Category: Fiction

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review2 Comments

Discovered in the small hotel library whilst holidaying on the Greek island of Thassos, this book was one I'd always intended to read. I'm glad I did. It's an imaginative, moving and subtly horrifying romance about organ donation based on the use of clones. Told in 1st person by Kath H, it begins by recounting …

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Where There’s Smoke, by Penny Grubb, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review3 Comments

This great crime tale in the P.I. Annie Raymond series see the detective back in Hull, working with people she'd much rather forget. As with all Penny Grubb's fiction, there is much more going on than meets the eye at first. Annie is at once suspicious, as she is sent back to her old tramping …

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Internet Research for Fiction Writers, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Organisation, Review2 Comments

Sometimes, you come across a reference book and wonder, 'Why didn't I find this sooner?' April Taylor's Internet Research for Fiction Writers is such a book. An earlier find would've saved me a good deal of time. Still, now that I have it on both my iPad and Mac, I can use it for the …

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Do Androids Dream, by Maureen Turner, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Fiction, Review

Science fiction romance with a different sort of premise. This book tells the story of a frustrated and downtrodden woman whose life is altered forever when her uncaring husband brings home an advanced android for her to teach idiomatic English. The characters are well realised; the android is especially well drawn, which is quite an …

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Like Being on TV; only Different.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction2 Comments

Yesterday, 10th June, I spent an hour in live conversation online with Sally Ember. Sally is a writer and writing tutor who has ventured into the world of Google+ Hangouts in a way beneficial to readers and writers. She invites writers to share their thoughts with readers in her weekly show, Changes. I choose to …

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Live Online, Talking Books, Fiction, and Much More

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction5 Comments

Tomorrow, Wednesday 10th June, I’ll be live online in conversation with author Sally Ember, Ed.D on her talk show at *Changes*. It’s not so much an interview as a chat between authors and bloggers, covering topics of mutual interest. We’re both interested in writing in different genres, especially science fiction and speculative fiction, as well …

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Lucky Always, by E.D. Lappin, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Reading, Review2 Comments

This is a singular novel from an author who really knows how to tell a story. Set in the murky world of ‘black ops’ during the troubles of Northern Ireland, this book gives insights into a world that many readers will suspect, but could never be sure, existed. The depth of research is extraordinary, with …

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For All Kindle Lovers.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction

It takes a little while sometimes. Fantastic Books Publishing put my science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain, into their store at the beginning of this week and placed it into the hands of Amazon at the same time. I removed my old self-published version, since the new edition is improved and enhanced. After a period …

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The Promised Link is Here!

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction

Last night I promised you a new version of The Methuselah Strain. Here’s the buying link for the publisher’s store. And below is the entry from Fantastic Books Publishing relating to The Methuselah Strain: As the Prime Renegade plans the disabling of automatic systems that support the dwindling human population, she seeks a man to love …

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The Rumours were True!

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction8 Comments

I told you yesterday about rumours that my publisher, Fantastic Books Publishing, was planning to issue the new, revised edition of my dystopian science fiction novella, The Methuselah Strain. Well, turns out those reports were true. Dan Grubb, the owner of the publishers, has just emailed me to let me know that the book will …

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