M.L.S. Weech's Blog, page 25

Now Presenting the Cover to Betrayed!

Greetings all,

Last weekend I presented this cover on my YouTube channel. You can check out how that went by watching below.

However, that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to show off this cover here on my blog. So before I get too far into the details, let’s just have a look.

Once again I just want to make sure I thank Carlos Villas for all of his hard work. I think the cover is beautiful! I’m still planning on a May 1 release date. I’m proofreading as quickly as I can, but I desperately want to make this book as polished as I can, so June 1 is a possibility, but I guarantee June 1 is the latest this book will be out.

I hope you all like the cover!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: Demon Slayer Volume 8 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Spoiler Free Summary: Demon Slayer Volume 8 by Koyoharu Gotouge is the eighth volume in the Demon Slayer manga. The battle on the train concludes, and our heroes are forced to live with the aftermath. But from sadness, hope arises, and Tanjiro finally has the chance to learn what Hinokami Kagura is. Just as answers seem near, a new mission begins.

The cover image for this manga was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use docrine.

Character: Tanjiro is still the star of the show, but like all truly amazing anime/manga, even the side characters with just a sliver of screen time have deep arcs that touch the heart. This entire volume is more about the heart of those side characters. Learning about others through the compassionate and loving eyes of Tanjiro is all the more special.

Exposition: This manga probably needed a bit more exposition than most given that this particular volume is more setup and worldbuilding, but it’s not an offensive amount.

Worldbuilding: This volume delivers on the promise made by the previous one. We do indeed finally gain some relevant, meaningful information about Hinokami Kagura. On one hand, the information is awesome in it’s scope, but it isn’t very functionally revealing. Think of it like a history lesson without the current applicational use. Still, it expands the worldbuilding and teases real cool things to come, also hinting at why Tanjiro’s family was targeted.

Dialogue: The dialogue is where a lot comes to light. It’s not as thinly veiled as it could have been, but it’s pretty on the nose. Still, the characters each have a unique voice, and that makes watching the story unfold fun. The conversations are charming, touching, and sad at all the appropriate times.

Description: The art is still great, but there’s not much that will change here in regard to description. If you’re reading the manga by this point, you probably already like the art and, therefore, the description.

Overall: This volume does what all great setup volumes do. They yank you along from volume to volume with great cliffhangers that make you want to rush out and buy the next however-many volumes are available. Where Volume 7 gives the reader action and cool fight scenes, this volume gives you context and worldbuilding while setting up the next big showdown.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Announcing the Week 1 2021 April Book Cover of the Month! Vote for Week 2’s Cover

Greetings all,

My Book Cover of the Month contest is back in the swing of things. It’s not entirely unexpected, but we’re off to a slow start. This weeks’ winner was actually a tie I had to break. I had six votes, and, sure enough, each vote was for a different cover. I’d love to get this back to the level of support it had a few years ago before I went on hiatus regarding book covers.

So first, let’s announce the winner for week 1.

I was just a big fan of this cover overall. It’s probably not the genre I’d like most, but I can’t deny how well Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg sings.

But, as one week passes, another begins. So you can vote for your favorite Week 2 2021 April Book Cover of the Month right here!

I’d be grateful if you would be so kind as to watch my channel, where I talk about all seven of the covers and why I think they were so cool. My middle son joined me for this episode, so that was nice of him.

Remember to vote for your favorite through the link I provided above! This means that Spellmaker is in the finals for the 2021 April Book Cover of the Month! You guys can choose who wins the title and then support your favorite in the yearly competition (obviously next year)! I hope you’ll participate.

Thanks for reading and watching,

Matt

Visits From a Man Named Nobody 24

// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //

“It would be pointless!” Paul felt as if he’d finally gained the advantage in a conversation with Nobody.

“Unless the point is to teach that even the most righteous will suffer.” Nobody spoke as if the answer had just occurred to him. “What if the point of Job isn’t so much why, people suffer, but that people will suffer? Then the story of Job teaches us how one can suffer righteously. It shows us God is in control, even when we think he’s not watching.”

“But he let him suffer just to prove a point!” Paul wasn’t letting that perspective go.

“When did he promise no one would suffer?” Nobody asked. 

“So he just lets people suffer?” Paul asked back.

“Suffering is a result of sin,” Nobody said. “Man chose to rebel, that’s what sin is. Man chose to pursue what he wants rather than obey God. The natural consequences of that choice are death and suffering. From that point of view, suffering is a result of sin, which was brought on by Adam’s disobedience. Then we see in Job that no one is promised of life without pain, but we also see that even our suffering is accounted for in a broader plan.”

