G.G. Andrew's Blog, page 9

Writers Who Read: Karina Sumner-Smith

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with fantasy author Karina Sumner-Smith. 

Who are you?

I’m Karina Sumner-Smith. I’m a Canadian fantasy writer and author of the Towers Trilogy (Radiant, Defiant, and the upcoming conclusion, Towers Fall). The series is set in a far-future, post-apocalyptic city where magic is used as currency and ghosts are fuel for living, floating towers. The books tell the story of a homeless girl with no magic who risks everything to save the ghost of her only friend—and how everything changes because of that rescue.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I was lucky to grow up in a book-loving family, so I don’t remember a time before reading. Story time was the best part of going to bed as a child—one of my parents always read to me, and that was worth putting on my pajamas and brushing my teeth and all those other inconveniences. But of all those books, I still remember C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time as favorites.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

Books have always been a part of my daily life—TV, not so much. I’ll admit, I enjoy quite a few shows, from Orphan Black to random things like MasterChef, but watching is a very different experience from reading.

Shows and movies are entertainment. Books are like breathing.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

There are so many! In fantasy and science fiction, I’ll always grab anything by Guy Gavriel Kay, Naomi Novik, Michelle Sagara/Michelle West, Julie E. Czerneda, Robin McKinley, and Daryl Gregory. They’re all authors that I have come to trust over many books, and know that—regardless of the story—I’ll find something in the pages of their books that I’ll fall in love with. With some, it’s their gorgeous prose, their voice, or the rhythms of their writing. For others, it’s the characters that have come to feel like close friends and family.

I have a few other authors that are rapidly climbing onto my auto-buy list. Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor was simply amazing, I was recently blown away by some of N.K. Nemisin’s work, and totally fell in love with Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I admit it, I’ll always fall for amazing world-building. If you can build a strange and amazing fantasy world, or a different magical system, or a truly startling setting, I’ll give the story a shot on those strengths alone. (Perhaps this is why describing my own stories can be so difficult—I love putting together strange combinations of world/magic/setting into something that feels new and interesting.)

But what really get me are strongly emotional, non-sexual love stories. Stories about found families and life-altering friendships, finding your place in the world through the people you love and who love you. And I say “non-sexual” because when one says “love,” people tend to assume that’s synonymous with sexual attraction and romance, and that’s not quite what I mean. While I enjoy a good romance or two, my kryptonite are the love stories that aren’t about sex.

And if the author’s prose is amazing? All the better. I’ve been known to buy a book on the strength of a beautiful sentence or opening paragraph alone.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

Two spring to mind. In the summer, I love taking my book to the beach—I live by Lake Huron, so the beach isn’t far away. I’ll happily spend hours down by the water, reading, listening to the waves. But when the weather’s not co-operating, I have a rocking chair by a window where I’ll sit with a blanket on my lap and a cup of tea on the table by my side. Rare as such days are, nothing’s better than a quiet day with hours in the afternoon to spend reading.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

Absolutely! There are plenty of books that I’ll only read once, even if I truly enjoyed reading them—and then there are the books that come to feel like old friends. I have books I’ve read and re-read times beyond counting; books with pages that have become soft and worn from repeated handling.

I also find that there are books that feel like new discoveries each time that I read them. I’ll see gorgeous lines I never noticed, be moved to tears by a character moment that I didn’t even remember from my first reading, even understand the story in a different way. I think that we bring something of ourselves to a book every time we read it, and as we grow and change we find new and different wonders in stories we love.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

I think part of being a writer, for me, is always studying other authors’ work, pulling it apart and seeing what makes it work. I think two of the biggest influences for me early on in my development, though, were Sean Stewart’s Mockingbird and Octavia E. Butler’s Wild Seed.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

For me, it’s a combination of character, voice, a different idea or interesting plot, interesting story structure, and/or beautiful writing. A book with only one element will probably languish; one with two of the above will likely be read through. Three or more? I’ll be hooked.

Truth is, I love a wide variety of books in a number of genres, and sometimes truly unexpected things will leap out and grab me. I try many more books than I finish—this is part of what makes libraries, and free ebook previews, and luxurious times to browse through the bookstore so wonderful. I try to be open to new works and new writers especially; I never quite know what I’ll fall in love with next.

What are you reading right now?

Right now, I’m in the middle of quite a few books. I’m re-reading an old favorite, Julie E. Czerneda’s A Thousand Words for Stranger, in preparation for her November release of the first in a related trilogy, This Gulf of Time and Stars. I’m also about halfway through Kameron Hurley’s genre-bending fantasy novel, The Mirror Empire.

For nonfiction, I’m reading Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident about the strange deaths of ten Russian hikers in the 1950s, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery, and philosophy book In the Dust of This Planet.

Like I said, I love variety!

~

Karina Sumner-Smith is the author of the Towers Trilogy: Radiant (Sept 2014), Defiant (May 2015), and Towers Fall (Nov 2015). In addition to novel-length work, Karina has published a range of science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories that have been nominated for the Nebula Award, reprinted in several Year’s Best anthologies, and translated into Spanish and Czech. She lives in Ontario near the shores of Lake Huron with her husband, a small dog, and a large cat. Visit her online at karinasumnersmith.com.

