Fantasy, Reading together, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Sagara, Michelle: Cast in Shadow (Chronicles of Elantra I) (2005)

2014-08-20 humanitysdarkerside 2 Comments

http://www.deviantart.com/art/ELANTRA-Lord-Nightshade-348308131

Kaylin by athenapallas87

Illustrated by Mathia Arkoniel

Illustrated by Mathia Arkoniel

Illustrated by Mathia Arkoniel

My son and I just finished reading Michelle Sagara‘s Cast in Shadow. Reading Michelle Sagara’s writing out loud is a completely different experience to the one we have had reading together lately. She has a lot more dialogue and Cast in Shadow reads more like a play than a novel. Realizing this has made me even more aware of the importance of reading my own posts before I put them on my blog.

… she added softly, remembering. The way they had huddled together in a room that was warm because it was small and it held so many of them. The way Jade had come to her side, had put a skeletal arm around her, …

Poverty stinks. There is the physical stink that comes from not being able to afford all of the things a lot of people (myself included) take for granted. Even stinkier is the unfairness of it all.

When Kaylin at the age of 13 moves out of the fiefs and becomes a hawk, one of the first things she notices is how different the two sides of the river are. Yes, there is poverty. Yes, there is crime (hence the Hawks, Swords and Wolves). Yes, there is inequality. But in the fiefs life was worse to such a degree that we might compare the fiefs with the slums anywhere in the world. The other side of the Ablyn would be more like Norway.

Moving from the fiefs (in her case Nightshade’s) to the Emperor’s side of the Ablyn is no simple matter. In Kaylin’s case she was helped/hindered by the magical marks that appeared on her arms at a younger age. The decision was to either kill her or to let her be under control of the Hawks. The Hawklord felt she deserved a chance to prove herself, now that the danger seemed to be over. Kaylin’s marks represent a danger to both Elantra and the fiefs if the process that was once begun is completed. (Hah, hah not going to tell you more about that).

Because I am practically 50 and perhaps because I happen to be autistical I understand the choice Severn made seven years ago. Kaylin’s rage/sorrow/hatred against him is also something I understand. Now that she is 20 rather than 13 she slowly begins to see Severn’s role in another light.

I also get why Kaylin was so pampered by the Hawks. She was 13 when she was allowed life and given the position of maskot and private. With the immortal Barrani she will always be a child age-wise although her knowledge and understanding has increased. Marcus, the Leontine, loves her dearly because of what she did for one of his wives. The same goes for the Aerians. You see, Kaylin has decided that she needs to use her magic for certain things.

Even though reading out loud was more difficult this time, Kaylin, Severn and Nightshade all captured my heart. My son must have felt the same way for he has stated that he wants to hear book number two of the series: Caught in Courtlight.

Reviews:

Cast in Shadow on Amazon • Chapters • Borders • Indiebound
Books A Million • B & N • Powell’s • Book Depository • Vroman’s

Ebook on Amazon • B&N • Kobo • iTunes US/CA/UK / AU • Sony • OmniLit • Google • Diesel

Audiobook on Audible US • iTunes US / CA

Fantasy

Kerpen, Dave: Want To Be Taken Seriously? Become a Better Writer (2013)

Link 2014-08-19 humanitysdarkerside 1 Comment

Practice
Hearing my own texts
Editing

Kerpen, Dave: Want To Be Taken Seriously? Become a Better Writer (2013)

The number of poorly written emails, resumes and blog posts I come across each month is both staggering and saddening. Their grammar is awful. There are dozens of misspellings. Language is much wordier or more complex than necessary. Some things I read literally make no sense at all to me.

Writing is a lost art, and many professionals don’t realize how essential a job skill it is. Even if you’re not a writer by trade, every time you click “Publish” on a blog, “Post” on a LinkedIn update, or “Send” on an email, you are putting your writing out into the world.

