Katherine Nabity's Blog, page 154

Review ~ Blackwater Lake

Blackwater Lake by Maggie James

Matthew Stanyer fears the worst when he reports his parents missing. His father, Joseph Stanyer, has been struggling to cope with his wife Evie, whose dementia is rapidly worsening. When their bodies are found close to Blackwater Lake, a local beauty spot, the inquest rules the deaths as a murder-suicide. A conclusion that’s supported by the note Joseph leaves for his son.

Grief-stricken, Matthew begins to clear his parents’ house of decades of compulsive hoarding, only to discover the dark enigmas hidden within its walls. Ones that lead Matthew to ask: why did his father choose Blackwater Lake to end his life? What other secrets do its waters conceal? (via Goodreads)

Why was I interested in this book?

Picked it up free from Amazon in November 2015; wanted to read more self-pubbed authors especially in the horror and thriller genre. Read it now because I wanted something short for Bout of Book that would be a contrast to Moby-Dick.

What Worked

Good pacing and short chapters kept the story moving along.

What Didn’t Work

I don’t read many thrillers, so maybe what didn’t work for me is a function of the genre rather than a deficit on the writer’s part. In a mystery, I feel like there should be a balance between the gathering of clues (the reveal of information) and the characters working to construct a narrative from those clues. In Blackwater Lake, Matthew’s only job is to uncover the clues in his mother’s hoard of stuff. The clues are presented in rather neat narrative order. Instead of a puzzle to be solved, this story is more like train tracks being revealed on a sunny day after a light snow. Is the reveal of information more important in thrillers than the puzzle is in mysteries?

Pet Peeve Alert: There was also the use of “(for really no good reason) I can’t go to the police,” which was only used as a later stumbling block.

Publishing info, my copy: Kindle, Orelia Publishing, September 27, 2015

Acquired: November 17, 2015, Amazon

Genre: suspense

[image error]More #COYER Reviews

Generator Points Earned: .5 (only a novella)

Generator Points Total: 3

Magic Monday ~ If You Were a Magician, What Would You Read?

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I like Mondays. I also like magic. I figured I’d combine the two and make a Monday feature that is truly me: a little bit of magic and a look at the week ahead.

Via One Grand’s Desert Island Book series, magician David Copperfield shares ten of his favorite books. Included: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Carrie by Stephen King, Making Movies by Sidney Lumet and How to Be a Ventriloquist by Paul Winchell.

  

Check out the whole list at The New York Times or One Grand. (source, @SAMMAGICIANS)

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?
  

This week I’m reading Writing on the Wall: Social Media – The First 2,000 Years by Tom Standage, maybe In Calabria by Peter S. Beagle if I need some fiction, and I’ll be pacing my way through Moby-Dick all month long. I’m also reading from my Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy subscription. My Deal Me In story for the week is “The House of Aunts” by Zen Cho.

[image error] It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Date!

What Else 2017, Week 1

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Good Stuff

Most of the time what’s trending on Facebook wouldn’t be considered by me to be Good Stuff. Usually, it’s some politician doing something dumb or the social goings-on of celebrities I’m not familiar with. But occasionally, Facebook’s trending sidebar gives me something like this: Tom Hardy reading a bedtime story with the best side character ever—a monocled, piano-playing badger named Jeff.

You’re welcome.

Writing Stuff

Did rather poorly with my writing goal. Maybe frequent rewrite passes aren’t a good idea…

Blogging Stuff

On the heels of a busy holiday season, I probably should have skipped this session of Bout of Books. I haven’t been the most social blogger ever. But I did get some reading done. I also set up my 2017 spreadsheets and am trying out some new post templates.

Bout of Books Post
Review ~ The Long Way Down
Deal Me In, Week 1 ~ “Haunted”

Fitness Stuff

Played ultimate Wednesday and Friday. Convinced Eric to go run sprints with me on Thursday. While I’ve been moving pretty well during games, the sprints were painful. As they should be.

Other Life Stuff

Other than reading, I’ve been reveling in Nebraska basketball’s 3-0 start to conference play. Maybe I’ll get my Christmas tree down while listening to the game today.

Deal Me In, Week 1 ~ “Haunted”

[image error] (Deal Me In logo above created by Mannomoi at Dilettante Artiste)

Hosted by Jay @ Bibliophilopolis

What’s Deal Me In?

