My Editing Process

My latest work, a space opera scifi entitled "The First Nova I See Tonight," had gone through my editing process to the point that I've handed it off to my editor, Donovan Reves at Bloomsday Editing and Proofreading. About 77K words worth of space pirates, cyborgs, and alien lovers! But even after he's done, there's more to do until publishing.

So what is that editing process? Let me tell you....

Some editing notes from my latest scifi novel

First, a caveat: every writer has their own process that they follow. Mine is very thorough and works for me, but if you are a writer and want your own method, shop around a bit and see what works for you. 

1) Editing as I go: Some writers out there espouse the idea that you should just write straight through without any editing until you reach the end. Don't judge your work. Let it flow. In fact, some writers and writing instructors insist this is the best way to write. Great idea for some, but disastrous for me. If I do that, I wind up with massive developmental issues. I also find that the process of editing so many typos, sentence structure, and plot holes for the entire length becomes overwhelming and demoralizing. It's better for me to edit as I go, at the chapter level. It stretches out the period of time it takes to do the writing, but it's so worth it to me to wind up with a finished draft that is easier to edit.

2) Chapter edits: After I write each chapter, I read back through the digital copy to find errors. I then print it out and do it again. This is an important point: I've found that editing on the computer uses some different part of my brain than editing on paper; I always find new issues I'd missed.

3) Writing group critiques: Once I get a significant way through the book, I have an excellent writers group, The Village Peeps of Corvallis, who then critiques the book, one or two chapters at a time. They always find changes I need to make, including simple things or typos that I should have caught, or more important developmental or character issues. I read through those comments, and will implement some of the changes, but for the most part I set the critiques aside until I've finished the full novel. (To learn more about writing groups, I have a PRIOR POST on the value of a writer's group and the rules we follow). 

4) First Revision: Once I finished the first draft (and celebrated with some treat for myself. Yay!), I then take all those writing group critiques and go through, chapter by chapter, deciding what needs changed based on them. Most of these are "surface changes" such as typos, sentence structure, repeated phrases, etc. But if they or I find plot holes or sections that need re-written, I hold off. The finished version is what I call the "first revision."

5) Second Revision: Next, I go back through the digital document again and look at developmental editing. This time I focus on the larger issues: plot holes, sections that need re-written, character development. Whole chapters might be re-ordered or re-written in this revision. Paragraphs changed. Additional details added. In extreme cases, I have even changed a sub-plot or changed a paragraph to be from the point of view of a different character. Then, again, I print it out and go over it in pen. The resulting edited version is what I call the "second revision."

6) Off to the editor and beta readers: This is where I am with my latest scifi novel. I send the second revision to my freelance editor, who will use his own style of editing to find changes that need made. I also send it off to beta readers (who read it like a purchaser would but only are expected to give general critiques of chapters and the book as a whole. They are unpaid, but the book should be fairly polished by this point). 

5) Final version? Once I get the critiques back from the editor and beta readers, then I go into what should hopefully be the final round of editing. Provided they don't find any giant issues (like entire plot points that aren't working for them), then I once again go through and implement changes in the digital format. Since most of the line editing and proofreading has been taken care of before the second revision was done, most of the critiques are larger developmental issues. So I might have to go in and re-examine these and maybe do a bit of re-writing. I then go through it again by, yes, printing it out and having a physical copy to edit. I might need to have another round with my editor if large changes were made. Barring any glaring issues, I should, at this point, have a final version ready for ARC readers and publication (if I'm self-publishing) or submission to agents and publishers (for the traditional publishing route). Yay! Time to celebrate again!

Some final thoughts:

• As my writing mentor, the late Anne Warren Smith, once taught me: "Don't fall in love with your words." Or, as others have put it, "Don't be afraid to kill your darlings." Have a critical eye and cut ruthlessly if needed. (For instance, you have a beautiful description of the sunset and your character's thoughts, with a way of writing it that would surely win awards, but if it breaks up the action too much, maybe this isn't the best place in the book for that. Cut it or move it.)
• Whatever your editing style is, it has to fit YOU, the writer. Lots of experienced readers and writers will dole out advice, but always remember: your book is yours, not theirs. Only you know what you want to express and how to express it for the audience that you want to read it. That means you can feel free to ignore any and all advice. But a professional will, at least, seriously consider any critique that comes their way and be thankful for it. 
• Be humble. Even though I just told you it is your work and your voice, you can't know it all. Accept criticisms with an open mind. Even if you disagree with what is said, say "thank you" and don't argue. Give it some time to sink in before you discard or accept the advice. 
• Save all versions, both digitally and printed (and back up your files!). You never know when some earlier thought might have actually been the best choice. Or maybe that section you cut out could be used in another work or sequel.

