Beth Tabler's Blog, page 211
October 29, 2021
SPFBO7 – Review and Semifinalist Cut of Stranger Back Home by E.L Haines
"STRANGEr BACK HOME MIGHT HAVE A FEW BUMPS IN THE ROAD, BUT IT’S FUN, FUNNY FANTASY" stranger back home by E.L. Haines 
Stranger Back Home by E.l. haines Buy A Copy Here What is it about? One day, your father is a renowned diplomat. The next day, he’s an infamous terrorist.
When Sparrow is summoned to the reading of his father’s last will and testament, the most he hoped for was a minor bequest. Instead, he inherited suspicion and accusations from the Empire that his father helped unite.
Locked away in a vault are the secrets that will reveal Xavier DuMont’s mysterious past and shine a light on Sparrow’s future. Perhaps even the future of the entire realm.
Of course, these secrets won’t be obtained easily. Especially when everyone in this magical world seems so casually racist.
Social dynamics in this world were already pretty strange. Somehow, Sparrow makes everything stranger.
Stranger Back Home by E.L. Haines is a comedic fantasy that follows a dwarf by the name of Sparrow on his continuing adventures as he returns to his fantastical homeworld following the death of his father.
Technically, Stranger Back Home is part of a series of novels about Sparrow, but works well enough as a standalone, since most of his real backstory is fleshed out here. There were occasional references to earlier books, but nothing too jarring to take me out of the moment or narrative.
And what a narrative it is. Sparrow is a well accomplished entrepreneur in the fantastical city of Dragonsmouth – filled to the brim with ghosts, vampires, goblins, dwarfs, and kobolds – and he’s got a lot of plates spinning at once.
Those plates include managing an all-girl rock band, dealing with the annoyances of the stage actors guild, managing his estate that he stole off some vampires, managing the power struggle between the various ruling groups in Dragonsmouth, leading a small group of mercenaries, and struggling to educate the fantasy populace on the injustices of blackface while simultaneously running a kobold day spa in kobold-face. And that’s just off the top of my head.
If you think that’s a lot, you’d be right. There’s a sort of loose feeling to the narrative that keeps Sparrow bouncing around, ping-ponging between different things that all ultimately tie back into the overarching plot of him being summoned due to his father’s death and his step-mother’s kidnapping.
Does it work seamlessly? Not always. Some threads seem more consequential than others while others only have the most tenuous of links to the main story.
But is it fun? You bet it is. There’s a lot of wild fantasy concepts thrown around in a bizarre mishmash that becomes a thing of beauty. The language is crisp and tight and has occasional glimmers of Pratchett (who, as everyone knows, is the only author to ever write humorous fantasy). When Haines ventures into social commentary, things get a bit clumsy, and I’m not sure some of his theses fully lands as the book believes it should, but it is a valiant attempt at best and the rest of the book is so enjoyable that it’s not that big a deal (to me, at least).
But how does Stranger stack up in terms of SPFBO?
The thing about humor is that it doesn’t tend to fare well in these sorts of competitions (yeah, yeah Orconomics), because judges either don’t like the jokes (humor is subjective), or they feel the humor takes away from the narrative, or they don’t think direct humor belongs in books of this nature. All are valid opinions. I, personally, have written copious amounts of humorous sci-fi/fantasy fiction and have encountered these views (and reviews) often. But this isn’t an advertisement for my books*. The point is that as an SPFBO judge, I’m now in a position to be the change I want to see in the world.
Strange Back Home might have a few bumps in the road, but it’s fun, funny fantasy, that I enjoyed reading and I’m giving it the push forward.
*This, on the other hand, is! Read the Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire series today!
Other Team Member ReviewsEleni – “An entertaining satire with an interesting and snarky narrator. The repetitive directing of the readers attention to the protagonist being a dwarf made for a bumpy start though cause it went past establishing the looks and into noticeable repetition. Some of the spell names/words being side jokes to real world memes (while amusing) did break me out of the book’s narrative multiple times as well.” 6.5/10
Ganesh – “Stranger Back Home is a comedic fantasy that follows a dwarf by the name of Sparrow as he returns to his fantastical homeworld following the death of his father. It spins a complex tale chock-full of ghosts, vampires, goblins, dwarfs, kobolds, and all-girl rock bands, and it does so in a very fresh and inventive way. The book has a lot of balls in the air and, as a result, hits a few bumps in the road. But at the end of the day, it’s a fun, deft, funny fantasy that I really had a good time with.” 9/10
Beth – “I love pretty much any book with a satire angle, darkly funny, or just straight-up comedy. Humour is often an extension of a ridiculous scenario; fantasy is also an extension of what could be if the imagination runs wild—pairing humor with fantasy work well together more than any other genre, in my opinion.
