Author: HCNewton Page 183 of 609

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Back before this series had a name, I posted about Danielle Higley’s book (described below) and she participated in a nice Q&A about it. Now, I’ve got her back to talk about writing in Idaho. I can’t recommend her book enough and I think she gave some great answers below. Hope you enjoy!

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
Sure! I’m Danielle Higley, author of The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Children’s Books” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Children’s Books.

It’s a nonfiction collection of backstories that details how books like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and even Captain Underpants came to be. In 2022, it was selected by the Idaho Center for the Book—an affiliate of the Library of Congress—to represent Idaho at the National Book Festival. Since then, I’ve done some public speaking engagements, school visits, and local events to help promote the book. I’ve also been learning how to promote myself as an author and reader online, so if anyone is interested in finding me, you can do so on Instagram at @bookishinboise.

Are you a native Idahoan? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I’m as close to being a native Idahoan as you can get without getting your eye wet. My family moved to Boise from Arizona when I was five, and my parents actually still live in the house I grew up in. I left Idaho a couple times in my 20s—twice for internships and once for fun—and I came back loving Idaho all the more.

To me, Idaho is the stuff of love notes. [IR: That’s such a great line!] It’s beautiful and generous; bountiful with mountains, wildlife, and opportunities to explore the outdoors. I grew up near the foothills, where people spent long minutes waving one another forward at a three-way stop. We borrowed sugar from our neighbors and traded vegetables across the fence.

Idaho is changing. We’re proud of our state, and rightly so. But I hope we always keep our kindness, our welcoming hearts, and our neighborly compassion. More than our simple freeways, our four colorful seasons, our ski resorts, and our beautiful downtown, it’s the culture that keeps me close.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author.
Boise has several great groups for authors and book lovers. My favorite group is the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), which has a local chapter that meets monthly. Since I write almost exclusively for kids, it’s a good fit for me. I’ve also done some events with the Idaho Writers’ Guild and found that group to be welcoming and well-established.

If you’re a local writer, I’d encourage you to consider joining such a group for several reasons: First, there’s the community aspect. Writers are solitary workers, but the revision process requires us to bring in other perspectives to see where we can improve. Getting input from fellow writers can help uncover plot holes, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies.

Second is the education component. Writing groups often offer conferences and other literary events that can help writers and illustrators hone their craft. Such events sometimes also bring in publishing professionals and, for a fee, you may be able to show your work to an agent or editor who could offer you a contract.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Last year (in 2022), I attended the first-ever Idaho Books and Brews event, which brought together local authors and local breweries—seriously, what a genius marketing idea that was! I also attended a local author’s event at the Eagle Public Library. Other than that, you can sometimes find me at Rediscovered Books—either the Boise or Caldwell location—and I try to attend any school that wants to have me for an author’s event.

I missed the Books and Brews event (and doing so led to this series!). What was that experience like?
It was great! Basically, the space was divided in two—local authors and their books along the outside edge, and a bunch of local breweries in the middle. Attendees could buy tokens to be exchanged for books or beer. The beer was served in small glasses, perfect for tasting a variety of flavors. The best part, I think, was that authors had plenty of time to talk to readers and sign books.

I hope it does become an annual thing. If so, I definitely plan to attend again.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
That’s a great question! I do get messages sometimes from readers, librarians, and booksellers around the country, but most of the people I’ve talked to about my book have been local.

I’m fortunate to have found a really wonderful partnership with Rediscovered Books in Boise, and they’ve supported me by including my book at events and putting it on display in prominent spots in their store. My book doesn’t have a huge marketing budget behind it—Bushel & Peck is a small, independent publisher—so having that kind of attention from a bookseller has made all the difference. I’m truly grateful.
It’s hard to say enough good things about Rediscovered, isn’t it? (incidentally, my copy was on a big display there before it was on my shelf). I’ve imagined the experience as an author would be good—it’s great (and dangerous to the checking account) for the reader.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
People always say “write what you know,” but what we know is a culmination of our life experiences, opportunities, and surroundings. To me, that makes my challenges and advantages one and the same.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
Hmm… I definitely picture my books in Idaho when I write fiction. Strolling my childhood sidewalks, marching the practice field of my high school, walking along the canal behind my parents’ house. I suspect others could point out my Idaho-isms better than I could, as I’m often guilty of being blind to my own assumptions and generalizations.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
There’s a really beautiful picture book that just came out and made me think of the Idaho pioneering and family spirit. It’s called Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall, and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

For YA, I’d say All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. My mom and I once made a tour of unique Idaho landmarks, including Balance Rock, Soda Springs, and Hagerman (home of the Hagerman horse fossil). That sort of “explore your own backyard spirit” is a cornerstone of that book.

