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Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Raven

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island BooksRaven was kind enough to provide their own bio for me, so I’ll just shut up and let them get to it.

Hello! My nom de plume is Raven which is either (a) glamorous and mysterious or (b) a harbinger of doom depending on your viewpoint! In reality I am but a humble bookseller (21 years and counting) and book blogger at Raven Crime Reads based in the UK. I am a resident judge for the Petrona Award for Scandinavian Crime Fiction In Translation, and lurk on social media (links below) being pithy and interesting- in reality, probably deeply annoying and uninteresting…

X/Twitter- @ravencrime

Instagram- @ravencrimereads

BlueSky- @ravencrime.bsky.social

GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5973984-raven

The Storygraph- @raven88


Well, having been tasked by H.C. Newton—The Irresponsible Reader—to select five books with which to be washed up on a desert island, this was an enormously difficult decision. After much pondering and changing of mind, these are my final five!

Vikram Seth- A Suitable Boy

I have listened to the radio production, and watched the TV dramatization, but have never managed to make it through all 1349 pages of Seth’s magnum opus. I have tried on several occasions, but with the thought of being entirely alone on an island with possibly fewer distractions, this sprawling family saga, will be conquered once and for all…

Stephen King- The Stand

Despite being a confirmed fan of Stephen King, I have never read The Stand- 1325 pages- one of the very few of his I have not read over the years. Again, what an ideal time to get stuck into what is widely recognised as one of his finest books, and be enveloped in this nightmarish tale of apocalyptic destruction, sitting under a palm tree and listening to the waves lapping on to the beach.

F. Scott Fitzgerald- The Great Gatsby

Being a bookseller and a book blogger, my to-be-read mountain is of epic proportions, so I rarely have time to re-read anything. However, the one book I religiously re-read every year is this one. As one of the great American novels, this slim and affecting tale of life amongst the overprivileged folk of Long Island in the Jazz Age, remains one of my favourite books of all time. Would have to have a copy of this with me.

Raymond Chandler- The Big Sleep

I read this classic of crime fiction, way, way, before I should have done as a kid, and this is the book that I always cite as being the catalyst for my continuing passion for crime writing. Even now, my favourite authors of the genre, all have the spare, uncompromising style of Chandler, and that dry humour that underscores all of his books. Philip Marlowe would be a great companion to have on my desert island.

Magnus Mills- All Quiet On The Orient Express

This is probably a much lesser known book, but I wanted something to remind me of home, and the curious eccentricities of the British. Set in the beautiful surrounds of The Lake District, this remains one of the funniest, most surreal books I have ever read, and perfectly captures the quixotic nature of what makes the British, well, so British… A little piece of home when stranded far, far away…

Be sure to check out Raven Crime Reads and follow at least some of those social media accounts! That blog is (will all due respect to others) the best Crime Fiction-focused blog I follow. You want insightful takes? Here’s where you start.


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Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Mark Pepper

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
In his day job, Mark is an Intelligence Analyst for a financial regulator in Washington DC. He is a qualified secondary school drama teacher, and worked as an actor for fifteen years, having graduated from RADA in 1990. 

His first two novels, The Short Cut and Man on a Murder Cycle, were published by Hodder & Stoughton, and his third, Veteran Avenue, originally published by Urbane and now by Red Dog Press. Veteran Avenue, is mainly set in LA, and is currently being developed as a TV series by the actor Warren Brown. 

Find him on twitter: @PepSixSix

Mark Pepper writes Crime Fiction with a lot of punch–a couple of my recent favorites—but what kind of books does he recommend?


First Blood – David Morrell

The book that started it all off. Very different to the movie!

Dispatches – Michael Herr

The horror of Vietnam

Mortal Error: The Shot that Killed JFK – Bonar Menninger

Fascinating and compelling analysis of that day by a firearms and ballistics expert. By the end, you’ll be in no doubt.

Psychic Warrior – David Moorhouse

Billed as “The true story of the CIA’s paranormal espionage programme”, written by a key participant. More a spiritual journey than an exposé. Published in 1996, it makes you wonder what the hell they might be up to these days.

The Real Anthony Fauci – RFK Jr.

Controversial, but everything is backed up to the hilt by reference after reference. Whatever your political persuasion, set that aside and read about a truly evil man.

