Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien and a recipe for Christmas cake #bookreview #recipe #Christmas
Posted: December 11, 2024 Filed under: Books, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: Christmas, Christmas fiction, J.R.R.Tolkien, Letters From Father Christmas, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 43 Comments
My review
Letters to Father Christmas is Tolkien at his absolute best. A series of letters written to his own children and featuring Father Christmas as a very real and relatable person who experiences lots of setbacks, both small and large. Set over an extended period, the letters also run through World War II and explains how the war and its deprivations impact on the folk at the North Pole. Although WWII is a long time past, this messaging of resilience and making the best of things is still relevant in our modern time of uncertainty and warfare.
Father Christmas relies on his number one helper, Polar Bear, to help him in his work. As time passes and more and more children are born, Father Christmas also gets help from the elves. His elven secretary also starts assisting him with his letter writing. Polar Bear is a delightful character, full of fun and very naughty, he is always getting into trouble and creating mishaps. Father Christmas has to move house after Polar Bear tries to rescue his hat from blowing away in a wind and falls through the room and into the family room.
Father Christmas also faces adversity in the form of the hostile goblins who keep attacking his home every couple of hundred years. The goblins are mean and treacherous creatures and the folk at the North Pole have to call upon the red dwarves for assistances from their attack. An interesting way of explaining war and its meaning to young children.
A delightful book for children and adults and one I highly recommend.
You can purchase Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618512659
Quotes from Letters from Father Christmas
“if you remember him, is still fast asleep, and quite thin after so much fasting. He will soon cure that. I shall tickle his ribs and wake him up soon; and then he will eat several months’ breakfast all in one). More love, your loving Father Christmas There is audio content at this location that is not currently supported for your device. The caption for this content is displayed below. Christmas Eve 1934”
“I hope you will like the little things I have sent you. You seem to be most interested in Railways just now, so I am sending you mostly things of that sort. I send as much love as ever, in fact more. We have both, the old Polar Bear and I, enjoyed having so many nice letters from you and your pets. If you think we have not read them you are wrong; but if you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite as many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people. I (and also my Green Brother) have had to do some collecting of food and clothes, and toys too, for the children whose fathers and mothers and friends cannot give them anything, sometimes not even dinner. I know yours won’t forget you. So, my dears, I hope you will be happy this Christmas and not quarrel, and will have some good games with your Railway all together. Don’t forget old Father Christmas, when you light your tree.”
Christmas cake recipe
Ingredients for Christmas cake
250 grams currants
240 grams sultana
200 grams mixed berries
240 grams raisins
120 grams mixed peel
180 grams chopped cherries
300 grams plain white cake flour
pinch salt
2.5 ml mixed spice
2.5 ml cinnamon
300 grams softened butter
300 grams sticky brown sugar
30 ml lemon zest
6 eggs, lightly beaten
45 ml brandy
Method for Christmas cake
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius. Double line the cake tin with thick baking paper.
Beat the sugar and butter in an electric mixer. Add the lemon zest. Add the eggs, beating in one at a time.
In a separate bowl mix the dried fruit, spices, salt cherries and flour. Add the egg mixture and mix well. Lastly, pour in the brandy and combine.
Scoop the mixture into the baking tin and level with the back of a spoon. Wrap a layer of tin foil around the base of the baking tin and place in the oven. Bake for +- 3 hours.
Last year’s Christmas cakes had a roses theme:
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About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
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Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
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Book Review: “The Cultist’s Wife”
Posted: November 22, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Horror, Review | Tags: BJ Sikes, Book Reveiw, Gothic Horror, The Cultist's Wife, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
About The Cultist’s Wife
A gothic horror set in 1908 Bahamas
She loathes him but the cult beckons.
1908, the height of the British Empire. Clara’s autonomy is shattered when her long-absent husband summons her to join him at his eerie sect’s headquarters, insulated on a sparsely inhabited island in the Bahamas.
After a harrowing sea voyage, Clara and her children disembark into an unfamiliar landscape and climate. The children explore the marvels and mysteries of Andros Island and develop friendships with a Bahamian family, while Clara struggles to find her place as a woman within the cult.
But what seems at first to be a spiritual haven for Clara reveals itself to be a monster-worshiping cult intent on draining her family of more than their fortune.
Must Clara give up her quest for independence to protect her children from the cult’s depravity?
With themes of Spiritualism, motherhood, and female empowerment, The Cultist’s Wife will appeal to fans of The Ghost Woods and The Quickening.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Cultists-Wife-BJ-Sikes-ebook/dp/B0CW1FKGND
My Review
I recieved a digital copy of The Cultist’s Wife, by B.J. Sikes from Sandra’s Book Club review program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I was attracted to this book by its simple cover design which highlights the title, which caught my eye, so I chose this book from a slew of books Sandra’s Book Club has available for review. It’s a gothic horror novel, which could even fall under the women’s fiction genre. Clara, the female protagonist, is a woman in British society seeking her independence through spiritualism at the beginning of the twentieth century in the absence of her husband, who has been in the Bahamas for the past five years. And later in the story, we meet a second strong female who plays an equally vital role in the story’s plot.
At first, I must admit, I didn’t like Clara very much. I found her to be selfish, worried more about appearances in society than anything else, as she allows a nanny to take responsibility for the care of her children, eight-year-old Elsie and five-year-old Reggie, which was common for the times. When her absent husband summons her to bring the children and join him, she cows to his will as a proper wife should, in spite of her questions as to his motive. Upon their arrival, her choice to seek enlightenment on Andros Island and become a member of the cult her husband is involved, and her almost total disregard for her children and their well-being reinforced my first impression and made me wonder how she could be so blind to what was happening around her. I felt it to be at odds with the self-rightous, independent woman she was struggling to be.
The children are the real heroes in this tale, showing strength and ingenuity in their mother’s absence as she bends to the will of the Order. They are left to their own devices to explore the island, making friends with the indigenous people, and uncovering a murder in the process. Their mother doesn’t believe them and they turn to Aunty Irene, another strong and independent female from the local population, but even she may not be strong enough to stand against the Order.
By the end of the story, we see Clara grow and change into a truly strong and caring woman as her priorities shift and her eyes are opened to the reality of her situation, providing an unsuspected and satisfying ending as every character arc should, but it is little Elsie who I identified with and rooted for. Perhaps it should have been titled, “The Cultist’s Children” instead.
