• About
  • My Books
    • The Locksmith Duology
    • The Bitter Sea Trilogy
    • Failsafe
    • Insurrection
    • A Ransom Of Flames
    • Free Short Story
  • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Reviews

Amid The Imaginary

Amid The Imaginary

Tag Archives: Steampunk

Five Star Roundup

06 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Book Reviews, Fantasy, Five-Star, Free Books, Indie Author, Paranormal, Science-Fiction, Steampunk

In January I usually do an summary of my favorite books from the year before. This year I didn’t get around to it with my husband’s cancer diagnosis throwing life into a spin, but here it is now!

Scanning over the titles, it’s a pretty good mix of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and even some Paranormal and Steampunk. I didn’t run into any contemporary Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic that hit my five-star rating (though I do covet that fifth star for the truly special books) but 2017 is only half over so we’ll see what shakes out in the last six months.

Without further ado (yes, people still use that word) here are my favorite books from 2016 (Click the titles to read the full reviews):

~ SCIENCE-FICTION ~

The Singularity Series

singularity-1-3

(From Book One, “The Legacy Human”)

What would you give to live forever? 

Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender–a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid–after all, they’re smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he’s yearned for within reach… including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel… until he’s running for his life and wondering who he truly is.

Anela says: Amazing, amazing series and I’m dying for the next installment! The story examines the nature of existence and the definition of self (and so much else, but for that click on the review link above). The tech and the science woven through was like dark chocolate for my Sci-Fi soul. Book one is only 99 cents!! Available on Amazon

The Syzygy Series

syzygy-1

Ash was never supposed to visit Earth. After a genetic engineering catastrophe wiped out civilization, the survivors—inhabitants of a lunar mining colony—planned to rebuild on Mars. That was before a group of rebels seceded to the dark side of the moon, taking critical materials with them. Now conscripted teenagers scavenge the ruined third planet for species to use in terraforming. At fifteen, Ash is the best diver in a generation. But when tragedy strikes, he vows to end his colony’s dependence on its old homeworld at any cost.

Skye has never set foot on Earth. It’s not even visible from the moon’s far side, although the exiles’ mystic leader promises they will return home someday. Skye has discovered something that could realize this long-awaited dream, but she’s an outcast among outcasts, and no one will listen to her plan. To save her people, she might have to betray them.

Worlds collide when Ash and Skye meet, blurring the boundaries between enemies and allies, deception and truth. Their choices could preserve a future for humanity…or finally drive it to extinction.

Anela says: The review link to book one is above and the reviews of the books that follow show up beneath it. Overall this has been one of my favorite Sci-Fi series, totally unique with a climate fiction and post-apocalyptic bent. I love the characters and the unexpected twists are jaw dropping. Installment one is also only 99 cents. Go get it! Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

 

~ FANTASY ~

Sorcerous Moons Series

lonens-war

(From Book One: Lonen’s War)

An Unquiet Heart

Alone in her tower, Princess Oria has spent too long studying her people’s barbarian enemies, the Destrye—and neglected the search for calm that will control her magic and release her to society. Her restlessness makes meditation hopeless and her fragility renders human companionship unbearable. Oria is near giving up. Then the Destrye attack, and her people’s lives depend on her handling of their prince…

A Fight Without Hope

When the cornered Destrye decided to strike back, Lonen never thought he’d live through the battle, let alone demand justice as a conqueror. And yet he must keep up his guard against the sorceress who speaks for the city. Oria’s people are devious, her claims of ignorance absurd. The frank honesty her eyes promise could be just one more layer of deception.

A Savage Bargain

Fighting for time and trust, Oria and Lonen have one final sacrifice to choose… before an even greater threat consumes them all.

Anela says: An intricate system of magic that examines the expectations of gender–and challenges them while weaving a really beautiful love story. More books to come on this series and I can’t wait to see where the story leads. Book one is currently $2.99 on Amazon. Worth it!

The Sunbolt Chronicles

Sunbolt

(From Book One: Sunbolt)

The winding streets and narrow alleys of Karolene hide many secrets, and Hitomi is one of them. Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame.

When the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detain—and execute—a leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape. But there are more secrets at play than Hitomi’s, and much worse fates than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life.

Anela says: I believe this one is fully in the Noblebright categorization of the Fantasy genre (Click here for a definition of Noblebright. I like to call it: Fantasy that won’t make you want to kill yourself afterward *cough*Martin*cough*). Another fascinating system of magic I haven’t seen before that takes place in a non-Western Fantasy world with a heroine I absolutely adore. The sequel Memories of Ash also got five stars from me, as did a separate short-story, The Bone Knife (FREE everywhere!). At this point you can probably tell I love anything Intisar Khanani writes. Trust me, she’s amazing. Book one is available on Amazon for $2.99.