Be sure to check out Pepper’s Books!


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Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Lilly and Sara from Fiction Fans Podcast

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Fiction Fans Podcast is described as “A podcast about reading literature, depending on your definition of literature.” Join two casual readers as they completely ignore their academic backgrounds and talk about the books they loved, and sometimes the ones they didn’t. Includes segments like “Journey to the Center of the Discworld,” “Words are Weird,” and “Pet Peeves.” Ever wonder why someone would read bad fanfiction? They talk about that too. It can be found on its website, its Twitter feed, its Instagram page, and and its Goodreads page.

Lilly tries to get her podcast reading done in between projects at her day job, and tries to get writing done in between podcast episodes. She has a special soft spot for speculative fiction and tends to prefer formal poetry over freeform poetry even though she feels bad about that. Lilly has two cats who always keep her on her toes. She can be found on Twitter.

Sara has been an avid reader of SFF since she was a little girl insisting on bringing her book with her to the dinner table. When she’s not reading on the couch with her two pugs, she can be found outside in the garden. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram.


Conveniently, we were actually just on the Books to Last Podcast talking about this very question! If you want to learn more about our choices (including the books that almost made the cut), you can listen to the episode here or on all major podcast providers. [It was a lot of fun to listen to]

Lilly’s choices:

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

If forced to choose only one book from Lord of the Rings it would be ROTK. Partially because it is the end of the story so it actually gets wrapped up at the end, but mostly because this is the book that gives the most page time to Eowyn.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Okay so this is neither the first nor last book in this series, but these books are so episodic that it doesn’t really matter. What DOES matter is that this is the book with an amnesia plotline, which I am a huge sucker for.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I tried to avoid major bummers, but this book has such great re-readability that I couldn’t help myself. I feel like I get something new out of it every time I read it.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

This is somewhat a nostalgia pick, but I do love this series (and the first book has a satisfying enough ending to stand alone). It also always leaves me in a good mood when I’m reading it, which I think would be important on a desert island.

Hel’s Eight by Stark Holborn

The second book in its series, this book has all of the payoff that I was left wanting from Ten Low. An amazing dystopian/western setting, a little superstitious/spooky,  just a touch of romance, and some great found family means this book hits basically all of my buttons.

Sara’s choices:

The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

I chose this for two reasons: a) it’s very dense and would keep me occupied for a good long while and b) even though I’ve read it before, because it’s so dense I feel like I’ve never really retained much of it. If it’s one of five books I have to read on a desert island, maybe it’ll finally stick with me. Also I couldn’t not include at least one Tolkien book on here, and it felt like cheating to pick The Lord of the Rings as a single volume.

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

I debated between this and Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (for variety’s sake, I didn’t want repeat authors) but Night Watch ultimately won out because it’s the Discworld novel I reread every 25th of May. Hopefully I have some way of tracking the time while I’m on this island…

Dashing for the Post: The Letters of Patrick Leigh Fermor by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Sometimes you just want something non-fiction, and this collection has the benefit of reminding me of that time I saw Benedict Cumberbatch read a letter about genital crabs for charity

Saint Death’s Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney

This is technically the first book in a series, but I think it stands alone enough for me to not get (too) frustrated by not having the entire series with me, and the way that Cooney plays with words and language is just a joy to read. Also, the premise is a necromancer who is literally allergic to death, which is brilliant.

Legacy of Brick & Bone by Krystle Matar

This is book two in a series and almost certainly not stand alone enough for me to not get frustrated by not having the next book. I say “almost” because I haven’t actually read it but I really want to, and I’d definitely finally have the time to do so if I’m stranded on a desert island.

Be sure to check out the social media pages I listed above, and above all, listen to their Fiction Fans Podcast!


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Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Daniel Meyer

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Daniel Meyer tried his hand at a few careers, but fearing they were too realistic and achievable, he became a fantasy writer instead. Now he spends his days writing stories about magic and explosions. He is a lover of Eighties rock, an occasional kilt-wearer, and a supporter of raccoons. He lives in Missouri, where, as ever, he’s working on his next novel.