Nobody leaned forward. “People suffer, and it’s always tragic, but there’s always a reason. We may not know it. That reason may even be, ‘It’s just something that has to happen.’ But our suffering shapes us. I’m here because my suffering shaped me, and it’s prepared me to help you.”

“You’re helping me because … because you suffered …”  Paul couldn’t say the words.

“I suffered like you suffered,” Nobody said. “I was beaten. I’m not happy about the pain I endured, but I’m happy I found purpose through that pain, and I’m very happy that I can help you because I understand what you’ve been through. So sometimes, people suffer to help ease the suffering of others.”

Paul considered what he was hearing. “But there are others. You said you only visit me.”

“Honestly,” Nobody shrugged. “I can’t help everyone. But if I help you, you’ll be able to help someone. Then, they’ll be able to help others. I had to start somewhere, so I started at the best place I could.”

“What made me the best place to start?” Paul asked.

Nobody’s mask shifted position, making it obvious that he had smiled. “That is the secret you’ll have to uncover on your own, and you will. For now though, we have to talk about relationships.”

“Why? What does that have to do with suffering or my life?” Paul asked.

“If you never let anyone in, you’ll never find those who can help you in your time of need.” Nobody leaned back on the couch. “Also, if you only try to hold on to the people you’ve chosen, you’ll become even more possessive of them, and you’ll resent them for having others in their lives.”

Paul groaned and rolled his head back. “You’re talking about Bill!”

“Whose name you can’t speak without making it sound like a curse,” Nobody said.

“You traveled through space to sit on a couch and tell me to be nice to a guy who’s just trying to hook up with my mom?” Paul asked.

“He’s not trying to take her from you,” Nobody said, “and if you give him a chance, you’ll see he’s actually trying to become a part of your life.”

“I don’t want him in my life!” Paul said.

Nobody sat there as still as a statue as Paul thought about the conversation. 

“My mom can date him if she wants!” Paul wasn’t sure why he felt the need to defend her relationship, but there it was.

Nobody just kept starting at him.

“I won’t get …  I’ll get over it if she wants to spend more time with …. ” He couldn’t speak the lie. 

“If you don’t give him a chance, you’re putting your mom in this position where she has to choose,” Nobody finally said.  

“She should choose me,” Paul said. 

“That may be the first truly selfish thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Nobody said. 

Paul leapt up from the recliner. “It’s not selfish to think a mother should prioritize her kids!”

“Are the words “prioritize” and “serve” synonyms?” Nobody asked.

“No.”

“Your mom works to provide for you,” Nobody said, holding up fingers as he counted off each point. “She spends time with you both to help you as well as she can with school and to just spend time with you having fun. She’s there when you need her, so I’d say she’s prioritized you perfectly well. Does prioritizing you mean she can never date or have a relationship apart from you?”

Paul slumped back down in his chair, mumbling. “You always make me feel like a jerk.” 

… to be continued …

Today’s The Day! Join Me For The Cover Reveal of Betrayed!

Greetings all,

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day! Today at 2 p.m., I’ll be on Zoom to answer some questions. As I type this, I’m not sure if Carlos (the artist) will be able to make it or not, but I hope he will be. We’ll talk about the artistic process behind the cover, and then we’ll show it off.

If you want to be there to ask questions or talk to me about my work or Carlos (if he can make it) about his work, you can still shoot me an email with your name, email, and Zoom profile name so I can send you the link.

You can also post any questions you want me to answer in the comments below.

I’m excited to give this method a try, and I hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: Demon Slayer Volume 7 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Spoiler Free Summary: Demon Slayer Volume 7 by Koyoharu Gotouge is the seventh volume in the Demon Slayer manga. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke board a train where people are vanishing at an alarming rate. Tanjiro hopes to find Rengoku, a Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps to ask the master about fire breathing techniques and if they are related to Hinokami Kagura. But the mystery of this train will force all the members of the team to face their own hearts, and if they can’t let go of dreams of what could have been or could be, the only futures they’ll have will be as food.

The cover image for this volume was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Character: Tanjiro is easily one of the most compelling characters of this generation. He’s innocent, kind, and loyal. Like all great anime characters I can think of off the top of my head, he’s not that bright. This volume connects all the way back to the beginning of Tanjiro’s story, and it’s heartbreaking to watch him face those memories only to have to abandon them.

Exposition: Manga’s have an advantage in that they can use art to fill in gaps, but even mangas need a few exposition boxes to provide context or the occasional joke. Thankfully, these particular boxes are short and to the point. They’re only used to provide information that can’t be shown visually, and that’s cool.

