Category: Books

It’s almost here!

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Promo_Banner_AWB_Anthology

That’s right, the release of A World of Their Own is fast approaching!  After years of writing and editing and planning and editing and arting and editing one more time, I’m proud to announce that the Alliance of Worldbuilders has, at long last, chosen a release date for our first anthology.  Available in print and e-versions, you can get your copy on September 4.

This book is chock full of stories set in all kinds of fantastic places and featuring all kinds of creatures.  It’s got angels, dragons, vampires, dwarves, and much, much more.  You won’t want to miss this!

All proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the World Literacy Foundation in honor of our fallen comrade, Lindsey J. Parsons.  She was a fantastic author, archer, artist, and friend, and we miss her dearly.

We’re planning all sorts of fun things for the release, including a Facebook party that you can join now, so stay tuned!

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

Next up, it’s Flotsam or Jetsam!

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Flotsam or JetsamAnd now, as promised, I’ve reviewed Flotsam or Jetsam, another book involving Tallis Steelyard and his compatriots:

Benor arrives in Port Naain intent on the simple task of producing a handbook for merchants. Then there is a murder, and a vengeful family who will stop at nothing to silence those who found the body. Suddenly Benor’s life is no longer simple.

I should have read this book first, I think, as it’s quite a good introduction to Tallis Steelyard.  He strikes me as the kind of person who could charm the scales off a snake, or at least the kind of person who thinks he could.  I found him highly entertaining, and very realistic – who among us hasn’t known someone with equal talents?

At any rate, Flotsam or Jetsam was a wonderful introduction to Port Naain and the world Tallis and his lovely wife Shena inhabit.  It’s also a heck of a lot of fun to read; I’d have had it finished in an afternoon, except that my kids seemed to think I should feed them.  It’s short enough to read in one sitting, but long enough to feel like a complete story, and it’s a good thing there are more stories to come from Port Naain and the colorful characters who inhabit that city because I’d love to pay the place another visit.

Check out Flotsam or Jetsam; it’s a wonderful story.  You won’t want to miss it.

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

Lambent Dreams: A Review

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Lambent Dreams Cover5As promised, my review of Lambent Dreams.  What’s it about?  Poetry.  Plain and simple:

The Poetry of Tallis Steelyard. This appropriately slim volume is the fruit of a unique artistic collaboration, bringing together the writings of one of Port Naain’s most major minor poet with the personal commentary of an esteemed cartographer and traveller, and the guiding notes of an informed poet-critic. You cannot say you have not been warned.

The poetry in this book is endlessly fascinating.  I read the whole volume in the course of a morning, punctuated by short bursts of doing my day job, and I can’t wait to go back and read them over more closely to see if I can find some deeper meaning.  (If, of course, there is any deeper meaning.  Sometimes a poem is just a poem.)

My favorite bit is behind this cut!

Review time!

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spindle-2000Joining Authonomy was my first step into the wider writing community. I know I’ve raved about the site before, but it really was a fantastic place at the time I was there. (Well, at the time I was active, anyway – I’m still actually there, but I haven’t logged in in ages.) Anyway, as a result of getting to know so many other authors, I’ve been introduced to some truly wonderful friends and some truly magical books.

Spindle, the first book in the Two Monarchies series, is one such book:

On books and writing with W.R. Gingell

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wrgWith me today is W.R. Gingell, author of the fabulously entertaining Spindle.  Read on to find out more about the author, and then stay tuned because tomorrow I’ll be reviewing the book!

KK: Hi there, W.R.!  Please – tell us about yourself.

WRG: I’m a Christian, a Tasmanian, and a lover of anything to do with bacon. I have a rather hobbitish Hubby (and the photos from Hobbiton to prove it!) and one lovely little dog who knows it’s a lost cause to beg food from me but still tries anyway.

I love jigsaw puzzles and knitting, and though I love my violin I do NOT practice as I ought to practice.

The word most often used to describe me when I was growing up was ‘dreamer’, though with my parents, the phrase ‘off with the fairies’ was probably more often used.

KK: I’m the exact same way with my flute.  I love it, but it spends most of its time lying lonely and sad in a cupboard. *sigh*

Anyway…Tell us about Spindle!  What’s it all about?

Memo to Self: A guest post by Jim Webster

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JimToday, I’m pleased to let Jim Webster hijack my blog with a bit of flotsam (or maybe it’s jetsam?) about how not to pace oneself. 🙂

You know how they always say that to get there I wouldn’t start from here? I’m feeling a bit like that at the moment.

I had a succession of bright ideas. Even now, in retrospect, I think they’re bright ideas. But I suspect that the secret of good writing is the same as the secret of good comedy, it’s Timing.

It started when I was…

Interview time!

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FDRToday I’ve got an interview with Aurelia, a character in the book Firedragon Rising by Mary Fan.  Let’s see what she’s got to say, shall we?

Why do people call you “the Firedragon”?
Because in this world, monsters are given straightforward names that are mishmashes of words, like bloodwolf or fleshsnake. And I’m so good at fighting that to them, I’m the monster. I don’t know exactly who came up with the nickname, since by the time I heard about it, everyone was already saying it behind my back. Best I can guess is that it’s because I fight like I’m on fire, and I’m scary like a dragon. But also one of the good guys. I like to think that dragons aren’t like regular monsters—they’re good monsters. But no one’s ever seen one, so I don’t know. I think they’re actually myths.

What’s going on in your life?
School, of course. But it’s not a regular school. I’m a Cadet at the Academy of Supernatural Defense, which means I study how to fight monsters. You know, what kinds there are, what their weaknesses are, what weapons work on them, and where they like to hang out. But only half my day is spent on the classroom stuff. The rest is for training. Except when there’s a monster near the Capital—then I’m sent to gank it.

What kind of training do you do?
What do you think? How to kill monsters! Since there are so many kinds out there, you’ve gotta be good at a lot of different types of combat. You can shoot some of the monsters with a gun, but most have super-healing powers and will just regenerate. Arrows work on some of them, since the monster can’t heal around the shaft. Personally, I like stabbing weapons the best, because all monsters are vulnerable to silver blades. Double swords are my favorite.

What’s the most dangerous monster out there?
 See the answer behind the cut!

And now, the review!

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The Ark_version 1You know, I really feel like I don’t read enough.  I mean, I read oodles of blogs, plus about a dozen articles a day from The Guardian, plus random articles on Facebook, and I always try to check in on Twitter at least once a day, but I don’t read nearly as many books as I used to.

I know, I know – writing is reading.  To write well, I need to read widely.

And the thing is, I love reading.  I actually really miss the days when I could zip through a book in a day or two.  Sometimes I still do, but it’s becoming more and more rare.  I just don’t make the time for it that I used to.

*cries*

But then this spring, I heard about this book called…

Talking books with Laura Liddell Nolen

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Happy Monday, everybody!  It’s a great Monday, isn’t it?

If you said no, then prepare to have your mind changed, because today I’ve got with me Laura Liddell Nolen, author of the fantastic book The Ark.  So kick back, relax, and let’s talk books!

KK: Tell us about yourself.

LauraLNolenLN: Hi! Thank you so much for having me! I do love your site. I’m a sci-fi/fantasy fangirl turned writer. I grew up in Mississippi, and I live in Texas now. The Ark is my first book.

KK: And The Ark?  What’s it all about?