Some additional resources:

• Editing Styles That Every Every Writer Should Know! by Writers Republic
• 27 Book Editors Share Their Editing Top Tips and Naughty No-Nos by author Emma Lombard
• The Difference Between Beta-Readers and ARC Readers by Rachel Thompson at Bad Redhead Media
• How to Edit a Book by Michael Aragon at Self-Publishing School
• Book Editing Basics by Blake Atwood at The Write Life

Cheers and happy reading (and editing)! 

My Review of "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

People raved about this book, and as a horror reader and writer, I was embarrassed I hadn't read it. So I finally listened to it on audible as I drove cross-country.

Jackson's writing style if vivid and her craft is excellent. Her characters were well-fleshed, and she could evoke a gothic atmosphere, something I craved. But....

The main point-of-view character, Eleanor (or "Nell") is purposely fragile and naïve, having lived in a very controlling household with no real life of her own until she escaped to the Hill House project. But her frequent "episodes" of daydreaming and her overwhelming second-guessing of herself became very, very tedious. The other characters, though, didn't bother me. In fact, I found Dr. Montague very compelling and is wife, who shows up to act as a self-appointed medium, hilarious. The house caretaker, Mrs. Dudley, was stern to the point of being a caricature of herself.

More troublesome than Nell's character, though, was the fact that certain plot points never really seemed to come full circle. I won't give away anything, but I found the motivations of the spirits in the house and their activities and manifestations to be almost random. Clearly they focus on "fragile Nell", but by the end of the book I was scratching my head to figure out what much of it had to do with anything, and it all took a back seat to Eleanor's self-doubting. When the end of the book came, I was frankly happy when fate met her. 

Cheers and happy reading!

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Review of The Disappearance by Lisa Hodorovych

 

The Disappearance by Lisa Hodorovych
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ashlynn goes on a yearly retreat to a reclusive cabin in the woods of the Northwest with her brother, Glen, and two best friends, Roman and Kaden. But then they act odd and disappear without explanation, leaving her alone. Horrifying beasts stalk the woods around the cabin, but she can't just leave her loved ones behind. The help of an old friend, Jack, who happens to be a paranormal investigator, sheds light on the nature of these beasts and sparks more than a paranormal investigation...

The Disappearance is a quick read and a short novel, barely longer than novella length. It's a "gentle" paranormal story, something all too rare, in that it isn't focused on gore or gothic descriptions. Hodorovych leaves you feeling fulfilled with a sense of relationship, as the story is centered around the female protagonist and her devotion to the characters around her.

My main critiques are that I would have liked more scenic descriptions in the book (for instance, it takes place in the woods of the Northwest, but there's nary a description of ferns or fir trees), and I saw the plot twist coming long before the protagonist did. But Hodorovych demonstrates a mastery of writing craft and you feel the genuine emotions of the character as she navigates the challenges and searches for her missing loved ones against the threat of these cryptid creatures.

Cheers and happy reading!

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Sometimes life gets in the way of writing. It's okay.

One of the "rules" of writing you hear over and over is that you have to write every day. I'm here to tell you that it isn't always a possibility. And that's okay.

Any writer who feels bold enough to pronounce "rules" of any type is, I think, a bit full of shit. Some of the greatest writers in history made their mark precisely by breaking the rules. But the "rule" of writing every day is one that is repeated all the way from bestselling authors to unpublished writers aspiring to be like those gurus.

Stephen King, for instance, in his much-lauded book, On Writing, prescribes that you write at least 1000 words a day at least six days a week. Well good for him, but remember that he is a full-time author who makes buckets of money at it. I’ve found that a lot of writers who hand out this advice, particularly if they declare you should write X thousand words/day or some number of hours every day, are actually full time writers.