For adult fiction, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes comes to mind. Once upon a time, before there was a library in Garden City, my mom and I would visit our local bookmobile to check out new reading material each week. Not exactly books in saddlebags delivered on horseback, but that sounds quite “Idaho” as well.

And lastly, for nonfiction readers I really must mention The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party by Daniel James Brown. Had they taken the conventional path through Idaho, the Donner party might have escaped their terrible fate. As it was, we know what happened, and unfortunately I have to admit that had I been a pioneer in their shoes, I absolutely would have opted to take the shortcut…
Wow…this is a great (and thorough) list. My TBR is bigger!

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!

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On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel: A Funeral for Dreams

By HCNewton

On February 6, 2023

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

On the Savage Side

by Tiffany McDaniel

DETAILS:
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: February 14, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 464 pg.
Read Date: January 23-31, 2023

So, you can tell from the title of this post, that this is not a happy tale. The other big hint along those lines is the author’s name. I’m sure that Tiffany McDaniel is perfectly capable of writing a fun romp of a novel—I just have no evidence that she’s interested in doing so.

When you do see her name on a cover, you know a few things going in—the book is going to feature some sort of childhood trauma; the beautifully stylized dialogue (that doesn’t even pretend to be realistic); and prose that can only be described as gorgeous.

Everything else may differ from book to book, but the above are pretty much a given at this point.

What’s On the Savage Side About?

We meet 6-year-old twin sisters Arc and Daffy on the day their father died. Believe it or not, this is likely the best their life is going to be for the rest of this book. They spend most of their childhood in a home with their mother and aunt (I’m very carefully not saying they were raised by their mother and aunt), prostitutes who spend what little money they have on drugs—heroin, primarily. There are brief periods where the children are taken care of by their grandmother—who is kind, loving, and able to take care of them—but those are brief.

We see them age—struggling to separate themselves from their mother and aunt, and eventually following in their footsteps in addiction and profession. As adults, Arc’s focus is her (more fragile) sister’s safety and well-being. It’s because of Daffy that she finds a rehab facility, there’s a (probable) serial killer out there leaving women’s bodies in the river, and Arc is determined to not let Daffy become the next. Hopefully, she can prevent her friends from being the next, too.

Interspersed with chapters describing their lives (with some time jumping involved), we get some selections from their mother’s diary—back when she was capable of keeping one. We see her struggle with addiction and knowing the danger she poses to her daughters (and I was so glad when the book gave us that—it was the first maternal action I saw from her, but we didn’t get to see it for a long time).

We also get chapters describing the point-of-view of the river that flows near their town. How it reacts to being where the bodies of women are discarded, along with its thoughts on other things as well. It’s these chapters—particularly early on—that give the novel its depth and perspective. It feels to me like those chapters are McDaniels speaking with the least amount of artifice. The river feels like her voice unfiltered through the devices she uses the rest of the time.

Chillicothe, Ohio

Until I started this book, I knew Chillicothe, Ohio as the birthplace of Archie Goodwin of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books. I half-assumed it was a fictional location, and never bothered to look it up. Now I know that it exists, and I’m going to have a hard time reestablishing the positive associations I had with the name. It feels like a great place to be from, not a great place to be. I’m sure that it’s a perfectly fine place in reality, but the small city does not come across very well in these pages.

So, what did I think about On the Savage Side?

This was just a brutal read. Every time you get a glimmer of hope, a glimmer of a feeling that things might be okay for some of these characters—something snuffs it out. But there’s another source right around the corner. But, to go back to that line from the novel I borrowed above—the book is full of funerals for dreams.

But there’s beauty in the darkness. And a drive to keep persevering shared by the reader and the characters. I wondered more than once why some of them kept trying—but they did. The mother of one of Arc’s adult friends is a strong vision of enduring love and hope—she’s always ready to help her daughter no matter how tight the grip of addiction is on her at the time. She’s always trying, always striving to give her daughter the care she needs—even when (especially when) there’s no reason to think it’ll do any good.

I mentioned a serial killer above—it’s not a serial killer novel, though. It’s a novel about the women that may be his target and their fears about it. But people looking for a Thomas Harris read will be disappointed. Actually, people looking for most things you find in typical novels will be disappointed. Many of the looming questions in our characters’ lives are left unanswered. But you don’t walk away frustrated that you don’t get the answers like you would from other novels—because we’re given answers to questions we never thought to ask. Some of those are more important, too.