A classic gothic horror story, I give The Cultist’s Wife four quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet Maggie Watson and a review of Pieces of Me, A collection of poems #TreasuringPoetry #poetrycommunity #bookreview
Posted: November 20, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Collection, Interview, Poetry, Review | Tags: Interview, Maggie Watson, Pieces of ME, Poetry, Review, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 72 Comments
Today, I am delighted to introduce poet, Maggie Watson. Maggie writes incredibly compelling poetry which you can find on her blog here: Ephemeral Encounters
Over to Maggie
Robbie, thank you so much for inviting me to be your guest on Treasuring Poetry. I loved your questions, and I hope everyone finds my answers, at the very least, a little interesting.
My favourite style of poetry to read is haiku.
Haiku poems are easy on the eye, yet they can evoke strong emotions in a few words. If a poem is too long, I lose interest halfway through unless it grabs me in the first couple of lines.
My favourite haiku is “A Poppy Blooms” by Katsushika Hokusai
I write, erase, rewrite
Erase again, and then
A poppy blooms.
The writer here uses the imagery of spring to describe his writing process.
I would use winter, as I sometimes find the whole writing process frustrating, especially when I am blocked, staring at a blank piece of paper (a barren landscape in winter).
My favourite style of writing poetry is freestyle. I am ashamed to say that I have not tried any other style. I did attempt a few haiku a while back, but not consistently. As I write, it comes from my heart and soul and usually reflects my mood or thoughts at that moment. I hope no one shoots me down in flames for saying this, but poetry should be as free as a bird set free, not confined or restricted to parameters.
My favourite poem written by me is one of the first I ever wrote in 2020, one of the better ones, I hasten to add. The Mask is also in my new Collection, Pieces of Me and is related to the subject matter.
She puts it on before she goes outside,
just in case anyone should see inside.
The darkness, the hurt, the years ripped and scarred with dirt.
No one knows.
No one cares.
They only see the Mask she wears.
She tries but can’t forget all the angry words and threats buried deep within and the pain that never seems to dim.
So she smiles, wears the Mask, and hopes that no one ever asks.
I had originally planned to call this collection Bouquets of Barbed Wire, however, it was a little too close to the title of a television programme that I remember my parents watching, so I decided against it.
Pieces of Me is another poem from another Collection, “In the Shadow of my Pen: A Collection of Poetry and Prose.
Not long after joining WordPress, David from A Skeptics Kaddish reblogged it. I then decided to write two other parts, all three are in the new Collection. The new collection is my story in poems about my abusive relationship. The main form of abuse was gaslighting, which is a gradual erosion of your spirit, piece by piece. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire others to do the same.
Thank you again Robbie for giving me this space.
It’s my pleasure, Maggie. Thank you for being a wonderful guest.
My review of Pieces of Me, A collection of poems by Maggie Watson
Pieces of Me is a collection of powerful poems written by a survivor of domestic abuse. The abuse the poet suffered was not physical or sexual, but rather mental. The kind that slowly and insidiously destroys your spirit.
The collection is divided into parts reflecting the various stages of the poet’s abuse from the early days of her marriage until she found the determination and courage to exit her destructive relationship.
Red light spells danger: These poems are about the warning signs that the poet was to young and inexperienced to understand. It is awful to think of a young person being lured into such a terrible set of circumstances like a fly into a spider web.
“I was blind.
I did not see it.
Too young, too naive.
Red light spells danger, but I ignored the colour of your aura.”
An extract from Red Lights Spell Danger
When I think back over my own youth, I sigh with relief that I never fell victim to such a man’s charms. It could have happened so easily as we are gullible and innocent when we are young.
Eggshells is the next section and eloquently describes living with a bully and gas lighter.
“A soul in pain, cute with a blade, the wound
then stitched together with words unkind
Spirit erased, replaced with doubts and fears.
Thoughts of unworthiness grow among the stitches sown
Drip, drip, they slowly infiltrate the mind.”
Extract from Soul in Pain
I am becoming is an uplifting section where the poet describes her escape from the vicious clutches of her abuser and path towards reclaiming her life.
“Never be a lamb to their slaughter
don’t let them watch you bleed
It is they who are weak as they plant their
seeds in your womb
for the pleasure that they seek.”
A collection of strongly worded and evocative poems that make you walk the poet’s path hand-in-hand with her. With compassion comes understanding.
Purchase Pieces of Me: A collection of poems from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DH32JKQ8
About Maggie Watson
Maggie was born in Cape Town, South Africa.
She now lives in Scotland.
She has CFS which is a very debilitating/unpredictable illness, but she refuses to let that define her.
She began writing in 2020 at the start of the Pandemic.
At that point, she had no idea it would play such a huge part in her life as it does now!
In 2021 she self-published her first collection of poetry and has since self-published five others.
Maggie draws a lot on her life experiences when she writes.
As a Domestic Abuse Survivor she uses her voice through her words to empower.
Her work has also been published by Gypsophila Zine, Glass Gates Publishing, Spill Words and Edge of Humanity and others.
And, also included in three anthologies.
For more examples of her writing visit her blog here: https://poetrybymaggiewatson.uk/
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
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Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures
Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships
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Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature
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Review in Practice: “Wit & Wisdom”, “Romance Character Tropes” & “Steps to Self-Editing”
Posted: November 18, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Nonfiction, Review, Review in Practice, Story Bundle, Writing, Writing Reference, Writing Tips | Tags: 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, Book Reviews, Craig Martelle, Jana S. Brown, Jessica Barber, Review in Practice, Romance Character Tropes, Steps to Self-Editing, Tara G. Ericson, Wit & Wisedom, Writing Resorce, Writing to be Read 3 CommentsOne of the advantages of being in a Story Bundle, is that you get a free copy of all the books included in the bundle. That means you get to read everyone else’s book. With the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, for me, it, means I get to read a lot of writing reference books and I can discover from them, bits of writing wisdom which I can utilize in my own writing and publishing processes to improve my own work. For this segment of Review in Practice, I chose three books from this Story Bundle, with hopes of a few little nugets of gold that I can mine from them and share with you: Wit & Wisdom, by Craig Martelle, Romance Character Tropes, by Jessica Barber and Tara G. Ericson, and Steps to Self-Editing, by Jana S. Brown.
