Harmony Kent's Blog, page 44
February 22, 2021
Holistic Reviews | Story Empire
Hi everyone. Gwen has an excellent post on book reviews over at Story Empire. Well worth a read >>>
Hello S.E. readers, Gwen with you today to discuss a familiar topic — book reviews. If you’ll journey with me, I hope to spark a smile or two. Earlier this week, I was reminded of a cha…
Source: Holistic Reviews | Story Empire
The post Holistic Reviews | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
February 19, 2021
Faded ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #37 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity
Hi everyone! It’s that time of the week again …fun flash fiction from Suzanne Burke. This week’s theme led me down another dark path.
Here’s the short story I came up with >>>
Faded
‘Who numbers an apartment 13?’ Jake shook his head.
Emma said, ‘Our last house didn’t need superstition to be unlucky.’
Jake shoved the key at the lock and missed. The sharp end scratched the pristine wood of the door. ‘We had a fortunate escape.’
‘Careful!’ Emma snatched the key from him and eased it into the keyhole. The door swung open. The couple shared a glance—not a single creak and a welcome change from their old place.
Nervous, the pair stood in utter silence and listened. Neither wanted to think about what had driven them out of their old—cheaper—home. Though the new flat looked gorgeous, it came at a steep price. How much is peace worth?
After a good five minutes, Emma let out a sigh and galvanised herself into motion. The rooms seemed quiet, non-malevolent, and the pair relaxed. The next few hours saw them busy with the business of moving in. Neither had brought anything from their previous home—not wishing to invite any trouble here. They’d moved clear across town … surely nothing could follow them?
Later that night, pleasantly exhausted from the novelty of physical labour, Jake and Emma fell straight into a deep slumber. In the morning, after the first solid sleep in months, fingers of sunlight pried open their eyelids, and the couple roused.
All was right with the world. Emma rubbed her eyes, yawned, and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. Cold shock struck the soles of her bare feet. She lifted her toes from the chill laminate flooring with a gasp. To the offending wood she said, ‘You look nice but you sure don’t feel good.’ Then, holding her breath in dread anticipation, she lowered her limbs once more, groped with her toes for her slippers, which had slipped under the bed, and snuggled her feet into the faux-furry warmth.
As she dashed to the bathroom, the cool of the apartment filtered through to her sleep-fuddled brain. Why’s it so cold? It’s summer. Emma plonked herself onto the frigid toilet seat and braced her elbows on her knees. I’ll check the AC settings in a minute. While she peed, she gazed around the new space. A large mirror hung on the opposite wall. It took a few seconds for Emma to realise that she should be able to see her reflection. The mirror showed only an empty room.
Scared, she called out to her boyfriend, ‘Jake? Come here would you?’ Her voice sounded as pale as her body felt.
Jake pushed into the bathroom with a grin. ‘What? Found another spider?’
Emma pointed behind him. He turned and followed her gesture. Jake swore and spun around to face his girlfriend. ‘This some kind of joke?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m scared.’
Hurriedly, she finished her business and stood. ‘Come on.’
‘Where we going?’
‘Out. Anywhere. I don’t care. Just not here.’
Jake pulled on her hand and held her back. ‘Woah. Get dressed first.’
Emma swallowed her rising hysteria and dashed to the bedroom. Uncaring of the sweat and dust of yesterday’s activity, she pulled on the jeans and t-shirt that she’d discarded at the foot of the bed last night. Jake had dressed while she was in the bathroom. Hand in hand, they grabbed the apartment keys and left. Emma expected the building to keep them trapped, but it let them go.
On the street, Emma pulled Jake toward downtown. At the first store window she stopped and stared. The glass reflected an empty early-morning pavement. No Jake. No Emma. Horrified and confused, the pair raced to the next shop, and the next, and the one after that. All the windows failed to acknowledge their existence.
They reached a news stall. The headlines showed large type in bold …
Police Search Continues for Missing Couple
Emma said, ‘It got us, then.’
Jake squeezed her hand. ‘We should have known the rent on the old place was too cheap.’
The haunted house tugged them back—the pull started behind their navels and spread.
Trapped within the antique mirror in the hall, they gazed out and saw that the old place hadn’t given them a fresh start at all. A trick—an illusion. They’d never left. The months passed. The landlord cleared out their stuff. Helpless, Jake and Emma watched as a young family moved in.
Were they, too, fated to fade into the bones of the ancient timbers? Or could they thwart the evil?
