Our site has viewers from all over the world. As I have in the past – I invite all writers, from all countries and languages, to become contributors to our site. It does not matter where you reside – or in what language you want to use to communicate – our purpose for having [...]
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July 6, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Communications, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
 4 comments July 6, 2010
“I think you have a fantastic idea here…” – Wayne Brown [...] July 2, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, The Writer's Corner
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July 1, 2010
Posted by paul perry poet in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Life Experiences, Marriage, Personal Experiences, Poetry, Relationships, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
3 comments no love story “Looking out the window on a gray day, I see two pigeons on the ledge of the old house across the street. One pigeon seems to be pecking at the other pigeon which sits cuddled by its side. Perhaps the one pigeon is being dear to the other pigeon, and I wish someone would be dear to me. Suddenly, the one pigeon that was doing the pecking bobbles away to the other side of the ledge, and eventually flies away. Perhaps they misunderstood each other. I wish someone understood me.” There was a knock on the door. Jimmy Burns was sitting at a small table by the window. Ants crawled along the floor. “Maybe they’ll share something,” he thought. Jimmy could see footsteps through the crack under the door. There was a second knock. Jimmy sat silently still, only moving to lift the cigarette to his mouth. “I know you’re in there you bastard, open the door!” came the voice from outside. Jimmy didn’t budge. He was unemployed. Down. Out. Nowhere to go, nothing to do. Whoever it was knocking knew that. There was a third knock. Continue reading no love story June 23, 2010
Posted by georgepolley in: Children, Creative Writing, Family, Fiction, Literature, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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One
One morning when grandfather and grandmother were visiting his younger brother on the family farm, grandfather looked out the window and said: “Look, brother, there is a deer in the yard.” And grandfather’s younger brother, Yojiro replied; “There are often deer in the yard, brother. Have you been gone so long that you’ve forgotten?” “No,” said grandfather, “but this deer is different. This deer is leaning against that tree.” Continue reading Grandfather and the Deer June 23, 2010
Posted by georgepolley in: Children, Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, The Writer's Corner
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1 One bright sunny day, a grandfather sat eating his lunch on a long bench when a group of about twelve young wolves came up, sat down on both sides of him and began talking, laughing and enjoying themselves. Since there was not enough room on the bench for all of them, one young wolf remained standing a short distance away, eyeballing the grand-father. “Grandfather!” the young wolf said, looking sharply at the old man who sat peacefully eating his lunch. “Yes, I am a grandfather,” replied the old man. Since the young wolf didn’t say anything back, the grandfather went on enjoying his lunch in the sun and ignored the young wolf, who stared at him from where he stood nearby, shifting from one foot to another. Continue reading Grandfather and the Wolves June 23, 2010
Posted by Jack B Rochester in: Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, Non-Fiction, Publishing, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
Leave a comment I recently returned from a week of hiking in Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, in the Southeast corner of Utah. This area, which also encompasses the Grand Canyon of Arizona, has one of the most unique natural architectures you’ll encounter anywhere in the world, where wind and water have carved the mountains into [...] June 21, 2010
Posted by Jack B Rochester in: Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, Non-Fiction, Publishing, The Writer's Corner
Leave a comment This is a difficult novel to recommend to you, for several reasons. One, I have trouble remembering the author’s name, James Hynes, and the title, Next. It’s also difficult to recommend because it’s a difficult novel to read and understand. That said, it’s a tour de force and if you like edgy, contemporary literary [...] June 15, 2010
Posted by Jack B Rochester in: Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, Non-Fiction, Publishing, The Writer's Corner
3 comments I’m a reader. I LOVE to read. Sometimes I think I’d rather read than…eat. And as a writer, that’s a good thing because a good writer needs to be a good reader. As a matter of fact, I’ve learned some new things about reading fiction as I’ve been working on my novel over the past few years that I never thought about before. I guess you could say I was a gobbler, reading mostly for entertainment and story. I was like a woman I met recently on an airplane reading James Patterson, who IMHO ranks at the bottom of the bottom-feeder brain-candy writers. [In fact, he doesn't even write most of his novels these days.] Now I read on multiple levels. So I thought I’d start blogging on my reading and share my impressions with you. I read pretty voraciously, so every time I finish a novel [and an occasional work of non-fiction], I’ll write a few comments here.
