Michael W. Smart's Blog

“Battle Stations…”

J. Murray’s just released “Twenty-Four Days” (read my review here), the second novel in the Rowe-Delamagente series, moves much of the action to sea, taking us aboard nuclear submarines and surface combat warships. Murray’s in-depth research and knowledge of the U.S Navy is once again on display in this sequel to “To Hunt a Sub”, providing dramatic authenticity to the edgy science that buoys the plot. Reading the tense battle scenes evoked memory flashes from some of my favorite Navy and subm...

Book Review – Twenty-Four Days by J. Murray

THEY’RE BACK
 

I was so pleasantly surprised and happy to be reunited with Zeke Rowe, Kalian Delamagente, Bobby James, and Otto, in J. Murray’s “Twenty-Four Days”. Prior to its release I had no idea the author intended a sequel to “To Hunt a Sub”, or a series featuring these memorable characters. As with the first novel in the series, J. Murray’s meticulous research into the U.S Navy and Paleoanthropology, and her tech savvy, shines through in the narrative, particularly the naval battle sce...

Book Review – To Hunt a Sub by J. Murray

A Fascinating Tale

J. Murray’s long anticipated thriller, To Hunt a Sub, is a satisfying read from a fresh voice in the genre, and well worth the wait. The time devoted to research paid off, providing a much appreciated authenticity to the sciency aspects of the plot. The author also departs from the formulaic pacing and heroics of contemporary commercialized thrillers. Instead, the moderately paced narrative is a seduction, rather than a sledgehammer. The author takes time rendering relata...

Logbook Tales – A Day To Cherish

For Jason, remembering our first long cross country together

You, my dear Jason, developed an early yen for things that go fast. Your first word was car. And you created elaborate vehicles and structures with a trunkful of Lego pieces stuffed under your bed, an early sign of your calling. You inherited my love of the sky, your sister my love of the sea. Our first long trip together was a flight from Kissimmee, Florida, to Apalachicola, in a single engine Piper Archer. Remember it?

August 29,...

5 Star Book Review – Write Your Novel by Maggie James

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STARTING AND FINISHING THAT FIRST NOVEL.

I’m a fan of Maggie James’s well crafted psychological suspense novels. Her foray into non-fiction with “Write Your Novel! From getting started to first draft”, is exceptional in the crowded how-to-write and writing tips field, due to its focus on building self-confidence and overcoming the self-imposed impediments to getting started. Its advice, derived from the author’s own writing journey, is practical, easy to follow, and log...

Logbook Tales – Baby on Board

For Julia, remembering your first week at sea

You were new to the world, a mere three and a half months old, arriving on a balmy summer evening on June 28th, 8:27 PM, all 6 pounds 15 ounces of you. Your mother and I had returned to Connecticut for your birth, the three of us now heading home to Bequia, via Antigua where we’d moored our 45 foot staysail cutter Tropical Dream with a caretaker.

The plan was to island hop from Antigua to Bequia, sailing by day and anchoring at night in Guadalupe,...

Baby Girl Series box set – Elle Klass

Baby Girl box set cover reveal extravaganza!

Included in the box set: In the Beginning, Moonlighting in Paris, City by the Bay, Bite the Big Apple and an added prologue and epilogue.

Abandoned at 12, Baby Girl is forced to face the harsh realities of life and struggles to find her path. She forages for sustenance, steals from the wealthy, and sleeps in any dark hole she can find. A ‘family’ of sorts forms between her and a band of other youngsters. Together they fight for survival, friendship...

5 Star Book Review – HellKat by Robyn Roze

A truly fun read!

I haven’t had so much fun reading a novel in quite a while. And never as much fun reading a romance novel. Perhaps because Hellkat is also a gripping mystery, filled with intrigue, deception, and danger amid the delicious desire and carnal coupling. But mainly because Robyn’s writing style is so delightfully humorous and pithy, with a wonderfully drawn strong female character.

The two main characters first of all, and then the story, swept me away. From their first encoun...

SCIENCE FICTION – THOUGHTS ON THE GENRE

How do you define science fiction? For me, the answer is exemplified in the following quote:

“Take a scientific fact or theory, add a futuristic or other-worldly setting, stir in an imaginative plot and fascinating characters, and a science fiction novel emerges from the cosmic mix”. (Yvonne Coleman)

The question’s relevance pestered me as I pondered the release, promotion, and marketing of my first science fiction title, Davidia’s Seed. Using the same marketing formula I’d developed for...

THAT…A PET PEEVE

In a recent post, “Kill these words! 10 easy rules to enliven your writing,” I included the word ‘that’ as a weak word to be eliminated from sentences. ‘That’, used as a relative pronoun or conjunction in a sentence, is a particular pet peeve of mine, eliciting a fingernails-on-chalkboard type response whenever I encounter it. Yet its egregious usage seems to be multiplying, in novels, blog posts, even news articles, used by novice and experienced writers alike. When did ‘that’ attain such ub...