Worldbuilding: This volume continues to tease the mysterious nature of Hinokami Kagura, but it doesn’t provide any real answers. This volume relies on cool fight scenes and emotional drama to keep the pages turning. However, I feel it was still successful. You see, with serialized stories, not every book needs to have every quality. This volume had it’s traits (see above) and other volumes deal with other areas of storytelling. This is because a volume is a part of a far much greater whole. The only real worldbuilding here you see is how much more unique the upper ranked demons are.

Dialogue: A lot of the charm in this series comes from the dialogue between Tanjiro and his friends. Even the other members of the corps have their personalities revealed via dialogue. I think that’s a bit unique, but I watch far more anime than I do read manga, so a bit manga reader will have to comment below and tell me how far off I am. I think this dialogue was a bit stronger than other anime (Naruto, Bleach). I don’t think it’s as good as Death Note, but it’s close.

Description: Manga cheats a little here. It’s so much easier to have great description when you’re an artist who can literally draw what you want viewers to see. The art is incredible. The action scenes are well depicted. I have to admit that black and white is a bit hard for me to see in the details sometimes, but that’s a minor complaint that has more to do with the genre than with the art.

Overall: I picked this up because I didn’t want to wait another year for the movie to come out. At lest now I have the story in my head. That said, I can’t wait for the movie now. The story is beautiful and tragic, fun and action packed. It has lots of surprising moments and teases some strong world building in future volumes. If you like anime and/or manga, this is worth starting.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Buy The Journals of Bob Drifter

Book Review: Demon Slayer Volume 9 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Spoiler Free Summary: Demon Slayer Volume 7 by Koyoharu Gotouge is the seventh volume in the Demon Slayer manga. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke board a train where people are vanishing at an alarming rate. Tanjiro hopes to find Rengoku, a Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps to ask the master about fire breathing techniques and if they are related to Hinokami Kagura. But the mystery of this train will force all the members of the team to face their own hearts, and if they can’t let go of dreams of what could have been or could be, the only futures they’ll have will be as food.

The cover image for this volume was taken from its Amazon buy page for review purposes under Fair Use doctrine.

Character: Tanjiro is easily one of the most compelling characters of this generation. He’s innocent, kind, and loyal. Like all great anime characters I can think of off the top of my head, he’s not that bright. This volume connects all the way back to the beginning of Tanjiro’s story, and it’s heartbreaking to watch him face those memories only to have to abandon them.

Exposition: Manga’s have an advantage in that they can use art to fill in gaps, but even mangas need a few exposition boxes to provide context or the occasional joke. Thankfully, these particular boxes are short and to the point. They’re only used to provide information that can’t be shown visually, and that’s cool.

Worldbuilding: This volume continues to tease the mysterious nature of Hinokami Kagura, but it doesn’t provide any real answers. This volume relies on cool fight scenes and emotional drama to keep the pages turning. However, I feel it was still successful. You see, with serialized stories, not every book needs to have every quality. This volume had it’s traits (see above) and other volumes deal with other areas of storytelling. This is because a volume is a part of a far much greater whole. The only real worldbuilding here you see is how much more unique the upper ranked demons are.

Dialogue: A lot of the charm in this series comes from the dialogue between Tanjiro and his friends. Even the other members of the corps have their personalities revealed via dialogue. I think that’s a bit unique, but I watch far more anime than I do read manga, so a bit manga reader will have to comment below and tell me how far off I am. I think this dialogue was a bit stronger than other anime (Naruto, Bleach). I don’t think it’s as good as Death Note, but it’s close.

Description: Manga cheats a little here. It’s so much easier to have great description when you’re an artist who can literally draw what you want viewers to see. The art is incredible. The action scenes are well depicted. I have to admit that black and white is a bit hard for me to see in the details sometimes, but that’s a minor complaint that has more to do with the genre than with the art.

Overall: I picked this up because I didn’t want to wait another year for the movie to come out. At lest now I have the story in my head. That said, I can’t wait for the movie now. The story is beautiful and tragic, fun and action packed. It has lots of surprising moments and teases some strong world building in future volumes. If you like anime and/or manga, this is worth starting.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Buy The Journals of Bob Drifter

Vote for the 2019 April (Week 1) Book Cover of the Month!

That’s right folks! The Book Cover of the Month (and year) is back (click here if all you want to do is vote)!

This has actually been going for a bit, and I even mentioned it in a different blog, but that blog had some other information that might have buried the news.

How the new system works!

First, if you want to watch my pick the covers and talk about why I like them, check out my YouTube channel!

Would you like to join me and talk about book covers? I’d love to have you. You just have to email me and give me your name, email, and Zoom user name. Do that, and I’ll email you to tell you when I’m about to be on. I try to be on at the same time, but married life makes that a bit tough. For instance, I expect to be on looking at covers Friday.

