Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 13

Anger | House Blog

I’m not going to sugar-coat it. I’m angry. I’m angry about a lot of things these days. It’s a low-level burn that simmers under the surface, boiling over into a rage when the next new terrible thing happens.

A lot of these things I’m angry about are vastly out of my control. It’s so easy to feel helpless. I can do a little, but it doesn’t feel like much.

So what else is there? What else can I do? I write. I know it won’t change the world, but it helps.

I write tragedy to process grief. I write about equality to see a better world than the one that exists. I write about people overcoming fears and triumphing against evil. I write about hope.

I write about a day when I might not be so angry.

Heather Reilly returns to write for Flights from the Rock!

Engen Books is proud to announce the return of superstar author Heather Reilly to the From the Rock series in Flights from the Rock!

Heather Reilly is an author, musician, poet, and teacher currently living in Newfoundland with her husband and three children. She is the author of several publications, including the five-book YA series Binding of the Almatraek, along with many children’s books and songs.

Reilly was a contributing author to Fantasy from the Rock, bringing with her her award-winning tale ‘In the Moonlight.’ In Flights from the Rock she brings with her her short piece, ‘The Fifth Leg.’

Ten other authors will be joining Heather Reilly, Peter Gillet, Amanda Labonté, Paul Moffett, Jennifer Combden, Jeff Slade, Bronwynn Erskine, Peter J. Foote, Lindsay Kitson, Stacey Oakley, Teresita Dziadura, Nicole Little, Carolyn R Parsons, Lisa Daly, Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance for the 2019 Flights on the Rock collection! They include pilots, award-winning talent, and bestselling novelists! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Peter Gillet announced as Flights from the Rock author!

Engen Books is proud to reveal the next Flights from the Rock author: acclaimed short fiction author Peter Gillet!

Peter Gillet was born in Oromocto, New Brunswick; and is the author of many celebrated independently published books of short fiction, including Mind Full of Prose and In Dark Corners. Peter was the first author to be listed as non-binary in the New Brunswick library system.

Peter has a long history with flying. “I was an air cadet in my youth, and have flown gliders and small planes with assistance,” Peter said, upon hearing the news of inclusion in Flights from the Rock. “I have been a passenger several times on military helicopters. I love the side seats when the doors are open. I also did a tandem base jump (parachute) in the Swiss Alps.”

Peter is an inspiration to all independent authors, whom Engen Books is proud and delighted to have be a part of this anthology.

Eleven other authors will be joining Peter Gillet, Amanda Labonté, Paul Moffett, Jennifer Combden, Jeff Slade, Bronwynn Erskine, Peter J. Foote, Lindsay Kitson, Stacey Oakley, Teresita Dziadura, Nicole Little, Carolyn R Parsons, Lisa Daly, Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance for the 2019 Flights on the Rock collection! They include pilots, award-winning talent, and bestselling novelists! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Dracarys! Spectacle vs Storytelling

Another episode of Game of Thrones and another cry of indignation from fans. This seems to have become the norm with this season, the cracks having started to form in the one previous. Coincidently, these are the seasons where the showrunners have truly had to go on without source material; season six was still dealing with the consequences of five/Dance with Dragons. And while I think they’ve done an excellent job adapting Martin’s book–I’d argue the show has mostly been superior to the books–they are now exposed. A series that was once full of clever and unexpected upheavals of tropes has now become a well-crafted but conventional spectacle.

The obvious defence for these guys is that this is an extraordinarily difficult position to be in. How do you possibly satisfy a legion of fans after setting the bar so impossibly high with moments like Ned Stark’s beheading, the birth of Dany’s dragons, the Red Wedding, and the Mountain vs the Viper. Not even Martin himself seems to have an answer as it is now eight years and counting since the last book. I’m sympathetic to this position, but I still can’t help but vent my frustrations nonetheless.

Discussing the latest episode, “The Bells,” D&D said something along the lines of wanting to shock fans. Fair enough. The series has defined itself by shocking moments, a few of which I listed above. But these shocking moments have felt more like empty spectacle than the hard-earned storytelling twists of previous seasons. And now Daenerys Stormborn, mother of dragons, breaker of chains, first of her name, has turned heel faster than Gendry Baratheon ran the Great Northern Marathon.

I recently wrote about fans throwing undeserved shade at creators for plot points not going according to their liking, and I think there’s a lot of that going around with Daenerys right now. Personally, I’m fine with her character arc in premise, but take issue with how D&D put it in practice.