Humor is also super subjective, however, which G.M. covered very well in his original review. Humor doesn’t usually tend to do well in SPFBO because we are all such varied reviewers. I like my humor a bit dry and dark—some like slapstick, others like prat Three Stooges type comedy. It is hard to get a consensus on what is funny. All that being said, Stranger Back Home was generally really funny. It even appealed to me who likes their humor a lot darker. I laughed a lot. I liked bouncing around from situation to situation. It is a great narrative, and Sparrow is a likable character. I have not fully finished this book, but I know I will. It is too funny not to.” 7/10
Jason – “Stranger Back Home was something of a mixed bag. On one hand I love to see a humorous book make it to the semis. Humor is pretty underrated in terms of sub-genres within #SPFBO and it’s good to see some additional representation.
G.M. Nair’s review was on point in my opinion. It was fair and hit on many of the positives and negatives I experienced while reading. The premise was fun and interesting. But for me the book fell a little flat. I don’t know if that is due to me and my tastes or something else. Though the book can be read as a stand-alone it is part of a larger series and there were many repeated references to events that had gone on before that made me feel like I was missing out on something. I felt in order to really appreciate the book I needed to have read the others. While at times I found myself laughing at the humor it began to feel very repetitive. One prominent example was the attempt to address issues of racism done through a humorous lens that didn’t really succeed in my view.
I set the book down at about the 45% mark and decided it wasn’t really for me. While some of the concepts had me curious I was thrown out of the narrative by feeling I was missing out on previous installments, and because the humor (a very subjective thing) felt a little too forced.” 5/10
In the end, we decided to cut this title. It is at a point now that we have a plethora of great titles to choose from, and this is where this contest gets super hard for us reviewers. This is a great story, and should certainly be read, especially if you enjoy comedy. You can’t go wrong with this.
Check Out SOME OF OUR OTHER REVIEWS#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Deathless One by Niranjan K.
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Hand of Fire by Roland O’Leary
If You Liked This - Please Share the Love Adrian Collins
Adrian Collins runs Grimdark Magazine and loves anything to do with telling darker stories. Doesn’t matter the format, or when it was published or produced–just give him a grim story told in a dark world by a morally grey protagonist and this bloke’s in his happy place. Add in a barrel aged stout to sip on after a cheeky body surf under the Australian sun, and that’s his heaven.
October 28, 2021
SPFBO7 Review and Cut – To the North by Evan L. Grove
"Evan Grove has developed a complex world, and one that will be enjoyed by many for ages to come." TO THE NORTH by Evan L. Grove 
TO THE NORTH by Evan L. Grove Buy A Copy Here What is it about? Emily Lee wants nothing more than to live her life in peace, safe in the comfort of home with her father. But when he falls prey to dark magic, trapping him and countless others in a foreign land, she is forced to take action. Compelled only by the desire to save him, Emily travels to the northern nation of Odelia in search of a means to free her father from his terrible curse.
Lehksi Olent works as a private investigator, helping those uncover the truth that is often shrouded by a world of magic and mystery. Together with her brother, Marty, she now travels the Odelian countryside in pursuit of the growing unrest taking place within the heart of a country torn asunder by unseen forces.
When their paths converge, Emily and Lehksi’s lives will be forever changed. Two paths, one future. Be it for the good of all, or for a singular desire, the fate of Odelia lies within their choices. And should they prove lacking, the world of Oul might never be the same.
To the North is the first novel in The Awakener Duology, an adult urban fantasy that explores what it means to discover the dark truths of an unforgiving land. It takes place in an alternate reality set in a pre-digital world, one that is governed by magic and corporate influence. Two young women must navigate numerous challenges in order to protect what is important to them, but in doing so they will make discoveries that may drive a wedge between them
I can promise that this is one book that is not going to leave you bored – once you get past the first little bit. This book has a bit of a slow start, but once you get past all the setup and layout, then it picks up and keeps you engaged throughout.
The first part took me about a week to work through, but the last pieces took hours. The characters work well and compliment each other, and the storyline, while fantasy, is not so drawn out that you can’t watch it play out in your head.
This was one of those books that is very enjoyable, very little lag, and a storyline that keeps you engaged throughout.
When it came to scoring this book, it was hard to put it down on paper. I truly enjoyed reading the majority of this book, but it was one of those that I didn’t feel would stand up to some of the giants that are in the running. I do think that this is one book that should be read – and enjoyed! I look forward to seeing the second installment, and how this world moves forward.
The author, Evan Grove has developed a complex world, and one that will be enjoyed by many for ages to come.
Check Out SOME OF OUR OTHER REVIEWS#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Deathless One by Niranjan K.
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Hand of Fire by Roland O’Leary
If You Liked This - Please Share the Love Rebecca Hill
Hello! I am Becca, and you can find me at http://ataleoftwopages.blog or
@duchessofreadin on Twitter! I am a mom of two boys and have been married to my husband for almost 15 years. I am a hopeless book addict, and you can usually find me with at least 3 books on the go. In addition to reading, I teach college history courses, work in DC as a Communications Analyst, and also work in social media management and book editing! I also enjoy some crafting, so if I am not physically reading a book, I am listening to one while I relax with a project. I stay happily busy!SPFBO7 Review and Cut – Journal of Resurrection: Fantasy Fiction Coming of Age Epic Narrative by WJ Donovan
Journal of Resurrection: Fantasy Fiction Coming of Age Epic Narrative by WJ Donovan 
Journal of Resurrection: Fantasy Fiction Coming of Age Epic Narrative by WJ Donovan Buy A Copy Here What is it about? Durstan Aldrich must overcome his own sense of self identity and become a leader, even though sometimes he wishes he could go back to fixing cabinets. In a world not that different to our own Durstan begins to discover magic and women. Next he must survive war and find a way to bring back the dead to save his city and his friends. Only the Journal of Resurrection can pave the road to victory and survival.