Tags:  A Thousand Words for Stranger, A Wrinkle in Time, Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie, beach, books, C.S. Lewis, Canada, Chronicles of Narnia, Daryl Gregory, Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, family love stories, fantasy, friendship, Ghosts, Guy Gavriel Kay, horror, In the Dust of this Planet, Julie E. Czerneda, Kameron Hurley, Karina Sumner-Smith, Katherine Addison, Lake Huron, Madeline L'Engle, magic, MasterChef, Michelle Sagara/Michelle West, Mockingbird, N.K. Nemisin, Naomi Novik, Nebula Award, Netflix, Octavia E. Butler, Orphan Black, post-apocalyptic fiction, Radiant Defiant, reading, rereading, Robin McKinley, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Who Read, Sean Stewart, short stories, The Goblin Emperor, The Mirror Empire, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain, This Gulf of Time and Stars, Towers Fall, Towers Trilogy, Wild Seed, Writers Who Read




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 2015 Book Non-resolutions  Writers Who Read: Susan Rich  Making Mr. Melty Ice Cream: Frozen Fruity Flaxseed  Constantine Cocktail: The Steamed Demon  Ten Best Holiday Rom-coms on Netflix InstantCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Karina Sumner-Smith], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writing a Goth Rom-Com

I’m over at the romance site Lady Smut today talking about gothic romance and writing CRAZY, SEXY, GHOULISH as a goth rom-com. Check it out!

I’m happy to announce I’ll also be regularly posting on Lady Smut the first Friday of each month on romance, gender, sexuality, and pop culture. I’m so happy to be a part of this fun site and group of authors!

Also, if you’re not already on my mailing list, you might want to join! Later this week I’ll be sending out a special alternate scene from the novella to mailing list subscribers only. It’s my Halloween treat. (It pairs well with mini Snickers bars.)

Tags:  Crazy Sexy Ghoulish, goth rom com, gothic romance, Lady Smut, mailing list, reading, rom-com, romance, Snickers, writing




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 What's the Creepiest Creature in Literature?  My Wild Wish List  Writers Who Read: Chrissy Kolaya  Mr. Melty Curried Carrot Concoction  Writers Who Read: Amy Kathleen RyanCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writing a Goth Rom-Com], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Failing My To-Be-Read Pile

This is an approximate picture of my TBR at the moment–or maybe just the contents of my brain.

I’m well on my way to reaching my goal of whittling down the ebooks I’ve purchased from 20 to 15 by New Year’s–if by “well on my way,” I mean I’ve read three and bought, oh, about nine more.

For something that gives me as much joy, relaxation, and sanity as reading, I’ve written here before about all the ways reading kind of stresses me out, and this is no exception. Happiness is a pile of books, but it’s sometimes also overwhelming to see, to wonder when I’ll get through it all…not to mention justify to myself all those ebooks I purchased so I can buy more ebooks I see on sale (because I will).

Do you other readers have this issue? If not, I want to be you when I grow up.

This summer, when faced with a growing number of books on my Kindle app, I thought, Hey, these books I bought? I should actually read them all! Because, it’s like when you rarely visit the city you live by unless you’ve got family in town. There’s a part of my brain that was like, I’ve got these awesome books now to read. And then I just kept acquiring.

So I made a pact to myself to read the awesome I already owned and go from twenty to fifteen ebooks by 2016, and then maybe hit the single digits by next summer. And so, around book club picks and friends’ releases, I started trucking through my purchased ebooks.

But, guys? There were suddenly all these free, fantastic-sounding novellas out there by new-to-me authors. Contemporaries with unique premises, fun paranormals, tales of geek love. I bought some of them. I might’ve wanted to buy them all.

(PEOPLE. Stop writing things. And stop making them so affordable. Wait, don’t.)

Panic building a few weeks ago as I realized my TBR dreams were slipping from my grasp, I employed new strategies. I downloaded some of the ebooks from iBooks so they weren’t in my Kindle app and thus didn’t really count (right?). (Plus the reading experience in the iBooks app? Divine.) I thought of portioning some books off between two TBR collections in my Kindle app, maybe high- and low-priority, and just trying to keep the high under a certain amount. Then, as a last-ditch strategy, I removed some books from my collection that I’m not as excited to read (usually non-romances). I figured I could search for them if I wanted to read them in the future, but, more importantly, doing this kept my official TBR down.

Today I have 24 books in my TBR collection in Kindle. For those of you counting at home, that means my goal of going from 20 to 15 has gone in the opposite direction.

Is this a failure of my will? Or a success that the book world is full of such great reads? I guess it all depends on your viewpoint. Maybe I should adopt the latter.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to find time to read the 31 book samples I’ve downloaded by Dec. 31st…

Tags:  book samples, book world, books, ebooks, ereading, goals, iBooks, Kindle, novellas, paranormal romance, reading, reading apps, reading resolutions, resolutions, romances, TBR, To Be Read pile




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 What's Your Book Diet?  Writers Who Read: Joyce Thierry Llewellyn  Writers Who Read: Maureen O'Leary Wanket  Writing & Parenting  Writers Who Read: Amy ThomasCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Failing My To-Be-Read Pile], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Nicki Salcedo

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with author Nicki Salcedo.

Who are you?

