Steven E. Wedel's Blog, page 27
May 5, 2013
Another Gift of Lycanthropy
AsNadia’s Children, the latest novel in The Werewolf Saga, nears release I’d like to give you, readers, the Gift of Lycanthropy to get you ready for this latest installment. To do that, I’m offering the Kindle e-book editions of bothSharaandUlrik absolutely free today and Monday.*
Remember, this is the MoonHowler Press edition of each, which includes about 10,000 words ofShara that have never been available before.Ulrik includes a sampling ofNadia’s Children.
If you enjoy them and want to leave...
April 30, 2013
Review: Five Skies
Five Skies by Ron Carlson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Something about this novel drew me for a long time. It was on my wish list for over a year, and when I finally bought it, I started it immediately. I don’t know why. It isn’t the kind of book I’d normally be in a rush to read, but for some reason the idea of these three guys coming together and battling personal demons — metaphorical demons, even — really compelled me. Demons. Compel. See the influence of what I usually read? haha
Anyhoo, I lo...
April 28, 2013
What champions of Common Core are missing
I don’t post about my job as a high school English teacher a lot. Too much information makes administrators nervous, and once I start it’s hard for me to decide where to draw the line. But this post isn’t so much about my specific school, so maybe I won’t end up in the principal’s office. Again. We’ll see.
Today I read what apparently was already an old column by Joel Stein in which he discusses “How I Replaced Shakespeare.” In it, he talks about some of the objectives of Common Core, a method...
The return of Ulrik
I have so much stuff going on I can barely keep up with it all. I have two big announcements, but this one was released first, so I’ll do it today. The new MoonHowler Press edition of Book 3 of The Werewolf Saga is available right now.
Is it different than the out-of-print version from Scrybe Press? Essentially, no, it’s not. UnlikeShara, I didn’t have chapters I’d cut from the original draft that I could put back into this one. It has a different cover that fits into the new look for each of...
April 22, 2013
Review: An American Tragedy
An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I would give this one 3.5 stars (out of five). It was at times very frustrating, quite boring, and then, at the end, very, very moving.
Clyde Griffiths has to be one of the most dislikable characters in all of American literature. Sure, one can relate to the young Clyde not wanting to be part of his parents’ street mission, wanting a job, then wanting a better job, but once he has a pretty decent job as a bellboy he quickly becom...
April 21, 2013
The bitch is back … again
After being out of print for a little over a year, I’m very pleased to announce that my first novel, and the first full-length novel in The Werewolf Saga series, is back in print. This edition features about 10,000 words that were cut out of the previous editions, offering more insight into the actions and motivations of some characters in the early part of the story.
The cover for this edition was designed by my son, Alex, under my direction. We went for a simple, subtle design and a pallet o...
April 17, 2013
Review: The Crucible
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My American Lit classes finished reading this today. I’ve read it many times and it just doesn’t get old. I’d give it five stars if the ending wasn’t so abrupt, but I suppose it’s hard to simulate a hanging on the stage, so Miller didn’t have much of a choice.
The kids (high school juniors) really get into it. Part of it is the story, but I know a lot of it has to do with getting to shout “whore” and “harlot” as we read it out loud. Hey, w...
March 31, 2013
Review: The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have to admit I love this little play. I especially love teaching it to my AP Literature students. It’s short, but rich in character study and provides some excellent examples of symbolism. Someone from my class has used this play to answer Question 3 of the AP Lit exam every year since I began teaching the class. That’s how loaded with literary merit this piece is.
The Glass Menagerie is the final piece in what is really the...
Review: The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It had been years and years since I last read this, but Audible.com offered it as a free download for Easter. (I love Audible.com!) It’s a very cute little tail about a disobedient bunny who narrowly avoids the tasty fate of his late father. If you like The Poky Little Puppy, you’ll like this one, too.
March 29, 2013
Review: Grandpa Green
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I chose this book out of four options to read during a teaching workshop today because it is about Alzheimer’s disease, which is probably my greatest fear. I finished an initial read unimpressed and dissatisfied with the ending. However, after rereading and studying the images more closely, many new elements presented themselves that made Grandpa Green a very clever and moving piece of literature.
That said, I’m not sure children will learn...
