Greek Mythology, by in60Learning.com: #BookReview.

On 24/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Book, Literature, Reading, Review4 Comments

Subtitled ‘Beyond Mount Olympus’, this small book is a short introduction to the broad and complex area of the Greek Myths. A bold undertaking to attempt to condense centuries of myth and legend, featuring a myriad heroes, gods, goddesses, nymphs and satyrs, this slim volume does its best. Inevitably it is superficial and, at times, …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On 23/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress6 Comments

Well, that’s it! The book is with my publisher. At 67,269 words, it’s the shortest of my novels. But it’ll be a damned good read (not that I’m in any way biased, you understand). The final part of the editing process for me was a read-through, aloud, from a print run. Many authors neglect this …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On 16/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress4 Comments

Six chapters to go, and the MS stands at 68,660 words, a record low word count for one of my novels! Thursday, I was driven to hospital by a kind and friendly volunteer from a local service that provides rides for people on such missions. I won’t bore, or distress, you with details of the …

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The QI Book of General Ignorance, by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson: #BookReview.

On 16/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

393 pps Humour/Puzzles & Games/ Subtitled ‘The Noticeably Stouter Edition’, this book of humorously presented erudition is a gem. Clearly, a book to be dipped into, rather than read at one sitting, it is nevertheless addictive. Those who know the TV show, first hosted by the inimitable Stephen Fry and latterly by the equally unique …

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Simon Says, by Rachel McClellan: #BookReview.

On 14/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Reading, Review2 Comments

A truly gothic and demonic horror story. The narrator’s voice carries all the bile, disapproval, confidence and uncertainty of the youth well. This is a short but powerful read and one to produce nightmares if read too close to bedtime in a lonely place. The conflict of denial against the reality of the situation leaves …

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A Better Ten Commandments, by James Miller: #BookReview.

On 13/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

This is both a self-improvement and inspirational book with a very real difference. That difference is crucial. James Miller is a man on a mission. A mission I’m utterly at one with. Our lives are governed from birth, throughout education and maturity, to the final day, by dogma, myth and legend posing as truth. Although …

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Dogwatch, by Karen Wolfe: #BookReview.

On 08/05/2018 By stuartakenIn Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Reading, Review

Love dogs? Love crime? Love humour, even if a little dark sometimes? Then this is for you. Georgie Crane is at it again; getting in deeper than she should, that is. There’s a degree of ‘woman in jeopardy’ about this comi-crime novel that lifts it above the general level of the genre. The dogs, and …

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Dreams of Winter, by Christian Warren Freed: #BookReview.

On 29/04/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Reading, Review1 Comment

342 pages Science Fiction/Space Opera/Military Whilst a devotee of Science Fiction, I admit to being less than impressed by most Space Opera, so I come to this book with baggage. This is one in a series of books with the collective title ‘A Forgotten Gods Tale’ and I have no knowledge of the rest of …

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Illinois Native Americans, by In60Learning: #BookReview.

On 07/04/201807/04/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Reading, Review

Subtitled ‘A 9,000 Year Civilisation’, this little book is part of a project aimed at providing readers with concise histories that can be enjoyed as text or is an audiobook version. The idea is sensible and welcome. I know absolutely nothing about American Native Indians, other than the terribly distorted view that TV’s cowboy programmes …

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The Hermit of Blue Ridge, by Cary Grossman: #BookReview.

On 02/04/2018 By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Fiction, Reading, Review, Romance

300 pages Fantasy/Paranormal. Intriguing, engaging, inspiring, fascinating and enthralling, this book is a great read. Character driven romance is relatively rare, but this book, essentially a complex and deep love story, is seen entirely through the eyes of lovers. The people on these pages are both exceptional and real. We’re treated to their aspirations, frailties, …

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Writers, Quirky? Surely Not!

On 22/03/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Literature6 Comments

The infographic below came to me via the custom-writing blog I think many visitors to this site might find it interesting, so here it is for your delectation. Enjoy!

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On 21/03/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

Movement at last! Today, I completed the first content edit on Chapter 15, meaning I’ve 32,079 words in the new document for the book. I hope to have greater progress to report next week, now that I’ve completed all the work on migration of files and pictures to my new PC. Of course, there’s still …

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70 Solutions to Common #Writing Mistakes, by Bob Mayer: #BookReview.

On 19/03/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

If you’re a writer just starting out or, better still, someone thinking of starting to write, this is a useful book. It also contains reminders of good, and bad, habits to keep established writers on track. So much has been written about the craft of writing that a lot of the advice in this little …

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To Enter the Path, by Stephanie Flores: #BookReview.

On 15/03/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Reading, Review

Within this book is a great story trying to get out. The main protagonist, a young woman overtaken by a demonic magic spirit, is very well imagined and drawn. Her companions are equally well created. The problem is that the story is somewhat swamped by the repetitive nature of the challenges and solutions. The book …

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Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

On 14/03/2018 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress

It’s been an interesting week, but then most weeks this year have borne an element of surprise, frustration, despair, joy or paranoia. The important aspect, considering this post, is that I’ve put 8 chapters through the first content edit, reaching a total of 16,555 words in the current document. There’ll be a second content edit …

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