J.S. Bailey's Blog, page 12

A Word of Thanks

I am truly thankful for my readers: to those of you who have taken the time to journey through the "portal" with Laura and write reviews about it; to those who have lent your copies to a friend in zealous fits of joy; to those who have posted and reposted information about my novel encouraging others to follow you on Laura's journey; to those of you who have always been there; and to those whom I have only just met and begun to know. Without you, I would be spinning my wheels in the...

Meet the Poet: Brian Hudon

Good evening, readers! With me today is poet Brian Hudon, who has written numerous poems over the years, many of which can be found online at his blog, the Woodland Realm. Brian is here to discuss his writing and some of the things that inspire his poetry.

First of all, tell us a bit about yourself.

I am from the Adirondacks of New York state and have lived here very nearly all my life. That environment probably shapes my writing experience as much as my Catholic faith and outlook.

Have any ...

Things You Didn't Know About J. S. Bailey

After churning out a scant 3,000 words of my Top Secret work-in-process, I decided to steal this "Things You Didn't Know About Me" idea from another author.
1. I'm married to a knight. (Of Columbus, not of the Round Table.)
2. My middle name does not begin with "S."
3. I like to wear outrageous-looking shoes—namely Vans slip-ons that tend to clash with their surroundings no matter what kind of matching shirt I have on.


4. I like to wear dark colors: black, gray, and brown, generally. (Except f...

Vintage Poetry

In a recent post, I showed you all one of my early attempts at writing a story. Since I currently have nothing profound to ramble on about, and since I'm procrastinating the completion of my 2,000-words-per-day writing goal on a top-secret project I'm not going to discuss for fear that a lightning bolt will shoot down from the heavens and fry me to the dining room chair in which I am currently lounging, I decided it would be a good idea to share more of my old writing with you.

In the loosest ...

My review of Hostage to the Devil by Malachi Martin

There are two books I have read in my brief life that truly frightened me. One is The Tailypo: A Ghost Story by Joanna C. Galdone, which I read in the third grade (scared the absolute crud out of eight-year-old Me, and even still makes me uneasy when I think about that evil little creature watching that man from the foot of his bed in the dark). The other is Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans by Malachi Martin.

Whether or not you are a skeptic...

Ask the Author! (Part 1)

My very first Frequently Asked Questions video. Enjoy!

Randomness: IKEA

For those of you who have never been to IKEA, you are missing out on the adventure of a lifetime. They sell trendy, dirt-cheap household items (in case you didn't know) and even have fake rooms set up so you can see what the products will all look like together in a home setting. They also sell Swedish meatballs and elk-shaped pasta, which is just awesome.

Since IKEA has locations all over the planet, the end users of the products speak a myriad of languages. Many companies would print their f...

How Dare You Read Books

How dare you read books.


In order to read them, someone has to buy them. And in order for someone to buy them, books must be available for purchase. How do books become available for purchase? Authors must write them and get them published.

Have you ever pondered the agony we manipulators of the written word must suffer in order to satisfy your urges? You can't wait to find out what happens to Harry or Katniss or whoever, yet you put no thought whatsoever into the pains we must go through t...

Meet the Author: Abby Ryan

Today let's give a welcome to my fellow Tate author Abby Ryan! Abby has written many stories over the years, including her debut fantasy novel Orphan of the Shadows. Abby's second novel in the series, The Black Trinity, will be published by Tate within the next year.

First of all, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? When did you first start writing?  First, let me tell you all that I am quite young. I'll be 20 January 11, 2012. However, I am a very focused and ambitious girl...

My review of Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee

Author Tosca Lee's novel Demon: A Memoir tells the story of Clay, a recently-divorced editor who has become disillusioned with his job and life in general. One evening when he arrives at a cafe for dinner, a stranger greets him by name and welcomes him to join him at his table. In fact, this stranger seems to know more about Clay than Clay himself does:

"I know you're searching, Clay. I know you're wondering what these late, dark nights are for. You have that seasonal disease, that modern...