Yes, if you are committed to writing as a career or are serious about putting words on paper and getting it into the hands of readers, then you should write as regularly as possible and as much as your muse can manage. But let's get real, okay? We're human and most of us who write are not full-time writers. We have messy lives. We have kids to raise. We have dayjobs (sometimes more than one) demanding our full attention. We have groceries to shop for, lawns to mow, friends and family to nurture. And gods forbid we actually want a little "me" time just to entertain ourselves with a movie or a good book. After all, you HAVE to be in touch with your life and your culture or your own writing will seem less “real.”

Lives are messy. I'm no exception. After I finished my second novel, I actually stopped writing fiction for over eight years as I raised two special needs babies and worked a career. I found other outlets (blogging and job-related writing), but trying to write quality fiction while exhausted, in maybe 15-minute increments, was simply not do-able. Eventually my kids became a bit more self-sufficient and my dayjob calmed down, and I found myself with enough time and energy to get back to my fiction. It was such a relief to finally exercise that part of my identity! That was several years ago. Happily, I'm back at it.

These days, I'm hitting it harder, with lots of projects coming together in rewarding ways. I find much more time now for writing, editing, and marketing my books. But LIFE is still messy. I'm just coming out of a divorce. I'm buying a house. I'm having kid issues. I'm preparing for a move. And, let's not forget, we're all in the middle of a worldwide pandemic while socially isolating and, at least in my case, working from home for the dayjob. Throw in there a surprise (!) root canal the other day, too. Whew! That's a hell of a lot to deal with!

Many of you reading this may have similar craziness in your lives. It's okay. Really. It's okay.

And if you feel you need permission to attend to life and write later, here it is: You have permission to write when you can, whenever or for however long that may be. We'll wait. It'll be brilliant, because you'll be able to focus better knowing that your life's basic needs are also being met.

And the silver lining? All those crazy things in our lives will color our writing, too. Life experience is the number one best thing to bring your writing to life. It pops up in unexpected ways, breathing essence into your characters and the way they deal with their own lives. And because our readers are human and have crazy lives, too, they can relate better to your writing as a result.

I know your keyboard is calling to you. But go ahead and deal with your car appointment or child's recital or your work report, or whatever. The words will come when you get that chance. Your mind will be clearer. And we'll eagerly await to read what comes out of it!

Cheers and happy writing!

Review of Edge of the Breach by Halo Scot

Edge of the Breach by Halo Scot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Edge of the Breach is a deep and fascinating delve into darkness. Behold the birth of monsters and the redemption of the unredeemable.

Set far into the future in a cross-genre sci-fi/fantasy, after civilization has fallen and humanity has fled to the now-hot Antarctica, people struggle to keep society together by utilizing a brutal underbelly. At some point in the past, an interdimensional breach appeared in the heavens, introducing new gods and granting people magical powers based on the season.

The story is told from the point of view of a boy, Kyder, and a girl, Rune, who each fight their own demons and manage to survive at their wits end, both powerful in their respective magic, and both growing to adulthood and surviving on the streets to command their own groups. This is no story for the fainthearted! It is a "grimdark" story, and Halo Scot doesn't flinch from showing us the details of torture, pain, S&M, and forbidden sex. The gritty details lend a dark and realistic bent until, drawn along the current, you are pulled through the rapids of the streams of their lives until, at last, they join into a raging river.

The story is the beginning of a series that revolves around an interdimensional war. But that war only really comes into play at the end of this volume. That didn't matter to me. I was enthralled with story of the two characters and how the darkness and violence of their lives shaped them into terrifying yet relatable people just trying to climb to the top of the dogpile. Highly recommended.

Cheers and happy reading!

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Results from my poll on what scares you the most

What scares you the most?

I ran a Twitter poll asking which of these things scares horror book fans the most: creepy clowns, evil children, manipulative demons, or shadowy ghosts.

I find it fascinating that people find evil children the scariest, followed by creepy clowns.

If you look at mythology, eerie folk tales, or real-world accounts, it's usually the opposite; demons and ghosts seem to prevail.

I have a couple theories around this. First, mythology and folk tales reflect the more religious nature of older societies. I think, in the modern Western world, we are less apt to fall back on religion, and thus are less likely to dwell on demons and the devil, and maybe also less fearful of an afterlife and ghosts.

