Monthly Archives: April 2018

Today’s Writing Tip

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Some descriptions need to be repeated as reader reminders, such as what a character looks like, while others don’t. If you do a good job the first time, you can minimize them later, especially for specific people or places. Some genres typically have more detail than others. For example, those heavy on action tend to have a different level of detail than a regency romance. A detective spending the night in a cheap motel doesn’t care what color the sheets are, only if they’re clean, and maybe not even that.

“The Last Dog” is Sci-fi at it’s Best, Especially if You’re an Animal Lover!

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5stars

The Last Dog

by Dawn Greenfield Ireland

This story is not only original, but science fiction at its absolute best. While the story is suitable for young adults, it has enough substance to satisfy even a hardcore science fiction fan like myself. Animal lovers will especially love it, since one of the main characters is a dog.

The story is set in the 2080s in a dystopian setting. The author provides background in the prologue, which explains how different events in the 21st century, of both a political and natural disaster variety transformed the United States. It was a story in itself, which was not only tremendously interesting and entertaining, but showed how much thought and creativity the author has invested to develop this outstanding story.

Probably the most important technological angle is the development of the Dot, invented by one of the main characters, Bill Maxwell, which enables dogs to talk. The human birth rate has been greatly compromised, so few are able to have children. Thus, having dog and cat “children” is the norm. Anyone who’s ever had a beloved pet knows they are like our children. Then add the ability to have them talk to you and you can imagine how amazing that would be.

However, another disaster comes along, which kills millions of people as well as nearly all the dog and cat children, except a puppy named Abby, who belongs to Bill and Teresa Maxwell. However, Abby is taken by the government under the pretense of trying to find any other canine survivors and cloning or otherwise finding a way to re-establish the canine population. Meanwhile, a robotic dog has also been created, which is endowed with artificial intelligence. One of these in particular, named Rex, is another major character who is entirely endearing.

While all of this probably sounds pretty far-fetched, the author has done a fantastic job of creating a futuristic world where it all comes off as believable. Furthermore, if you’re an animal lover, chances are you already talk to your pets and can imagine them talking back. The gist of the story relates to if and how the Maxwell’s and Abby will ever be reunited. I absolutely loved it and know that I will someday read it again, which is the highest recommendation I can ever give a book because my TBR is so long, it’s a rare book indeed that I indulge in more than once.

If you’re a science fiction fan you’ll love the technologies and if you’re a dog or cat lover, you’ll love the pet angle. I highly recommend this heart-warming and original story from one of my favorite authors.

Pick up your copy on Amazon here.

 

How to promote your audiobook – Build Book Buzz

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This is an excellent article for authors with audio books. My first one will be out soon and I was grateful to learn some of the ways it differs from print books.

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Not sure how to promote your audiobook? This epic Q&A with pro Karen Commins will help you learn where to start plus what works (and what doesn’t).

Source: How to promote your audiobook – Build Book Buzz

Today’s Writing Tip

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Avoiding Deus ex machina endings should go without saying. If you write sci-fi or fantasy, set up the possibility for a dramatic ending so you don’t spring it on the reader out of the blue. Miracles are fine, as long as you develop the possibility beforehand. If one of your characters is going to die or get killed, be sure the threat of such an outcome is well-defined or at least hinted at.

Review of “Non-Profit” by Larry Hyatt

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The author is clearly a talented writer. The story flowed nicely and his characters were fairly well-developed. I think there may have been a few too many characters, but the story revolved around a conference held for those working for non-profit organizations in Louisiana, so a fair amount of people were required. Since I’m retired, in many ways the story reminded me too much of work, LOL. Those who work in the non-profit industry would probably enjoy it. I did laugh out loud several times at their antics. The politics, interaction between employees, dirty little secrets, and so forth were certainly credible and somewhat typical of any office environment, with the added flavor of the South.

One thing I found confusing and then annoying was the fact the author was inconsistent in how he spelled one of the main characters name–sometimes it was Rachael and others Rachel, which at first made be think it was two different people. Another character, Valerie, was also spelled Valarie. It’s also usually a good idea to keep character names different enough they don’t get confused. Having a Rebecca, Jacob, Josh, and the protagonist, Jay, didn’t help keep them separate.

There was also minimal if any physical description regarding what the characters looked like. I realize some readers prefer to imagine what a character looks like themselves and not be told, so this is subjective and a moot point, but I prefer to have that included. I suppose the cover did some of this, which was clever and a great representation of the story. To the author’s credit, there was only one or two actual typos, which I always appreciate. As a grammar Nazi, I can really go on a rant when I’m continually thrown out of a story due to flaws that should have been caught by an editor, proofreader, or even a spellchecker. A few times I got lost regarding who was speaking with the group dialogs, but at least the conversations sounded real.

To me, this was primarily the story of a crazy week at a conference. While it was credible, it wasn’t that interesting to someone outside the industry, but I think the author has the talent to make a more interesting story, perhaps throwing a murder or some other mystery in there for his next work.

You can pick up your copy on Amazon here.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Don’t shock your readers with something that hasn’t been alluded to in some way. It actually builds more suspense to hint at it, making them wonder what’s going to happen.  Providing threats, whether real or imagined, gives the reader more to worry about and anticipate trouble for your hero or heroine, which keeps them turning the pages.

Check Out My Blog on Today’s “Nerdy Book Club” Post!

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via The Importance of Mentoring Young Writers by Marcha Fox

Today’s Writing Tip

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When using a foreign language that you do not speak, be cautious when using translation software because it often doesn’t reflect the correct syntax. If possible, find a native speaker to confirm whether or not it’s correct. Google does a fairly good job, but there are certain idioms that don’t translate literally and can tip off a knowledgeable reader to your ignorance.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Writing a crime novel? If you want to gain and maintain reader credibility, be sure to keep police and forensics protocol and procedures authentic. Research as much as required, including talking to experts, to make your scenes and conversations sound real. Accurate details bring a story to life.