Do short stories cut straight to your emotions?
I read somewhere that poems are meant to cut straight to the emotions. One of the books I read recently was a poetry book where the photographs reached out to the emotions too. Another was an intriguing depiction of four worlds through the eyes of fascinating characters, with intersecting emotions and separate lives--it reminded me of Ursula LeGuin's Malafrena. And then there were the anthologies. And then...
Meanwhile I'm writing chapters, one by one, of my Hemlock series, delighting in the reaction of friends who seem eager to read the next bit... but they're friends; the real test will be when I try to get it published.
Anyway, here are a few more book reviews as I struggle to catch up on catching up:
Beneath all this Beauty by Danny Newman, photos by Nili Shchory, is the illustrated poetry book I mentioned--short, but beautifully put together, with fascinating photographs and smoothly biting words. Enjoy with a strong, dark, five-star coffee.
Next is neXt by Lance Manion, a fast-moving, quirky collection of short stories with fascinating spins on words and odd philosophical musings--easy to read and oddly absorbing too, but not for the faint-hearted or easily-offended. Enjoy its curious wordplay with some light crisp one-star coffee.
We of the Forsaken World by Kiran Bhat is a fascinating, haunting collection of intersecting short stories. Some of the backgrounds seem familiar, some strange. But all feel completely real, like a glimpse into present and history, a meeting of cultures, and a window into today. Enjoy with some elegant complex four-star coffee.
Doorways and Carnival are the 2019 and 2018 NIWA anthologies--two collections of writings by Northwestern writers in the US, all haunting evocative of the Pacific Northwest. I know, I've got one story in each. But I'd enjoy the anthologies anyway because I live here. Drink some Pacific Northwestern full-flavored three star coffee while you read.
Meanwhile I'm writing chapters, one by one, of my Hemlock series, delighting in the reaction of friends who seem eager to read the next bit... but they're friends; the real test will be when I try to get it published.
Anyway, here are a few more book reviews as I struggle to catch up on catching up:
Beneath all this Beauty by Danny Newman, photos by Nili Shchory, is the illustrated poetry book I mentioned--short, but beautifully put together, with fascinating photographs and smoothly biting words. Enjoy with a strong, dark, five-star coffee.
Next is neXt by Lance Manion, a fast-moving, quirky collection of short stories with fascinating spins on words and odd philosophical musings--easy to read and oddly absorbing too, but not for the faint-hearted or easily-offended. Enjoy its curious wordplay with some light crisp one-star coffee.
We of the Forsaken World by Kiran Bhat is a fascinating, haunting collection of intersecting short stories. Some of the backgrounds seem familiar, some strange. But all feel completely real, like a glimpse into present and history, a meeting of cultures, and a window into today. Enjoy with some elegant complex four-star coffee.
Doorways and Carnival are the 2019 and 2018 NIWA anthologies--two collections of writings by Northwestern writers in the US, all haunting evocative of the Pacific Northwest. I know, I've got one story in each. But I'd enjoy the anthologies anyway because I live here. Drink some Pacific Northwestern full-flavored three star coffee while you read.
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