His debut novel Credible Threats, book one of the Sam Adams series, is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BDW5KGZN

https://www.danielmeyerauthor.com/

https://twitter.com/dmeyerauthor


My Top 5 Desert Island Books

By Daniel Meyer

The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

Most of Cornwell’s bibliography ranges from good to great, but The Winter King, book one of the Warlord Chronicles trilogy, is on a whole different level. Set in Dark Age Britain, the book combines Arthurian myth, history, and Cornwell’s considerable imagination to create what’s easily my favorite retelling of the King Arthur legend. The book follows Derfel, a minor figure from the King Arthur tales, from a naïve teenager to a powerful warrior fighting for Arthur in his desperate effort to unite the petty kingdoms of the British against the invading Saxons. His plans go haywire, as they’re wont to do, and Derfel, Arthur, and their allies go to war, fighting ruthless enemies and their own demons, culminating in a desperate, last-ditch battle against impossible odds. Simultaneously brutal and bewitching, The Winter King sucks the reader into a time period just as alien and fascinating as any fantasy world, a land of warring kingdoms, ruthless monarchs, battles, feasting halls, and magic. The depiction of magic is one of its strong suits: while the book takes place in our real world, the characters all believe in magic and the supernatural, and act accordingly. I particularly liked the concept of a ghost fence, an ostensibly magical barrier made from human skulls, meant to strike down any enemy that attempts to cross it. (If you want to know whether it works, you’ll have to read the book.) And you gotta love Cornwell’s sheer audacity for opening with the phrase “Once upon a time.”

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Now this one takes me back.

I first read The Hunger Games when I was freshly out of high school; it had seemed like something that would appeal to me, and after months of putting it off for some arcane reason, I bought the book and wasn’t disappointed. Like the bottom dropping out of a rollercoaster, it scooped me up and dragged me on a wild ride, before dumping me at the finish line with my mind boggled.

Equal parts vulnerable and ferocious, self-interested and heroic, immediately capturing the reader’s sympathy, Katniss Everdeen would be welcome company on a desert island; perhaps her battle to survive would give me some inspiration to build rafts and pick coconuts, or whatever it is people do when they’re stranded on a desert island. Though hopefully my own adventure wouldn’t involve people trying to kill me, unlike hers. It’s an emotional, exciting read, and witnessing the hype around it in real time was a ton of fun.

And while it’s by no means a light and fluffy book, it’s something of a comfort read nonetheless, when I revisit the characters and become invested all over again, just like when I read it the first time. I suppose it just goes to show that a favorite book can be like an old friend, and who wouldn’t appreciate having an old friend on a desert island?

Robert the Bruce by Ronald McNair Scott

If I’m going to be stuck on a desert island, I’d never want to do it without some nonfiction, and nonfiction doesn’t come much better than this biography of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. There are so many historical eras that fascinate me, and out of all of them, I suspect Medieval Scotland is my favorite. As the book opens, Robert Bruce is a young nobleman who’s one of several with a claim to the Scottish throne. His loyalties are torn between the Scots and the English, and once he finally makes his choice, he’s forced to battle impossible odds to even stay alive, let alone sit the throne. If that description sounds like some Ridley Scott historical epic, that’s intentional, because that’s exactly how the book reads. You’ll meet other fascinating figures as well, like Edward Longshanks, the Hammer of the Scots, Isabella MacDuff, who defied her husband to side with Robert Bruce, and James “The Black” Douglas, a knight turned guerilla fighter whose swashbuckling adventures threaten to steal the whole show.

With more knights, battles, castles, and cliffhangers than you can swing a sword at, this book catapults the reader into a savage but fascinating era, and it’s the perfect antidote to the claim that history is boring.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

File this one under “needs no introduction.”

First of all, it’s nice and thick, and a good doorstopper is a necessity for desert island reading. And there’s simply no way I could languish on a desert island without taking some fantasy along, and what better to take along than the first book of my favorite fantasy series?

It’s become so recognizable these days that people more or less take it for granted, but it bears repeating: these books are terrific, with George R.R. Martin weaving such a powerful spell that the fact I’d had some of its biggest twists spoiled by the TV series doing nothing to keep me from being on the edge of my seat the first time I read it.

