Lydia Larue's Blog, page 6

Book Review: Mindfulness

Title: Mindfulness:
Series: Mindfulness for Beginners
Author: Rachael L. Thompson
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: April 30, 2017
Format: .mobi
Pages: 62
Source: Kindle Unlimited

30 Day Mindfulness Challenge

Who Will Benefit from this Book?

The 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge can be used alone or as a companion to the Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness in a World of Chaos. If you have heard of...

How to start writing a novel?

I must apologize for the lack of posts last week. I try to post on the blog at least four times a week, but I developed Tendonitis in my shoulder, so it has been difficult to write and work on this blog.

As my shoulder feels stronger–and, most importantly, hurts less–I decided to write something that is dear to me. When I first started to work on Undercover Desire, I felt lost. Where do I start? I had a beginning of the story–which is almost what always comes to me–a middle, and, of course, the ending, but I found that it was hard to find the words.

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How to start to writing a novel?

As I had said above, many new authors have an idea for their story, but they do not know how to execute it. They may stumble like a toddler learning to build blocks for the first time, and because of this, their writing may come out as forced or hard to follow.

Taking the first steps is hard. I will not deny that. For some writers, the fundamental process of writing involves them shutting themselves away from the world as they lovingly compose their manuscripts. For others, it is a mad dash to the finish line.

Plan Your Novel

To start off with, think of the topic you wish to write about and decide whether it would be fictional (including genre) or nonfictional. This decision will determine the type of research that will need to be done initially. A Health Guide complete with an exercise regime takes more research than a fantasy novel set in a fictional world.

Pick a Word Processing Software.

There is much word-processing software on the market. Some are free; others are purchased. You need to research what kind and how much power you wish yours to have. Some will be lightweight, allowing your computer to multi-task, and others will significantly drain your system’s resources.  I use Scrivener (and OpenOffice to compile .pdf files.) This decision came after I tried other similar products.

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Research. Research. Research.

I cannot stress this enough. There is a balance between researching too little–which I feel that most new novelists do–and too much. Finding that balance is difficult. As I said above, every author is required to research at some point in their book. The amount will depend on the genre. Make sure that any research comes from a valid source. If you must use a Wikipedia article, make sure that it is sourced and that the source is correct. Remember, that the majority of research will happen organically as the novelist writes. Do not become stuck and never write because almost all of your devoted writing sessions are devoted to researching.

Just Write.

There comes a time when you have finished all of your prep work. What is left is just to write. Open up your chosen word processor and type that first sentence. Do not worry about how terrible your writing is. You can spruce it up in the editing process later.

Remember to get rid of all of your distractions. If you have children, make your writing sessions after they go to bed–or some will place them in daycare to be able to concentrate. Draw the curtains, so the outside is not a disturbance.

With these necessary steps, I am sure that an author will be well on the road composing their first novel.

The post How to start writing a novel? appeared first on Lydia Larue.

Book Review: Something Short

Title:


Something Short








Author:



Angela Lockwood & Elspeth Morrison






Genre:


Short Stories





Publisher:


Independently Published





Release Date:


5.7.14





Format:


Kindle





Pages:


59 pages





Source:


Kindle Unlimited

Something Short is a collection of short stories from French and Scottish shores by two female writers; Elspeth Morrison and Angela Lockwood. We meet a variety of interesting and amusing Scottish characters in Begonia, The Wee Baldy Man, The Pop Star and a mad scientist in Animals, but also some personal experiences in dealing with arthritis and depression in Begonia and The Goldfish Bowl. The stories are short but impactful and we hope they leave a lasting impression on you.

About the authors

Elspeth Morrison is a published author of historical non-fiction, namely The Dorothy Dunnett Companion vols I & II and editor of The Lymond Poetry. She has always enjoyed writing but only recently has had the nerve to publish her fiction. Some of her work is quite close to the bone, but in her short stories and her poems she strives to make an emotional connection with the reader. Elspeth works and lives in Edinburgh.