Second, real-world stories of ghosts, and even "demonic hauntings", are now relatively common, thanks in part to reality TV ghosthunter and paranormal shows and a long publication history over the decades. Maybe we've become used to them?

A third theory I have is that we may find more fearful those things that we would normally presume are harmless, like small children and babies, or clowns, but which have been perverted by supernatural forces. I'm convinced this is the most important of my theories.

I once turned harmless little rabbits into vengeful spirits, in my novelette "Rabbit Cry" (a story in my my book, Around the Corner from Sanity). I think it's the creepiest story in the anthology.

I wonder... what other seemingly "harmless" beings I could pervert into a good horror story?

What do you think? What other harmless creatures/entities/forces do you think could be a source of fear?

Cheers and happy reading!

Review of Edge of the Flame by James Aichinger

Edge of The Flame by James Aichinger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Edge of the Flame is a scifi re-telling of the "chosen one" sort of story. Aichinger has a good writing method and an imaginitive worldbuilding, spanning three worlds. The characters have complex backstories and stand out well from one another. The main villain is fairly unique with a power that is awe-striking and seemingly un-defeatable, and you find yourself wondering how they can manage to overcome him.

A young man who lacks memory of his childhood, Adanis, realizes his home town is in flames and all are destroyed, the result of an attack by powerful creatures (ironically) called "angels" at the behest of a villain named Arek, but he is quickly rescued by two brothers and arms experts, a techie named Rascelot and his powerful "malachi" brother Raphael. A malachi is like a mutant with superpowers. Adanis learns he isn't just a malachi, but a "valkiran" who is the fated chosen one to destroy Arek. But Adanis is naive and must quickly learn all he needs from the brothers in order to fulfill his role. What follows is a chase between worlds as they run from Arek and his minions to Earth, then try to be recognized as the valkiran in the coming battle for Earth. But all is not what it seems, and who can Adanis trust?

Personally, I'm not a fan of "chosen one" stories, and this story follows the (tired) traditional "Hero with a thousand faces" story progression... *but* there is a significant twist at the very end of the book, which has to do with his lack of memory and identity crisis. Unfortunately you have to read nearly all of the 160K words to get to it. Part of the reason for the length is that there are no less than 20 major characters, most of whom have point-of-view sections and side plots of their own, not all of which really seemed to be necessary for the main storyline, such as diplomats and their personal relationships to other diplomats, or an arms dealer and his shady history. I found the story got bogged down in these side plots by around 2/3 the way through the book. Also, despite the length of the book, the ending wraps up very quickly and I found myself a bit confused by the convenient manner in which it ended. Plus, some of those many side plots were not wrapped up at all. But it's not all bad. The side plots ARE interesting on their own, even if they don't lend much to the central storyline.

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Cheers and happy reading!

How Much Bloodshed Is Tolerated in Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels?

It goes without saying that many fiction genres have little or no tolerance for bloodshed and pain: certainly children's and middle grade books, most romance or erotica (there's nothing sexy about being cut open and bleeding... I'm raising an eyebrow at you BDSM lovers!), humor and absurdist literature, and so forth. You might see a bloody nose or brief mention of wounds in literary fiction, cozy mysteries (like Agatha Cristie), legal thrillers (think John Grisham), and social commentary pieces, but almost never anything detailed.

The level of tolerance increases significantly when you consider thrillers of any sort. You can't have gunfights and martial arts duels without at least some pain and bloodshed, reserved mostly for the bad guys, of course. The range of tolerance here is very wide, so as a writer and a reader you have to have an idea of the subgenre and the author beforehand. And then there's horror, which takes a giant, blood-splattering leap upward on the scale. Even with authors like Stephen King you expect some grisly scenery and description, and that's not even the sort of "body horror" or "grimdark" subgenres that I think is increasingly popular. (As an aside, it's strange to me that this kind of severe bloodshed is more popular in horror movies than in books, but then maybe it's because those who find satisfaction or entertainment in such imagery are more visual than imaginative?). The stories in my horror anthology, Around the Corner from Sanity, run the full range from no blood to gore-fest.

