Phil Giunta's Blog, page 33
April 23, 2019
Book Signing at the Beach!
I have two stories in this marvelous anthology so I plan to be there. It’s been too long since I last saw the ocean and walked on the beach, both of which I hope to do before the book signing.
From giant creatures to ghostly specters and from heroic superheroes to hard-boiled detectives, our beach towns are in for a shock. A collection of nineteen stories in the style of the old Amazing Stories pulp magazines set in Rehoboth, Bethany, Cape May, Lewes, Ocean City, and other beach towns that covers a range of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and noir. There is even a graphic short story, told in twenty-four panels.
A Day at the Beach With the Gramthrottle Max Family by Weldon Burge
A Million Tiny Bites by D.M. Domosea
Call Again by Dennis Lawson
Hook, Line, and Sink Him by Maria Masington
I Fell for an Ice-Skating Alien by David Strauss
Missing in Rehoboth by James Gallahan
Moonwalker by David Cooper
Mystery of the Missing Girl Sleuth by Barbara Norton
Night Flyer by Chris Jacobsen
Operation Steamed by David Strauss
Rehoboth Beach in Crisis by Carl Frey
Sam Shade, Private Eye by Jackson Coppley
Smash Bronson by Steve Myers
Summer of the Gods by Jacob Jones Goldstein
Tapestry by Phil Giunta
The Celestials by Phil Giunta
The Dark Ride by Linda Chambers
The House that Wouldn’t be Sold by Nancy Sherman
When Worlds Collide by Patrick Conlon
Published by Cat & Mouse Press.
April 14, 2019
Book Review: The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
In the far future, humanity has long since colonized many worlds beyond our solar system with the help of positronic robots. During those years, an expanding philosophical and cultural schism has formed between the people of Earth and the “Spacers.” Colonists regard Earth—with its enclosed and overcrowded Cities, agoraphobic citizens, and abhorrence of robots—as a backward planet rife with filth, ignorance, and disease.
Just outside of New York City, Spacetown keeps its borders closed to citizens of Earth except by appointment and even then, visitors are required to shower and submit to a medical exam before being permitted to enter. After the murder of a prominent “Spacer” roboticist, Doctor Sarton, Spacetown authorities engage NYC police to investigate.
Enter plainclothesman Elijah “Lije” Bailey, assigned to the case by his agitated supervisor, Police Commissioner Julius Enderby, who seems more concerned about maintaining an amicable relationship with the Spacers than about solving the murder. More, Spacetown authorities insisted on assigning one of their own detectives to the investigation, Daneel Olivaw—a robot indistinguishable from a human, configured with a special “justice” circuit.
To make matters worse, members a subversive group called the Medievalists—whose goal is to see Earth return to a time reminiscent of the 20th century—somehow discover Olivaw’s true nature and begin conspiring against the two detectives, hampering their investigation.
Bailey is well aware that if the citizens of New York learn that an advanced humanoid robot walks among them, their paranoia and outrage could easily spark a destructive riot…
The Caves of Steel, referring to Earth’s enclosed cities, is the first in a trilogy of SF detective novels starring Elijah “Lije” Bailey and his android partner R. Daneel Olivaw (all robots in this trilogy are designated by the first initial of “R”). While the murder of Doctor Sarton is the catalyst that brings these two characters together, their investigation soon becomes secondary in favor of developing their partnership and to Olivaw’s full range of capabilities as a robot but lack of human cultural experience, as well as Bailey’s relationship with his wife, Jessie, and to a lesser extent, his son, Bentley.
Yet, Asimov adroitly ties all of these elements together for a neatly packaged and satisfying ending. There is little doubt as to why The Caves of Steel, and its two sequels (The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn) are counted among Asimov’s best works of science fiction. Asimov pays more attention to character development here than in many of his other novels, save perhaps for the Foundation series, in which Olivaw is also a fairly prominent character.
April 7, 2019
About This Writing Stuff…
Over at Career Authors, Hank Phillippi Ryan discusses cause and effect while Deanna Raybourn navigates the daunting ocean of social media. While we’re on the topic of the web, Anne R. Allen offers tips on crafting strong blog content. Need help writing an effective fight scene? Oren Ashkenazi has detailed advice for you.
All that and a little more… Enjoy!
How to Find Inspiration—Fiction Therapy by Jim Dempsey
When to Let Go of Your Original Inspiration by Kathryn Craft
How Do We Set Goals When Trying Something New? by Jami Gold
On the Joys of Indie Publishing by James Scott Bell
Scene Construction by John Gilstrap
Six Common Mistakes in Fight Scenes and How to Avoid Them by Oren Ashkenazi
First Things First: Does Your Manuscript Defy Physics? by Hank Phillippi Ryan
7 Tips for Social Media Savvy by Deanna Raybourn
How to Write for a Blog: 10 Tips for Writing Strong Web Content by Anne R. Allen
Editing for Authors: 7 Ways to Tighten the Story and Cut Costs by Kristen Lamb
‘Star Trek’/Dr. Seuss Mashup Deemed Copyright Fair Use by Judge by Eriq Gardner
Los Angeles Times Wants Rights to Books Written by Staff by The Authors Guild
April 1, 2019
No Foolin’, Folks… it’s Battle of the Books!