© Harmony Kent 2021
I’d love to know what you think of this short piece … so please don’t be shy and leave me a reply.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
The rules:Please put your entry (or a link to it) in a comment HERE or email it to Sooz at her email address. by DEADLINE: 4pm EDT on Thursday, February 25th. Subject: Fiction in a Flash Challenge. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to THIS page would be much appreciated.
Find Sooz at …
The post Faded ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #37 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
The Importance of Setting | Story Empire
Hi everyone. Mae has a great post all about setting over at Story Empire. Well worth a look >>>
Hi, SEers! Mae here with a post about setting. Often when we start planning a novel, we’re focused on developing characters and plot. We know where our novel is set, but how much time do we spend f…
Source: The Importance of Setting | Story Empire
The post The Importance of Setting | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.February 17, 2021
#BookReview: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo @LBardugo
Hi everyone. Today, I have a book review for you from an author who has become one of my auto-buy writers, Leigh Bardugo.
About the Book:
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.
‘By the time Alex managed to get the blood out of her good wool coat, it was too warm to wear it.’
From this gripping opening line, we see that the main character, Alex (Galaxy) is holed up within a warded building known as ‘The Hutch’. She’s hurt–badly–and from here, we then jump back in time to her arrival at Yale.
Slowly, the plot unfurls by hopping between present and past and unveils all that’s hidden.
I’ll be honest, this is a difficult book in so many ways but well worth persevering with. And it’s not for the faint-hearted. The narrative addresses issues of rape, dark magic, murders, and manipulation, as well as drug use.
The pacing is slow for much of the first 3/4 of the book–incredibly so–but more like a long, drawn out burn. I had to keep going. I could not stop. And I had to find out what was going on. I found the main character intriguing, and I rooted for her in a deep and abiding kind of way. She’ll stay with me for a while. She was so utterly relatable and so very strong.
A few lines that stood out for me:
‘But he’d let himself think of her as someone who had made all of the wrong choices and stumbled down the wrong path. It hadn’t occurred to him that she was being chased.’
‘Don’t start lying yet. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and you’ll want to pace yourself.’
‘She felt strange, wide open and exposed, a house with all its doors thrown open.’
After the long, slow burn the final 25% of the read blows you away. It is wild and fast and absolutely gripping. And satisfying. It ties up all the threads.
I believe this will be one of those books that readers either feel luke-warm about or they will rave about it. For me, it rates a solid and enthusiastic five stars. And after this read, and her Grishaverse Series, Leigh Bardugo has become one of my auto-buy writers.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by 
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07NVPTTSZ/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NVPTTSZ/
The post #BookReview: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo @LBardugo first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
Getting it Done with Writing Sprints
Hi everyone. Joan has a great post over on Story Empire today all about writing sprints and getting those words on the page >>>
Hey, SE Readers. Joan with you today. Hope you’re enjoying this chilly, um, frigid February. Perfect weather for staying indoors to write. You’re near the end. You can see the end in sight. You wan…
Source: Getting it Done with Writing Sprints
The post Getting it Done with Writing Sprints first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.February 15, 2021
Do You Participate in Prompts? Maybe You Should | Story Empire
Hi everyone. John has a great post about writing prompts over at Story Empire today >>>
Hi, John here with you SEers. First of all, I wish you all a Happy Presidents Day on behalf of the Story Empire team. If you are allowed the time off, I hope you have a wonderful day. If not, at le…
Source: Do You Participate in Prompts? Maybe You Should | Story Empire
The post Do You Participate in Prompts? Maybe You Should | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.February 13, 2021
Ghost Van ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #36 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity
Hi everyone! It’s that time of the week again …fun flash fiction from Suzanne Burke. This week’s theme led me down a darkish path.
Here’s the short story I came up with >>>
Ghost Van
The van was worried and most definitely not at peace. Anything but hippie, it wanted to make war, not love.
Its last owner had come to fear him, and so would this one … cute college girl or not. He’d never been one to suffer fools gladly. And this amateur paint job—well, he had no words. Just rage. While he might have been a bit worn and rusty, he wasn’t destitute or desperate.
Anger simmering below the hood, he waited and bided. Once in a while his patience shattered on the rocks of fury, and he would stall the engine or flat-out refuse to start. Her frustration filled him with glee. After a few months, she took him out for a night ride. Now was his chance.
She picked up a guy—a loser if the van had ever seen one. A privileged jerk with no respect for the female form. After the drive-in movie, they went to Lover’s Lane … how many cliches did she intend on putting him through?