But what about science fiction and fantasy? It seems to me that these genres fall into a sort of gray zone. I read and write in these genres, but even I have a hard time putting a finger on the preferences of the reading public. Again, there's a wide scale and as a reader you sort of have to know the author beforehand. I can't remember any reference to blood at all in Tolkien's books, despite all the battle scenes, for instance. Frank Herbert described brutal acts in Dune but only in a few scenes did he go into details. But other, more modern authors I've read, such as Dan Simmons, don't shy away from it (the creature known as the Shrike in his Hyperion novels still elicits a tantalizing shiver for me).

So I put a poll on Twitter to get some feedback on this. I asked, "#fantasy and #scifi #book fans, What level of bloodshed to you tolerate in your novels?" I expected most answers to fall somewhere in the middle, maybe skewing slightly toward the more violent end. 

As you can see, there is, indeed, the sort of distribution that I thought, with only about 5% voting "none", then increasing to 33% and 43% for "some bloodshed's fine" and "there can be heavy scenes," respectively. I was surprised by the number of people who voted for "full-on gore fest!" (19%). I figured it would be down around 10%.

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, I personally have a very high tolerance and sometimes prefer the more bloody violence, as long as it fits the tone of the overall book and the plot. 

In the fantasy novels I've written, there are only a few scenes that get bloody, in a PG way, and no real "gore", though I allow myself freer space with some of my fantasy short stories. But in my space opera novel, which is written with a sort of pulp-fiction tone, some action scenes are pretty graphic and would be R-rated if made into a movie (not to mention some X-rated sex scenes!).

As a writer, I'll say that the guiding principles related to the violence to include are: what is the interest of your target audience, and is it necessary for the plot and characterization?

How do you feel about bloodshed in sci-fi and fantasy books? Leave a comment!

Cheers and happy reading!

My Review of The Unstrung Harp by Edward Gorey

The Unstrung Harp by Edward Gorey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Poor Mr. Earbrass, facing the eccentricities and foibles of the creative process that all of us writers must endure, the endless editing, and the excruciating process of getting published!

This little book is a delight and a must-read for anyone who loves books or, particularly, is involved in making them. Gorey's illustrations are delightful, and though this is a quick read and an old-style writing (as is the setting), his wit is spot-on. Perhaps my favorite part is when he is nearing the end of his creation, where "the characters have one and all become thoroughly tiresome, as though he had been trapped at the same party with them since the day before; neglected sections of the plot loom on every hand, waiting to be disposed of; his verbs seem to have withered away and his adjectives to be proliferating past control."

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Cheers and happy reading!

10 Cheesy Pick-Up Lines for Writers

There's one in very nightclub. You know the type. That creepy pick-up artist who eyes you from across the bar, cocktail in hand, then sidles up to you, looks you up and down, and says .... 

(Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash)

But no, lose the nightclub. Now you're in a cafe next to a bookstore. And everything about you says "WRITER." That introverted way about you. Glasses. Unassuming clothes. And, of course, an open book or laptop next to your pumpkin spice latte.

And up walks another writer, but instead of a cocktail in his hand it's a cappuccino, and in the other a copy of something pretension enough to worthy deep discussion. Maybe Tolstoy. Maybe The New Yorker. He's got a man bun and an ironic but neatly trimmed beard. A real hipster. The sort who boasts about his Great American Novel but is still searching for that bit of inspiration to get it started.

Then he invites himself to sit at your table, looks you up and down, and says...


10. "I like the curves of your story arc, baby."

9. "This is one conjugation guaranteed to make you comma." 

8. “You’re my climax.” 

7. "If you show, I won't tell."

6. "Ooh! I haven't seen a 'plot' that big since War and Peace."

5. "I've got some Great Expectations for you, with an Oliver Twist!"

4. "I'm plotting a way into your heart."

3. "Wanna see where I put my apostrophe?"

2. "How about we start with some foreshadowing?"

1. "Hey, girl, wanna see what's between my covers?"

and a bonus!

"Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be fiiine print."

Do you have another great "writer pick-up line" to contribute? Leave a comment!

Cheers and happy reading!

A fantastic review of my horror collection, Around the Corner from Sanity

Quoth the Writer Book Reviews has regular reviews of books, author interviews (stay tuned for one with me!), and more.