Your writing is a reflection of your thinking. Clear, succinct, convincing writing will differentiate you as a great thinker and a valuable asset to your team.

If you want to be thought of as a smart thinker, you must become a better writer. If you want to be taken seriously by your manager, colleagues, potential employers, clients and prospects, you must become a better writer.

It’s not just you who must become a better writer- it’s all of us. I’ll be the first to admit, I too have had to learn to become a better writer. So here are five ways that I’ve become a better writer over the last several years:

1) Practice, practice, practice. The old joke comes to mind: A tourist in New York asked a woman on the street, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” and she replied, “Practice, practice, practice.” The truth is, the best way to get better at anything is to do it repeatedly. Write a personal blog or begin that novel you’ve always wanted to write. Offer to write some content for your company’s marketing team. Write a short, interesting LinkedIn update each day. The more you write, the better you’ll become at writing. That’s why I write here on LinkedIn every Monday and Thursday, no matter what.

2) Say it out loud. I read all of my articles and books out loud before I publish them, and many of my emails out loud as well. It’s great to hear my writing the way others will “hear” it as they read. Especially since tone in emails is difficult to convey, it’s valuable to say what you’re writing aloud, and then consider a quick edit, before you put it out there.

3) Make it more concise. Less is often more, so during my editing process, I’ll often ask, “How can I say the same thing in fewer words?” People don’t have time to read a long email, or memo, or article, so out of respect for your intended audience, practice making your writing short and sweet. I’d even argue that tweeting has helped me a lot with this, as it obviously limits you to 140 characters. If you’re not on Twitter yet, this is another reason to get tweeting.

4) Work on your headlines. A mentor once told me that 50% of your writing is the headline. So, spend equal time and energy working on your headline as you do the piece itself. Whether it’s the headline of a blog post or an inter-office memo, or a subject line for an email to a sales prospect, your headlines will either grab your reader’s attention, and get them interested in what you have to say, or not. Lists and questions work very well as headlines and subject lines. Practice them.

5) Read. Besides practicing writing, the number one way to improve your writing skills is to read great work. I read at least one book per month, at least 20 articles per week, and countless tweets, Facebook posts and emails per day. I know we all have limited time, but truly the best way to become a better writer is to become a better reader.

These are my methods for becoming a better writer. Now, I’d love to hear from you! Do you agree or disagree with me that all business professionals can work to become better writers? How important is good writing to you? And how have you become a better writer over your career? Let me know in the comments below!

If you liked this article, you will LOVE my new book, Likeable Leadership, a collection of 65 inspirational stories on marketing, your career, social media, and more!

How to Get Everything You Want. Seriously

Dave Kerpen is the founder and CEO of Likeable Local. He is also the cofounder and Chairman of Likeable Media, and the New York Times bestselling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable Business, and the just-released Likeable Leadership. To read more from Dave on LinkedIn, please click the FOLLOW button above or below.

Want to learn about how to grow your business using social media in 2 minutes? Click here

Fantasy, Short story/novella, Young Adult

May, K.C.: Sole Sacrifice (The Kinshield Legacy – prequel) (2010)

2014-08-17 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Author’s note:

This is the tragic story of how one character in my novel The Kinshield Legacy became who he is.

We all know it. As he dreaded, Sithral Tyr certainly comes to understand that his choices have consequences. What he gained the greatest insight into during Sole Sacrifice was exactly how far he was willing to go and what he was willing to risk when the life of his child was on the line.

I have wondered this myself a great many times. What would I risk if the lives of my children were in danger? At what point does the price become too high? What if I don’t know ahead of time?

I really enjoyed this novella about choices and their consequences.