In case you’ve been sitting out of pop culture for the last decade or so (and given that I haven’t listened to popular music since I graduated high school—is Flo Rida still around?— I’m in no position to judge), it goes like this: the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are in a state of uneasy peace, but the death (was it murder?) of the Hand of the King pushes the houses of Stark and Lannister to the brink of civil war. In the meantime, a young girl across the sea dreams of returning home to restore her dynasty to power, and in the far north, an ancient evil stirs that none of them are prepared for.

George R.R. Martin does a lot of things well, characters, lore, and so on, but for me, this series has always had an intangible extra something that I can’t put into words but has kept my attention more than any other fantasy epic I’ve come across.

The Barsoom Trilogy by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Okay, so I’ve fudged a little by including this one; it actually encompasses three books, A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, and The Warlord of Mars, but since my copy is an omnibus including all three, I thought I could get away with it. The stories, loosely interconnected, follow earthling John Carter as he’s transported to Mars under mysterious circumstances and starts battling pretty much everyone he meets. And though he begins as a loner, he ultimately finds himself with a motley crew of allies who are likeable characters in their own right. (Special mention goes to Woola, John Carter’s beastly and adorable companion.)

Though dated in many respects, the John Carter books are likely to be of interest to SFF fans, if for no other reason than to realize how much influence they had on the stories we enjoy today. And the depiction of Mars—Barsoom to its inhabitants—is fascinating. Disparate tribes and city-states fight for power and resources in a decaying world, Barsoom a shadow of its former glory, with medieval and futuristic technology coexisting side by side. Jam-packed with monsters, swordfights, airship battles, gladiator duels, and more, you’re never more than a few pages away from some new escapade, and its themes of exploring a hostile environment and rip-roaring adventure would make it an excellent desert island read.

Be sure to check out Meyer’s Credible Threats!


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GUEST REVIEW: Mars G. Everson on The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

When Mars G. Everson and I were talking about the Spotlight I did for his book, Thralls of a Tyrant God, we talked about the possibility of a guest post, too–and he suggested writing something about The Death Gate Cycle. I jumped at the idea (and would definitely jump at the other posts he mentions the possibility of).

I hope you enjoy this–and be sure to check out Everson’s works while you’re at it.


Death Gate Cycle Logo

When this blog’s owner mentioned the opportunity to do guest posts, I jumped at the chance to do a review of one of my all-time favorite fantasy series: The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, mostly known by their hugely influential Dragonlance books. Which is a shame, because I think some of their best works are the non-D&D ones, which include this series as well as Rose of the Prophet and The Darksword Trilogy, which I’ll get into at some later guest post if HC is gracious enough to allow me.

The Death Gate Cycle itself was hugely influential in my own work as a writer and surely influenced many more. It applied sci-fi elements to fantasy from the get-go, as the universe is slowly revealed to be a far-future version of Earth where a battle between two factions of magic users (the Sartan and the Patryn) caused the Earth to be splintered into four elemental worlds, and the Earth’s inhabitants (humans mostly, but also hidden Elves and Dwarves that come back to the forefront after the splintering). In this sense, there are some similarities to The Wheel of Time and to The Shannara Chronicles, but they are surface-level only. There are no immortal souls or chosen heroes. The “heroes” here are all immensely flawed, and the main protagonist of the series only takes center stage in book 2, as we’re exposed to a main character switch from book 1 to book 2 that reminds one of a classic George RR Martin’s bait and switch. The main character turns out to be an antihero who goes from a saboteur and chaos-maker to a freedom fighter and then rebels against his own people’s plans and destiny.

The world-building itself is one of the standouts of the series. The four elemental worlds are well-defined and are revealed in each of the first four books, which act as mostly standalone works tied up by a couple of characters showing up in them. You have an air-based world where humans and elves live in floating coral-like islands and fly on wooden ships with wings; a water-world where a sun circled around, bringing warmth to the underwater settlements; a fire-world where people are living inside the planet, in a kind of hollow sphere with a sun at the center, Dyson-sphere style; and finally a rock-world where lava and poisonous gases are barely held in check by magic to create pockets of breathable atmosphere where people can live. And all these worlds were connected by magic and technology to provide each other with the elements needed to support life until this ancient technology starts failing and each world’s inhabitants face extinction.