Beth's ReviewJournal of Resurrection: Fantasy Fiction Coming of Age Epic Narrative by WJ Donovan was a challenging book for me to tackle. From the blurb, “Durstan Aldrich must overcome his own sense of self-identity and become a leader, even though sometimes he wishes he could go back to fixing cabinets.” Your protagonist’s sense of self is what your readers first learn about your character; it is how they feel for them and who they will be in the narrative. This is asking a lot of any fantasy novel part of a series, let alone a single book.
The blurb further goes on to talk a bit about the adventures that are awaiting our cabinet maker protagonist, Durstan Aldrich. “In a world not that different to our own Durstan begins to discover magic and women. Next he must survive war and find a way to bring back the dead to save his city and his friends. Only the Journal of Resurrection can pave the road to victory and survival.” I am sad to say that I did not make it that far in reading this, and it was an early DNF for me. It had utterly to do with grammatical, editing, and structural editors. And because of these errors, I never could get a sense of what was going on. I was too distracted by the odd line spacing, pages with no paragraph breaks, and read in an almost Joyce-ian stream of consciousness type style.
The author does have a way with description, and I think that this story will be engaging with some editing. But that is hard to say at this juncture. So I had to give Journal of Resurrection: Fantasy Fiction Coming of Age Epic Narrative a pass.
Check Out SOME OF OUR OTHER REVIEWS
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Deathless One by Niranjan K.
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Hand of Fire by Roland O’Leary
If You Liked This - Please Share the Love Beth Tabler
Elizabeth Tabler runs Beforewegoblog and is constantly immersed in fantasy stories. She was at one time an architect but divides her time now between her family in Portland, Oregon, and as many book worlds as she can get her hands on. She is also a huge fan of Self Published fantasy and is on Team Qwillery as a judge for SPFBO5. You will find her with a coffee in one hand and her iPad in the other. Find her on: Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
October 27, 2021
An Interview With Zack Argyle – Six Elementals Author Interviews
Zack Argyle"..It’s what we do. We compare ourselves to others, for better or worse—usually worse. It can be healthy in small amounts, helping us to learn and grow, but I think most of us struggle to maintain the healthy level of comparison. So we end up feeling like failures...imposters....." Six Elementals Author Interviews will introduce prospective readers to some of the best writers in their genre you may, or may not, have heard of, via a series of six questions. I encourage you to check out the work of these phenomenal creatives! Links to their websites and purchase links will always appear, accompanying the interview. Check them out!
I am very humbled to be joined by the phenomenal Zack Argyle, author of epic fantasy. Zack’s current published works are: Voice of War, and Stones of Light.
P.L.: Thank you so much Zack for participating in this interview. So, you are, early in your writing career, a self-published fantasy star! Your debut, Voice of War, one of my personal favs, has been a Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) and Book Blogger Novel of the Year (BBYNA) Finalist, and won at Indies Today Best Fantasy and Independent Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author Battle (ISFAB). Judges, reviewers, and readers alike love your work! What do you think the reason is that your writing has received such acclaim? What’s special about the writing of Zack Argyle?
Zack:
I…have no idea. It has all been quite unexpected and wonderful, but has also brought with it an odd sense of pressure. To be truthful, with these kinds of competitions, I think a lot of it is just luck. There are plenty of people who don’t like Voice of War, but if you’re lucky enough to have the right people like your book at the right time, then you might just end up with an award.
That said, I do think people have enjoyed the strong theme of family. Not “found family” but actual family. The main character Chrys isn’t alone. He’s with his wife, his mother, and a newborn child. Their relationships aren’t perfect, but they’re healthy, and I think that is refreshing to a lot of people.
P.L.: I loved the element of family in Voice of War and I completely agree, that element appealed to a lot of readers. And I have always admired your dedication to your family, also to your faith. I know you to be a man of faith, a very devout person. Has faith influenced your writing?
Zack:
Everything that is important to a writer bleeds into their stories. For me, it has absolutely influenced how and what I write. Family is key to my religion, and key to my writing. Forgiveness and faith much the same. That said, one belief I do have as a writer is the importance of subtlety. I have no plans to overwhelm my stories with my personal beliefs, but I do love finding opportunities for characters, in their own world and in their own way, to question and discuss life and death and faith. In many ways, these small conversations are reflections of our own world and the questions we have. In the second book, Stones of Light, there are some clear explorations into faith, and some in ways that I think are both clever and satisfying to both believers and non-believers. One of my favorite conversations is with a man who is immortal, reflecting on his own belief.
“
You
believe in a god?”