 

To sum up, Daenerys opened up a can of whoop ass on King’s Landing, as she is wont to do. However, when Cersei rang the bells in surrender, Dany decided to go nuclear and burn the city to the ground, innocent lives be damned. A lot of people defending this plot twist have pointed out all the misery that has befallen her since coming to Westeros, and even before that. And I’m inclined to agree. She’s been through a lot and was at a breaking point. Also, give it up to Emilia Clarke for some excellent acting. Without having to say a word, she emoted so much with those expressive eyebrows.

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Here’s my issue: Throughout the series, Daenerys has been shown to have a mean streak. There’s no denying that. Now, having lost so much she’s ready to snap. That’s all on the table. However, on the other hand, we have seen time and again the lengths she’ll go to protect innocent lives. She locked her dragons away in a cave because they killed one child. And while D&D did show that she can be ruthless to those that dare oppose her, they never once hinted that she was willing to go back on her commitment to the people.

That’s why it was so shocking to see Drogon mowing down streets of families. I could understand if she had just attacked the Red Keep after the bells rang, which caused some causalities and then her soldiers got outta hand, etc. That was within reason given everything leading up to it. But to go full nuclear on King’s Landing was beyond the pale. Sure, you can say that she had a complete breakdown and went crazy. She’s a Targaryen after all. But I don’t buy that. Her sanity was never really in question.

Which brings me back to my point about empty spectacle. I think the showrunners wanted to have that moment on TV of Daenerys burning King’s Landing to the ground. And fair enough, it was compelling drama. The production team all deserve tons of credit. I almost feel bad criticizing the episode, like I’m an ungrateful brat. But it’s not the same as great storytelling, which is what we really want.

All Game of Thrones fans have had to endure at one time or another the snide remarks of the uninitiated dismissing it as “that show with tits and dragons.” But fans know that what puts GoT above its peers is how Martin uses tropes against the audience, the way he builds rich character arcs, and his willingness to explore moral grey areas. And that’s what’s so disappointing about the latest two seasons; they’re guilty of all the things its detractors claim.

To me, it seems like D&D decided they wanted certain moments, like Rhaegal burning down the wall and Dany torching King’s Landing, and the plot had to wrung through a Procrustean bed in order to make that work. Maybe Martin will get around to finishing those last two books and we’ll get something better. But something tells me that he doesn’t know what to do, either.

Cheers,

Brad

Amanda Labonté returns for Flights from the Rock!

Engen Books is happy the announce the return of Amanda Labonté to the From the Rock series!

Amanda Labonté lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she gets much of the inspiration for the characters and places about which she writes. Though she knew she wanted to be a writer since the eighth grade, it was many years before she finally walked into a creative writing class and found a new home.

Her first novel, Call of the Sea, won critical acclaim in her home province of Newfoundland. The first book in her Supernatural Causes series gained Bestseller status on Amazon in September 2017.

Amanda brings with her her short story The Triumph, a new steampunk adventure from the bestselling author. Judges say: “I hope there will be more to this world at some point. This is wonderfully written and captures the awe and imagination of steampunk and airships. I love it.”

Twelve other authors will be joining Amanda Labonté, Paul Moffett, Jennifer Combden, Jeff Slade, Bronwynn Erskine, Peter J. Foote, Lindsay Kitson, Stacey Oakley, Teresita Dziadura, Nicole Little, Carolyn R Parsons, Lisa Daly, Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance for the 2019 Flights on the Rock collection! They include pilots, award-winning talent, and bestselling novelists! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Saviour | Kit Sora’s Storytime

STORY TIME! What you don’t know about this photograph!

Often times I’m fairly selective over what I share about the process of an image I create- Sometimes you get to see a sketch, sometimes a silly outtake, maybe a live video, etc. However it’s not often I share exactly what was happening while a shot is in progress!

For example! My darling Drew’s perfect expression- Those shifty eyes; He’s actually carefully watching a group of kids who came onto the beach! Naturally, one would see a mermaid and get super excited about it!.. but I was very topless! As for the rest of his face, he’s literally carrying the weight of what I like to call a manatee- We practiced this carry in our living room while I was wearing the tail! We didn’t however think to factor in the extra weight the water would add to the tail, or how hard it would be to stay steady while standing on rolling sand, with the water to our backs!