“Haunted” by Joyce Carol Oates

Card picked: Queen of Spades

From: The Architecture of Fear, edited by Kathryn Cramer and Peter D. Pautz

The Story

Haunted houses, forbidden houses. The old Medlock farm. The Erlich farm. The Minton farm on Elk Creek. No Trespassing the signs said, but we trespassed at will.

This is a rare case of a Deal Me In reread for me. I own Joyce Carol Oates’ anthology Haunted: Tales of the Grotesque, which is named for this story. I started reading it in 2010, but I’m not sure I finished it. 2010 seems long, long ago. At that time, I wasn’t ready for Oates’ manner of telling stories. Rarely are they directly told and almost always there is a feeling of corruption and decay.

In “Haunted,” Melissa, now an old woman, tells of the sins of her youth and of her best frenemy, Mary Lou. One of the girl’s favorite activities was visiting the abandoned farms in their area. All had sad stories of deaths and bankruptcy behind them, but none quite as intriguing as the Minton farm. There, Mr. Minton beat his wife to death before committing suicide.

Adolescence intrudes on the girls’ relationship—beautiful Mary Lou suddenly has an interest in dangerous boys—and Melissa visits the Minton farm alone. There she has an encounter with something that might be the ghost of Mrs. Minton. The spirit demands that Melissa send Mary Lou to visit. Mary Lou goes missing, her body eventually found in Elk Creek. As is usual in a Joyce Carol Oates story, what happened is open to interpretation. The world is a dangerous place, especially for girls.

The Author

I’m starting the year off with a Deal Me In repeat offender. Last year, I read through Oates’ Wild Nights! for Deal Me In, as well as reviewing one of her latest anthologies, The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror as an ARC. I think there’s been a story of hers in nearly every genre anthology I’ve read for this challenge. In fact, her “The Man Who Fought Roland LaStarza” was my Week 1 story in 2015. Oates is very prolific and the winner of many awards both literary and genre.

♣ ♣ ♣

Much of “Haunted” takes place in deserted farmhouses, full of objects left behind or discarded. Maybe such object as these:

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These are printing blocks for gaffed cards, currently up for auction at Ebay. There are quite a few more images of this lot including a close up of the 3½ of Spades. (source: iTricks)

Review ~ The Long Way Down

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer

Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients’ problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control.

Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn’t entirely human. Then there’s Caitlin: brilliant, beautiful, and the lethal right hand of a demon prince.

A man named Faust should know what happens when you rub shoulders with demons. Still Daniel can’t resist being drawn to Caitlin’s flame as they race to unlock the secret of the Etruscan Box, a relic that people all over town are dying — and killing — to get their hands on. As the bodies drop and the double-crosses pile up, Daniel will need every shred of his wits, courage and sheer ruthlessness just to survive.

Daniel Faust knew he was standing with one foot over the brink of hell. He’s about to find out just how far he can fall. (via Goodreads)

Why was I interested in this book?

Urban fantasy in Las Vegas. Luck for Hire and its I-swear-I’ll-finish-it-one-day sequel In Need of Luck are set in Vegas and I’m interested in how other authors treat the setting. Daniel Faust also has a tinge of magician to him, using playing cards as his sorcerous focus and knowing some sleight of hand.

What Worked

I liked Schaefer’s Las Vegas. Early in the novel Faust investigates where the young woman’s body was found: in the flood channels under Las Vegas. These tunnels really exist and are haven for a number of otherwise homeless people. The glitzy Vegas is there too, though some of the casino names have been changed.

The story also really moves. Faust is an unlicensed PI and the story start with a pretty standard plea for help from a client. It then dives right into the investigation and keeps a good pace throughout. It was a fast read despite some set backs.

What Didn’t Work

My first worry was that the magic system for this world wasn’t completely worked out. It’s a tricky thing to lay down the rules while avoiding info dumps, but I was never comfortable that sorcery wasn’t being created on the fly as needed.

Regardless, I was with with book until about the 60% mark. Then, unneeded plot difficulties popped up. And a super cliché romance kicked into high gear. And by the ultimate show-down Daniel Faust seemed to forget about his magic cards. Overall, there wasn’t quite enough of Faust using his magic in his way. There is a bit at the end that is reliant on Faust using a palming techniques and it would have been nice to see that skill in used previous to that moment.

Publishing info, my copy: Kindle, Demimonde Books, April 25th 2014

Acquired: January 20, 2016, Amazon

Genre: urban fantasy

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More #COYER Reviews

Generator Points Earned: 1

Generator Points Total: 2.5

#COYER Review ~ The Long Way Down

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer

Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients’ problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control.

Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn’t entirely human. Then there’s Caitlin: brilliant, beautiful, and the lethal right hand of a demon prince.

A man named Faust should know what happens when you rub shoulders with demons. Still Daniel can’t resist being drawn to Caitlin’s flame as they race to unlock the secret of the Etruscan Box, a relic that people all over town are dying — and killing — to get their hands on. As the bodies drop and the double-crosses pile up, Daniel will need every shred of his wits, courage and sheer ruthlessness just to survive.

Daniel Faust knew he was standing with one foot over the brink of hell. He’s about to find out just how far he can fall. (via Goodreads)

Why was I interested in this book?

Urban fantasy in Las Vegas. Luck for Hire and its I-swear-I’ll-finish-it-one-day sequel In Need of Luck are set in Vegas and I’m interested in how other authors treat the setting. Daniel Faust also has a tinge of magician to him, using playing cards as his sorcerous focus and knowing some sleight of hand.

What Worked

I liked Schaefer’s Las Vegas. Early in the novel Faust investigates where the young woman’s body was found: in the flood channels under Las Vegas. These tunnels really exist and are haven for a number of otherwise homeless people. The glitzy Vegas is there too, though some of the casino names have been changed.

The story also really moves. Faust is an unlicensed PI and the story start with a pretty standard plea for help from a client. It then dives right into the investigation and keeps a good pace throughout. It was a fast read despite some set backs.

What Didn’t Work

My first worry was that the magic system for this world wasn’t completely worked out. It’s a tricky thing to lay down the rules while avoiding info dumps, but I was never comfortable that sorcery wasn’t being created on the fly as needed.

Regardless, I was with with book until about the 60% mark. Then, unneeded plot difficulties popped up. And a super cliché romance kicked into high gear. And by the ultimate show-down Daniel Faust seemed to forget about his magic cards. Overall, there wasn’t quite enough of Faust using his magic in his way. There is a bit at the end that is reliant on Faust using a palming techniques and it would have been nice to see that skill in used previous to that moment.

Publishing info, my copy: Kindle, Demimonde Books, April 25th 2014

Acquired: January 20, 2016, Amazon

Genre: urban fantasy

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More #COYER Reviews

Generator Points Earned: 1

Generator Points Total: 2.5

Bout of Books 18 ~ January 2017

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

After the last couple months, you’re darn right: I’m coming down with a Bout of Books. I’m going to try for 450 pages of reading, but if I don’t make it, there’s no failing BoB, right? What am I reading?

  

Finish The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer – I have about half left.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville – Reading this through the Pigeonhole, so only a guppy-sized portion every day.
Writing on the Wall: Social Media – The First 2,000 Years by Tom Standage

Monday

Progress:

Challenges:

What Else ~ The Last of 2016 and Looking Forward to 2017

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Good Stuff

Being on social media in the last six months has been rough for me, but lately, the best thing by far has been seeing posts by friends and acquaintances about their good stuff. Kids opening presents, ski vacations, Santarchy hi-jinks, best books read during the year; all of it, good stuff. Am I seeing only a brightly filtered version of their lives? Of course! But for right now, that’s okay. I like seeing my friends happy.

Looking Forward: Enjoy more good stuff, little or big.

Writing Stuff

I ended December with a pretty good writing week, at least according to the goal of 3150 words that I posted long ago.

The #1LineWed theme was “finish”:

The wunder mouse had been a commission, but after creating the little spy, Kelvaro had lied about finishing the project. #1LineWed

— Katherine Nabity (@Katen) December 28, 2016

Looking Forward: I want to finish my first draft of Wicked Witch, Retired by the end of the first quarter. I need to consistently put in work. I like my Write 525/750 words a day plan and am going to continue with it. I’m probably going to need Eric to read what I have in the near future.

We also plan on releasing the rest of the books in Eric’s PHYSIC series. My job will be to give each book a good reading pass (at least one) and later format, publish, and promo.

Blogging Stuff

Lots of posts in the last couple weeks:

Mini Reviews ~ The Faerie Key by Denise D. Young & “Diet of Worms” by Valerie Valdes
Review ~ The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher
Review ~ Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans by Melissa Daggett
Deal Me In, Week 51 ~ “The Dying Night” by Isaac Asimov
Deal Me In, Week 52 ~ “Mad House” by Richard Matheson
Favorite Short Stories of 2016
Book Stats & Favorite Books of 2016
What I Did in 2016

Looking Forward: More of the same!