The magic system –as we’re used to calling these things now– consists of word and rune-based magic. But it’s all set up so that it’s treated as ancient tech: runes make machines work, or make pillars unbreakable, until the runes are inevitably erased or eroded. There is some degree of human, elven, and dwarven magic and technology, but it’s mostly secondary to the high achievements of the Sartan and the Patryn.

Now, where would this series be categorized today? Would it be “Grimdark”? Sure, there’s some cynical thinking behind the world, with no true “good” characters and some blatant disregard for people’s lives. Would it be “sci-fantasy”? Doubtful. Epic? Mm, if you wiggle around the definition, sure.

But whatever bookshelf you wanna put it in, this is a must-read series for fantasy readers and especially for fantasy writers to sink their teeth into.


Mars G. Everson Author PhotoMars G. Everson is the author of the grimdark trilogy “The God Engine”, the standalone sci-fi novel “The Name of the Shadow” and a collection of short stories.

He writes Sci-fi, Fantasy, and especially likes writing a mix of both. His favorite authors in those realms are Ursula K. Le Guin, Arthur C. Clarke, J.R.R. Tolkien and Brandon Sanderson. He became a writer mainly so he could put his name in the same paragraph as those writers. Mission Accomplished!

He would like to live in a time where technology is indistinguishable from magic. Luckily, reality is turning that way really fast. The bad part: reality is turning that way really fast.

He lives with his wife and superhero sons somewhere in America, when not traveling around this world and others in the multiverse to learn as much as he can about the human experience.

Social Media

Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page

The Inside Scoop—Guest Post: Why Do We Write? by Robert Germaux

Inside Scoop logoRobert Germaux has always been game for anything I’ve asked him if he wanted to do–which is great, because I’ve always appreciated whatever he produces. Better than the things he’s done with me are the books that he’s provided for me and/or I’ve purchased. Like this post, for example, which is a revised version of something that appeared in one of his books and on this site a few years ago. He’ll be back for the Self-Publishing Q&A here in a few.


In 1855, the difficulty of writing was described by some long-forgotten wit who said that words came from an author “drop by drop.” Jump ahead to 1949, when Pulitzer Prize winning sportswriter Red Smith, when asked if writing a daily column was hard, replied, “Why, no. You simply sit down at the typewriter, open your veins, and bleed.”

There are numerous other versions of the “open your veins and bleed” school of writing that have been ascribed to many people, including Ernest Hemingway. Unfortunately, there is no real evidence that Hemingway ever actually said anything along those lines, so I guess I’m not going to be able to sneak a good Papa reference into this essay. Another time, perhaps.

Getting back to the topic du jour, why do so many writers describe their craft in such disparaging terms? Apparently, a lot of us love the finished product but maybe not so much the process of getting there. Dorothy Parker, a founding member of the famed Algonquin Round Table, evidently was speaking for a good many writers when she said, “I hate writing. I love having written.”

While researching this piece, I had no trouble finding quotes about writers who claim to hate writing, but the reverse was definitely more difficult. Certainly, you can find people who say they enjoy writing, but they appear to be a distinct minority. For every author who said he or she loved writing, I found at least five or six who fell into the “tortured writer” category, which I have to admit came as a surprise. I mean, I don’t know about you, but if I was voluntarily engaging in an activity that I believed could in any way be compared to torture, I’d put an end to my participation in that activity right quick.

So, again, why do we write? Personally, I didn’t begin writing until I’d retired after three decades of teaching high school English, and it wasn’t until a good many years (and a bunch of books) later that I felt comfortable telling people I was a writer, as opposed to a retired teacher. Why do I write? Well, I can assure you it’s not for the money. At this moment, I have five books on Amazon: three mysteries, one love story (The Backup Husband) and a collection of humorous essays called Grammar Sex (and other stuff). My books sell for $2.99, which means my cut is a hefty $2.05 for every sale. So that recent vacation my wife and I took to Bermuda was courtesy of our teacher pensions and social security, not the man of the house’s book royalties.

I don’t hate writing. I wouldn’t keep doing it if I did (see previous reference: torture). Is writing hard for me sometimes? Of course, just as I’m sure it is for you. If I’m smack in the middle of one of my detective novels, do I enjoy waking up at 2:00 am and furiously scribbling down notes about scenes or dialogues I just found racing through my mind? Not really, but when I put those notes together the next day in another chapter of my book, it makes losing a bit of sleep the night before not so bad. If you’ve had similar experiences, you know what I mean. We just have to get those thoughts down. We just have to write.

