Lorina Stephens's Blog, page 50

On the Senior Editor's desk

The first two chapters of the just published The Tattooed Witch by Susan MacGregor (August 1, 2013) are available on Susan's site, Suzenyms. I, (Robert Runte) was the editor for the final version of this novel, though another editorial team had already done the initial developmental work on this one, so it was pretty clean when I got it. And of course, Susan is herself a well known editor (with On SpecMagazine ), so I imagine it was pretty smooth writing from the get go. Really looking forward to editing the next two books in this series, the second volume of which is already waiting on my desk.



Currently in my "to do" pile:


have to write the "Afterword" for Leslie Gadallah's The Legend of Sarah (due out Winter 2014)
final edit on My Life as a Troll by Susan Bohnet (due out Spring 2014)
initial edit on Alicia Hargreaves The Secret Women's Club
initial edit on Shakespeare for Readers' Theatre, Volume 2 by John Poulsen
initial edit on The Tatooded Seer by Susan MacGregor
Volume 2 in Michell Plested's Mik Murdoch: Boy Superhero series

initial re-edits on 21 books in the Prime Ministers of Canada series



I also have two solicited manuscripts for review which I can't talk about until/if we sign contracts. And I'm off to When Words Collide convention in Calgary (August 9-11, 2013) where a number of authors have signed up to pitch books to Five Rivers, so may get one or two more submissions there. (WWC is a great convention for authors and editors: I get more business done there than at any other convention.)



(Okay, not an actual picture of my desk. The actual manuscripts are all Word Files on my computer. Nobody accepts paper manuscripts anymore. But, you know, there's no photo for that.)



So...29 manuscripts currently on my desk, but that's much less of a backlog than usual. With the kids out of school in August and family vacation, probably won't get a lot done until Sept, but this lot should be off my desk by mid-October at the latest.



Oh, and that's not counting the four graduate students I have working on their theses for me. In fact, here is a great Pinterest site by one of my grad students on 400
children's books to aid children through grieving. (Pininterest beats the hell out of asking for a traditional literature review, eh?)

LibraryThing reviews: Type, and 88

Two great reviews showed up on LibraryThing, as a result of their Early Readers Program, for Alicia Hendley's Type, and Michael R. Fletcher's 88.





This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
What an amazing novel. Alicia Hendley is an awesome writer. I was hooked from the beginning and didn’t want to put this book down until I finished, I believe this story will stay with me for a long time to come. I received this book from Library Thing to read and review. (  )

    |   flagmdhallauer | Jul 30, 2013 | 








This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
I struggled to get into the story but once all the main players were introduced it sucked me in. The Sci-Fi aspect was done well - I'm sure there are similar scenarios out there but not quite with the twist that I am aware of.

This book really got me thinking - especially since the basic plot isn't so far fetched. Its a bit scary in a way.

Once I got past the who is who and who is what I found the book enjoyable. Well as enjoyable as a drab dystopian view of the world can be.

I would recommend anyone reading to review the glossary provided in the beginning. It is quite helpful.

I will be looking for part 2 of the story.

Recommended for those who enjoy cyberpunk science fiction. (  )

    |   flagSpiceca | Jul 30, 2013 | 

Launch of MacGregor's, The Tattooed Witch at When Words Collide

If you're going to this year's When Words Collide in Calgary, Alberta, you'll want to stop by the On Spec/Pure Spec hospitality room Saturday night. Thanks to the good folks there, Five Rivers Publishing will be launching Susan MacGregor's The Tattooed Witch. MacGregor will be signing copies of this first book of the trilogy.






We'll also have copies of Sally McBride's newly released, Indigo Time, available. Sadly, McBride cannot make the event.






Other events involving writers and staff at Five Rivers include:



Friday 3 PM – Suite 1062
YA Contemporary Fantasy Readings
Jefferson Smith, Samantha Beiko, Dave Laderoute
Teasers from new & upcoming books read by the author.





Friday 4 PM – Surrey

How To Write a Good Pitch and Query

Adrienne Kerr, Samantha Beiko, Justyn Perry, Robert Runte (M)

Back by popular demand. Learn about the 3 different pitches, what they are and when to give them. 

And what to put or not put into a query letter.



Dr. Robert Runte
at the launch of Shakespeare for Reader's Theatre,
by John Poulsen






Friday 5 PM – Surrey

Live Action Slush – YA Edition

Shirlee Smith Matheson, Clare Marshall, Paula Johanson, Dave Laderoute, Samantha Beiko, Edward Willett (Reader)

Bring the 1st page of your manuscript to be anonymously read aloud and receive comments from the

editors.