June 9, 2010
“Sherlock Holmes in a Flash: New Short Holmes Stories”, Abbott ePublishing, Manchester, New Hampshire, 2010, Stephen Abbott, Editor. If you enjoy detective fiction, you will like this collection of 14 stories about the great detective. All of the stories but one are set in the Holmes era. The one that isn’t is a surprise [...] June 1, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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June 1, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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May 18, 2010
Posted by Tim Roux in: Books, Fiction, Literature, Publishing, Satire, Writing Essentials
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I read piles of books a year – somewhere between 50 and 100, I would guess. I pride myself on being a very good and assiduous reader. I concentrate hard on the plot, I try to love all the characters, I suspend copious amounts of disbelief when required to do so, and I tend to devour several books at once just in case I discover some serendipitous synergies between them. So I think I deserve to get paid for my efforts. Why should all these authors be adorned with millions of dollars to write their trashy books when I am not paid a single penny for reading them? They write, I read – we have a symbiotic relationship thing going on here. Surely there should be some mutual commercial incentive built into the deal. Continue reading 10 rules for writers from a discerning reader May 15, 2010
The man told her she smelled good and Lil walked away from the newsstand with a smile. Over the past year she had tried several popular fragrances and none of them had worked with her body chemistry until now. Her mother had commented on how fresh she smelled when they met for dinner at the mall the night before and her roommate liked the way the new scent filled their their two bedroom apartment. “Maybe he’ll like it,” the roommate teased. Lil smiled back: “Him who?” Continue reading The Power of Scent May 1, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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May 1, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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April 26, 2010
Posted by Tim Roux in: Books, Communications, Creative Writing, Faith, Fiction, Inspiration & Motivation, Literature, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
Leave a comment Back in ancient Rome, the Emperor typically had one thought that troubled him more than any other – “Who guards you against your own guards?”, referring to the Imperial Praetorian guards, who either made you or croaked you, according to whim and political calculation (“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”). As authors who ghost write the lives of fictional characters, and the occasional real one, the question that betimes intrigues and troubles us is a matching one: “Who ghost writes for the ghost writers?” One answer, of course, might be your editor. Some editors have defined the very essence of their clients’ styles. I cannot remember whether it was Raymond Carver or Raymond Chandler whose characteristically terse delivery was largely attributable to the preferences of his editor. It is undeniable, but rarely confessed, that some editors end up rewriting their authors’ books. My first influence was Lawrence Durrell. Although I wouldn’t claim that he is among my favourite authors, his ‘Alexandrine Quartet’ is right at the top of my favourite books. I could never copy the opulent, sensuous prose style he shared with John Fowles and Truman Capote, but I loved the way that he told the same story from three different angles and then developed it further in the fourth. There is nothing more fascinating than turning characters and storylines inside-out and upside-down in successive books. Continue reading Who are your ghosts, and why are they there? April 16, 2010
Posted by Muhammad Cohen in: Book Review, Books, Fiction, History, Minorities, Social Classes, Social Issues
Leave a comment The best novelist virtually unknown beyond his homeland. [...] April 6, 2010
Posted by Robert Walker in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Literature, Non-Fiction, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
One comment PSYCH 101 for Writers & Their Characters or Pavlov’s Dog for Writers by robert w. walker, professor of creative writing
Robert W. Walker’s Psych 101 Questions — Over time, I have considered these 10 questions that delve into the relationship between psychology and writing the novel, and being a novelist. In other words, what has psychology got to do with imagination and creating whole worlds populated with people out of ink marks on a page? The following questions and answers delve into the psychology of the author himself, and eventually will also ask about the psychology of characters an author creates: This is Psych 101 for Authors and readers interested in the craft and creative impulse. Q #1: A: Anyone can learn to learn, or rather take steps to learn more about a topic–any topic. I learn best via doing, as in teaching. You teach it, you learn it. The more a writer comes to own knowledge, the higher his or her WQ–writing quotient. Continue reading PSYCH 101 for Writers & Their Characters or Pavlov’s Dog for Writers April 3, 2010
Easter Bunny – The Untold Rhyme by Bob Grant Met the Easter Bunny at the mall. End of story? Not at all. The interview went well – I got the scoop, Assuredly not one for all of the group. He contracts the eggs, baskets, and such, Not a single one does he actually touch. [...] March 30, 2010
Finn came skidding out of art class, paint underneath her fingernails. Rags leaned against the door frame, his eyes bright as he waited for her to notice him. The rest of the class swirled around them, leaving eddies in the smell of oils wafting from the class room. “Fun class?” He asked. “All right. I still don’t understand what you see in this painting thing.” He chuckled and she linked her arm through his. “Just so long as you don’t get bored and make this like the last one.” “I won’t, promise.” She pouted, her strawberry lips forming a perfect bow. Her dyed hair spiked off in every direction. She stretched forward onto her toes and kissed his cheek, leaving a faint glossy print. “It won’t be. This place is already far more interesting. Come on, let’s go, I’ve got to log some hours this afternoon and I’m supposed to be there by one.” She tugged playfully on his arm and he followed calmly behind, not giving an inch for he knew she would take a mile. Ragweed pulled at the strap of his ratty black backpack and chuckled again, low in his throat. Finn wouldn’t care if she was late, but her caseworker would. She lifted his wrist to check the time on his Nixon. “I need a shower.” She pulled at her fluorescent socks, straightening them just so. She twirled, the pleats of her skirt flying out sideways. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! I don’t have all day.” Continue reading Finn, Chapter One March 27, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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March 27, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
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March 25, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Comments & Discussion, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
9 comments Yesterday, one of our contributing writers posted an article with a “Comments Are Closed” tag on it. Quite frankly, I did not know this option was available to our contributors and wanted to weigh in on this subject. There was a time when I almost begged for comments. Our site is improving in this [...] March 22, 2010
Posted by Lara Daniels in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Relationships, Women's Perspective, World Issues
