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Rambling about the Hazards of Checking Out Library Books from the Library

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On September 12, 2024

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

(or, I give You a Glimpse Into My Overthinking About Books)

Do I have a point to this? No. But I also don’t have a post ready for today, and didn’t have time to finish one. So, I’m going to ramble a bit.

I took a couple of days off work this week, which I knew was going to mess with my audiobook listening–but whatever. So of the two audiobooks I had checked out from the Library on Friday, I picked the one that was shorter and due a bit sooner. I didn’t have a lot of time for either one, honestly–but I figured I could finish one of them off. That was my first mistake.

I typically don’t check out multiple audiobooks at once so I don’t run into a problem like this, but when multiple books come off the hold list at the same time, you don’t have much choice.

I got a good amount of listening in on Monday, and a few minutes on Tuesday. But I still had 3 hours and 20 minutes or so to go. But the app said it’d be due Thursday, so I figured I’d be okay–especially since I spent the last hour of listening time at 2.3 speed (I never do that) to help me make it. But when I was getting into my car today, it read “Due in 1 hour.” Technically Thursday, but…not what I wanted it to say.

Now, I hate to admit this, but especially since most of the libraries in the area eliminated late fines, if this was a hardcopy book, I’d just return it a day late and not even think about it (and even if there were fines, I’d pay the few cents just to wrap it up). That makes me a bad patron, I know, but I’d do it. But you don’t get that option when it comes to digital books.

Where I last listened was a decent stopping place, and I couldn’t be sure I’d get to another one in the next hour, so I returned the book and got myself back on the list. I have approximately 9 weeks to wait for the copy to be made available again. I should still remember enough to pick it back up…but do I want to? The book is just good enough to keep listening–and not one iota more. There’s still enough time for the author to land the ending and make me re-evaluate things, but at the moment, it’s a 2 1/2-3 Star read. And yes, I’m curious about how the plot wraps up…but am I curious enough to return to it? Should I just chalk this one up to a DNF by Circumstance?

And even as I ask these questions, I know I will finish it up. But I’m not sure I want to–it’s basically compulsion vs. desire at this point.

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Hold On To Your Wallets, Folks…

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On August 23, 2024

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

Or, I guess, prepare to empty them. That’s kind of up to you.

This weekend brings several opportunities for some great buys: I strongly suggest you sample them all.

bullet First, this one is safe for your accounts: Ian Robinson’s Shots Fired (Nash & Moretti Book 3…but it’s totally fine to read as a stand-alone) is free for the weekend. Amazon US: https://amazon.com/dp/B0977F98JD Amazon UK: https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B0977F98JD
bullet Fahrenheit Press has their Summer Sale going on. You can get 20% off everything by using promo-code AUG2024 at the checkout. You can easily find some great books (several of which I’ve talked about here), and some great merch (I get about 1/2 of my T-Shirts from them). You’d be foolish to not browse and/or spend money there.
bullet Epic Sale of Beloved SFF Books from August 23-27. There are soooo many good things there (and good-looking things, too). (Hat-tip to Daniel Meyer for telling me about this)
bullet The August version of Narratess Indie Sale is this weekend, too. There’s some overlap between these two, but they aren’t identical.

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Books about Books and the People Who Love Them

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On August 9, 2024

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc.

Today is National Book Lovers Day (yes, around here, that’s just another way of saying it’s a day that ends in “ay,” except it’s a National thing). I’m not sure that “Lover” is the best way to describe me—buying, reading, and surrounding myself with books is just who I am. “One does not love breathing,” as Miss Jean Louise Finch, said.

Or in the words of Patrick Rothfuss, “I always read. You know how sharks have to keep swimming or they die? I’m like that. If I stop reading, I die.”

Scout and Rothfuss are likely overstating things—or maybe not, but they can give that impression. So maybe it’s safer to call ourselves book lovers, eh?

Anyway, as I said the other day, I’ve been meaning to post something about National Book Lover’s Day for years now, but I’ve never really known what to say. But it occured to me (as I was saying that) that I could put together a handy-dandy list of books that show love to books either about talking about books or those who write, read, sell, or loan them.

This isn’t necessarily a complete list, in fact, I’m sure it’s not. I did a quick survey of the 5200 plus posts I have here) to compile this list in the last two days. But it’s a pretty thorough one—I’ll get this in better shape by next year.

(Probably…Maybe…We’ll see.)

Books about Books and the People Who Love Them

(Links will take you to my post featuring the book.)