He shrugged. “There is much that it would explain, and many other questions that it would create. What I do know is that we know so very little. We are nine parts ignorance and one part enlightenment, yet we grab hold of that little knowledge we have and pretend that it is greater than it is. The man who is ignorant of his own ignorance holds most tightly to his perception of the truth. Unfortunately, I have lived long enough to know just how little I truly know. And, so, I do not claim to know whether there is or is not a god, only that it is certainly possible.”
P.L.: That quote gave me chills! Very poignant! Just an example of the skillful writing of Zack Argyle! Still, with all your skills and the accolades, is imposter syndrome a real thing for you, despite all the success? Is doubting your abilities and finding it difficult to accept your accomplishments part of what you have undergone as a top writer?
Zack:
Oh, absolutely. It’s absurd how a single 2 star review can send me into a death spiral, despite the two 5 star reviews that came just before it. What’s even more absurd is that this is a hobby for me! I have no plans to become a full-time writer, and, yet, I often expect my successes to be on the same level as full-time writers. It’s what we do. We compare ourselves to others, for better or worse—usually worse. It can be healthy in small amounts, helping us to learn and grow, but I think most of us struggle to maintain the healthy level of comparison. So we end up feeling like failures…imposters.
P.L.: I feel you my friend! I’m the same when it comes to trying to find the healthy level of comparison! Yet it seems to improve, the longer one is in the writing field, and you become more comfortable in your own writing skin, and consequently your own level of “success”, not defined by the success of others. I must note, your wife is a popular member of the Writing Community as well, including the blogging side. I’ve read posts where your tastes in literature and hers sometimes clash! This must make for some very interesting dinner discussions, when you love a particular book, she doesn’t, and vice versa! Does this happen often?
Zack:
This question made me laugh, because yes…it’s totally true. One of her favorite fantasy books, Ten Thousand Doors of January, I did not finish. The prose was too purple, and the plot was too slow, so I stopped at about 40%. She, on the other hand, does not drop books. If she starts, she finishes, even if she’s not enjoying it. What that also means is that she won’t read a book if she thinks she won’t like it. So there are plenty of books I’ve loved that she hasn’t read, like books by Anthony Ryan and Brian Staveley that are darker than she prefers. Fortunately, we both love Wheel of Time and the Cosmere. So there is plenty to talk about!
If anyone reading this hasn’t checked out her YouTube channel (@Bookborn), you are missing out!
P.L.: I completely agree! @Bookborn is awesome, and I encourage readers to check out her YouTube channel. Her recent post rates all the SPFBO winners! Great video!
I wanted to ask how often do you write? Do you have daily, or weekly, etc. writing goals?
Zack:
I wish I had a better routine for writing, but with my busy schedule at work, coaching my son’s soccer team, volunteering at church, and two D&D campaigns, time is hard to come by! Luckily, I am very driven by deadlines, so the best way to push myself is to set goals. For example, with Stones of Light, I put the book up for preorder long before I was finished. The closer the date came, the more pressure I felt to finish, so I spent many late nights pushing myself to hit the deadline. Doesn’t work for a lot of people; worked for me!
The other thing that has helped is being part of a writing group. We are a group of 6 indie fantasy authors that I met just after I’d published Voice of War and no one knew who I was. We meet every week to critique 2500 words from two people. So every three weeks, at least, I have to have something ready for The Fantasy Forge to review!
P.L.: The Fantasy Forge! That sounds like an awesome name for a writing group! Having a supportive team behind you as a writer is invaluable. “Avengers assemble!” comes to mind when I hear that name. Speaking of Avengers, everyone in the Writing Community knows you to be the embodiment of one of your favourite Marvel heroes, Captain America. You’re a great all-around guy, always helping others, positive, a man of integrity and courage, high moral compass, dedicated family person. How do fictional heroes like Captain America, and those in literature, inspire you? Besides Cap, who are some of your fictional heroes?
Zack:
Lies! All lies! No, I do try to be a good person, and, if that is the vibe I’m giving off over social media, then I’ll take it! I think more than anything, I believe in positivity. There is always light somewhere, and I want to make sure everyone sees it. Because of that, I tend to love characters who are infectiously positive. For example, I love Adolin Kholin from the Stormlight Archive. He wants everyone around him to be happy, and he’s not taking no for an answer. Everyone needs someone like that in their life who helps bring a little light in the darkness.
P.L.: You are certainly a bright light for many of us in Writing Community, and we truly appreciate you! It has been a privilege to speak to you, Zack! Thanks for joining Six Elemental Interviews!
