Phil Giunta's Blog, page 38
October 14, 2018
Book Review: Great Ghost Stories
In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to re-read a book I’ve had in my collection for nearly 30 years. This anthology of six supernatural tales, published by Watermill Classics, gathers works by such famous scribes as Ambrose Bierce, Algernon Blackwood, Guy de Maupassant, and Bram Stoker. My favorites in the book are “Keeping His Promise” by Algernon Blackwood and “The Hand” by Guy de Maupassant. There are two in the collection that I would not consider ghost stories but were no less eerie— “Caterpillars” and “The Squaw.”
In “Keeping His Promise” by Algernon Blackwood, a university student pulls an all-nighter to study for an exam when a former classmate from elementary school arrives unexpectedly. Seeing that the man is in dire straits, the student invites him in for a meal and a place to spend the night while he studies. Things become a bit odd the following morning when his old friend can be heard but not seen…
In E.F. Benson’s “Caterpillars,” a man staying overnight at an Italian villa has visions of abnormally large glowing caterpillars amassing in various parts of the house. The following day, one of the other guests captures, then later kills, a smaller version of the same caterpillar—and suffers dire consequences.
A boisterous American visiting Nuremberg, Germany accidentally kills a kitten, sending its mother into a rage. Later, when the American visits the Torture Tower museum and tempts fate by placing himself in one of the devices, mother cat takes advantage of the opportunity in “The Squaw” by Bram Stoker.
In “The Hand” by Guy de Maupassant, a French judge meets an Englishman living in Marseilles and is eventually given a tour of the Englishman’s villa. Among the man’s gun collection is a severed human hand chained to the wall. The Englishman explains that the hand belonged to an enemy and must remained chained—lest it escape…
Ambrose Bierce brings us the tale of two men who use an abandoned mansion to hold a knife fight. One of the combatants ends up dead—but not at the end of a blade in “The Middle Toe of the Right Foot.”
A realtor is hired to partition a haunted estate inherited by three women. During his inspection of the property, he is confronted by the town idiot, a raving wild man named Dickon. The groundskeeper explains that while the previous owner of the estate was a kindly gentleman, he despised the three women, but died before he could change his will. Legend has it that the gentleman still roams the property, causing death and madness in “Dickon the Devil” by J.S. LeFanu.
October 13, 2018
Book Review: Joe Haldeman’s Worlds
In 2084, sexually promiscuous college student Marianne O’Hara leaves her off-world colony of New New York (one of many known as the Worlds) to attend university in New York City on Earth, where she meets a Bohemian poet and artist named Benny and an FBI agent named Jeff Hawkings.
Marianne and Benny become entangled with an anti-government group that seem at first innocuous—until one of their members is murdered and Benny finds his apartment bugged. As their suspicions about the organization grow and their safety is jeopardized, Benny decides to inform the FBI about the group then move to a remote farm in South Carolina after assuming a new identity. Meanwhile, Marianne takes several months to tour the world with some of her classmates from New York University including Jeff Hawkings.
Upon returning to New York, Marianne is attacked and nearly raped. As tensions build between the Earth and the Worlds over trade agreements, Marianne and Jeff arrange to leave Earth for New New York—but not before she visits New Orleans. While there, Marianne is persuaded to audition for a jazz band as a clarinet player. She soon becomes famous on the local scene—resulting in her abduction by a wealthy businessman who demands ransom from New New York.
How will Marianne escape from her kidnappers and what will happen as negotiations between Earth and the Worlds disintegrate into threats?
Worlds is considered a classic SF novel and while I enjoyed several chapters at the beginning and end, the story suffered from a sagging middle. Marianne’s globetrotting was told in the form of diary entries and much of it was tedious. There was little character development during these chapters aside from the budding romance between Marianne and Jeff and her fleeting concern for Benny back home.
October 11, 2018
Fan Fiction – Week XIX – “Star Trek: Chasing Reflections” Part II
In the second act of “Star Trek: Chasing Reflections,” Spock from the mirror universe escapes capture by the Klingons and Captain Pike of Terran Empire sets his sights on capturing Number One from his Federation counterpart.
October 7, 2018
Recap: A Plague of Shadows Book Launch
A marvelous time was had by all yesterday evening at the book launch party for A Plague of Shadows, the latest paranormal fiction anthology by Smart Rhino Publications. The launch was graciously hosted by the Newark Arts Alliance in Newark, DE.
A special thank you to editors Joanne M. Reinbold (Director of the Written Remains Writers Guild) and Weldon Burge (owner of Smart Rhino Publications) and to emcee and fellow contributor Maria Masington who kept the evening on track. Approximately half of the contributing authors were on hand and some read excerpts not only from their own stories, but from stories of contributors who could not attend.
I had a wonderful time reading my story, “Bottom of the Hour” and signing several copies of the book in addition to asking my fellow writers to do the same for my own copy and for some of my friends who donated to the Kickstarter that helped fund the publication. I now have a few books to hand deliver.
There were door prizes and yes, there was cake! Check out pictures from the event below. There were a few writers that I missed including Jacob Jones-Goldstein, Shannon Connor Winward, and Gail Husch (who also arranged all of the food and beverages for the launch).
Plague of Shadows Table
And there was cake!
Close up of the cake.
My box of books!
Some guy named Phil reading his story.
Weldon Burge, editor and owner of Smart Rhino Publications.
Fellow contributor, J. Gregory Smith
Fellow contributor Patrick Derrickson reads Billie Sue Mosiman’s story. He returned in the next session to read his own.
