Cynthianna's Blog, page 11

Book Review: Catastrophe 1914

Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War by Max Hastings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was never a well-liked person, but his assassination (one of many in that day) became a convenient excuse for Kaiser Wilhelm’s war machine to flex its muscle. Hastings details the deliberate machinations of how the Austro-Hungarians are convinced by the Germans that now is the time to regain land they both had lost in previous conflicts. The auspicious start of the war sees outdated tactics such as cavalry charges and drum corps against machine guns, virtually non-existent coordination of forces on both sides, and the Germans’ official sanctioning of killing civilians and burning villages in their wake. This is not the slow trench warfare usually associated with the first world war, but its exceedingly deadly and destructive precursor. Catastrophe 1914 demonstrates how the self-delusional reasoning behind a war for economic gain can change the world forever.


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Book Review: A**holes: A Theory

Assholes: A Theory by Aaron James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Philosopher Aaron James discusses the phenomenon of the asshole—a person with an entrenched sense of entitlement and feeling of superiority—and gives us, the more cooperative members of society, some hints at identifying and dealing with those who routinely inconvenience us while rarely giving us a second thought.

Has American culture with its emphasis on individualism produced an upsurge in assholes? James would argue that it certainly hasn’t helped. The “dampening effects” of family, religion, and a societal emphasis on working toward the collective good seem to be waning. The “Cable News Asshole” fans the flames of discord to create smokescreens of division (where none may actually exist) so that other assholes may flourish. A most telling example comes from the “Delusional Asshole Banker” who after taking billions of dollars in bail-out money due to his reckless behavior asks what his bonus will be. He then argues that the government bailed him out because he is “smart” and worthy of special treatment. Assholes in political office reinforce this dysfunctional mindset through legislation which rewards future asshole behaviors.

James cautions that no amount of discourse will change an asshole’s narcissistic outlook, so convinced he is of his moral superiority. At best, cooperative people can publicly state their objections concerning the asshole’s boorish behaviors to encourage their fellow sufferers that they aren’t alone in feeling incensed/slighted and hope for the best. Assholes: A Theory is the definitive survival guide for life in the twenty-first century.


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Book Review: Scatter, Adapt, and Remember

Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction by Annalee Newitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Our primitive ancestors’ survival extincts served them well, Newitz theorizes, as they dispersed from Africa and wandered across the continents, possibly intermingling and intermarrying with our fellow hominids the Neanderthals and Denisovans. Love and cooperation may very well have saved Homo sapiens from extinction—and not our ability to use symbolic logic alone, although it played a crucial role. By scattering far and wide, adapting to the local climate changes and environments, and remembering to share their stories and adaptive technology with their offspring, our ancient human ancestors insured we’d still be here today.

But what happens if another mass extinction event occurs? Remember the dinosaurs? What if we’re hit by a burst of gamma radiation from a hypernova or a megavolcano erupts spewing particulates high into the atmosphere, blocking out our sunlight? How will we survive as a species then? Newitz interviews top scientists about the cities of tomorrow and where they’ll be located (probably underground), and how we could change genetically in order to survive on Mars or Titan. More good news—research into these far reaching fields will yield discoveries we’ll be able to use now, such as the space elevator and fuels derived from blue-green algae. All in all, our odds of surviving the apocalypse have never been better.

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Racism: Not MY Science Fiction!

 I'm a nerd. Like my earrings?

Some days I have to pinch myself and ask, "What year is this?"

To be clear, I don't drink and I'm not on any medications. It's just that sometimes people and events strike me in such a way that I can't quite believe I'm living in the twenty-first century. For a writer of speculative fiction, it's doubly odd to think that others who love to read, write, and discuss science fiction/fantasy books, TV, and film like I do would hold onto outdated beliefs of racial superiority and want to celebrate these beliefs by honoring a publication that prints such content.

I won't mention the names of the publication,the  sci-fi convention, or the individuals involved because this isn't a rant or tirade to tear down the reputations of these institutions or individuals. (I'm honestly worried about them.) This is just an attempt to come to terms with the horribleness of a situation that fills my heart with fear and dread. And, as a writer, I work through weighty problems in prose.

