S.M. Stevens's Blog, page 13

A Spectacularly Spooky Read

Congratulations to fellow TouchPoint Press author M.T. Maliha for releasing another spectacularly spooky read–Betwixted, the final installment in her Waverly Estates trilogy.

Maliha is a wonderful storyteller. Betwixted grabbed me from Chapter 1 as the plot went into high gear immediately. Every chapter provides a spooky, eerie chill, and the mystery and intrigue build right up through the end.

I found myself wanting to jump ahead on many pages to see what was going to happen.

In between the ghost stories, the narrator makes observations on death and life that show Maliha is an able student of the human condition as well as the owner of a very vivid imagination.

This was a wonderful conclusion to the Waverly Estate trilogy.

Learn more about the novel and read reviews on her website.

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Fun Photo Friday: Introverts, Unite!

This Friday’s Fun Photo is highly amusing to me. Hopefully it is also funny to introverts around the world and maybe even extroverts.

I find people fascinating and I generally love interacting with them, albeit in small groups. But my daughter once told me the true definition of an introvert is someone who recharges their batteries by being alone, whereas an extrovert recharges by being with other people.

That definitely puts me in the introvert bucket. I savor my alone time. I once saw a hysterical sign in a shop–one of those little plaques you put on your desk or on your wall–that said, “My alone time is for your own safety.” Yep. And my own sanity.

This comic is from introverteed30, so thanks to them, and it was brought to my attention by author Tina O’Hailey. It captures perfectly the way I sometimes feel after large meet-and-greets.

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Why I Hate “Women’s Fiction”

Let me clarify: I don’t hate Women’s Fiction. In fact, my most recently published novel, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, can be classified as Women’s Fiction. I hate the term “Women’s Fiction”.

Jodi Picoult – Master of Women’s Fiction or just Master of Fiction?

I don’t understand why we need a genre of literature called “Women’s Fiction”. After all, there is no genre called “Men’s Fiction”. Some might think women should appreciate being given a genre of their own. I counter: Why do we need one? Men don’t have one.

When you consider that women buy more books than men, common sense would suggest books considered Women’s Fiction should be the norm, and books expected to only appeal to men should be the ones in a special category.

(For people who don’t have to worry about the genres of the books they read, here’s what I’m talking about: In the publishing world, your book must fit into a category so the literary agents, editors and publishers know what to expect when they dive in, and so bookshops know which shelf it goes on. Literary genres and bookstore shelves don’t match up perfectly, but some terms are used by both, such as General Fiction, Young Adult, Children’s, Mystery, Romance and Nonfiction. Bookstores of course then break some of those, like Nonfiction, into sub-categories like Cooking, Sports and Biography. But back to my point…)

I get how the term Women’s Fiction came about–it was a quick way to differentiate the rising tide of novels by and for and about women from what has been the norm in the male-dominated fiction field for decades. But here’s why the term bothers me:

#1 – It carves out fiction with female protagonists as subservient to the larger collection of literature. I guess if you throw in “Chick Lit” we get two pieces of the publishing world’s pie. But giving us a slice or two of the pie isn’t complimentary. We’re integral to the whole pie. I’m in good company with this opinion; Big Little Lies author Liane Moriarty said much the same in this interview.

In order: A 2010 Self-Help/Humor cover. A 1938 Lesbian Pulp Fiction cover. And a typical Chick Lit cover.

#2 – “Women’s Fiction” could be interpreted to suggest that only fiction in this category appeals to women. Which is of course bull, because women have been avid readers of all genres–literary, mystery, thriller, medical, sports, etc.– throughout time.

#3 – It could be interpreted to suggest that men and people of other non-female genders won’t like these stories. Which is bull, because many female authors write stories that appeal to all genders, just as many male authors write stories that appeal to all genders.

#4 – The term could be interpreted to suggest women can only write fiction in this genre. Which is bull, because women have been writing in other genres since long before Jane Austen hit the scene. Of course, many like George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and George Sand (Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin) had to adopt male pen names to be taken seriously. *

#5 – It pigeonholes these books into a narrower category than they deserve. Most are life stories that happen to have female protagonists or that delve into emotions women can relate to. But that doesn’t mean men can’t relate to them as well. Or, if they can’t, they can learn something from reading them. Does that sound condescending? No more condescending than expecting a woman to learn something about men by reading stories focused on them. In other words, not condescending at all in my opinion. After all, isn’t that why many of us read? To learn something or appreciate a new mindset?

