I usually post a modified version of the book reviews I do for an established literary site on my blog and Goodreads, but this time I don’t feel comfortable doing so. I’m a different type of book reviewer, you could say. I’d rather say nice things about a writer’s work, or at least make some constructive criticisms of where he or she could improve it, but sometimes I’m at a lost for words. This is one of those times. Amazing, isn’t it?
Back in the day of the dinosaurs, those of us who had the pleasure of taking English composition classes and creative writing courses where taught the basic structure of fiction. Every short story, novella or novel has a beginning, middle, and last, but not least, an end. These are sometimes called by fancier names such as inciting incident, rising action, and resolution, but they pretty much mean the same thing. When a reader sits down to read fiction he or she expects to find character(s) who start a journey of sorts—physical and/or emotional—and after a series of incidents, which illustrate the personality of the character(s), the story comes to a resolution of sorts. A story may have a “happily ever after” ending or a “happy for now” ending or the merely satisfactory “that’s the way it goes but tomorrow is another day and we’ll keep trying” ending. One thing is certain—the tale comes to a conclusion.
I guess this isn’t the case anymore. How did I know my English professors back in the dinosaur days were wrong? After recently reading a “short story” collection by a recent graduate of an Ivy League Institution, I’m led to believe that strings of words thrown onto a page can qualify as a story. Okay, it’s not all that bad, but in a way it is. It’s a crime. A young author, with a strong voice and a talent for coming up with interesting characters and situations, has been taught that telling just the beginning and middle somehow equals crafting a complete story. To me, and probably the majority of humanity, it doesn’t. Who would knowingly mislead impressionable students?
Another sad observation—when did using passive “was” verbs and adding he saids all over the place equate to creating dynamic prose? I’ve learned a lot over the years from genre writing workshops, particularly that a good writer shows not tells the story. Readers don’t want to read a listing of dry facts. Readers want to imagine the characters in their minds taking action. In the process of exercising our imaginations, we readers walk away from the story feeling that we’ve learned something about ourselves or life and, better yet, were entertained in the process.
How can readers learn anything from being told the beginning and some of the middle of a character’s arc? We can’t. An incomplete piece of fiction breaks the cardinal rule of all artists, “Whatever you do, don’t be boring.” Maybe in Ivy League literary fiction circles the entertainment factor isn’t considered all that important and, subsequently, has been junked? Perhaps root canals are considered entertaining in those circles? Yikes!
Throwing up academic credentials as an excuse for being boring reminds me of a conversation at a party a friend and I had with a man introduced as a creative writing professor from a local private university. My friend asked him what sort of creative writing the professor had published recently. This gentleman stated that he didn’t publish his fiction because, “It was too good to be published.” My friend and I continued talking about our recent novel ideas and book deals while the creative writing instructor looked at us as if we’d grown horns or a third eye.
I surmised the professor didn’t enjoy receiving rejection letters from publishers, so he simply didn’t even try to pen publishable fiction anymore. But then that begs the question—Why should parents pay tons of money to a college which employs an instructor with no interest in writing publishable fiction to instruct their children in the craft of creative writing? Shouldn’t the professor teach “creative ways to avoid rejection” classes instead?
After this recent book review, my impression of creative writing classes offered at prestigious and costly private colleges has not improved. I learned one simple axiom in many writer’s workshops: Writers write. And the sole purpose of writing for publication is to connect with readers—not to bore them. I liken offering incomplete works to the reading public to a master chef tossing uncooked ingredients willy-nilly onto a plate and calling it a culinary masterpiece. (I realize some enjoy sushi, but I want my fish cooked.) When you can’t finish the job, you’re not really a success, are you?
I can’t boast an Ivy League education, but my books have received some great reviews over the years. Not one reviewer has ever said my fiction was boring or incomplete. I listened in English class and took notes at writer’s workshops and became a published author. Thank heaven I received good advice!
Click on the book link at the top to learn more about my erotic-romance novels and novellas. You can even review one if you wish. ;)
Robot Uprisings by Daniel H. Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's hard to sleep at night after contemplating all the frightening scenarios put forth in this wonderful sci-fi anthology. Will we be taken over by our seemingly benign mechanical household servants? Will incredibly small nanobots we create to cure us from disease and infection be our undoing? Will we even have a clue our robot slaves have gained sentience before it's too late? And what is the difference between artificial intelligence and our own, particularly if the machines outwit us at every turn? These and more are part of the exciting worlds that await you in Robot Uprisings. Come the roboapocalypse don't say I didn't warn you.
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My short story, Shifting Sands, from the Atlantis Allure anthology has been released as a single title from eXtasy Books. If you love shapeshifters and lost worlds, then this is the story for you!
ISBN #:0000656
Series: Atlantis Allure
Arianna supposed stranger things could happen than meeting a
handsome shapeshifter on her spring break at the beach. But should she
take the dashing prince of Atlantis up on his offer?
Excerpt:
He trailed his finger in a feather light caress from the side of her face down to the V between her breasts. “As far as I’m concerned, you are perfect in every way.”