I think the Twilight Zone moment came for me when I expressed my horror on an online forum at the idea that a beloved sci-fi con would even contemplate honoring  a science fiction-oriented publication that would print racial slurs as "humor". I was told I was on a "witch hunt" and trying to "censor" free speech. When I tried to explain that an editor of an ezine is both legally and morally responsible for the contents of said publication and must take responsibility for the outrage that its content could incur, it seemed to fall on deaf ears. Here's what I said:

A "compiler" (of an ezine) is still considered an "editor"--they are the person or group of persons who put together a magazine or ezine. They put their name(s) on the publication as the person(s) who take responsibility for its contents. If this editor doesn't want to take responsibility for the contents of his ezine, then he should have struck his name off it a while back. I have nothing against the man personally--never met him--but as a professional writer/editor I have to make judgement calls on what is suitable for publication all the time. (I'm paid to do this!) If the writing of a manuscript is substandard--the book doesn't make it out of the slushpile. If the content is offensive to the majority of readers in 2014 (that's 2014 not 1854), I have to tell the publisher that the content is possibly something they wouldn't feel comfortable publishing. It's the way the publishing world works. If you are "self-publishing" you are essentially taking on all the legal responsibility of a publisher upon yourself as "editor/compiler". 

So, once again, does the convention want to "honor" (give credit and glorify) racist jokes? I would think the majority of convention attendees would be adults who wouldn't find racist humor funny. I never said that this editor couldn't attend the con or that he has never helped out at other cons. Good for him! However, if he has taken on the responsibility of publishing racist commentary and his name is on the publication, then he must accept the outrage publishing such racist commentary can incur in the year 2014. 

 That's about it. I grew up loving science fiction in the era of the original series of Star Trek where Mr. Spock talked about "infinite diversity in infinite lifeforms" and other such nonsense. Thing is, I believed it. Uhuru was an African-American professional woman who worked alongside an Asian navigator and people from diverse Caucasian backgrounds on the bridge of the starship Enterprise. They didn't make juvenile racist jokes at each other's expense. They reflected Gene Roddenberry's dream that some day soon all of mankind would live in peace and harmony. 

It's a beautiful dream. Why are some folks in the twenty-first century trying to kill it?

Are they afraid it's coming true? You look into any elementary school these days and you won't see what I saw when I entered first grade in the South. You see white kids and black kids and red kids and yellow kids and brown kids and kids who are something altogether unique. We've become a multicultural and diverse society. Star Trek is coming true! My heart soars!

But for others... they're afraid. They don't like change. They want to live in the nineteenth century where slaves and women knew their place and don't speak back to their superiors. And so they lash out through the glorification of demeaning, bigoted humor to put people of color, women, homosexuals and other minority groups in their place. The worse thing of it for me is that these haters dare to call what they write science fiction.

Oh, Gene! Please come back! We truly need your shining optimism about mankind's diverse and peaceful future!

Do those who espouse racist beliefs have the right to exercise free speech under the U.S. Constitution? Absolutely. Do these same people deserve to have their racist speech honored at a volunteer convention where some of the volunteers aren't white, heterosexual males of a certain age and social status? No, they do not. If the white heterosexual males of a certain age/status can't see why some volunteers might feel nervous and uncomfortable knowing they're not really accepted by the convention's board of directors because of the color of their skin, their gender identity, or other minority protected status, then it might be time to take the board to a first grade class and introduce them to the next generation of science fiction fans.

Because what it comes down to is this: a fan-run sci-fi convention is about the fans. They are a diverse and lively lot, and they live in the year 2014--not 1854. 

Let's not take a step backward... Let's "boldly go where no one has gone before!"

True science fiction fans celebrate diversity. They do not attempt to squash it.

(Feel free to leave a comment below. Please act like adults and use your manners--no profanity, no name-calling, or finger-pointing. Thank you.)

(P.S. If you like my TARDIS earrings in the photo above, check out my hubby's Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheophilusSaxe )

Down Home Love...An Excerpt from Country Boy, City Girl

Country Boy, City Girl

Veronica "Ronnie" Hawthorn has found peace at last in the Missouri Ozarks town of Green Springs, excited at the prospect of running her own arts-and-crafts store in an old farm house. But when city girl Ronnie "falls" into her handsome neighbor's arms, she is surprised to discover that country boy Dave Darden is one of the most eligible bachelors in America.

From Mojocastle Press:
http://www.mojocastle.com/country-boy-city-girl.html


"Readers will not be disappointed...You will be rewarded with a down home love story that will long be remembered."--Bridges Magazine
An excerpt from Country Boy, City Girl...
 
