Category: Book Reviews
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Book Review: ‘Haiku for the Midnight Hour’
📘 Haiku for the Midnight Hour By Dawn PisturinoPublisher: Horse Mesa PressPublication Year: 2024Genre: Poetry (Haiku), Horror, Supernatural In August 2024, poet and blogger Dawn Pisturino released Haiku for the Midnight Hour, her third collection of poetry—a book that reimagines the traditional Japanese haiku through a lens of shadow and unease. Traditional haiku, with its…
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Book Review: ‘The Greatest Generation’
The Greatest Generation By: Tom Brokaw Publisher: Random House (now Penguin Random House) Year of Publication: 1998 Genre: American history, World War II, Biographical Portraits/Non-Fiction Reconsidering “The Greatest Generation”: A Reflection on Tom Brokaw’s Timeless Tribute There was a time I questioned the phrase Greatest Generation—it sounded too sweeping, too sentimental, maybe even a little…
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Book Review: ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – The Illustrated Screenplay’
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – The Illustrated Screenplay By: George Lucas Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine Books Year of Publication: 1999 Genre: Film, Space Fantasy, Star Wars, Screenplay I first fell under the spell of screenplays in the spring of 1980 when I discovered Carol Titleman’s The Art of Star Wars—a treasure trove of…
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On Being Seen (Even When You Weren’t There)
📚 Comings and Goings Update We’re now up to three reviews (and one quiet rating) for Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, and all three are graciously positive—resulting in a global average rating of 4.7 stars ⭐️. That’s a lovely surprise. The latest review comes from Jan Peregrine, who highlights the story’s…
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On Being Understood: Reflections on the Response to ‘Comings and Goings’
It’s been just over a month since Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen was released into the world, gently and without fanfare. I didn’t expect a wave of attention—not for a story that doesn’t chase drama, but rather leans into stillness, nuance, and the kind of empathy that often goes unnoticed. Jim…
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Book Review: ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ (1975)
The Eagle Has Landed Author: Jack Higgins Publisher: Collins (UK); Bantam Books (U.S.) Year of Publication: 1975 Genre: Historical Thriller / World War II Fiction November 1943. Europe is ablaze. With the Eastern Front collapsing and Allied forces carving their way through Italy, Nazi Germany is desperate for a symbolic triumph. Hitler, ever obsessed with…
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Book Review: ‘Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer’
Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer Author: Mari SanGiovanni Publisher: Bywater Books Year of Publication: 2006 One of my personal tenets: never trust back-cover blurbs. So when Mari SanGiovanni’s debut novel, Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer, came with a bold “Warning: This Book May Have You Laughing Out Loud in Public,” I…
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On Writing and Storytelling: When a Reviewer Truly ‘Gets’ My Story: Denise Longrie Reviews ‘Comings and Goings’
When a Reader Sees What You Meant to Say There are moments in a writer’s life that feel like exhaling after holding your breath for years. Reading Denise Longrie’s review of Comings and Goings was one of those moments. “The story is not a romance, but rather an enjoyable, insightful journey into empathy and the…
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Book Review: ‘Starring John Wayne As Genghis Khan: Hollywood’s All-Time Worst Casting Blunders’
Starring John Wayne as Genghis Khan: Hollywood’s All-Time Worst Casting Blunders By: Damien Bona Publisher: Citadel Press Year of Publication: 1996 Genre(s): Film, Film History, Humor 🎬 A Rollicking Ride Through Hollywood’s Casting Catastrophes What separates a “good” film from a “great” one? The answer is delightfully complicated. A truly great movie needs a sturdy…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Advice for Aspiring Writers
Advice for Aspiring Writers So, you want to write—or maybe you already do, scribbling stories in the margins of your day, chasing sentences that shimmer just out of reach. The path isn’t paved in gold, nor is it mapped by a single, shining formula. It’s a winding, idiosyncratic journey, full of turns, detours, and the…
A Certain Point of View, Too 