——————————————————————-

Reviews:

——————————————————————-

Sole Sacrifice on Amazon UK

Fantasy

Wolfe, Anna: Poisoned by Deceit (The One Rises IV) (2014)

2014-08-15 humanitysdarkerside 1 Comment

Cover Art by Jonathan Burkhardt and Kip Ayers; http://mmogrinder.net/author/mmogrinder/ http://www.kipayersillustration.com/ Editorial Work by Tara Schlagenhauf — Cover Art by Jonathan Burkhardt and Kip Ayers; http://mmogrinder.net/author/mmogrinder/
http://www.kipayersillustration.com/
Editorial Work by Tara Schlagenhauf

Anna Wolfe‘s stories aren’t particularly long. Poisoned by Deceit was 121 pages according to the PDF file I read. I was given a copy of Poisoned by Deceit by Anna Wolfe – no strings attached. But you know me. I love to read and I have come to love working on this blog.

Edith Carter, or Edie as she prefers, is one of Silas’ trainees. In reality she is probably at the stage where it is time for her to move on. She and Silas work so well together that Edie isn’t all that comfortable about letting him go. Silas was the one she ended up with as a trainer when she lost control of her powers and almost killed her husband.

To say that Edie is bothered by this near-killing is an understatement. While it wasn’t really her fault, she still blames herself for what nearly happened. This is an interesting trait I have noticed in people I know and people I read about. Every once in a while I also find myself dipping my toes into the “what-if” pool of regrets. Regretting her past actions and anguishing about her “what-ifs” definitely rules part of Edie’s life.

Regretting past actions is partly what The One Rises is about. Logically, it is silly to feel bad about what cannot be changed. At the same time we need to have an understanding of the effects of our previous actions. Balancing the two is awfully hard. I know I haven’t managed it yet and Edie has an even longer way to go before she is able to let go of her past.

She is getting better. Better at controlling her powers and better at seeing the past for what it was. Being bitten by a demon-ridden isn’t something most people long for. It just seems to happen once a demon has taken over a body turning it into a demonridden. That is the way it happened for Edie as well. Now she and the group will have to save her ex-husband’s nephew and a bunch of other teens who seem to have been kidnapped by the Chosen (demonbitten with a superiority complex).

I continue to love Anna Wolfe’s writing. Her book was devoured once I found the time to sit down with it. There is plenty of action, plenty of tension (sexual as well as violent) as well as a look into the gray of human psyche. Definitely recommended.

Interview with Anna Wolfe by Pembroke Sinclair

Poisoned by Deceit on Smashwords

My review of:

Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

McLeod, Suzanne: The Shifting Price of Prey (spellcrackers.com IV) (2012)

2014-08-10 humanitysdarkerside 2 Comments

http://www.lovetripper.com/caribbean/2222006-trinidad-carnival.html

The Shifting Price of Prey – Design Nick Castle – http://nickcastledesign.com/

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33600000/Wow-_-captain-jack-sparrow-33627003-2250-1405.jpg

http://voicewithinthecards.wordpress.com

Garden Fairy by Brian Froud – http://worldoffroud.smugmug.com/

By Thore Hansen – http://www.gyldendal.no/Barn-og-ungdom/6-9-aar/Zaga

The Goblin who Stole a Sexton by Hablot Knight Browne – http://familychristmasonline.com/stories_other/dickens/gabriel_grub.htm

The Shifting Price of Prey is the fourth book in the story of Genvieve Nataliya Zakharinova Taylor, her past, her present and her potential future. You definitely need to have read the previous three novels to get the most out of The Shifting Price of Prey.

As you might have noticed in my previous reviews of the spellcrackers.com serial, I have used art from various sources to represent the creatures/people in Suzanne McLeod’s stories. I have tried to stay true to the characters she describes, but the only one I am certain of is Ricou. Ricou loves putting on the glamour of Jonny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Good choice Ricou. There is just something about Jack Sparrow as presented by Jonny Depp that leaves a lot of women (including myself) wanting to stare. I love the choice McLeod made there.