Wit & Wisdom, by Craig Martelle
An exclusive first release in this StoryBundle— chock full of quips and snippets to help authors stay focused on the right things to accelerate their business.
My Thoughts on Wit & Wisdom
I always wanted to attend the 20 Books to 50K Conference, but I never could make it. So, when I had the opportunity to review a book written by one of the founders, Craig Martelle, you can be sure I jumped at the chance. Wit & Wisdom is packed full of useful tips and advice to help make your writing business successful.
Romance Character Tropes, by Jessica Barber & Tara G. Ericson
In this one-of-a-kind resource, you’ll find more than a list of tropes or broad genre fiction advice.
The Romance Writer’s Encyclopedia Series breaks down our method for categorizing tropes into four types of framework tropes – Character Tropes, Situational Tropes, Setting Tropes, and Relational Tropes.
The Character Tropes Encyclopedia includes detailed entries on favorite romance tropes like Cowboys, Royalty, Law enforcement, and Athletes. And we didn’t forget popular modern tropes like Alpha Male, Cinnamon Roll, or The Grump!
But this is more than a trope list – it’s an encyclopedia!
Each encyclopedia entry includes an introduction to the trope itself, as well as information on why readers love the trope (including examination of what inner desire is being met by the trope), what expectations exist in the stories, common pitfalls that authors need to avoid, common characteristics and potential wounds.
Putting a cowboy hat on the cover of your book isn’t enough to have a Cowboy romance that readers will love – but we’ll tell you what will. And then we’ll do it for Pirates and Rockstars and Firefighters, too.
Romance Character Tropes is designed to be used at every stage of planning, writing, and publishing your books. If used effectively, it will help you write a romance that readers will love, but also help you market that book to get it into the hands of readers who will devour it.
We’ve studied thousands of books and movies, polled readers and studied the market to understand not just which Character Tropes work – but WHY they work. And knowing why they work means you can put them to work for you.Harness the power of Character Tropes to make your book marketable, multi-dimensional, and satisfying, so readers will come back again and again.
You can purchase this book seperately here: https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Character-Tropes-Billionaires-Encyclopedia-ebook/dp/B0C1HQLW8X/
My Thoughts on Romance Character Tropes
Tropes are something which have always puzzled me. They were touched on in my graduate classes, to say that you should be aware of them and know what they are, but it was left to the individual to figure it out from there, probably because there are so many of them, and they differ from genre to genre. Since then, I’ve learned that there are too many tropes, no matter the genre, that the whole trope thing seemed overwhelming to me, and I got tired of trying to figure it out , choosing instead, to just write.
I wish I’d had a resource such as this one back then, because Barber and Ericson made it so easy to understand. If someone had explained that internal character tropes were based on the archetypes that I studied in graduate school, it would have all made sense so much sooner. They give a clear definition of what tropes are and why we use them.
“Each of the internal character tropes in this chapter is derived from some of the most popular literary archetypes in fiction. They will carry elements of the universal symbolism, themes, and patterns that have transcended both time and history.”
When I was running my “Ask the Authors-” blog series, back in 2018, I inteviewed many authors, and one of the questions was about using tropes. Some said they used them, some said they avoided them, and still others didn’t have a clue as to what a trope was. But the fact is, we all use tropes, whether we do it conciously or not, no matter what genre we write in. Without character tropes, our characters would be flat, with no personality, and readers would have no reason to care whether our characters achieved their goals or not. If you have a character who is a firefighter, then you are writing with a Man in Uniform character trope. And if you do it conciously, which you should, there are certain things you need to be aware of which will make your character bigger than life for your readers.
I haven’t written much romance, so you might find it odd that I would choose to review Romance Character Tropes, by Jessica Barber and Tara G. Ericson. My thinking is that although this book delves into tropes which are specific to the romance genre, many of the character tropes can be found in other genres, as well.
This month, for NaNoWriMo, I’m writing the second book in my Time Travel Adventure series, the sequel to The Rock Star & The Outlaw, which has a strong romance element, and my male protagonist just happens to be a cowboy, which is a popular romance character trope, so I paid particular attention to what the authors had to say about the Cowboy trope.
I discovered that the cowboy hero I created for the first book, and I am now writing into the second isn’t a rodeo cowboy, a lone wolf or off the grid cowboy, or a law enforcement cowboy, but more of a cross between the cowboy and the reformed bad boy tropes. When LeRoy is introduced in the twenty-first century, in the first book, he is all cowboy, manners and all, and that fact is what attracts my heroine, Amaryllis, in the first place. But when he goes back in time, to an actual western setting, we see the reformed bad boy, who has done all the wrong things, but for the right reasons. Over all, I feel like I did a pretty good job on the first book, and I’ve gathered some ideas about where his character arc may lead in the second one, to make him a more well-rounded character.
I learned so much useful information from Romance Character Tropes that I know it will be a resource I turn to again and again. I have a couple of romance stories that have been trunked, and after reading this book, I’m tempted to pull them out and give them another go, so don’t be surprised if I had add romance to my list of genres I write in in the future.
Steps to Self-Editing, by Jana S. Brown
You’ve finished writing your rough draft! Congratulations!
Now what are you going to do?
Before going out into the world, every manuscript needs a little love from its creator in the form of self-editing and revision.
However, that can be a daunting task.
- Plotlines
- Character arcs
- Continuity
- Grammatical mistakes
Where do you begin?
Join author and editor, Jana S. Brown, at her virtual table and learn the Steps to Self-Editing from setting your structure, to rubbing out wordiness to make your manuscript shine.
You can purchase this book seperately here: https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Self-Editing-Common-Writing-Publishing-ebook/dp/B0CK54T3TC
My Thoughts on Steps to Self-Editing
I chose to read this book because I do self-edit, in spite of all the warnings that I’ve heard not to. I’ve always been told that self-editing is a big no-no, especially if you do it as you are writing, and guess what, I do that, too. But Steps to Self-Editing, by Jana S. Brown doesn’t make that judgement. In it, Brown actually discusses the reasons why you may want to self-edit and talks about the differences in self-editing as you write, and doing an overall self-edit when you’ve finished, (I do both types), and when you may want to do both, as well as when you may not. Brown also makes it clear that self-editing is not recommended to take the place of paying a professional editor. It’s just another step which can be taken to hone your creative child and polish it to look its best.
