Kate Padilla's Blog, page 3

MIRROR MIRROR: REFLECTING CHARACTER QUALITIES IN 'IN HER SHOES'

During my senior year of high school, my AP English teacher used to tell us that every book can teach us something. I remember reading Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest shortly after and coming to the realization that Mr. Hiskes was right. I don’t remember what I learned, but I remember that I learned something.

The idea of learning something from everything you read has stuck with me, even 12 (!) years later. And now, as I read through the Book Roulette, I’m searching for nuggets...

NEW RELEASES: DECEMBER 2-8

DECEMBER 3 Conduits: The Battle of Jinx Jenkins, by J. Ryan Sommers
Fiction. Transmundane Press. 148 pp.

It exists in a long-forgotten corner of the American dream. Green Valley County is home to murders and heroes, ghosts and jinxes, gods, devils, and even a pygmy Big Foot. But the biggest menace is Jinx Jenkins and the string of bad luck he bestows upon the townsfolk. Become a citizen of the City by the Shore and see how seemingly random occurrences come to shape an entire civilization.

From...

INDIE FEATURE: GET OUT OF MY DREAMS

GET OUT OF MY DREAMS, BY ALLAN J. LEWIS
Fiction: Thriller. Self-published. 314 pp.
BUY GET OUT OF MY DREAMS ON AMAZON THE STORY Alice and John Timberlake lead a quiet life in the suburbs of California. One morning they awaken to their lives turned upside down -- John is on the couch with no recollection of how he got there, the front door is lock is unbolted, and the alarm is disarmed. John and Alice discover they have been the latest victims of "The Magic Man," a rogue hypn...

A GOOD DEATH: A LESSON FROM TOLSTOY

In my opinion, Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is the best book ever written. And I will stand by that until someone convinces me otherwise. It's one of those books that's intimidating to think about, but one that is well worth the read. It has, and will continue to stand the test of time.

And one reason I think it holds this title is because it is a primer in every type of encounter -- of war and of peace (as the title suggests), of romances and of breakups, of births and of deaths. It is this fi...

ROULETTE: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, BY JAMES HERRIOT
Nonfiction: Memoir. St. Martin's Griffin: 1972. 437 pp.
To be honest, I knew nothing about this book before I began reading it. I'd heard of it before, at least I had thought I had, but my knowledge rested at the title and author. That's it.

On the surface, this book shouldn't have been that interesting to me. James Herriot is writing as a young veterinarian in the U.K., recently graduated from school and beginning his first job. He find work wit...

5 TAKEAWAYS ON WRITING, FROM STAN LEE

Photo by Gage Skidmore Last week, we lost a legend. It's hard to hear the name Stan Lee and not think of his characters and stories. He not only transformed a genre, he created a culture behind some of our most beloved and influential characters. But beyond that, he was very present in the creation and development of all of his characters, both in comic books and in the movies. And, in light of his passing, it only seemed appropriate to reflect on some of his quotes with regards to writing. H...

NEW RELEASES: NOVEMBER 18-24

NOVEMBER 19 OUR GIFT-GIVING GOD, BY ANDREA LEVIN KIM
Nonfiction: Religion. Lucid Books. 152 pp.

Come and refresh your hope in Christmas through Our Gift-Giving God. This devotional will take the reader through the traditions and symbols of Christmastime and uncover the deep, gospel truths woven throughout that God has for each and every one of us.

POWDER (LAGOTTI FAMILY, 3), BY LEOPOLD BORSTINSKI
Fiction: Crime. Sobriety Press. 237 pp.

Owning a huge amount of money is useless if you can't spend...

FEATURE: MORAL PANIC

MORAL PANIC, BY K.M. ECKE
Fiction: Thriller. Self-published: March 2018. 250 pp. BUY MORAL PANIC ON AMAZON THE STORY Moral Panic explores the collision of the most extreme elements of politics, ideology, and technological media manipulation. It wanders through the maze of modern surveillance with a skeptical eye on the data-driven world we live in, hoping an awareness of the possibility of such a story prevents it from coming true in the real world. REVIEWS "A thought...

ROULETTE: 7 BOOKS ABOUT MILITARY AND VETERANS

As it is Veteran's Day here in the United States, we're spending the weekend recognizing the service and sacrifice thousands of men and women provided throughout our nation's history, allowing us the freedoms we enjoy every day. With that in mind, I thought I would take a few minutes and dive into the Book Roulette, pulling some books that feature members of the military and veterans. 1. The Forgotten Soldier (Pike Logan, 9), by Brad Thor In this heart-stopping thriller from New...

NEW RELEASES: NOVEMBER 11-17

NOVEMBER 13 HEART THROB (HEARTS OF METAL, 7), BY BROOKLYN ANN
Fiction: Romance. Boroughs Publishing Group. 311 pp.

Bassist for heavy metal band, Viciöus, Brand Kife is known for his scowl and inability to form meaningful attachments. When he meets Lexi Adams, the director of the documentary being filmed about Viciöus, Brand wants the smart, sexy woman, but he knows he's not worth having. Staying away from the alluring beauty becomes impossible, but he has secrets he'll never share, not even wi...