Maria Masington, our master of ceremonies, adorable punster, and fellow contributor to A Plague of Shadows.
Joanne M. Reinbold prepares to cuts the cake at A Plague of Shadows book launch.
Joanne M. Reinbold, editor and director of the Written Remains Writers Guild.
Jane Miller reads her poem from the anthology.
Fellow contributor, J. Patrick Conlon.
October 5, 2018
Fan Fiction – Week XVIII – “Star Trek: Chasing Reflections”
One of the most popular episodes of the original Star Trek series was “Mirror, Mirror” in which Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura switch places with their counterparts from a parallel universe where the peaceful United Federation of Planets does not exist. Rather, the malevolent Terran Empire conquers and murders its way to dominance with Starfleet as little more than its ruthless enforcers.
Though Star Trek: The Next Generation never revisited this concept on screen (but did so in one or two novels), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine aired five episodes involving the parallel universe. In 2001, I thought it would be interesting to go back in time to the command of Captain Christopher Pike (played by Jeffrey Hunter in the first Star Trek pilot, “The Cage”) to see how he and his crew would fare against their doppelgängers.
Click here to read part one of “Star Trek: Chasing Reflections.”
Kickstarter Update: We Made It!
Steven H. Wilson and I are excited to announce that we exceeded our Kickstarter funding goal for Firebringer Take Two thanks to the following generous donors:
Lewis G. Aide
Michael Critzer
Tony Fucci
The Creative Fund
James Gallahan
Allyn Gibson
Jack Hillman
Madelyn Jackson
Heather Mikkelsen
Omar Padilla
Leeon Pezok
Susanna Reilly
Renfield
Ann Stolinsky
Sharon Miller VanBlarcom
Judith Waidlich
Howie Weinstein
Cindy Woods
Evon Zundel
We appreciate your generous support and will continue to keep everyone updated as the book nears completion and rewards are ready to ship (paperbacks) or claim online (ebooks).
Freedom’s Blood Cover Art by Caio Cacau.
Like Mother, Like Daughters finished cover. Art by Laura Inglis. Title designed by Chris Winner.
Untouched cover art for double horror novel by Phil Giunta and Steven H. Wilson.
September 30, 2018
A Note About Wattpad
If you enjoy reading and have not yet discovered Wattpad, I recommend giving it a look. Wattpad is a site where writers release their works for FREE. Novels, novellas, short stories, nonfiction.
As of now, I have four short speculative fiction stories posted there with more on the way. You can read them for free by clicking here! Each story has two parts. The first part is merely the copyright page. The second part is the story.
Enjoy!
September 28, 2018
Fan Fiction – Week XVII – “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force” Part III
In our finale, Han Solo and the Rebel agents must fend off Boba Fett in order to return to the fleet with the coordinates of the black market ships, and Darth Vader arrives on Steruub to capture Luke Skywalker…
Click here to read the conclusion of “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force.”
September 27, 2018
Kickstarter Updates – BY YOUR SIDE & SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ETERNITY
Steven H. Wilson and I have ten days to go in our Kickstarter campaign to fund the publication of our double horror novella, which includes Steve’s vampire tale, FREEDOM’S BLOOD and my paranormal mystery, LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS featuring Miranda Lorensen (from my novels By Your Side and Testing the Prisoner).
The book will be formatted in the style of the classic ACE Doubles where you read one story, then flip the book over to read the other.
Each week during the campaign, we’ve posted excerpts from both novellas over on the Firebringer Press website. For the past three weeks, we presented the opening scenes from LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS and FREEDOM’S BLOOD.
Our most recent updates provide excerpts from two of the books we’re offering as rewards: my second novel, BY YOUR SIDE, and Steven’s fantasy story, “Don’t Go In the Barn, Johnny!” from SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ETERNITY.
We hope you enjoy these story samples and will consider donating to our campaign so we can bring you this exciting new double novel!
September 25, 2018
Book Review: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
During the interstellar war with the Taurans, William Mandella climbs the ranks from private to major. While the war itself only lasts a few years from the perspective of the troops—since much of their time is spent traversing wormholes well beyond the speed of light—nearly 1,200 years passes on Earth.
While on a mission early in his career, Mandella falls in love with fellow soldier Marygay Potter and the feeling is mutual. After Potter is nearly killed during their final tour, the army grants the pair a discharge on Earth. However, Mandella and Potter soon discover that retirement is not an option. Only one job opportunity is made available to them—return to the war.
In their next campaign, both Mandella and Potter each lose a limb and are sent to a world known as Heaven to regenerate. Mandella is then promoted to Major and Potter to Captain—but each are assigned to separate companies.
After saying their final goodbyes, Mandella takes command of a Strike Force headed to Sade-138, while Potter was assigned to fight the Taurans elsewhere. Mandella fears that they will never see each other again.
In order to qualify for command, Mandella must undergo a deep-sleep learning process during which his mind is filled with facts and theories from Earth’s military history. What’s more, Mandella finds himself in command of a platoon comprised completely of homosexuals. Heterosexuals, while tolerated in human society today, are now considered queer.
ForeverWar is a satisfying hard-SF novel that presents a unique and often candid view of futuristic military life and the possible drastic changes that might occur in Earth’s culture given 1,200 years. While the Taurans are treated lightly and never developed as anything more than an alien menace, Haldeman does an admirable job detailing the battle scenes and showing how the enemy improves their tactics and weaponry with each successive confrontation.
Most of all, it was Mandella’s experiences with his fellow soldiers, his struggles with changing times (especially on Earth), and his ability to adapt and survive that kept me intrigued.
