Author: Shannon Turlington
-
Recommended Reading: Station Eleven
This month, I’m highly recommending the post-apocalyptic novel, Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel. Station Eleven does something that I hadn’t thought was possible: it offers something new and exciting in the post-apocalyptic genre. I have read a lot of post-apocalyptic books, and I was getting burned out on them. It seemed like there was nothing…
-
A good resource for writers…
I recommend that all writers, whether you intend to self-publish or publish traditionally, read the excellent and short reviews of self-published books that Jefferson Smith (and occasional guest reviewers) posts at Immerse or Die. Smith maintains that the most important quality of fiction is whether it enables the reader to become immersed in the story, an assertion…
-
Watch out, that writer’s taking an info-dump!
This is another entry in my ongoing series identifying common problems in self-published novels. As a writer, you’ve got a terrific idea for an alien planet, a fantasy world or a dystopian future. You’ve worked out all the details, and you just know that no other writer has come up with something this creative or…
-
Favorite Reads of 2014
I was going to do a whole “year in reading” post, but I got sucked into other things and now I find the year has already turned over. Happy new year! Here are my favorite reads of last year. Many are relatively new, some are classics, all are worth your time. The Sundial by Shirley…
-
Recommended Reading: Revival by Stephen King
Recommended reading for this week is Revival, Stephen King’s latest novel (and the second he’s published this year). Now I’m a King fan from way back. I think this is the best book he’s turned out in a long time, maybe even since the early days. If you are looking for gore and scares, you won’t find…
-
A note to writers: Maybe you aren’t ready…
One benefit of traditional publishing, which is lost when writers choose to self-publish, is that publishers can tell writers that their books just aren’t ready for publication. Publishers don’t usually say this in so many words. Often the message comes in the form of a standard rejection letter or, even worse, silence. But the message…
-
For writers who want to self-publish…
I’ve been reading a lot of self-published books lately for a freelance gig reviewing independently published books. I am not opposed to self-publishing. I think it’s terrific that technology is allowing more writers to get their work out there and have the opportunity to be read. BUT… (you knew that was coming, right?) A lot…
Shannon Turlington 