Elizabeth Suggs's Blog, page 2
September 26, 2022
Guest Blog: Forgotten Decade
By Alun Gibbard
The Forgotten Decade: Political Upheavel and Industrial Strife in 1980’s Wales by Gwynoro Jones and Alun Gibbard.
This is a powerful and relevant reminder of the pain and turmoil of a decade that changed many of our communities forever, of the roots of still current inequalities, and of the obstacles that our political system places in the way of progressive change. It also benefits from being the account of an engaged and passionate witness.
Geraint Talfan Davies. Chairman Institute of Welsh Affairs 1992-2014.
The 1980s - a decade of considerable upheaval and change which saw industrial tension during the Miners Strike, social unrest and riots on the streets, seismic political changes and Cold War nuclear tension. This book is a chronological account of political, economic and social events that unfolded in that decade.
Margaret Thatcher won the General Election on 4 May 1979, the day the Eighties began. The Conservatives were creating their new order. Labour had to respond to the electoral failing and the damage done to them by a series of strikes. From this Labour unrest, the SDP was formed, the first major new party in British politics for decades.
Former MP Gwynoro Jones left the Labour party to join the SDP at its beginning, becoming Chair of the SDP in Wales. Alun Gibbard worked for BBC Wales News throughout the decade, reporting on all the major events covered in this book. He is now a full-time author.
The main section of The Forgotten Decade is a year-by-year account of the 1980s, from the 1980 of Thatcher’s early days through to the 1989 of the fall of the Berlin wall, political and social changes in Wales are documented, with extensive use of newspaper cuttings from Gwynoro Jones’ personal archive. This section is bookended by a look at the decade leading up to the 1980s and an analysis of what has happened in the decades since the ’80s.
This is a timely book. The story it tells has a strong resonance with the political and social climate of today.
This book provides us with an informative and eyewitness account of unfolding events of The Forgotten Decade of Welsh political evolution. Written in a semi-diary style the book is ideal as a memory jogger for those that lived through this period themselves or for historians or the general readers who wish to learn exactly what was happening at the heart of Welsh politics in the 1980s. Professor Russell Deacon
Alun Gibbard has been a full-time author for the past 13 years. He has published 35 books, mainly non-fiction, but one Welsh language novel also. His work deals with sport, politics and popular culture. The one thread that runs through each is his love of social history. His most recent book was co-writing the story of former Wales First minister Carwyn Jones. He has twice been short-listed for the British Sports Book awards, the most recent for his criticaly acclaimed biography of Carwyn James. His next book will be Whose Wales? The battle for devolution and nationhood 1880-2020, a joint project with former MP, Gwynoro Jones. Prior to writing, he worked in TV and Radio for 26 years.
Gwynoro Jones is a former Welsh politician and, at the age of 27, served as Labour MP for Carmarthen in the 1970s. In the 1980s, he was a senior education administrator, and then in the early 1990s, headed a school inspection and training company for 18 years. As a politician, he is best remembered for three titanic election campaigns with Gwynfor Evans, the then Plaid Cymru Lead.
July 10, 2022
Poetry Review: The Ghost Was Always the Machine
By Elizabeth Suggs
The Ghost Was Always the Machine by RJ Walker is where technology meets print. RJ gives readers a chance to be more than just a passive consumer; rather, the reader comes alive with the story, solving puzzles and going through quizzes. You even get to call a number to get a machine response to a puzzle!
I’m a big fan of RJ’s work, and perhaps it’s because I enjoy watching him perform in person, or maybe it’s his writing itself, but I feel like his work really comes to life. There is depth and intensity and the demand for change. For instance, his poem “Ice” about homelessness was a deep-dive into all that was wrong with the homelessness situation in Salt Lake City, and that hit me hard.
Another favorite of mine was “Face Blind.” While I knew about his condition, hearing about it and how much he suffered helped me understand both him and those who suffer from the condition as a whole.
This book is meant to be loved and overused. In his introduction, he says, “The poems in this book must be exhumed, peeled apart, summoned, disassembled, and re-assembled. It is strongly encouraged that you take notes. Write in this book. Dog-ear the pages. Bookmark websites. Use the book as an umbrella. Eat pizza off of it.” In other words, do everything in your power to not just be a reader, but to be a participant in his story. A detective in his work. Make this book yours.