As I am currently undertaking the NaNoWriMo challenge, and I’m in the process of writing the second book in my Time Travel Series, so I’m already using some of the tips as I self-edit as I go. I am compelled to do this with my writing, as I find and fix plot holes, and go back to add foreshadowing where needed, but Brown has reminded me of other things that can be looked for and fixed early on.
When I have a completed manuscript, hopefully at the end of the month, I’ll be using it again to give my manuscript a complete once over, before sending it off to be scrutinized by another set of eyes. Brown also is a fan of reading your manuscript aloud as a part of self-editing, a step which I always employ, sometimes during the writing process, sometimes after. As she points out, reading your work aloud can help you find logic errors and inconsistencies in your story, as well as helping to smooth the rough edges.
The section that touches on punctuation and grammar rules assures I’ll be turning back to this book again and again, because there are too many rules to remember, making double checking a necessity. This is a quick and easy to use writing resource, which will be a valuable addition to my library.
The 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle
Wit & Wisdom, by Craig Martelle, Romance Character Tropes, by Jessica Barber and Tara G. Ericson, and Steps to Self-Editing, by Jana S. Brown, are all offered in the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, along with my own The D.I.Y. Author and nine other valuable writing references that every author should have at their fingertips. This bundle offers valuable writing advice from successful authors such as Kerrie Flanagan, Kevin J. Anderson, Mark Leslie Lefabvre, Wulf Moon, Joshua Essoe, Kerrie Flanagan, Matty Dalrymple and M.L. Ronn, Jessica Brawner, Todd Fahnestock, along with a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine. A percentage of every bundle sold goes to the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. These digital books are DRM-free and compatable with any digital reading device. And you get a lot of books for one great price.
You can get your 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle here: https://storybundle.com/writing
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Topics Include:
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And more…
Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/The-DIY-Author
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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor and American Crabcakes #bookreview #cooking #crabcakes
Posted: November 13, 2024 Filed under: Books, cooking, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: American Crabcakes, Jeff Shaara, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, To Wake the Giant, Writing to be Read 47 CommentsNovember 11 is Remembrance Day or Poppy Day, a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. With this in mind, and to feed my growing interest in USA history, I selected To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Jeff Shaara for this month’s book review. Last month, the month of Halloween, I reviewed Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. If you missed that post, you can read it here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/10/09/read-and-cook-with-robbie-cheadle-interview-with-a-vampire-by-anne-rice-and-new-orleans-gumbo-bookreview-recipe-readandcook/?_gl=1*akw5pe*_gcl_au*MjgyNDk3NjkzLjE3Mjg3OTgxMTQ.
Are you noticing the book choices are themed? They are, to the extent possible, and next month is Christmas. I’ve got a treat in mind for you …
To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Jeff Shaara
I have read a few of Jeff Shaara’s books and they have all be entertaining, informative, and well researched. My historical knowledge of both WW1 and WW2 is much greater as it relates to events in Europe and from a British, Dutch, French, and Polish perspective. I have been making a point of learning more about WW2 from an American perspective and this book did not disappoint. It provided copious detail about the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and the USA’s entrance into a war they fought on two fronts, in an interesting and relatable way.
The author tells his story through the eyes of three main characters, two of whom are real historical people and one who appears based on a real person but whose life would have been more fictionalised for purposes of this book. These main characters are as follows:
Cordell Hull is President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of State and the real historical figure who tried to negotiate for continued peace with the Japanese through Ambassador Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura and Special Envoy, Saburo Kurusu. He failed and the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbour on Sunday, 7 December 1941, marking the USA’s terrible and spectacular entrance into WW2. Cordell tells the story from the US government’s point of view and perspective.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is the force behind the attack on Pearl Harbour. A real historical figure, he understood that war was inevitable and planned for an early victory and delay tactic for an American response by destroying the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour in a preventive strike. Yamamoto believed that aviation was the way forward and opposed the building of the battleships, Yamoto and Mushashi, proposing investment in a strong Japanese arial force instead. Yamamoto tells the story from the Japanese perspective.
Seaman Tommy Biggs is an ordinary nineteen-year-old from a small town in Florida. Having finished school, he is faced with no job opportunities as a result of the Depression. When his best friend decides to join the Navy, Tommy is convinced to sign up too. Tommy has aspirations to work in the military hospital service and, after successfully completing boot camp, manages to get assigned to the USS Arizona as a hospital apprentice.
Seaman Biggs’ role in this book is the one that interested me the most as he represented the ordinary seaman. The reader learns about his life on the USS Arizona and the abuse he suffers at the hands of the military system which allowed senior personnel to bully junior staff. Through his eyes, I experienced daily life aboard the ship which was repetitive and boring, and off short time in the town. Most of the seamen spent their time ashore drinking cheap booze and making use of prostitutes. The boredom of the life on board ship, eroded alertness and interest and, in my opinion, helped set the stage for an attack that was such a complete and utter surprise.
This book is fascinating and shares details of the historical event in a heart rending and personable way. The descriptions of the event of the day were a shock to me, I didn’t know about the terrible fires and the oil the water that burned and horribly maimed many of the seamen. Having read this book, I understood the mindset of the American people and how the events that followed came to unfold the way they did.
If you are interested in books about and like to learn and expand your knowledge in a fascinating and compelling way, this book is for you.
You can purchase To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor here: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Giant-Novel-Pearl-Harbor-ebook/dp/B07X8D1B1Y
Quotes from To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
“We believed we knew everything they were thinking. Those Magic intercepts made us feel invulnerable. No, a better word is cocky. Their diplomats are chatting back and forth with Tokyo about the weather or color of their new Cadillacs while their military put a plan together to kick us in the teeth. We thought we knew everything. We didn’t.
-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt”
“All I propose is an attack that will paralyze the Americans, for perhaps six months. This attack is not about victory, about winning a war…It is about delaying them, keeping them back, damaging their military might and pride.
-Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto”
“How were we taken so by surprise? Everything we have gone through at the State Department, for most of the past year has pointed unmistakably to Japanese aggression, to their deceitfulness, duplicity, and backdoor actions. We knew exactly what they were doing in Southeast Asia in the Netherlands East Indies in China. We had access to their diplomatic communications we have outstanding people in our intelligence offices, both army and navy. How could this have happened?