 

~ PARANORMAL ~

The Scribe: Irin Chronicles Book One

thescribe_ebook1

Ava Matheson came to Istanbul looking for answers, but others came looking for her. A reckless warrior guards her steps, but will Malachi’s own past blind him to the truth of who Ava might be? While ancient forces gather around them, both Ava and Malachi search for answers.

Whispering voices. Deadly touch. Their passion should be impossible… or it could be the only thing that will keep them alive.

Anela says: A beautiful take on the Nephilim/angels mythos. The setting in Turkey was awesome and the scope of the ancient conflict and history of the nephilim (known as Irin in the book) pulls you in. This one really stole my heart. Currently it’s FREE on Amazon, so seriously, get a copy if you want to be swept away by a story.

 

~ STEAMPUNK ~

The Flash Gold Chronicles

Flash

(From Book One: Flash Gold)

Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered “dogless sled” in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father’s alchemical masterpiece.

With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn’t normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won’t assist her–they’re too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she’s sure he has ulterior motives, but he’s the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?

Anela says: Great action and adventure, quirky characters and a smart-mouthed heroine, what else can you ask for? I had so much fun reading this series. Book one is FREE on Amazon right now so grab a copy and give it a try.

Shattered Past (Dragon Blood)

SPast

An elite forces officer with a dreadful reputation.
A bookish paleontologist with a love for mysteries.
An ancient stronghold full of secrets that will take both of them to unearth.

Professor Lilah Zirkander (yes, she’s related to the famous pilot, and no, she can’t get him to autograph your undergarments) is looking forward to a summer in the paleontology lab, researching and cataloging new fossils. But that summer takes an unexpected turn when the king sends her into the Ice Blades to a secret mine where ancient dragon bones have been discovered. Rumor has it that they’re cursed and dangerous, but Lilah is more concerned about dealing with the outpost commander, a fierce officer with the temperament of a crabby badger.

As punishment for irking the king, Colonel Vann Therrik is overseeing the hardened criminals working in the remote Magroth Crystal Mines. He would like a chance to redeem himself—and escape the loathsome duty station—but nothing is going his way. Cursed fossils have delayed production, miners are trying to escape, and now a scientist has shown up, making demands on his time. Worse, she’s the cousin of his nemesis General Zirkander. As if one Zirkander in his world wasn’t bad enough.

Investigating the fossils leads Lilah and Vann into the depths of Magroth Mountain where centuries-old secrets lurk, and a long-forgotten threat stalks the passages. To have any chance at survival, they’ll have to work together and perhaps learn that neither is what the other expected.

Anela says: Is anyone surprised that Buroker won both five-star reviews for this genre? Granted, this book has some Fantasy elements as well but since there are airships too it feels like it falls into this category. Great characters, hilarious banter, and a cool mystery to unravel. Buroker’s imagination is always fun to spend some time in. Currently it’s $3.99 on Amazon. This one works as a standalone but if you’d like an intro into this world the first book–Balanced on the Blade’s Edge–is FREE on Amazon.

So, there you have it! All these awesome books are either free or under five bucks. The Indie world is good to its bookworms. Happy reading!

The Flash Gold Chronicles

25 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Fantasy, Self Published Book, Steampunk

Flash

Title & Author: The Flash Gold Chronicles (Books 1-5), Lindsay Buroker

Genre & Publication Date: Steam-punk/Fantasy, Between April 1, 2011 – April 8, 2016

Book Description: (To avoid spoilers, the following is from Book One only): “Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered “dogless sled” in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father’s alchemical masterpiece.

With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn’t normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won’t assist her–they’re too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she’s sure he has ulterior motives, but he’s the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?”

First Line (From Book One): Kali McAlister tapped a wrench against her thigh as she contemplated her invention.

My Take: This novella was provided to me by the author for review.

Here I’m reviewing the Flash Gold Chronicles as a whole, with some emphasis on Book One to avoid spoilers.

Set in the Yukon Kali has her sights set on getting out of her dead-end hometown–particularly since she’s an outcast there–and exploring the world in an airship of her own making. She’s smart, she’s inventive, and she’s got great snap to her (read: doesn’t take any crap). Obviously, she’s my kind of gal and I loved reading about her and the adventures/mishaps she ran into.

As is typical of this author’s work, these novellas are fast, fun, and in general pretty lighthearted. Here I thought Buroker added in some great depth to her heroine. Kali’s heritage is mixed between two peoples, and her family’s past is troubling. As such, she never feels like she belongs. This is part of what spurs her to carve out her own future somewhere else…if she can just get her hands on the funds to escape that Yukon town.

Enter the mysterious stranger, Cedar. He shows up at an opportune time in Book One to hire on with her. He’s got mad skills with a rifle (and sword). He’s accommodating and keeps a respectful distance, but there’s something elusive about him. Hints of something that don’t quite add up. Finding out what that was–along with rooting for Kali–had me running through the pages.