I’m a happy writer. I love finding stories and tales of the unexpected. I was an English and creative writing major in college. I’ve always wanted to tell stories that were both complex and accessible. I read all different genres, and I write all different genres but my heart is with romance. All of my stories have a romantic element. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America and a Past President of Georgia Romance Writers. I’ve spent the past few years trying something new by writing a column for Decaturish.com. It is still creative, but non-fiction. The truth is much harder to write than fiction. I like the challenge of writing outside of my comfort zone.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I read Louis L’Amour and Harlequin Romance novels when I was a kid. I read lots of poetry. Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, E.E. Cumming. I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. These are stories of romance and nostalgia. These are the books that have impacted the kind of writer that I am today.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

I don’t watch TV. I don’t have time. I travel a lot, so I have lots of excuses to read. I still read books the old fashioned way – on paper. I have many favorite authors, but I love finding a book by authors I don’t know. You don’t know what to expect. The journey is different when you read an author for the first time. New books keep me reading.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

Malcolm Gladwell, Kresley Cole, Lisa Kleypas. I’m curious about human behavior, and I love a good romance particularly a series. Why are they auto-buys? They deliver good stories consistently. These days, I look for new authors more than go to familiar favorites. I like the thrill of discovering a new voice.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I’m into characters. I enjoy books about people in seemingly quiet situations that have a complex emotional resonance. I love interesting use of language. I don’t think I’ve read two books from the same genre this year. I’ve read everything from thriller to romance to literary to comedy. All the ones I enjoyed had interesting characters and were beautifully written.

I used to be all historical romance or all character-driven literary fiction. But now I’m going through a thriller phase. I never try to guess the ending or outsmart the author. I did not read mysteries growing up, so these stories surprise to me. I’m try to read outside of my comfort zone when I can. It’s not easy. I’m still tempted by dashing dukes!

What is your ideal time and place to read?

On an airplane. I don’t get a lot of quiet reading time at home! The selection at an airport bookstore is limited. I don’t make a habit of reading best-sellers, but as a writer it is good to know what sells and what I like.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

Absolutely. I re-read, if not all then part of, most of my favorite books each year. I can open a book to a favorite passage and see if it still means the same thing or still evokes the same emotions as the first time I read it. Also, reading is how I improve my writing. It is better than any writing class you can take.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

Beloved by Toni Morrison, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. Recently, I was influenced by Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Bulter. It impacted the way I looked at characters and motivation. It’s a great book that’s beautifully written.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

When I clutch it to my heart and have to find someone to read passages to. I enjoy stories with satisfying endings. I like authors who don’t have predictable endings or a crazy twist endings. Satisfying is ending the book the way the story should end. Sometimes that means happy. Sometimes that means tragic or sad. As a writer, I understand that it is hard to start a story, but it is infinitely more important to finish it correctly.

What are you reading right now?

Tanya Michael’s If She Dares. Black Phoenix by Allan Kemp. The Martian by Andy Weir. Yes, I read three books at a time. Why not!

~

Nicki Salcedo is an Atlanta native and graduate of Stanford University in California. Her romantic suspense novel All Beautiful Things earned her the Maggie Award of Excellence and a Golden Heart© nomination. She writes a weekly column for the Atlanta based newsite Decaturish.com. Intersections is a collection of these columns about life in the South. Nicki has four children, a husband, and a cat named after a famous baseball player. She thinks everyone should write and loves connecting with readers. You can find her on Twitter @nickisalcedo, Instagram @Nickisalcedo6, Facebook, or on her website.

Want to learn about the favorite books of other romance writers who read? Click here.

Tags:  Allan Kemp, Andy Weir, Beloved, Black Phoenix, books, C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, comedy, Decaturish.com, dukes, e.e. cummings, Emily Dickinson, Frankenstein, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Georgia Romance Writers, Harlequin, historical romance, human behavior, If She Dares, Kresley Cole, Lisa Kleypas, literary fiction, Louis L'Amour, Love in the Time of Cholera, Malcolm Gladwell, Mary Shelley, Nicki Salcedo, Nickolas Bulter, nonfiction, poetry, readings, Robert Frost, romance, Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers Who Read, RWA, S.E. Hinton, Shotgun Lovesongs, Tanya Michaels, The Martian, The Outsiders, thriller, Toni Morrison, writers, Writers Who Read, writing




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Comments:  0 (Zero), Be the first to leave a reply!You might be interested in this:  
 What Does It Mean When We Read a Book Fast?  Writing by Rom-Com: Old Fashioned  Top Ten Romance Releases in 2014  Writers Who Read: Abby Chew  Writers Who Read: Kristi BelcaminoCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Nicki Salcedo], All Right Reserved. 2015.

What’s the Creepiest Creature in Literature?

Fictional creatures have the power to intrigue us, amuse us, delight us–and terrify us beyond belief. I asked the authors in the Writers Who Read interview series a simple question, What is the creepiest creature in literature? Here are their choices for the scariest non-human entities, drawn from classic horror to children’s books, that are trapped (we hope) between pages.

Ann Gelder, author of BIGFOOT AND THE BABY 

Creepiest creep in literature? I’m going to have to go with the obvious. Especially when he literally creeps:

I saw the whole man emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss, face down with his cloak spreading out around him like great wings. At first I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was some trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow; but I kept looking, and it could be no delusion. I saw the fingers and toes grasp the corners of the stones, worn clear of the mortar by the stress of years, and by thus using every projection and inequality move downwards with considerable speed, just as a lizard moves along a wall. 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the great creepy crawlies of all time, because he’s uncanny—very human and also very not. He’s a titled aristocrat with refined manners (except when, well, you know) and a castle. He’s also an animal, and supernatural, defying the laws of reality. He can’t be pinned down, yet he seems to be everywhere. He’s the monster in all of us, which we fear we can’t control.

Tiffany Reisz, author of THE ORIGINAL SINNERS series

The creepiest creature in all of literature has to be the Jabberwocky. I recall very clearly the day I was blithely reading Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There and enjoying being back in Wonderland and then turning the page and OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT THING?! Sir John Tenniel’s illustration could have simply created your standard dragon creature but then he did the creepiest thing an illustrator can do with an animal–he gave it human teeth. I’m still a little horrified by it, but now the Jabberwocky and I are on good terms. I gave “Jabberwocky” to my Original Sinners series heroine Mistress Nora to use as her safe word.