NonFiction

Fiction

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Image by Hermann Traub from Pixabay

HC Chats with John Simons about RinthCon

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On July 31, 2024

In HC Chats, JCM Berne, Miscellany, News/Misc., The Hybrid Helix

I sat down a few days ago to talk with John Simons about the second year of his new Con, RinthCon, and the little twist to it that makes it an experience like no other you’ll find on the Convention Circuit today.

I posted a little something about RinthCon 2323 last year before the event, but didn’t follow up like I should’ve. I expect better of me this year.

https://irresponsiblereader.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=37891#edit_timestamp
Are you a Reader of Things and want to chat with me about an author/series/something other than promoting your own work (which we will do, just not primarily)? I’d love to keep trying this, but I’m not ready to start pestering people about it. So please let me know.

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The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Crime Fiction

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On July 26, 2024

In Books, Miscellany, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/26/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Last, but certainly not least for this week, my apparent specialty: Crime Fiction–vigilantes, police, private eyes, people who have no business at all near a crime…you name it, I love this stuff. This tl;dr list also proves that I was right to break these lists down by genre.

bullet Kind Hearts and Martinets by Pete Adams—a near-to-retirement D. I. with a rag-tag team investigates terror threats, murders, and bike thefts.
bullet Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City (my post about it)
bullet Irony in the Soul (my post about it)
bullet Cats, Cannolis and a Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman—a mystery writer finds herself the target of a kidnapper and has to employ everything her characters have done to save her own life. Which sounds more dire than this cute novel actually ever achieves. (my post about it)
bullet The City That Barks and Roars by J. T. Bird—Anthropomorphic animals in a 1950s-esque civilization, a pair of detectives hunting for a missing colleague. (my post about it)
bullet Death Stalks Kettle Street by John Bowen—a man with pretty severe OCD is sure that people in his neighborhood are being killed, but the authorities don’t see it–and his turn is coming. (my post about it)
bullet DI Hannah Robbins by Rebecca Bradley—DI Hannah Robbins novels follow Robbins and her team as they solve murders–she’s got a great team and the novels have some of the best hooks around.
bullet The Twisted Web (my post about it)
bullet Kill for Me (my post about it)
bullet Dead Blind by Rebecca Bradley—A Detective adjusting to prosopagnosia (“face blindness”) tries to keep the condition under wraps while leading his team investigating an international organ smuggling ring. Great hook, strong execution. (my post about it)
bullet The Butcher by Nathan Burrows—a darkly comic tale about brothers struggling to keep their farm and butcher shop alive, until they develop a new sausage recipe. (my post about it)
bullet The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff—A rookie P.I. (inspired more by fiction than reality), is on the hunt for a missing college student. (my post about it)
bullet Bad Memory by Jim Cliff—this novella finds Jake Abraham looking into an old closed case and forces it open. (my post about it)
bullet Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—a comic series with a heavy-accent on mystery (or is it the other way around?), featuring a former Army MP and her K9 partner who set up a PI firm in a small Ohio town
bullet Barking for Business (my post about it)
bullet Chasing Empty Caskets (my post about it)
bullet Don’t Get Involved by F J Curlew—a slow burn of a novel about some street kids in Kyiv who find a large amount of drugs and a Scottish teacher in town to help their schools. (my post about it)
bullet Criminal Collective by Russell Day—a collection of short stories and a novella from one of my favorite crime writers. (my post about it)
bullet Jeremy Barnes by Robert Germaux—tired of teaching, Jeremy Barnes becomes a P.I. These books have a very Spenser-vibe to them and are great comfort food.
bullet Hard Court (my post about it)
bullet In the Eye (my post about it)
bullet Small Bytes (my post about it)
bullet Daniel Hays Mysteries by Robert Germaux—Daniel Hays heads the Special Assignment Squad —- a Major Crimes squad set up to help smaller cities in the county around Pittsburgh–hunts down serial killers in these entertaining thrillers.
bullet Small Talk (my post about it)
bullet One by One (my post about it)
bullet DC Smith Investigation by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. Smith is a former DCI who’s voluntarily demoted down to Detective Sergeant so he can actually work cases–in his own idiosyncratic way. There is something indescribably charming about these books, I can see myself re-reading these for years.
bullet An Accidental Death (my post about it)
bullet But For the Grace (my post about it)
bullet Luck and Judgement (my post about it)
bullet Persons of Interest (my post about it)