The Magical: All the elements of the Steampunk genre with a couple of extra twists. While there are airships and rifles, these little books add a few gear works of their own just to keep things interesting. Fantastically creative.

The Mundane: Most of the books were in Kali’s perspective (third person POV) but then switched to hers and another protagonist’s perspective by the end books. I didn’t mind this too much, and the other POV was interesting, but I would’ve preferred we stay with Kali.

Summary of Thoughts: Currently Book One is FREE for the Kindle, and the others range from $1.99 – $2.99 with a few options to buy three at a time or four at a time at a lesser price. The fifth and final book just released in April. Great adventure throughout all five novellas. No lag, no info dumps. And most importantly since this is a series, no repeats of any scenarios. Everything is expertly woven together and I really cared about the main characters. The novella length seemed just right for these. And like a good sandwich–with spicy mustard, none of that mayo business–I gobbled them up. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to author Lindsay Buroker for providing a copy of the series to review!

Side note to my readers: You may see Lindsay Buroker’s work come up here on a semi-regular basis as I’m on her team of early reviewers (woo!). Reviews will usually post around release time for her new books, so if you love her stuff keep an eye on the “Next Up” image on the right-hand side of the blog page:)

five-star-review

Curious what others thought? Check out the reviews for Book One here

Want to know more about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Shattered Past (Dragon Blood)

23 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Lindsay Buroker, Self Published Book, Steampunk

SPast

Title & Author: Shattered Past (Dragon Blood), Lindsay Buroker

Genre & Publication Date: Steampunk

Book Description: “An elite forces officer with a dreadful reputation.
A bookish paleontologist with a love for mysteries.
An ancient stronghold full of secrets that will take both of them to unearth.

Professor Lilah Zirkander (yes, she’s related to the famous pilot, and no, she can’t get him to autograph your undergarments) is looking forward to a summer in the paleontology lab, researching and cataloging new fossils. But that summer takes an unexpected turn when the king sends her into the Ice Blades to a secret mine where ancient dragon bones have been discovered. Rumor has it that they’re cursed and dangerous, but Lilah is more concerned about dealing with the outpost commander, a fierce officer with the temperament of a crabby badger.

As punishment for irking the king, Colonel Vann Therrik is overseeing the hardened criminals working in the remote Magroth Crystal Mines. He would like a chance to redeem himself—and escape the loathsome duty station—but nothing is going his way. Cursed fossils have delayed production, miners are trying to escape, and now a scientist has shown up, making demands on his time. Worse, she’s the cousin of his nemesis General Zirkander. As if one Zirkander in his world wasn’t bad enough.

Investigating the fossils leads Lilah and Vann into the depths of Magroth Mountain where centuries-old secrets lurk, and a long-forgotten threat stalks the passages. To have any chance at survival, they’ll have to work together and perhaps learn that neither is what the other expected.

Shattered Past is a stand-alone novel set in the author’s Dragon Blood world.”

First Line: Professor Lilah Zirkander walked down the aisles between the desks, setting exams facedown in front of students who alternated between looking warily at her and gazing longingly at the clock.

My Take: This book was provided by the author for review.

Another great steam punk adventure from Buroker! This story revolves around two interesting characters, Vann Therrik, someone seen in a secondary role in other books of her Dragon Blood series, and Lilah Zirkander. Therrik seemed an unlikely hero since he held the role of antagonist in a previous book, but the author does a great job pulling me into his perspective and making me sympathize (even if I don’t agree with) some of his reactions and prejudices against all things touched by magic.

As is Lindsay Buroker’s style, Lilah was an awesome heroine. I am always impressed with the way women characters in her books can be both strong and vulnerable at the same time, all while working within the limits of what a reader would expect that character to be capable of. Lilah is a professor, but in her back story she was once a scientist working out in the field, so she knows how to shoot and has some defense moves. She can take care of herself but she’s not Rambo. This sets up Therrik, the disciplined military man, to be there for her when there’s danger, while simultaneously making him admire her ability to fend off at least some bad dudes. Loved their chemistry against a backdrop of magic and curses and threats from both men and monsters!

The Magical: The characters. So three dimensional, complicated, and full of conflicting emotion. Therrik and Lilah are very different, but in many ways they are the same as well and suffer a similar loneliness that they try hard to pretend doesn’t exist.

The Mundane: The good news is the book was full of action!…Yet, I got to the end and kind of wondered what I just read. Not a lot actually happened when you get right down to it. Bit of a side adventure feeling to it instead of a novel all its own. Still, I enjoyed the heck out of myself in the reading of it.

Summary of Thoughts: Fun, action-packed, mixed with tempers and romance to put heat in the pot. Well written and I really felt like I knew the characters. Definitely recommended!

four-star-review

Many thanks to author Lindsay Buroker for providing a copy of the book to review!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews here

Want to know more about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Gaslight Carnival

07 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Self Published Book, Steampunk

gaslight

Title & Author: Gaslight Carnival, Tracy Cembor

Genre & Publication Date: Steampunk, August 11, 2015

Book Description: “Welcome to the Gaslight Carnival, where fancy and freak walk hand in hand.

