Riley Amos Westbrook's Blog, page 22
August 9, 2016
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/9/2016 part 2
Heracles the Return by Nicholas McAuliff
I have always loved Heracles. I watched him and Xena when they were on TV. Kevin Sarbo was great, in my opinion. This book was fun and I’m glad someone decide to write something about him again. I enjoyed reading it. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review* 4/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/9/2016 part 1
The Farthest City by Daniel P. Swenson
This book to me had a predictable ending but I liked the story. The characters were interesting and it wasn’t too bad a read. This was ok for me. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review* 3/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
August 8, 2016
About the Book
Title: Perennials
Author: Bryce Gibson
Ge...
About the Book
Title: Perennials
Author: Bryce Gibson
Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Summer in South Carolina – a time of ripe peaches, crackling bonfires, trips to the lake, and the rural legend of a creature known as the Lizard Man. This year, a very real monster is lurking about. The victims all have one thing in common – they share their names with plants. Soon it becomes apparent that seventeenyear-olds Dusty Miller and Nandina Bush may be next on the killer’s list.
“That was when I realized that the red I saw in the driveway wasn’t blood. It was a scattering of rose petals. Deep down, I knew, right at that very moment, that what all of us had been afraid of for the past several months had already happened. I knew that the serial killer had finally made his way to Crow County.” – Dusty Miller
Author Bio
Bryce Gibson writes Southern fiction that takes readers to charming and oftentimes sinister areas of The South. He has a degree in Media Arts from the University of South Carolina, works full time as a farmer, and lives in South Carolina with his wife and their dog.
Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bgibsonwriter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bryce-Gibsonauthor939733096111775/?ref=br_rs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BGibsonWriter
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103547610900912020893/posts
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bryce-Gibson/e/B00LUPWJEY
Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Perennials-Bryce-Gibson-ebook/dp/B01DPY6JN4
Filed under: book blast, Musings, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Blog Tour, Support Indie Authors, SupportIndieAuthors
August 6, 2016
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/6/2016 part 1
Scavenger: A.I. by Timothy C. Ward
There is just so much action in this series, I love that about it! The characters are great and I love to read more and see what happens next. This book had me from the beginning. It was exciting and thrilling adventure for me again in this book. The world building was very good as well. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review* 5/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/6/2016 part 2
Scavenger: Evolution by Timothy C. Ward
This book was a great adventure. I had to look up what a sand diver is just for my own piece of mind. This was an engaging story for me and the characters are also great too. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
5/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/6/2016 part 3
The Skeleton Friend (The Skeleton Friend Book One) by R.C. Johansen
This book was very interesting to me. I really enjoyed the technical knowledge. It seems the author knows a lot about forensics or did a lot of research. I think the story line was good and the book kept me wanting to read more. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review* 4/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
August 4, 2016
Have you ever tried to write fantasy? #ASMSG #IARTG #Bookboost #Ian1 #SupportIndieAuthors #FreeBook
Have you ever tried to write an epic fantasy? I have, and I loved every minute of it. There’s a lot of work and planning that go into building your world.
Should I include a prophecy or shouldn’t I? Should I build an intricate magic school or shouldn’t I? How much of my plans do I reveal to my readers?
I’m not your typical epic fantasy author. I don’t use overly colorful language, though there are some curse words in my books. I tell it as I see it, knowing the story will carry itself in the end.
(Insert penis joke.)
There’s a hint of love that could blossom, but hasn’t. And there’s no sex, for those bothered by it.
A group of friends and family that only want to help.
There’s Nord, an elf who is too pretty for his own good.
Sanche, a stern elven general looking to fade into obscurity.
Missy and her fairy friends try to keep everyone on task.
Tyrosh is a dragon unable to shift forms and held prisoner by the false Tutanbringer, Martell.
Jaxon is the halfling friend of everyone, only along for the ride.
Martell is the man who stole Tyrosh’s mantle.
And Lovonian is the one out for revenge, while seeking to bring balance to the world.
I wrote the books to learn to write, and I’m glad I chose the genre I did. Writing the story of Lovonian felt like telling people about a movie only I could see.
I can still see the scenes clear as day if I close my eyes. It’s almost like magic. If only it was as simple translating the images to words.
There’s a ton of planning that goes into writing an epic fantasy, but I really did none of that for Breath of the Titans. I only sought to write a story I would enjoy reading as time passed. So far, that holds true.
Now I’ve written several different genres, from contemporary fiction filled with zombies and other monsters, to a science fiction adventure filled with a myriad of races. In both cases, it was much easier to start the world building process. It could be experience, but I think it’s genre.
