Stuart Aken's Blog, page 205

Alone (The Girl in the Box, Book 1), by Robert J. Crane, Reviewed.

This fantasy, featuring meta-humans, and told from the point of view of the female protagonist, is full of tension and action. But it is also a fascinating character study of a unique individual. The reader is given information through the unreliable narrator, who appears to be confused by what is going on about her. As […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 15

Writers share ideas to improve their craft. Here, I’m looking at ways to trim our writing. Readers will thank us. I’ll examine common redundancies and flabby expressions All things being equal: Avoid this empty phrase. e.g. All things being equal, he would have her in his bed by midnight. Try: If he had his way, […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 14.

Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve their craft. Here, I’m looking at ways to trim our writing. Readers will thank us. I’ll examine common redundancies and a few flabby expressions. Bald-headed: Baldness is generally related to the head, so, in most cases, ‘headed’ would be redundant. However, there are times when it may be necessary […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 13

Sorry for the break: I’ve been otherwise engaged for reasons that may become clear later! Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve their craft. Here, I’m looking at ways to trim our writing. Readers will thank us. I’ll examine common redundancies and a few flabby expressions. Temper tantrum: You can only have a tantrum as a […]

The 12 Days of Christmas, by Maureen Turner, Reviewed.

A seasonal collection of fairy tales based on the well-known Christmas song, this anthology displays the author’s talent for putting her own twist on a popular theme. The stories vary in length and character and there’s something here for everyone. Characterisation is good and the settings work well throughout. Interestingly, although the tales feature well-known […]

There is No Other Way.

This year has been one of change and adaptation. We moved home at the beginning of 2015 and that meant certain changes were inevitable, of course. It also meant many distractions took my mind off my writing. The house and garden needed, and continue to need, attention to make this our home rather than a […]

To Hull and Back 2015 Anthology, Edited by Christopher Fielden, Reviewed.

As I contributed one of the 26 stories contained within the covers of this collection, I feel I can only make my comments public here, on my blog. As a reviewer who has signed the True Review Pledge, it would be unethical for me to review it elsewhere. However, I feel I have a right […]

5 Writing Mistakes

Posted from Grammerly at this link. And, if you think you have a great idea for a novel, click this link and enter a simple contest for a great prize!Filed under: Author, Creative Writer, Word Use Tagged: Author, Creative writing, English Language, Grammar

Honest Reviews

Do you write reviews? Do you read them; perhaps use them forsome idea of whether a particular book is for you? It’s certainly the case that reviews are an essential element for indie writers to get their books noticed. So, as with all matters commercial, an element of fraud and cheating has entered the world […]

To Buy a Wife, by KC Klein, Reviewed.

This novella, a mix of fantasy and soft science fiction, is a romance set in a dystopian society. Told from the points of view of the male and female leads, it manages to get inside both characters and express the experiences, emotions and thoughts of each. The book is one of a series set in […]