Margo Crestley is an alchemist mixing elixirs in the Dreamless City without a license. When the district crime lord threatens blackmail, Margo pins her hopes on someone she has not seen in four years — her twin brother Leonard.

Sold to the traveling Gaslight Carnival by the twins’ father, Leonard is treated like property. Margo scrimps and saves to buy his freedom, but the Ringmaster is unwilling to let him go. The young alchemist can only win her brother back if she participates in the capricious Ringmaster’s cruel games.

A strange young gent with monstrous metal claws, Rook, is helping Margo for reasons she cannot fathom. He seems to know all about her, but she has never seen this augmented man before her first night in the carnival. She must save her brother and has no time for romance, no matter how sweet his kisses are.

Time is running out. The crime lord’s threats are turning violent, and the Gaslight Carnival will soon be gone. The giant glowing balloons and striped carnival tents are set up for three days only before disappearing for another year along with the daredevil stunts, the freak show, and the rigged games of chance. Can Margo save her twin brother in time, or will she be left alone to face the crime lord herself?”

First Line: Margo Crestley pushed up her spectacles and frowned at the elixir claritas she was brewing in Mrs. Pettigrew’s front parlor.

My Take: This book was provided to me by the author for review.

Many of the Steampunk books I’ve read concentrate on dirigible fleets, royalty, and propriety. All great things of the genre, but it was nice to delve into a novel with alchemy as its central Steampunk element.

Margo is a sympathetic character that I liked immediately. Alone since her father’s death, she keeps his business going with the practices he taught her and the grit and determination she taught herself. Squirreling away nearly everything she earns, she holds on to the painful hope of buying her brother’s freedom from the carnival. I liked the way she stood up to the douchey crime lord trying to strong arm her into illegal dealings. During that first confrontation with him, when he caught her unawares on the street, I admired her moxie. It’s not easy to stand up to a bully on your own. Later though, especially after the second run-in, I wondered why she didn’t prepare for inevitable future encounters by, say, getting herself a loaded gun? Why wait around for his goons to show up again?

This unpreparedness became somewhat of a theme with Margo as things progressed. She did have a nice arc, becoming more self-confident instead of placing all her hopes for security and stability on her brother’s return, but this was hard to align with her passivity. By this I mean that she continually went along with the crap the carnival’s Ringmaster made her do, most of which risked her very life. At what point, I wondered, is she going to take notice that this person is going to get her killed, and change tactics? Particularly since the Ringmaster was a proven liar and cheater, why in God’s name would you accede to any demands? Sure, she wants to free her brother, but how likely is that under these circumstances? I kept waiting for her to come up with a new plan but she never did.

The games she had to go through with the Ringmaster were nevertheless fun to read. Margo’s clever ingenuity through her knowledge of alchemy kept me interested and the carnival was a compelling setting for each confrontation.

The Magical: Rich and vivid descriptions of the Carnival had me from the beginning. The freaks and their physical alterations through gears and steel was as unique and fascinating as it was heart wrenching. The secondary cast was well done.

The Mundane: Holes in the story logic kept tugging at my attention. An example: She dealt with the crime lord a couple of times and the implication was that he wouldn’t return because he’d been defeated. Not to go all Tony Soprano here, but crime lords are usually sociopaths who don’t take well to losing, no matter how many times it’s happened. At the end, this part felt like a dangling story thread. It needed more resolution in my opinion.

Summary of Thoughts: Loved the alchemy! The Carnival setting was gripping and well conceived. I wish Margo would’ve been more actively involved in her dealings with the Ringmaster’s shenanigans rather than blithely walking into it. This would’ve done more to make me believe in her character transformation than her internal dialogue. Still, the action was great. I liked this one and its fun use of alchemy in a great genre.

3 Star Rating

Many thanks to author Tracy Cembor for providing a copy of the book to review!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews here

Want to know about this author and her work? Explore her website here

Market Research: Cupid Stupid

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in For Writers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Marketing, Dystopian, Fantasy, Paranormal, Science-Fiction, Self Published Book, Speculative Fiction, Steampunk

In a previous post, I announced the completion of a research project in which I surveyed dozens of book review bloggers to determine trends in speculative fiction. I shared some genre specific results, but I also mentioned themes that crossed genres completely. Here I’ll delve into further detail of one of them:

Romance

Now, we’re talking about dating or candlelight dinners. We’re talking about LOVE, that truly awesome force which drives us (and characters) to euphoria or despair (sometimes both). Personally, I really enjoy romance in a book. When it’s absent, I usually notice it. Why? Because human beings that are set in extraordinary circumstances, a must for any good plot, inevitably bond with one another. Throw in attraction and some banter, and sparks are bound to fly.