Lisa Barr, author of the award-winning FUGITIVE COLORS

I’m terrified even writing these words: Who’s Afraid of Mary Worth? Mary Worth (aka: Mary Worthington, Bloody Mary) — a so-called urban legend that haunted my childhood. Whenever we had sleepover parties — in between “light as a feather, stiff as a board” — The evil MW always made her bloody entrance. Someone would inevitably bring up this frightening character and I would, of course, be up all night clutching my blankets and stuffed animal. The gist of the story is this: Mary Worth was once a beautiful young girl who was in a terrible accident that left her face permanently disfigured. No one wanted to look at her — and the damage was so horrendous that she was not even allowed to see her own reflection in a mirror. One night she accidentally glimpsed upon her horrible face and broke down screaming for her “old reflection” — vowing to take revenge on anyone who looked at her or tried to find her reflection in a mirror. Many tales were wrapped around this tragic (and in my mind) all-too-true tale. Blood, stabbings, torture, evil girls. (Perhaps, Mary was the prequel to Mean Girls…). To make matters worse, my bedroom closets were full-length door mirrors facing my bed. So every night I would sleep with my sweatshirt hoodie on tightly to ward away Mary Worth from looking at me in my own mirrors. Hello, therapy! There are so many scary characters in literature and film — and let it be known, that aside from Rosemary’s Baby, Halloween, Frankenstein, Poltergeist, and The Exorcist — indeed, all nightmare-worthy — NONE has ever affected me as much as Mary Worth.

Eddy Webb, author of WATSON IS NOT AN IDIOT

Hands down, the creepiest monster to me when I was growing up was the Hound of the Baskervilles. Part of the reason why it’s so creepy is that nearly all of the time it’s “off-screen,” lurking on the edges of the story, waiting to pounce. The Hound is only actually seen when it is confronted at the climax, but how people talk and think about the Hound is far scarier.

Maureen O’Leary Wanket, author of HOW TO BE MANLY, THE ARROW, and the forthcoming THE GHOST DAUGHTER

The creepiest creature in all of literature is the malevolent shape-shifting lady in Peter Straub’s Ghost Story, along with her creeptastic little minions. I return to Ghost Story for everything I love about good horror fiction. The story builds gradually and with a solid foundation in character, place, and history.  It’s also centered on a fiction writer which is a bonus to me. A group of old men gather to tell ghost stories, inviting the nephew of one of the friends to chronicle their tales. It turns out they are to the one haunted by the creepiest creature ever invented in the form of a sexy girl they think they killed by mistake. I reread Ghost Story now and then, and am terrified and riveted anew each time. It’s an ambitious novel featuring a creepy creature of such insidious evil that it will hurt your sleep.

Michelle Falkoff, author of PLAYLIST FOR THE DEAD

My creature isn’t exactly a creature–it’s a little kid who turns into something very, very old. Stephen King’s “The Jaunt” completely messed me up as a kid, and it still does now. Ricky, the kid, is on a trip to Mars, and his dad is explaining the science behind getting there, which involves everyone on the ship being put into a sleep-state so they can move through time without aging. But Ricky decides to stay awake. What he turns into is one of the scariest things I’ve read, and the image of him cackling, “Longer than you think, Dad!” is nightmare-inducing.

Rita Arens, author of THE OBVIOUS GAME

My vote for the creepiest creatures in literature are the hedge animals in Stephen King’s The Shining. Much creepier in the book than in the movie. I was particularly disturbed by the rabbit, because rabbits are not supposed to be creepy. They are at the very bottom of the food chain. If rabbits are scary to you, where do you now sit in that chain?

Andrea Cumbo-Floyd, author of
I’m going with “The Raven” from Poe’s poem by that name. Here’s why: When one of the smartest creatures in the world comes clothed in black and sits by you as you write, a writer is bound to fear.  Add to that the single word “nevermore” uttered in what must be a creaky cackle of a voice, and the blood races.  When terror comes as the everyday, the depth of fright is all the richer.

Karina Sumner-Smith, author of the TOWERS TRILOGY

Creepiest creature in all of literature? Oh, that’s easy: the evil doppelganger. This trope takes on different aspects, from a true doppelganger to evil twins to the twisted reflection one sees in the mirror. Doppelgangers make us the enemy—and let us know that if things were slightly different, we might be the cruel hunter and not the hunted. A great example is in Kameron Hurley’s recent fantasy novel The Mirror Empire, where people are at war with versions of themselves from an alternate reality. Forget monsters and ghosts; the thing we’re truly afraid of is ourselves.

Laura Madeline Wiseman, author of WAKE and other collections

In middle school, I read Steven King’s It and felt fairly creeped out by the thought of clowns, of what floated under the streets and what might speak to me through the gutters as I walked home from school. I also read Dracula, but I wasn’t scared of him. I read stories about mummies, ghosts, ghouls, and witches, but never felt my skin prickle for such characters made to have human fears. As a girl, it was the movies and their representation of monstrous creatures that made me sleepless and wondering about bumps in the night. More recently, in Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder, the image of the lost friend, ghost-like dashing through the bush, made me feel terrified, as did the wound of the protagonist in Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. But if anything, I’ve always been terrified of the knocking in the “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe, that sound, that beating, that terrible reminder of a wrong.

~

If you’d like to read more scary story recommendations from this group, check out last year’s post, Writers Who Read: Scariest Stories Ever.