Also, Saturday, April 10 at 2 p.m., I still plan to do the cover reveal for Betrayed that way, and I hope you’ll join me.

But, that’s not what you came here for is it?

Each week, I pick seven covers. Then I post a Google Form where you can vote for your favorite of those seven. The winners for each week get put in a final form for the title of Book Cover of the Month.

I’m hoping you’ll take a moment to vote for your favorite of Week One’s seven covers. You can vote here! You’ll need to be signed on to Google (to keep those super passionate people from voting 1,000 times).

I’ll announce the winner in a future video (and a small post here).

Thanks for reading (and hopefully voting!)

Matt

Visits From A Man Named Nobody 23

// // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // // //

His mother drove home, and they shared pleasantly meaningless conversation along the way. She pulled in front of the house to let him out. He scurried to the door, knowing she wouldn’t leave until she saw him enter the house and turn on the light. 

He did so, spinning around to wave at her as she drove away. He didn’t notice when he turned on the light, only flipping the switch to make sure he could say goodbye to his mother, but when he turned around, he realized Nobody was sitting on his living room couch.

It had been more than three years since Paul had even heard from Nobody, and it had been even longer since he’d last actually seen him. Regardless, Nobody looked absolutely no different from the last time they spoke. 

He rested an arm along the back of the leather couch and had one leg propped on the knee of the other. 

They stared at each other for an embarrassingly long time. 

“What?” Paul asked.

“Don’t you want to sit down?” Nobody asked.

Paul scanned the living room. He didn’t notice any signs of freezing or cracking. There wasn’t any wet spot on the brown carpet that he could spot. Wherever Nobody teleported to, it wasn’t the living room. 

“I didn’t do anything,” Paul said. 

“I know,” Nobody replied.

“Then why are you here?” Paul asked.

“The same reason I come every time,” Nobody answered. “I’m here to help.”

“You can’t do this!” Paul shouted.

“What is it you think I’m doing?” Nobody asked.

Paul stomped up to him, but Nobody didn’t so much as shift his position on the couch. “Every time you come here, there’s something going on. It’s either something I did wrong or something bad happened. You can’t be here!”

Paul still couldn’t see Nobody’s face through the opaque mask, but he’d have sworn Nobody smiled. “I am here to talk about important things, but it’s not something bad. Not this time.”

Those last words only made Paul more afraid. “But you show up, and I’m supposed to just act like it’s expected even though you might appear when something terrible happens?”

Paul was still looming over Nobody, waving his arms in frustration. 

“I come when I know you need me most,” Nobody said. “I’ll be there to comfort you when you’re sad, but I’m here now to talk to you about relationships.”

“Relationships?” Paul echoed the word as if he didn’t know what it meant.

“Yes, now would you, please, sit down?” 

Paul stepped back, only glancing behind himself for an instant to make sure he wouldn’t trip. When he was sure the recliner was there to catch him, he let himself fall backward into the chair. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Nobody.

“I’m listening,” Paul said.

“Why don’t you like Bill?” Nobody asked.

“No,” Paul said. “It’s not going to go down like this anymore. I’m old enough to ask the questions I’ve always wondered, and you already know what I’m going to say anyway.”

“This has nothing to do with what I know about you,” Nobody said. “It has everything to do with you coming to realize your own heart.” 

Paul threw his hands up in derision. “I’m not playing your game without any answers. You know what I’m thinking. You know what I’ve done. You even know what I’m going to do!” He couldn’t help it. His voice grew louder with each sentence. “You have the ability to teleport, and you’re using it to talk to me.”

Nobody set his raised leg down. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and weaving his hands together. “You haven’t asked a single question yet.”

“Why me!?” Paul asked. 

“You could have asked any question,” Nobody said. “Yet you didn’t ask how I teleport. You didn’t ask how I know what I know. Instead, you ask why I’m visiting you. Why?”

Paul opened his mouth, but no words came. He thought about it, but all he really knew was he wanted to know why. “Do you visit others? Do you know what they think? Do you have some sort of advanced ability to sense kids who are …”

“Why did you stop?” Nobody’s stare was all the more disquieting because Paul couldn’t see the man’s eyes through the mask. 

“Is it because of what my dad did? Do you visit kids who are abused?” Paul whispered the questions. 

“I only visit you, and I visit you because I know I can help you,” Nobody said. 

“How do you know?” Paul asked. 

“Why do people suffer?” 

There it was again. Every time Paul really thought he was getting the answers he wanted, Nobody always asked a question that completely changed the direction of what limited conversations he’s had the chance to share with Nobody. 