Even the bleakest of story lines include this important element. The Walking Dead has it, Lord of the Rings had it, even Game of Thrones (“You know nothing, Jon Snow.” *sniff*) As I said, I’m alright with this. It adds depth to characters. It makes me worry and hope and root for them. But love, like any deep emotion depicted by a writer, must be treated carefully or it has the reverse effect on a story.

This, I suspect, is the reason why “Romance” was mentioned by a significant number of bloggers in my research (Significant meaning: called out by at least 20-25% of blogs surveyed. In this case it was 64%). Three main points were specifically indicated as trends that readers of speculative fiction are fed up with in the romance category:

The Love Triangle

This one has been around for ages but I think the Twilight books really wore the trope out for many readers. That isn’t to say it should never be included. It’s a good source of friction between characters and opens the door for a lot of angst and agony. All good things for a story. But, be careful to give it a unique treatment. And for God’s sake, don’t make EVERY dude in the book hot for one girl.

Love at first sight

I think Romeo and Juliet started this one…or was it Adam and Eve? Those surveyed advised that “attraction” at first sight still works, but the devastating, this-is-the-one, love to end all ages kind of love does not work in a first sight scenario. Maybe people have experienced this personally, but conveying it on the page is just not working for readers, no matter how much the author feels it between their characters. If no one else does, it’s the tree falling in the forest situation. Build the relationship, that’s the advice the bloggers repeatedly gave.

And on a side note, you can play around with this ‘at first sight’ thing. Here’s an awesome example found in a commercial from the Netherlands. You can thank my Dutch hubby for finding the link for me:

 

Abuse as romance

Finally, this one had the most poignant comments from bloggers. Many noted that it appears to be on the rise in fiction. A disturbing thought. It took the form of men against women.

Physical abuse: Punching wasn’t mentioned, but pushing and forcing a girl from one place to another, aka. kidnapping, was.

Mental/Verbal abuse: Nearly all of them called out bullying and name calling/running the girl down.

Emotional abuse: Threats of abandonment. Withholding affection if she didn’t comply with the guy’s line of thinking.

And these things stemmed from the supposed male protagonist, the girl’s love interest. According to those surveyed, no matter how badly the guy behaved, the girl was so in love that she either forgave him when he showed the smallest glimmer of kindness, or she couldn’t leave him/overlooked it because he was so damn hot. *shudder*

There you have it folks. Things to watch out for when crafting those romantic plots/subplots. The essential point here? Love can take many forms, but when it comes to fiction, it should never be cliché.

Market Research: Trends in Speculative Fiction

17 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in For Writers, Self-Publishing

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Book Marketing, Dystopian, Fantasy, Paranormal, Science-Fiction, Self Published Book, Steampunk, Writing Tips

For those of you subscribed to the Amid the Imaginary newsletter, you’ll remember that I mentioned a research project I’ve been conducting. The question of my thesis: What trends or themes are in overabundance in the Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Paranormal, Steampunk genres.

To find the answer, I went to the book reading source: Book review blogs

Why them and not casual readers? Three reasons:

  1. They read a ton of books and are more likely to notice specific trends.
  2. They have a demonstrated passion for books.
  3. Since they write reviews for these books, their opinions reflect a greater consideration for the story than a casual reader.

The book blog community came back with awesome responses which I’ve compiled into really interesting results.

Some bits on Methodology (otherwise known as dry facts):

I surveyed 200 book blogs that review self-published books in these genres. My hope was a response rate of at least 30%. It took some time, but I received 86 replies, a response rate of a whopping 43% (Book blog peeps are the best!)

Note: I did not take the survey myself to avoid contaminating the results with bias.

As I started to compile the data, I went through and marked any answers I saw more than once, finding nineteen common answers. But some of those nineteen had only two or three blogs that identified them as trends which isn’t a strong indicator. Using a range of 20-25%, I classified a trend to be one identified by at least 17-21 blogs.

The results were fascinating. Far from the genre specific trends I expected, the main call outs crossed genres entirely, providing more evidence that it’s always about the story and the characters.

The top three categories were mentioned by 64% of surveyed blogs.

They were:

  • Romance Aspect
  • Heroes/Heroines
  • Villains

Each category contained three main points that book bloggers are fed up with. I will go over each one individually in upcoming posts to really flesh out the issues noticed. Keep an eye out for those coming soon.

Meanwhile, some points with strong indicators (20-25%) that were genre specific:

Fantasy:

  • Too many elves!
  • Too much of “The Chosen One”
  • Rushed world building/world building not well integrated with the story

Science-Fiction:

  • Captains are always human
  • Too much of the Han Solo trope (smirking rascal who pretends to only care about money but really has a heart of gold)
  • Too much emphasis on the Science and not enough on the Fiction (the dreaded research info dump vs. storytelling)

Dystopian:

  • Always takes place in the U.S. What happened to the rest of the world?
  • Lacking in diversity (or diversity found only in the bad guy/side kick)

Paranormal:

  • Too many angels!
  • Too many vampires, werewolves, zombies or fae. Try other mythology!