To some degree, I think most writers are perfectionists, which explains Oscar Wilde’s quote about spending “all morning putting in a comma . . . and all afternoon taking it out.” Okay, that’s a little extreme, but you get the idea. My point here is that, as perfectionists, we like to be able to make sure that things work out the way we want them to, and creating our own little worlds is a great way to do just that.

One more note, this one maybe not so obvious. In fact, there’s a bit of irony involved. Writing is among the most solitary of professions, yet its end result is to link us to others (many others, we hope). That simple act of sitting down in front of your computer or laptop (or, in my case, at my kitchen table with a yellow legal pad and my Pilot Precise V5 extra fine point pen) allows us to make a connection with the rest of the world. And I think in the end, for me at least, that connection is both reason and reward for why I write.

I hope you’re in that minority of writers who not only have to write, but also actually like what you do. My experience has been that, unfortunately, most people don’t really enjoy their work. If you’re a writer, you’re already in a select group of people with skills that appear to be rapidly diminishing in our society. So take advantage of your talent. Have fun with it. Use it to form those connections with others. It may be frustrating at times (especially in the middle of the night when you turn on the light and awaken your ever-understanding and supportive spouse because you just figured out whodunit), but trust me, you’ll feel much better the next day when you write that final chapter in your latest masterpiece.

About the Author
Since penning this piece a few years ago, Robert Germaux has heeded his own advice and continued writing at that kitchen table. He is currently working on his 13th book. You can find more information about Bob and his books at his Amazon Author Page.


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The Inside Scoop—Guest Post: Self-Publishing Freedom by Raina Nightingale

Inside Scoop logoOne of the first things that Raina Nightingale said to me was that she wanted to do a Guest Post about the freedom of self-publishing. This sounded perfect to me, that freedom is one of those things that defines self-publishing to me. I’ll be posting the Self-Publishing Q&A with Nightengale a little later this morning, be sure to come back for that.


One of my favorite things about being a self-published author is my freedom to do pretty much whatever I choose. When I first started looking into publishing, one of the things I noted that was that traditionally published authors are sometimes constrained by deadlines. And deadlines – even if they seem comfortable – are never something I can handle or that works with my creative process. A book can be flowing smoothly, I can have two or three chapters left to write – and then I can hit the end of my inspiration for that story for months. But without a deadline, with full ownership to all the rights, I can write whatever story I feel like at the moment. I can jump between different works-in-progress in half-different genres, and just enjoy my stories.

I can enjoy my stories and write them to be whatever I feel like. I can (deliberately, or by accident) subvert plot expectations, or ignore conventional story arcs and use completely different ones. I can write about common themes, or ones that are rarer. I’m not guaranteed to sell; I’m not guaranteed that everyone, or very many people – or strictly speaking, anyone – will like how I decide to do things. But I can do them however I like, take or ignore advice as I choose, and see how it works. Which suits me, as I write first and foremost for myself, because these are the stories I’d want to read.

And the ones that won’t leave me alone in my head. Some of them are more conventional in plot type and arc, but they’re all the stories of people, living in a world, and sometimes those stories don’t line up with very many of the conventions. As a self-published author, I can let my stories and my characters be themselves, and share those stories and characters.

I can publish them however I choose, on a time-table I set. I don’t have to wait many years to publish something unless I want to, and I don’t have to be incredibly rushed either unless I choose. And one thing I’ve recently discovered is that I really enjoy doing interior art and formatting. The design, that is. The implementation is tedious and not my favorite thing at all, but I love designing my book to be just the way I like it, and making little drawings or art pieces to fit it. It really makes me feel like this is my book, my artwork in which I can revel.

And which I hope to share with many, many others. Maybe not as many as if I were more inclined to follow conventions, but I know there are others out here who like things that are a bit – or a lot – different. I know that, as big of a seller as the romance genre is and as romantic subplots are, there are people who’d like to read high fantasy with a focus on not-so-romantic relationships front and center. A lot of people might like to be able to know what the story’s going to be before they buy the book, even if they don’t want the specific spoilers. Other people would like to be surprised, though (like me) they might not mind the specific spoilers – or even seek them out.