Tags:  Andrea Cumbo-Floyd, Ann Gelder, Ann Patchett, best Halloween stories, Bigfoot and the Baby, Black Aperture, Bloody Mary, books, clowns, doppelgangers, Dracula, Eddy Webb, Edgar Allen Poe, evil, Frankenstein, Fugitive Colors, ghost stories, Ghosts, ghouls, Halloween, It, Jabberwocky, Karina Sumner-Smith, Laura Madeline Wiseman, Lisa Barr, Mary Worth, Maureen O'Leary Wanket, Michelle Falkoff, Monsters, mummies, nightmares, Original Sinners, Peter Straub, poetry, Poltergeist, rabbits, reading, Rita Arens, Rosemary's Baby, scary, scary reads, Sherlock Holmes, Sir John Tenniel, spooky reads, Stephen King, The Exorcist, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Jaunt, The Mirror Empire, The Obvious Game, The Raven, The Shining, , The Tell-Tale Heart, The Time Traveler's Wife, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Tiffany Reisz, Wake, Who's Afraid of Mary Worth, witches, Wonderland, Writers Who Read




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Comments:  0 (Zero), Be the first to leave a reply!You might be interested in this:  
 My Wild Wish List  Writers Who Read: Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet  Creativity is (Mostly) Bullshit  Making Mr. Melty Ice Cream: Frozen Fruity Flaxseed  Top Ten Signs You're Reading Genre FictionCopyright © G. G. Andrew [What's the Creepiest Creature in Literature?], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Horror Movies & Women’s Sexuality

Photo via IMDB.

I’m over at the romance site Lady Smut today talking about horror movies that center on women’s sexuality. Read the post here.

This list of films contains, not coincidentally, some of my favorite horror flicks. I love a good scare, but even moreso I love it when there’s a deeper meaning behind the monsters, murder, and mayhem, and themes of gender and sexuality have always been fascinating to me.

Have you seen some of these movies? Which are your favorites? And am I missing some from this list?

Tags:  Carrie, film, gender, Ginger Snaps, horror, horror movies, It Follows, Jennifer's Body, Lady Smut, Monsters, movies, murder, Scream, sexuality, Women's sexuality




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 Writers Who Read: Kelly Ann Jacobson  How Do You Choose What to Read?  It's Not Just Me. Right?  My Wild Wish List  Top Ten Romance Releases in 2014Copyright © G. G. Andrew [Horror Movies & Women's Sexuality], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with poet Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet.

Who are you?

Poet, writer, editor, teacher, mother, wife, daughter, friend. Enthusiastic cook, mediocre knitter, binge-reader, highly social introvert, recovering perfectionist, mental ambidextrist. Maker of costumes, Scrabble assassin, intermittent meditator, caffeine addict. Klutz with excellent small motor skills.

The more official bio: I’m the author of The Greenhouse (2014 Frost Place Prize) and Tulips, Water, Ash (2009 Morse Poetry Prize). My poems have recently appeared in journals including Rhino, Zyzzyva, The Collagist, Blackbird, and Kenyon Review. I write, edit, and teach in Oakland, CA.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I read very young and can’t remember learning to read. The earliest favorite book I remember is Winnie The Pooh. My mother tells me I dressed up as Christopher Robin for two years straight.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

It’s a different kind of hunger. You can get powerful stories on screen, but only books give you that whisper in the ear, one human telling secrets to another. Sometimes you want that; sometimes you want something both more and less direct.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

Way too many – basically anything by a writer whose previous work I’ve loved. I’m especially unable to control myself in used bookstores, and with children’s books that I loved decades ago.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

In prose? Domestic realism colliding with a mystical strain of speculative fiction, or any genre/high-lit mashup, really; I’m a sucker for smart mysteries, too. Voices that play with sentimentality and/or irony and make it to the other side. Black humor. Smart-ass women. Children who suspect they might be changelings. Literary allusions that deepen the resonance but don’t beat you over the head with their literariness. In poetry? Luscious sound, complex and idiosyncratic rhythm, surprise in whatever form it might take.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

Am I allowed to say anywhere, always? Trains, bathtubs, screen porches, empty restaurants. In bed, out loud, with my husband and son. Alone on my back deck early in the morning, with the deer moving through the eucalyptus. Through 3 AM insomnia, guiltily, furiously.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

Very occasionally. Often after a very long time. I just reread Katherine Paterson’s Jacob Have I Loved after 35 years, and it was as good as I remembered. When I was 12, that book made me want to be a writer. I read Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady at 20 and again at 45; it was different because I was different, on the other side, agewise, of Isabel’s story. It made me feel old and wise and very lucky. But most of my rereading is comfort reads, YA and mysteries mostly. I’ve read several YA series to my son, reread them myself, then listened with him to the audiobooks a few years later. I’m relearning the childhood joy of rereading.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

More writers than specific books, and here I’ll stick to poetry, though plenty of fiction writers and essayists have influenced me. Influence is such a strange concept. Somewhere in what I write are fragments of DNA drawn from Gerard Manley Hopkins, John Berryman, W.S. Merwin, Adrienne Rich, Jorie Graham, Brenda Hillman, Charles Wright, Jane Mead, Bob Hicok, Brian Teare…

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

I enjoy strong plotting, but what actually happens in a book, its “aboutness,” is kinda secondary. A strong voice, a sense of being inside someone else’s head. Food for my brain, a character or speaker I want to know more about, equal amounts of seriousness and play.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, which I loved, and I’m in the middle of Claudia Rankine’s Don’t Let Me Be Lonely, her book just before Citizen, which can be hard going and very much worth it. I’m also, very slowly, making my way through nonfiction books on autoimmune disorders, a history of violence, and reading and dyslexia.