Angela Lockwood-van der Klauw was born in the Netherlands. She learned her trade as a jeweller and gemmologist at the Vakschool Schoonhoven before moving to Edinburgh as an apprentice jeweller. There she met and later married her husband Adam. Angela ran her own jeweller’s shop in Edinburgh for ten years before she and her husband moved to the south of France in 2011. Angela prefers the climate there, but often thinks about the town she left behind and its people.

Angela started writing in the spring of 2013, a very wet spring during which she found herself climbing the walls, frustrated that she couldn’t go out and have her usual long walks along the seafront. Seeing his wife’s frustration, Adam suggested ‘Why don’t you write a book?’ Angela thought about it for a few days, then switched on her laptop and started writing. She published her first book ‘Language in the Blood’ in August 2013.

Having met many moons ago in Angela’s jewellery workshop when Elspeth discovered a passion for jewellery and wanted to know more about their manufacture, they now share another passion; writing. Even though these friends now live on different shores they have pulled together to release this bundle of short stories.

Today is the day that Naked Desire is free on Amazon for five days and is the official launch of the conclusion of the Desire series. As I bid farewell to Kelly and Tony, a part of me is slightly sad.

During this series, I learned much about the craft of Marketing a book, and there would be some things that I would have changed when I first released Undercover Desire.

Here is the second part of my Short Story Spotlight. I decided to review Something Short, a fitting name for an anthology.

Something Short

Book Review: I initially started to read Something Short because I did not have time to read a full-length novel. This collection is brilliantly titled. These stories are somewhat short, but that does not mean that they are not cleverly written.

Starting out, I found the Scottish and Irish words in the dialog to be a bit much. There were a couple of places where it sped down my reading as I was trying to make out what the speaker meant, but to my delight, as I continued to read, I found that that type of dialog style was used less.

My favorite story was Winners and Losers. In a way, without revealing the twists, it made me think of some of Stephen King’s writing in Nightmares & Dreamscapes, as well as a novel from H.G. Wells.

Another story that I liked was Change. I was going on with the main character in this, sympathizing with her and then smiling at the ending. I believe that we all know a person like that in our lives.

Overall, I enjoyed Something Short. It is at times cleverly or funny written, a sophisticated collection. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys short stories or a quick read.

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General: ✯✯✯✯ 1/2

Theme :  ✯✯✯✯ 1/2

Characters: ✯✯✯✯

Actual Total of Stars: 4 1/2 (A Great Read)

The post Book Review: Something Short appeared first on Lydia Larue.

Book Review: The Wiccan Waltz

Title:


The Wiccan Waltz






Series:


The Wicca Chronicles





Author:



Pragya Vishnoi






Genre:


Paranormal







Release Date:


2.24.17





Format:


Kindle





Pages:


101





Source:


Kindle Unlimited

Anika is a young, impulsive girl who hopes to solve the mysteries of life by following Wicca. On this path, she encounters the joy of first love, the fear of uncertainty and the power of complete surrender. This is not as simple as it seems, hidden in the shadows are conspiracies, secrets and betrayals. Will Anika be able to survive in this mysterious world?

Good morning, fellow readers and authors. I am excited that I updated my book section of darksavior.me and created a form that will let authors submit guest posts to my website.

Today, I decided to review two short stories. Each of the novels can be downloaded through Kindle Unlimited. I love this program. When you borrow and read a book, the author makes a profit per page your read. It is a small amount, but at least, it is something.

With that in mind, let’s begin, shall we?

The Wiccan Waltz

Book Review: I originally decided to read the Wiccan Waltz because I am of that religion, and it is always interesting to see how someone will portray it. I only wish that Vishnoi would have kept the spelling of magick with a “k” consistently throughout the short story.