“Thank you.” Arianna sighed and leaned closer to his hand. So what if he was a merman Atlantean? So what if she had gone totally mental and was dreaming this whole wild scenario up? She was on vacation! She might as well relax and enjoy herself… Her dream man certainly had the softest, most exquisite touch she’d ever experienced.
He brought his lips to hers in a gentle, yet demanding kiss. Her lips parted to invite him to kiss her deeper still, their tongues entwining and twirling in a dance of passion. His hands roved across her generous curves, stopping at the junction of her thighs. He gently moved her legs apart...
Shifting Sands is now available from eXtasy Books:
http://www.extasybooks.com/shifting-sands/
Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded by Ann VanderMeer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is a good anthology as far as anthologies go, but not all its stories are equal. The inequalities are evident both in entertainment value and even in meeting the very definition of being an actual steampunk story. A rather surprising inclusion is a recently translated piece written in 1870 by Danish author Vilhelm Bergsoe. "The Flying Fish Prometheus" is by far the best of the group. It truly has every element in it that a steampunk story should have--including the Victorian values and social structure along with the wildly creative steam tech. Stories by Cherie Priest of Boneshaker fame, G.D. Falksen and Tanith Lee are also outstanding. Artwork that includes "Lovelace and Babbage" and essays on what exactly is the steampunk movement are also strong offerings. A good intro into the genre for those who have stumbled into steampunk through fashion or other creative endeavor.
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I'm off on a belated Christmas vacation, so until I return, here's the latest on what all I've been up to:
I’ve always wondered how to get listed in the“Wikipedia”. Well, I’ve not figured how quite yet, but I’ve come close. Check out my two new pages at “Romance Wiki”:
http://www.romancewiki.com/Cynthianna_Appel
http://www.romancewiki.com/Celine_Chatillon
And tell me what all I’ve left out (or should add).
Thanks to everyone who voted for OF FLESH AND BLOOD in the best anthology category in the Love Romances Cafe's Best of 2007 Awards. Tina, Darragha and I didn’t win, but we do appreciate your support. And if you enjoy dark, vampire erotic-romance, check it out at: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/offleshandblood.htm
I’ll be a featured author at Michelle Pillow's author blog, Pillow Talk Tuesdays, on February 19th. Look for my interview at http://www.michellepillow.com Thanks Michelle!
My editor for my short story “Shifting Sands” to be featured in the Atlantis Allue anthology had this to say about my hero, Phantom: “He keeps getting more and more interesting… I loved it! The characters, the possible appearance and behavior of an Atlantean, all of it.”
I do enjoy an enthusiastic editor. ATLANTIS ALLURE is slated to be released soon in both e-formats and print by eXtasy Books. If you enjoy paranormal/SF erotic stories set in the mythical Atlantis, this is the anthology for you.
BEAUTIFUL DREAMER rides again! It will be slightly revamped with some hotter love scenes to be re-released by Liquid Silver Books (under my Celine pen name). Editing will begin as soon as I get back from my vacation. So keep it tuned here.
And if I find time (and a willing computer) I'll try to send updates on what all I'm doing on my holiday.
Don't do anything I wouldn't do while I'm gone! (Hee, hee, hee...)
Celine
OF FLESH AND BLOOD has been nominated in the BEST ANTHOLOGY category in the LR Cafe's Best of 2007 Awards!
The polls open January 1st and close on the 20th. You must be a member of the Love Romances Cafe to vote. If you are and feel motivated to do so, please go to the poll section of the Yahoo group and vote for FLESH AND BLOOD:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveromancescafe
I and my fellow anthologists, Darragha Foster and Tina Holland, thank you in advance.
And get this: My rodeo week mayhem, contemporary romance BEAUTIFUL DREAMER will ride again! It will be slightly revamped with some hotter love scenes and be released as an erotic-romance from Liquid Silver Books. Details will be posted here as they come available. Yeah!
http://darraghafoster.blogspot.com/2007/05/cover-art-process.html
Head on over to Darragha Foster's "Chameleons on Plaid Cloth" blog and leave a comment--or leave one here if you can't sign in there--and tell us what you think of our cover art choices for our vampire anthology Of Flesh and Blood.
Thanks! We look forward to hearing from YOU, the reader. :)
And here's a quick synopsis of my anthology story, Blood Betrayal, a "prequel" to my novel Help! I'm Falling for the Vampire Next Door to whet your appetite:
How did Val's uncle Vlad meet up the first time with psychic psychopathic vampire hunter Leo Van Helsing? Well, in "Blood Betrayal" you discover that it involves a woman (of course) a beautiful yet deceitful woman named Sofia Martinelli. Vlad is hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Sofia, but she isn't all that she appears to be. When Leo makes his move to capture Vlad, in order to learn the secrets of immortality of the Vampire Kindred race, Sofia must be sacrificed... Only Vlad can "save her" through transforming her into a creature like himself. But will the process itself drive the beautiful Sofia mad? And how will the sadistic Leo react when his plans seem to have been foiled by the pawn he planted in Vlad's arms...
(Warning: This story contains some rather disturbing and graphic sexual situations, as well as some violent sexual situations. Adults only please.)
So, give us your opinion on cover art! How many chances do you get to tell a publisher what you'd like to see on a cover?