~

Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet’s The Greenhouse was awarded the 2014 Frost Place Prize and published by Bull City Press in 2014. Her first book, Tulips, Water, Ash , was selected for the Morse Poetry Prize and published by Northeastern University Press. Her poems have been awarded a Javits fellowship and a Phelan Award, and have appeared in journals including Zyzzyva, Rhino, Kenyon Review Online, Cream City Review, At Length, Quarterly West, and Blackbird and in the anthologies Best New Poets and The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry . She writes, edits, and teaches in Oakland, California. Read some of her work and order books at http://www.lisagluskinstonestreet.com.

Want to peek on the bookshelves of other poets? Click here.

Tags:  Adrienne Rich, audiobooks, black humor, Bob Hicok, books, Brenda Hillman, Brian Teare..., caffeine, changelings, Charles Wright, Christopher Robin, Citizen, Claudia Rankine, comfort reads, Don’t Let Me Be Lonely, Emily St. John Mandel, Frost Place Prize, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Henry James, Jacob Have I Loved, Jane Mead, John Berryman, Jorie Graham, Katherine Peterson, Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet, literary allusions, literary mashup, Mysteries, nonfiction, Oakland, poetry, Poets Who Read, Portrait of a Lady, reading, Scrabble, speculative fiction, Station Eleven, The Greenhouse, Tulips Water Ash, used bookstores, W.S. Merwin, Winnie the Pooh, Writers Who Read, YA




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Comments:  0 (Zero), Be the first to leave a reply!You might be interested in this:  
 Writers Who Read: Tiffany Reisz  Manscaping on Book Covers  Top Ten Signs You're Reading Genre Fiction  Writing by Rom-Com: Old Fashioned  Mr. Melty Curried Carrot ConcoctionCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Tiffany Reisz

The Writers Who Read series continues this week with bestselling author Tiffany Reisz.

Who are you?

I’m Tiffany Reisz! I write the bestselling ORIGINAL SINNERS series from Mira Books, which has won an RT Editor’s Choice award, a Lambda Literary award, and the RITA Romance Writers of America award. The series features a quirky and beautiful Dominatrix, her various lovers (including a Catholic priest), and her wealthy and powerful clients.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

I’ve always been a reader. I can’t remember a time before books. My mom read to my sister and I at night every night. The first book I remember reading on my own and loving so much I wanted to read more more more was THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE in the fourth grade. It blew the top of my head off. After that it was A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L’Engle.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

I’m one of those jerks who doesn’t watch Netflix or TV. Sometimes I’ll watch a Poirot episode on DVD, but I’m literally that obnoxious hipster who watches no TV unless someone makes me (although my husband and I do watch Portlandia, but I confess I wouldn’t watch that if he didn’t put it on, because I don’t know how to work any of the remote controls).

But back to your question…I’m reading a lot of holiday romances right now. I have a nice pile of Christmas romances stacking up that I plan to binge read in November and December.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

No author is an auto-buy for me. Even if I love everything I’ve read before by that author, I’ll still read the back cover to see if it appeals to me. I loved THE KEEP by Jennifer Egan and it’s easily in my Top Five Fave Novels EVER, but I haven’t read her two most recent books because they don’t call to me. I own a ton of books by Mary Balogh and Georgette Heyer. I love Agatha Christie mysteries. If I see one in a used bookstore, I’ll almost always buy it.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I love love love marriage of convenience romances and May/December romances. Give me a marriage of convenience romance between a 17 year-old bride and a 35 year-old groom and I am a happy girl. That’s actually the couple in Georgette Heyer’s A CONVENIENT MARRIAGE (she’s 17, he’s 35, they are near strangers when they marry and he wins his wacky bride’s heart with kindness and patience and a great sense of humor) ergo that’s my favorite romance novel ever.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

I love reading in bed at night with my sad little kitteh-cat Honeytoast curled up on my stomach or chest. I’m definitely a bedtime reader. I get in bed a little after nine and read until midnight.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

I’m absolutely a re-reader. I’ve read Anne Rice’s “Sleeping Beauty” series a few dozen times (so sexy). I’ve read Elizabeth Wein’s Arthurian retelling THE WINTER PRINCE at least a dozen times. If I picked up A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Mary Balogh right now I’d be reading it all day. I know I’ve read ALL THE KING’S MEN by Robert Penn Warren at least three times and it gets better every time I read it.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your own writing?

Probably the Bible, Anne Rice’s vampire and kink books, Jacqueline Carey’s first couple of Kushiel books, Julie Garwood (I love a writer who can make me laugh) and C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books. If I could write one novel half as good as THE VINTNER’S LUCK by Elizabeth Knox, I could die happy.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

Great story, great writing, believable rich lush characters, and a good punch in the gut. Probably the best two gut punch books I’ve ever read are THE VINTNER’S LUCK by Elizabeth Knox and AN INSTANCE OF THE FINGERPOST by Iain Pears.

What are you reading right now?

Started ONLY A KISS by Mary Balogh last night and read over half of it before finally falling asleep. Just finished THE GOOD SOLDIER by Ford Madox Ford and it was Good Madox Good!

~

Tiffany Reisz is the author of the internationally bestselling and multi award-winning The Original Sinners series from Harlequin/Mira. She lives in Oregon with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer. Find her on Twitter @tiffanyreisz.