bullet In This Bright Future (my post about it)
bullet The Rags of Time (my post about it)
bullet Time and Tide (my post about it)
bullet A Private Investigation (my post about it)
bullet The Truth (my post about it)
bullet The Camera Man (as close as I got to posting about it)
bullet King’s Lake Investigations by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. This series tells what happens after DS Smith leaves Kings Lake, following those he trained and left as they form the backbone of the new Murder Squad. They’re just as good.
bullet Songbird (my post about it)
bullet On Eden Street (my post about it)
bullet Roxanne (my post about it)
bullet Missing Pieces (my post about it)
bullet Another Girl (my post about it)
bullet Catch & Neutralize by Chris Grams—Members of a vigilante group that takes down criminals who’ve gotten away with crimes against women and children find themselves in a very hairy situation. (my post about it)
bullet Fatal Forgery by Susan Grossey—as 19th Century British Policing begins to take a new shape, a magistrate’s constable investigates a new kind of financial crime. (my post about it)
bullet Ostler by Susan Grossey—Grossey brings us a 19th Century amatuer slueth hunting for a friend’s murderer, who finds so much more. (my post about it)
bullet DoubleBlind by Libby Fischer Hellmann—a PI looks into suspicious deaths following COVID vaccines while dealing with people who think she’s a wife who ran away from a cult. Eventually, she has to stop and figure out what’s going on with her doppelgänger for her own sake. (my post about it)
bullet The Secret of Rosalia Flats by Tim W. Jackson—following the death of his father, a man returns to his Caribbean island childhood home to look into what happened. (my post about it)
bullet Cooked Goose by Laura Jenski—a couple on a cross-country motor home trip discovers a body in a campground, and decides to investigate the death to “help” local law enforcement. (I thought I posted about this months ago, apparently not. Soon, maybe?)
bullet Afton Morrison by Brent Jones—the story of a Children’s Librarian with impulses to become a serial killer. No really. It’s twisted. It’s fun. It has some heart, too.
bullet Go Home, Afton (my post about it)
bullet See You Soon, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Nice Try, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Time’s Up, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Harvested by Troy Lambert—a PI starts looking into a rash of dognappings sweeping across Seattle and uncovers something chilling. (my post about it)
bullet Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—An ex-special ops soldier takes on terrorists, Aryans on the hunt, and an out of control military officer, with only his wits, experience and a fantastic stray dog. (my post about it)
bullet Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert—Max Boucher is back, this time to hunt for a stolen horse–and runs across a serial killer while he’s at it. (my post about it)
bullet Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley—I maybe should’ve included this on the Fantasy and UF lists, too. But Lawley describes these as cozy mysteries, so I’ll stick with that. The owner of an artisan candy shop is arrested by magic police for selling cursed items that have been used to kill someone. It’s a rough way to learn that magic exists. She works with the detective to find the actual killer to clear her name. (my post about it)
bullet Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder—an ex-con trying to go straight, a behavioral gerontologist, and a group of senior citizens get into hot water with an experimental drug and competing criminal organizations. (my post about it)
bullet Let There Be Linda by Rich Leder—I can’t sum this up in a sentence or two–a comic crime novel set in L.A. full of interweaving plotlines. (my post about it)
bullet McCall & Company: Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder—a struggling actress takes over her late father’s P.I. Agency (my post about it)
bullet Shadow Ranch by Rebeca Carey Lyles—A woman trapped in a polygamous cult attempts to free herself, her brother, and others. Featuring a truly despicable villain. (my post about it)
bullet The Lion’s Tail by Luna Miller, Aidan Isherwood (Translator)—a retired physician turns to a new career as a P.I. An early case turns out to be too much for her to tackle on her own and she recruits some help from people in her neighborhood, creating her own Baker Street Irregulars. (my post about it)
bullet San Diego Dead by Mark Nolan—a modern-day privateer and his dog are on the run from a vengeful drug mob. (my post about it)
bullet How the Wired Weep by Ian Patrick—you’re not going to see me say something negative about a Patrick novel, but this one is special. a gut-wrenching, taut look at a police informant and his detective handler as they try to take down a local drug lord. (my post about it)
bullet The Warrior Series by Ty Patterson—Once upon a time, I think we’d call these books “Men’s Adventure” novels. Former Delta operative (and some friends) now run a covert-ops group.
bullet The Warrior (my post about it)
bullet The Reluctant Warrior (my post about it)
bullet Dead Down East by Carl Schmidt—a part-time PI gets sucked into investigating the death of his state’s governor (my post about it)