#6 – It encourages stereotypes. Just look at some of the covers included in this post. I love most of them but some do give pause when you consider what message they send.

I’m in a Kristin Hannah phase so must include one of her covers.

I’m sure there are many other interpretations of what Women’s Fiction might mean, to those not familiar with literary genres. What does it call to your mind? Cheesy romance? Cancer-riddled tear-jerkers? Beach reading? Or higher-brow fiction dealing with prickly issues like menstruation and menopause; or writings filled with misandrist rantings against men? Or maybe, as Liz Kay writes on Literary Hub, the Women’s Fiction tag to you denotes a book “deemed not serious enough to be of interest to men.” If any of those resonated with you, I strongly encourage you to pick up a bestseller by a female author. Soon.

As genders blur, maybe genre terminology will too. Just as recipients of female-focused leadership and achievement awards in the art and business worlds often say they look forward to the day when special awards for women are no longer necessary, I look forward to the day when the genre Women’s Fiction is obsolete.

* Fun Fact: Louise May Alcott wrote under the name A.M. Barnard for many years. According to my mother, we are (very) distant relations to LMA. The “M” in S.M. Stevens is for “May”–an old family name.

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Book Signing in the Catskills

Never have I ever* been as excited as I am now, to announce I’ll be participating in a Meet the Authors event in a few weeks. Take that, COVID-19! Or should I say, vaccinations to the rescue!

As I know probably every single one of you can relate, it has been too long since we’ve been able to socialize in person. This will be my first live, in-person author event in over a year. I am so looking forward to mingling with new people and answering readers’ questions.

The event is being organized by the wonderful M.T. Maliha, whose final installment in her supernatural thriller trilogy Waverly Estate comes out soon. (Watch for a future post on that.) All our books will be available; for me that includes the adult novel Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, the Bit Players series for teens and tweens, and Shannon’s Odyssey for kids ages 8-11.

The event takes place at Zena Recreation in Woodstock, NY, on Sunday, June 27, 2021, from noon to 3:00 PM. We’ll be poolside (poor us…) and, in addition to signing our books, we’ll have fun activities like raffles and scavenger hunts. I understand admission is free unless you want to use the swimming pool, which entails a $10 fee.

If you are in the Catskill Mountains of New York, perhaps we will see you there!

*I have “Never Have I Ever” on the brain, because in my new manuscript, an innocent game of “Never Have I Ever” turns dark and contentious…

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Book Fun in the Sort-of Sun

I recently had the privilege of participating in a local author event at the Fuller Public Library in Hillsborough, NH. Library director extraordinaire Samantha Gallo organized the event with 7 local authors.

The forecast called for cold and rainy but Mother Nature was on our side. It turned into a beautiful day, partly sunny yet cool enough to keep the May flies away!

Authors at the event were:

A.L. Aborn (the author with the most local contacts; seriously, her table was an endless parade of friends and family!)Riley Coker (the youngest author there)Karen Coulters (prettiest book covers; click through to her website to see if you agree)Lisa Q. Mathews (best outfit – check out her “Crime Scene Do Not Cross” yellow scarf in the photo)Sue McPhee (most intriguing memoir; read about it here)S.M. Stevens (yours truly)Cynthia Van Hazinga (the most prolific author there with 20+ titles to her credit!)

I was joined by the illustrator of my books Horseshoes and Hand Grenades and Shannon’s Odyssey — Natalie Simone, she of the rainbow hair. The ebook version of Shannon’s Odyssey, btw, is only $0.99. You don’t get the stunning cover art but you do get a 5-star rated story.

Thanks to Samantha for organizing the event.

Natalie Simone, cover illustrator of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, and Shannon’s OydsseyBack row: Cynthia Van Hazinga, Sue McPhee, Natalie Simone, S.M. Stevens, Lisa Q. Mathews. Middle row: Karen Coulters, A.L. Aborn. Front: Riley Coker.Me, at our tableCynthia Van Hazinga’s booksFuller Library’s fearless director Samantha GalloRiley Coker & Karen CoultersSome of the wonderful works by Hillsborough NH-area authors

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The Best Character Description Ever

I recently read The Gargoyle (Anchor Books, 2009) and am compelled to share one of author Andrew Davidson’s character descriptions–one so amazing I had to re-read it right then and there, and immediately deemed it The Best Character Description Ever.

