work. Reading should be fun. I spent the whole first book completely incredulous. Read more…

Madlenka Borde: The Noah Story

May 25th, 2014 Comments off

So, I’m working on something new. It’s barely a glimmer in my mind’s eye, right now. It may never go beyond character development. This much I know: Madlenka Borde (Maddie for short, but very sparingly) is a 35-year-old woman who can communicate with the dead. She works with the NYPD (it was originally going to take place in Texas, but then I realized Madlenka would never live in Texas) on particularly violent murder cases because those ghosts usually want her help. Her partner’s name is Charlie. He’s not a medium, and they will never be a couple. Madlenka just doesn’t think of Charlie that way. This is an excerpt that will forever be known as “The Noah Story”. Enjoy!

“Yeah. Horatio happily refused to help, and for whatever reason, Gloria felt she couldn’t. So they left.”

“Like, didn’t have the ability?”

“No. Wasn’t allowed.”

“Huh. Weird. I mean, she’s dead. What could he possibly do to her now?” Read more…

Categories: Excerpts Tags:

NaNoWriMo – Holy fucking shit.

November 3rd, 2012 1 comment

I don’t finish things. I just don’t. I still say it’s the whole reason I don’t have a published book. I’ve had lots of great ideas in my life, I just…don’t finish things.

So, naturally, I decided to try NaNoWriMo this year. I’ve decided that even if what I end up with is completely and utterly stupid, at least I tried, eh?

I’m at 6098 words on day three, which is made more impressive by the fact that I wrote 4000 of those words today.

Here’s my stats page. The novel is tentatively named “It’s not what you think!” because it started out sounding very romance-novel-ish. The synopsis is SUPER SHORT and the excerpt on my novel page is, too, but I figure those will develop with time. AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ACTUAL STORY IS!!!

I know. I’ve got these freakin’ runaway characters who just keep dancing around the reason I’m writing about them. But I’m enjoying the story, so far, and I figure if I can just hit 50,000 words in November, I can tie it all together in December.

Anyway, how’s an excerpt from one of the twenty different scenes I’ve begun to build so far sound? I thought so, too.

“Frosty wasn’t exactly forthcoming with everything he knew. I can’t read his thoughts, but I can read his emotions. He was definitely nervous about something, and it was worse when he told me none of the leaf people would harm us inside his inn. I believe that part. They don’t believe in settling things with violence. But they’re not above hiring others to do violence for them. We are not safe here. It is the safest place for us, though. All of the people working and staying here are on our side.”

“How can you be sure?”

“They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. Frosty’s a pretty good judge of character. The only way to infiltrate his group would be to turn someone already in it. And Frosty’s one hell of a guy. There’s not a person close to him that he hasn’t saved in some way.” Adelita looked at Jasper. “Anyone like Giants Cap would be hard-pressed to get in here.”

“Giants cap?” Delores looked at Jasper. “You didn’t say anything about a Giants cap.”

“There was a guy in a Giants cap in the bar where I found Adelita. Why?”

“White?”

“Yes.”

“Could he make the air thick?”

“Yeah, but Adelita can, too.”

“You can?” Delores sounded surprised.

“Yeah. I figured out how to manipulate the air when I was little. Saved my life a time or two. What’s the big deal?”

“It takes a special kind of invisible mage to play with the air. Giants Cap wasn’t an invisible mage. He has to use magic to be invisible. You have to use magic to stop being invisible unless someone knows you or has seen you kill.”

“I’m not an invisible mage, either.”

Categories: Rayne Tags: