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Book Review: SPOOK LIGHTS by Eden Royce

6/24/2015

I really enjoyed this collection, which contains stories that range from creepy to downright chilling. Most take place in the South, offering a sense of dark mystery especially haunting for those like me who've never personally visited the region. Overall, the stories show sides of both magic and humanity that are as disturbing as they are intriguing.

"The Watered Soul" 5 stars
A man seeks out the woman who cursed him with immortality and has left him a tortured soul. Dark and immersive, this story pulled me in from the first line.

"Doc Buzzard's Coffin" 5 stars
A policeman is in for a terrifying surprise when he interrupts a spell. The plot is satisfyingly unique, leaving me guessing through most of the story.

"9 Mystery Rose" 5 stars
A man seeks out a way to revive his dead wife in order to ask her a single, selfish question when cosmic justice steps in.

"Hand of Glory" 4 stars
A prosecutor uses supernatural means to gain confessions from the guilty.

"Hag Ride" 5 stars
A woman gets more than she bargained for when she seeks revenge on her cheating husband in this beautifully sensual and equally dark tale.

"Homegoing" 5 stars
One of the few stories featuring human monsters, this story is both bittersweet and disturbing.

"With the Turn of a Key" 5 stars
A man's fantasy relieves him of his hellish marriage in this story that would have fit well as an episode of The Twilight Zone.

"Path of the War Chief" 5 stars
Well written, this bizarre tale follows the journey of an unlikely tribal chief in search of regional peace.

"Since Hatchet Was a Hammer" 5 stars
This is the most memorable story for me, capturing the repercussions of domestic violence in a way that is both poignant and haunting.

"Rhythm" 4 stars
A man seeks revenge on his cheating wife, playing with forces that would have been best left alone.

"The Choking End" 5 stars
A woman gains more information than she asked for when she seeks out a boo-hag for a means to dig up her mother's enchanted grave.

It's rare to come across a collection that doesn't include at least one mediocre story. Not only are all of these worth reading, but nearly every story is excellent. The language is visual and atmospheric, with the strength of voice that only shines through the most seasoned of writers. I recommend Spook Lights to readers who enjoy subtle, psychological horror, folklore, and cosmic justice.

I received a free copy of this collection in exchange for my honest review.

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Words From the Grammar Nazi: Passives and Participles

6/22/2015

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She’ll point out every little mistake. She’ll scream at you for using comma splices and split infinitives. She has no tolerance for fragments and run-ons. Today, she’s taken over the Cerebral Writer, and hate her if you will, she does know her grammar (and she only wants to help). Today’s lesson: understanding the difference between participles and passive voice and when it's appropriate to use them.

Participles in Progressive Tenses

I’d like to begin by pointing out a common mistake: that all constructions using certain helping verbs (am, is, are, was, were) are passive. This is not the case. Many participle constructions also contain uses of these words but are not passive. For example:

It was going over there.

The above construction uses the participle phrase “It was going over” to create the past progressive verb tense. This is an active construction. “It” is acting (going over there), not being acted upon. A passive equivalent of the sentence would be:

It was being taken over there.

See the difference? In the first example, “it was going” is different than “it was being taken” (by someone).

However, this kind of construction does weaken the prose when used without a simple verb tense construction to play against. Using “It was over there” on its own weighs down the prose. However, if you anchor it with a simple tense adverbial clause using “when,” “while,” “as,” “since,” “because,” and the like, you create a reference point that makes the progressive relevant:

It was going over there when I last checked.

Just like with passive voice, use progressive tenses sparingly … but don’t cut them out completely. There is a place for both. You just have to know how to use them and do so with purpose.

Now, a Bit of Advice on Passive Voice

If you’ve done any amount of writing and received any reasonable amount of feedback, you’ve received at least some advice about the so-called evils of passive voice. “Never use it,” many will say. Real writers use only strong, “active” prose.

Well, I’m here to tell you there is a place for passive voice. Beyond technical writing and scientific papers, which typically call for enough passive voice use to make any hater’s head spin, there are a handful of instances where passive voice is warranted. (See what I just did there?) ;-)

These are the most relevant examples:

· When the object doesn’t need mentioning or would create redundancy:
· The papers had already been corrected.

· When the subject is unknown:
· The bathroom was occupied.

· When you want to focus on the object more than the subject:
· The fire had been started by an arsonist.

· When you want to pull your readers in to a character’s feeling of helplessness or lack of control:
· Her hands had been tied behind her back.

· When you want to add a deceptive tone to the prose:
· He swore he was nowhere nearby when the car was stolen.

While you might have readers who also do not know the rules, there is always a chance that editors, agents, or reviewers reading your work do. If you take the time to know and understand these rules, your writing will be sharper and you will be able to present it to the world with confidence and skill.

Until next time, my pretties! (Insert evil cackle.)

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S.S. Segran: AEGIS INCURSION

6/19/2015

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Today, guest author S.S. Segran is here to share about new release, Aegis Incursion, an apocalyptic sci-fi adventure novel. Segran will be awarding a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card, so make sure to enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

About the novel:

On a bright July morning in 1948, a B-29 Superfortress flying a top-secret research mission over Nevada crashes into the calm waters of Lake Mead and sinks, remaining lost for half a century.

It has been nearly a year since five friends - Jag, Kody, Mariah, Tegan and Aari - mysteriously reappeared in a small town in Yukon several weeks after their small plane went down in Northern Canada. All were found in good health but with no recollection of what happened to them after the crash.

A baffling contagion is spreading across the bread-basket of North America destroying vital crops. As this dark shadow marches across the globe, widespread famine and riots bring desperate nations to the brink of war.

These seemingly unrelated events set the stage for a battle between the forces of darkness and those destined to become the 'bearers of light'. From ravaged fields in the Great Plains to clandestine installations around the world, the Aegis League must race against time to save humanity.

“Unique and compelling! With non-stop action, adventure and intrigue, Aegis Incursion will appeal to fans of Maze Runner, Percy Jackson and Hunger Games.” --Michael Beas - Bestselling Author of Strump: A World of Shadows

“S.S.Segran brings us a worthy sequel to her best-selling debut novel, Aegis Rising. Relentless action and gravity defying twists and turns hold the reader in a tight grip till the last page.” --Honore Gbedze, The SAGE Foundation

"RECOMMENDED! A good sequel stands alone as a strong work without the accomplishments of its predecessors, but a great sequel inspires readers to go back and relive a book they've already read, and that is precisely what this book accomplishes." --The US Review of Books

"FIVE STARS! A great book to dive into and a fantastic follow up to the first... One of the best things author S.S. Segran has done here is that the book can be read as a stand-alone. Highly recommended!" --Readers' Favorite Reviews

Excerpt:

…A sound in the distance snapped him out of his daydream. It was a low rumbling, like thunder, but that was impossible—the sky was still bright and cloudless. As the sound gradually became louder, Elwood was able to pinpoint the location and slowly looked toward the east. He squinted against the sun, then gasped when he saw a shimmering silhouette emerge from the glare…

…The aircraft thundered right over Elwood’s head, so near that the vortex of air created by the plane’s passing churned the water violently, capsizing the canoe and pitching him into the lake. He struggled and attempted to cry out, only to choke on water. He floundered back up to the surface and sputtered and spat as he tried to regain his bearings.

Catching sight of the plane as it boomed overhead, he watched, agape, as the aircraft hit the surface of the lake on its belly. The massive propellers struck the water, violently tearing three of the four engines away from the wings…

About the author:

S.S. Segran spent a good chunk of her childhood exploring the enchanted forest of a million tales in the mystical land of books. In her early teens, she began crafting intriguing new worlds and conjuring up characters who came alive with the flick of her wand... err... pen. With the publication of her first novel in the Aegis League Series during her senior year of high school, she was surprised by the abundance of time that magically appeared right after graduation. She plans to use this newfound resource to expand the arc of the series. Her future plans include studying Cognitive Science at university and helping youths in developing countries realize their potential through her non-profit organization, Aegis League (www.aegisleague.org)

When not devouring a book or writing one, S.S. Segran can be found standing behind the cauldron of life, stirring a potion made up of chores, parkour, gaming, drawing, horseback riding and—having recently jumped off a perfectly fine airplane at fifteen thousand feet – perhaps skydiving.

For more information, check out her website, follow her on Twitter and Facebook, and go to her Amazon author page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review: BEHIND THE RED DOOR by Clayton C. Bye

6/2/2015

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This collection is short, making it a quick read. The stories are well written, and being a fan of American Indian lit, I enjoyed the Mike Money shorts threaded throughout, although I do wish some of those stories had a bit more structure. I’m glad the introduction warned that there was no theme or specific genre, as I would have gone in with expectations that might have led to an altogether different review.

“The Speed of Dark” is creepy and surreal, a great choice with which to start the collection. 5 stars

“The Disappearing Frying Pan” is serious and witty at the same time, a nice introduction to the rez at Big Trout Lake. 4 stars

“Stiletto” is a classic tale of revenge, offering some great details and a good amount of characterization in such a short space. 5 stars

“Retrovirus” is a lovely take on evolution and a nice commentary our technophile society. 5 stars

“Big Trout Lake Blues” is a sad slice-of-life tale with a lot going on but no real climax. Still it has a satisfying, fitting end and is a very good read overall. 4 stars

“Regarding Love” is my least favorite of the stories. It has a good premise but not quite enough follow-through. I really wish this one had been fleshed out a little more. 3 stars

“Wrong Number” is my favorite story in the collection, a great piece on the dark influences that push people into committing terrible acts—but also a nice glimpse into human redemption. A beautiful read. 5 stars

“The Maniac” first comes across as a supernatural thriller, but the twist is anything but. I liked the witty yet simple ending. 5 stars

“Return of the Dwarves” adds a hint of bizarro to an otherwise strictly sci-fi/fantasy story, but it’s the embedded social commentary that makes it so great. 5 stars

“The Last Unicorn” completely threw me, taking my expectations and tossing them out the window in a unique and interesting way. It feels like it could have been connected to “Retrovirus,” although the source to the unusual character is explicitly different. I love the ending, which adds an interesting depth to the title. 5 stars

Overall, I rate Behind the Red Door 5 stars, and I recommend it to eclectic readers who enjoy a bit of literary flair to their fiction.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this collection in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review: SPOOK LIGHTS by Eden Royce

Words From the Grammar Nazi: Passives and Participles

S.S. Segran: AEGIS INCURSION

Book Review: BEHIND THE RED DOOR by Clayton C. Bye

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