Ricou and Sylvia are incredibly cute together. The Bitter Seed of Magic showed us the extent of their love across the boundaries of race. Their mothers aren’t pleased with Sylvia and Ricou choosing each other. In The Shifting Price of Prey these same two mothers are still conniving to get their way with Genvieve. One of the many things I love about fantasy and science fiction is the way real life issues are brought to light in a manner that makes me think. Perhaps taking issues into the land of imagination make them clearer and easier to understand for me. Because I find it terribly confusing to try to understand why something like color should make us hate each other and not want our children to love each other. It’s just really weird and illogical in my mind.

Another thing I really enjoy about reading Suzanne McLeod’s story of Genny and her friends is the way she shows us the silly excuses we use in our lives to justify what we do. Take Finn. He drops in from taking care of his daughter. In The Bitter Seed of Magic it is highly likely that Nicky had been raped into pregnancy. Finn and she went off into Between with the other girls who had become pregnant so the babies and the women would be safe. That is completely understandable and Genny agrees wholly with what he does. But Finn is incredibly stupid when it comes to one thing in his life and this time (again) he uses the dumbest excuse to rationalize his actions. I love the way McLeod reveals the issue to us and also my own reaction when I hear his excuse. I cannot help feeling sorry for Finn with his blind side. I also cannot help but wonder what my own blind sides are.

I have met people like Mr. Lampy. Shudder. Genny’s reaction is something I identify with. Mr. Lampy’s creep factor is way out there and as we read through The Shifting Price of Prey it keeps on rocketing. Which is why I absolutely loved Cat-Girl’s question and Genny’s answer at one point. Way to go both of them!

Tarot cards are something I know nothing about, except for what I have seen in movies or read about in fictional works. After reading about the ones in The Shifting Price of Prey I am no closer to becoming a fan of them. If there is one thing that is certain in Genvieve’s life it has to be that nothing comes to her the simple and easy way. Oh, no! Suzanne McLeod has to make her fight for every little answer. As a reader I love, it but I tend to feel sorry for the poor characters who have to suffer the author’s pen.

Anyways! I had fun with The Shifting Price of Prey. Suzanne McLeod met my expectations completely and I certainly look forward to reading the next installment of this serial.

Reviews:

The Shifting Price of Prey on Amazon.co.uk, Kindle, Book Depository, Waterstones

My review of:

Carnival Fantastique is based on the Carnival in Trinidad

Autism / Aspergers

Invisible Autistic: Autism and Root Canal treatment

2014-08-06 humanitysdarkerside 1 Comment

A friend of mine, who happens to be an aspergers, runs a blog called Invisible Autistic. On it she describes her experience of various events in her life, asks for advice and shows us all what a cool person she is.

Several of her posts lately have been about her whole experience of getting a root-canal and the many complications that arise due to autism. I am giving the you the links in the order in which they happened so you can get a look at how aspergers creates barriers in a situation that many people take for granted.

Information on dental care and root canals may be found here

Autism / Aspergers

I Cast Thee Out Facebook: A Story About Why I Decided to Nuke My Addiction to Social Media, and How It Fits In With The Story of Millennials

Link 2014-08-06 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

The power Facebook and other social media can hold in our lives.

Science Fiction, Young Adult

Simpson, David: Sub-Human (Post-Human 1) (2012)

2014-08-05 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Because of the way my head works, I think that for me it is best to start the series with Sub-Human. This what I chose to do, so too late now. David Simpson discusses the (dis)advantages of the two ways to read the series.

I see Sub-Human as a story about who has the right to definitions and the lengths to which people will go to enforce their definitions upon others.

What is intelligence?

At what exact point do 1’s and 0’s come to life?

What is a human?

What arguments do we use to justify killing others so we can be “right”?

The Purists are fine with injecting certain soldiers with “nano-infusions”. Yet these infusions change people into super-humans/super-soldiers who can withstand extreme conditions. The Purists are also fine with using dirty bombs to destroy those they consider techno-friendly. Nor are they afraid of killing their own people. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that the Purists represent what I would call an extreme point of view. Yet I sometimes wonder if those kinds of views are becoming increasingly popular because they seem to hold uncomplicated answers.