Steampunk:

  • Always Eurocentric. Needs to expand to other parts of the world.

If you’re an author, I am by no means saying that these results mean you should despair and dump your WIP if it includes any of the above mentioned items. I still hanker for a vampire story now and then, or a U.S. based post-apocalyptic situation. Story ideas come to writers from that mysterious ether of the imagination and strike us like lightning from the sky. That a writer should tell the story in their heart is not in question. But we should consider the practical applications of our art as well and reach for something new to weave into a plot line.

Resilience and adaptability: The seasoning of a successful author.

What do you all think about the results so far? Any thoughts on the accuracy? Have you noticed any of these trends in your own reading?

Writing Contest: Short Story

10 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Messages

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Book Marketing, Craft, Dystopian, Fantasy, Free Advertising, Paranormal, Science-Fiction, Steampunk, Writing Contest

creative-writing-contest-2a

Sharpen your pencils and dust off those keyboards! The next writing contest is at hand!

Up to 50 entrants will be allowed to compete for fabulous prizes. 

No entry fee required.

The theme?

Short Stories!

The last contest had a brutal word restriction of just 500 words, so this time I’m throwing in another thousand and allowing stories up to 1500 words. I am nothing if not generous, right?;)

Now for the twist!

Each story must use one of the following prompts as the basis of their story:

Prompt One

Prompt One: Suitcase

Prompt Two

Prompt Two: Landscape

Prompt Three

Prompt Three: City View

Prompt Four

Prompt Four: Knight

Interpret these scenes however you’d like. Pay no attention to the title as far as your writing. I labelled them only for reference purposes.

Guidelines are as follows:

1. Must have at least one self-published book (please provide a link in your e-mail)

2. Must be a subscriber to the quarterly Amid the Imaginary newsletter published through Fine Fables Press

3. Story must be 1500 words or less and in one of the genres of the blog–Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Dystopian, Steampunk. (I’ll allow Horror this time as well, just to include all the subcategories in Speculative fiction.)

4. One entry per person and once submitted the entrant cannot resubmit

5. Story format should be in PDF: Please also title your story, indicate which prompt you’re using by its label, the genre, and include your name in the document (not just the e-mail).

DEADLINE to submit: Noon, 12:00 pm (U.S. Central Standard Time) on Sunday, November 1st. No exceptions.

Email your submission to FineFablesPress@gmail.com, Subject: Writing Contest Submission

Be sure to adhere to the guidelines listed above as it may impact the judgement of your entry if you do not.

On to the good part!

This writing contest is sponsored by Tweet Your Books: Effective Twitter book promotion for authors.

tweet your books button for ads

They Tweet your book, blog or author website to 550,000 select and genuine users: readers, editors, publishers & writers who follow them on their Twitter accounts.

1st-place-ribbon-99841

1st Place

  • Sponsored Prize: 30 Day Set & Forget Package: a minimum of 7 Tweets per day for 30 days. 
  • Winning story published in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and on the blog’s website.
  • Author Interview published on Amid the Imaginary blog
  • 30 day listing on the blog’s “Featured Authors” page with book cover image of one of the author’s books, including purchase and website links.

2nd

2nd Place

  • Honorable mention in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and story published on the blog
  • Author Interview published on Amid the Imaginary blog
  • 30 day listing on the blog’s “Featured Authors” page with book cover image of one of the author’s books, including purchase and website links.

3rdplace3rd Place

  • Honorable mention in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and story published on the blog
    • 30 day listing on the blog’s “Featured Authors” page with book cover image of one of the author’s books, including purchase and website links.

Contest Judges:

  • The Commander at Planetary Defense Command
  • Molly Z.: An avid reader of speculative fiction and a fan of self-published authors
  • And yours truly, your friendly neighborhood Hawaiian girl

We’re looking forward to reading your entries!

Please remember to carefully review the guidelines above. We’ll accept the first 50 submissions, and once again, that deadline to submit is 12:00pm (U.S. Central Standard Time) on Sunday, November 1st, 2015.

Questions? Please comment on this post or on the Facebook announcement so everyone can see the answers. Technical difficulties? Then e-mail the question to me directly at FineFablesPress@gmail.com

Good-luck-cartoon-with-two-pencils

Writing Contest: Deadline Reminder

19 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in For Writers, Messages

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Dystopian, Fantasy, Micro Fiction, Paranormal, Science-Fiction, Self Published Book, Steampunk, Writing Contest

Hey there, folks!

Just a friendly reminder that the deadline to send in your Micro Fiction contest submission is this Saturday, August 22nd, 12 pm U.S. CST !

Picture-56

 

Some fabulous prizes are up for grabs, so prune those stories to a crisp 500 words or less and e-mail it to me at Finefablespress@gmail.com

Need a refresher on the guidelines, here’s the link

Happy Wednesday!

