Kester James Finley's Blog, page 17
November 6, 2017
WRITING CHRONICLE #31: name game — The Romantic Quill
Via: Daily Prompt – Panacea Naming characters is one of my favorite activities in the fiction writing process. There are so many beautiful names out there, entrenched in the regions from whence they originate, the time in which they were first derived, the meaning hoped the bearer would inculcate – as a storyteller, I feel […]
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November 1, 2017
Random Book Review–“The Fall of Lilith” by Vashti Quiroz-Vega
So, I’ve decided to randomly read book selections and post reviews. I like to read, you like to read, we love to read!! This will be a selection of my choosing and one within a genre I enjoy or just randomly pick up whenever I feel in the mood. I read all genres and believe that every writer deserves a chance to get eyes on paper, however, I only have two.
This week I finished reading Vashti Quiroz-Vega’s “The Fall of Lilith” a dark fantasy tale set in the world of angels. Listed below is the copied review of this talented writer’s work!
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Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars A fall worth taking!
Kester James Finley on November 1, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
In “The Fall of Lilith” by author Vashti Quiroz-Vega, dark fantasy takes center stage in this reimagined version of religious work from the Bible. The names and settings may sound familiar, but that is where the similarities end as Quiroz Vega takes her readers on a wild ride through multiple worlds and settings with angels steering the ship.
The story opens up in an innocent time as angels playfully fill their days under the guidance of God. It’s not long before Quiroz-Vega sets the stage for drama, action, and a rollercoaster of heart skipping scenes that explode in great detail from the pages as elements of fantasy, romance, and desires that bubble to the surface.
The book mainly revolves around Lilith, an angel with a purpose, a deity with intent. Quiroz-Vega expertly showcases Lilith’s innocence, her desires, her deeper emotional needs in full brazen detail along with numerous other players in Lilith’s “ultimate” game. Other characters were well written and added much needed differing viewpoints to the work as the reader, and those within the pages, get to see “the fall” on every level.
Both gripping and hauntingly familiar, Quiroz-Vega adds a very creative spin to what we already know and what we wished someone would have told us concerning the life of angels and God’s creation of our universe and planet. It was given four stars as the first few chapters weigh heavily on the religious side of storytelling, one that was a little harder to sift through for me personally, but definitely needed as it set the foundation for a very enjoyable read shortly thereafter as Quiroz Vega finds her pace and never lets up.
“The Fall of Lilith” is a great read, a finely imagined fantasy based on religious fiction, and one that greatly improves once Quiroz Vega gets the core components out of the way. The dialogue is well written, and the characters interact perfectly with each other as they navigate their situations. I found some of the side stories relating to the other characters an enjoyable diversion and one that added extra depth to every player within the work. Quiroz Vega’s writing pulls you in, straps you down, and kicks you off a cliff as you watch what happens when a “woman” wants what a “woman” wants. As you bite your fingernails in “omg moments”, you’ll love every moment of the fall. Highly recommend!
Here is the Amazon Link followed by the one posted on Goodreads.com!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2Q3UQ3S389TT3/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B074CPKLHH
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2170724954?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Random Image Wednesday!-#9
Another year of celebrating out of the way. The autumn air seems to no longer howl as leaves tumble along streets, candy wrappers flutter in the breeze and pumpkins appear to have lost their magic, their purpose as they slowly rot on porches across America. Yes, folks, Halloween is over.
The air changes as morning sunlight creeps above the dark horizon line bringing with it a relative sigh from those who survived the October month of ghouls, ghosts, and gregarious hauntings. Time to stash the decorations, hide the candy so we don’t gorge, and ween off constant streaming of horror films and slasher films as fall deepens its grip into winter and Christmas bells start clinking and jingling with a whisper before a shout.
The good thing to remember is, the spirit lives on. It can be Halloween every month if you’re willing to try. The magic is always there if you’re willing to look. All Saints Day is here, Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) also shares this special day of remembrance. The ghostly scares of the season may be gone, but honoring, remembering, and celebrating our ancestors’ travel through the veil and the service of our religious figures showcases our dedication to the world beyond what we know, what we see, what we love. They say the veil is thinner during this time of year, for how long is anyone’s guess. I say celebrate, love, laugh, light a candle for ones who have passed and speak their names, pray and give thanks to Saints who should be honored. If the veil is thinner, maybe, just maybe a little energy will come your way to carry you through to greater possibilities or offer up one more “boo!” before the season rolls on into other seasons, other holidays.
These posts will be about showcasing a random picture I find in the hopes of inspiring others to create ideas for their writing. I have found that generating a quick 1-3 sentence scenario, a blurb, a scene, or a full novel concept based on a random picture has worked wonders in opening up the floodgates to new ideas and enjoyment in the world of fiction. It is my hope that others will find these images and possibly be inspired to jump into the wild world of writing and become the author they always wanted to be.
Without further ado, our 9th entry!
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Photo Credit: Picardo/ Moment Open/ Getty Images
Like, love, comment? Tell me what you think below or drop me a line. I’m not sharing any of my Halloween candy, but I will answer you back. 