When the soldiers from the US go on a mission with an AI robot that specializes in heavy trauma suspended animation body bags it makes me wonder exactly who it is that profits from the Purists being in government. Have those who profit been able to use their long-term thinking caps? Hmmm.

Seen from my point of view I found Sub-Human a realistic portrayal of the idiotic decisions we humans make over and over again. A look back into history will show us a frightening tendency toward self-destructive behavior, except now our weapons are a bit more destructive than they used to be. It also clearly shows how hypocritical we are when our own lives are on the line.

Review:

Sub-Human available on Amazon USA

Humour

Weston, Maxwell: One Less Meg (2012)

2014-08-05 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

One Less Meg - Maxwell Weston

One Less Meg reminds me of the many dark jokes we told as children. You know, the “baby-jokes” and “rhyming-jokes”.

I believe children will get the joke and laugh because children have a pretty dark sense of humor. I found it funny.

Let me see, One Less Meg consists of 5 drawings (pages). Each drawing has text on it. This text totals 45 words. So my review is longer than the text of the joke.

Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult

McLeod, Suzanne: The Bitter Seed of Magic (Spellcrackers III) (2011)

2014-08-04 humanitysdarkerside 1 Comment

“Bean Sidhe” by Alessandro Cristiano at elfwood.com

Danu: http://www.thesilverbranch.org/goddess/power/danu.html

http://gatherer.wizards.com

http://worldoffroud.smugmug.com/Books

Morrigan: https://journeyingtothegoddess.files.wordpress.com

Detective Inspector Helen Crane of the Metropolitan Police’s Magic and Murder Squad embodies the law of unintended consequences to me. As we saw in The Sweet Scent of Blood and The Cold Kiss of Death DI Crane is out to get Genvieve Taylor. Helen is a Witch. Genvieve a Sidhe. Crane’s hatred is not due to their two races, or rather not directly. In her youth Helen Crane went through a traumatic experience that has caused her hatred for both the Sidhe fae and for Vampires. Poor Genny hasn’t a clue why DI Crane is out to destroy her, but Genvieve Taylor is the one who has to live with the consequences of that long-ago experience.

Spellcrackers.com is both serial and series. If you want to understand the overarching story of the whys and whereofs of the search for a solution to the fae sterility problem you will need to read the preceding novels. But if all you want is a fun mystery then you can read The Bitter Seed of Magic on its own. That also goes for The Sweet Scent of Blood and for The Cold Kiss of Death.

Our mystery in The Bitter Seed of Magic has to do with the strange circumstances around the deaths of fae women. They turn up glamoured to look like human girls. At the very least all magic should have been washed away by the River Thames from which they were pulled. But this is not the case. Obviously magic is involved and because of its nature Genvieve becomes involved. At first only to remove the spells on their bodies. Then it becomes personal – due to the matter of the feud DI Crane has instigated.

Genny’s own past comes to haunt her. She meets long-lost relatives. Her nickname for one of them is Mad Max (no irony intended) and that should tell you what you need to know about him. Others of her relatives also make an appearance in Genvieve’s life, but I will leave you to find out just who they are on your own. Lets just say that Mad Max is not the only crazy family Genny has. Perhaps crazy is the wrong word for their personalities. Amoral might be a better one or maybe just ethically different seeing as none of them are human.

One thing our experiences with Genvieve Taylor shows is that curses are a whole lot simpler to cast than to undo. In fact that goes for all of our experiences in life. In general it seems to be easier to prevent than to fix. Poor Genny. Left having to fix the idiocy and thoughtlessness of others. She is not on her own though and that could help. Having friends does seem to make my troubles easier to bear. New friends turn up in Genny’s life making her troubles a little less complicated as well. She will need those friends considering just who is pushing Genvieve around. Phew. I am so glad I am not her. Boring is good is my motto when it comes to my own life.