If you’re a self-published author that I’ve featured on this blog and I didn’t mention you in this post and should have. I’m sorry (unless you’re this guy). Please drop me a line, and I’ll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.
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The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Urban Fantasy

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On July 25, 2024

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Urban Fantasy

(updated 7/25/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Urban Fantasy. Magic-users of various stripes, creatures that’ll push your imagination, and more dragons than show up on my Self-Published Fantasy list, believe it or not. There’s a lot to dig into here.

bullet Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron—A nice-guy dragon learns how to get by in a dragon-eat-dragon world with the help of a human mage on the lamb from the mob. (my post about it)
bullet Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-6 by Kate Baray—a fixer for the paranormal community and debunker of paranormal frauds takes on an assistant, just in time for some real hairy cases (apparently I haven’t written about this one yet)
bullet Justice Calling by Annie Bellet—a magic user on the run, living among a bunch of shape-shifters, is accused of killing some. She works to clear her name, save her friends, and stay off the radar of those hunting for her. (my post about it)
bullet Vale Investigations by Cristelle Comby—a P.I. who is the emissary of Hades’ daughter on Earth investigates mysterious deaths and other happenings.
bullet Hostile Takeover (my post about it)
bullet Evil Embers
bullet Bad Little Girls Die Horrible Deaths and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy by Harry Connolly—a collection of short stories that I still think about. (my post about it)
bullet Twenty Palaces by Harry Connolly—I loved this UF series, but sadly was one of the few who read it. After the publisher declined to keep going with it Connolly has published a prequel and a sequel—with more on the way.
bullet Twenty Palaces—the prequel to the whole thing (my post about it)
bullet The Twisted Path (my post about it)
bullet The Iron Gate—catches up with our heroes and throws them into a life-changing situation (even for people in their…circumstances), a great way to resume the series. (my post about it)
bullet Ella Grey Series by Jayne Faith. A minor demon hunter in a slightly-futuristic Boise finds herself tangling with some major powers.
bullet Stone Cold Magic (my post about it)
bullet Dark Harvest Magic (my post about it)
bullet Demon Born Magic (my post about it)
bullet Blood Storm Magic (my post about it)
bullet Bloodlines by Peter Hartog—an Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction/Detective mashup in a world that looks not dissimilar from Scott’s Blade Runner, powered by magic, and that has pan-dimensional aliens walking around. (my post about it)
bullet Pieces of Eight by Peter Hartog—the sequel to Bloodlines and continues to expand our understanding of this world while delivering a great story. (my post about it)
bullet Fred, The Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes. The misadventures of a vampire accountant and his increasingly diverse and lethal band of friends trying to make their way in the world.
bullet The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (my post about it)
bullet Undeath & Taxes (my post about it)
bullet Bloody Acquisitions (my post about it)
bullet The Fangs of Freelance (my post about it)
bullet Deadly Assessments (my post about it)
bullet Undeading Bells (my post about it)
bullet Out of House and Home (my post about it)
bullet Posthumous Education (my post about it)
bullet Terra Chronicles by JC Jackson. Another SF/Urban Fantasy mix (I didn’t realize how many of these I read until I did this post) about the adventures of an Elven arcanist and her paladin partner working for a Law Enforcement agency.
bullet Twisted Magics (my post about it)
bullet Shattered Illusions (my post about it)
bullet Twice Cursed (my post about it)
bullet Conjured Defense (my post about it)
bullet Mortgaged Mortality (my post about it)
bullet Divine and Conquer (my post about it)
bullet Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley—a candy maker discovers she’s a witch when she’s arrested of murder by magic. Fun ensues. (my post about it)
These next three series are hard to talk about, they’re sort of one series, sort of separate (actually, there are four threads, but I haven’t gotten to the last one yet)…
bullet The Guild Codex: Demonized by Annette Marie. A woman with plenty of theoretical and no practical magical knowledge finds herself bound to a rare and very powerful demon.
bullet Taming Demons for Beginners (my post about it)
bullet Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (my post about it)
bullet Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (my post about it)
bullet The Guild Codex: Spellbound by Annette Marie. A bartender with an anger-management (and therefore staying employed) problem finds herself working for a Mage Guild.
bullet Three Mages and a Margarita (my post about it)
bullet Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (my post about it)
bullet Two Witches and a Whiskey (my post about it)
bullet Demon Magic and a Martini (my post about it)
bullet The Alchemist and an Amaretto (my post about it)
bullet Druid Vices and a Vodka (my post about it)
bullet Lost Talismans and a Tequila
bullet The Guild Codex: Warped by Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen. A former two-bit criminal gets pulled into helping the MPD police magic users.
bullet Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors (my post about it)
bullet Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections (my post about it)
bullet Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker—a sole werewolf and her family try to keep her secret under wraps and keep her wolf side from hurting anyone in this small Colorado town. (my post about it)
bullet Rites of Passage by M.D. Presley—An atypical magic system fuels this intricate UF series debut (my post about it)
bullet Ree Reyes series by Michael R. Underwood. Ree’s a barista and comic shop worker with ambitions of becoming a screenwriter. She inadvertently finds herself in a world of magic powered by Geekomancy “A style of magic where your love of pop culture becomes the source for amazing abilities – from bringing props to life to borrowing amazing skills from your favorite movies.” These were originally published by others, but Underwood has the rights back and is putting them out in new editions.
bullet Geekomancy (This came out before the blog, so check out my Goodreads review)
bullet Celebromancy (This came out before the blog, and I apparently didn’t write anything about it)
bullet Attack the Geek (my post about it)
bullet Hexomancy (my post about it)
bullet Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis—This series is set in the 1930s about a P.I. who practices rune magic. Think Depression-era Harry Dresden mixed with Al MacBharrais.
bullet In Plain Sight (my post about it)
bullet Ghost of a Chance (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Science Fiction