“Don’t ignore me!”

“I’m not ignoring you.” No matter how loudly Paul yelled, Nobody’s voice was always soft and gentle. Paul wasn’t sure he could make Nobody angry even if he honestly tried. “But in order for you to understand how I know I can help you, I have to help you understand the nature of trials.”

“People suffer because the world is full of humans, and most of them are terrible.” Paul was surprised to realize he meant it.

“Only most?” Nobody asked.

“All of us,” Paul groaned. “I remember;’ there is no one who is good.’” 

It was one of the first things Nobody had said, and it turned out to be a verse from the Bible. Then again, most of the words Nobody said were taken from the Bible. The man was like a living audio book. 

“But is that why people suffer? People suffer because they’re bad?” Nobody asked.

Paul shrugged. 

“So does that mean everything bad that happens is some sort of punishment?” Nobody asked. 

Paul shrugged again. “It’s what Mr. Dorny says.”

“You already know he’s not a reliable source of information.” That might have been the first time Paul ever heard Nobody speak with any sort of frustration or derision in his tone. 

“It’s not just him,” Paul replied. “Lot’s of people say bad thing happen to people who sin. Is that your point? I should behave or God will punish me?”

Nobody shook his head. “God does punish people in His time and in His way, but what about Job?”

“Come on, man! You’re acting like I’ve read that Bible a dozen times or something,” Paul said. “There’s like a million books in that Bible, and I’m pretty sure like three of them are just lists of names.”

“I guess you’ll just have to read one of those books again,” Nobody said. “Job is one of the earlier books. But to help the discussion along, he’s the one God let Satan attack.”

“The guy whose kids died?” Paul asked.

Nobody nodded. 

“You’re not helping your case,” Paul said. “The guy didn’t do anything wrong, so God lets the devil do all these bad things to him just to test him. That doesn’t sound very loving or kind to me. Are you saying even when we do right God might still let us suffer just to prove a point?”

Nobody tilted his head as if he were thinking about something. “What point would he be proving?” He didn’t ask the question like he normally did. This question sounded like he was really trying to puzzle something out. 

Ha! Paul thought. He doesn’t know how to answer. He doesn’t know how to make God look kind and loving after letting all that stuff happen to Job.

… To be continued …

Finalizing the Plan for My Zoom Cover Reveal for Caught! (and learning some unfortunate lessons)

Greetings All,

So last week I tried my first online cover conversation. My dream was to have this cool chance to talk with people about book covers. To a degree, it was a success. I found seven cool covers, and you can vote on your favorite here. (You’ll have to sign in on Google to vote.)

But to a much more unfortunate degree, I learned that where there are people trying to do cool things, there are people who are horrid.

I had to switch to Zoom to allow for recording. I shared the link. I was very happy to see people stopping in. That is until one person appeared on camera without clothes. I told him I wouldn’t stand for that sort of thing and immediately removed him. But that doesn’t mean that myself and those who were on with me weren’t subjected to completely inappropriate and unsolicited material. If there’s a way to preview who is allowed into a call, I’m not aware of it.

I reported the incident to the police, who (I am told) are investigating. This means I have to be more careful.

To that end, I am still hosting Zoom meetings where I talk about covers. I will happily share the links to any who send a request via email. That request must include your email and your Zoom profile name so that when I see your request, I know it’s you and not some pervert.

I’m honestly disgusted I need to take such measures, but I can’t risk that sort of thing happening again. I still dream of being able to sit and chat with people about several things. I just have to be sure that the people I allow into those meetings are joining to talk about books and things like books rather than just shock people.

I’ll still share the links with some of my author groups and the like, but I’ll be more careful who I actually allow to join.

That said, the plan is still to do a Q & A followed by the long anticipated cover reveal for Betrayed. The date and time are still set for 2 p.m. (EST) April 10.

I have contact Carlos to see if he’ll be able to make it, but the hope is he will be. But I do hope you will post questions (below) for me to answer and join me on Zoom to celebrate the new cover. I do intend to do weekly talks as well. So again, if you want to be a part of them, shoot me an email providing your name, email and Zoom profile name so I have a record of who’s coming. Remember, I will be posting these reviews on my YouTube channel, so don’t join and don’t turn your camera on if you don’t want to be on YouTube.

I’m actually typing this April 2. I have quite a lot to do leading up to the tenth, but I still hope to do Week 2 of my Book Covers talk (or whatever I’ll end up calling the segment). I hope to add to the talks too, but for now, we’re starting small. I hope you’ll join me whenever you can, and I truly hope you’ll at least stop by for the reveal to Betrayed.

Thanks for reading,

Matt