But excitement in the form of stories and excellent authors is another matter. Suzanne McLeod not only makes Genvieve Nataliya Zakharinova Taylor come alive for me but also very much makes me care what happens to her and her life and her friends.

Reviews:

The Bitter Seed of Magic on: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Books.A.Million, Chapters.ca, IndieBound, Penguin.com, Powell’s, The Book Depository

Read Chapter 1

My review of:

Fae dictionary

Fantasy, Reading together, Young Adult

Britain, Kristen: Mirror Sight (Green Rider V) (2014)

2014-08-03 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Mirror Sight by Donato Giancolo, 2014; Final result

Final cover for “Mirror Sight”; Jacket art by Donato Giancolo, jacket design by G-Force Design

Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014

Final AS cover for “Mirror Sight”

Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014

Mirror Sight by April Schumacher, 2013; on pallanoph.deviantart.com

Sketch idea for “Mirror Sight” by Donato Giancolo, 2014

My son and I managed to finish Mirror Sight just in time. We are entering a new phase in our lives with him going off to college. Hopefully this will not be our last story to be read together. Hopefully this isn’t the last book of the Green Rider series either. It did have a sense of closure to it. Except maybe not.

Once again we have enjoyed ourselves immensely. Kristen Britain‘s writing lends itself to being read aloud, something I wish all writers could learn from. She did throw in a couple of tongue-twisters this time but I consider that a chance to laugh together and good practice in getting my mouth around new sounds. Anyways, excellent writing from the oral point of view.

On to content. Let’s take my son first. He loved this story about Karigan and her journey into the future. When Blackveil ended with Karigan trapped in the sarcophagus, my son wanted to write Kristen an extremely irate letter stating how cruel he thought she was toward him as a reader. Not so this time. He seemed to enjoy himself very much. There were a couple of spots that both he and I found funny. One was when the professor caught Cade and Karigan fighting. We also very much enjoyed the interactions between Miriam and Karigan and the meeting of the Riders underneath the glass ceiling. Another funny incident was the table Cade, Karigan and Silk were sitting at during Silk’s evening of entertainment. Neither of us enjoyed the way Stirling treated Cade nor the way he and others had treated Yolandhe. But we found Silk’s animal encounter in the museum satisfying and also Yolandhe’s way of getting back at both Silk Sr. and Stirling. Very satisfying. He was impressed with Ms. Britain’s background information at the end of the book about her time as a guide. We are both people who like details like that. When we were finished my son wanted me to find out if there was to be another book in the series.

In the past I used to ask myself a lot of “What if?” questions. Perhaps all of us do. Kristen Britain must have done so herself at times, as Mirror Sight is very much about what could be given certain choices or events. While we never discover what could have happened in real life, Karigan has the chance to see what might be if certain events take place. The future she lands in isn’t a pleasant one but in many ways it reminds me of the one many of us live in.

Sometimes I wonder if we humans see how destructive we are with our inventive abilities. While all species on this planet consume and procreate without a thought for balance, we seem to have taken things up several levels from the other races inhabiting earth. In that sense Karigan’s future is very similar to our own present.

Women’s place in society had been extremely curtailed in the time Karigan landed. Karigan’s real time seems somewhat like my own space in time and the opportunities women have here in Norway. The future she lands in is much more like the lives that women of Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Oman, Quatar and so on are living. In Mirror Sight their only role is to bear children (sons) and be property. Servants are somewhat freer (but way poorer) and slaves, well they are slaves and treated as such. I believe my reaction to suddenly having to live a life like that would be much like Karigan’s to having to adjust to her experience. But in addition to having to adjust to being a woman in such a place, Karigan has to figure out a way to get back to her own time. Britain hasn’t made life any simpler for Karigan by doing this to her main character.