By

On July 25, 2024

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Science Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/257/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Science Fiction. Old tropes in new garb, fresh ideas, and a creativity that astounds. These authors are well worth your time and money.

bullet Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne—if I start talking about this, I’m not sure how to stop. There’s a retired super-hero/super soldier working a menial job on a space station. There’s a revenge story. There are aliens that look like talking bears. It’s just so much fun. (my post about it)
bullet The MOST Powerful Christmas by JCM Berne—Rohan and friends save Christmas for Santa (my post about it)
bullet Return of the Griffin by JCM Berne—Rohan has to return to Earth to battle monsters that might be too much for him and the collective might of Earth’s superheroes. Rohan also has to battle the legacy he left behind when he left. (my post about it should be posted soon)
bullet The Elites by Matt Cowper—a Batman-esque figure rebuilds a government-sponsored team of heroes. They take on super-villains of all stripes and even an alien invasion.
bullet The World Savers (my post about it)
bullet Rogue Superheroes (my post about it)
bullet Nightfall (my post about it)
bullet Children of the Different by S. C. Flynn—a very different kind of YA take on post-apocalypse life in Austrailia. (my post about it)
bullet Full Metal Superhero by Jeffery H. Haskell—a young technical genius who lost the use of her legs in the accident that cost her parents their lives creates an Iron Man-esque suit and starts fighting crime in the hopes to be recruited into an Avengers/Justice League-type team. I’ve frequently talked on the blog (and even in this series of posts) about being frustrated that I haven’t caught up with a series. This one really gets to me. There’s also a spin-off series that looks great.
bullet Arsenal (my post about it)
bullet Unstoppable Arsenal (my post about it)
bullet Super Powereds: Year 1 by Drew Hayes—The first in a series about a group of freshmen in a college-level Super-Hero Training program. (my post about it)
bullet Darkside Earther by Bradley Horner—this is a series about a privileged group of teens trying to get through school and into adulthood while on a space station orbiting Earth. Their parents are the elite of humanity and are trying to mold their children into very different types of leaders.
bullet Darkside Earther (my post about it)
bullet Degrading Orbits (my post about it)
bullet Saul by Bradley Horner—a professor of nanotech tries to save his daughter in the middle of a global catastrophe. (my post about it)
bullet Billy in Space by Harry L-B—Billy has been given telekenetic abilities, and instead of becoming the government agent he’d aspired to, he’s become a human forklift in a spaceship’s warehouse. Not glamorous at all, but it’s a job. Then an alien race attacks his ship. Then space pirates do, too. And then things get bad. You’ll also witness a really bad first date. I should stress that this is a comedy. (my post about it)
bullet Proxies by James T. Lambert—Jair Howard has some big challenges ahead of him–he has to deal with his mother, he has to fix his relationship with his girlfriend, he has to prove someone hacked into the military’s computers, then he has to prove it wasn’t him–oh yeah, and prevent interstellar war. His mother might be the biggest problem, really. I just finished reading the book and haven’t finished my post, but you’ll want to give it a look.
bullet Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair—This story felt like the love child of Dirk Gentley’s Holistic Detective Agency (the Douglas Adams version) and Comedy Central’s Corporate, but sweeter. A pair of old friends-turned multi-dimensional P.I.s tackle a missing persons case. (my post about it)
bullet Serengeti by J.B. Rockwell—a damaged warship—and the AI who operates it—attempts to rejoin the fleet.
bullet Serengeti (my post about it)
bullet Dark and Stars (my post about it)
bullet AI Theist by Michael J. Svigel—The world’s most advanced and powerful AI struggles with its(?) conscience and gets religion. (my post about it)
bullet Please Return to the Lands of Luxury by Jon Tilton—an MG Dystopian thriller. There’s a fantastic world here—a very plausible one, too. The story is hard to sum up in a sentence or two, but this would be a great read for an MG reader who’s able to read some unpleasantness (and a lot of wholesome and hope-filled moments, too). (my post about it)
bullet The FATOFF Conspiracy by Olga Werby—Americans have lost the war on obesity and all but the elitist of the elite are dangerously obese (while tucking away a good portion of that fat into a pocket dimension), in pain, struggling, dying young, and yet eating almost constantly. (my post about it)
bullet Genrenauts by Michael R. Underwood—Parallel to our world are various worlds populated by fictional characters in a wide variety of genres (Western, SF, Romance, etc), and when things go wrong in the stories, things go wrong in our world. n this world, there are a number of teams of story specialists who shift to the other worlds to fix the stories and set things back on course here. The first two novellas in this series were published by Tor, but after that, Underwood took it over himself.
bullet The Cupid Reconciliation (my post about it)
bullet The Substitute Sleuth (my post about it)
bullet The Failed Fellowship (my post about it)
bullet Genrenauts: The Complete Season One Collection—a compendium of all the novellas/stories in Season 1. (my post about it)
bullet The Data Disruption—a Season One Prequel (my post about it)
bullet The Wasteland War—Season Two kicks off (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Fantasy