Buy Voice of War on Amazon here
Buy Stones of Light on Amazon here
For more information about Zack Argyle, visit www.zackargyle.com
Follow him on Twitter @SFFAuthor
and on Instagram @ZackArgyleAuthor
Original Interview is Found Here
Buy ZACK's Books
Check Out Some Of Our Other interviews Author Interview Elizabeth Eckstein Author of Quicksilver – Brimstone
P.L. Stuart
I’m an experienced writer, in that I’ve been writing stories all my life, yet never thought to publish them. I’ve written informally – short stories – to entertain friends and family, for community newspapers, volunteer organization magazines, and of course formal papers for University. Now, later in life, I’ve published what I believe is a great fantasy novel, and definitely worth reading, called A Drowned Kingdom. My target audience is those who enjoy “high fantasy”. A Drowned Kingdom is not “dark fantasy”. It’s written in a more idealized and grandiose style that I hope isn’t too preachy, and not too grim. Still, I’m hoping my book has appeal to those who don’t typically read this type of work – those who don’t read fantasy of any kind – because of the “every-person” themes permeating the novel: dysfunctional familial relationships, extramarital temptation, racism, misogyny, catastrophic loss, religion, crisis of faith, elitism, self-confidence, PTSD, and more.
Many of these themes I have either personal experience with, or have friends or family who have dealt with such issues. I’ve had a long professional law enforcement career, undergone traumatic events, yet been buoyed by family, faith, and positivity. I’m a racialized middle-aged man. I’ve seen a lot of life. Ultimately I want the planned series, of which A Drowned Kingdom will be the introduction, to be one of hope, and overcoming obstacles to succeed, which I believe is my story as well. My protagonist, Othrun, will undergo a journey where he’ll evolve, change, and shape a continent. He’s not always likeable. He’s a snob, bigot, is vain, yet struggles with confidence. He’s patriarchal. Overall, he’s flawed. But even ordinary flawed people can change. We’re all redeemable.
Ordinary people can make a difference, not just fictional Princes. I want that message to shine through my work.
WHERE TO FIND HIMTwitter – @plstuartwrites
Facebook – @plstuartwrites
If You Liked This - Please Share the LoveOctober 26, 2021
Review – Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
check it out here BOOK REVIEW
UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by TJ KLUNE October 26, 2021 10:00 am No Comments Facebook Twitter WordPress “Everyone loses their way at some point, and it’s not just because of their mistakes or the decisions they make. It’s because they’re horribly, wonderfully human. And the one thing I’ve learned about being human is that we can’t do this alone. When we’re lost, we need help to try to find our way again.”“I’m dead,” he said. “There’s no going back from that. A river only moves in one direction.”
TJ Klune’s books have become a place where my heart can get a zap like a defibrillator pedal. Both Under a Whispering Door and Under the Cerulean Sea tread the line between sentimental and sweet, but Klune is such a skilled writer that I never drift to the wrong side of that line.
Instead, after I get done with his books, and for this review, I will be talking about the newly released Under the Whispering Door; I feel good about myself and good about the world. I hope that somewhere in the vastness of this universe, there are true stories like what you find in these books. In the infinite, anything is possible. But until I discover and am witness to real-life stories that are as sweet as these, I will have to go back and read Under the Whispering Door again and again.
Wallace whispered, “It’s easy to let yourself spiral and fall.”
“It is,” Nelson agreed. “But it’s what you do to pull yourself out of it that matters most.”
The book follows Wallace Price Esq. A big-time lawyer and partner in a law firm. He is everything a someone who does not practice law expects lawyers to act. In that vein, Wallace is an immediately identifiable character, not one you can sympathize with, but absolutely one you understand. He is cold, calculating, ruthless, and utterly devoid of the ability to empathize.
These characteristics served him well. He is smartly dressed and expects the same of those around him. He is crushingly fastidious and again expects this of others. Any infraction on this is met with cold civility and a pink check. In other words, he is hated by his employees, has no friends, and his contemporaries are either terrified of him or believe him to be a cretin.
Then he dies. Alone. This starts the actual journey.
He wakes up from death at his funeral. There was no gnashing of teeth and wailing to the Heavens. Quite the contrary. “He was a real bastard.” Everyone is ignoring him; no one can see him. He is dead, so it makes sense except for one woman. She keeps staring in his general direction. She introduces herself, her name is Mei, and she is a reaper. She has come to take Wallace onwards.
She takes him to a place, a shabby chic little tea house in the middle of the forest. A place that Wallace would never have visited in his life but is now staying at in his death. Mei introduces Wallace to Hugo, the ferryman. Hugo’s job is to help Wallace get used to the idea that he is dead before he steps through the final door. A door where Wallace hear’s whispers coming from underneath it.
The writing is lovely. Klune writes in a minimalistic style; he gets the ideas across in prose that is not overly embellished or wordy but still packs an emotional punch. “Because you’re you, and that’s who you’re supposed to be.” It is also hilarious, and there is one scene involving an ouija board that had me in tears.
Klune is so good, and his books keep having me come back for more because of the relationships he forges. There are many types of love in this life, or death as it were. There is familial love. The love of found family. The love of a dog. And the love between lovers. Klune explores them all. Because what can teach someone most about life more than love? Love spans the gamut from Blisteringly painful to joyous, and Wallace needs to learn to be a person.
Under the Whispering Door is a joyous book, a little slow at first, but things start to get rolling about midway, and I finished it all in one afternoon. It has passion, love, pain, and all the beautiful things life has to offer if you can recognize it and appreciate it. Thank you, TJ Klune, for another lovely book. I won’t be forgetting Wallace’s journey anytime soon.