Dave Laderoute






Friday 6 PM – Victoria

Live Action Editing

Susan MacGregor & Diane Walton

Can you spot the errors? Editors Susan Macgregor & Diane Walton walk the audience through a series 

of writing samples, asking audience members to point out errors an editor might find.



Susan MacGregor






Friday 9 PM – Clarence-Phaeton

More Humour In Fiction

Melodie Campbell, Sarah Kades, Susan MacGregor, Tim Reynolds (M)

Back by popular demand. A man walks into a bar... Be it comic relief, a quirky character, comedy, or 

outright satire, humour is gold when it works and death when it fails. Panellists with diverse 

approaches to applying humour to their prose discuss their aims and methods.






Saturday 10 AM – Clarence

Live Action Slush – Fantasy Edition

Robert Runte, Susan MacGregor, Greame Brown, D. B. Jackson, Ed Willett (reader)

Bring the 1st page of your manuscript to be anonymously read aloud and receive comments from the

editors.






Saturday 10 AM – Phaeton

How Literary Should My Commercial Fiction Be?

Adrienne Kerr, Susan Forest, Hayden Trenholm, Ronald Hore, Suzanne Church

Donald Maass' latest book on writing - Writing 21st Century Fiction - suggests that today's bestselling 

books successfully combine the strengths of commercial and literary fiction. How much attention 

should writers pay to the market and market analysis? How much should we simply follow our own 

muse? Is there a comfort zone in between? How do we find that comfort zone?



Susan Forest






Saturday 10 AM – Yorkshire 2

The Alien (reconstructed human) as Metaphor

Nina Munteanu, Peter Halasz, Lynda Williams, Candas Jane Dorsey

Movie aliens aren't real aliens; they're humans in disguise. And what do our earthly aliens such as 

vampires, werewolves represent? What do our aliens tell us about us? Is it surprising that during the 

Cold War the enemy aliens were often from Mars... the "Red Planet?" Do the aliens of "Avatar" tell us 

something about how we exploit primitive cultures? We have met the aliens and they are us.



Candas Jane Dorsey






Saturday 10 AM – Suite 1056 (sign-up required)

Koffee Klatsche – Dave Duncan

Join Fantasy & SF author Dave Duncan for a casual conversation.



Dave Duncan






Saturday 11 AM – Phaeton

Doom and Gloom and Dark Despair, Young Readers Love Them Everywhere

Shirlee Smith Matheson, Amanda Sun, Paula Johanson, Kim Firmston, Dave Laderoute, Michell Plested

From the earliest fairy tales to today's violent, brutal, scary, and dystopian YA fiction, as long as kids 

and teens have been reading, they've lapped up these dark tales and begged for more. What's behind 

the fascination of younger people with dark themes in fiction? Does it hurt them? Is it morbid? Or do 

these fictional tropes serve a vital purpose?



Michell Plested






Saturday 11 AM – Suite 1062

More Fantastic Readings

Dave Duncan, Amber Hayward, Ursula Pflug

Teasers from new & upcoming books read by the author.






Saturday 2 PM – Yorkshire 2

Urban Green Man

Adria Laycraft, Janice Blaine, Susan MacGregor, Susan Forest, Randy McCharles, Billie Milholland, Sandra Wickham, Celeste A. Peters, Suzanne Church

The Green Man is an almost forgotten mythology that has haunted our churches and buildings and 

global subconscious for countless generations. No longer. Join the editors and a sampling of the 

authors for the launch of this collection of short stories regarding this archetype of renewal.






Saturday 3 PM – Yorkshire 2

Exciting Anthologies

Susan MacGregor, Michell Plested, Adria Laycraft, Lynda Williams

We're in a golden age of science fiction and fantasy anthologies with clever new ideas coming out 

monthly from major and minor publishers. But where do they come from? How do editors interest 

publishers and writers in their ideas? How do you make the hard decisions between great stories and 

great writing when you sometimes can't have both?






Saturday 4 PM – Surrey

Live Action Slush – Science Fiction Edition

Hayden Trenholm, Robert Runte, Patrick Swenson, Sandra Wickham, Tony King (Reader)

Bring the 1st page of your manuscript to be anonymously read aloud and receive comments from our

editors.






Saturday 4 PM – Yorkshire 1

Writing For Middle Grade & Younger

Shirlee Smith Matheson, DK Snape, Michell Plested

Children’s authors discuss the ingredients of successful books for middle school and younger children.