Like always, Tiffany McDaniels delivered a book that’s going to stay in my subconscious for a while—lurking there, making me rethink what I read from time to time. It’ll probably stay there until her next novel comes along (Betty‘s been there for a couple of years, and really only was dislodged by this one—and The Summer that Melted Everything is still there all these years later). It’s somber, it’s sober, and it’s difficult to read. But it’s so worth it in ways I cannot adequately explain. It’ll make you think. It’ll make you feel.

I’m having a hard time articulating exactly why you should read this without getting into the details—if you’ve read McDaniels before, you know what I’m saying. If you haven’t—it’s time to.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Knopf via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit by Ra McLaughlin: A Broad and Capable Introduction to the Holy Spirit

By HCNewton

On February 5, 2023

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit

by Ra McLaughlin

DETAILS:
Series: Christian Essentials 
Publisher: P & R Publishing
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 153 pg.
Read Date: January 29, 2023

What’s The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit About?

As I said about the second volume of the Christian Essentials series, one of its advantages is that I can largely recycle what I said about the others.

This is a basic and broad introduction to Pneumatology—the doctrine of the Holy Spirit from a broadly Evangelical perspective. There’s a good mix of foundational theology and application of it to the Church and the individual believer. The book is adapted from curriculum using language that’s easy to translate—particularly into languages that don’t have a well-developed theological vocabulary—so the English is kept basic, too. There’s almost no academic or technical theological language used, and those that are used are well-defined (including in a handy glossary).

The chapters are short (most around fifteen pages) and well-organized. Each contains a handful of side-bars consisting of a paragraph or two with the contents of interviews with pastors and theologians on the topic under discussion. These interviews were with people from a variety of theological perspectives helping broaden the text so that it’s not exclusively from a reformed perspective.

The Organization of the Work

One thing that really jumped out at me while reading this book is that it wasn’t organized the same way as similar works are—which is refreshing because you get tired after a while of reading remixes on a topic. But mostly refreshing because I thought this was a really good way to approach the subject.

We start with the role of—and revelation of—the Spirit as a member of the Trinity—as seen in the Old Testament, then the New, and then as it was worked out in Church History. Those are three quick chapters that should probably be longer but did the job for the scope of this book.

Then we get chapters dealing with the Spirit’s work in the world—providence, creation, revelation, and common grace. Followed by His work in the Church—through special revelation, covenant grace, and gifts. The last two chapters focus on His work in individual believers—in conversion and sanctification.

So, what did I think about The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit?

Solid teaching, an effective and helpful organization, all in all, a good book.

Like the rest of this series—the big problem with this book is that it works so hard to not take a particular position that it gives a watered-down presentation on areas of controversy. If they’d only taken a firm stance on (for example) cessationism, and then went on to give a fair presentation of non-cessationist views, that’d be different. Instead, we’re given descriptions of the views written in a way to explain them, but with the aim to avoid particulars and the offense they may carry—and really leads to it being almost useless.

When it’s not discussing intra-mural debates or disagreements, it’s a very useful and helpful work (like the other two books in this series). It’s good on the essentials—although exactly how “essential” is defined might be quibbled with.

For the series, I think this might have been the strongest entry. For just an introduction to the doctrine of the Spirit, it’s a pretty solid one. There are better books about Him and the theology surrounding Him, sure—but they’re of a nature and depth that this doesn’t want to achieve. Like the rest, I’d happily pass this volume on to someone who is just getting their feet wet.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Saturday Miscellany—2/4/23

By HCNewton

On February 4, 2023

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet A New Way to Read Gatsby—huh…
bullet The art of exclamation marks!—Huh!!
bullet For a Mystery Novel, How Much Sex Is Too Much Sex?—I think this is a pretty good way to think of it from the author’s POV. From the reader’s, too.
bullet There’s Nothing Wrong With Anyone’s Personal Library—even without the response to a certain link I shared last week (the one Peat described as “incredibly smugly middle-class”), this is a good read.
bullet Best of the Best: 2015 to 2022—Like the Stephen Writes I linked to recently, I’m impressed that anyone is capable of compiling a list like this.
bullet Why I Believe It’s Important to Clearly Indicate the Age Category of Books
bullet Why Adults Love Young Adult Fiction
bullet So, You Own a Tiny Human. How About Some Book Recs?—I could go broke from this post alone…95+% of these look great
bullet The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie- A Mom/Son review—I love the idea behind this!
bullet I don’t know why I’ve never thought of doing something like this, but I might have to in ’24: Authors I wanna give a second chance to in 2023 and Try Again Authors for 2023

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen—I have no idea what this book is about, and want to go into it blind. I just assume it has something to do with Vampires. Probably some family drama, too. It’s from Mike Chen, that’s enough to put it at the top of the TBR.
bullet Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano—single mom, novelist, and definitely-not-an-assassin Finlay Donovan gets into more hijinks involving a killer, the Russian mob, and her nanny.