First Chapter, First Paragraph – It by Stephen King
“Eddie discovered one of his childhood’s great truths. Grownups are the real monsters, he thought.”
― Stephen King, It
AboutWelcome to Derry, Maine …
It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real …
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.
First Chapter, First Paragraph“Come on back and we’ll see if you remember the simplest thing of all – how it is to be children, secure in belief and thus afraid of the dark.”
― Stephen King, It
“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years—if it ever did end— began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain. The boat bobbed, listed, righted itself again, dived bravely through treacherous whirlpools, and continued on its way down Witcham Street toward the traffic light which marked the intersection of Witcham and Jackson. The three vertical lenses on all sides of the traffic light were dark this afternoon in the fall of 1957, and the houses were all dark, too. There had been steady rain for a week now, and two days ago the winds had come as well. Most sections of Derry had lost their power then, and it was not back on yet. “
This is one of those books that I have never made it through. I have tried twice now and started having nightmares. This horror is potent stuff.
October 25, 2021
A Christmas Horror Story by Author Lennie Grace
This is the writing prompt that changed my life forever.
I’ve always loved writing and reading, especially fantasy, mysteries, horror, and historical fiction focused on Robin Hood. I’ve written a few things before, but nothing I felt confident enough to publish beyond giving stories as gifts to my family and close friends and posts to Wattpad that I always took down after a while.
I’m a very self-conscious person, and I always worry about what people will think of me. I blame middle school bullies. Kids going through puberty are the worst!
Besides sharing copies with my family and friends, and those few posts to Wattpad that quickly came back down, I was never confident to publish my works.
Then, I stumbled across a Wattpad writing contest featuring that simple prompt.
I was feeling really good at the time I found it. It was the holidays. I was surrounded by family. I had recently finished therapy sessions that taught me a lot about dealing with the anxiety of not being perfect and liked (leftovers from those middle school bullies). Also, that prompt simply sounded fun. On a whim, I said, “What the hell?! I’ll try!”
So, I started writing.
Two stories were born from that one, simple holiday-themed idea: Blood Moon and All That Glitters.
Blood Moon is the story of a woman who is attacked by a werewolf, and things get terrifying around Christmas. All that Glitters in the tale of a young woman who gets a haunted music box for Christmas and must deal with it before it drives her mad.
I submitted both stories. All that Glitters won! Besides Blood Moon, there was only one other entry, but I didn’t focus on that part. I was still thrilled. Something I had written had won a contest! Someone out there in internet land liked what I had written, and I’d had such fun creating those scary stories.
I wanted to write more. So I did. I wrote another short story. I started work on my first full-length horror novel. It was fun creating scary stuff. I realized I wanted more people to see my work. If one person had enjoyed those stories, maybe more would like them too.
I started editing as best I could. Then, I set up a Kindle Direct Publishing account and got to work. I created my covers, wrote the best blurbs I could, and I self-published my first book: Darkness and Bloodshed. A collection of my three first short scary stories.
I was so nervous, but I was determined to get it out there.
It’s not perfect. I did all the editing and designing. There are probably still a few typos and errors. It’s a self-published book. The cover is a simple design I made myself with Amazon’s cover creator. But it’s mine. I created something. And perfect or not, those stories are something I’m proud of.
It’s all thanks to one person’s prompts. Without that one simple idea to write scary Christmas stories, I would never have realized just how much I love writing horror. Without seeing that prompt, without that one person saying that they liked my stories, I might have never have dared to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a published author.
I dedicated my book to them. I’ve never met that Wattpad writer, but know I like them.
Blood Moon and All that Glitters are my firstborn literary twins. Even as I move on to new projects, new stories, new novels, these two will hold a special place in my heart. Even if I never make a lot of money writing and publishing, even if only a few people read and enjoy my work, I’ll be happy. It’s the greatest honor as a writer I can think of. Knowing something I wrote brought a little spooky fun into someone else’s life.
Check Out Our Other Reviews
Review – The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
About the Author – Lennie Grace
Lennie Grace writes horror short stories and novels and looks forward to sharing her love all things creepy and spooky with the world. She works two jobs now, but someday hopes to write full time.
Lennie loves to write fiction that focuses on dark and creepy things, but is extremely nice and non-creepy in real life.
She is a lover of books, reading, and writing. She enjoys reading a little bit of everything, but really likes horror, mysteries & thrillers, fantasy and manga. Along with reading and writing she also loves animals, coffee, pizza, and all things cute and cuddly.
She lives in Oklahoma in a home filled with books and family members, both human and furry.
here’s a link to her facebook page, if anyone wants to follow her! 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lennie-Grace
Links to Her Books: Amazon
October 23, 2021
SPFBO7 Review and Cut – Hooded by A.A. Woods
Hated.Hunted.Hooded. hooded by A. A. Woods 
hooded by A.A. WOODS Buy A Copy Here What is it about? Hated.
Hunted.
Hooded.