2 comments Boss lady was all smiles now. She only smiled when she could smell money. And Anwasia knew she had a good nose for detecting currency. March 10, 2010
 From: Q. Willetts
Unit Director
Mars project administration
Exploracorp, Mars base s05dce
—————————————— To: Reverend P. Huntsley, et al. First Church of Mars Suite 7 101 Pigswole st. Huntsville, AL 35805Reverend and gentlepersons, It is with profound emotion and regret that I inform you of the loss of Reverend W. Allen and the removal of the church delegation’s rights to further study all technology, properties and unclaimed areas on Mars. The delegation is currently being prepared for the voyage home and is scheduled to leave on the first available transport. I believe this will be the Nov 1, 2027 utility and reclamation transport, scheduled to arrive at Exploracorp’s no. 3 receiving area, Ikar, Pakistan, no later than January 15, 2028. Continue reading They left the toilets running……. March 9, 2010
The first assignment the red-headed drama teacher gave us was to go out and watch people. We were to return with three characterizations we had drawn from an hour of observation. Most of us got an A for being able to imitate the people we had watched on the street. I learned from watching a middle aged woman that she never crossed her knees as she read on the park bench. Her legs were only crossed at the ankle in public. People looked around to see if they were being observed before they adjusted their pants, bras and straps. Elderly people did not look around, they just touched whatever needed to be touched and then went about their business. In class we were told to remember these things when we got on the stage and had to become an elderly person or a proper middle aged woman. But later in life as I observed more and more I started wondering about the people I observed and took to imaging what their lives were like. You watch and you will learn a little about everyone. After that as a writer it is up to you what kind of life you give them. Continue reading People Watching-It Builds Characters March 4, 2010
Bailey came in from the rain, shaking her umbrella free of drops in the hallway before stepping through the door. “Hey Rags,” she murmured, shedding her coat and turning towards him. He lay on the couch before the fire, reading the newspaper. The flames were the only source of light in the apartment, though the curtains were thrown open over the bay windows to let in the streetlights’ glare and the sound of the rain. He grunted in response and folded the paper closed, tossing it onto the coffee table. Bailey walked over to warm herself by the fire, her socks sinking into the thick carpet. There was a fresh vase of flowers on a small table by the arm chairs. “Who are these for?” Rags opened his eyes slowly and yawned. “Finn.” “Oh,” Bailey muttered, flipping over the card to read who they were from. “The newspaper sent her these?” “Yeah, they do it every year.” “It’s not her birthday is it? You should’ve said—.” “No, it’s not her birthday, but don’t mention them.” Continue reading Finn Excerpt March 4, 2010
Posted by Lara Daniels in: Fiction, Life Experiences, Literature, Morality, Relationships, Short Stories, World Issues
2 comments She noticed him staring at her through the window. Uncomfortably, she shifted. First on one foot, then the other, as she dizzyingly became aware of his intense scrutiny. Boss lady was coming any time soon and if she found this stranger staring at her through her precious shop windows, she would throw a fit. Suddenly angry at the brazen look this man was giving her, she turned to give him a reproachful glance of her own and mouthed the words “Rude. Rude to stare.” The man only smiled in return, a self –assured grin that maddened her only more. She saw him shrug nonchalantly and before she could take her next breath, realized that he was coming into the shop…heading straight for her. She stiffened. February 25, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, The Writer's Corner
Leave a comment We first put our site on the Internet in December 2008 – since then we have had over 110,000 viewers visit our site. We extend an invitation to all writers to become contributors. If you are interested please reply to SpeakWithoutInterruption@gmail.com and let us know the type of writings [...] February 14, 2010
Posted by Robert Walker in: Creative Writing, Entertainment, Fiction, Freelance Author, Literature, The Writer's Corner
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At Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, yes, you can follow me as I blog on the progress and success or failure of putting together my 50th novel. Without a contract, written on speculation only in my head and faith in the material and myself—I am keeping a dairy-type Journal about the process of crafting the novel. This is like getting a creative writing course from Professor Walker. Follow me as I write a Suspense Novel Before Your Eyes, and no matter what category or genre you are working in, there is so much you can pick up from following this process. Imagine if you had the opportunity to look in over the shoulder of a veteran author and watch his hand at work. There can be no better classroom, and you are not limited in asking questions or offering comments. Continue reading Julia & Julia Type Journal for Cooking up a Gritty Suspense or Mystery Novel by Robert W. Walker February 4, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Current Events, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Publishing, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
8 comments What is a Writer? Is is someone who has been trained as one or someone who believes they are one? Is is someone who uses big words and knows proper grammar or is it someone who writes the way they feel with spelling and grammatical errors? Is it someone who has published books, articles, [...] February 4, 2010
Posted by Tantra in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
7 comments Serious literary writing from the time Modernism came onto the scene with WW1 has been primarily made up of shattering of narrative elements. Time itself is broken and collaged, structure is collapsed, cause and effect can go out the window, the novel can parody itself suddenly, dialogue can be absurdist, and characters can become flattened so we don’t see them as warm humans that we care about in a personal sense at all, or they can be impossible and contradictory, and the whole novel can be self-reflexive, playing on the artifice. The world being perceived as so shattered and irrational now, literary writers can feel it inaccurate to portray it as being unified, going along in a reliable, cohesive manner full of meaning. [...] February 2, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, The Writer's Corner
Leave a comment I have had both a personal, and business, relationship with China – and its people – since 2003. I have written articles – posted to our site – regarding China and have made it no secret regarding my extreme interest in having contributors, from China, post their articles to our site. I am excited [...] February 1, 2010
Posted by Tim Roux in: Books, Communications, Computers, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Fiction, Internet, Literature, Non-Fiction, Writing Essentials