Camera was set up on a tripod about 15 feet away from where Drew planted a giant rock! Rock was Drew’s marker for where he had to stand. I set the focus manually while he was standing in the water getting his pants wet, and kept it on manual so when I fired my trigger, it wouldn’t refocus. Trigger is of course in my arm hidden behind Drew’s back.

This shot took 4 different attempts to nail down- Usually I can either get up to go check my camera, or Drew can bring it to me so I can have a look at what I’ve done and what needs to change. In this case, the tripod was planted into the sand, and was set up for just the right angle with the sky/water ratio- So my darling boy had to check that as well! First time we missed rather miserably- nothing but the corner of a fin in the frame- so there were about 20 of those shots! Second attempt wasn’t bad, we were 5 feet closer, but still not right on. Third and forth we were smack dab in the middle!

For the record, beach was out past Placentia, water was warm, and yes, there is sand literally everywhere

 

Kit Sora: The Artobiography

A stunning, hundred-plus page hardcover collection of over 80 of Kit Sora’s most ambitious photographs, paired with short fiction inspired by the art by Canada’s best authorial talents. Includes stories by USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Sparkes, USA Today Bestselling Author Victoria Barbour, and Bestselling Author Amanda Labonté.

C$75.00

Words © 2018 Kit Sora. Image © 2018 Kit Sora.

Introducing Paul Moffett, writer on Flights from the Rock!

Engen Books is proud to introduce Paul Moffett, one of the new authors to be featured in Flights from the Rock!

Paul is originally from Ottawa, Ontario and currently lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He holds a PhD in Medieval Literature. He also used to work as a professional clown.

He brings with him his first published fiction, First in Flight.

Thirteen other authors will be joining Paul Moffett, Jennifer Combden, Jeff Slade, Bronwynn Erskine, Peter J. Foote, Lindsay Kitson, Stacey Oakley, Teresita Dziadura, Nicole Little, Carolyn R Parsons, Lisa Daly, Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance for the 2019 Flights on the Rock collection! They include pilots, award-winning talent, and bestselling novelists! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Break on Through to the Other Side: Using Batman to fight Editing Hell | Dobbin’s Blog

Okay, so here’s the thing: I’m kinda, sorta stuck in Editing Hell. Yeah, that’s a thing. Crammed somewhere between the Hell of the Upside Down Sinners and the Hell of Being Skinned Alive, I think. You know what hell is like, right? Have you lived in a prison made of your own existential dread? Sure you have. Welp, that’s what Editing Hell is like. And do you want to know the worst part of Editing Hell? It makes you want to quit. Boy, do I ever want to quit. I just want to slam down my laptop cover, douse it in lighter fluid and toss a lit zippo at it and walk away in slow-mo. I’ve also contemplated biting my laptop. Biting it. Yeah, Editing Hell is a real thing.

So, you say, why not just pack it in? Trunk it, shelf it? Well, I suppose I could. I mean it would save me some heartache, some stress induced fever dreams (stay away from me you weird skinless Platypus). I’d also be able to move on to something else, and what writer doesn’t have other ideas to pursue? Those precious, fresh baubles that hit our eyes and have us screaming “shiny,” as our hands fumble across their nubile surface like some kind of drunk vampire eager on a busty college co-ed. It’s a case of that inner voice that calls out like Smegol crying for his precious just to tell you that there is something better on the horizon, something easier. And really, the endorphin release that comes with a shiny, new project is as real as Editing Hell.  That excitement, that joy which comes with starting a new project may even end up helping you be way more productive. Day after day you churn out words by the bucket. Until you don’t. Aye, there’s the rub.  You see, eventually, a shiny project will become tarnished too.  And what happens then? Trunk another project? Chase something else shiny and new? Maybe, but what does that leave me with? Two projects that aren’t finished, that’s what it leaves me with. That and wasted time.

What’s a poor writer boy to do? Welp, I’ve been giving this a lot of thought and it all comes down to a quote from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (a criminally underrated movie).  In it, old Batman tells new Batman how he fought the Joker in the past, saying: “Joker’s vain and likes to talk. He’ll try to distract you, but don’t listen. Block it out and power on through.” Gold. I encourage you to use that quote in the future. Apply it to everything. Everything.

Anyway, the point is, listen to Batman.

Suffering through Editing Hell? “Power on Through”.