So, that is it. Self-publishing can be a lot of work, and one of the hard things can be finding those readers who are meant for you – or perhaps better to say your book is meant for them! But it can be very rewarding.

Be sure to check out Nightengale’s books and website!


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The 2023 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

GUEST POST: 7 Tips for Creating a Home Library

Every so often, the good people at Siege Media send me a nice infographic to share. It’s legitimately one of my favorite things to find in my Inbox. I think you’ll enjoy this one, and the nice introduction that they sent to go with it.


7 Tips for Creating a Home Library by Jennifer Anderson

Ever seen those picture-perfect home libraries and wish you had your own?

Adding a home library, or the specific place in the home for storing all of one’s favorite reads, is a bookworm’s dream for a reason. The beautifully organized shelving offers both a decorative touch to any space and a peaceful respite for the avid reader. You may have your favorite digital or audiobooks, but nothing beats an extensive library of physical books.

In this guide, we explain how to make a home library by starting with seven simple tips. Keep reading to learn everything you need to begin creating your own personal collection.

1. Analyze Your Collection
The first step to creating a home library is to gather all the books you currently own and sort them by category. You might find that you already have enough books to fill up your personal collection. If not, you’ll want to determine which kinds of books you want to add to your library.

Taking note of how many books you have will help you determine how much space you need for your home library.

2. Find the Space
Once you’ve determined how many books you have, you’ll need to find a space in your home that can accommodate your collection. It’s best to avoid spaces on outside walls, since their temperature can change frequently.

In addition, steer clear of areas where you eat and drink to avoid pests. Instead, opt for spaces you don’t use as much, like under beds or in corner nooks.

3. Determine Your Budget
Next, you’ll need to figure out a budget for your home library renovation. Take note of any costs that come with the storage and accessories you want, such as shelving, seating, and cushions.

If you don’t have enough books to fill your space, factor in any additional costs for book purchases. Check out compilations in your desired genre, like some of the best nonfiction books, and determine the price of those additions.

4. Choose Your Shelving
There are two main types of shelving used in home libraries: built-in and freestanding. Built-in shelving refers to permanent fixtures built into the walls of the home. Alternatively, freestanding shelving is a movable fixture, such as a bookcase.

The type you choose will depend on the kind of look you want, as well as whether you want your library to be temporary or permanent.

5. Think About Lighting
Since your home library is where you’ll do the most reading, it’s critical to have ideal lighting. To do so, you’ll want to make sure the natural and artificial light in the room meet your needs.

Try to choose a room with a window that lets in a lot of natural light during the day. From there, add lamps for accent lighting that highlights your home library and makes it easier to read at night.

6. Add Lots of Color
Many home libraries make great use of color, in the form of both books and extra elements. To give your space your desired color palette, consider painting your shelving, putting on wallpaper, or adding colorful trinkets on your shelves.

Whichever colors you choose, just make sure to match your home library’s color scheme with the rest of the room.

7. Pick an Organization Style
Your home library is your own personal collection, so it’s important to decide on an organization style that makes the most sense for you. Popular styles include chronological, alphabetical, by color, or by genre.

For those who have kids, place their favorites like the Harry Potter series on lower shelves so they’re within reach.

Making a home library can seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually easier than you think. Simply by following these seven tips, you can start creating the home library of your dreams.

For even more information and tips about creating a home library, take a look at the infographic below.

 

There’s a Reason I Write by Ian Patrick Robinson

Strolling Down Amnesia Lane

There’s a Reason I Write

by Ian Patrick Robinson

Fight ClubIn 1996 I was reading the hardback edition of Fight Club. This is the only book that’s really resonated with me. The power of the language and the themes it explored have stood the test of time. If you’ve seen the film then it would be easy to think the book’s all about toxic masculinity – it’s far from that.

The following is my own opinion based on reading the book many times. It’s not to be considered in any way a critique worthy of note. So, without trying to give any spoilers, here’s my take on the book that resonated with me in 96.