8 comments It is hard to believe sitting here today, but in 2-3 years’ time paper books simply won’t exist. I love paper books. Specifically, I love paperbacks. As they say about Toblerone, never eat a sweet that hurts you – so I am not so fond of hardbacks as being uncomfortable and often painful to hold. But paperbacks …… As with many authors, I read my own books about 30 times – 28 times electronically, and a couple of times in paperback. The first twenty-eight times are OK, except that even I get bored of my books eventually. However, the 29th (final correction) and 30th times are heaven. It is a completely different experience reading a book in paperback. As Steve Sangirardi is always keen to point out, it is the difference between the menu and the meal. Reading about the sensation of eating chocolate is one thing; actually eating it for the first time is another. Nevertheless, in 2-3 years’ time paperbacks will be gone – almost completely – vanished like an old oak table [don’t you mean ‘varnished’ – ed? For the rest of this reference, see the TV series Blackadder III]. New technology takeover is often catastrophic. It is like the Monty Python running man – sprinting away but no closer – sprinting away but no closer – sprinting away but no closer – past you. Continue reading The attack of the alien multi-media book snatchers February 1, 2010
Posted by stuartaken in: African-American, Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Foreign Affairs, Humor
Leave a comment Kachi A. Ozumba’s story of corruption, judicial incompetence and prevailing injustice in Nigeria is lightened by the humour he mixes with the pathos. Zuba, the naive and honest victim, moves from initial complacent trust in the legal system through amazement, disbelief and despair to a realisation that he cannot expect the judicial authorities to treat his situation seriously or with fairness. The police and prison authorities are shown as corrupt but perhaps no more so than the rest of this society. Against the background of incarceration and hierarchical prison ethics, he paints a picture of a country still at war with a major portion of its citizens. The conflict with Biafra is a constant strand running through the novel and displays the underlying tribal nature of the Dark Continent, showing, with subtle insights, why prejudice is both harmful and pointless, wherever it may manifest itself. Kachi paints his characters as real people undergoing real events. The details of daily life, education and the prison system in Nigeria suggest he has experienced all three; if not, his research methods are extraordinary. He also raises questions about the nature and value of religious faith, perhaps hinting that it is of greater value to the desperate and ignorant than to the hopeful and educated. Continue reading Stuart Aken Reviews The Shadow of a Smile by Kachi A Ozumba February 1, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
Leave a comment Below are the results – from Google Analytics – for our SWI site showing the Top 200 pages visited over the past 12 months:
January 29, 2010
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Publishing, The Writer's Corner
3 comments SWI is pleased to announce ‘Night Reading’ – a publishing opportunity for not only our own SWI contributors but to all writers who are interested in getting their works published. Below is this initial announcement from our contributors Tim Roux and Bruce Essar: Bruce Essar and I invite you to join our new Ning [...] January 20, 2010
He had enough money left for coffee and a donut before he went home that cool summer morning. The night had taken every dollar in his designer suit pants pocket but he did not complain. The promotion to the coast had contributed more funds to his bank account and more pride to his being. He paid for drinks for women he did not know and would never meet between the sheets even if he decided they had fabulous frames. Fun had been his only desire for his last night in New York. Continue reading Dancing in the Fountain January 16, 2010
Posted by stuartaken in: Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Heroes, History, Literature
One comment Sherlock Holmes fans will love this. Written in the style of Conan Doyle, so well that the reader is not aware it isn’t one of his stories, the novel follows Sherlock and Doctor Watson as they take on a seemingly simple case of murder. However, it quickly becomes clear that this is anything but straightforward. Doctor Watson narrates, and acts, as he helps the famous sleuth to track down clues in this complex crime mystery. Avril Field-Taylor has done her research and takes the reader on a journey which is so well constructed that it is like watching a film of events play out. Set in Devon, Hull and London, with Buckingham Palace playing a role, the story moves rapidly with the trains and Handsome cabs that propel the protagonists through the convoluted plot. The railway stations, backstreets, country houses and, of course, Baker Street, are all described so well that the reader feels at home with them. The action brings in Mycroft, Sherlock’s brilliant but mysterious brother, the professionally jealous Lestrade from Scotland Yard, the Hellfire Club and Sherlock’s arch-enemy, Moriarty, in a plot which twists and turns without ever losing credibility. The damsel in distress is beautifully drawn and turns out to have more courage and good sense than initially expected, so that the reader really cares about her fate. Watson’s love and concern for Mary, his wife, is very well depicted. And Mrs Hudson gets an unexpected shock when Baker Street is attacked. Continue reading Stuart Aken Reviews Murder at Oakwood Grange by Avril Field-Taylor January 14, 2010
Posted by stuartaken in: Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Fiction, Humor, Literature
One comment Seer’s Moon is Karen Wolfe’s second fantasy novel centring on the unusual activities of Granny Beamish and her cronies. With its mixture of comic style and supernatural content, the book had me smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud; much to the consternation of my fellow travellers. The story, or at least the main thread, follows the fate of poor Kenneth who has inadvertently become a werewolf and is being chased by a sinister bounty hunter. Granny Beamish and her friends, family and associates, who have some sympathy with the vegetarian Kenneth and his harmless, if somewhat destructive, werewolf alter ego, do their best to prevent his capture and execution. The incompetent local police, an interfering busybody and a creepy, ambitious member of Granny’s Seer community all provide the necessary conflict. Meanwhile, Granny has to contend with the advances of her ex boyfriend, who jilted her, as he tries to win her back. Seers, for those who are unsure, are members of a parallel community who use telepathy and certain types of magic; it isn’t wise for a normal human to mess with an accomplished Seer, especially one with the gifts possessed by Granny Beamish. Karen Wolfe writes in a style of her own; colloquially and with a type of humour that touches my laughter muscles. This is a very English novel in many ways and some of the language and references may be lost on readers from outside. But there is so much that is universal in appeal that this association with Englishness acts as an enhancement, giving the book a quirky character that should appeal to readers of all nationalities. And, talking of ‘quirky’ this is the way her characters come across. All are individual, even the dogs, wolf, griffons and other animals, and especially the rampaging sheep. Her people have flaws as well as positive attributes and all of them are very human, sometimes touching and always hilarious, often in ways that completely escape the characters themselves. Continue reading Stuart Aken’s Review of Seer’s Moon by Karen Wolfe January 13, 2010
Most nights she sleeps well alone in the bed that once held two. There are moments when she feels his arms around her, a moment in the past when he rolled over and found her comfort in the middle of the night. There was none of that in the last years he tried to stay alive from the depth of sleep until morning so that he could see her smile. After a lifetime together he told everyone he still adored her smile. Continue reading Loneliness Remembers January 6, 2010
