Elizabeth Suggs's Blog, page 10
January 26, 2021
Unboxing of LeStallion Notebooks!
By Elizabeth Suggs
Watch the owners of Collective Tales Publishing Elizabeth Suggs and Jonathan Reddoch unveil their brand new premium LeStallion Notebooks. LeStatllion was one of the sponsors of the Romantic Letters Event where writer Keyra Kristofferson won a cute Rosé Felina notebook for her submission in the 100-word flash fiction contest.
We got faux leather notebooks with dotted pages. Perfect for taking notes! I received the Hensen in beautiful Desert Brown, and Jonathan got the Garrano in Cocoa Brown.
The paper, just like the exterior, is thick and well-made. I also really love the attached ribbon bookmark!
Keep an eye out for future writing contests sponsored by LeStallion.
January 22, 2021
Book Review: Caprinian Saga
By Elizabeth Suggs
The Caprinian Saga: An Anthology of Space Travel, War, and Hope by Melissa Myring is a collection of twenty short stories and four sneak peeks into Caprinian life and culture.
Our story takes place in the year 2026. Caprinians have come to Earth as refugees, living and working alongside humans after the Caprinians’ world was destroyed during war. The humans take them in with open arms, despite their odd appearance, from their height to their protruding head horns (sometimes envied by other Caprinians). Even so, they feel very human to me. They think and feel and struggle, just like humans.
What I really like about these stories, aside from the descriptive and imaginative tales, is that it’s very reminiscent of what we, as humans, have to deal with. Caprinians are like human refugees, moving to a new country and mixing in an unknown culture.
The Caprinians settled all over Earth; however, in The Caprinian Saga, we focus on a settlement in Arizona. While this worked well to hone in on what was happening with each person, I felt there were points lacking. So much goes into this world that I’d love to see more of it and understand it more deeply. Also, I was a little disappointed that some of the stories cut quickly, making it feel a little jarring, but overall, I enjoyed the stories.
If you’re looking for a typical sci-fi space adventure, you’re not going to find that here, which makes this collection better, in some ways. The Caprinian Saga becomes its own sort of sci-fi.
I liked this collection, but it’s not for everyone. It’s best to go into this collection with an open mind.
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com
January 19, 2021
100-Word Flash Fiction Contest Winners Announced
Thank you to everyone who participated! Keyra Kristoffersen is our first-place winner. She gets a premium Rosé Felina notebook from LeStallion and free editing of up to 5,000-word story/poem sponsored by EditingMee.com. Austin Slade Perry was our second-place winner. He gets a 2,500-word story/poem edited, and Olivia Hope came in third-place, receiving an honorable mention.
Stay up-to-date with future contests by subscribing to our blog.
Read their stories below!
January 15, 2021
Book Review: No Strings
By Elizabeth Suggs
No Strings by Virginia Babcock is an endearing sweet love story with some great character development.
The story tells the tale of two characters who meet for purposes other than for romance. Our female protagonist Emory (who is a complete badass) wants a baby, but she doesn't want to have a relationship to get it. Ten, our male protagonist, happens to be in the right place at the right time. This was a fun and very unique story. I was really pining for the characters, and while the ending was a little more old-fashion for my taste, I still enjoyed it.
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
“How come this erotic dream feels more like a nightmare?”
AND
“When I think of you and me, it’s like a tuning fork and an instrument in harmony. I’m no musician, but our sound waves are perfectly in sync.”
Check this out and read more of what Babcock has to offer.
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com
January 13, 2021
Book Review: Jurassic Park 2
By Elizabeth Suggs
Jurassic Park: The Lost World by Michael Crichton was a great read. Often, when I come across a sequel, I’m not that impressed. But Crichton’s knowledge of dinosaurs and advanced storytelling abilities left me wanting more.
Much in the same way that the first Jurassic Park starts, we discover dinosaurs on an island. Unlike the first book, where a park was coming to life, this story is about characters rediscovering the park long-abandoned.