In a land of myths and monsters, 17-year-old Carlette is a slave. Her power of enhabitation, the ability to control animals, makes her useful to the island’s colonial rulers. Convinced she’s on the right side, she spends her life doing their bidding, awaiting the day she gets to leave it all behind and fulfill her purpose in their war across the sea.
But when an escaped spy forces her to leave the safety of the road, Carlette is plunged into the wilderness with a handsome enemy by her side, rebels at her back, and only her wits to guide her. Among the giant trees of the magical forest, Carlette will begin to realize her world is much more complicated than she’s been led to believe.
Will she learn to see through the lies she was raised on? Will she have the courage to choose heart over duty?
And will she do it fast enough to save everyone she loves?
For fans of Princess Mononoke and Six of Crows, this dark fantasy is Little Red Riding Hood as you’ve never seen it before.
Beth's ReviewHooded by A.A Woods is an exciting story with unique world-building, and my interest was piqued very early when reading it. From the blurb, “In a land of myths and monsters, 17-year-old Carlette is a slave. Her power of enhabitation, the ability to control animals, makes her useful to the island’s colonial rulers. Convinced she’s on the right side, she spends her life doing their bidding, awaiting the day she gets to leave it all behind and fulfill her purpose in their war across the sea.” Hooded employs a unique magic system, the ability to inhabit another creature.
Whether that creature is animal or human, hooded ones can enter their mind and meld with the beast. It can be beautiful, for instance, seeing and merging with the mind of a hound. Or deadly, making someone kill themselves or, worse, torture themselves. The ramifications of such power are tremendous. Which ultimately leads to hooded ones being feared by the general public, held under strict laws, and treated as a commodity and tool by the colonial rulers.
Firstly, I enjoyed the world-building very much. Right off the bat, we are introduced to a world of segregation and training. We are also shown various beasts throughout the story. The first chapter has a student of Carlette being attacked by a creature called a sionach. A flying fox-like creature with long claws and a membrane that stretches between arm and leg that allows it to glide from tree to tree.
Secondly, Carlette is a strong character. She is a teenager, and I think Woods describes Carlette’s motivations and attitude as not quite an adult but as one who has lived a difficult life. Carlette’s personality is believable, and she had empathy from me for her plight right away.
Why I chose this book to be cut? This was a tough choice for me and one I agonized a bit over. It came down to this and another book as my semi-finalist choice. Both are excellent books, and both are ones that I plan to finish and do full reviews of. However, Hooded’s pacing slowed a bit for me. Everything was engaging, but I was not propelled from chapter to chapter like I wanted to be. It was a small thing, but it was enough for me to have to cut it.
If you like original world-building with a solid central character, then this is the story for you.
Check Out SOME OF OUR OTHER REVIEWS
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Deathless One by Niranjan K.
#SPFBO Review and Cut – The Hand of Fire by Roland O’Leary
If You Liked This - Please Share the Love Beth Tabler Elizabeth Tabler runs Beforewegoblog and is constantly immersed in fantasy stories. She was at one time an architect but divides her time now between her family in Portland, Oregon, and as many book worlds as she can get her hands on. She is also a huge fan of Self Published fantasy and is on Team Qwillery as a judge for SPFBO5. You will find her with a coffee in one hand and her iPad in the other. Find her on: Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
October 22, 2021
Review – The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
check it out here BOOK REVIEW
the last graduate by NAOMI NOVIK October 22, 2021 10:00 am No Comments Facebook Twitter WordPress “They were already vulnerable, so when they looked at me they were rabbits looking at a wolf - a half-starved wolf who sometimes snapped even at the hand that fed her because it also kept her on a leash.?”As someone who grew up with a massive love for Harry Potter but is now turned off by the saccharin sweetness of that series, The Last Graduate, book 2 of The Scholomance series is a perfect reminder that it is much more fun to play in the dark, snarky side of things.
The first book, A Deadly Education, introduces us to Galadriel (I do not know of a more perfect name for a character), a young student starting her junior year at a wizarding academy called Scholomance. The survival rate for Scholomance is around 50%. You do not fail out; you are blown to bits, eaten, have your skin flayed off in strips, have your soul sucked out, or suffer psychological damage. To graduate, you must run the gauntlet through an obstacle course of creatures from hell all bent on devouring your mind, body, and soul.
“the same kind of calm as going through a crying jag and coming out the other side, where you know nothing’s changed and it’s all still horrible but you can’t cry forever, so there’s nothing to do but go on.”
There are no fundamental protections, except for those you make yourself. The food is terrible and often poisonous and full of larva, the surroundings are terrifying, plus you still have to deal with teenage drama and hormones. Thankfully most of which is tamped down in favor of not becoming something’s dinner. Plus, the children do not leave Scholomance for four years and have limited resources; it is full of political intrigues and a course load that would break the best minds. It is a type of violence that hits you on all sides.
The Scholomance series is not a dark veneer painted over an otherwise sweet and endearing coming-of-age story. No, this is just dark, bloody, and cruel. The good don’t win at Scholomance, mater a fact who gives a damn about good and evil. Just live in any way you can. Beg Barter and steel, and maybe you will see sunlight again. But then, maybe not.