Oppression is very much a part of the life Karigan lands in. Eastern Germany, the Soviet Union, Russia today, Egypt and increasingly the US are only some countries that come to mind when the propaganda of the government and the curtailing of people’s rights of Karigan’s future are shown.

As entertainment Mirror Sight is a wonder. From her first story about Karigan G’ladheon, I have been enchanted with Kristen Britain’s writing and was happy when my son shared my enjoyment. These are fun, interesting, informative stories that help me question my own version of truth.

Reviews:

Mirror Sight available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Penguin

Available in audio at: audible, iTunes

My reviews of:

Fantasy, Mystery

McLeod, Suzanne: The Cold Kiss of Death (Spellcrackers II) (2009)

2014-08-02 humanitysdarkerside 3 Comments

Authors who are able to lift serious issues into the light without leaving me with a sense of having been preached to are gems. Suzanne McLeod is one of those.

The child stood barefoot and ignored in the cold, sheeting rain; her long dark hair was tossed by the fractious wind and her ragged clothes hung off her undernourished body. She was no more than eight or nine years old. She waited, staring at me from dark angry eyes. My heart beat faster at the sight of her, fingers of fear scraping down my spine and setting my teeth on edge.

As you see, not much of a sense of having been preached to in those introductory sentences. Suzanne McLeod knows how to build her tension. From the outset I understand that I am not meant to have a laid-back read with The Cold Kiss of Death. McLeod’s writing is even tighter in The Cold Kiss of Death than it was in The Sweet Scent of Blood making her succeed immensely in keeping me away from my chores.

During the story in The Cold Kiss of Death Genvieve Taylor discovers that to the fae (even those she thought were friends) she is a sexual object. At one point history is about to repeat itself when dryads attack her in the stairwell of her home. It has to be difficult not knowing if the people you are with are staying with you because of friendship or because you have become a means to an end.

When Tomas is killed at the beginning of the story DI Helen Crane’s hate is fully unleashed and the law of unintended consequences steps into play. Not only Genny is chased. Other fae are killed and hurt because they are fae and humans have fallen into mob mentality. Vampires see it as their chance to play with their food, food that is especially delicious. Their ultimate snack would be Genvieve because of her sidhe blood. Genny is the kind of person that automatically steps in to help the weaker. Now it has become essential for their survival that Genny solves the murder because DI Crane has made up her mind as to who is going to get executed. Genvieve isn’t really a detective, but she certainly fills that function in The Cold Kiss of Death.

This is another arena where McLeod’s story shows its excellence. Mysteries that keep me guessing are fun. The Cold Kiss of Death is like this for me. Even having read this previously did not ruin my good time. Now I was better able to see what traps McLeod had thrown my way to keep my mind from jumping to the right conclusion.

I have a couple of favorite scenes in this story. One is at Tavish’s place. The imagery of Genny’s anger mounting while struggling to get out of the water and then having her unleash that frustration at the two idiots on shore was satisfying.

The other one was the above fight in the stairwell of her home and its conclusion. Both are gruesome but in different ways. I guess the contrast between two scenes clearly show why I enjoy McLeod so much. She manages to portray humor, suspense and kindness in a manner that makes me believe that her characters are real.

Faun by aryundomie on deviantart.coml

Troll by Brian Froud

By Rebecca Sinz, 2006; on deviantart.com

Kelpie by Maly Traktorek on deviantart.com

Aidan Turner as vampire

Genvieve Taylor

Reviews:

The Cold Kiss of Death on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, The Book Depository, Waterstones.com, Play.com, Borders.co.uk, Forbidden Planet

EBook: Waterstones.com, Kindle Edition

Chapter one

My review of The Sweet Scent of Blood

Autism / Aspergers, LGBTQ+/GRSM

Dear Miriam, (May 2007)

2014-07-31 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Rock group U2 femulating for the One video, 1991; Photographer, David Wojnarowicz — Rock group U2 femulating for the One video, 1991;
From femulate.org; photographer, David Wojnarowicz

Dear Miriam,

The other day I set off for work, leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn’t gone a hundred yards down the road when my engine conked out and the car juddered to a halt. I walked back home get my husbands help. When I got home I found him in the bedroom. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was parading in front of the wardrobe mirror dressed in my underwear and high heel shoes, and he was wearing my make up.