Being a Brit, I have never been educated in the concept of The Great American Novel. There is no equivalent concept in Britain. There are The Classics, there are Modern Classics, then there is the other stuff. Yes, we may wish to write a modern classic but there is no form it is expected to take and it certainly doesn’t have to be about Britain or being British. Indeed, it would be very difficult to write a classic novel about being British. The people who are most proud to be British are neo-Nazis and drunken slobs staggering around the Costa Brava trying to wrestle a woman to bed, willing, struggling or comatose. Ian McEwan has probably come the closest to adapting the concept of The Great American Novel to British writing. As I understand it, The Great American Novel represents an intensely existentialist enquiry about what it is like to be a human being within a typical American context. That is why the coffee shop owner in Bill Hazelgrove’s ‘Rocket Man’ argues that The Great American Novel is no longer possible to write – there are too many distinctive cultures flourishing in the USA of today and they scuttle around too fast. Continue reading The truth about reality January 4, 2010
There was a moment when she really believed it was him. Thirty years he had been missing from her life and suddenly he appeared at the corner of 34th and Madison like a shining penny in the noon time sun. She had never seen him in a suit before, only the attire of football and college wear. Their one date he had worn a white shirt and a pair of navy slacks. She had donned a dress shorter than her imagination. Now she was seeing him on street corners looking like Wall Street Prime. It could be him. He could be alive. Continue reading Chasing Ghosts January 1, 2010
Posted by Robert Walker in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
4 comments GREATEST SECRETS of Commercial Fiction Writers Revealed for Your Use By Robert W. Walker Using a brief excerpt from chapter 3 of Children of Salem, I intend to point out key decisions a writer makes as he works. This blog is intended to instruct new writers and remind veterans how we do what we do when we do it. First use time and setting like teletype to get right to the setting as in below… At the parsonage door in Salem Village, 1:20AM, March 7, 1692 Second use establishing shots to nail the character down fast… A stocky, short man, nonetheless Reverend Samuel Parris felt the walls of the small parish home—his property by way of contractual agreement with his flock—closing in on him. Notice the helpful use of dashes to set off and emphasize material in a complex sentence. The stairwell proved so tight that Parris could hardly make it up the narrow passage to his daughter’s room, where he looked in on little Betty, who’d been battling a fever—symptoms of an ague so often seen in little ones. Betty slept fitfully, as if assailed by nightmares, but at least she slept. Her cousin, the Reverend’s niece, slept too but in a separate bed in the corner. Continue reading GREATEST SECRETS of Commericial Fiction Writers Revealed for Your Use By Robert Walker December 24, 2009
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Commentary, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
4 comments It has been a little over a year since our Online Magazine was first operational. Over that period we have had almost 2,000 posts from over 85 writers who have made at least one contribution. We have had over 85,000 viewers visit our site in the same time period. We have lost writers – [...] December 18, 2009
They all said he was a very nice little boy. He sat every day at the foot of the man’s bed when he got home from school. The man, frail with impending death, would ask in gravel filled voice about his day and the boy would come close to the bed, lean in and tell him the secrets of the playground and the cafeteria. Sometimes the man would smile then laugh. But the laughter made him cough. And the coughing clouded the color in the boy’s eyes. He could tell what was happening each time the man turned from him and sank into a rest that required heavy breathing. The boy would return to his chair with the clouds still in his eyes and wait for the next sign of movement. Sometimes it was minutes, most times it was hours. The boy always waited. He had no where else to go. Continue reading Why the Boy Killed the Man December 15, 2009
His first night on third shift he couldn’t believe the quiet. A newcomer to the world of non office labor he arrived early with a large cup of black coffee and a smile for those he would work with. He was taken into the warehouse, a place that would have been a dream come true for him since it was floor to ceiling books. But his job was not going to be reading them as he had secretly done when he worked his way through college as a clerk in the campus bookstore. On his desk at home, surrounded by piles of literary tomes, set forty pages of the great American novel he had been working on for weeks and rejection letters for short stories editors told him had no imagination. His job would be filling the orders of readers around the world for eight hours each night. It was not until he had been laboring for two hours that he realized his job called for him to be in the stacks alone. Except for her. Continue reading Lunch Past Midnight December 11, 2009
Posted by AngelaPoseyArnold in: Children, Creative Writing, Faith, Family, Fiction, General Topics, Humor, Poetry
Leave a comment More rapid than an eagle, his Ford truck flew [...] December 10, 2009
This morning I watched as people gathered cans from the trash outside of apartment building here in the city and bagged them to take to the store. Many of them had been at work harvesting the cans and bottles worth a nickel each since before dawn, before the garbage trucks arrived to remove what may be the only means to a living some people have. The following was inspired by watching and thinking there but for the grace of God go I. His little girl wanted a lot but he told her he could only give her one thing. She picked a doll and pointed to it in every window they passed as they made their once a year trip downtown to look at stores he could no longer afford to enter. She had worn her best coat, a lovely navy blue with a matching hat that his ex wife had gotten before there was no more money and no more shopping. The sleeves barely reached her tiny wrists and the buttons on the chest were straining not to pop. This would be the last year she could wear it for his bright eyed daughter reminded him that she wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was almost eight. Continue reading A Five Cent Wage at Christmas December 9, 2009
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Commentary, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Journalism, Literature, Non-Fiction, Poetry, The Writer's Corner
3 comments Writers Make the World Go Round by Bob Grant Writers make the world go round, In page and print they can be found. Some write of horror – some write of fame, Some write of truth – some write of blame. Some write for fun – some write for money, Some write of sad [...] December 8, 2009
The intent was to drop a letter in the mailbox and to get some fresh air. Fresh cold air. Winter was not her best season and to step out of the warm confines of the office had been recommended as a way to stop the winter blahs. The streets were crowded as if it were not frost bitten February but a few days before Christmas. If people had no money why were they everywhere in the freezing cold? Continue reading Someone She Used to Love December 1, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Books, Creative Writing, Faith, Fiction, Latino & Hispanic, Mental Health, The Writer's Corner
