Category: Books
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Book Review: ‘Schindler’s List’ by Thomas Keneally
Schindler’s List (1993 Reissue) Author: Thomas Kenneally Publisher: Atria Books Year of Publication: 1982 (First Edition); 1993 (Movie Tie-In Reissue) Schindler’s List: Thomas Keneally’s haunting and unforgettable account of one man’s moral awakening amidst the unfathomable cruelty of the Holocaust remains one of the most compelling historical narratives of the 20th century. Published in 1982,…
-
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…
-
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…
-
📚 Gratitude for a Thoughtful Reader: Thank You, Thomas Wikman
Thomas Wikman’s rating of Reunion:Coda: Every writer dreams of being seen—of having their work not just read, but understood. Since Reunion: A Story first found its way into readers’ hands in 2018, Thomas Wikman has been one of the most steadfast and insightful champions of Jim Garraty’s story. His latest review of Reunion: Coda—titled “The…
-
Book Review: ‘The Fall of Japan: The Final Weeks of World War II in the Pacific
The Fall of Japan: The Final Weeks of World War II in the Pacific Kindle EditionBy: William CraigPublisher (Original): The Dial PressPublisher (Kindle Edition): Open Road MediaYear of Publication: Original (1967); Kindle Edition (2015) Amazon’s Publisher’s Description New York Times Bestseller: A “virtually faultless” account of the last weeks of WWII in the Pacific from…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: Writer’s Block…and How I Deal With It…(Or Try To, Anyway)
—
by
in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, How to Write a Romance: Or, How to Write Witty Dialogue, Smoldering Love Scenes & Happily-Ever-Afters (2019), Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Life in New Hampshire (December 2023 – October 2024), Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Writer's Block, Writing a First Novel, Writing as a CraftHow do you deal with writer’s block? Honestly, it depends on my mood—and the day! If it’s a workday (I try to keep my muse gainfully employed Monday through Friday and let them enjoy some well-earned laziness on the weekends), my approach to writer’s block is a bit of an art form itself. Let’s rewind…
-
On Writing and Storytelling: What’s the Best Part of Being a Writer?
What’s the best thing about being a writer? Honestly, while I do cherish the creative side of writing—the thrill of shaping stories from nothing but ideas and turning blank pages or screens into worlds filled with believable characters and moments—there’s something even more rewarding: hearing from readers after a story finds its way into the…
A Certain Point of View, Too 