It feels good to be up to my elbows in mud again.
Ronnie sighed. Self-imposed pressure faded away as the rhythmic thump, thump, thump of the clay hitting the table surface over and over again lulled her into a blissful state of relaxation. The overwhelming strain she had endured these last ten months was forgotten as she vigorously kneaded the firm white clay in her small, yet capable, hands.


"Small hands, big heart," her mother had told her time and time again. Mama's heart had been big, too, but not strong enough to survive her last heart attack. How Ronnie wished Mama could have live long enough to see Natalie born.


Now was not a time for regrets. The stiffness in Ronnie's shoulders, the small pain at the base of her neck which usually signaled a tension headache coming on, simply vanished as she and the clay became one. A woman alone starting a new business venture, Ronnie felt every bit as malleable as her chosen medium.


Her full, rosy lips came together in a hum as she worked the clay ball over and over until the last of the air pockets were worked out. She rolled it over one last time, then unceremoniously plopped it onto the center of the wheel. She adjusted her work apron and sat down on the low stool, tucking a few stray blue-black hairs behind her ears before wetting her fingers in the jar of slip. A moan of pleasure sprang forth from deep within her as she sank her thumbs into the clay's cool center, gently nudging and pulling it to form the sides of the bowl.


Today was the first day of her new business and she wanted to always remember it as a happy one. The pitch of her humming soon matched the whine of the electric potter's wheel, tuning out troubling doubts and painful memories. The dusty, earthen aroma of the clay transported her thoughts back in time. She could almost pretend she was still in art school, long before she met Jim, fell in love, got married, had Natalie and buried her desire to become an artisan under a "soccer mom" facade. The Green Springs Arts and Crafts Gallery opened a new chapter in life for both her and Nat. Ronnie made a silent vow--this story would have a happy ending.


The haunted-house creaking of the back screen door instantly alerted her to another's presence. A little girl's giggle gave her would-be assailant away.


She grinned. Silly, Nat! She's sneaking up on Mommy to play "Guess who?" It was nothing short of miraculous. In the few short days since they had moved from the city to Green Springs, Natalie had left the sadness of her father's recent death behind and rediscovered her childhood. Ronnie couldn't wait to spring a surprise of her own on her playful six year old daughter.


Ronnie bent further over her work, pretending not to hear Natalie's approaching footsteps as they were heralded by the squeak of the old farmhouse's pine floorboards. Squeak, squeak, squeak. . . She stifled a laugh and kept her eyes focused on the clay, her reflexes readied for her own response. She sprang into action the instant a tickle of warm breath brushed against the back of her neck.


"Got ya!" Ronnie cried, spinning around on her stool, grabbing her attacker by the collar and planting the biggest, wettest, sloppiest kiss she could manage.


 Z-Z-Zap!


A jolt of electricity raced from her lips and traveled along the nerve highways of her body, awakening places inside she had believed were dead and buried along with Jim. Her eyes instantly flew open.
Surprise! These lips didn't belong to her daughter!


Stunned, Ronnie pushed with all her might against the stranger's wide shoulders but found herself held fast in his powerful embrace. She began to pound against him with her fists but her actions only caused him to crush her womanly curves closer to his muscular chest. His tongue entered her slightly parted portal and enticed an immediate response from within her, frightening in its intensity. Her mind was spinning so fast that she toppled off the stool and landed like a bag of clay into the newcomer's formidable arms.


It seemed an eternity before the stranger lifted his lips from hers, releasing her from his daring grasp. Ronnie melted onto the floor, her power even to protest this despicable interloper's brazen behavior vanquished.


"If this is how you greet all your male customers. . . then I'll lay odds this place turns a profit its first month..."

Country Boy, City Girl is now available from Mojocastle Press:
http://www.mojocastle.com/country-boy-city-girl.html

Book Review: Facing the Wave

Facing the Wave: A Journey in the Wake of the Tsunami by Gretel Ehrlich
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A very well written book on a worthy topic, but it's just horribly depressing and offers the reader little hope. You come away from it feeling there's nothing anyone can do to help the victims of the tsunami and Fukushima nuclear plant disaster since they're resigned to their fate and believe they got what they deserved because of where they lived at the time of the event. (With no cultural concept that God loves them as unique individuals, no wonder their suicide rate is so high!) I'm sure this fatalistic portrayal was far from the author's intent, but the style and presentation of the subject matter seems to be geared to impress a "literary audience" with its poetic writing style rather than engender compassion for the victims. There is no call to arms for us to help these unfortunate souls to help themselves by letting them know they aren't "guilty of surviving". I guess I was looking for a more inspiring and uplifting tale of survival in the wake of a horrible disaster rather than coming away with a "Oh, well, we'll be stuck in this half death/half life existence forever" feeling.

