American Sniper by Chris Kyle My rating: 4 of 5 stars Fascinating story and a revealing tale of one man’s experience as a Navy SEAL. I don’t subscribe to Kyle’s politics, but it was an engaging story, equally fascinating, touching and humorous. I...
Below is a fight scene from my Draugr’s Saga novel (to be published). If you like the History Channel’s show Vikings, or AMC’s Walking Dead, then you’ll love this. In Norse mythology and Icelandic folktales, the Draugr were a cross between a...
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was an award winning book for good reason. It was well written, but above all, it was a fresh concept. Something that’s rare in SF these days. The sentient ship is an old trope, but the concept of...
Your First 1000 Copies: The Step-by-Step Guide to Marketing Your Book by Tim Grahl My rating: 3 of 5 stars An informative book with a good selection of tips on how to build an author platform. I didn’t find anything truly unique here. And there are quite a few...
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett My rating: 5 of 5 stars Once every few years I read a book straight through (all night). This was such a book. The whole premise of the demons and the system of wards is fascinating. The plot was excellent, but what really makes this...
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints by Nancy Kress My rating: 5 of 5 stars I bought this book mainly for its section on VIEWPOINT, which I thought I understood, until I read...
Once in a person’s life they meet someone that literally changes their life. Occasionally that person is not a person, but a thing. In 2001 I went out shopping for a convertible car, and came home with a Jeep. The series of adventures that were kindled by that...