In my horror stories, it’s much easier to get started because they are set in a world like this one. I don’t have to plan a religion, politics, or anything that I know the reader already knows. Whereas in a fantasy book, all of those things need to be taken into account. I can’t assume you know the religions of the world, because I am building it from the ground up. I can’t assume you know how the king will react, as he rules a land only in my head.
But in a contemporary environment, I can mention the president, and you can imagine how they could react. Same with religion, if I say christianity you automatically know what I mean. That’s not to say that horror can’t have the same planning and storylines that go into an epic fantasy, just that if the author chooses they can be a bit lazier about the entire process.
Science Fiction is a bit closer to epic fantasy, as far as world building goes. I cannot rely on the reader’s knowledge to fill in the blanks on the same issues. But I can include modern gadgets and whizzbingers. I can say, “They carried a communicator in their hands.” and you can picture an image of what I’m talking about. You may even understand on a basic level how the contraption might work.
Harder to do that in a fantasy world. Harder to explain that the titans are robots made by magic. Or how a magician uses his mind to shape the very fabric of the world. These are concepts that, while not difficult to understand, are much harder to put into words. It’s much harder to convey exactly what propels them, versus in science fiction where I can point to the gears, nuts, and bolts and say, “That’s what makes it tick.”
Having written several genres now, I can officially say that they’re all equally difficult. The thought and planning that goes into any book is monumental. It just seems to me, that epic fantasy takes that little bit more planning.
As it is, I’m amazed at how quickly my books came together. I learned a lot from the experience about pacing and telling the story you want to tell.
The great thing about an epic fantasy, or really any work, is you can put your ideals into it. Take Breath of the Titans, I wanted to write something that reflected all of the many religions I’ve tried to study in my life. I wrote the series with an approach to life that a new age spiritual person might use. I meditated and sat in the sun, thinking positive thoughts and listening to the world around me. Then I would go inside and sit in front of my computer, and the story would literally pour from my head onto the page. I didn’t have to think, I didn’t really plan all that far ahead. I had my characters and their limitations. With those in mind, the story seemed to build itself from the ground up. There’s a bit of foreshadowing in the book, though I freely admit most of it was accidental. It’s amazing what our minds can do when we sit and put them to work.
Everyone Dies At The End and Journey From Atremes have a little bit different process, but the premise is still the same. I go and I think. I work my brain muscle until it hurts, and then I work it some more.
Keeping the voices of the characters different was simple, though I admit the dialogue is probably a bit more contemporary than in most fantasy novels.
I know this is going to sound a bit like schizophrenia, but when a character speaks to me, I hear their voice. The inflection, the way they carry themselves. I see it all in a million little images, shapes, and feelings. The problem I have comes from translating the sights and sounds in my mind onto the page for someone else to understand.
I tend to write in Rilenese, which means I need a lot of translation from what I originally put down upon the page to the finished story. People, places, names, anything can and will change during the process.
Breath of the Titans never suffered from that problem. Once I started writing it, I had all my characters already pre-planned. Those characters are what compelled me to write the story. Having to choose between having them bug me, or putting their words upon the page.
Even though I went into everyday with no idea what I wanted to write, I never had a problem getting words onto the page. I didn’t struggle to find things and events to add to the book. If anything, I struggled with finding places to fit their adventures into the novel. There are a thousand things I never mention in the books, because if I did the trilogy would be 1,000 pages long, and I didn’t want to write that.
I wanted to write a fun little adventure, full of excitement and imagination at every turn. I think I did that. Feel free to let me know your opinion.
If you want, you can pick up a free copy of it by clicking here.
Filed under: book blast, Breath Of The Titans, Musings, My books Tagged: Book, Everyone Dies At The End, FREE BOOK, Riley Amos Westbrook, Sara lynn westbrook
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/4/2016 part 5
The Silent Dead: A Mystery by Tetsuya Honda, Giles Murray
This book was pretty good for me. I was concerned about the names of the characters in the book because they were so unfamiliar to me. But the author made me very comfortable with the that and more. I was delighted to read something a little different and I enjoyed it. For me the characters were wonderful and the story was entertaining. I enjoyed it! * I received this book from Net galley in exchange for an honest review* 4/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/4/2016 part 4
Fury Rising by Yasmine Galenorn
I love Yasmine and all her books I have read so far. This new series is very different from the other series that I like but I enjoyed this book too. I glad I tried it! I look forward to book two. 5/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
Cruisin’ through books cause books make life worth living with Aly 8/4/2016 part 3
Personal Demons by Kelly Armstrong
This was a better book than I thought. I was worried since Hope was a new character to the series that the book would not be as good. But I was presently surprised! I enjoyed everything about this book too. 5/5
Filed under: Musings, Riley Amos Reviews, Support Indie Authors Tagged: Book Review