Now they've just released an in-depth review of my collection of 14

The reviewer, Lisa Hodorovych, with her copy.

horror and paranormal humor stories, Around the Corner from Sanity. Some quotes from the review:

• "one of the main reasons I loved these stories was because you legitimately felt shivers coursing through your body, your heart skipping a beat, your eyes widening in fear, and just felt a real reaction to these stories."
• "He does a fantastic job of making you feel what the character’s feeling, of making you feel scared, of making you scream “Oh my gosh, run!” at the book. I was truly amazed."
• "The stories in it will shock you and horrify you, but some will also make you laugh. Jason does an excellent job of tying in different emotions or behaviors, like laughter, to make it more real."

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE.

You can also go to the book's Amazon page, where you can read all seven of the 5-star reviews that readers have left.

Cheers and happy reading!

10 Book Titles So Awesomely Bad They're Good

Sometimes the title of a movie or song is so tongue-in-cheek, so kitschy, so incredibly insane that it isn't just bad, it's awesomely bad. It grabs your attention and makes you eager to learn more. In fact, it's because they are so bad that they are fun. Heckling them while experiencing them isn't just accepted, it's encouraged!

Think of movies like "They Came From Beyond Space" or "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!" (exclamation included!). Or songs like "One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater" or "My Ding-A-Ling." Just about any song by "Weird Al" Yankovic counts.

Why shouldn't books be any different? Oh, sure, you may be one of THOSE types, the snobbish literati who considers the written word sacrosanct and looks down their nose at anything that isn't on Oprah's Book Club list. Hey, more power to ya. There's a place for that. But the rest of us value entertainment of a more lowbrow sort, sometimes.

Here's a Top Ten Countdown of book titles guaranteed to be so bad that they grab your attention:

10. How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety: And Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism, and Other Dangers That Threaten Their Nine Lives by Zachary Auburn

The cats of America are under siege!  Long gone are the good old days when a cat’s biggest worries were mean dogs or a bath. Modern cats must confront satanists, online predators, the possibility of needing to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and countless other threats to their nine lives.

9. Italian Without Words by Don Cangelosi

You don’t need words to speak Italian. You don't have to study Italian or travel to Italy to communicate like a true paesano. All you really need is this unique "phrase book" of the most common Italian expressions, complete with authentic Italian gestures and body language. It's the fastest and funniest way to learn Italian ever published. Now, even if you don't know a single word of Italian, you can learn the most common greetings and expressions, dinner-table comments, hot vows of love, bargaining tricks, insults, threats and curses. This book shows you how.

8. Attack of the Vampire Ninjas! (Aggression of the Super Awesome Book 1) by Jordan Prokosch

Attack of the Vampire Ninjas is the story of Tsukiko and her team of ninjas, who also happen to be vampires, as they hunt the mysterious and elusive Agent Green. Action! Comedy! Vampires! Ninjas! You'll find all this and more in Jordan Prokosch's amazing debut novel!

Because Japanese + vampire = "Jampyre"? And... they write Haikus??...

7. Here Comes the Jampyre: Book 2 of The

Vampire Haiku Chronicles by Arakaki Soto

After the death of her father, Misake vows to keep his legacy alive in Tokyo's criminal underworld. But when she spurns Boss Oh's desire to join families, the elder female Yakuza boss retaliates against many of Misake's businesses. The Jampyre in turn, wages war against the other families, systematically taking each down with the hopes of becoming the sole power in Japan.

For writers everywhere. I feel accused...

6. Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: Why

That Is And What You Can Do About It by Steven Pressfield

Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional. 

From Chapter Four: 

“When you understand that nobody wants to read your shit, you develop empathy. You acquire the skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs—the ability to switch back and forth in your imagination from your own point of view as writer/painter/seller to the point of view of your reader/gallery-goer/customer. You learn to ask yourself with ev­ery sentence and every phrase: Is this interesting? Is it fun or challenging or inventive? Am I giving the reader enough? Is she bored? Is she following where I want to lead her?"

The next three are part of a series, all of which make the cut!

5. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore

Jody never asked to become a vampire. But when she wakes up under an alley Dumpster with a badly burned arm, an aching back, superhuman strength, and a distinctly Nosferatuan thirst, she realizes the decision has been made for her. 

