Writing and reviews with an environmental, science fiction, and fantasy touch
In my world-building A to Z we’ve reached P, for which I’ve selected Pern, the world created by Anne McCaffrey for her Dragonriders series. In a nutshell, the stories are adventures, often featuring strong, powerless young women (and men) with special talents
Helliconia Spring – the first of the Helliconia trilogy by Brian W Aldiss. It came along at a time when I found the books too large and turgid to get into – I don’t know what I read instead, but
This is the day of the year where I can repeat a post I did earlier that I think deserves another outing. It’s the brainchild of D L Hammonds and you can join in and post a repeat of your
Welcome to the first day of the Zimmah Chronicles Tour, hosted by CBB Book Promotions and starring author Scott King. There are three books in this Middle Grade fantasy series featured in the tour, so I recommend you go looking for other
I signed up for this a couple of months back, not entirely sure of what I was letting myself in for. There is an organiser, M Pax, and a number of people who are hosting a tournament of on-line games (see link
Since the Tackle TBR challenge, I’ve had a slowdown in my reading rate. But there were a few books I hadn’t reviewed before that challenge started, and with the Book v Movie last week, I felt the need to catch
The third book in the Emperor’s Edge series opens with a kidnapping. Well, it actually opens with Maldynado trying to set Amaranthe up with a man, while they are viewing the arena for the annual Games, but that’s just Maldynado
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream revisioned as a steampunk tale? You must be kidding. That was roughly my reaction when I saw this as part of a steampunk/fantasy bundle from Storybundle.com, a wonderful way of getting great ebooks in a
This Discworld novel by the late great Sir Terry Pratchett was selected as Book of the Month for May by the Goodreads Great Middle Grade Reads Book. I tried hard to finish it in the month, so you may have
I don’t know whether I told you how much I loved Lindsay Buroker’s Flash Gold series. I know I told you I liked the first in her Emperor’s Edge series a lot. A whole lot. I love it, even more
One of the disadvantages of getting the first three books of the Emperor’s Edge series in a collection is that it doesn’t count as a book read towards my Goodreads total yet! I got this set of three as part
This book was one of the most-recommended for children’s book authors to read when I went to the workshop which changed my life in 2011. I came away from the workshop and went into self-publishing, and I thoroughly enjoy it.
The Blurb Samantha and her neighbor, Jake, have no idea that Samantha’s best friend, a parrot named Charlie, is a thousand years old. Charlie is also at the center of a secret battle between magical creatures and an ancient, evil
Oh, dear. Chuck’s given us holiday horror, 2000 words. You know I don’t do horror. Elves and strings of tinsel and food and flying things going dark, dark, dark, he suggested (I paraphrase). After reading Real Santa I’m slightly more
I got this book earlier in the year, but it was not until I heard the author talking about her work I remembered what had attracted me to it (apart from the price). It’s wacky, it’s scifi and it’s a
I’m delighted to present to you Halitor the Hero, a new book by Rebecca M Douglass, now available to pre-order from Amazon, and due out at the end of November. A Fair Maiden who breaks all the rules. A would-be
Strange things are happening in the world belonging to Landon and Broden – two very ordinary brothers in a very ordinary world. It’s not the continual bickering between them, that erupts into fights and scuffles – especially for the control
11 year-old Gregor is at home minding the baby – 2 year-old “Boots” – and his Grandma, since it’s summer in New York City, his Mom is at work, and his dad disappeared suddenly two years, seven months and a
I’m pleased to be part of Mother Daughter Book Review’s book blast for the Starchild series by Vacen Taylor. I’ve not read either of these, but the buzz about them is excellent, and the blurb is promising. If you read
The blurb for StrikeStone, Stella Atrium’s Book 3 of the Dolvia saga reads: Brianna Miller returns to the savannah on Dolvia after a 12 year absence. Along the way, she collects a clutch of young trainees who will manage wormhole
Today I can offer you a stop on the blog tour of The Orphan and the Thief, courtesy of I Am a Reader, Not A Writer. I always feel self-conscious naming Inspired Kathy’s blog for these tours and blog hops,
Today I’m pleased to welcome Suzanne de Montigny with a giveaway celebrating the first in her unicorn series. I used to love unicorns, too. I haven’t thought about them for a long time. This book is now on my to-read
This isn’t my usual sort of book. It is a YA/Adult Fantasy story with powerfully written paranormal romance and action sequences. But it is well constructed, with a well-thought out backstory and world mythology, and it kept me interested. Charmeine
I was reminded of The Princess and the Goblin, and its sequel, The Princess and Curdie, in the Children’s Book Week Giveaway earlier this year when I asked for people’s favourite children’s books. These were part of my childhood, or
This is a creative writing exercise on endings, using the phrase ‘Spring will be a little late this year’. This one is from my writing buddy, Judi Walsh. I was bowled over by the version she produced in class, but