The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 14: Consequence by R. T. Slaywood: Walking Quickly but Treading Water

By HCNewton

On February 3, 2023

In Urban Fantasy

The Ballad of Bonaduke—
Episode 14: Consequence

by R.T. Slaywood

DETAILS:
Series: The Ballad of Bonaduke, #12
Format: Kindle Vella Story
Read Date: February 2, 2023

The Story So Far…

A drunken Michael Bonaduke decides to use a grift (with maybe some sort of magic/magic-like “help”) to win on a scratch-off lottery ticket so he has money to buy more to drink. He pulls off whatever he did, gets his money and some booze and stumbles off into the darkness to drink himself into oblivion so he can start again the next day. He’s hit by dark memories (probably what’s driving him to the drinking) of fire, pleading, and screaming. There’s going to be a price to pay for his grift, and he’s trying to be ready.

Before then, he gets himself drunk and we get some of his tragic backstory. As he ponders this, he decides to use some of his ill-gotten-gains to buy more booze and walks into a liquor store robbery. He foils it in some sort of magical fashion, gets some more to drink, and heads off to the park to drink until he’s arrested (probably for the failed robbery). At least that’s his plan, but it gets interrupted by being hit by a car. He wakes up on some sort of short, metal bed and is unsure what’s going on. It turns out that some group is subjecting him to a test—if he passes, everything will be explained to him (and hopefully the reader, too). He passes—and is brought somewhere for answers, or maybe training, or maybe another test. Time will tell (or things are going to get really annoying). Answers aren’t quick to come—but the mysteries and questions keep piling up.

What’s Consequence About?

Bonaduke finds himself in front of the liquor store and sees some cops nearby. The last thing he wants is to be connected with the events he witnessed (but can’t prove he didn’t do)—so he tries to subtly walk away quickly. He also becomes convinced that he needs to get rid of the $5 bill he picked up from the liquor store thanks to his grift. That doesn’t work so well.

So, what did I think about Consequence?

This is another filler episode where not much (anything) happens. I’m getting really tired of these. It’s hard to have an opinion about treading water. I feel shallow complaining about this, but…

2 Stars

The Friday 56 for 2/3/23: The Silk Empress by Josef Matulich

By HCNewton

On February 3, 2023

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it.

from Page 56% of:
The Silk Empress

The Silk Empress by Josef Matulich

He poured tea for both of them into little glass cylinders with fancy silver handles.

“The British, and perhaps the court of the Emperor, are not very wise. Because they have a problem with rats, they hunt down mice and squirrels.”

Algie thought on that as he took a sip of his tea, strong, sweet, and heavy with lemon and spices. “Is that a metaphor,” he asked Zdan, “or a problem of translation?”

Zdan laughed out, displaying his strong yellow teeth. “I will miss your visits, British boy!”

Highlights from January: Lines Worth Repeating

By HCNewton

On February 2, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations

Highlights from the Month
Time to kick off Year 2 of this series!

Pieces of Eight by Peter Hartog

A wintry blast welcomed me as I stepped into the frigid February night. The cold and snow had kept most reasonable folks indoors. You know, the ones that worked reasonable jobs, with reasonable hours and reasonable pay?

Two of Stentstrom’s people wearing plastic gear arrived to perform a thorough scan of the room using an alphabet soup of forensic devices that detected everything from fingerprints, clothing fragments and chemicals to shoe scuff marks and old boogers.

The connections were there, but remained vague shapes, too faint to see. It was like collecting breadcrumbs in the middle of the woods. At midnight. And I was blindfolded.

I gaped at her. The consultant folded her hands before her waist, returning my glare with a serene expression. That’s when the subtlety of her ploy dawned on me. Because I’m slow like that. Like a boulder rolling uphill.

Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat Khan

That was his way. He was thorough; he was meticulous. Any other way, he’d be dead, and getting killed on the job was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane

L.A. burns, and so many other cities smolder, waiting for the hose that will flood gasoline over the coals, and we listen to politicians who fuel our hate and our narrow views and tell us it’s simply a matter of getting back to basics while they sit in their beachfront properties and listen to the surf so they won’t have to hear the screams of the drowning.

We met when we were both majoring in Space Invaders with a Pub Etiquette minor at the Happy Harbor Campus of UMass/Boston.

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

She had a pretty mother with long dark hair and a laugh like watermelon on a hot summer afternoon, sweet and good and oddly sticky in its own way. Her mother’s laughter stuck to you, and it made everything better for hours and hours, even after it was over.

The baby came on time, as babies sometimes will, and loudly, as babies always do.

The Perception of Dolls by Anthony Croix, Edited by Russell Day

“You saw what you were expecting to see, and that was after we’d been talking about fakery and false impressions. Believe me, if we’d been playing poker, you’d be broke, and convinced I’d won fair and square.”

“So, I’m a mug?”

“No, you just see the world behaving the way you think it will. In fairness so do I, but I see a world full of card cheats and untrustworthy witnesses. Including my own senses.”

“Whatever was in that house had agency and intelligence. It was playful. But then so are children who pull the legs off spiders.”

Half-Off Ragnorak by Author

Where there’s one lindworm, there’s probably another. This is a fact of the natural world, much like, “don’t put your hand in the manticore” and “try not to lick the neurotoxic amphibians.”

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

Toronto is too small a city to get divorced in, really. My recommendation, if you live in Toronto and your marriage is not working, is to stick it out or move away.

It was a classic tale, and one I knew well, having talked many friends through near-identical scenarios in recent years. For straight women in their late twenties, getting cheated on by your partner is basically jury duty.

I cried, feeling oddly empowered by the depths to which I was sinking, that I could be this pathetic and still breathing was an achievement in its way.

The Wizard’s Butler by Nathan Lowell

He nodded with the devilish grin of a ten-year-old who knows he has a frog in his pocket but nobody else suspects.

How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth by Terry Virts

OK, I’m not claustrophobic, but if there was ever a reason in my life to panic it would be now.” I figured I had two choices: a) panic, in which case I’d be strapped in, unable to move, with absolutely nothing to do about it, or b) not panic, in which case I’d be strapped in, unable to move, with absolutely nothing to do about it. I chose option b.

(Image by DaModernDaVinci from Pixabay)

January 2023 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

By HCNewton

On February 1, 2023

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

I finished 20 titles with 6,087 pages or the equivalent and gave them an average of 3.7 stars. Sure, that’s a low number of titles for me, but I read a lot of a couple of the others that I haven’t finished. I’m calling it a good month (with one exception)—quality over quantity for sure.

Between the 2022 in Review material and the Literary Locals series being in full swing, this was a pretty busy month around here. That makes me feel pretty good—although I did run out of gas toward the end of the month—and my non-blog life took up more time than I’m used to. If I could keep up my pace (or something close to it) from the first of the month, I’d be content.

So there’s my evaluation of the month, here’s what happened here in January.

Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to

Still Reading

Ratings

		Average =	3.67
	2		1
	2		0
	5		0
	4		0
	6

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read
End of 2022	5	45	42	143
1st of the Month	5	45	42	143
Added	6	3	9	2
Read/ Listened	6	3	5	0
Current Total	5	45	46	145

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 11
Self-/Independent Published: 9

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Fantasy	2 (10%)	2 (10%)
General Fiction/ Literature	3 (15%)	3 (15%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	6 (30%)	6 (30%)
Non-Fiction	1 (5%)	1 (5%)
Science Fiction	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Theology/ Christian Living	3 (15%)	3 (15%)
Urban Fantasy	3 (15%)	3 (15%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western)	2 (10%)	2 (10%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Reread Project: Faith & Life by B.B. Warfield: 41 Brief Bursts of Profundity
Everything’s Changing by Chelsea Stickle: A Flash Fiction Collection You Don’t Want to Miss
Killer Story by Matt Witten: A Desperate Reporter Works to Solve a Sensational Murder
The Neil Gaiman at the End of the Universe (Audiobook) by Arvind Ethan David, Neil Gaiman, Jewel Staite: Let’s Keep this Short and Sweet
E.B. White on Dogs edited by Martha White: A Great Collection of Short Pieces
Triptych (Audiobook) by Karin Slaughter, Michael Kramer: A Rough Way to Start a Series
Early Grave by Paul Levine: Lassiter v. Friday Night Lights
Bartleby and James: Edwardian Steampunk Chronicle by Michael Coorlim: Fun, Fast Steampunk Mysteries
Catch-Up Quick Takes: A Few Audiobooks from December
The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 12: Whose There? by R. T. Slaywood: A Family Reunion
The Hope of Life After Death: A Biblical Theology of Resurrection by M. Jeff Brannon: A Good Intro to an Oft-Neglected Area
Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat Khan: The Very Model of a Modern American Procedural
The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 13: Realizations by R. T. Slaywood: Right Back Where We Started From
I Have a Confession: The What and Why of The Westminster Confession of Faith by Nathan Eshelman: You Get More than Your Money’s Worth in this Small Book
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry: A Memoir of Self-Destruction
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire: Nothing Comes Free
The Sexual Reformation: Restoring the Dignity and Personhood of Man and Woman by Aimee Byrd: There’s a Lot to Commend, but Maybe not Enough
The Perception of Dolls by Anthony Croix, Edited by Russell Day: Creepy Dolls, Creepy dolls, and Creepy do!!s