Tempted by something shiny and new? “He’ll try to distract you, but don’t listen. Block it out”.

Your buddy, Shaun, wants you to go for a hike? Shaun’s “vain and likes to talk”. Well, maybe not that last one, but c’mon Shaun – we’re trying to write here.

Essentially, don’t give up on your novel.  It’s worth the effort, but boy will it give you a hard time.  Here’s the thing about hard times though, at the end of all those hard times there is usually something good waiting for you.

School is hard, but what’s at the end? A diploma, a degree, and maybe some job opportunities.

Working out is hard, but you end up with a nice toned body and an ass comparable to America’s ass (go see Endgame).

Writing a book is hard, but if you push through the doldrums of it, you get a finished novel full of hopes and dreams, well-developed characters and satisfying story arcs, and maybe even some deep thematic goodness to thrill and impress.

So, what are you going to do the next time you get bogged down in Editing Hell or any of its related devils (Writer’s Block and Plotting Hell)? You’re going to push through and do it anyway.  And hey, don’t want to listen to me? Listen to old Batman. He says to “block it out and power on through.”

Check out the launch of Jon Dobbin’s first novel, The Straving, May 16 at Geeks Public House! All are welcome, Facebook event for the launch is located here. We hope to see you there!

The Starving book launch announced

[image error]Save the date for 7pm Thursday May 16 at the newly-established Geeks Public House located at 288 Duckworth Street in historic St. John’s, Newfoundland. That’s where we’ll be having the book launch for The Starving, the newest gem in the crown of excellent Newfoundland-written literature by fresh new author Jon Dobbin.

The Starving tells the western-horror fusion story of Bill Weston, a man from and of the old west, on the hunt for a man named Faraway Sue. That plan changes in Colorado, where Weston comes up against an evil that he can’t explain away by men being the way men are. In Colorado he finds something stranger, something from myth and legend, that if he doesn’t watch out will change him completely.

The Starving comes from talented new author Jon Dobbin, an award-winning author who has been making a steady splash in the Newfoundland genre writing scene for the past three years. He has had multiple stories in each of Chillers from the Rock and Dystopia from the Rock, along with Kit Sora: The Artobiography. His work has awarded him first place in the 2017 48-Hour Novel Writing Contest alongside Writer’s Alliance President Kelley Power.

Ahead of the hype around Dobbin and his novel, helped by a spectacular cover by Jud Haynes, The Starving went Bestseller on Amazon on April 18 2019 from eBook preorders alone, a full month ahead of its scheduled release date,

Engen Books would like to thank Geeks Public House, YYT’s friendliest, geekiest sanctuary to be yourself, be comfortable, play a game, talk nerd things, and get a great beer or drink. Geeks Public House located at 288 Duckworth Street in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The launch will be 19+ and start 7pm. All are welcome, Facebook event for the launch is located here. We hope to see you there!

Prize-Winning author Jennifer Combden writes for Flights from the Rock!

Engen Books is proud to announce the return of a talented young author to the Flights from the Rock anthology: Jennifer Combden.

Jennifer Combden is a meteorologist living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She is a sponge for knowledge, and her love of learning is second only to her love of sharing that knowledge. Jennifer prefers to write science fiction, with a strong emphasis on the science, as a medium by which to explain complex ideas. When not explaining quantum physics to 12 year olds she can be found living on the (PG) Nerdcrafteria minecraft server where she volunteers, writing forecasts at work, and getting lost on Wikipedia.

Combden’s work will be recognized by longtime short fiction readers for her stories ‘Sunny Days’ and ‘Immune’ in Sci-Fi from the Rock (2016).

In May 2018 Combden won the monthly Kit Sora Flash Fiction prize for her short story ‘Tarnished,’ which went on to be featured in the Kit Sora: The Artobiography collection.

On the subject of flights, Combden writes: “With a degree in Physics, and a postgraduate diploma in Meteorology I have a strong interest in how planes stay up in the air.”

Combden brings with her her new short, ‘Sulfer Bridges.’

Fourteen other authors will be joining Jennifer Combden, Jeff Slade, Bronwynn Erskine, Peter J. Foote, Lindsay Kitson, Stacey Oakley, Teresita Dziadura, Nicole Little, Carolyn R Parsons, Lisa Daly, Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance for the 2019 Flights on the Rock collection! They include pilots, award-winning talent, and bestselling novelists! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.