Tags:  A Christmas Promise, Agatha Christie, All the King's Men, An Instance of the Fingerpost, Anne Rice, C.S. Lewis, cats, Eizabeth Wein, Elizabeth Knox, Ford Madox Ford, Georgette Heyer, holiday romances, Iain Pears, Jacqueline Carey, Jennifer Egan, Julie Garwood, Kushiel, Lambda Literary Award, Mary Balogh, Mira Books, Mysteries, Only a Kiss, Original Sinners, Poirot, Portlandia, RITA Romance Writers of America Award, Robert Penn Warren, Romance Writers Who Read, RT Editor's Choice Aware, Sleeping Beauty series, The Bible, The Good Soldier, The Keep, THE VINTNER’S LUCK, The Winter Prince, Tiffany Reisz, Writers Who Read




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 Writers Who Read: Marly Youmans  Top Ten Ways to Create Readers  Creativity is (Mostly) Bullshit  Why We Read What We Read  Writers Who Read: Stephanie FeldmanCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Tiffany Reisz], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writing is My French Lover (on BIG MAGIC)

I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear last weekend. While I don’t normally review novels on this site, I thought I’d highlight a nonfiction book that may especially resonate with some of you fellow writers and other creative people.

Unlike other books on how to unlock creativity or be a writer, Gilbert’s book is more philosophical, more a collection of thoughts, quotes, and stories around six ingredients she sees as part of creativity: courage, enchantment, permission, persistence, trust, and divinity. So if you’re looking for a clear path to Becoming an Artist, this ain’t it. But it is a breezy, accessible, inspiring, funny, and often poignant view of creativity that we don’t always read about.

Gilbert suggests we should all have a light, playful relationship with creativity and the inspiration that flows to us (what she calls “Big Magic”). This can be the calling we feel to be a novelist, but it can also be the simple interest we have in taking tap lessons or cooking casseroles. It’s all making. She’s not a fan of quitting your day job to do pottery full-time, or getting a MFA, or crocheting an afghan until it’s perfect. Above all, she’s not keen on the idea of the miserable starving artist. Instead, she wants us all to approach the creative pursuits that interest us diligently–but not so seriously, and with a sense of joy and wonder.

Particularly for a romance author like myself, Elizabeth Gilbert’s metaphors on having a relationship with creativity can delightfully veer into sexy, even tawdry, territory. In Big Magic, as in an episode of her Magic Lessons podcast (“Sexy, Dirty, Nasty, Wicked”), she says to have an affair with your art. When people have affairs, she reasons, they make time to see that person, even if it’s just for a stolen kiss. It’s exciting. It’s special. It’s something you can hide away.

I love this, since writing is often this for me–something I steal time to create, something just for myself as I’m drafting, something thrilling. Seeing writing this way, or whatever art gets your blood pumping, is a great shift to embrace, since it then feels like something you crave and yearn to get back to…versus that story you really ought to finish.

Gilbert also extends the sex metaphor to how we should treat art lightly, regardless of outcome. In the Magic Lessons podcast episode “Access Your Joy,” she advises a songwriter who’s having trouble penning lyrics to commemorate her sister. “I think it’s possible that you might have a little bit too much respect for music…You know how sometimes… when someone respects you too much, the sex is no good?” Though likely controversial, I get her drift: take your creativity too seriously, too reverently, too concerned with making A Great Thing, and you risk losing the joy and passion for it–and perhaps even the momentum to create.

I’m curious: do you other writers (/knitters/painters/potters/poets) out there see your art like a French lover?

I’m trying to with a short story I’m writing now. But, don’t tell anybody: I don’t want the novel I need to revise finding out.

Tags:  art, Big Magic, books, creativity, Elizabeth Gilbert, French lover, inspiration, knitting, Magic Lessons, nonfiction, painting, podcast, reading, short story, songwriting, writing




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 What's Your Book Diet?  Writers Who Read: Jenny Sadre-Orafai  Writers Who Read Anniversary!  Top Ten Romance Releases in 2014  What Good Books DoCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writing is My French Lover (on BIG MAGIC)], All Right Reserved. 2015.

Writers Who Read: Kieran Lyne

The Writers Who Read interview series welcomes Kieran Lyne this week.

Who are you?

I am Kieran Lyne, author of The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes and the youngest writer to be endorsed by the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate. I live in the middle of nowhere in Suffolk, England, where I work for a local charity for adults with physical and sensory disability called Mid-Suffolk Axis, as well as at a local pub.

I spend my time reading and writing, watching films and F1, and recovering from various self-inflicted injuries. In what has become a running joke, I will one day also one day continue rebuilding my Series 1 Land Rover.

Which book or series was your gateway into the world of reading?

Tricky one as my reading history is a bit sporadic! When I was young I read mainly James Herbert, Roald Dahl, and Anthony Horowitz: and in my teens I was swept away by the Harry Potter craze. At around the age of 15 I stopped reading fiction and mainly read autobiographies of musicians and political activists, before the discovery of Sherlock Holmes reignited my passion for fiction.

If I can cheat and have several gateways I would opt for: (pre-teens) The Fantastic Mr Fox and The Fog, (early teens) The Prisoner of Azkaban, (mid-teens) The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and (late-teens) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Nowadays, what makes you crack open a book instead of pressing play on your favorite Netflix show?

Living in the middle of nowhere certainly helps! But personally I get a different kind of enjoyment from reading than I do from watching films or TV. When you read something special you can delight in the author’s turn of phrase, the beautiful descriptions, or the subtle observations. It is almost impossible to satisfactorily translate the magic of prose.

I would point to two of my favourite books The Great Gatsby and A Clockwork Orange: both have plots that are easily transferable, and yet their adaptations don’t quite suffice. There is always something missing, and I think it’s that extra delight that only truly special prose can inspire.

Which authors are auto-buys for you? Why?