Authors often struggle to find new and interesting ways to portray their characters as there are only so many ways to depict physical traits and personality quirks. So when a novelist nails it like Davidson does in Chapter XVI of The Gargoyle, I want to bow down and pay homage. (I also want to go back to all my novels and re-write every single character description, but that’s my issue…)

So, here it is. The narrator/protagonist is describing a woman as he meets her for the first time.

“Short, but Napoleon short; the kind of short that’s always pulling itself up by its bootstraps in an attempt to look taller. Fat, but water balloon fat; with flesh not flabby, but round like it’s looking for a place to explode. Age, fifties? Hard to tell, but probably. She didn’t have wrinkles; her face was too spherical. Cropped hair, too much rouge on her cheeks; a dark business suit with a white, broad-lapelled shirt poking out; well-polished shoes; hands on her hips. Her eyes were confrontational, as if she were daring me to pop her one on the chin.”

That’s probably a longer excerpt than I’m allowed to print without permission, but hey–I want to share this and inspire people.

And if this makes you want to read The Gargoyle, which I highly recommend, here it is on Bookshop.org.

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Audiobook Winners

Congratulations to the 7 winners of the audiobook of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. And thanks to all who entered!

If you didn’t win, but want to check out the highly rated novel, here are links to the description and reviews on Amazon, and to a short YouTube video on the book.

To see the list of winners, click here.

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Fun Photo Friday: Aussie Puppy

Fun Photo Friday brings you this adorable Australian Shepherd puppy, originally posted on Instagram by aussie_corner. Look at those scrunched eyes. The floppy little ears. That squishy belly. Those big front paws. The little pink pads on his feet.

If it seems like a lot of my Fun Photo posts are of dogs and puppies in particular, that’s because I’m obsessed with puppies, dogs and pretty much all animals, in that order. Puppy photos will brighten any day.

So you’re welcome.

From aussie_corner on Instagram.

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Earth Day, the Environment & Books

Happy Earth Day! I try to be optimistic about humankind’s ability to turn around this climate crisis, and today’s announcement out of Washington is encouraging. But let’s be honest, we are in a crisis. Just ask the polar bears.

Still, let’s take today to celebrate the increasing global consciousness about the situation. Despite the bickering that goes on in Washington, the majority of Americans–both Republicans and Democrats–support measures to address climate change.

Action by individuals like you and me are of course a critical part of addressing global warming. As an author, and an avid book-reader, I sometimes think about the environmental cost of the books I buy.

Ebooks & The Environment

Of course, e-books seem like an environmentally friendly way to be entertained, inspired or taught, depending on your book’s topic. Whether you read on an e-reader like a Kindle or a Nook, a tablet or your phone, e-books aren’t printed on paper or shipped from print houses to distributors to stores to customers, so they must be better, right?

I mused on the pros and cons of hard copy versus ebooks a while back. Read that post here.

But it’s not that simple. There’s the environmental cost of manufacturing your e-reader, and later replacing it which, to my chagrin, happens far too often. If, like my brother-in-law, you read digital books on your phone, then you’re not purchasing another device, so props to those who can stand reading novels on tiny screens!

Science Says

For a more scientific analysis of ebooks versus paperbacks and hard cover books, we can look to The Eco Guide. The nonprofit writes on its website:

“[W]hether or not [ebooks] have the power to decrease our carbon footprint is dependent on our personal habits….if you do not read at least 22 books on an e-reader before replacing it, your environmental impact is actually greater than if you had read them in print.” Reading 22 books on your e-reader seems like a pretty low bar!

If you, like me, are one of those people who loves the feel and even smell of an actual book in your hands, there are still ways to lessen the environmental impact of your reading. “Re-use” the book by donating it to a library or second-hand shop, or give it to a friend. Or don’t even buy it in the first place — borrow it from the library or a friend.

Happy Reading, and Happy Earth Day. May we have many more.

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Audiobook Giveaway

I don’t exactly have audiobooks coming out of my ears (see what I did there), but I do have 7 free copies of the audiobook version of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades left over from the launch. So I’m giving them away to seven lucky readers/listeners. The audiobook retails for $19.95 USD.

If you’re not familiar with the book yet, click here for a short video on what readers are saying about the modern novel. Reviewers have called it thought-provoking, uplighting and a must-read.

To enter the contest for a free audiobook, just click on the form below to visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, and/or share my tweet about Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. No purchase required. Just a little social support.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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