By

On July 24, 2024

In Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/24/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Fantasy. These are some of the most imaginative, creative, and enjoyable Fantasy novels I’ve read since I started blogging. These authors approach this beloved genre in ways that surprise and inspire me. Check out these books, hopefully, you’ll find something good.

bullet Healed by Carrie Alani—A tired and beleaguered nurse gains the ability to heal (my post about it)
bullet Partial Function by JCM Berne—a fun-as-all-get-out wuxia-inspired novel where a former lengendary warrior has to try to rescue her kidnapped daughters, and who knows what wake of destruction she’ll leave along the way (my post about it)
bullet Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn—Chorn’s Western/Fantasy about…I don’t have room here. It’s beautiful prose, heartbreaking stories, and a stellar example of writing. (my post about it)
bullet Oh, That Shotgun Sky by Sarah Chorn—the follow-up to the above. A handful of people trying to come to grips with the new world they find themselves in. (my post about it)
bullet Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn—A planet is dying, political upheaval, and the dawn of a new reality. One of the most brutal reads in recent memory (and one of the most disturbing covers!). I absolutely loved it and would be literally counting down the days until the sequel if I knew the date. (my post about it)
bullet One Man by Harry Connolly—A man hiding from his past, becomes a one-man army trying to save a kidnapped mother and daughter. (my post about it)
bullet Toby and the Silver Blood Witches by Sally Doherty—A young boy who takes care of his seriously ill mother, gets the suprise of a lifetime when a witch crashes into his attic and asks for his help! It’s a fun MG adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Haven by Ceril N Domac—a family in a slightly grimmer (and future) version of the U.S. has to go on the run to a safe settlement when they start to display signs of being more than human. (my post about it)
bullet The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—A Loremaster conducts a series of interviews with Fantasy heroes, and others, to find and describe the essence of heroism. A thoughtful look at the idea is buried under jokes that will appeal to Fantasy Readers and RPG Players in particular-but many others, too. I had a great time with this. (my post about it)
bullet The Story of Lucius Cane: Book One by Vanya Ferreira—a mildly atypical vampire goes up against a lycanthrope-ish rogue in 1794. (my post about it)
bullet The Blackwood Saga by Layton Green—three brothers from New Orleans travel to a fantasy version of Earth and have to fight their way back home. (I haven’t finished this series yet, and it’s driving me crazy)
bullet The Brothers Three (my post about it)
bullet The Last Cleric (my post about it)
bullet The Spirit Mage (my post about it)
bullet The White Room by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—There’s a lot going on (visibly and invisibly) in this Pennsylvanian small town. (my post about it)
bullet The Knight Revenant by Adam Holcombe—this short story introduces Gam Gam the Necromancer in a fantastic way. (my post about it)
bullet A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe—a newly orphaned child finds refuge with a knitting Necromancer in a fun adventure, that isn’t afraid to explore other emotional environments. (my post about it)
bullet Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson—In the late 1800s, as the Gold Rush in the Northwest starts to die off, a Korean warrior, with particular magical abilities, tries to track down his missing sister.(my post about it)
bullet Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani—a street thief/revolutionary finds herself over her head after her latest mission. A fast and fascinating read. (my post about it)
bullet A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher—A 14-year-old young woman whose magic controls baked goods is the only thing standing between her city and an invading army. You know, that old yarn. It’s delightfully charming. (my post about it)
bullet Grave Cold by Shannon Knight—a mix of creepy fantasy and creepier SF in a dystopian future. (my post about it)
bullet The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A group of magic users summons a dragon into 21st Century U.S. and immediately lose control over it. Heroics and hilarity ensue. It’s part corporate-satire, part fantasy-trope satire, part celebration of those same tropes, and all very funny. (my post about it)
bullet Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven—This book about friendship and nachos describes a young man looking to get out from his weathly father’s shadow who ends up buying a capybara-themed pub and running it with his new friends. There’s also a treasure hunt. Warm fuzzies, kindness, and good times ensue. (my post about it)
bullet Zoth-Avarex’s Escape Plan: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Experience by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A short Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style sequel about what happens to the dragon after the novel. (my post about it)
bullet The Culling by M. T. Miller—a bleak fantasy world is beset by monsters, and The Culling is a committed group of warriors wandering the countryside to fight them. These are dark books, but so fun to read.
bullet Apex Predator (my post about it)
bullet Brotherhood of the Worm (my post about it)
bullet The City of Scales (I accidentally deleted my post when it was almost done, and I’m having a hard time replicating it. But it’ll be here soon)
bullet The Nameless Chronicle by M. T. Miller—humanity struggles in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. One man rises to fight the despots ruling them. He suffers, he bleeds, he dies. He just can’t seem to stay dead.
bullet Ascent (my post about it)
bullet Bedlam (my post about it)
bullet Risen (my post about it)
bullet A Strange Chemistry (my post about it)
bullet Strife (my post about it)
bullet The Complete Nameless Chronicle—the series is now published in one “boxed set” eBook
bullet Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin—a wholesome and comedic Arthurian tale about knights not quite good enough for the Round Table (my post about it)
bullet Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward—a temporary teaching job becomes so much more. (my post about it)
bullet An Unexpected Afterlife by Dan Sofer—wide-scale resurrection of the dead causes more than a few problems for everyone in modern Israel. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Non-Fiction

By

On July 23, 2024

In Books, Miscellany, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/23/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Non-Fiction—which are primarily memoirs at their core, it’s what the authors do with the memoirs that makes these really stand out. But there are a few other things, too.