Saturday 4 PM – Lincolnshire 1

Which Book Stays on the Island?

Peter Halasz (host), Susan Forest, Garry Ryan, Billie Milholand, Cliff Samuels

4 Presenters. 4 Books. 4 Genres. Similar to CBC’s Canada Reads, each presenter selects a classic work 

and presents their case as to why their chosen Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Romance should 

be a “must read” for anyone stranded on an island with just 1 book.






Saturday 5 PM – Victoria

How To Survive In The New Publishing Reality Using Wattpad

Aaron Kite & Leah Crichton 

As eReading and self-publishing democratize how we share stories, writers need to take a look at how 

digital platforms like Wattpad can help them stand out from the crowd. With over 13 million active 

readers, Wattpad is used by indie and best-selling writers to reach the next generation of readers. 

Aaron Kite and Leah Crichton will discuss their experiences in digital publishing, plus the challenges 

and advantages of using Wattpad to build a fan base and online buzz. What are the benefits of 

growing a presence in reading communities and what do you need to do next? Join this presentation 

by two writers who’ve been through it all.



Aaron Kite






Saturday 5 PM – Yorkshire 2

The Musical

Trevor Rueger, Joe Slabe, Virgina O’Dine, Candas Jane Dorsey

Here is the ultimate genre crossover: where fiction, poetry and music combine. What are the special 

needs of writing a musical theatre piece? Whereas the short story writer or novelist is the God of his 

own domain, where does the job of playwright or poet begin or end in the collaborative world of 

musical theatre?






Saturday 5 PM – Suite 1057

Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) Regional Meeting

Susan Forest

All SFWA members are invited to attend to receive updates about and discuss SFWA business. Coffee 

and light refreshments will be served.






Saturday 7 PM – Surrey

Editor For Hire

Robert Runte, Jodi McIssac, Nina Munteanu, Brian Hades, Ursula Pflug

With the rising trend of self-publishing and the falling trend of editing at some publishing houses, the 

demands for authors to deliver polished material has never been greater. But what if our editing skills 

aren't up to standard? Or we'd rather write that next novel than spend time searching for 

grammatically injured trees in our forest of manuscript? When does it make sense to call in the 

cavalry and hire an editor?






Saturday 8 PM – Yorkshire 1

Through the Eyes of a Child

Dave Laderoute, Michell Plested, Claire Eamer, Nicole Luiken

Authors of YA and Children’s books face the challenge of putting themselves in the shoes of much 

younger people, including other genders. How do






Saturday 9 PM – Surrey

Writing About Fighting

Sandra Wickham, Ron Friedman, Aaron Kite

Authors who include nose to nose physical conflict in their fiction discuss how they make it gripping 

yet real without bogging the reader down in too much detail.






Saturday 9 PM – Lincolnshire 1

Making Up Religions

Barb Galler-Smith, Ann Marston, Matthew Johnston, Lynda Williams, Anna Bortolotto (M)

Religion often plays a minor or even major role in fiction. Be it characters of faith, real-life issues 

examined through wholly made up belief systems, or evil portrayed through (hopefully) non-existent 

cults, the reader must be able to suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy the tale. Authors who apply 

‘unfamiliar’ religion to their fiction discuss how they get away with it.



Ann Marston






Saturday 9 PM – 10th Floor Suites

Evening Socials

Steampunk Arts & Sciences (Suite 1051)

CaRWA (Calgary association of Romance Writers of America) (Suite 1056)

OnSpec Magazine / Pure Speculations SF&F Festival (Suite 1057)

Bundoran Press (Suite 1062)

All registered When Words Collide members are welcome to drop in between 9 PM and midnight and 

mingle at our socials hosted by various friends of the festival.








Sunday 10 AM – Suite 1057

More Criminal Readings

Kay Stewart, Axel Howerton, Garry Ryan, Candas Jane Dorsey

Teasers from new & upcoming books read by the author






Sunday 11 AM – Clarence

Live Action Slush – Mystery Edition

Jamis Paulson, Adrienne Kerr, Charles Prepolec, Garry Ryan, Janice MacDonald, Susan Forest (Reader)

Bring the 1st page of your manuscript to be anonymously read aloud and receive comments from our

editors.






Sunday 11 AM – Phaeton

Getting Past the Middle Doldrums in Novel Writing

Patricia Briggs, D. B. Jackson, Dave Duncan, Linda Kupecek, Anna Bortolotto (M)

Authors discuss the “Muddle In the Middle” that often occurs in novel writing. What is it? Why does it 

happen? And what are some ways to get past it?