This book shows that we know nothing when it comes to evolution and life—how much more there is to know. If you want to learn about dinosaurs, both fiction and nonfiction, then try this on for size. Sure, it’s fiction, but it forces you to ask questions that you may have not considered. And Crichton’s in-depth knowledge of dinosaurs helps explain certain undiscovered theories (at least undiscovered during the time of the novel’s completion) striking conviction. I was left near-convinced of certain ideas because of his tactile writing. Though, one thing I’m not convinced of is the lack of feathers dinosaurs may have had. Recent theories say that T-Rex may have had feathers! Sort of like a giant chicken. Now THAT would have been something to add to the story. It reminds me of this other comic about a super chicken, but I digress...
Another one of my favorite things about this story is how Crichton brings up questions on women in science—and he questioned why being “smart” was such a bad thing, especially for a girl. Being one who admires strong female characters, I really admired this. I can only hope that those feminist ideas had, and still have, an impact on readers.
I don’t know why it took me so long to read the books, especially since I watched the movies as a kid. But having read the books now, I’m able to appreciate certain aspects in the writing and the characters that I may have missed as a younger reader. So, maybe it was good waiting? Either way, you shouldn’t wait. If you haven’t read either this book or the first, you gotta pick up your own copy or listen to it as an audiobook, which I did for bot this and the first. The narrator, Scott Brick, was fantastic and really brought me into the world. I definitely suggest the first two in the series! I haven’t read the third book yet, so stay tuned!
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com
January 11, 2021
Book Review: Liberty Key
By Elizabeth Suggs
The Liberty Key by author Michael R Goodwin is about when a house meets a person. This isn’t so much a paranormal story as the house is the living thing.
The story starts when Spencer Crosley is searching for a house after dealing with the death of his wife and child. When he finds The Liberty House, it’s much too big for him, but he loves it.
One of my favorite lines right at the beginning of the story is “I thought I picked the house... instead I had been picked.” Right off the bat, you know this isn’t just any old haunted house story. This is different while still giving that same unsettling feeling as any other good ghost story could give you.
What I really love about this story is while it does deal with horrific and scary elements, it also is about Spencer’s handle on his life, his new friends, and finding new love. It’s because of this that makes me want to go back and read it again. You feel for the character, you deal with his love and loss, and then we rely on a house that may not be as wonderful as it seems, but is it truly evil? Even after everything that has happened?
Another notable line: “All at once, the buzzing sound I have been hearing stopped. In fact, the whole house was so quiet, as if there had been a constant murmur ever since I moved in that I hadn’t noticed at all, and it had finally been silent. The sudden silence was deafening.”
You’ll be flipping through the pages, solving the mystery along with the character. And waiting for the next awesome line. Goodwin is a master at one-liners. From, “The house was dark, but the bloodstains were darker,” to “Jennifer said you’re not in here alone anymore.”
The house is in allegory to not being selfish: that whatever happens will have an opposite reaction because in life there will be always positive and negative reactions.
If you’re looking for a good horror story with well-thought plot and characters, then this is your story. I can’t recommend it enough!
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com
January 6, 2021
Flash Fiction Contest for Romantic Letters!
Hey, Romance Writers! For those of you who are planning to attend the first Romantic Letters Event this weekend on the 9th, we are hosting a flash fiction writing contest, sponsored by LeStallion notebooks.
Please post your story on your IG or FB and TAG ME by midnight MST THIS Friday, the 8th! If you do not have an active social media, you can email me at luwromance@gmail.com.
Flash fiction is a short story (in this case 100 words) that is complete. It has a beginning, middle, and end. This should be written in prose, not poetry, style.
The theme is “meet cute.” A meet cute is a “cute” meeting between two characters that leads to a romantic relationship.
The winners will be announced at the closing remarks of the Romantic Letters Event (6 pm MST). I will read the first-place story during the closing remarks.
The first-place winner will receive a brand new premium notebook Rosé Felina notebook from LeStallion and free editing of up to 5,000-word story/poem sponsored by EditingMee.com. Second place will get free editing of up to 2,500-word story/poem, and third place will get an honorable mention.
All three winners will have their stories posted on the LUW Romance website at luwromance.wordpress.com.
Happy writing!
Rules:
Only ONE submission per person
Stories CANNOT exceed 100 words
Submissions MUST be submitted by Friday midnight MST.