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Book Review: Dear Abigail....

Dear Abigail: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters by Diane Jacobs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Smith sisters--Abigail Adams, Mary Cranch and Elizabeth Peabody--are an American treasure! There's so much to learn about America's early history along with feminist thoughts of the late 18th century from their correspondence. They really were very modern women, expressing an intense desire for more educational opportunities and say-so in their daily lives. But the hardships these women had to endure are heartbreaking. Abigail was separated from her husband, John Adams, throughout most of the Revolution and then John became a diplomat to France and England and left her at home to tend the farm and children... It's unbelievable how they stayed married with such long periods apart, but their letters show that their love and mutual respect ran deep. Repeated sickness, alcoholism, and early deaths took their toll on their loved ones, but somehow these three women survived and blossomed and successfully raised children who would make their mark in the world. Their words show how having a supportive sister can make all the difference.

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Robot Uprisings by Daniel H. WilsonMy rating: 4 of 5 star...

Robot Uprisings by Daniel H. Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's hard to sleep at night after contemplating all the frightening scenarios put forth in this wonderful sci-fi anthology. Will we be taken over by our seemingly benign mechanical household servants? Will incredibly small nanobots we create to cure us from disease and infection be our undoing? Will we even have a clue our robot slaves have gained sentience before it's too late? And what is the difference between artificial intelligence and our own, particularly if the machines outwit us at every turn? These and more are part of the exciting worlds that await you in Robot Uprisings. Come the roboapocalypse don't say I didn't warn you.

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The Writing Process: What is the Secret?

This Blog Hop is called The Writing Process: What is the Secret? It's all about authors offering  a glimpse into their work, their writing schedules, and perhaps their innermost thoughts.

I received the invite to participate in this blog hop from the talented exotic romantic adventure author Sabrina Devonshire. Sabrina writes riveting contemporary romantic suspense that take place in exotic places where love awaits! I hope you will take the time to hop over to her site and also visit the sites of the three authors who will be posting their comments on Monday, March 31.

So without further ado, here are the secrets of my writing life...

1) What are you working on? 

Currently I'm working on the third book in my Loving Who fantasy romantic adventure series, entitled Losing Who. (Leaving Who is the second book in the series.) I'm anxiously awaiting the new season of Doctor Who to begin so I can see more of the newest actor in the role, Peter Capaldi, but I probably will finish the manuscript long before August. I'll have to make a few educated guesses as to the character of the latest Doctor.




Also, I have a YA SF/Fantasy manuscript called Olivia's Escape that's partially complete that I'm hoping to finish soon with some kind feedback from my talented hubby author AJ Matthews. The story takes place on a distant planet where the inhabitants kidnap humans and bring them to act as slaves and "replacements" for their dying species. It has sort of a steampunk feel to it, so it's a new and exciting genre for me.

2) How does my work differ from others in its genre? 

I'd have to say that my writing has a more pronounced sense of humor than a lot of other romantic fiction. I like my characters to find the humor in their situations--even when they are flat-out dire--so the characters can gain the strength to carry on and win the day. You could call me an eternal optimist. I enjoy the happily-ever-after or happy-for-now ending. It's the satisfaction of the human spirit triumphing over adversity. It's why most readers read romantic fiction.



 3) Why do I write what I do?

This is an intriguing question! I like observing and taking notes on unique people and fascinating situations. I enjoy exploring different locales, too. I feel that all drama comes from within, and to explore the human psyche is what novelists should do in whatever genre they choose to express themselves. To share insights into what makes human beings tick is my goal and probably the shortest answer to this question.






4) How does your writing process work?


I'm a pantser more than a plotter. I sometimes write a bare-bones synopsis and in-depth character sketch before starting to write a story, but I don't always get it all down on paper or an e-file. (I keep it in my head.)  I've found that if I tried to do a scene-by-scene outline I will almost always diverge from it. My characters just "talk" to me as I write. I allow them to take me where they will as I write the first draft. Any problems can be ironed out in the rewrites, but I trust the characters' intuition. The characters generally lead me in the right direction. It makes sense. It's "their story" after all.


