Reviews of novels, movies and writing events.
Please join me as I pioneer my way through the Bout of Books Read-a-thon. First, a big thank you to Grace from Books Without Any Pictures for bringing this event to my attention. I’ve never participated in a read-a-thon before, so this should be interesting. Here’s the information about the event that the organizers provided: “The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long…
Once Upon a Time Wrap-up Alas, the reading challenge at Stainless Steel Droppings is now over, and it’s time to examine the remains. This was my first One Upon a Time. (However, I’ve done several R.I.P. challenges, which align pretty spectacularly with ghost fiction.) Once Upon a Time has a larger focus that includes fairy tales, fantasy, etc. I set my sights on Quest the Second, which stipulates reading one work each of fantasy, fairy tale, folklore, and mythology. I…
Once Upon a Time: The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood In a word: Wow! I’m dropping this book into the fairy tale category thanks in part to a wonderful post by Buried in Print who first put me onto the notion that Atwood is playing with fairy tale motifs. What absolute fun it was to discover a hidden (much like the dense forests of fairy tales) level of meaning beneath this literary novel. Even the title is an allusion…
Ghost Novel Review: Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough Folklorists trace the origins of the Long Lankin legend and ballad to 15th century Scotland. Later the Scots brought the tale to the US when they settled in Appalachia during the 18th century. There is also an English version of Long Lankin that flourished in Northumberland. The folklore of Long Lankin is interesting because there are so many interpretations, both Scottish and English. Essentially, Lankin is a mason stiffed by a…
This is my second post for the 2013 Once Upon a Time challenge over at Stainless Steel Droppings. (The first was Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin.) As I mentioned, I’m doing Quest the Second, which calls for the reading of one mythology, folktale, fairy tale, and fantasy book. After reading Messenger by Lois Lowry, I dithered over classifications and finally decided to put this novel in the fairy tale category. I think the forest was the tipping point. Midsummer Night’s…
I’m a little late to the party, but I’m catching up fast. My goal is to achieve Quest the Second status in the Once Upon a Time Challenge over at Stainless Steel Droppings. Check it out! For this category, you must read 4 books: 1 folklore, 1 fairy tale, 1 fantasy, 1 mythology. On my list are Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler, for folklore; Messenger by Lois Lowry, for fairy tale; and Practical Magic or Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman,…
As a (ahem…tardy) member of Carl’s Once Upon A Time Challenge, I’m excited to participate in the Stardust read-a-long over at Stainless Steel Droppings. As you know from previous posts, of late I’ve become a Neil Gaiman fan, having read (along with Carl and the gang) Neverwhere and The Graveyard Book. And you also know, knowing me, there has to be a ghost in there somewhere. I love what Neil Gaiman said at the end of The Graveyard Book when…
A funny thing happened this week. I received the following email from Amazon regarding my novel Moonlight Dancer: “We are writing to let you know that at least one of your readers has reported some problems with your book.” Uh-oh. Was Amazon planning to pull my book? Don’t laugh, I’ve heard stories. Gulp. I read on. “There are typos in your book…‘Hunter’ s BMW’ should be ‘Hunter’s BMW’.” Did you catch the problem? I didn’t at first. There’s an extra…
The clock is striking twelve on 2012! So, it must be time for those cherished year-end lists. Everybody’s doing it. At least all the book reviewers seem to be. And as Yossarian said in one of my very favorite books, Catch-22, “Then I’d be a damn fool to think any different.” So here are the top twelve ghost novels I read (with links if reviewed) in 2012: 12. In the Night Room by Peter Straub In the Night Room opened…
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson Grand Central Publishing, 336 pages Laurel awakens one night to find her teenage daughter’s best friend at her bedside—a ghostly manifestation that leads Laurel to its body in the pool. This is a great beginning and allows the author to set the stage with characterization of the maternal, compassionate Laurel in action. We love her immediately. I particularly enjoyed Laurel’s reaction to the girl once she realizes the friend is dead: “You…
On a brisk October night my daughter Amanda and I set out to brave the paranormal in San Francisco with ghost mogul Jim Fassbinder on the San Francisco Ghost Hunt. We began our adventure at the historic Queen Anne Hotel with an introduction from our host. The Queen Anne Hotel was originally created as a school for girls at a time when female education was not readily available. Fassbinder explained that although she died elsewhere, headmistress Mary Lake remains in…
Afternoon of an Autocrat by Norah Lofts I read this novel as part of a discussion led by Werner at the Goodreads Supernatural Group. I find it’s interesting to read books by novelists who reach back in time to write about a former era. Hey, what can I say? I did it myself with Moonlight Dancer. I think of Nathaniel Hawthorne, a 19th century writer who focused on 17th century New England in The Scarlet Letter. I think of John…
In her commencement speech to the Barnard class of 2010, Meryl Streep said, “There is only change, and resistance to it and then more change” (Graduation Wisdom). If you think about it, that word “commencement” is so cool because your first thought at such a moment is of graduation or end. For me, Meryl Streep’s thoughts encapsulate the theme of change–at the end of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book and at the beginning of Bod’s coming life. The narrator sets…