To submit, post on IG or FB post and tag @elizabethsuggsauthor and @lestallion.notebooks
But if you need to share your story via email, please go to luwromance@gmail.com
Your submission will be rejected if your story is racist, sexist, or harmful to another group.
IG: @lestallion.notebooks
January 5, 2021
Free Online Romantic Letters Conference/Multi-Class Workshop!
Are you a romance writer or an author who enjoys including romantic subplots in your stories? Then this FREE online conference/Multi-Class Workshop is for you! Romantic Letters is an all-day event with multiple presenters on writing craft, marketing, business, and more, including a panel on marketing and business.
Featuring:
September Roberts: Intimacy and Consent in Fiction (pre-recorded) and Let’s Talk About Sex (live)
Stan Crowe: Gotta make the bed before you jump in the sheets (pre-recorded)
Virginia Babcock: Show me the Love (live) and panel moderator
Linne E. Marsh: Mom-preneur (live) and Who are you writing for? (live)
Liz Christensen: Contrast without Contradiction (live) and Meaningful Social Media (live)
Elizabeth Suggs: Opening remarks, Self-Made Marketing (live), and Business Luncheon Panel
Jonathan Reddoch: Nah Brah, Working with a Publisher (live)
Christina Allen: Learning from Comedy (live)
Kenny B-Smith: Business Luncheon Panel
Elana Johnson: Crafting the Perfect Romance, pre-recorded, Crafting the Perfect Romance, pre-recorded, Marketing you Romance to the Masses, and Want to Make a Living Publishing Romance
And special guest appearances from Troy Lambert, who will be part of the Business Luncheon Panel, and Petra Orloff, who will have closing remarks.
We’re excited to see you there! And remember, the event is FREE, including an optional (also free) swag bag, and if you would like access to the videos after the event, it will be $5.
View the full schedule here:
January 1, 2021
Happy New Year 2021!
2021 has arrived! How do you feel? Hopeful? Relieved? Excited? 2020 brought new opportunities to Editing Mee, and I’m so excited to see what 2021 holds for us. Thanks, everyone! 2020 couldn’t have been so awesome without you!
December 31, 2020
Book Review: Late Night Shots
By Elizabeth Suggs
Late Night Shots: Intoxicating Mystery & Suspense Stories by Charlotte Valentine with a special extra story by Laura Cation is a collection of four quick, mysterious short stories—perfect for a nice night in.
We start strong with “Ghost Writer,” which centers around Alan, who at one point was a bestselling author, yet as the years passed by and Alan continues to drink more heavily, the words won’t come. Worse than that, Alan’s publisher and agent have grown agitated with his less than lackluster work. He’s going to be out of a job, so what does he do? He drinks. And after a heavy night of drinking, his problems are solved, or so he thinks. This story is short but full of mystery and intrigue. I really enjoyed the foreshadowing in this story. Valentine is a talented writer who pays attention to detail.
Our second story is “Sinderalle,” a contemporary take on the timeless fairy tale Cinderella. Unlike many retellings, Valentine made this story her own by changing the character of Cinderella as a spoiled, beautiful girl who doesn’t want to share her father with her ugly stepsisters. I really enjoyed this story; in fact, this was my favorite story in the entire book. Compared to the rewrites of Cinderella, this creates its own refreshing take.
The third story is by a new author, which I find exciting. Cation’s story “You Must Stay Inside” is very different from Valentine’s work, so reading it was a little jarring at first until I got into the story. “You Must Stay Inside” is all about staying inside because of a virus. Not a bad story, but it felt a little out of place for me. I would have preferred a closer theme to the other stories.
Cation is just one of many authors Valentine spotlights in her stories, and she asks unpublished authors to submit for a chance to be in one of her many books. This is an awesome opportunity for new authors to get a chance to understand the publishing process. I really appreciate Valentine doing this for the writing community.
The fourth and final story is another by Valentine, “The Third Door.” This one’s creepy and leaves you disturbed throughout the entire story because what would you do if you found yourself in a house with a strange door over and over again?
I finished this story in less than two hours, so if you’re looking for something fast with mystery and intrigue, then try this book!
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com