-Former US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull”
THIS IS A SMASHING BOOK. IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT, YOU REALLY MUST!
And now, on to the recipe. I made three dishes for this post and I loved them all. I decided to share the crabcakes recipe today and will keep the others for another post.
Robbie’s version of American Crabcakes
Ingredients
2 large eggs
90 ml mayonnaise
2 Tbspns (30 ml) onions grated
120 ml lemon juice
10 ml dried tarragon
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
500 grams uncooked crab meat
30 ml melted butter
1 1/2 cups (750 ml) crushed melba toast slices (you can use any plain savoury biscuit)
Method
Mix the eggs, mayonnaise, onions, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper flakes together in a mixing bowl. In a frying pan on a medium heat, cook the crabmeat in the butter. Add the crabmeat to the egg mixture and combine. Add the crushed melba toast and ensure everything is properly mixed together. I always use my hands.
Shape the mixture into cakes and fry in a little olive oil until nicely browned. We enjoyed the crabcakes with rice and Greek lemon roasted vegetables.
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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This segment of “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Historical Women’s Fiction
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Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1
Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
Marta: Coming in 2025
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Reviews Coming in for Midnight Garden
Posted: November 9, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark fiction, Fiction, Horror, Review | Tags: Book Review, Midnight Garden 1 Comment
A great review for Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow on Carla Reads.
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Chatting with the Pros: Joseph Carrabis
Posted: November 9, 2024 Filed under: Book Review, Chatting with the Pros, Interview, Review | Tags: Audiobook Review, Book Reveiw, Interview, Joseph Carrabis, Tag, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
My guest today on “Chatting with the Pros” is a talented author who I discovered quite by accident when I was reading through the slush pile for the Gilded Glass anthology for Western Colorado University and WordFire Press. As I read, I kept a list of stories which I particularly liked and once the selections for the anthology were made, I sent out invitations to the stories on my list which weren’t chosen, offering them to be featured in WordCrafter anthologies. Joseph took me up on my offer, and his story “Marianne” was featured in the Visions anthology in 2022, and a friendship has formed between us since then. I’ve reviewed several of his books, and his story “Blood Magic” was featured in last year’s Midnight Roost anthology, and this year’s Midnight Garden features five of his tales.
Other Books by Joseph which I’ve reviewed: Search, The Shaman, The Inheritors, Tales Told ‘Round the Celestial Campfire, That Th!nk You Do.
About Joseph Carrabis
Joseph Carrabis told stories to anyone who would listen starting in childhood, wrote his first stories in grade school, and started getting paid for his writing in 1978. He’s been everything from a long-haul trucker to a Chief Research Scientist and holds patents covering mathematics, anthropology, neuroscience, and linguistics. After patenting a technology which he created in his basement and creating an international company, he retired from corporate life and now he spends his time writing fiction based on his experiences. His work appears regularly in several anthologies and his own published novels. You can learn more about him at https://josephcarrabis.com.
Interview
Kaye: When did you first start writing and why?
Joseph: My writing career started when I was less than ten years old and is something I document in both My Sister Got Me Started and Mission of the Heart. Basically, my sister Sandra (seven years my senior) had to read a book for an English class assignment. I don’t know if she was required to read a science-fiction book or not, and the book she chose was James Blish’s Mission to the Heart Stars.
The book so captivated her that she told me about it one evening while we washed dishes after dinner. I didn’t prompt her about it, and that’s important. The book owned her at such a deep level of mind, heart, hope, and soul that she had to share it with me.
I remember the look of wonder and awe in her eyes when she told me about the space ship and the individuals on board, of the alien “Angels”, a race so ancient no other life forms knew of their origin, of the council government at the center of the galaxy (hence “Heart Stars”).
Just remembering her excitement, her joy, her need to let me know about the book, I get chills.
And I decided there and then, a wee child listening to his beloved big sister share the fire a book kindled in her, that I wanted to create that fire in others.
Kaye: Tell us a little about your background?
Joseph: Oy. A little…I’ve been everything from a long-haul trucker to a Chief Research Scientist, from an apprentice butcher to a Annenberg Senior Research Fellow, from a night watchman to an original member of the NYAS-UN Scientists Without Borders program.
How “little” would you like?
My most fun job was as night watchman. I mean, how often do you get paid to watch the night?
Unless you’re an astronomer, of course…
Kaye: Where do you look for inspiration for your stories?
Joseph: Wait a minute. People have to go looking for inspiration? Wow. I didn’t know I was suppose to go looking for it.
Kaye: You write both short fiction and novel length works. Which do you like better? And why?
Joseph: Hmm…Interesting question. Structurally they’re not different (does that raise hackles or eyebrows?). Both require all the story elements, both require a story worth telling and the crafting to tell it well – hopefully I have both and readers are better judges of that than I – perhaps the greatest similarity is both require someone wanting to tell them. Happy to discuss this in more detail, if anyone’s interested.
Kaye: How many book length works do you have out there?
Joseph: Non-fiction – 20+
Fiction – 8 at present, probably 9 when this is published (includes an anthology of previously published work)
Kaye: You have a lot of short stories featured in anthologies, including Visions and the Midnight Anthology Series from WordCrafter Press. In fact, in Midnight Garden, you have not one or two, but five short stories. What is your best advice for an author wishing to get their short fiction into anthologies?
Joseph: Best advice? Write. Write write write write write.
And when you think you’ve written enough, write more. More more more more more.
Second best advice is a toss up. Either learn to read as an author or study. If the latter, study study study study study. And not just writing. Poetry, drama, theater, all creative forms as they feed each other.
Studying and learning to read as an author tend to go hand-in-hand. I believe they feed each other.
And again, happy to discuss if anybody wants to know more.
Kaye: What is Northern Lights Publishing?
Joseph: Ah. Sometimes I wonder…okay, the official line: Northern Lights Publishing/Press is an association of five professionals (one graphic artist, a marketing group, one editor/book designer, one copyeditor, one senior editor) and a rotating group of ten published authors and poets all of whom are passionate readers. Financial backing is provided by a small group of investors led by Susan and Joseph Carrabis through the NextStage Evolution corporation. Everyone receives remuneration and owns an equal share of the company with the exception of Susan and Joseph Carrabis (who receive no compensation or remuneration for their time and efforts).