bullet Life and Death Behind the Brick and Razor: Code Red Diamond by Isaac Alexis, MD—A prison doctor uses his experiences to give suggestions for a healthy/healthier life. (my post about it)
bullet How Not to Be an *SS: Essays on Becoming a Good & Safe Man by Andrew J. Bauman—Bauman calls men to an authentic, Biblical masculinity—one built on humility, kindness, and service. While offering concrete ways to set aside patterns of abuse and neglect. (my post about it)
bullet Kneading Journalism: Essays on baking bread and breaking down the news by Tony Ganzer—This is a collection of essays about the state of journalism, how people relate to and view the media we consume, and what the future may hold. Oh, and bread recipes, of course. It makes sense in context (and is a really great idea). (my post about it)
bullet Grammar Sex and Other Stuff by Robert Germaux — quick essays with humor and heart (my post about it)
bullet No Problem, Mr. Walt: Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, & Discovering China by Walt Hackman—Hackman was one of the first self-published authors to reach out to me, and I’m so glad he did. A fascinating read about a man deciding to have an authentic Chinese junk built for him to use as a houseboat in California. (my post about it)
bullet Finding Hope in Hard Things: A Positive Take on Suffering by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—The central premise is that God uses the “hard things” in life to shape us into the people he wants us to be, and uses some of the hard things in his life as case studies to demonstrate how they were used so the reader is equipped to look at their own lives and see the purpose in their suffering. (my post about it)
bullet The Great Lie: What All of Hell Wants You to Keep Believing by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Paired with Hibbs’ characteristic clear prose and gift with language and illustrations, Hibbs reminds the reader that God is always speaking to us, through both the Creation and His Word. (my post about it)
bullet In Divine Company by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Pierce’s treatment of prayer focuses on the communicative nature of God and His image bearers and then nurturing that in our lives to improve our prayer. (my post about it)
bullet Struck Down but Not Destroyed: Living Faithfully with Anxiety by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—Drawing on what he’s learned from over 12 years of anxiety, Hibbs talks about learning to see what God’s purpose in the suffering is (anxiety disorders specifically, but easily transferable to other types), understanding that His hand is guiding all things—including our problems—so how do we in faith (without denying the suffering) rest in faith. (my post about it)
bullet And Drink I Did: One Man’s Story of Growing Through Recovery by Jay Keefe—It’s all there in the subtitle, Keefe tells about his OCD, his alcoholic days, his getting sober, and how he’s trying to help others since then. Powerful stuff. (my post about it)
bullet If You Give A Mouse Metformin by Nikhil Krishnan, i Cenizal (Illustrator) — 1 part picture book parody, 1 part satire, 1 part good look at the pharmecutical process (the good and the bad) (my post about it)
bullet How to Take Over the World: Practical Schemes and Scientific Solutions for the Aspiring Supervillain by Ryan North—A tongue-in-cheek way to talk about some of the most advanced science around and how it can (and in some ways is) be used to destroy the world. (my post about it)