Sunday 12 PM – Surrey

Business Models for Writers

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, Claire Eamer, Susan Forest, Jennifer Snow

These days there is more to being an author than simply writing a book. Authors discuss the tasks, 

the rewards, and various methods for turning their writing into a business.






Sunday 12 PM – Wedgewood (sign-up required)

Pitch Session

Robert Runte - Five Rivers Publishing

Pitch your manuscript to an editor and get instant feedback.






Sunday 12 PM – Suite 1062

Hybrid Historical Readings

Susan MacGregor, Graeme Brown, Ronald Hore

Teasers from new & upcoming books read by the author.






Sunday 4 PM – Surrey

The Publishers Panel

Jamis Paulson, Adrienne Kerr, Brian Hades, Hayden Trenholm, Samantha Beiko, Robert Runte (M) 

Publishers and editors discuss industry trends, their working relationship with authors and agents, the 

impact of ePublishing on their business, and other questions raised from the audience.






Sunday 4 PM – Suite 1057 (sign-up required)

A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil

Jade Brook, Jennifer Rahn, Tim Reynolds, Aaron Kite, Janna Willard, Susan J. MacGregor, Troy Winn, Mike Plested

Readings from A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil. Lesser Evil Geniuses and Evil 

Overlord wannabes should ensure they take this opportunity to listen to the words of wisdom directly 

from the Great Evildoers themselves. Come learn how the experts from the Conclave of the Super Evil 

manage their evil fashion and finesse while achieving world domination.

Forthcoming in Q3 and Q4 from Five Rivers

This year is a benchmark for Five Rivers, in that we will have nearly doubled our catalogue. And it's not about quantity, but rather quality. We're very proud to be bringing to readers worldwide, both new and beloved Canadian authors and publications.




So far this year we've released:



88, by Michael R. Fletcher
Type, by Alicia Hendley
A Method to the Madness: a Guide to the Super Evil, edited by Jeffrey Hite and Michell Plested
The Tattooed Witch, by Susan MacGregor
Western King: Book 2, The Rune Blades of Celi, by Ann Marston
Indigo Time, by Sally McBride

Three of those novels are from debut authors, we're pleased to say. All of the books are great reading.



October 1, we will release:


Black Wine, by Candace Jane Dorsey. This is a reprint of Dorsey's award-winning speculative fiction novel, and we're very pleased to include it in our catalogue.
The Runner and the Wizard, by Dave Duncan. An original novelette from this much-adored and acclaimed writer of fantasy.
Wasps at the Speed of Sound, by Derryl Murphy. We're pleased to bring back to life this edgy collection of speculative short stories.
Terriers of Scotland and Ireland, by Bryan Cummins. An informative book on the breed brought back to life.

Those books will be followed on December 1, with the release of:


Out of Time, by David Laderoute. A YA fantasy novel from this debut author we know will capture the hearts and imaginations of people of all ages.
Broken Blade: Book 3, The Rune Blades of Celi, by Ann Marston. (Hold on to your seats, Marston fans!)
A Quiet Place, by JW Schnarr. A second collection of horror shorts by an author who very much should be on the radar of horror-lovers everywhere.

And that will round out the year at Five Rivers. 




On the docket for 2014 through 2016 are another 45 books we know will inform, entertain, captivate and enlighten you. Join us on this epic journey.

Susan MacGregor interview Michael Fletcher

Susan MacGregor, author of the Reconquista-influenced fantasy novel, The Tattooed Witch, recently interviewed Michael R. Fletcher, author of the startling dystopia, 88. 



We think you're going to find the interview  over at Suzenyms fascinating.

Announcing the release of The Tattooed Witch, by Susan MacGregor

Five Rivers is pleased to present the first novel in Susan MacGregor's The Tattooed Witch Trilogy. 





cover art by Five Rivers' Art Director

Jeff Minkevics

The novel, a debut for MacGregor, is set in a quasi-Spanish Inquisition world. When Miriam Medina and her father are accused by the Inquisition of murdering a high priest, Miriam knows justice is impossible. Their accuser, the Grand Inquisitor, is in fact, the real murderer. Miriam's only hope is to resort to her long dead mother's magical legacy: the resurrection of the dead through a magical tattoo.