Fitness Stuff

If eating cookies counted as exercise, I would have had the most successful two weeks of the year. In two weeks, I played three of games of ultimate and did a 3-ish mile jog.

Looking Forward: With the holidays over, our lunchtime ultimate game should get back to normal. B League starts in a couple weeks and New Year Fest is at the end of the month. In the meantime, maybe Eric and I will get back to running sprints or maybe I’ll just run a bit on my own.

Class Stuff

Looking Forward: Immediate future, finish my Macroeconomics reading and the associated on-line class. Starting next week in an edX class called Science & Cooking, which sounds fun to me despite it being two things I’m not very good at: chemistry and cooking.

Other Life Stuff

I had a very nice Christmas at my parents. My mom made roladin and spaetzle, which I hadn’t had in a very long time.

We went to my parents' for Christmas. There was snow. I didn't take pictures of it. But here's the Courthouse Square in Prescott.

Deal Me In, Week 52 ~ “Mad House”

Hosted by Jay @ Bibliophilopolis

What is Deal Me In?

“Mad House” by Richard Matheson

Card picked: Ten of Diamonds

From: I Am Legend, and other stories

Thoughts:

Oh, Richard Matheson. You are the king of writing a whole story to support one line…

Chris Neal is an angry man. He’s a writer who has no time to write (despite a good four hours in the morning). His wife spends all his money (although she’s leaving him due to his anger issues). He is college English teacher, who will never be given tenure because the administration doesn’t like him (because he’s capricious toward his students). Most days, it feels to Chris that his every house is out to get him. In fact, on some days, it seems like Chris’s very house and belongings are out to get him. Rugs trip him. His shaving razor cut him. His typewriter maliciously sticks and pinches his fingers. A scientist at the university doesn’t think that this is such a crazy idea. He believes that Chris’s anger has infected everything around him.

Chris Neal is one of the more loathsome characters that I’ve met in a while. Thirty-four pages was much too long a time to spent with him. He deserves the end he gets:

Died of self-inflicted wounds.

And there we are, the finish of my second Deal Me In! Ending with a story about a failed 40-something writer is a little uncomfortable, but that’s 2016 for you. Time to go pick my first card for 2017!

Review ~ Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans

This book was provided to me by University Press of Mississippi via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans: The Life and Times of Henry Louis Rey by Melissa Daggett

Modern American Spiritualism blossomed in the 1850s and continued as a viable faith into the 1870s. Because of its diversity and openness to new cultures and religions, New Orleans provided fertile ground to nurture Spiritualism, and many seance circles flourished in the Creole Faubourgs of Treme and Marigny as well as the American sector of the city. Melissa Daggett focuses on Le Cercle Harmonique, the francophone seance circle of Henry Louis Rey (1831 1894), a Creole of color who was a key civil rights activist, author, and Civil War and Reconstruction leader. His life has so far remained largely in the shadows of New Orleans history, partly due to a language barrier.

Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans focuses on the turbulent years between the late antebellum period and the end of Reconstruction. Translating and interpreting numerous primary sources and one of the only surviving registers of seance proceedings, Daggett has opened a window into a fascinating life as well as a period of tumult and change. She provides unparalleled insights into the history of the Creoles of color and renders a better understanding of New Orleans s complex history. (via Goodreads)

I was attracted to Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans because I hadn’t considered that there might be regional differences in how Spiritualism was approached. I had thought of the rise and popularity of Spiritualism in this era as a mostly homogeneous experience, with at most rural/urban differences. Of course, I was wrong.

At its beginnings, Spiritualism was regarded with suspicion in the Confederate South. It was seen as just another Yankee “-ism,” along with abolitionism and feminism. Spiritualism did notably take hold in the Creole community, especially among free men of color.  Beautifully, from a research point of view, these séance circles kept detailed logs of their sittings. Though written in French, the logs of Henry Louis Rey survived to present day and offer a wonderful primary source. The spirit guides were often important personages  to the community, lost during the war, and their hopeful messages often reinforced the political issues of the day.

Melissa Daggett grounds her look at Spiritualism in the life of Rey and the history of New Orleans. That is this book’s strength, but also its weakness. Occasionally, I felt bogged down in the general history of the era. Additionally, while based on an incredible primary source, no translations of the log were extensively quoted. That seems to me to be a missed opportunity.

Publishing info, my copy: PDF, University Press of Mississippi, Jan. 3, 2017

Acquired: NetGalley

Genre: nonfiction

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More #COYER Reviews

Generator Points Earned: .5 (I started this book a little early.)

Generator Points Total: 1.5