RJ is a skilled writer and a talented puzzle creator. He used to work at an escape room where the company allowed workers to create puzzles in rooms, and he shined there, just like he does in this book.
Definitely check this out, but make sure you have reliable internet and a pencil for notes ready.
My favorite quotes:
We are cold. We are hungry. Help us.
Faces don’t get stored in my memory
so everyone is a stranger.
July 2, 2022
Book Review: Summoner of Sleep
By Elizabeth Suggs
What would you do if you could go back to your youth? The book Summoner of Sleep by A.I. Winters explores just that through a horrific fountain of youth and what humans will do to obtain that vitality.
Our main character, Ryder Ashling, has lost his job, wife, and home. When his neighbor gives him a drug that makes his nightmares seem real, he starts to doubt his sanity. And this is just the start of the book. Don’t worry it gets much weirder, like a town that doesn’t exist on any map kind of weird.
Winters does a great job writing three-dimensional characters and great descriptions. He paints intense and horrific monsters, which for me, is really important. Often, I find creature depictions come across as cartoonish, but Winters gives these the same time and space to develop into their own beastly selves as he does his human characters.
Winters does a great job writing three-dimensional characters and great descriptions. He paint intense and horrific monsters, which for me, is really important. Often, I find creature depictions come across as cartoonish, but Winters gives these the same time and space to develop into their own beastly selves as he does his human characters.
The story is engaging and had me keep turning the virtual pages. Definitely worth checking out!
Here are my favorite Quotes:
“In their empty transformative screams, Ryder heard the pain of monsters who had sold their soul for heaven but instead found hell in their rancid, decayed skin.”
“She was like a bright star among ugly black meteors in the galaxy.”
June 9, 2022
Book Review: Heart of Swine
By Elizabeth Suggs
Heart of Swine by Freddy F. Fonseca is both strange and provocative, dealing with climate change and meat consumption. You’ll be both shocked and laughing throughout the entire novel.
Fonseca knows how to spin a tale to showcase a problem that society faces while giving it a comedic spin. Set in the early 21st century when Russia turns off gas supplies to Western Europe,Western Europe is freezing, so they decide to use climate change to their benefit and start heating up the planet by massively increasing meat production. Western Europe is so successful at eating pigs that all but one pig is killed. And this last pig has superpowers!
Fonseca gave me his book for an honest review, along with some lovely gifts: sugar, red pepper, a pig pin, tea, and a personalized note, which I loved. I also really enjoyed the book’s inside jokes on Marxism and the Chekhov names. But at times, the story felt a little too quirky and ridiculous for me.
If you’re into fast-paced, funny stories, then you may enjoy this one!
April 13, 2022
Book Review: Odyssey of Love
By Elizabeth Suggs
Odyssey of Love by Linda Jämsén is a memoir about finding oneself and love. After Linda seeks a medium who tells her she’s going to find the love of her life in another country, she decides to change her life and go on tons of adventures. My favorite thing is that it shows bravery and romance.
I really enjoyed this book as I am a traveler myself, and I’ve been to some of these places that were mentioned and the other places that I haven’t been, I could almost imagine myself there with her great description. And the best part about this book is that it’s a true story, so for me, this made it even better.
My only real critique was that I wish it was a little shorter and I wasn’t in love with the diary entries because I feel like it pulled away from the real meat of the story. Other than that, this book is great. The writing is engaging and the people are fun. I definitely suggest this, especially if you love travel and memoirs!
Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
March 22, 2022
Book Review: Unexpected Friends and Relations
By Elizabeth Suggs
Unexpected Friends & Relations by Jayne Bamber is a Jane Austen crossover with tales of woe, of pain, and of many different stories. I’m a bit of a classical book lover myself, so getting a chance to review something that was inspired by Austen’s stories was too tempting to pass up.
This book can be read as a standalone, but the author highly recommends reading book one, but I didn’t read book one, and while there were a few things lost on me, overall, I understood most of what was going on.
This is a thick read, and if you’re listening to it, like I did, it’s a little over 30 hours of listening time, but the lovely audiobook narrator Liz Christensen did a fantastic job narrating the story. Each one of her characters are truly distinct and memorable.