Making the transition from the nine-to-five grind to an eternity of nocturnal prowlings is going to take some doing, however, and that's where C. Thomas Flood fits in. A would-be Kerouac from Incontinence, Indiana, Tommy (to his friends) is biding his time night-clerking and frozen-turkey bowling in a San Francisco Safeway. But all that changes when a beautiful undead redhead walks through the door...and proceeds to rock Tommy's life -- and afterlife -- in ways he never thought possible.

4. You Suck: A Love Story (Bloodsucking Fiends Book 2) by Christopher Moore

Being undead sucks. Literally. 

Just ask C. Thomas Flood. Waking up after a fantastic night unlike anything he's ever experienced, he discovers that his girlfriend, Jody, is a vampire. And surprise! Now he's one, too. For some couples, the whole biting-and-blood thing would have been a deal breaker. But Tommy and Jody are in love, and they vow to work through their issues. 

But word has it that the vampire who initially nibbled on Jody wasn't supposed to be recruiting. Even worse, Tommy's erstwhile turkey-bowling pals are out to get him, at the urging of a blue-dyed Las Vegas call girl named (duh) Blue. 

And that really sucks.

3. Bite Me: A Love Story (Bloodsucking Fiends Book 3) by Christopher Moore

While some lovers were born to run, Jody and Tommy were born to bite. Well, reborn, that is, now that they're vampires. Good thing theirs is an undying love, since their Goth Girl Friday, Abby Normal, imprisoned them in a bronze statue. 

Abby wants to be a bloodsucking fiend, too, but right now she's really busy with other stuff, like breaking in a pair of red vinyl thigh-high Skankenstein® platform boots and wrangling her Ph.D.-candidate boyfriend, Steve (the love monkey). And then there's that vampire cat Chet, who's getting bigger and smarter—and thirstier—by the minute. Abby thought she and Steve could handle the kitty cat on their own, mais non . . .

The next one was almost a tie for first place....

2. Kung Fu Fighting Vampire Mermaids: Globe Zero by P.W. Lewis

In a time when the seed of evil was covering the planet and the pure had fallen in battle, Priest-Lucius and his daughters, Destiny, Charity, Hope and Faith were punished, tragically torn apart and separated in time by a vengeful supernatural power. 

Desperate to find his daughters, Lucius embarks upon a perilous journey through the ages of time. Finally reunited in the dark flooded lawless future of the human race, Lucius is shocked to find himself in the same war, new jungle “Scumbag Central” and that certain things about Destiny, Charity, Hope and Faith aren’t quite as they should be. 

This family may be gifted, but are they equipped to deal with the sinister forces that lay in wait, and will their hellish past catch up with them?

and Number One is:

1. A Bad Hair Day and Hot Vampire Dinosaur Sex in Space by M.S. Terry

All Rebecca Carrington wanted was some decent hair care products on board the starship, but when Captain Avan Hunter walks into her life, she discovers she has much more primal needs.The six-foot tall, menacing hunk of Adasaurus hotness had her quivering to the tips of her toes, but he was a big, muscular, glorious slab of taboo.

You may have noticed a trend here: 6 of the 10 titles are "vampire" in nature. I guess you can say I'm biased. Or perhaps vampires, themselves, are so diabolically kitschy that they lend themselves to such titles.

I hope you check out some of these. I know I will!

Cheers and happy reading!

Review of Mad Max: Fury Road (graphic novel prelude to the movie)

Mad Max: Fury Road by George Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't be more pleased with this graphic novel. The artistry is first-rate. The stories are compelling. and it has all of the post-apocalyptic nihilism and road-roaring rage of the movies, as well as the tough heart of the movie protagonists and heartlessness of the bad guys.

The movie started with some clear gaps that needed answering, and this book answers those. For instance, what was the story behind the "brides" and how Furiosa came to protect them? Or what's the backstory on Immortan Joe? The graphic novel also tells us the background for Nux, a couple novel stories for Max before he came to the movie, and even a chapter on the history of the War Rig!

Not only does it have the movie director, George Miller, at the helm, but veteran Mad Max storyboarder and artist Mark Sexton contributing to the art. Any fan of Mad Max should purchase and read this at once!

View all my reviews

BONUS! Click HERE to go to my YouTube Channel review of this graphic novel!

Cheers and happy reading!