October 31, 2017
Is This House Haunted, or Is That Just a Drunk Guy on the Lawn? — Longreads
The owners of the real-life Amityville Horror house had to have the street address changed to avoid the real terror: tourists.
via Is This House Haunted, or Is That Just a Drunk Guy on the Lawn? — Longreads
Ghost Story by Andrew Wrangell — Discover
In honor of Halloween, composer Andrew Wrangell is serving up some original, orchestral horror music along with a scary story: “Let me tell you a chilling tale…”
via Ghost Story by Andrew Wrangell — Discover
October 25, 2017
WEDNESDAY REFLECTION #29: A Monster in Paris
Via: Daily Prompt – Identity
Title A Monster in Paris
Starring Adam Goldberg, Jay Harrington, and Vanessa Paradis
Director Bibo Bergeron
Writer(s) Bibo Bergeron and Stéphane Kazandjian
Genre Animation Adventure Comedy
Release Date October 12, 2011
Filming Location France
Parental Guidance PG
IMDB Rating 6.8
Synopsis: Emile (Jay Harrington/Sébastien Desjours) is a shy projectionist with a passion for films, working in a movie theater and crushing on the ticket girl Maud (Madeline Zima/Ludivine Sagnier) in his free time. When he finally plucks up the courage one day to woo her, his exuberant best friend Raoul (Adam Goldberg/Gad Elmaleh), an inventor and deliveryman, literally drives a halt between them in his best girl-cum-delivery van “Catherine” to pick up Emile to help him buy a belt for his projector. Lamenting the courtship interruptus, Emile blames Raoul but…
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Random Image Wednesday!-#8
It’s that time again, time once more to dive into the Halloween spirit and let our creepy flags fly high and proud. If you’ve been following the blog for this month you may have noticed the theme, yes we’ve had creepy and cool, dark and mysterious, but more often than not, pumpkins have made an appearance in all their autumn glory.
Tis the season when it comes to pumpkins, and nothing gets us more in the mood to celebrate the creeptastic excitement that comes with autumn, namely Halloween. Between the scary films and candy, there’s carving or decorating the little guys for spooks and giggles. Next month they’ll be used for pies around our dinner table, but I digress, now is their time to shine!
There’s something animalistic about carving a pumpkin, something that harkens back to the days of hunter and gatherer. It’s never a pretty sight when we slice and dice, cut and saw our way through decorating, but it does soothe the savage beasts inside us all. The aspect of scooping out slimy mounds of pumpkin innards just says, hey I like it dirty, but more importantly, it treats us to an experience that gets us motivated for the big night.
Halloween will come and go, it has for years and years now, but the magic should live on through the rainy days, past the hot summers, and when we least expect to find it. It’s fun and a little bit spooky, mysterious and just a wee bit sinister. It creeps along seeping into the days and night until BOOM!, it’s upon you like a fat black cat with a hankering for the skin of our toes.
As a writer, it is truly the best time for me to enjoy my genre and it happens to be my favorite, hands down. The cooler temps, the change of attitude, the touch of the arcane slinking around the edge of reality. You may not like Halloween, and that’s ok. I do, and I celebrate it with reckless abandon…reckless meaning I open the windows and sit around in my pajamas and bang keys until my wrists hurt while downing massive amounts of sugary treats while horror films play in an endless loop behind my head. Yeah, it’s like that.
If you write, if you’ve struggled with ideas, look to Halloween for assistance, for inspiration, for magic. Look to the entire month of October as a collective library of points, plots, and possible scenarios all waiting for you to explore. The change in weather, the fall colors, the sound of the wind outside, the magic, the evil, the cool all conspire to inspire. Look to the supernatural blossoming out from the Halloween season, chances are, it’s looking right back at you. Happy Hauntings!
These posts will be about showcasing a random picture I find in the hopes of inspiring others to create ideas for their writing. I have found that generating a quick 1-3 sentence scenario, a blurb, a scene, or a full novel concept based on a random picture has worked wonders in opening up the floodgates to new ideas and enjoyment in the world of fiction. It is my hope that others will find these images and possibly be inspired to jump into the wild world of writing and become the author they always wanted to be.
Without further ado, our 8th entry!
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Like, love? Share a comment below or share the whole damn page, it’s all good fun. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!
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October 24, 2017
What I’ve Been Reading
How is it October already? Just last week (in August), I was thinking to myself: “You need to do another reading post.” I made a note in my planner and… turned the page. As always, I’ve been reading lots of awesome books, though. And, as always, I want to share the most awesome ones with you.
Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire
The art caught my eye on this one. It’s an interesting style—less “comic” and more “fine art,” with swift lines and watercolour shades. It reminded me of another of my favourite comics, East of West, and it’s just as good. The story starts simply: ten years ago, giant harvester robots swept through the galaxy leaving destroyed cities, dead bodies, and terror in their wake. Since then, even the simplest robots have become enemy number one and hunting them down has given rise to an entire…
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October 23, 2017
WRITING CHRONICLE #29: the art of conversing in fiction — The Romantic Quill
Via: Expect & Enlighten Last week, for the final #AuthorToolboxBlogHop post of the year, I discussed how to find your character’s voice. It only seemed fitting that this week, I write about what to do with that voice once you have found it. That’s right, I’m talking dialogues. Dialogues (and accompanying actions, of course) make […]
via WRITING CHRONICLE #29: the art of conversing in fiction — The Romantic Quill
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