As many of the paranormal books that I have read as of late, the Wiccan Waltz is told through the first person POV. Even for a short story, the pacing was too quick for my liking. As I read, it felt as if I was constantly barraged with scene changes at times.

I did like how Anika decided to seriously study Wicca. I do not want to give it away, but I am sure that there are some practitioners that have become Wiccan because of it.

I found it hard to like Anika. She seemed to eager and naive. There were times that I was shaking my head at her reactions.

I think that this was written for someone younger than myself. As nice as some of the characters were, I could not relate to them, but I think that someone younger. I would recommend the Wiccan Waltz to someone ages 13 to 15 years of age.

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General: ✯✯✯

Theme :  ✯✯✯

Characters: ✯✯✯

Actual Total of Stars: ✯✯✯

The post Book Review: The Wiccan Waltz appeared first on Lydia Larue.

Book Review : The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers

Title:


The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers








Author:



Scott Spotson






Genre:


paranormal





Publisher:


Independently Published





Release Date:


10.28.16





Format:


Kindle





Pages:


470





Source:


Gifted from the Author

Ten-year-old Brandon Chambers is suddenly thrust into a national scandal when his father, a top-ranking captain in the U.S. Army, is implicated in a tragic explosion on the army base while spearheading a top-secret weapons project. During the aftermath, both his parents are labeled as traitors, and he’s haunted by visions he can’t understand.

Brandon struggles through adolescence and college, still troubled by hallucinations that are also witnessed by others, leading him to believe that someone—or something—is deliberately laying clues in his path. Doggedly pursuing one clue at a time, Brandon seeks the answers.

Good morning, fellow authors and readers. It’s the wee hours of the morning here, and I am fervently working on the descriptions of the protagonist, deuteragonist, and antagonist of the newest book that I am penning: Pandemonix, my fantasy that is set upon earth.

The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers

Book Review: The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers kept my attention from start to finish. I always wanted to know what happened next, eagerly flipping the pages on my Kindle. 

I wanted to read The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers because of the book cover. I feel the cover is dark, but it is also interesting. I love when Rorschach is used as I find the tests fascinating.

I did find the novel to be well-written and easy to follow.

I was conflicted in reviewing this. While the writing is compelling, I did feel that the book may have been too long. I enjoyed reading about Brandon as a child and his adolescent, and I feel that maybe this should have been a separate novel, itself.

Although the novel is about Brandon, Derek stood out to me. There were a few times that I found him to be disturbing, just an unlikable guy. I thought his actions were accurate to his character type.

Another character that I liked is Suki. I am a member of her religion–although I practice solitary, and am not a member of that particular branch.

I would recommend The Secret Life of Brandon Chambers to anyone who likes a mysterious, paranormal read.

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General: ✯✯✯✯ 1/2

Theme:  ✯✯✯1/2

Characters: ✯✯✯✯1/2

Actual Total of Stars: 4.3 

The post Book Review : The Strange Life of Brandon Chambers appeared first on Lydia Larue.

Book Review : The Caticles

Title:


The Caticles: Short Stories and Poems for the Cat Lover








Author:



Hayley Shaver, Keith Shaver








Publisher:


Self





Release Date:


5.6.14





Format:


.pdf





Pages:


80





Source:


Gifted from the Author

The heartwarming collection of stories based Keith and Hayley's real life pets. The cute and charming short stories will make your imagination take flight as you witness firsthand how pets see life in their eyes. Everyday tasks that you and I take for granted turn into feats of adventure for these curious felines. The inspirational poetry will win over your heart and promises to never be forgotten. This book will find a permanent place inside your heart.

Good afternoon everyone. Today finds me trying to catch up on some of the books that I have said I would review. It is a slow process, but I am working my way through the “pile” as I work more on Pandemonix.

My feline overlord, Loki, decided he wanted some attention, and much like a good human owner that he is, he is persistent.

