Tag archives for Fiction - Page 4
Steel & Lace edited by Francine Howarth [Book Review]
Steel & Lace - Anthology of 17th-18th century stories. by Francine Howarth My rating: 5 of 5 stars I occasionally stray into genres that aren't my preferred ones, usually to widen my reading experience and learn a little more about writing different sort of stories. Historical romance is one of the areas that I have entirely avoided, until now. I've had a prejudice against it, worrying that there will be a pinkwash over the history from the rose-tinted spectacles of damsel heroine lusting after her bare chested highlander. There was none of that in Steel & Lace, all the history was spot on, although there was just a little bit of lust. Steel & Lace I picked up Steel & Lace on kindle because it was free and I had previously read one of the authors historical fiction and really…
The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch [Book Review]
The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch The Furthest Station is a novella, so quite short, set between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree. There's some interesting character development of some of the regular cast and also a couple of new characters. There are also some tantalising loose ends that I hope end up being explored in future stories. The Furthest Station Rush hour on the London Underground (Photo: Wikipedia) The main plot is of a ghost hunt on London Underground. Peter is joined by his younger cousin Abigail, who is turning out to be more than she appears on the surface. Abigail has an affinity with Foxes. Some things happen off-screen that I think may be connected with the Cry Fox graphic novel (which I've not yet read, I'm waiting for the collected edition before I acquire it). The Furthest…
Lit By Another Star [NaNoWriMo 2017] [Sci-Fi]
Building made from converted shipping containers (in Dundee, Scotland). (photo credit: James Kemp) Thanks to everyone that voted on what I should write for NaNoWriMo 2017, the winning result was the novel I planned for last year, which I've re-titled 'Lit by Another Star'. It seemed poetic as a title, and also didn't have anything else that conflicted when I googled it. I've also chosen a primary point of view character and done some more planning. Today is the first of November, so National Novel Writing Month (AKA NaNoWriMo) has kicked off. You can follow my progress writing Lit by Another Star either on the NaNoWriMo site or you can read Lit by Another Star on wattpad. Lit by Another Star - synopsis Piraxis is Earth's thirteenth colony. Officially number 8 in the Beta wave. Everyone knows it as Thirteen.…
NaNoWriMo 2017 – What Should I Write?
NaNoWriMo 2017 participant badge NaNoWriMo 2017 will soon be among us. Thousands of people will try their utmost to produce a first draft of a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Anyone can do it, all you need is time and encouragement to get some words down. Sign up at NaNoWriMo 2017 My NaNoWriMo 2017 strategy is to use my commuting time in both directions to write, and to squeeze in a little more when I'm waiting for things to happen. It works thanks to the Wattpad app on my phone. It means that I can write just about anywhere, and I've got to the point where I'm almost as fast on my phone as I am on a keyboard. It also helps that wattpad uses short scenes, so I can plan (where I do plan) in Scrivener…
Burning to Leave [Flash Fiction]
English: A houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Burning to Leave is the second round of the NYC Flash Fiction Challenge 2017. My challenge was to write a drama set on a houseboat and featuring a birthday candle. Burning to Leave is a two meaning title, see if you can work out what they are when you've read it! Burning to Leave The breeze blew the curtain, chilling the houseboat pleasantly after the daytime heat. It was cloudless with a bright full moon. Green candy-striped birthday candles fell from the packet onto the sill, one bounced into the water. Cory bowed his head to pray. After a moment he lit a birthday candle and let wax drip onto the metal sill before setting the candle down. Cory crossed the houseboat in three strides, knelt to…