Kaye: How do you promote your books? Which marketing strategies have you found effective?
Joseph: I promote my books by publishing short stories anywhere and everywhere editors are willing to put them. I see bumps in my book sales every time a story of mine is published. I also regularly publish. Readers like seeing a full bookshelf from an author because they know, if they like the author’s work, there’s more to read from that author. Lastly I do book signings and readings, although the venues for that are becoming increasingly few.
Most effective for me is the latter as I enjoy meeting and talking with people. I love learning people’s stories. Most people who approach me at a signing, reading, discussion, presentation, … want to share what’s going on in their lives, they’re not tremendously interested in mine (I’m boring and dull, did you know?) and I’m happy to listen.
Kaye: What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced as an author? And how have you overcome it? Or have you?
Joseph: Hmm…most difficult obstacle…hmm…Probably myself. Sometimes I get in the way of the work. I’ll want the story to go a certain way or I’ll want the characters to do or act certain ways. That’s my ego getting in the way of the story. I don’t have a place in my stories, my characters do, so even though my work is highly autobiographical, I still need to let the characters, the places, the events, et cetera, indigenous to the story do the work.
How have I overcome it? By listening to my characters, to the places, to the situations, so on and on and on, which populate my stories. They let me know when I’ve gone astray. Fortunately, they’re all quite patient and give me time to come back.
Have I overcome it? Not completely, no. I still have an ego and sometimes it does get in the way. I’m getting better at noticing it, though, and once recognized, I have tools to get things going smoothly once again.
Kaye: Which authors do you emulate, if any?
Joseph: The good ones.
Who are the good ones? Laugh if you will, and Burroughs’ Tarzan and John Carter books are gems of action and pacing. Charles Frazier is a genius at voice, tone, atmosphere, and character. Angela Panayotopulos takes you places, Lidia Yuknavitch brings you places, Laura Koerber is the goddess of urban fantasy/magic realism, Bina Shah does voice and gender better than anybody I know, James Tiptree, Jr (Alice Sheldon) creates an atmosphere and characters you breathe and know or die, Zane Gray does setting and scene better than most, Craig Johnson is a master of plot via character and action via dialogue, Katherine Mansfield is the best at character via setting, … How many would you like and how far back would you like me to go? You can get an idea of what I read and what I think of what I read at Great Opening Lines – and Why! and Why It Works for Me.
Kaye: The characters you create are very human. Do you see parts of yourself in your characters?
Joseph: I’ve repeatedly shared that I write autobiography. I’m in all my characters. The nice ones, the not-nice ones, the men and women, the animals and aliens.
Kaye: Of those you have written, book length or short fiction, what is your favorite story? And why?
Joseph: Of those I’ve written? You mean which child is my favorite? No comment.
Kaye: What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Joseph: That’s a tough one because nobody ever gave me the writing advice I give (such as I did above). They may have said the words – for example, “Read, read, read!” and “Write, write, write!” – but nobody ever explained how to read and how/what to write. I read everything I could find (still do) but I only learned how to read as an author in my…oh, I don’t know…mid- to late-forties? Reading as an author radically changed my taste in reading material because I refuse to read poor writing. Somebody asked me what my favorite genre is and I replied, “Well written. Unfortunately not a lot of authors are doing it these days.” I don’t care how many awards something’s got or where it is on bestseller lists (for the record, my work’s received some awards, nominations, recommendations, and been on some bestseller lists). The former are often either political or purchased, the latter are almost always purchased. Nor do I accept market forces. People dying on a desert will eat sand because they don’t know any better, and so long as readers are happy reading what they’re reading, excellent! Wish I could be like them. I’m sure I was, and that’s the price of awareness and enlightenment. You can’t become unaware and unenlightened. A sommalier may be gracious and drink a 6$US bottle of wine with some friends, and they won’t go out and get a 6$US bottle for themselves.
Kaye: Thank you for being my guest today, Joseph. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you. Before we go tell us where readers can go to find out more about you and your books?
Joseph: I’m on Amazon, folks can read my blog, I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and some other social networks. Google “Joseph Carrabis” and let me know what comes up.
About Tag
A severed witch’s hand changes the face of Eastern Europe forever.
Eric and Julia seek tree grafts on the outskirts of their medieval eastern European village as a summer storm gathers. Sullya, a witch hiding among the trees, grabs Julia. Eric swings his axe and severs Sullya’s hand from her arm. The witch seeks refuge in the deep bole of an old oak. Her hand falls onto the same oak and crawls up the trunk to join her.
Eric wants to flee but Julia, believing they’re safe thanks to the now heavy rain, torments the witch. Sullya curses them, their families, their crops, their livestock, and their village.
Soon crops wilt, livestock die, and much of village falls ill. The village priest, Father Baillot, seems ignorant of church ways and proves ineffective against the curse.
The village elders seek help elsewhere, specifically from a distant priest, Father Patreo, who knows the Old Ways as well as the New. Patreo is out of favor with the Church because he makes no effort to hide his belief that progress comes from exploring all paths, not just those the Church decrees acceptable.
He and Verduan, one of the village elders, investigate and encounter witchcraft, devil worship, murder, a coup d’etat, and the clashing of three great cultures. What they discover changes the face of Eastern Europe forever.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tag-First-Verduan-Patreo-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D7SRWB81/
My Review of Tag
(This review appeared first in Wilderness House Literary Review: https://www.whlreview.com/no-19.3/review/KayeLynneBooth.pdf)
I received a digital copy of Tag, by Joseph Carrabis in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. The short fiction story which this novel springs from, “Blood Magic” is featured in the WordCrafter dark fiction anthology, Midnight Roost (2023). I loved that story when I compiled the anthology and so, was thrilled to learn there was more to it than just that short tale. But even if I had no prior knowledge of Carrabis’ vast talent, I would have been drawn to this book by the eye-catching cover. ( This review appeared first in Wilderness House Review).
Tag is a medieval mystery filled with more plot twists and turns than a Stephen King tale, with unique and well-developed characters and descriptions that let readers see every detail vividly. Carrabis is a master storyteller and his talent shines brightly with this novel, enlisting all the senses to bring his scenes to life with his detailed descriptions with the skill of Anne Rice.
