I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. What a great story premise. Set in the seedier side of Victorian London, the novel introduces Detective Nathanial Brannick. His wife having died from consumption, he’s given the case of a young Irishwoman who suffered from the same wasting disease that is now ravaging Brannick himself. To ease the pain, he’s consuming opium – the archetypal flawed detective. There’s more to it. Like a bloody birthmark on his wrist and an eerie…Continue Reading ““Consumed” by Justin Alcala”→
If you could spend time with a character from your book, which character would it be? And what would you do during that day? That would be either Myrtle—I would try to reassure her that everything will turn out all right—or Petty, the primula. She is so optimistic and cheerful, something I really am not and a good dose of that will go a long way. Tell us about the conflict in this book. What is at stake for your characters? The conflict centers on…Continue Reading “In My Attic is published – interview with the author – Part 2”→
Can you describe what your book is about in one sentence? After the suspicious death of her aunt, Myrtle Coldron searches for a murderer and finds a magical misfit—herself. What is the theme of In My Attic? Finding a place, a purpose in life, even if it is not what one expected. How do you develop your plots and characters? First, I come up with a story idea—there’s a lot of inner Netflixing going on all the time. I always start with the characters, who…Continue Reading “In My Attic is published – interview with the author – Part 1”→
Nicole Sallak Anderson’s Song of the King’s Heart, Book One in her “Origin” series. is a highly original novel. Not only does she expertly paint a picture of a long-gone era, she also brings back a period in Egypt’s history that is a lot less well known to readers. The author then layers on another unique experience, ultimately creating a novel abuzz with mysticism fed by sexual energy, a concept I haven’t come across anywhere else. The plot is rife with intrigue, warfare and complex…Continue Reading “Review of Nicole Sallak Anderson’s “Song of a King’s Heart””→
I love reading intelligent humour. I love unique voices and, even more so, a pretty damn cool premise. Anybody surprised that I loved reading this novel? Richard has been parked in a nursing home, abandoned like a crusty old tomcat. Nobody expects him to do anything but grumble through his day—and die. Nobody – apart from another inmate, the super-dapper, mega-chipper Stanley Kapcheck. Oh, and he’s British, which makes things even worse. Of course, he’s the one who will shake Richard out of his misery,…Continue Reading “Review of E.A Comiskey’s “Some Monsters Never Die””→
THE BAT is part of a string of stories told by the patrons of The Red Grouse Inn. I can see them there, sitting by the fire, a pint in their hands, spinning their yarns. I liked THE BAT, a coming-of-age story since it demonstrates that adult fiction does not have to pivot on adult protagonists. Instead, the friends enjoy Thomas’s tale, and the reader gets to listen in.Actually, while this set-up frames the narrative, it also creates a bit of a distance. We know…Continue Reading “Review of Leslie Garland’s “The Bat””→
Original and unique, both the story premise and the setting of Margaret Holton’s TRILLIUM triggered my interest. TRILLIUM tells the story of Canada’s Niagara Peninsula from the advent of the first European settlers in 1750 up to the beginning of this millennium, a story that becomes an epic journey not only through time but also a very specific location. A story? No: an epic saga of three families spanning generations. Three young settlers, Tom, Franco, and Paddy sow the seeds of the novel, that grows…Continue Reading “Review of “Trillium” By Margaret L. Holton”→
Pissed-off rattlesnakes? Check. Hungry Caimans? Check. Murderous thugs and heinous villains pulling strings from afar? Check and check. Add the forgotten tomb of an Incan Emperor into the mix, a Texan treasure hunter and a British librarian, ah—sorry Kate, make that a historian—plenty of untouched jungle and, yes, a raging underground stream and you get GOLD RIVER. Think Die Hard, only in the Peruvian Andes. The whole story is pure action from the moment Tom tests his latest Amazon purchase—a metal detector—in the Texan desert….Continue Reading “Review of “Gold River” by Eric Dabbs”→
“ It’s every archaeologist’s dream to explore the hidden tombs of Egypt. Unfortunately for me, my dream turns into a nightmare when Xander Harrison, a childhood friend who betrayed me, joins my team.I came to Egypt to study the ancient past, not to be confronted with my own.” I love Egypt, I’ve travelled there many times. Not so much in the recent past, sadly. Which is why I’m forever looking for stories that can transport me across to the Nile (and the Red Sea). “The…Continue Reading “Review of “The Stolen Papyrus” by Cate Turner”→
The old adage „Every word counts“ still applies. Agents won’t plough throw waffle, nor will the reader. Easier said than done, though. If you’re an over-writer, which I am, a crucial part of editing is cutting through the creepers, making sure your plot and characters can dazzle and shine. How? Search your manuscript for those instants where you combined a speech tag “she said” with an action beat. “You’re a real jerk,” she said and tossed her hair. Either let her say it or let…Continue Reading “The Fiction Editing Files – On Writing Lean and Mean”→