The spirit in the van intended to kill them both. With any luck, he’d get returned to the junk yard and left to rot in peace. Only once the carcass had rotted entirely would he find release. She navigated down the rutted lane and all the way to the hilltop. The view was tremendous. So was the sheer drop.
The jerk made his move. She fought him off. With a little help from the spirit in the van, she shoved jerk-boy out of the passenger door, and he tumbled to the grass. She slammed the door shut and reined in her sobs.
As soon as she found first gear, his resolve went up in smoke, along with the engine. He snatched control from her hands and roared toward the edge, and the boy. Over the screaming revs, the dull thud of the impact barely registered. The body flew feet into the air and then plummeted. The van hit the brakes. With the bumper hanging over the cliff, the van lurched to a stop. Behind the wheel, she sat with her wide eyes hidden behind her hands.
In that moment, he realised how much he’d come to love the girl. The van utilised the radio function to communicate. Let Me Take you Home Tonight by Boston crooned from the speakers …
You must understand this
I’ve watched you for so long
That I feel I’ve known you
I know it can’t be wrong
If we just get together
I want to make you see
As soon as the final refrain of Let Me Take You Home Tonight played, he switched off the sound. Then he drove her home.
It didn’t bother him too much that she left him parked on the drive for the next few months. He could wait. He was used to biding his time. Every once in a while, he gave her a nudge to remind her of his presence, and she’d have to open up his door and turn off the headlights or the blaring horn. She’d come around to his way of seeing things soon. Eventually, they always did.
© Harmony Kent 2021
I’d love to know what you think of this short piece … so please don’t be shy and leave me a reply.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Photo by Vasilios Muselimis on Unsplash
The rules:Please put your entry (or a link to it) in a comment HERE or email it to Sooz at her email address. by DEADLINE: 4pm EDT on Thursday, February 18th. Subject: Fiction in a Flash Challenge. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to THIS page would be much appreciated.
Find Sooz at …
The post Ghost Van ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #36 NEW Image Prompt. Join in the fun! #IARTG #ASMSG @pursoot #WritingCommunity first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
Basic Plots: Vonnegut’s Cinderella | Story Empire
Hi everyone. Staci has another great installment in her basic plots series of posts over on Story Empire. I’m a day late due to my blog being down for much of yesterday. This series of posts and plotting is well worth a look >>>
Ciao, SEers. I’ve been talking about Vonnegut’s five basic plots. So far, I’ve discussed Man in Hole and Boy Meets Girl, which you can find by clicking the links. Today, I’m going to talk about the…
Source: Basic Plots: Vonnegut’s Cinderella | Story Empire
The post Basic Plots: Vonnegut’s Cinderella | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.February 10, 2021
#BookReview: An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse @MrsAmandaProwse
Hi everyone. Today, I have a book review for you from an author who is fast becoming a favourite, Amanda Prowse.
About the Book:
From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a tale of love, loss—and one last extraordinary dance.
Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.
London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.
Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.
Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?
My Review:
Many thanks to the author for a free signed review copy of this book. Having read and loved The Boy Between, a vital book about depression and its effects, which Amanda Prowse co-wrote with her son Josiah Hartley, I was thrilled to receive this pre-release paperback.
A tale of love and loss and perseverance, An Ordinary Life is set in war torn 1940s London. The story begins with ninety-four-year-old Molly struggling to write a letter to her son. Before she can do more than make a start, she suffers a fall and a stroke. The narrative then moves back in time to a youthful nineteen-year-old Molly.
I found this read a real tear-jerker at times, so make sure you have your tissues ready. Other points in the book made me smile and at times chuckle aloud.
Despite the title, this is no ordinary book, and Molly’s life is actually quite extraordinary at times. An emotional and engaging read, I give An Ordinary Lifea solid 5 stars and will be looking at other books by this writer.
If you enjoy women’s fiction, tales of love and endurance, and wartime reads, you’ll love this book.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1542017297/
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1542017297/
The post #BookReview: An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse @MrsAmandaProwse first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire
Hi everyone. Craig has a fun and informative post over at Story Empire today all about homour. Well worth a look >>>
Hi gang. Craig here again with more comedy items you can plot out ahead of time. The last post was pretty popular, so why not a sequel. The previous post contained a list of traditional gags along …
Source: Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire
The post Expansion Pack: The Return of Comedy | Story Empire first appeared on Welcome to Harmony Kent Online.