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1 Joseph Fernandez had just turned twenty five. On his birthday, he and his mother went to the church. At five o’clock in the morning, the old woman came into his room and shook him by the shoulder. “Joseph,” she said; “get up!” Then she shuffled out, leaving him to rub his eyes at the sun, which was just beginning to show itself through his window. Dressed, the two of them walked down the long street to the church. Joseph favored his game leg, the left one, the one crushed in the accident. His mother walked ahead of him, slowing every now and then and glancing over her right shoulder, as if to make sure that her son was still following after her. One never knew about that young man. Slowly, they climbed the long steps into the church, stopping briefly at the basin to dip their fingers and cross themselves, then moving silently into the body of the church. Genuflecting and crossing themselves again, they took their places in a pew, way down in front, where his mother liked to be. Joseph recalled having let his eyes run to the altar, which stood in awesome and overpowering silence behind the rail where he would soon receive that bit of Christ’s body that was his. He saw Christ hanging on His Cross, and to one side, the beautiful figure of Mary, His Mother, dressed in blue and white. It seemed to him as if She were smiling down at him. He crossed himself rapidly several times, shivering slightly, recalling the first time he had stood in the field and the Virgin had come to him in a vision. She had been smiling at him. He looked quickly sideways at his mother. Her head was bent and her lips were moving rapidly with her prayers. Wisps of grey hair had straggled loose from the bun at the back of her neck and hung by the side of her face. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but didn’t. Instead he looked back at the Virgin and became lost in Her beauty, almost feeling as though She were holding him, one of her lost ones, in Her arms. Continue reading Fernandez’ Tale December 1, 2009
One of the great pleasures of reading indie authors is that they are often literary Luddites, exuberantly smashing the commercial frameworks imposed on their more industrially-produced cousins, replacing them with a more zestful, fresh, individual and – might I say – compelling approach to their work. It is not that they do not recognise as well as anyone the existence of the rules and formulae drawn up to govern the structure, content and style of mainstream modern literature, it is just that they prefer to explore other creative options for the good of their, and our, souls. “Know what you should do then do as you like” was the moral guideline I was schooled in by my parents and it is the literary guideline of many indie authors too. Let me declare straight off that Stuart Aken’s pointedly joyous ‘Breaking Faith’ is the output of such an independent and questing mind. However, if you like to slot books as automatically and systematically into standardised categories as the priapic photographer Leighton Longshaw likes to slot his …. no, no, I’ll come back to that later …. then this novel may pose you something of a challenge. Continue reading Review of ‘Breaking Faith’ by Stuart Aken November 17, 2009
Posted by Bob Grant - Editor in: Books, Commentary, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Non-Fiction, Opinion, The Writer's Corner
11 comments “If” I were a writer – and a good writer to boot - it would frustrate the heck out of me to see how some books (maybe my books) don’t sell when people are standing in line for others. I earlier posted my thoughts on how Dan Brown’s new book sold – now there is [...] November 10, 2009
Posted by Astrid Fitzgerald in: Book Review, Fiction, Inspiration & Motivation, Philosophical Genres, Uncategorized, Women's Perspective
Leave a comment amazon.com – September, 2009 – Coming of age is spiritual * * * * * Finally, a novel that not only offers an exciting plot line, an endearing heroine, and human relationships that are believable and sympathetic but also introduces a continuous thread of spiritual teaching that informs and advances the plot – a [...] November 8, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, General Topics, Literature, Mexico, Social Issues, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
One comment He met him on the third day of the second week after he opened his psychology practice on Rio Mississippi Street in mid-January, 1973 when his receptionist, Luisa Mercedes Rodriguez opened his office door, came in, closed it and said: “Doctor Manning, he is here!” “Who is ‘he,’ Luisa?” glancing down at his appointment book and seeing nothing written there for that hour; “A walk-in client?” “No, doctor; he, that cop; you know, the one I told you about? ¿Sì?” “Oh, you mean the one that collects protection money from people?” “Yes, that one! He wants to see you. And he won’t wait.” And then, as if to prove the truth of what she said, the door opened and there he stood, Sergeant Pedro Alfredo Gomez of the Mexico City Police Department, all five foot five lean muscular feet of him, dressed in khaki slacks, an open-neck light blue sport shirt, black shoes spit-shined like mirrors, hair and mustache neatly trimmed and brushed, staring at the psychologist with the flat, predatory eyes of a snake. Continue reading George Polley: “The Disappearance of Pedro Gomez” November 7, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Books, Creative Writing, Family, Fiction, Minorities, Social Issues, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized
Leave a comment Review of “Habibi”, by Naomi Shihab Nye. Mass Market Paperback. Simon Pulse, 1997. Naomi Shihab Nye brings her poet’s voice to this touching story about 14 year old Liyana Abboud and her family as they move from St. Louis, Missouri to Palestine, where her father, a physician, was born and raised. The move isn’t an easy one, for more reasons than one. The family arrives to find conditions more tense than they had expected, with growing violence and a growing Israeli military presence in the West Bank. The story is also filled with some memorable characters, one of the most memorable being Sitti, Liyana’s 81 year old grandmother, who is the “glue” that holds her large family together, a veritable font of energy and wisdom. Continue reading A wonderful novel for young adults of any age November 7, 2009
Review of “The Blue Food Revolution” by Tim Roux. Night Publishing, soft cover, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4415-4291-5. Grandparents are known for the stories they tell. I remember listening to my grandfather Gerard as he told about his days as a boy in Deadwood, South Dakota, which were peopled with old Indians, gypsies, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock. I’ve listened to other grandparent tales, too, and written a few myself. But none quite like the tales Tim Roux heard from his grandparents. The stories he heard are the stuff of fairytales, legends and myths, full of strange happenings and strange people. They make my grandpa Gerard’s stories seem, well, rather boring, though Deadwood with its denizens was definitely more interesting than Tacoma and West Seattle, Washington were when I was a boy so long ago. “This book is exclusively an account of my grandfather’s adventures which started …. when one day he mounted the train to London Waterloo from Reading. It was a journey he repeated every weekday at the same time, travelling into the capital to work at the Westminster Bank as it was in those days. However, today would be different.” And from that day, all the days were different. Very different. Continue reading Some rollicking good grandparent tales, by Tim Roux November 6, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, General Topics, Habit Change, Humor, Personal Experiences, Poetry, Sex, Short Stories, Social Issues, Technology, The Writer's Corner