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The book that I will be reviewing today is called Caticles: Short Stories and Poems for the Cat Lover. I have been eagerly looking forward to reading this book, as I am a massive fan of T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, as well as the musical that is based on the book.

The Caticles: Short Stories and Poems for the Cat Lover

Book Review: I initially chose to review Caticles because I loved stories based upon the antics of animals. I think it is natural to wonder what our pet is doing when we are not around. What is the dog doing when we go to dinner? What possesses a cat to run around at four in the morning?

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“You should know that Milo — I hear the human say all the time that she will be shipping you to China any day now.” Cleo comes into the room her long black fur now visible in the low light. (The Caticles: Page 7).

Upon opening the book, I noticed that Shaver added a bit of advice to the care of our furry family members. The advice is sound, and most of the problematic behavior that is associated with cats comes from a misunderstanding of the animal, and it reminds me of something that you would hear from Jackson Galaxy. However, the advice section quickly turns humorous as it is from the cat’s perspective.

The short stories revolve around four cats, and each of these cats is owned by the Shavers. As with any animal, each cat has their individual personality. It is these characteristics that the authors pursue throughout the anthology.

Although I enjoyed the interactions of the cats, the pacing seems to be set too quick for me. Also, I feel the writing is repetitive. For example, the word string in the following paragraph felt repeated. For once Cleo is not interested in the food, but in the string. She just has to try to catch the string. Maybe her owner would praise her for a job well done. She is imagining placing the string on her pillow as a present to her owner. (The Caticles, Page 11).

My favorite character was Cleo. I felt horrible for the cat in a particular part of the anthology being stuck there with her nemesis, and the character that I loved to dislike was Milo.

I would recommend The Caticles to anyone who loves to read about the personification of cats.

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General: ✯✯✯ 1/2

Theme :  ✯✯✯✯

Characters:  ✯✯✯ 1/2

Actual Total of Stars: 3.8 (A decent read)

To support your neighborhood cats, please consider donating to your local ASPCA or SPCA.

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Lydia Larue

[image error]Born in a West Virginian hospital on the dreaded 13th, Lydia Larue is an avid animal advocate, lover of all things literary, nonimitative novelist, sassy stay-at-home mom, and slave to one Felis catus. She also loves to play video games with her husband and spend time with her family.

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My 5 Quick Influential Authors

Good morning. It is hard to believe that it is already Thursday. I am sitting here with my steamy cup of coffee as I reflect who influenced me to be the writer that I am today.

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Growing up in the household that I did, my escape was through books. When I was ten and staying with my aunt for a summer, her next door neighbor gifted a cardboard box packed through of Romance novels, and although some of their stories stuck with me, I cannot say that they influenced me in the way that these five authors do.

 

Five Authors Who Inspired Me to Be the Writer That I Am.

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Brent Weeks

 I first came across Brent Weeks’s writing when I was going through my dark fantasy phase (which I never left as I am a dark fantasy author myself) and on the official Witcher, a dark fantasy video game, forums.

I initially picked the Night Angel series up because the covers reminded me of Assassin’s Creed. However, I was soon thrust into the dark world of Midcyru. Weeks’ words etch a terror-inducing world as you read.

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Nora Roberts

I came across Nora Roberts’s work late in life. I have read Romantic Suspense before, but as I write this, I cannot think of any off the top of my head.

Nora Roberts has so many novels that I have read that I forget the very first one. She is one of those authors that I pick up the newest book when it is released–and I might preorder it too.

I found her writing to be a breath of fresh air from a genre that is often oversaturated.

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William Shakespeare

 I find that there are always two groups of people when I talk about William Shakespeare: the ones who love his work and the ones who loathe it. I happen to be a large Shakespearean fan, having read most of his works.