One week from today, I will be a participant in BATTLE OF THE BOOKS at the Whitehall Library in Whitehall, PA. Monday, April 8, 2019 at 6:30PM.
Organized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, Battle of the Books is a friendly competition among three authors who read excerpts from their novels in such categories as Opening Lines, Setting a Scene, Compelling Dialogue, Action, Closing Lines, and Random Page (selected by the audience).
This will mark my third Battle of the Books as a competitor and my first time reading selections from my latest paranormal mystery novel, Like Mother, Like Daughters.
After each category, members of the audience vote for their favorite reading.
March 29, 2019
Book Review: Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
Co-founder of String Field Theory, Doctor Michio Kaku discusses the scientific plausibility of a wide range of popular science fiction devices, abilities, and technologies in his book, Physics of the Impossible.
The topics covered in this engaging analysis include force fields, invisibility cloaks, phasers, laser beams, lightsabers, teleportation, telepathy, time travel, robots, psychokinesis, UFOs, alien races, faster than light travel, and more. Doctor Kaku references many popular SF TV shows and films including Star Trek, Star Wars, Flash Gordon, Back to the Future, Doctor Who, The Fly, Independence Day, E.T., and others.
I was delighted to note that Doctor Kaku also draws from a rich array of SF novels and short stories such as The Man Without a Body by Edward Page Mitchell, The Disintegration Machine by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Slan by A.E. van Vogt, Larry Niven’s Ringworld series, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and the works of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein.
Backed by practical and theoretical physics, chemistry, biology, and a rich history of scientific discoveries, Doctor Kaku offers detailed explanations as to which fictional technologies and abilities might be possible in the future and which are simply impractical—at least based on our current understanding of science.
Physics of the Impossible is by far one of the most enthralling and illuminating scientific discourses I’ve read to date. I equate Doctor Kaku with Doctors Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson for his considerable talents as a science communicator.
March 25, 2019
Book Review: Isaac Asimov’s Pebble in the Sky
An accident at the Institute for Nuclear Research in Chicago releases a stray beam of radiation across the city, striking an innocent pedestrian by the name of Joseph Schwartz. No sooner does Schwartz step over a discarded rag doll on a busy street than he finds himself wandering for miles through dense woods.
Schwartz eventually stumbles onto a highway that leads him to a remote farmhouse where he seeks help, yet the residents do not understand a word of his frantic pleas. Despite their trepidation that he might be an “outsider,” they take him in for the night.
The next day, one of the farmers escorts a frightened and despondent Schwartz into the city of Chica where he is experimented upon using a device called the Synapsifier, which allegedly accelerates the human brain’s ability to learn. The machine is the invention of seasoned neurosurgeon, Doctor Affret Shekt who is assisted in his work by his daughter, Pola.
Schwartz quickly escapes from the hospital and slowly begins to develop the ability to read minds. Along the way, he becomes a fluent speaker of the native language and realizes that, somehow, he was hurled far into Earth’s future on that disorienting day in Chicago—a future in which the planet is a second-class member of a Galactic Empire!
It isn’t long before Schwartz finds himself embroiled with the Shekts and a brash archaeologist named Bel Arvardan from Sirius who visits Earth in an attempt to prove his theory that the planet is the origin of the human race. Together, the four uncover a conspiracy to destroy all life on the other planets in the Empire—but can they convince the authorities before it’s too late?
Pebble in the Sky is an engaging read, but it struck me that the protagonist, which one presumes to be Schwartz, becomes lost for several chapters as the other characters, especially Bel Arvardan and Pola Shekt, take prominence. It isn’t until his psychic ability fully manifests that Schwartz once again becomes crucial to the plot.
Further, the main villain in the conspiracy against the other planets is not revealed until the final quarter of the story. Before this, the character appears only briefly. Despite these observations, Pebble in the Sky is notable for its tangential place in the Galactic Empire of Asimov’s Foundation series.
March 24, 2019
Call Me the Tin Man…
Anniversaries have been on my mind over the past few years. Last year, we wife and I celebrated our fifth anniversary of wedded bliss. Conversely, 2018 also marked my 25th year as an IT support tech, a career that I hope to change as soon as humanly possible before it destroys my health.
Traditionally, anniversaries are symbolized by a specific, unique material. Appropriately, these materials increase in strength, resilience, or value with each passing year. For example, first anniversaries are associated with paper, fifth with wood, 25th with silver, 50th with gold, and so on.