Susan MacGregor



Susan MacGregor is an editor with On Spec magazine and edited the anthologies Tesseracts Fifteen: A Case of Quite Curious Tales, (Edge Books) and Divine Realms (Ravenstone Press). Her short fiction has appeared in a number of periodicals and anthologies, including A Method to the Madness, (Five Rivers) and Urban Green Man (Edge Books).



Currently, she's revising a non-fiction book, The ABC's of How NOT to Write Speculative Fiction (Third Printing), as well as the third book in The Tattooed Witch Trilogy: The Tattooed Rose. Book 2, The Tattooed Seer, is expected to release some time in 2014.



Susan keeps a blog at http://suzenyms.blogspot.ca.





The Tattooed Witch is now available for pre-order in both print and eBook formats, and will release August 1, 2013. Signings and copies will be available at When Words Collide in August, at the On Spec dealer table. And thereafter through online booksellers globally.




ISBN 9781927400333

6 x 9 Trade Paperback, 324 pages

$25.99




eISBN 9781927400340

EPUB

$4.99














Format

Print $25.99 CAD
eBook $4.99 CAD

Don't forget to join Michell Plested in Ponoka this Saturday

books will be available for purchase



Saturday, July 13, 2013 Michell Plested will appear at the Ponoka Jubilee Library at 2:00 p.m. as part of their summer reading program.





Michell Plested



David Tremblay, Library Manager is keen to have Plested as part of the program. He says, "One of our patrons took out [Michell Plested's] book for her son. The son read it as well as the father.... Apparently, the father loved [the book] and thought most men could relate to the character. I told the patron [Michell Plested] was coming to the library and she was exicted and would be watching for posters and ads in the community."







View Larger Map




So, if you love adventures that channel something between Spiderman and W.O. Mitchell, and live in the Ponoka area, be sure to attend what is going to be a fun and memorable event. Don't forget: Saturday, July 13, 2013, 2:00 p.m.

Introducing: Indigo Time, by Sally McBride

We're pleased to introduce you to a debut novel by author Sally McBride, Indigo Time.









McBride approached Editor-in-Chief Robert Runte at last years When Words Collide. Runte liked what he saw and Five Rivers entered into a publishing agreement with McBride. Now, a year later, we're proud to present this fascinating fantasy read.



The novel chronicles a fascinating story part fantasy, part speculative fiction, part science fiction, exactly the sort of hybrid writing Five Rivers loves.



Marrula Tamara, once Empress of Worlds, has been exiled for treachery to a planet called Strand. She has one great treasure: the engineered horse Raj’azul. In his blood lies the secret of her immortality…and the seed of her downfall.



As her fellow exiles form a primitive society, centuries pass while Marrula schemes revenge. She needs three things: Raj’azul’s blood, the time-twisting mind of her own great-granddaughter, and the utter ruthlessness to use them both. But when her rebellious slave Warrek realizes Marrula is about to destroy a world to save herself, he steals the horse and vanishes into the wild mountain territories. He must remain free long enough to kill the innocent girl and thwart Marrula’s plan.



But in remote Tarlannat Hold he finds a woman even more beautiful and ruthless than Marrula…the doomed girl’s mother, Kael. And Kael knows what is at stake.



If these three women’s rogue Talents meld, time itself will be unwound and the universe destroyed. Warrek must join forces with the one man who truly despises him and battle his way to the center of the coming time storm. Together, these two pawns might succeed in toppling a Queen….






Sally McBride



Sally McBride’s short
stories and novellas have appeared in Asimov’s,
Fantasy & Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, Northern Frights and
many more magazines and anthologies. Her novella The Fragrance of Orchids won Canada’s Prix Aurora Award. She has
taught fiction writing and edited speculative fiction. Born and raised in
Canada, Sally lives in Idaho with her husband and cat.



Cover art is by Five Rivers' Art Director, Jeff Minkevics, another dynamic, moody work of art from this rising Calgarian talent.




Indigo Time releases August 1, 2013, and is available now for pre-order in both print and eBook. Copies will also be available at When Words Collide at the On Spec dealer table (many thanks to Diane Walton and crew for their support.)





We think you're going to love this great new Canadian voice.














Format

Print $24.99 CAD
eBook $4.99 CAD

A rainbow of skittles to celebrate...and leather

Being the self-centred, avant-garde Evil Genius that I am, people, my priorities may seem a little out of whack to you peons. Be that as I may, at least I’m not a Republican and TOTALLY out of whack and out of touch with reality.