Writing Contest: Micro Fiction

31 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Messages

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Craft, Dystopian, Fantasy, Micro Fiction, Paranormal, Prizes, Science-Fiction, Self Published Book, Steampunk, Writing Contest

creative-writing-contest-2a

Calling All Scribes!

I’m excited to announce the blog’s first writing contest!

Up to 50 entrants will be allowed to compete for fabulous prizes. 

No entry fee required.

The theme?

Micro Fiction!

That’s right, stories of 500 words or less. Pith and brevity are your friends in this competition, people.

Guidelines are as follows:

1. Must have at least one self-published book (please provide a link in your e-mail)

2. Must be a subscriber to the Amid the Imaginary newsletter published through Fine Fables Press

3. Story must be 500 words or less and in one of the genres of the blog (Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Dystopian, Steampunk)

4. One entry per person and once submitted the entrant cannot resubmit

5. Story format can be in PDF or Word

DEADLINE to submit: Noon, 12:00 pm (U.S. Central Standard Time) on Saturday, August 22nd. No exceptions.

Email your submission to finefablespress@gmail.com, Subject: Writing Contest Submission

Be sure to adhere to the guidelines listed above as it may impact the judgement of your entry if you do not.

Now for the good part!

This writing contest is sponsored by TJ’s Virtual Book Tours, a one stop shop for all your online book tour needs!

TJs

Prizes include:

Book Review Tour – Duration 5-10 Days – 28 Days to Deliver

The book review tour includes the book cover,  5 – 7 reviews posted to 5 stops along with an author bio and book blurb (max 300 words), one purchase link and one contact link (or email address).

Author Interviews – 14 Days To Deliver.

The author interview includes 10-15 questions, one contact URL (or email), a post on my website, and one purchase URL.

Spotlight Tours – Duration 5-10 Days – 28 Days to Deliver

This tour includes seven stops, book cover image, author bio and book blurb (max 300 words), one purchase link and one contact link (or email address).

Books Giveaways: “Moon-kissed Chi” by Grinelda Markowitz and “A Voice from an Inner World” by Montrée Whiles

1st-place-ribbon-99841

1st Place:

1 Book Review Tour

1 Author Interview

3 Spotlight Tours

1 copy of “Moon-kissed Chi” and 1 one copy of “A Voice from an Inner World”

Guest Spot with winning story published in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and on the blog’s website with Facebook notification. Winner also announced on the popular book review blog Bibliotropic.

2nd 2nd Place:

1 Author Interview

2 Spotlight Tours

1 copy of “Moon-kissed Chi” and 1 copy of “A Voice from an Inner World”

Honorable mention in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and story published on the blog’s website with Facebook notification.

3rdplace

3rd Place:

1 Author Interview

1 copy of “Moon-kissed Chi” and 1 copy of “A Voice from an Inner World”

Honorable mention in the Amid the Imaginary newsletter and story published on the blog’s website with Facebook notification.

4th & 5th Place: 1 copy of “Moon-kissed Chi”

Contest Judges:

  • Tanya Jones from TJ’s Virtual Book Tours
  • Ria Bridges from Bibliotropic
  • And yours truly, your friendly neighborhood Hawaiian girl

We’re looking forward to reading your entries! Micro Fiction is certainly difficult but it’s a fun writing challenge. Ernest Hemmingway did it in six words:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Need more info on micro fiction to get going? Check out this great article here

Please remember to carefully review the guidelines above. We’ll accept the first 50 submissions, and once again, that deadline to submit is 12:00pm (U.S. Central Standard Time) on Saturday, August 22nd, 2015.

Questions? Please comment on this post or on the Facebook announcement so everyone can see the answers. Technical difficulties? Then e-mail the question to me directly at finefablespress@gmail.com

Good-luck-cartoon-with-two-pencils

Golden Heart (The Lazarus Longman Chronicles Book 1)

13 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by amidtheimaginary in Reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Fantasy, Steampunk

Number 1 Golden Heart Final copy

Title & Author: Golden Heart (The Lazarus Longman Chronicles Book 1), P. J. Thorndyke

Genre & Publication Date: Fantasy/Steam Punk, April 11, 2015

Book Description: “Steampunk and the lost world genre collide as a thrilling adventure is set in motion that will decide the fate of America.

The North American continent has been torn apart by civil war. Steam-powered behemoths stalk the landscape, dirigibles prowl the skies and society stands on the back of a new class of slaves known as ‘mechanicals’. The conflict between the Union and the Confederacy has dragged on for twenty-five years with neither side coming close to victory. Something is needed to tip the balance…

Lazarus Longman – antiquarian, explorer and treasure hunter for the British Empire – had heard of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, but he never believed they really existed. So when he was ordered to track down the only two men rumored to have seen the fabled land he was skeptical to say the least. His skepticism turned to desperation when he found out that his quarry was Gerard Vasquez; a degenerate gambler, drinker and pistoleer and his companion, Hok’ee; a towering Navajo with a ferocious temper and a mechanical gun-arm.