There are strange happenings in the village of Nant. Unknown strangers lurk in the shadows, no one is who they appear to be, and everybody seems to have secrets and hidden motives. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something happens to make you realize that you’ve got it all wrong. Some say the village is cursed. Missing and murdered maidens, poisoned waters and dying crops, murders and betrayals. And it all began with a witch in a tree and a curse…. Or… did it?
Tag is a captivating story that will enthrall readers from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down. A delightfully dark tale. I give it five quills.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by Tales From the Hanging Tree and WordCrafter Press.
There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/Hanging-Tree
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Book Review: “The Rebound Effect”
Posted: November 8, 2024 Filed under: Audio Books, Book Review, Books, Fiction, Review, romance | Tags: Audiobook Review, Book Review, Catherine Hein Carter, Linda Griffin, mystery, romance, The Rebound Effect, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout The Rebound Effect
In the small town of Cougar, struggling single mother and veterinary assistant Teresa Lansing is still bruised from a failed relationship when Frank McAllister sweeps her off her feet.
Frank is a big-city SWAT officer who moved to Cougar only four months ago. He’s handsome, charming, forceful, very sexy, and a bit mysterious. He had his eye on Teresa even before they met and is pushing for a serious relationship right away.
Teresa finds his intense courtship flattering, and the sex is fabulous, but she doesn’t want her deaf six-year-old son to be hurt again. Her former fiancé cheated on her when he got drunk after being unjustly fired, but he loves her and her son, and the whirlwind romance is complicated by his efforts to win Teresa back.
And then there’s the matter of the bodies buried at Big Devil Creek…
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-The-Rebound-Effect/dp/B0DHLWSYRW
My Review
I received a free audiobook of “The Rebound Effect” from author, Linda Griffin, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Narrated by Catherine Hein Carter, I felt the narration was well done, although I could tell she was reading in some places. This story had a female protagonist, so I didn’t have the same reservations about the female narrator as I did in my review of Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking. With The Rebound Effect, I found the narration went much better from the female protagonist, Theresa’s perspective, and Carter was a much better fit in my opinion.
Theresa is a single mom, divorced from her deaf son’s father, and she’s on the rebound from Bret, who wasn’t faithful in the relationship she had with him, which hurt her deeply. She focuses her life on her son, Aiden, and tries to make herself believe that is all she needs. She’s hesitant to enter into yet another relationship with when Frank comes along, intent on sweeping her off her feet.
I found Frank to not be very likeble. I felt that he is pushy and controlling, and I had a hard time rooting for the two characters to get together because he is so arrogant. It made it hard to think that he would be a good match for Theresa. He keeps telling her that they will go as fast or slow as she wants, but then just keeps coming even when she repeatedly tells him to slow down, and ignores when she says his buying an item is too much and buys the item anyway. That doesn’t show the respect for her which he claims he has. Obviously, this really bothered me with this story. But then, I thought I was reading a romance and this turned out to be so much more.
As it turns out, we have more of a love triangle situation, where Theresa is faced with a choice between two men, Frank and her ex-boyfriend, Bret, who won’t give up after his single indescretionary act of infidelity broke Theresa’s heart. I do wish we could have gotten to know Bret a little better. Most of the focus was on Frank, because Theresa has cut Bret out of her life without giving him a chance to redeem himself until well into the story.
This book has a crime fiction subplot, as the bodies of young girls are found in the opening scene and other girls go missing throughout, with these scenarios playing through Theresa’s head throughout the story, adding a sense of mystery to the story. While I thought all along that eventually the mystery would be solved, I didn’t realize what a vital part it would play in the end. (No spoilers.) Even with all the clues we’re given, the real hero was a surprise to me, and in the end, I was quite satisfied as a reader.
Not what I expected, but it held my interest and wrapped things up nicely in the end. I give The Rebound Effect four quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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Review in Practice: “Word by Word” and “Dollar by Dollar”
Posted: November 6, 2024 Filed under: Books, Nonfiction, Review, Review in Practice, Writing Resource | Tags: 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, Dollar by Dollar, Karrie Flanagan, Kaye Lynne Booth, Review in Practice, Word by Word, Writing to be Read 4 CommentsOne of the advantages of being in a Story Bundle, is that you get a free copy of all the books included in the bundle. That means you get to read everyone else’s book. With the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, for me, it, means I get to read a lot of writing reference books and I can discover from them, bits of writing wisdom which I can utilize in my own writing and publishing processes to improve my own work. Word by Word and Dollar by Dollar, by Kerrie Flanagan, are both exclusive to the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, so that means you can’t get them anywhere else.
About Word by Word
Word by Word by award-winning author Kerrie Flanagan, shows you how to unlock your creativity and transform your writing. This is an essential guide for writers that offers inspiration, genre-specific strategies, and practical tips.
My Thoughts on Word by Word
This is the book I wish that I’d had when I was earning my first M.A. in Creative Writing. Flanagan offers a comprehensive overview of writing in each of the various genres, with interviews and advice from various authors in each one.
When I first entered graduate school, I didn’t know what a trope was, and it would be impossible to cover the tropes of every genre, even in the intensive M.F.A. program which I attended, so these overviews were quite valuable to me because they helped me to understand the genres in which I haven’t yet dabbled, but may consider in the future. I’ve been playing with the idea of writing a mystery recently, and I have a couple of romance stories in with my trunk novels which could be worthy of taking another look at.
I found the section on children’s writing particularly helpful, as this is a genre I have recently tried to break into with the My Backyard Friends kid’s book series. I have a couple of other books written for kids that I’d like to put out there, too, so the section on using humor when writing for children was especially interesting to me and gave me some ideas about how I could incorporate humor into my own stories. (If you’d like to hear more of my thoughts inspired by this section, catch my November “Writer’s Corner” on writing for children.)
About Dollar by Dollar
Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan is a comprehensive guide packed with proven strategies to help writers boost book sales, increase income from writing, and succeed in both traditional and self-publishing.
My Thoughts on Dollar by Dollar
Dollar by Dollar, by award winning author and journalist, Kerrie Flanagan covers the ins and outs of the publishing world, including both traditional and independent publishing, with a full section of valuable advice about ways to make your writing pay beyond crafting books.
