S.W. Clemens's Blog, page 3

Banned by Amazon

I love it! My review of The Institute was banned by Amazon, because it used offensive language in a paragraph where I was complaining about King’s pathological obsession with shit. That’s just too funny. Here is the review in full: Classic King This isn’t my favorite King, but if page-turning suspense counts for something, it’s […]

Seal Cove Review

I’ve had a devil of a time finding beta readers for my new novel. You, dear reader, are invited to request a copy, just join my Advance Team on the homepage of this website. I think it’s difficult for most writers to judge their own work. One day I’ll reread a scene and think “how […]

The Seal Cove Theoretical Society

I finished my new novel last Monday. It’s called The Seal Cove Theoretical Society, and it’s a gently humorous literary take on my town and its inhabitants. I’m looking for Beta readers to give me some feedback about what works and what doesn’t, so if you’re interested you can download it here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/q3bibtwfpo A closet […]

Walking With Ghosts

More Duds (great failures part two)

Books, like food, come in all flavors and not everyone has the same taste. Likewise, a movie critic may not share your sensibilities, and a wine critic may have opposite tastes. So how do you choose what to read? These days we’re lucky, because instead of just one critic, or one best-seller list, we can […]

Half Moon Bay and Writing Failures

I don’t think there is writer in the world who doesn’t cringe at his or her own writing from time to time. It’s easy to get discouraged, which is why I’m heartened by positive reviews. They let me know  that I’m on track and delivering what readers want. Even better are negative reviews of other […]

Sale

About 50 Kindle Press titles are currently on sale. Check them out here: https://amzn.to/2Fr60zd  

New Year, Old Thoughts

A neighbor retired last year after a thirty-five year career teaching high school English. She’s an avid reader and knows the subject, so I suggested she write a novel. “Oh, I could never do that,” she said. “Why not?” “It’s too difficult,” she said, eyes wide, then shook her head. “Well, you would know.” The […]

What I Read in 2018

Ever since I was fifteen I’ve kept a log of the books I read (over 1,400 to date). The vast majority are fiction. I try to keep up with contemporary authors, and read an occasional classic from the nineteenth-century. I don’t restrict my reading to fine literature, and I  touch most of the genres — mystery, […]

Lilac Girls

I just finished reading Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. Powerfully imagined, beautifully written, it’s a timely reminder of how quickly civilization can fracture, how despots can warp the narrative to turn neighbor against neighbor, and the lasting trauma inflicted on the survivors. At the same time there is compassion and post-traumatic growth, giving a hopeful […]