Free Book!

Author Neil Gaiman and his publisher, Harper Collins, asked fans what Gaiman book would they like free. The votes were tallied and the winner was American Gods. On his blog, Gaiman has posted the link to the free book. He asked that everyone spread the word since it will only be free for a limited time. So, I'm doing my part and letting people know. What a great idea this is. It gets his work out there for those who had never read it, plus it promotes reading. Its a win win situation. So read and enjoy.

Why writers have day jobs.

One case in point illustrates the reason why many, very good writers, must work in big buildings following corporate warlords in order to survive. The author of The Cheetah Girls thought life was taking a turn for the better when Disney opted to use her stories in a movie franchise. We're talking Disney here. Deborah Gregory had visions of a debt-free world where she could actually live off her craft. See link
What wonder of wonders, her creation, The Cheetah Girls, had actually hit the big time. Now, as time has passed and merchandising has hit an all time high, Deborah Gregory has yet to see her riches! It turns out that Hollywood accounting is so creative that it baffles the mind. The corporations behind the movie/book franchise is covered but not the creative genius behind it. To think that during the writer's strike, there were those who actually accused the writers of being greedy. We need to have the accounting books, for writing related franchises, laid out for all to see. People would be amazed at how much the corporations are making off the creative minds who feed them the ideas that make them rich. The profit is sometimes funneled into the expense and overhead category. Those who work for the corporation could, say, go to Macy's and buy a new wardrobe. Then, they could write off the cost as a work-related expense. This happens more often than most people realize. The problem isn't just the questionable expenses, though. The problem is that once the money is pushed through the accounting funnel, there doesn't seem to be any left for the creative mind that started the whole thing to begin with.

The art of writing a love letter

For Valentine's day we bring you:
Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See This is a compilation of random personal letters from people who are joyfully in love or living in a dark place over their romantic situation. People tend to enjoy being an anonymous witness to other people's lives. Looking through individual notes and letters from strangers is slightly tantalizing. The reader becomes a voyeur as he spies through the keyhole. He views the romantic scene within, unbeknown to the participants. As a result, the lovers are candid and forthright with their words. This letters come from a whole gamut of emotional states, love, lust, hate, confusion, etc.
Exactly what should a love letter say? What style should it be? The answer can come from a grammatical stance or from a psychological one. There is no one easy answer. The bottom line is, a love letter should come from the heart. It should say what needs to be said. These letters do just that. The letters are examples of relationship deepening love and relationship ending apathy. There are sometimes graphic descriptions and sexual jargon, but that's they way these types of letters are sometimes.
Read the book as if you were doing so illicitly. Let your inner voyeur emerge as you slip into the pages and absorb the lover's written words. It will make the experience that much more arousing.

Sister Light: Book One: Of Shadows

In B.B. Walter’s debut novel, a prophecy is revealed, mystics abound and journeys are tread in a war-torn medieval-like world. The book is a new, lurid take on dark fantasy, aimed at intelligent readers who want something that has all the rumor of a classic but also an unrefined real-world depth.

Walter opens her dark fantasy, Sister Light: Book One: Of Shadows, with a prophecy: “Beware the child with the pale blue eyes.” From there she takes you on a compelling journey through the fantastical alternate world terrorized by the blood thirsty Kijack. The Kijack are bird like creatures with no conscience and a passion for torture. As such, an imminent sense of danger looms over the characters throughout the entire book.

The tale follows Rose, a former Sister of Light who can summon lightening at will. We accompany Rose along her predestined path, one that even she is unaware of. As the story develops, we understand a little more of what motivates our heroine. Rose, surprised at her feelings, is haunted by her past. Rose’s fear of intimacy is clouded by her flashbacks of being witness to the rape and torture of her fellow Sister of Light. She is willful and intelligent but emotionally vulnerable due to these deep-rooted traumas which plague her dreams.

The supporting character is David, an heir to his father’s dynasty. That is until his sister turns of age in this matriarchal society where the female inherits the titles. David is betrothed to Lady Timera of Mervar, due to his father’s arrangement between noble houses. David rescues Rose from certain death after a Kijack attack. He becomes her devoted caregiver where he ultimately becomes attached to the mysterious yet vulnerable Rose.

The author inextricably weds the characters to the land from which gave them life. She plays with the eeriness of a beleaguered homeland scattered with defenseless villages and wavering kingdoms.

Loosely woven initially, Sister Light finds its voice as the story progresses. As a new writer, Walter demonstrates her literary potential fluently with her enduring style.

Her ample use of superlatives can be forgiven by the fact that much of the language is invented jargon exclusive to her world. This author defies convention by shocking the reader with disturbing imagery and gothic vengeance. The divided provinces in this fabricated old world domain reach out beyond the pages to lure the reader within.

I was captivated throughout the story due to the nonstop intensity and visual strength. There's a quality to Walter’s storytelling that makes this novel very much like a disturbing fable.

The story progresses with a glimpse into the sinister and ominous sovereigns where the enemies are plotting against the kingdom. There is no neat and tidy ending to this book. It openly entices the reader to continue the journey into the next book. I look forward to, not only seeing how the author hones her literary skills, but also to find out how it all turns out.

Sister Light: Book One: Of Shadows is a must read for those who love a good fantasy with all the trappings of a gothic world full of turmoil, intimacy and horror.