One comment “At last!” Isn’t that what everyone says when they have their first sexual experience? “At last!” “it” happened. I recall as a young teenager praying (never out loud): “Please, God, don’t let me die until I’ve had sex!” And by that, I didn’t (and most people don’t) mean masturbation. That goes on without saying [...] November 4, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Humor, Mexico, The Writer's Corner
Leave a comment A group of students take their teacher, Eric Lindahl, out on the town in Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi during the Christmas season. They are in for some big surprises when a local tough shows up and harasses their teacher, and an even bigger one when their teacher turns into a donkey, and a new corrido is born. [...] October 23, 2009
This was supposed to be a talent agency. So why were they asking for her dress size? She was only applying for a job passing out samples on the sidewalk. The ad she answered required a winning smile and a warm personality and Beauty had all of those. She wasn’t sure why they would need to know clothing sizes except if they were supplying the wardrobe. She put 12 for dress size but would explain, if they asked, that if the dress fit tight she needed a 14 because of her bust. Continue reading A Size Ten White Jumpsuit October 23, 2009
Posted by Astrid Fitzgerald in: Fiction, Inspiration & Motivation, Philosophical Genres, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Women's Perspective
Leave a comment The Shepherd’s Hut Astrid Fitzgerald When Caroline reached the gully, her heart was racing and her stomach was in a tight knot. Was what had happened yesterday just a dream? Was she ever going to experience the peace and warmth she’d felt again? Perhaps she should just keep going. What happened to the quiet, fun-filled ski vacation her father talked about? Things couldn’t possibly get any more hectic and perplexing. She leaned against a tree, taking some deep breaths to calm herself before she dared approach the decrepit shepherd’s hut. The door sprang open at the touch of her hand, revealing Luma in all her splendor. The ceaseless swirling of her garments made it difficult to tell whether she was sitting on the mound of cushions, or floating above it. She appeared in an entirely different attire than the previous day and her face look somewhat different too – her eyes looking deeper than the ocean and her forehead gleaming with the radiance of the sun. As Caroline stepped into the light, which appeared to be emerging from a source that was nowhere, yet everywhere, she was enveloped in comforting warmth, releasing her whole being from anxiety and tension. She bowed to Luma, and sat down on the cushion before her. “Welcome, my dear child!” Luma’s face beamed with an immense smile. “I know it was not easy to tear yourself away from your new friend.” Caroline’s mouth fell open. How did she know about Lorenzo? Before she dared ask, Luma began to speak. Continue reading The Shepherd’s Hut October 14, 2009
Ex-pat Joseph Manning falls asleep waiting for his friends Mel and Wanda Blackstone in the apartment they’ve rented in an old mansion. Wanda insists the apartment is haunted. Dr. Manning learns she may just be right. [...] October 1, 2009
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION … I THINK. Don Maker The lab was dark and quiet. That meant the emergency generator must be operating, but not the back-up generator. More ominously, the air was almost warm, which meant the HVAC system was gone. Although the lab was forty feet underground, the air-conditioning ran constantly to help protect the computers. Since the lighting was so poor, the computers probably weren’t running at all. This was a disaster. What the hell could have happened? Maggie Jenkins tried to lift herself from the floor, but her body ached all over. Her left knee didn’t want to work. She took her parka off before trying to get up. Rising to a kneeling position, she discovered she had a headache. It took another full minute before she could grasp the top of her desk and pull herself up. She looked through the glass walls of her office into the main lab. No one else was visible. She scanned the lab in disbelief. Chairs were toppled over, binders and papers were strewn wildly, and some loose equipment had toppled over. All of the computer equipment had been carefully bolted down in case of a major earthquake, so none of it seemed to have been damaged. That must be it. Either the Big One had finally hit, or someone had dropped a bomb nearby. The thought made her shiver in spite of the warmth. Maggie groped her way over to her fallen chair and used it as a walking aid to inspect the lab. Like her, the rest of the crew seemed to have been knocked unconscious. Most of the others showed obvious injuries, some with bleeding from their ears, others with cuts or twisted limbs. Fortunately, everyone seemed to be alive, although she could not rouse anyone. Continue reading We Have Met the Enemy October 1, 2009
Posted by Muhammad Cohen in: Books, China, Fiction, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Literature, Politics, Television, The Media, The Pundit's Corner
Leave a comment On a busy news day, CNN took two hours to wet kiss China’s rulers. [...] September 28, 2009
KADARA, IN THE early 1940s was a small town in the central part of Nigeria. With its serene projection, a first-time visitor could be tempted to think of Kadara as a ghost town, bereft of human habitation. The growing number of the town’s educated class had dumped her, like an abandoned baby, to reside in cities. Indigenes of the small town were spread out in those cities where they had gone either in search of the proverbial Golden Fleece or white-collar jobs. In spite of its almost perpetual silence however, Kadara had her physical attractions. The dusty roads, both major and minor, had never pretended to have had any contact with bitumen. And the buildings in the town? They were a different set-up altogether. While many of them were made of mud, the few houses that were built with cement blocks had seen better days. Moreover, all the buildings along the major roads had their front-yards painted in orange color to match that of the roads. The irony here was that, this was not the handiwork of man. Rather it was Mother Nature and its elemental products that were playing games with the town’s physical structures. Mother Nature had taken it upon itself to, over the years; sweep-up the orange-colored dust of the roads for subsequent pasting on the buildings. The major occupation of a great number of Kadara residents was farming. Among the people who were involved in this agrarian business, apart from the illiterate peasants, were the educated senior citizens. These were not only victims of idleness upon retirement, but were also victims of the hustle and bustle of city life. They had returned to their roots. And to keep bodies and souls together, many of them had engaged in small-scale farming. Continue reading The Burden of Faith. September 27, 2009
Posted by Mel Nicolai in: Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, Sex, The Writer's Corner
3 comments Tim Roux recently put out a open invitation for SWI writer’s to offer true stories of their first sexual experiences. Although at first I was disinclined to respond, I’ve apparently changed my mind. Here is my contribution: Kindness: A Budding If I can trust my memory (and experience advises a degree of caution here), my first sexual experience—or, at any rate, the first in which I had the pleasure of a partner—occurred when I was in the third grade; a seven-year-old of otherwise implacable innocence. When looking back on some of my other later sexual experiences, I am gratified to be able to say that my first partner in love was not in any way coerced into (or paid for) her services. Her name was Miriam Ching, the only asian student in our school. Miriam was an exceptional student and I remember our teacher explaining to the class that the reason Miriam was so smart was because all the smart Chinese were leaving China for a better life in the U.S. This was rather typical of the 50′s mind-set, but at seven years old, I was still too young, or too dull-witted, for my perceptions to be mangled by politics or racism. To me Miriam was just another kid, albeit a somewhat mysterious and beautiful one. Continue reading Kindness: A Budding September 26, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Books, Creative Writing, Family, Fiction, Humor, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner
3 comments A Noisy Neighborhood Meeting
“I see it’s time for our Neighborhood Association meeting again,” said grandmother as she walked through the door carrying the day’s mail. “They’ve scheduled it for this coming Wednesday afternoon, at two.” “Mmmm,” grandfather said, his nose in the afternoon newspaper; “What’s the main topic this time?” “The usual: cleanup, dues, upcoming festivals.” “I see.” “And choosing a new Association President. Takayuki Inaba isn’t going to run again.” “Oh? I’m not surprised. He has a devil of a time getting people to pay attention to him. I would have resigned years ago.” “You’re impatient, dear,” she said, continuing to scan the Association’s newsletter. “Well,” he said, looking over the tops of his glasses at his wife, “who wouldn’t be in his position? Nobody pays him the least attention when he tries to start the meeting. They just keep talking…” “Because they’re catching up on…” “Gossip,” grandfather replied, finishing the sentence. Continue reading A Quick Way to Call a Meeting to Order September 21, 2009
Posted by georgepolley in: Accountability, Comments & Discussion, Creative Writing, Fiction, Humor, Short Stories
Leave a comment Introduction
Earlier this year, I published the following two stories in a book published by Abbott ePublishing, of Manchester, N.H.. The book’s title is “Grandfather Stories.” Recently I wrote a new book, Grandfather and the Raven, a collection of 21 stories that includes the following two stories from the first collection. In the next day or so, I will also post one of the new stories. This new collection will be available from Abbott ePublishing in late October or early November. Here are the stories:
Grandfather and the Raven
One morning while grandfather was out walking, a big raven flew down and lit in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. “Kaaaaaa!” the raven said. Then, raising his long black beak, he looked up at grandfather and repeated himself with another loud, raucous “Kaaaaaa!”. “Well,” replied grandfather, “what do you want with me?” Mystified as to why this large raven had flown down and blocked his path, grandfather stopped, looked down at the big bird, and scratched his chin. When the raven repeated himself, grandfather said: “Well, I don’t understand raven talk, but you do have my attention. Can you be any clearer?” Continue reading Grandfather and the Raven September 17, 2009
Soon, the contradictions of the strangers began to manifest. The missionaries contemptuously referred to the traditional priests as evil witch doctors while calling themselves Men of God. Every aspect of the golden rules and moral regulations as contained in the Yoruba culture were summarily declared as superstitious even as the missionaries imposed their own brand of superstitions. Their superstitions started with: Thou shall not… [...] September 16, 2009
Posted by Prentiss Gray in: Attitude, Books, Communications, Creative Writing, Family, Fiction, Humor, Literature, Motivation, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
14 comments Everyone has someone in mind for this noble title, or perhaps they have too many, and can’t choose. Well, let me put forward a name to you, and possibly expand your mind a little as to the worth and possibilities of writing. I bet you know him. After all, publishing over 60 books, selling 220 million copies and being translated into 15 languages makes someone hard to miss. I believe he is the most often read author of our time. Certainly, he is the most often re-read. It’s clear to me that this master of language and communication, has no peer. He did what most composers of word music can only dream. Tackling the the most difficult and important audience, he unfailingly wraps our hearts in his theme by showing us the universe for what it is, without polish or limelight, and make us love it. He inspired more than Wordsworth, Longfellow, Keats or Gibran. Spun adventures to make make London weep with envy. Painted stories so vivid and exciting, Dumas or Kipling might smile in admiration. His hearts were truer, his humor funnier, his heros more courageous and his villains so dastardly, we cringe at their mention. Continue reading The greatest writer September 16, 2009
This is Eric Lindahl’s story, and I’ll let him tell it like he told it to me a few days before he left for Des Moines, Iowa. I didn’t experience the storm, because Lisa and I were in Cuernevaca visiting her family, but I heard about it in the news, and read about it in Excelsior, el Universal and The Herald, so I knew a lot about it before we returned to Mexico City about two weeks after it hit. The storm was unexpected, and did tremendous damage in a wide swath across the city. It even surprised the weather forecasters, who didn’t see it coming. Some people said it was the old Aztec god Tlaloc, and that he was cranky about something. Just what it could have been is anyone’s guess, and I haven’t seen my old friend Gerardo Pulido to ask him. I’m not sure he was in Mexico City anyway, as Lisa was sure she’d seen him in Cuernevaca down by the Cortez Palace, but didn’t get a good look at him, because when he saw her looking toward him, he ducked behind a tree. Eric told me this version of what happened when we got together for coffee at Sanborn’s on the Paseo, which was badly damaged, but was cleaned up pretty well by the time Lisa and I returned from Cuernevaca. What follows is just as Eric told it because I recorded it…with his permission, of course. Continue reading “The Storm” September 10, 2009
Posted by Robert Walker in: Advice, Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Freelance Author, Literature, The Writer's Corner, Writing Essentials
3 comments 10 Solutions to Top 10 Reasons Your Book was REJECTED by Robert W. Walker
10. No sense of play/fun comes through on the page—that the author is not passionate over his/her story to the degree that it shines through. Solution—rewrite with a smile. 9. No sense of specific audience the author is writing to excite. Difficult to determine the genre and thus audience. Solution—rewrite with a cold eye as to what category your story falls into. 8. No sense of forward-moving plot/action in the story. Solution—work with the word compelling tattooed on your brain or taped over your computer along with a list of and how all five senses can be placed in a scene. 7. Pronoun references are weak; pronouns proliferating to exclusion of naming people, places, and things. There are many errors that involve pronouns. Solution—name names and repeat names of people, places, and things. Triangulate character’s five senses and sometimes his/her sixth sense into each scene. Continue reading 10 Solutions to Top 10 Reasons Your Book was REJECTED |
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Julia & Julia Type Journal for Cooking up a Gritty Suspense or Mystery Novel by Robert W. Walker 
My comments regarding ‘Monday Afternoon’ by Steve Sangirardi
My comments regarding ‘Monday Afternoon’ by Steve Sangirardi
Steve asked that I read his book and it was my pleasure to do so. If you will read “About Us” on our site http://www.speakwithoutinterruption.com/site/swi-roots/ you will see that I am not at all equipped to present a true book review. Plus, Steve is a retired English [...]