bullet The Genius’ Guide to Bad Writing by R.T. Slaywood, R.C. Martinez—A guide for the writer who is tired of success and wants to reclaim their lives from answering the siren call of fortune and fame that comes to every author. Slaywood and Martinez have a 10-Step program guaranteed to ruin a novel or two and stop a career dead in its spot. (my post about it)
bullet Uber Diva by Charles St. Anthony—a humorist writes a memoir of a Lyft/Uber driver mixed with a guide to starting/surviving/thriving as one in a tough market. St. Anthony also has a few other books out now that are probably worth a read. (my post about it)
bullet Flying Alone: A Memoir by Beth Ruggiero York—A female pilot’s memoir of her path from flight school to flying for TWA (now that I have a son learning to fly, some of her more harrowing experiences keep flashing through the back of my mind). (my post about it)

 

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Steampunk

By

On July 23, 2024

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Steampunk

(updated 7/23/24)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '24 Banner

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—just a sentence or two.  Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today we’re going to be looking at Self-Published Steampunk. This list doubled this year. Okay, sure, that’s still not a lot. It hardly seems to justify a separate list. But I kept these on their own so they wouldn’t get lost in the SF mix. Consider this an open invitation for people to fill up my comment section with recommendations so I can post a longer version of this list next time I run this.

bullet The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris—set in the same world as their Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series, this puts the adventurous group of homeless kids the Ministry uses in a private school to find an Egyptian artifact. I still need to write my post on it, but it’s worth your time.
bullet Bartleby and James: Edwardian Steampunk Chronicle by Michael Coorlim—these short stories are a nice little dose of Steampunk with a thin coating of Victorian P.I. Light fun. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed: A Steampunk Zombie Western by Jonathan Fesmire—the reanimated corpse of one of the most-feared lawmen in the West roots out a criminal organization set to rule California. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake by Jonathan Fesmire—Creed heads to SF and tangles with a human trafficking ring. (my post about it)
bullet Bodacious Creed and the San Francisco Syndicate by Jonathan Fesmire—Creed has settled into San Francisco and is on the hunt for an outlaw who uses machines to alter the bodies and minds of his victims. I haven’t read this yet, but I can’t pass up the chance to talk about it. Really looking forward to diving in.
bullet Aether Powered by James T. Lambert—A UW Engineering student inherits a trunkful of steampunk goodies from a distant relative. Action ensues. (my post about it)
bullet Steam Opera by James T. Lambert—An imaginative engineer/inventor and a gutsy investor attempt to land on the moon pre-1900. (my post is forthcoming)
bullet The Silk Empress by Josef Matulich—a brilliant and reckless British orphan finds himself on an airship on the Silk Road (well, technically, above it). It’s a rollicking adventure. (my post about it)
bullet The Golden Spider by Anne Renwick—a steamy Kraken-filled Steampunk story, lots of good action, and great inter-personal moments. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2024 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

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