My review of The Soft Fall by Marissa Byfield

The Soft Fall by Marissa Byfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dianna lost her mother at a young age and has been raised in a puritanical, patriarchal village of Awl-Feth by a loving but overbearing father who wants her not to make waves. He hunts the "demons" of the woods of Silbarren, massive werewolves, to keep her safe and avenge the death of his wife, and her brother, Liam, does his best to educate her and shelter her from the oppressive culture the best he can. But Dianna's sheltered life changes when one of those "demons" infects her to become one of them. Can she hide this curse? Or can she learn to embrace it?

For me this book was about change. The protagonist, a strong female character, changed not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. Yes, there's a change to that of a werewolf, but don't expect this to be like other werewolf stories. In the story things are not what they seem. And the protagonist realizes this as she goes on her journey of discovery of herself and of others. She fights a patriarchal and blind belief to open our eyes to what it really means to survive and to become part of a found-family. There is battle and blood, but there is also redemption. I highly recommend this fantasy novel.

View all my reviews

Cheers and happy reading!

Collaborative storytelling - The Enchantress of Tanglewood (Part III - Conclusion)

This is the last of the three-part collaborative storytelling experiment, where you, the reader, helped choose the way the story continued.

To read PART I of the three parts, read HERE.

To read PART II of the three parts, read HERE.


WINNING VOTES from Part II resulted in "Fight the Enchantress and Interrupt the Spell" (The last paragraph of Part II is repeated for continuity)....


THE ENCHANTRESS OF TANGLEWOOD ~ Part III

(Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay)

The Enchantress waved her birchbark hands, whispering arcane words in a chant. A fog formed around them both. As Tarynn looked into the fathomless eyes of the entity, she began to feel a tingling sensation inside of her and knew she was changing.

"No!" Tarynn yelled, and slapped the Enchantress with the yolky mistletoe.

The Enchantress cried out with the voices of a hundred animals in pain, her face falling apart like splintered wood. The spell had worked.

"You're not in league with the Green God!" Tarynn yelled. "You're a liar!" She grabbed the Enchantress's outstretched arm and spun her around, slamming her into the trunk of a fir tree. The body of the Enchantress fell apart, the leaves and bark and lichen that composed falling to the ground.

But from all around her, Tarynn heard the woods come alive. Myriad beasts moved in the underbrush and among the boughs. A wind cropped up. And on the wind came a furious voice. "You have wronged me, child! Now you must pay the price!"

Tarynn turned a circle, unsure of which way to go, as the animal noises grew louder, closing in.

Dusk had come. And as Tarynn looked about her, her heart pounding in panic, she saw something that gave her hope. A bright star shone brightly through a small gap in the canopy. No, not a star. The planet Venus. It was a guide. She now knew which way was west, and from that, which way to get out of the forest!

And then the creatures emerged from the shadows. Birds flitted, angry chirruping and swooping down at her. Squirrels and chipmunks ran down the trunks and across logs. Then, from the darkest shadow, came a deep and perturbed grunt as a massive black bear emerged. Tarynn shrieked and backed up.

But she had one last card to play. She reached into her bag and pulled out the butane lighter.

"You're made of the woods, bitch!" Tarynn said. "So I'll burn you down!" She knelt and lit the litter on fire.

"Noooo!" the voice of the Enchantress wailed. The wind picked up, but it only seemed to fan the flames.

The animals cried out as one and ran from the fire. Tarynn ran as well, as the flames grew quickly behind her. She crashed through ferns and over logs. Tripped. Caught herself. Fled as fast as she could through the foggy wood.

The air whooshed as, behind her, the wall of flame grew like a wall, catching the dense undergrowth.

Tarynn ran as fast as she dared, over a hill and down into a vale until, at last, she careened out of the woods. She emerged into a field near the outer subdivisions of town.

Tarynn didn't stop until she reached a road. Then, turning, she watched as the wildfire grew. Within hours it had encompassed the entire forest in a conflagration unseen for a hundred years. She could still hear the wailing of the Enchantress.

A week later, after fire teams had extinguished the fire and it has smoldered and grown cold, Tarynn, dared to return. Only one slim area had been untouched: a narrow gorge with a stream gurgling through its center. And there, just over the tenuous banks, on a ledge of overgrowth, was a patch grown thick with chanterelle mushrooms. She cut all but a dozen. A peace offering to the Enchantress, just in case. The woods would grow back, after all.

Cheers and happy reading!