His tragedies have had a direct impact on my writing. A reader may not see it in my two debut novels; however, I believe that the reader will see it in the Arch Angel series, as well as the Valhalla series. As for society as a whole, as soon as a characters’ name is invoked, the public recognizes that character’s trait. After all, isn’t a “Romeo” a persistent

As for society as a whole, as soon as a characters’ name is invoked, the public recognizes that character and their traits immediately. After all, isn’t a “Romeo” a persistent romancer?

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Stephen King

If Shakespeare influenced my characters’ character traits, then I would say that Stephen King influenced my writing style. There were many times that I would go to my bedroom and read, losing myself in terror and sometimes nausea-inducing worlds that Stephen King created.

The first book that I read from Stephen King was It. It was during this book that I first thought that I wanted to write Horror, yet as my writing progressed, I found the Dark Fantasy (and Romantic Suspense) genre.

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J.R.R Tolkien

 For me, it is no surprise that J.R.R. Tolkien is the first on this list. I remember reading the Hobbit in elementary school and thinking I want to be an author. It was after I read the Hobbit that I penned my first novel-length story–which was horrid.

As I grew older, I fell in love with the lesser known tales that Tolkien wrote. Still, every fantastic story shaped my writing content: description, action, and even tragedy.

The post My 5 Quick Influential Authors appeared first on Lydia Larue.

The Trinity: What it is, and what it means.

As I sit here thinking of the details of the next chapter of Pandemonix and waiting for my daughter to leave for school before I begin my day, I am thankful for my large cup of coffee.[image error]Pandemonix started from an idea as I was reading Stephen King’s It. Off Topic, I can’t wait to see the new movie based on the book. I hope it adheres to the material more than the Mini Series did.

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To the ancient Celts, the Trinity symbolized the lunar phases.

The primary symbol of the Archangel Series–the Trinity–has several different metaphorical meanings. We see the Trinity motif in Celtic Knots and in a symbol form (triquetra and Triskelion).

To the ancient Celts, the Trinity symbolized the lunar phases. In fact, we can see this symbol alongside other astrological and astronomical symbols in Celtic archeological digs.

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The circle can also mean protection.

However, it came to mean the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost in Christianity. It is this symbolism that I decided to use the Trinity for Pandemonix.

The circle that you see around the triquetra expresses the Infinite and Eternity. It can also mean protection, as is the case of the Arch Angel Series.

I hope that you enjoyed a sneak peak into the symbolism surrounding the Arch Angel Series. There will be more extras behind this series.

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Book Review : Nikka

Title:


Nikka






Series:


The Redemption of Wist





Author:



David Gilchrist






Genre:


Fantasy





Publisher:


Self





Release Date:


10.15.15





Format:


Kindle





Pages:


50





Source:


Kindle Unlimited

Nikka the Cerni Dwarf, assassin and sell-sword (from the Redemption of Wist series) is imprisoned for decades far below his home by the ruthless Volni. When his only companion dies, he can take no more and much reach the surface or die in the attempt. But how can he when surrounded by his captors and lost miles below ground? Will he ever see the sunrise again or will he be trapped forever?

Good afternoon, fellow authors and readers. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. My daughter had developed pink-eye, but she recovered it quickly. Her vacation ends tomorrow, and that means that I will be less likely to be distracted.

Nikka

Book Review: I first decided to review Nikka because I hold a fondness for the fantasy genre. Coming in at 50 pages on my Kindle, it is a quick read, one that one would sit down on a rainy day to get lost in a well-crafted world.

While I think that the entire novella is well-written, I do believe that the start of the story was paced much too slow for the length of the novella. Nikka is told in the third person point of view, one of my favorite point of views.

I think one of my favorite characters was Lidla. I find that elderly characters are hard for authors to write about while making them act realistically–not stereotypically. Gilchrist manages to make an elderly character realistically. I also loved the role that he played for Nikka in the end.

I would recommend Nikka to anyone who likes a good fantasy.

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General: ✯✯✯✯

Theme :  ✯✯✯✯

Characters: ✯✯✯✯

Actual Total of Stars: 4

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