5) Who will we meet next week? 

I'm honored and pleased to introduce you to three of my fellow authors: Amber Lea Easton, A J Matthews and Dakota Skye. Amber is a multi-published romantic suspense, contemporary romance and nonfiction author. Dakota is a paranormal erotic romance author who is fascinated by all things "unexplained" and other worldly. A J Matthews writes intriguing paranormal erotic romance and has another great book in the "Mr. Grey, Ghosthunter" series coming soon. They will be posting about their writing process on Monday, April 7 . Please download their books today (links below) and mark your calendars so you can read what they have to say next week. 

Thanks for reading my blog entry and be sure to leave me a comment below. If I have 25 comments, I will do a drawing for a free ebook. :)



Amber Lea Easton
 http://amberleaeaston.blogspot.com
getBook.at/REALEaston

Dakota Skyehttp://authordakotaskye.blogspot.com
myBook.to/BlurredLines

A J Matthews http://adrianjmatthews.blogspot.com
Coming soon: http://www.lsbooks.com/pre-order-coming-soon-romance-books-c322.php

Why I Don't Care for Amazon--the Home of Death Threats and Fake Reviews

It seems morality and fair play are dead and gone in the publishing world. Here are some articles and blog postings that have come to my attention lately to show you why I'm feeling blue. I've included my comments as well.

Anne Rice signs petition to protest bullying of authors on Amazon
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/mar/04/anne-rice-protests-bullying-amazon-petition
I'm glad that no one pays attention to my books on Amazon now! Death threats aren't funny, and Amazon has a lot to answer for allowing posters anonymity which only protects the bullies and the fake book reviewers.

I haz a sad... Writers are gaming Amazon 
 
Here's a comment I made after reading The Lover of Books blog posting called "I haz a sad..." (link since taken down/blocked) about how an unnamed but well-known author sends out emails saying that (s)he'll give out free books to readers in exchange for 5 star reviews on Amazon. If you want to give her/his book anything less than 5 stars, please don't post it there but email the review to the author directly instead so (s)he can "discuss it" (and not post it) with you the reader. Here's my comment on this blog:

This is why you can't trust Amazon's "5 star" book reviews. A lot of them are fakes. Some authors buy them from so-called "beta readers" with free books/giveaways and others just outright pay cash for the reviews. (There's a web site link I won't post since I don't want other buying 5 star reviews). If you see a book on Amazon with lots of 5 stars alongside poorly written reviews, just assume these are paid reviews and not the real deal. The "reviewer" may not have even read the book. It's cheating and it makes all authors look bad. (At least I can honestly say that I have never paid for reviews--and I currently have zero at Amazon. Go figure!)



In reply to the latest way to "pay your way to reviews on Amazon":http://bestsellerlabs.com/how-to-get-more-amazon-reviews/#comment-37877

I can’t say I agree with this method at all. This is coming from the viewpoint of a book reviewer, editor, and author. To give away free books or to pay cash for reviews up front is basically the same thing. How can you be sure you’re receiving an “objective” review when you’re essentially encouraging the reader to give you a good review or none at all? Are they going to say anything “bad” about their “new friend’s book” and especially to your face via Skype, etc. as you write up "their" review for them? I think not. The review is worthless and is essentially a “fake”.

That’s why I tell people to not depend on their friends and family members to give their writing an honest critique. Those who care about you don’t want to hurt your feelings. And just like those poor tone-deaf people who get on American Idol and then get laughed at and ridiculed by millions because they carry a tune in a bucket (and they don’t know they can’t sing), you’ll have millions of “authors” who need to take a decent writing course and join a critique group before trying to publish their books and they won’t do so because their “new reviewer friends” tell them their work is perfect as is. There’s no room to improve on perfection, is there? More “not-ready-for-primetime” stuff to clutter up the ‘net! (And why would Amazon care as long as they’re making money off it?)

If you want to gain some useful writing tips I formulated after working over a decade and a half in the publishing industry, try my funny how-to guide Defeating the Slushpile Monster now at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1452834946

After my public commentary, I expect a load of hate email and bullying on Amazon any day now! Please leave a comment below on how you see this present crisis of confidence playing out at the online book-selling monopoly's web site and share this blog link with others who may be feeling similarly down about Amazon. Perhaps they'll clean up their act one day? We can only hope!