I am 32, my husband is 34, and we have been married for 12 years. When I confronted him, he tried to make out that he had dressed up in my lingerie because he couldn’t find any of his own underwear. But when I asked him about the makeup, he broke down and admitted that he has been wearing my clothes for six months. I told him it had to stop, I would leave him.

He was made redundant from his job six month ago, and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum, he has become increasingly distant, and I don’t feel I can get through to him any more. Please can you help?

Mrs. B., Essex

Miriam says…

A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults in the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the jubilee clips holding the vacuum pipes onto the inlet manifold. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carburettor float chamber.

May 2007 issue of Viz Magazine

Viz Magazine

The process of getting ready to post this funny is a typical example of how my asperger mind works (i.e. speaking only for myself and not all aspergers).

After learning a little about copyrighting and all of that stuff, a great need has risen in me to find the original source of material.
With my funnies I try to look for pictures that will illustrate the subject. In the case of Dear Miriam I was taken on a journey of discovery.
Hilarious discussions of the correctness of the advice. Did Miriam really know what she was talking about when it came to car problems? There are some funny people out there.
Then a more serious side appeared, one that U2 illustrate. Men in women’s clothing. I realized I still a a ways to go in understanding the complexity of boy/girl roles and what we find acceptable in each other.
So, what was only a funny to begin with has become (for me) something that represents a deeper and much fought over issue in society.

General, Reblogged

Pandora’s Box: A Discussion on the Hobby Lobby Verdict

Link 2014-07-27 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

The Hobby Lobby decision by the Supreme Court in the USA has the potential of being a decision that will impact not only them but other countries as well. Dylan Greene’s essay on the subject is amazing.

Fantasy, Young Adult

Stewart, Sean: Nobody’s Son (1993)

2014-07-24 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

In looking for a beginning to the story of Shielder’s Mark, one point could be the abandonment by Mark’s father when Mark was four years old. We never discover his father’s story but Mark carries the wounds from that abandonment until almost the very end of the story. Part of his coming of age / growing up entails coming to terms with the scarring from that long-ago day and the years after.

Another beginning could be with the other father/son story of the novel, one the lies one thousand years into the past of Mark’s present. This father/son tale is much, much darker than the one of Mark and his father. With its revelation to Mark and the reader comes an understanding of the magic of the land and how Old men and ghosts play a part in it.

Nobody’s Son is a painful and riveting tale. When I look around I see so many people who have sought approval of the previous generation yet never received it. Having two sons myself I worry that they will feel that they do not measure up to whatever they might perceive our expectations of them to be. Both parents and children go through growing up processes that entail letting go of things, people and pasts. Growing up hurts. At least that is my experience and it is one that never ends.

Gail is the prize Mark has chosen as his reward and what a reward. Both soon learn that the other is a person in their own right and not just some imagined object that will fill an empty spot in their own lives. The development of their relationship shows clearly the sacrifices women of the nobility had to make compared with the sacrifices of the men. Watching Gail come to realise the necessity of her sacrifice and her willingness to make that sacrifice hurt. We demand too much of our daughters and not enough of our sons.

Even after my third or fourth reading of Nobody’s Son, I am still left with a with sense of having read something wonderful.

Happily you can borrow this at the link below as an ebook.

Reviews:

Nobody’s Son on Open Library

1993 Aurora Award, Best Canadian Science Fiction or Fantasy novel published in English

1993 Canadian Library Association Award, Best Young Adult Novel of the Year