Tenth anniversaries are marked by aluminum or tin. That being the case, you can call me the Tin Man in 2019, although I’d like to think that I have a heart.
As I reach my first decade as a published author, I am immensely grateful to the critique partners, mentors, editors, publishers, and fellow writers who helped me along the way. While writing is a solitary endeavor, publishing is a team effort.
Deepest thanks to Steven H. Wilson, Howard Weinstein, Aaron Rosenberg, Robert Greenberger, Paul Kupperberg, Nancy Sakaduski, Weldon Burge, Joanne M. Reinbold, Susanna Reilly, Stuart S. Roth, and all of my fellow members of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group.
Below is an image of every book I have written or contributed to over the past ten years. I never dreamed my writing would take me this far. With three novels and nearly two dozen short stories out in the wild, I hope to continue crafting powerful fiction that changes lives and inspires readers as well as young writers.
March 23, 2019
Rewriting the Past
I’m pleased to finally reveal that my story, “Memory Lane Ain’t What it Used to Be,” is featured in Rewriting the Past, the fourth anthology published by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group (GLVWG). The book contains essays, poems, and short stories written by the group’s members.
Rewriting the Past launched this weekend at the Write Stuff writers conference in Bethlehem, PA and is already available on Amazon!
March 4, 2019
Beach Pulp is Here!
Beach Pulp Front Cover Art by Joe PalumboI’m thrilled to have two short stories in Beach Pulp, an anthology of retro genre fiction from Cat & Mouse Press. The book launch will be held on Saturday, April 6 from 4:30PM-7PM at the Newark Arts Alliance in Newark, Delaware.
My stories include “Tapestry,” a science fiction tale, and “The Celestials,” a supernatural fantasy. It’s an honor to be included among this august gathering of storytellers:
A Day at the Beach With the Gramthrottle Max Family by Weldon Burge
A Million Tiny Bites by Dora Sears
Call Again by Dennis Lawson
Hook, Line, and Sink Him by Maria Masington
I Fell for an Ice Skating Alien by David Strauss
Missing in Rehoboth by James Gallahan
Moonwalker by David Cooper
Mystery of the Missing Girl Sleuth by Barbara Norton
Night Flyer by Chris Jacobsen
Operation Steamed by David Strauss
Rehoboth Beach in Crisis by Carl Frey
Sam Shade, Private Eye by Jackson Coppley
Smash Bronson by Steve Myers
Summer of the Gods by Jacob Jones Goldstein
Tapestry by Phil Giunta
The Celestials by Phil Giunta
The Dark Ride by Linda Chambers
The House that Wouldn’t be Sold by Nancy Sherman
When Worlds Collide by Patrick Conlon
Special thanks to publisher and editor Nancy Day Sakaduski for this terrific opportunity!
March 2, 2019
Book Review: The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov
After narrowly escaping a radiation bomb planted in his dorm room on Earth, Biron Farrill is confronted with news of his father’s arrest and possible execution by the Tyranni, alien conquerors of the Nebular Kingdoms. Farrell’s father, the famous and respected Rancher of Widemos, was believed to be involved in plotting an insurrection against the Tyranni.
According to Farrill’s enigmatic acquaintance, Sander Jonti, the arrest of Farrill’s father was arranged by Hinrik V, Director of Rhodia and obsequious servant to the Tyranni. Jonti convinces Farrill to leave Earth and travel to Rhodia to seek an audience with Hinrik. He even provides Farrill with a letter of introduction, having previously worked for the Director.
Although traveling incognito, Biron is arrested and questioned aboard ship by the Tyranni Commissioner, Simok Aratap. From the commissioner, Farrill learns that his father has been executed for treason, yet he maintains his assumed identity of Biron Malaine and feigns ignorance about the Rancher of Widemos. Aratap releases Farrill but keeps him under surveillance.
On Rhodia, Hinrik orders Farrill imprisoned and contacts Aratap. Farrill quickly escapes, aided by Hinrik’s daughter, the lovely Artemisia, and his cousin, a dilettante named Gillbret. Both despise the Tyranni and yearn to leave Rhodia. After the trio steals Aratap’s ship, Gillbret regales Biron and Artemisia with a story about a mysterious “rebellion world” where ships and men were being assembled to overthrow the Tyranni. Although Gillbret is uncertain of the planet’s exact location, there is one man who might know, the Autarch of Lingane.
Upon arrival on Lingane, Biron strikes an uneasy alliance with the Autarch and together, they embark on an expedition into the Horsehead Nebula in search of the “rebellion world.”
The Stars, Like Dust is a fine interstellar adventure that moves at a steady pace but—as with many classic SF novels—lacks much in the way of character development. Despite a few clichéd, predictable plot points and occasional melodramatic dialogue, there are one or two unexpected twists that successfully fuel story tension.
