Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 95
February 20, 2019
February 17, 2019
Off the Bookshelf: MYTHICAL DOORWAYS, A Fellowship of Fantasy Anthology
Another fun anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy!Can I just say that I DEVOURED both volumes? The fact this is a collection of shorts made them easy to read -- I knew I could finish a story, or two, maybe three, before going to bed. Better than "Calgon, take me away!"
Like the review of another anthology of theirs, I'll leave them to tell you what this collection is about. And again urge you to indulge!
"We present to you tales of gateways to marvelous places. These doorways open into adventure, wonder, and even danger.
"Within, you will accompany heroes on their way to fairy worlds. Brave the dangers of the past through a portal in time. Eavesdrop at the door of a forbidden workshop. Follow a girl on a search for a better life in her choice between three tempting magical doors. Help a sorcerer close a gateway before an unspeakable horror escapes, and slip through a portal on a quest for delicious chocolate!"
www.fellowshipoffantasy.com
February 13, 2019
February 10, 2019
Off the Bookshelf: REDSHIRTS, by John Scalzi
I confess, I'm a Trekker from the early days. I can remember seeing episodes when it was on network TV. Not going to tell you how young I was, and how rare it was to stay up past my bedtime to see it ...So hearing this audiobook (my FIRST audiobook) was a Star Trek salute/parody AND is narrated by Will Wheaton (ST:NG) kind of nudged me closer to taking the plunge and getting my Audible membership. Besides, I'm hooked on listening to writing and marketing podcasts for long road trips, so switching over to audiobooks and having FUN while I make long drives (my business partner in Mt. Zion Ridge Press is 9-1/2 hours of driving away) wasn't that hard of a decision.
Audible is extremely talented at temptation. If you're careful with your credit that comes with your membership fee every month, and you wait and watch for specials, and the Audible Originals ... you can build up a huge library pretty fast, without spending a lot of money.
REDSHIRTS is ... for those not in the know ... a reference to the hapless crewmembers who are marked for death for the simple reason that 1) they're wearing a red uniform shirt and 2) someone has to die or come close to it to ratchet up the tension in that week's episode.
But what happens when this is happening to "real" people on a "real" starship in the far distant future, and they figure out that their lives (and deaths) are being controlled by ... ?
I'm not going to give away that much of the plot, because it takes a while for our heroes to figure it out. And a number of people we've come to like ... die! Let me just say that they figure it out, and hopefully live happily ever after. Maybe. With some ripples in the time-space continuum that make you wonder what version of reality is the real one.
Lots of snark. Lots of griping. Lots of fun. Lots of groaners and inside jokes. Hmmm, some profanity. Kind of understandable, under the circumstances.
If you love Trek, if you love parodies. If you're a writer who feels like your characters are coming to life and arguing with you about what you're doing to them ... Fun.
February 6, 2019
February 3, 2019
Off the Bookshelf: TALES OF EVER AFTER, Fellowship of Fantasy Anthology
This anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy is ... WOW.Major fun.
Retellings and new angles of known and not-so-well-known faerie tales.
Let their "Dear Readers" letter tell you what to expect (and let me strongly urge you to indulge):
"Have you ever wondered what happened after Cinderella's ball? Or why exactly all those princesses are so darn sleepy? Or if kissing frogs is really a good idea? Never fear! We have the answers to those questions and more. Enjoy sixteen original stories from awesome authors across multiple genres from Steampunk to Science Fantasy to Epic Adventure to Snarky Satire.
"There are many perilous journeys ahead of you, but no graphic content. All the stories here fall below a PG-13 rating.
"The Fellowship of Fantasy is an online group of writers dedicated to presenting the best in clean fantasy stories of any stripe. Some tackle epic quests to save the world, while others prefer more urban settings. Whether you enjoy contemporary tales, romantic retellings, or something else entirely, you're sure to find stories that speak to you."
www.fellowshipoffantasy.com
Indulge!
January 27, 2019
AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 13
For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617019268-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-13
January 20, 2019
Off the Bookshelf: ENCHANTED, by Demelza Carlton
Beauty and the Beast Retold: And it's kind of Beauty's fault ....
This Beauty had me hooked from the moment I met her. Smart, tough, aching for adventure, full of common sense -- and humble enough to admit when she messes up big-time. She's gonna fix the mess she made, even if it kills her...
The king sends for Beauty's mother, to make a curse for an enemy. Problem: Mama is dead, and the king is the kind of guy who won't let that be an acceptable excuse. So our heroine goes to the palace in her mother's place. She creates a curse for an enemy of the king ... but doesn't know who exactly she is cursing. When she meets up with the cursed hero years later, the story is enchanting and engrossing and picks up all the plot points of the traditional story, but in new and clever ways.
Loved it. Looking forward to reading more in this series of faerie tales retold.
January 13, 2019
AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 12
For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617018792-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-12
January 6, 2019
Off the Bookshelf: LOOK ALIVE TWENTY-FIVE, by Janet Evanovich
Guilty pleasure time!And let me once again extol the joys of having online access to the library. I was able to place an order to reserve this newest Stephanie Plum adventure (mis-adventure, romp) months (and months and months) in advance, and then I got a notification on release day to come get it.
Things seem to be getting a little more serious for Stephanie, with people vanishing, presumed either dead or snatched by aliens. At least, that's Lula's theory. Stephanie and Lula end up managing an odd little deli in a bad part of town. A bail bonds customer skips town and the deli becomes the property of her cousin Vinnie's bail bonds business.
Rumors abound and the hot sauce and other condiments fly when Lula gets into the sandwich-making groove. She refuses to give customers what they order, insisting they'll like her version better. Ahhh .... NO. As usual, the situation progresses from strange to bizarre, and Stephanie gets in messy trouble. She ends up with 24-hour Rangeman surveillance until the disappearances of the managers at the deli are solved. Because Stephanie is the new manager. Just how does a grunge rock star and a proposal for a cannibal deli TV show tie into all this weirdness? Read it and find out.
Oh, and a milk-snorting-out-your-nose warning: Don't eat and drink while reading. Your sinuses will thank you.