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

WWW Wednesday, February 1, 2023

By HCNewton

On February 1, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

HOW is it February already? This looks more like last week’s post than I’d hoped, but eh…stuff happens.

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m still working my way through the very amusing The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington and just started listening to Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped by Annette Marie, Cris Dukehart (Narrator) on audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Yesterday, I finished Tiffany McDaniel’s On the Savage Side, a harrowing and beautiful book, and How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth by Terry Virts on audio, which was not-at-all-harrowing and plenty of fun.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be The Silk Empress by Josef Matulich (still) and my next audiobook should be Underground by Kat Richardson, Mia Barron (Narrator).

The Silk Empress Blank Space

How are you starting the month?

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals by Mitzi Szereto

By HCNewton

On February 1, 2023

In Book Tour, Non-Fiction

I’m very pleased today to Spotlight Mitzi Szereto’s upcoming release, The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals. It comes out on February 14th—just what your Valentine wants. Assuming your Valentine is into true crime, that is. (I’m not being snarky, I know quite a few people who’d do well to pick this up in lieu of chocolates. Or at least in addition to chocolates).

Anyway, before I make this more awkward, let’s move on to looking at the book.

Book Details:

Title: The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals
Author: Mitzi Szereto
Genre: True Crime
Publisher: Mange
Release date: February 14, 2023
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 252 pages

About the Book:

Infamous Figures Caught in the Act
People from all walks of life commit crimes. But the ones featured in this anthology aren’t your typical neighbors or subway passengers. Actors, musicians, TV personalities—they aren’t always who they appear to be. You might be surprised at just how many household names and Hollywood stars have led nefarious double lives. And after committing their crimes, the world may have kept on turning, but their infamous legacies remain. Get the stories behind these public figures, both contemporary and historical, who turned to lives of crime. The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals offers a fascinating assortment of cases from around the world and from various time frames. Like previous entries in this series, this volume contains all new and original nonfiction accounts penned by international writers from across the literary spectrum, including true crime, crime fiction, and journalism, all expertly arranged by editor Mitzi Szereto. Inside, you’ll find cases that would thrill even the most seasoned true crime addict; stories of Hollywood stars and famous criminals who went down the wrong path; encounters featuring the cases of infamous celebrities like Robert Blake, Jimmy Savile, Fatty Arbuckle, and more.

Book Trailer:

Purchase Links:

Amazon US ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-a-Million ~ Amazon UK ~ Blackwells ~ Amazon Canada ~ Chapters/Indigo ~ Angus & Robertson Australia ~ Booktopia

About the Author:

Mitzi Szereto (mitziszereto.com) is an American-British author, anthology editor, and short story writer whose work spans multiple genres. Her widely acclaimed series The Best New True Crime Stories features the volumes Crimes of Famous & Infamous Criminals; Unsolved Crimes & Mysteries; Partners in Crime; Crimes of Passion, Obsession & Revenge; Well-Mannered Crooks, Rogues & Criminals; Small Towns; and Serial Killers. Aside from her many popular books, she has the added distinction of being the editor of the first anthology of erotic fiction to include a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Mitzi has appeared internationally on radio and television and at literature festivals, and taught creative writing around the world. She produced and presented the London-based web TV channel Mitzi TV and portrays herself in the pseudo-documentary British film, Lint: The Movie. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @mitziszereto.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Youtube ~ TikTok ~ Goodreads

One more time, it’s out on Feb. 14th—get your preorder in now.