“They were already vulnerable, so when they looked at me they were rabbits looking at a wolf – a half-starved wolf who sometimes snapped even at the hand that fed her because it also kept her on a leash.”
In the first book we are introduced to Galadriel, who has the bonus of being extremely unlikeable, naturally. She is much like her namesake, immensely powerful, and naturally stands on a precipice between good and evil. Her power and nature pull her towards the dark; she could flatten entire cities and become a dark queen, and all would despair before her.
“And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
But Galadriel, or El as she likes to be called, doesn’t want that and never has. This dark pulling is balanced against the lessons from her mother, who is the antithesis of a dark queen, a healer who freely gives her healing for free to all. Much of the book is El waring with the desires of Scholomance to turn El into the dark queen of destruction that she has inside.
The worldbuilding of The Scholomance is mainly flashbacks of moments out in the real world and the terrifying and otherworldly creation of the school itself. It lives outside of reality in a void between worlds. The entire school is vicious, but the whole point is to protect students from demons that want to consume their inner mana. It does a mediocre job, so wizards must accept that half of their children will not make it out of puberty into adulthood without being eaten.
All of this floundering under a Damocles is what any of the students can hope for until El has an idea… “El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules…”
This series has a lot of danger and a lot of heart. But unlike the first book, where we are introduced to El and the rules of Scholomance, here we are familiar with how everything works. It is exciting how we slowly see El take apart everything; who needs rules? And come into her power, both physical and of personality. She starts to believe that she can change everything.
I plowed through this book. Every chapter kept me flowing through the pages. Novik has done a lot of stellar series, and she knows how to keep her readers hooked in. I won’t tell you what happens to El and her found family. Especially Orion, who we meet in the first novel, swings wildly in the other direction for power. That would ruin everything, but wow, is it exciting. And that ending…
I am giving this my highest rating. It is mind-blowing and fantastic. It ended, and I went clamoring for more. Thank god there is another book planned. If you are a fan of dark fantasy, then you will dig it.
Check Out some of our other reviewsOctober 21, 2021
Review – A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
check it out here BOOK REVIEW
A DEADLY EDUCATION by NAOMI NOVIK October 21, 2021 10:00 am No Comments Facebook Twitter WordPressA Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, lesson one: block off a large block of time when starting this series because you will not want to put it down. Damn, getting sleep and bathing. Hell, even food is optional. This book is so excellent it will grasp you around the neck and hold you tight.
First off, let me set the scene. The first book of the trilogy, A Deadly Education, introduces us to our protagonist Galadriel and the school called Scholomance. Galadriel’s character reminds me of if I took Harry Potter and made the exact opposite of him in every way.
If I constantly put him in dangerous situations, and Hogwarts was continually trying to feed him to fluffy the three-headed dog, it would be Galadriel. The only similarity between them is at both of their cores; they have good hearts. But in Galadriel’s case, her heart is slightly darker and has terrifying magic and great snark armor.
Scholomance is the wizarding school that Galadriel goes to. The survival rate for Scholomance is around 50%. You do not fail out; you are blown to bits, eaten, have your skin flayed off in strips, or suffer irreparable psychological damage. To graduate, you must run the gauntlet through an obstacle course of creatures from hell all bent on devouring your mind, body, and soul. Surviving Scholomance is just as much about luck and social station as it is a skill.
“I love having existential crises at bedtime, it’s so restful.”
Imagine being a kid; maybe you are a bit shy or gawky. Perhaps you come from humble beginnings. Now imagine that your ability to survive Scholomance is almost certainly on your family’s wealth or your power to be a suck-up. If you aren’t good enough at it, you will probably get eaten by the demons that roam the sacred halls. In Galadriel’s case, everyone hates her or is unnerved by her. They know something is off, dark queen vibes. What they don’t know is that Galadriel has an immense amount of power. The kind that flattens cities and makes people slaves. Except that all she wants to be is left alone and not hurt anyone. How does she survive her junior year without hurting anyone and not being eaten alive by the evils that roam the halls?
It has been a long time since I read something as engaging as this story. I adored El, her snark, and her heart. She wants people to leave her alone, and short of yelling at them to “get off my lawn,” people won’t leave her be. And things keep getting more complicated. There is a boy who is a confusion to her. People start gravitating towards her and maybe want to be friends. What is this friend nonsense?
Novik did an excellent job in crafting the characters and the school. You want to know them; there is enough teenageness to believe they are young adults grappling with hormones and who they are. But enough realism that they understand that the school and the demon-like creatures will eat them.
Pick up this book and get sucked in.
Check Out some of our other reviewsReview – The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
Beth Tabler Elizabeth Tabler runs Beforewegoblog and is constantly immersed in fantasy stories. She was at one time an architect but divides her time now between her family in Portland, Oregon, and as many book worlds as she can get her hands on. She is also a huge fan of Self Published fantasy and is on Team Qwillery as a judge for SPFBO5. You will find her with a coffee in one hand and her iPad in the other. Find her on: Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