The narrator’s going through what could be described as existential angst. He’s in a job he hates and can see no way out of until he meets Tyler Durden, a soap salesman who introduces him to his take on life. In 1996, I was six years in a police career that would last twenty-seven. I was young, but not what I would consider to be impressionable. I was working in the Criminal Investigation Department where the regular fallout of many a punch up would await me in the cells each morning. Each one with a tale of innocence to tell. Innocent until proven guilty, that is.

It was a time where CCTV wasn’t prominent, mobile phones weren’t a thing, and pagers were only beginning to come in. It was a time of face-to-face engagement, or you picked up a landline and had a conversation. Witness statements were taken on paper and interviews were just beginning to be taped—yes, taped. Fight Club was all about conversation—conversations between the narrator and those he would seek in self-help groups he didn’t belong to. Conversations with all walks of life who’d come together to fight, to bond, to express their desire for freedom, freedom from expectations of conformity to the “norm” and freedom to be themselves.

Every individual I came in contact with had a choice of how they would react at the time prior to committing the offence. They just didn’t take the option of least resistance. There are many quotes in Fight Club that the author, Chuck Palahniuk, nailed. Google them to see the best, or better still read the book.

In 2015 I was diagnosed with an incurable muscle-wasting condition. A condition with no name that fell under the umbrella of Muscular Dystrophies.

My policing career was over after 27 yrs. Yes, I could have stayed on doing a desk job, but that wasn’t why I joined.  Now I write books. Books of crime fiction and I’m working on others that aren’t. Rubicon, Stoned Love, Fools Gold, and How the Wired Weep are my attempt at urban noir. Latent Damage, Cover Blown, and Shots Fired a stab at police procedural.

There’s a reason I write and that’s due to Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club:

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

What will you do?

It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.


Sam Batford Trilogy

How the Wired Weep

Nash & Moretti series

Header image by jplenio from Pixabay

Back to the Past by Jeff Quest

Strolling Down Amnesia Lane

Back to the Past

by Jeff Quest

I would love to say I was the 19-20-year-old who read Proust and Pynchon with regularity and could quote from the oeuvre of Whitman and Wordsworth; but I wasn’t then, and still am not now.

Instead, where I found myself in the year 1996 was that for the first time I was within walking distance to three bookstores, had access to a university library with tons of books/scripts, and more time to dedicate to reading than I can even imagine currently. That time of my life was when my reading options began to expand beyond the low-hanging fruit.

I was very much into the branded sci-fi/fantasy of the time so the Star Wars X-Wing novels and various Star Trek books loomed large in my reading. For all of my fantasy reading of the time, I managed to skip the book released that year that would come to dominate the fantasy world over the past ten years—A Game of Thrones.

My mystery/thriller/espionage fandom hadn’t fully formed yet. I would pick up the likely suspects you’d find in the drug store spinner rack, Cussler, Clancy, Ludlum, but I hadn’t yet tried some of the more challenging authors that now top my favorites list like Eric Ambler, John le Carré, or Len Deighton. I’d read Sherlock Holmes and other mysteries, but I’m happy that my mystery reading has broadened to include fun series authors like Rex Stout, SJ Rozan, and Will Thomas plus a recent class has introduced me to several authors whose work has been translated into English.

I did find one enduring read that I can trace back to that particular year – P.G. Wodehouse. His Mr. Mulliner omnibus introduced me to an unknown world of vicars, broadway producers, movie stars and writers who proceed to get into more zany situations than you can shake a stick at. He’s a writer that I love to return to, especially any time when life gets stressful and I need to shift to a different world where the stakes are low.

1996 also found my reading including a lot of plays and I discovered one of my favorite playwrights – David Ives. Although it’s almost always preferable to watch theater rather than read it, in Ives’ case the reading is just as pleasurable. His beguiling short play The Universal Language, about a con man that “teaches” his students how to speak his “universal language” made up of nonsense words, is one of my favorites. Back in ‘96 I was dying to perform in one of his short plays and I pledged to will a production of his work into existence, something I eventually succeeded in doing five years later. That show was also how I started dating my wife, so the seeds of my life now were truly planted back in 1996.

 

 


Jeff Quest is a reader with less time to read than he’d prefer. He writes about spy fiction at SpyWrite.com and podcasts on Nero Wolfe at LikeTheWolfe.com, Mick Herron at BarbicanStation.com and spies at Spybrary.com.

Header image by jplenio from Pixabay

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