Stuart Aken's Blog, page 174

NSA, by Benny Neylon, Reviewed.

This is satirical, dystopian science fiction taking a brutal swipe at the media, politicians, conspiracy theorists, security experts and the military. All of it richly deserved. The writing is good, characterisation is thorough, creating archetypes rather than indulging in stereotypes as is so often the case with books of this type. The humour is hard, … Continue reading NSA, by Benny Neylon, Reviewed.

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Now that the first draft is finished, I’ve had a rest from it this week. Though, as other writers will appreciate, you never completely let go at this stage. I’ve been tinkering with the character sketches of the new players, adding some new research links, watching a bit of TV related to the subject, and … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

6th Blogiversary + Review Survey Results

Originally posted on Reading Romances:
This month Reading Romances turns 6! =D Guess what?! It’s official! I’ve been blogging about my love of romance books for SIX YEARS (on and off, like most relationships)! And I almost forgot about it! Since it’s such a special occasion, I thought that I would share my blogging journey with…

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #30

Something a little different this week. A small insight into the British psyche and an exploration of a two-word phrase instead of a single word. There’s help here for writers trying to make their work more accessible, interesting, varied, accurate and effective by exploring similar and dissimilar words. The series also gives language learners insights … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #30

The Writer’s Lexicon, by Kathy Steinemann, Reviewed.

Are you a lover of words? Do you write? Is language use an issue of interest? If so, you’ll find Kathy Steinemann’s ‘The Writer’s Lexicon’ a veritable cornucopia of expressive words. A thesaurus provides alternatives for the idea of a word. A dictionary gives definitions and, sometimes, origins for those construction blocks we use daily … Continue reading The Writer’s Lexicon, by Kathy Steinemann, Reviewed.

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Whoopee! Hurrah! Gadzooks! And, yeah! The first draft of book 2 of the Generation Mars series is finished. It now stands at 112,061 words, 8,740 more than last week’s total. I actually finished this stage on Monday, but thought I’d wait till today to let you know, since Wednesdays have been my usual days for … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

The House on Sagamore Road, by Cary Grossman, Reviewed.

The second in a projected trilogy, this deeply complex fantasy follows on from Chopin’s Ghost, taking the reader through the next twisting, convoluted maze that constitutes the story. If you haven’t read the first book, I advise you do so. However, the author includes enough detail from that first novel to allow readers new to … Continue reading The House on Sagamore Road, by Cary Grossman, Reviewed.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #29

First, an apology to regular readers. I somehow managed not to post anything last week. I can tell you I added 2,298 words to the current WIP, resolved an issue with the Student Loan Company for my daughter in Australia, and began constructing a new length of garden fencing. But I’ve really no idea how … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #29

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Book 2 of the Generation Mars series now stands at 103,321 words, which is an increase of 9867 on last week’s figure. The novel continues to go well, in spite of a few impediments to progress. I thought I’d have the first draft completed by now. However, along with constant new developments in science and … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Can’t Buy Forever, by Susan Laffoon, Reviewed.

Listed as Teen/YA romance and mystery, this is a book in a genre I wouldn’t normally read. However, I was approached by the author for a review, read the blurb, and decided to give it a chance. I’d actually classify it as fantasy romance, but that’s a personal judgment based on how I view the … Continue reading Can’t Buy Forever, by Susan Laffoon, Reviewed.