While I have chosen not to take the slow traditional route to publishing in favor of taking control of my own writing career, I found the section on traditional publishing to be spot on with my understanding of the industry. Flanagan covers areas such as writing a book proposal or query letter, landing an agent and what to expect once you do, and how to navigate the world of small presses.
At first glance, I thought that this book would be in competition with my own book, The D.I.Y. Author, but the section on independent publishing covers more information on publishing through Ingram Spark, while mine focuses on using an aggregator such as Draft2Digital, so they really are complimentary to one another. Flanagan covers things to think about when deciding if self-publishing is the right route for you, tips on making your book stand out in the crowd, and the challenges and independently published author may face.
In addition, I found the section on other paid writing venues to be quite valuable. Flanagan covers magazine and freelance writing, blog writing, travel writing, resume writing, and more. These are avanues which all authors may not have considered as means to make a living from their writing and should be explored.
But what I found to be of the most value were the sections on newletters and email lists, and about building your author tribe. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that my newsletter is one area where I have not been consistant at all, and Flanagan reminded me of what a valuable marketing tool that email list really is. This is an area on which I really need to work on and I’ve added it to my list of things I need to do for 2025. She also offered tips on what to put in a newsletter which I found thought provoking.
Building an author tribe is another area which I know is a valuable asset, and I’ve found being a part of Kevin J. Anderson’s tribe of authors to be of great value.But every author has their own tribe, even if it is a small one. These are the authors you work with in some capacity on a regular basis; those who support and encourage you; those who inspire you. My tribe is almost exclusively online and includes the members of my blog team, my blog tour hosts, and authors that I’ve worked with in various anthologies, as well as fellow authors which I’ve met through Facebook groups who are open to exchanging services such as beta reading or proofing, interviews, or reviews. But compared to tribes like that of KJA, my own tribe is small and I need to work on growing it in the coming year.
The 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle
Word by Word and Dollar by Dollar, by award winning author, Kerrie Flanagan are both offered in the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, along with my own The D.I.Y. Author and ten other valuable writing references that every author should have at their fingertips. This bundle offers valuable writing advice from successful authors such as Kevin J. Anderson, Mark Leslie Lefabvre, Wulf Moon, Joshua Essoe, Craig Maretlle, Jessica Brawner, Jana S. Brown, Jessica Barber and Tara G. Ericson, Todd Fahnestock, Matty Dalrymple and M.L. Ronn, and a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine. A percentage of every bundle sold goes to the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. These digital books are DRM-free and compatable with any digital reading device. And you get a lot of books for one great price.
You can get your 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle here: https://storybundle.com/writing
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, and her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Topics Include:
Becoming Prolific
Writing Tools
Outlining
Making Quality a Priority
Publishing Models & Trends
Marketing Your Book
Book Covers & Blurbs
Book Events—In Person & Virtual
And more…
Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/The-DIY-Author
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Everyone is a Critic: Anacondas
Posted: October 31, 2024 Filed under: Everyone is a Critic, Film Review, Horror, Movies, Review | Tags: Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Anacondas: Trail of Blood, Everyone is a Critic, horror, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)
Anaconda: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid is predictable, following all the horror tropes, but it’s done well and I found it quite entertaining, with plenty of action. This movie is a stand alone sequel to the original Anaconda (1997) movie.
Bill Johnson is the boat captain, played by Johnny Messner, leading a group of scientists including Sam Rogers, played by KaDee Strickland, Dr. Jack Byron, played by Matthew Marsden, Dr. Ben Douglas, played by Nicholas Gonzalez, Intern Cole Burris, played by Eugene Byrd, and Gail Stern, played by Salli Richardson-Whitfield into the jungles of Borneo. In search the mythical black orchid, which can supposedly grant eternal life, which can only be accessed every seven years.
This film has all the elements you’d expect to find in a horror flick, including the greedy scientist who will go to any length to retrieve the precious flower, which is worth millions, who bribes the captain to take them into dangerous territory to save time. When their boat goes over a waterfall, the scientists land right in the middle of the territory where massive anacondas have been feeding on the legendary orchids for years, proving that the mythical powers of the flower are true, and they quickly find themselves fighting for their lives amoung the monstrous snakes.
I thought that surely the teeth in the enormous snakes’ mouths, were just special effects to make our monster snakes look more fierce, but nope. I looked it up and anacondas actually do have rows of razor sharp hook-like teeth, used to help secure their prey while they wrap around them before the squeeze, and also to guide the prey down the snake’s throat pushing it back. Exposing this fact elevates these snakes, in my mind, from slightly fakey special effects to truly scary monsters which our expedition members will have to be strong and cunning to overcome.
Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009)
Anacondas: Trail of Blood is the forth movie in this franchise and a sequel to the third. There wasn’t as much money thrown at this msde for television movie as there was thrown into the first two cinematic movies and it shows.
In this movie, a genetically created baby anaconda is experimented on, cut in half and injected with a serum made from the blood orchid, cultivated by a scientist, who is killed by the snake he has created in the opeining scene. The serum not only has properties of longetivity, but also those of regeneration, creating a monster snake which is almost impossible to kill. Much of the action is running through the jungle to escape the monstrous beast.
The snake, itself is more fakey looking than the monster snakes seen in previous movies in the franchise, looking to me, as if it were made of cheap plastic.
Also, I felt this movie had too many players to keep track of. We have a member of a science team, Amanda Hayes, played by Crystal Allen, who is out to stop the dastardly plan of their employer, Murdough, played by John Ryes-Davies, to harvest and create the serum for his own selfish purposes, and she aims to keep him from getting his hands on the research. It is her goal to destroy everything to do with the serum, as she sees the evil purposes the serum could be used for. She initially arrives with two cops, and a lone teen hiker joins their ranks.
Then we have a group of archelogists intent on excavating a recently discovered dig in the area and a group of mercenaries hired by Murdough to retrieve the serum and the research and eliminate Amanda. Quite frankly, the snake didn’t seem to care which group its victims were from, as a side effect of the serum is apparently an insatiable appetite and fierce aggressiveness. There are so many characters that I found it difficult to relate to any single one. Without some type of connection to make me care about these characters, I wasn’t as invested in the outcome as I might have been.
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About Kaye Lynne Booth
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