Let me make it quite clear that although I am all for World Domination, I’m only for it if I’m the one doing the dominating. Well, unless of course one of my minions is feeling all pumped up and frisky, and then it’s a different game altogether (one needing a ‘safe word’, baby!).



People, there’s Eeeeevil (me) and then there’s EVIL (darkness of soul), and I find for the first time evah that I am celebrating the defeat of EVIL at the hands of Good and Right and Liberty. No, they haven’t banned country music from the airwaves — the California Defence of Marriage Act was deemed unconstitutional and defeated. DOMA is down! Celebrating with rainbows of Skittles will commence immediately. Since I own the patent on Skittles, I expect to profit handsomely, too.





The remains of a literary critic who disagreed with me.






The other news worthy of my logging on from the Lair of Style, Grace, & Leather, is the release of our beautiful little A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil. Yes, lesser ones, you now have hope beyond the mundane, boring, status quo life of beige you were destined to live from the moment you were conceived. You, too, can become a King or Queen of the World with the words of classic and timeless wisdom from me, in this collection from Five Rivers Publishing . Oh, there are other Eeevilish boys and girls involved in the project, but since I am Overlord, mine are the words which matter most. Deal with it, bee-otches.



The photo to the left is not a ‘selfie’, but rather what remains of a literary critic who forgot to mention either my name or my contribution to A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil, the first and last word on Evil as a Lifestyle choice. She was lovely with sashimi and a lovely Niagara Peninsula spritzer. She was a hack and no one will miss her.



Some of you naive little beings have your hands over your crooked teeth and are taking a step back from the screen because who I am and what I believe in offends you. Don’t even think of playing the self-righteous card with moi. There’s a little evil in all of us. Don’t deny it. Maybe you got cut off in rush hour traffic in your lame little Prius today. Did you smile and wave and offer them a piece of Juicy Fruit, too? NO! You wanted to ram their vehicle with your own and shove them out of the way so you could continue along in your place in the lemming’s life you lead.



Or maybe you found an unauthorized charge on your Walmart card. Did you offer to pay for the offender’s family portrait next year, too? NO! (Stop cringing. It’s a sign of weakness!) You made a call and ranted and raved and denied that it had anything to do with you. You insisted that the charges be removed. Maybe you used a polite tone—after all, the call-centre staff didn’t steal from you—but what you wanted to do was access security video footage of the offender posing with their clan of amateurs, track them down, knee-cap them in front of their home, and then dare them to try it again. Yes, you did. If you deny it to me, then you’re denying it to yourself, and self-denial is the first step to a misfit life of mediocrity. Do you want to be mediocre? I didn’t think so. Buy A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil and admit that you really want to rule the world and you need my help to do it. Go ahead. Click, order, wait, read, Rule. Or get the Kindle eBook edition and eliminate the waiting. Go from ho hum to BADUMBADUMBADUM in no time at all.



Have a truly Evil long weekend, and remember that there’s a little darkness in all of us, and that’s where the fun begins.



Ciao bellas!

Dr. Markus Mefistofoleez



(This message has been paid for with funds redirected from Bernie Madhoff when his back was turned and Donald Trump when his horrendous faux cheveux fell onto the trading floor and emptied out the NY Stock Exchange. Amateurs, both.)

Fabulous review for Type

Dr. Paul Socken





Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Paul Socken, recently wrote the following review of Alicia Hendley's second novel, Type.

I just finished reading Alicia's novel, Type, and was impressed. It's a kind of Brave New World for our time. It reminded me somewhat of Philip Roth's The Plot Against America. In both novels, what seems unimaginable ("It couldn't happen here"), does happen and is made to appear believable. 

The characters in Alicia's novel are well-drawn and the plot gripping. I liked the fact that the rebel psychologist who stood against what was essentially fascism was Jewish and related everything that had happened to the Nazi-era and the Holocaust. 

Alicia resisted the temptation to create an ending that was facile and resolved the crisis. Leaving the novel open-ended with only the beginning of a possible solution allowed the reader to digest the magnitude of the problem. The reason the novel is compelling is because I think we all know that we have the makings in today's society of chaos that would make people accept a "strong leader" to take control. 

For all its grim foreboding, the novel doesn't lack a sense of humour. Alicia, as a psychologist herself, must have had a lot of fun and worked out a lot of her own issues by having psychologists take over the world and make a royal botch of things. 

Please convey my heartiest congratulations on a remarkable novel.

Type is available at Words Worth Books in Waterloo, Ontario, directly from Five Rivers, as well as online in both print and eBook from booksellers worldwide.