This might sound odd but I’m not sure I have any. Sebastian Faulks is one of my favourite contemporary writers, but if the subject matter really wasn’t my cup of tea, I wouldn’t buy one of his books just for the sake of it.

If I’m unsure what to read I will usually spend ages staring at my book shelf, reading bits and bobs of certain titles before concluding that I’m still not in the mood for that particular tale: for some reason I have done this several times with Charlotte Grey despite Faulks being the closest person I have to a “go-to” author.

This is probably because my current reading habit is to chop and change between different styles and genres. For example over the last few months I have read The Magician by Somerset Maugham, We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, The Prophet by Kahil Gilbran, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carol.

What is your book kryptonite–those unique settings, tropes, or character types that make you unable to resist reading?

I don’t really have any one specific kryptonite to be honest! My main criteria are a book has to be well written, and the characters have to be engaging.

As I mentioned earlier I recently read We, which is the novel George Orwell credited as his inspiration for 1984. I thought We was absolutely fantastic: it’s brilliantly written and most importantly I felt a genuine connection to the characters. Whereas I thought 1984, which is extremely similar in content, was incredibly dull. I didn’t enjoy the prose, and I really didn’t care what happened to the main character, so much so I can’t even remember his name.

This is an example of why I don’t really have a kryptonite per se, but my favourite time period extends roughly from around the 1880s to the late 1930s. The immense social upheaval which takes place throughout this period, as well as the vast contrasts in settings, means it was and is a thick vein for literature: whether it is the atmosphere of gothic tales such as The Picture of Dorian Grey, the splendour of Brideshead Revisited, or the tragedy of Birdsong, my kryptonite is to be found lurking somewhere in this 50-year period.

I still maintain however, that I would much prefer to read something of quality set in an unfamiliar period, than read 50 Shades of Dorian Grey.

What is your ideal time and place to read?

I don’t enjoy reading with lots going on in the background and prefer to be the only person in the room. I don’t know why, but I really don’t like being in the same room with other people reading. So long as I have my solitude I’m not too fussy: I can read at anytime of the day, so long as I’m not too tired, but usually it will be in the afternoon or early evening.

Are you a re-reader? Why or why not?

I am, but only if the book is truly special: I have re-read Gatsby because of its stunning prose, The Autobiography of Malcolm X because of its raw power, A Clockwork Orange because of its sheer uniqueness, and several Sherlock Holmes stories because of the relationship between Holmes and Watson.

You don’t always want to read something profound, and plot-driven thrillers are of course extremely popular, but if there is little else to be gained from a book other than the thrill of the plot then I would not usually bother reading again. I find this with authors such as Robert Goddard, who spins an excellent yarn, but does not fill me with any desire to return to the same story again and again.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes remains my favourite Holmes book, and it had a huge influence on my decision to write a Holmes novel. I loved the interaction between Holmes and Watson, and also the subtlety of the plots: which I believe is best encapsulated by the stories which include no crime at all.

Recently I was greatly impressed by The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman. I loved the simplicity of his prose, but also the feeling that virtually every word was chosen correctly, and that he was in complete control. He is simply telling a story, nothing more, nothing less: and I think it is a core lesson that is often too easily forgotten.

I have also found that non-fiction books can have an impact on the way I consider writing fiction. Actors are almost entirely focused upon character, which is also the most important ingredient for authors, so I found Al Pacino: The Authorised Biography particularly insightful and is also one of the few books I will read again and again.

In terms of books which have aided me in the craft, I found On Writing by Stephen King, and Write Away by Elizabeth George, both to be very helpful, and compliment each other nicely.

What makes a book a satisfying read for you?

“There are many perfect short stories, but no perfect novels.” When I first read this quote by Ballard I remember being quite surprised, but when I started to think about it I couldn’t help but agree.

The majority of my favourite books happen to be fairly short: but even Gatsby isn’t perfect. I do like long novels, but in terms of satisfaction, I seem to prefer my books short and sweet. Similar to a short story, I like a novel to be a snapshot: filled with atmosphere, character, and great prose.

Though no matter how long or short, I find that the most satisfying books are the ones that alter your perception somehow: whether it is something as profound as your attitude toward life, or as trivial as where you want to go on holiday, the most satisfying books carry a weight beyond their words.

What are you reading right now?

At the moment I’m reading Cosa Nostra by John Dicke, A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

~

You can find out more about Kieran on his website or Twitter (@Kieran Lyne). You can also check out The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes here.

Tags:  50 Shades of Dorian Grey, A Clockwork Orange, A Sicilian Romance, actors, Al Pacino: The Authorised Biography, Aldous Huxley, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Ann Radcliffe, Anthony Horowitz, Arthur Conan Doyle Estate, Birdsong, books, Brave New World, Brideshead Revisited, Cosa Nostra, Elizabeth George, England, Harry Potter, James Herbert, John Dicke, Kahil Gilbran, Kieran Lyne, Lewis Carol., Mystery and Suspense Writers Who Read, nonfiction, On Writing, Philip Pullman, reading, Roald Dahl, Robert Goddard, Sebastian Faulks, Sherlock Holmes, short story, Somerset Maugham, Stephen King, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Fantastic Mr Fox and the Fog, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, The Great Gatsby, The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes, The Magician, The Picture of Dorian Grey, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Prophet, We, Write Away, Writers Who Read, writing, Yevgeny Zamyatin




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 Writers Who Read: Jenny Sadre-Orafai  Writers Who Read: Rita Arens  What Orphan Black Taught Me About Revising  How Do You Choose What to Read?  Exploring an Undiscovered CountryCopyright © G. G. Andrew [Writers Who Read: Kieran Lyne], All Right Reserved. 2015.