The British want these men delivered into the hands of the Confederacy so that the war can be brought to a swift resolution. But not everybody wants the Confederacy to win. Especially not Tsar Alexander III who has dispatched his own deadly assassin to ensure the Confederates never get their hands on America’s golden heart.”

First Line: Perhaps the most disreputable den of thieves, murderers, hustlers and gamblers in either the Confederate or United States of America is not some seedy boom-town or frontier outpost, but on water.

My Take: This book was provided to me by the author for review.

There is great world building here that I enjoyed immensely with antagonists to the left and right, unlikely allies and tight situations for the protagonists to puzzle themselves out of. Lazarus was a likable character, strong enough to carry his role as the main protagonist in the series. He had a haunted past but was yet hopeful and empathetic to the plights of others. I liked his story and I might really have loved his adventures but there was a major sticking point that kept rearing its ugly head throughout the book:

I was taken aback by the way in which the writing exuded such a sense of Western superiority towards the native peoples (the Cibolans) of the story. From their medicine, to their language, to their capabilities in battle, the natives and the protagonists were filed under two categories “primitive” and “modern”. Or to put it another way, “savage” and “intelligent”.

On the brink of conflict with the heavily armed bad guys, the native peoples are portrayed as not just inept at tactics but generally stupid. While the two main protagonists desperately try to convince them that they’ll be slaughtered if they commit to a frontal assault, not even the chief listens. Call me crazy, but wouldn’t a people who know the jungle like the back of their hand use that to their advantage? History seems to back up that assumption. Their only weapons were clubs and knives? Where were the bows and arrows? The blow-darts? Couldn’t they be given that at least?

Also, was it necessary to refer to the Cibolans as “gabbling” when they spoke to each other in their own language? I mean, that word conjures up chickens clucking, not intelligent discussion. Or was that the point? Even their medicinal capabilities were looked down on and the injured were tended to by the outsiders because they didn’t put much confidence in Cibolan medicine. Sorry, but as far as I know Western medicine at that time was pretty much about amputation, leeches and unsanitary medical tools that often killed the patient with infection. Not exactly the Mayo clinic there. Furthermore, when a civilization has existed for so long in secret, I find it hard to believe they didn’t possess a deep knowledge of cures and healing techniques using the resources around them.

Ho’kee was an interesting character that I wish had been a little more developed. We get his background but I never felt like he had much depth. His ferocious temper was depicted as innate, rather than fueled by the cruelty and abuse he’d both witnessed and experienced at the hands of others. This made him very two dimensional and much like the stereotypical “angry Indian” who can’t be reasoned with. The gun arm was pretty awesome though. He seemed to be Vasquez’s sidekick, a kind of Tonto to his Lone Ranger…only on steroids.

The Magical: Plenty of action, which I enjoy in a steam punk novel. There were a few sticky spots where a lot of exposition was unloaded all at once, but otherwise it maintains forward momentum of the plot. I also liked exploring this alternate reality of the American Civil War and the political consequences as other countries take sides in the ongoing conflict.

The Mundane: There tended to be a lot of “word pile-ups” and the book could use tightening in that area to make every word count. Sentences were long even during action sequences which had the effect of lessening the tension.

An illustration with explanation:

Visually, long sentences draw scenes out in a book for readers which is especially good during moments of intimacy or reflection.

Short, quick sentences convey immediacy. The eyes jump across the page. Action verbs are deployed. The passive voice is abandoned.

You see what I’m getting at here.

Summary of Thoughts: Currently this book is $2.99 on the Kindle and has a lot of the steam punk goodness that readers love, from the guns to the dirigibles. It has plenty of action but the battle scenes with the Cibolans chafed quite a bit.

As you can probably tell, I’m a little rough around the edges when it comes to depicting indigenous peoples as inherently primitive. The fact that they don’t have the same weapons technology is a matter of geographical and political history, not intelligence. We are not gazing “back in time” when among people that haven’t got the same stuff as we do. It shouldn’t be assumed that they are behind us on some linear timeline of development that we’ve imagined. Please consider this idea when integrating other cultures into storylines, and for God’s sake, give them a little credit.

3 Star Rating

Many thanks to P. J. Thorndyke for providing a copy of the book to review!

Curious what others thought? Check out Amazon’s reviews here

To learn more about the author, including the sequels to this novel, explore his website here

Amid the Imaginary

I'm a Hapa Haole Hawaiian girl living in chilly Minnesota, reading, writing and working full-time while raising my family.

Available Now!

Follow Amid The Imaginary on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 275 other followers

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Archives

Indulge in your Imagination

amidtheimaginary@gmail.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Amid The Imaginary
    • Join 275 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Amid The Imaginary
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...