There’s a lot to unpack in this book and we don’t have much time, so I’m going to condense the story down: Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy have married and after a cozy Christmas at Pemberley, they’ve returned to London with their family. Georgiana Darcy is suffering with what happened at Ramsgate. Caroline Bingley is unhappily married and desperate to salvage her position in society. Lady Rebecca Fitzwilliam travels to Surrey on a mission of mercy. And Mary Bennet is working on her own demons. These are just small mentions of a very large story with complex characters, ideas, and decisions.
If you love Jane Austen stories or you’re just warming up to the idea, then look no further! This is a fantastic book to dive into and learn the different intricacies of life set in another time with people who want and need things that aren’t so different from what we want and need now.
I recommend this book!
Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
March 8, 2022
Book Review: Showmance
By Elizabeth Suggs
Picture this: lights, stage, and love—so many different types of love. Showmance by Arielle Morisot is set in the most theatrical of settings. We have two perspectives: Rachel Reed, a married stagel director and makeup artist with dreams of life backstage on Broadway. Then we have Hugh Davidson, a British knight, and famously gorgeous classical actor.
Like in any good romance, the two are forced together, yet both bring their own set of baggage and troubles that lead to very interesting situations.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and narrator Andrew Joseph Perez does a great job bouncing between both main characters. His voice embodied the story, and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.
I liked that this story wasn’t just a romance, though that was very much center stage for the story; instead, it was also about Rachel and her independence from her husband and in her professional life. Opportunities are thrown at her, but these are not necessarily situations or jobs that will make her happy in the future, and so she must decide what’s the best decision for her and her alone.
I really enjoyed this book. I definitely recommend it!
Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
January 25, 2022
Book Review: Lillian on Sunday
Lillian on Sunday is a collection of short stories by Lionel Walfish. These stories explore the nature of human existence from love stories, city fables, ghost stories, and character studies. Walfish’s stories pull the reader into a universe where anything can happen, and I especially love that, particularly in a collection of works.
Walfish’s writing is insightful, funny, and witty, and his characters are unique. My favorite stories are “Pernod,” about a hairless cat. And "Lepidoptera." This was an intense look at how obesity can affect a person’s life.
These stories are definitely worth checking out. I’m excited to see what more Walfish has to offer!
[image error]Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
December 30, 2021
Poetry Review: Gothic Ballads
By Elizabeth Suggs
Gothic Ballads: In Darkness There Is Light by Sara Brunner is a collection of dark and macabre poetry about breaking down the stigma of mental health. She webs together a variety of thoughts and sentences that I found quite striking. Not only that, I really loved her descriptions, how she was able to pull the reader in with a simple line.
My only critique was the swearing. While I feel Brunner has a way with words, transporting readers through whatever avenue she wants, when she curses, I feel like it lessened the impact and pulled me out of her poems.
Overall, this was an engaging collection of poetry. Definitely worth checking out.
Here is my favorite quote:
My humanity, that part of me, you killed her.
There’s so much depth within that single sentence, and she does this a lot.
Sara’s writing is also featured in The Deluxe Darkness!
Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
December 1, 2021
Book Review: Sin Eater
By Elizabeth Suggs
Sin Eater by Amanda Denham is an urban fantasy novel about Jayde Holloway, a girl who can take away memories. I really enjoyed this book, and as the reader, you get a chance to see Jayde’s whole life, past and present, and that gives you an idea of why she reacts to things the way she does.
Denham starts her novel very strong, and I love her unique spin on the urban fantasy experience. Even though I’m no lover of YA, I really found myself turning the pages in this book, especially at the beginning.
My only critique was that some of the memories or chapters in the book felt a little out of order. I understand Denham did this for a particular focus in the narrative, but I think a more chronological experience would have helped tie things up.
Here is my favorite quote:
They will never know that self again, nor will they remember those who are lost. They can continue on with their life in ignorant bliss, but I will always know. I will carry for them within my own memory. Their troubles will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Sin Eater is definitely worth checking out.
Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of a growing number of published stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, one being part of the LUW. She’s a book reviewer (EditingMee.com) and popular bookstagramer and cosplayer (@ElizabethSuggsAuthor). When she’s not writing or reading, she’s playing video/board games or making cookies.
