M.M. Kin's Blog
May 2, 2024
commentary on AI
I know it's been a while since I posted anything, but social media has never really been a big thing for me as it has been for some people. I have been doing a lot of writing, as well as putting the final tweaks and polishes on Moonshadows, fingers crossed it'll be out soon!
There has been plenty of discussion about AI art and chats over the last few months. I tried out an AI art maker just to see what it could churn out. Some of the pieces look nice but it's frighteningly easy how that is to produce with just a few words. It can be fun and I enjoyed myself fiddling around with it and seeing some of the cool/weird stuff that came out but I would never claim it as my own, nor should anyone else. Same with AI chats/scripts as I am now seeing writing here and there created by AI.
It's frightening and depressing because artists and authors (and musicians, et al) work so hard on their craft, and we already have to deal with plagiarists, trolls, pirate/illegal copies, etc, and now we have to worry about this shit. Oy.
One thing I can promise, is that my writing is 100 percent real. Sure, I draw inspiration from other sources (as we all do) but the writing process is all mine the typing words to the page, the editing, the re-editing, the research, the RE-editing, the retconning when a better idea comes along, agonizing over character dialogue and setting the mood, and the innumerable other details that go into writing a story. What you read is 100 percent M.M. Kin, none of that AI-generated garbage. Have a great day!
There has been plenty of discussion about AI art and chats over the last few months. I tried out an AI art maker just to see what it could churn out. Some of the pieces look nice but it's frighteningly easy how that is to produce with just a few words. It can be fun and I enjoyed myself fiddling around with it and seeing some of the cool/weird stuff that came out but I would never claim it as my own, nor should anyone else. Same with AI chats/scripts as I am now seeing writing here and there created by AI.
It's frightening and depressing because artists and authors (and musicians, et al) work so hard on their craft, and we already have to deal with plagiarists, trolls, pirate/illegal copies, etc, and now we have to worry about this shit. Oy.
One thing I can promise, is that my writing is 100 percent real. Sure, I draw inspiration from other sources (as we all do) but the writing process is all mine the typing words to the page, the editing, the re-editing, the research, the RE-editing, the retconning when a better idea comes along, agonizing over character dialogue and setting the mood, and the innumerable other details that go into writing a story. What you read is 100 percent M.M. Kin, none of that AI-generated garbage. Have a great day!
January 1, 2023
New years 2023
Almost hard to believe it’s 2023. Like, that doesn’t even feel like a year, it feels more like a PIN/code or something.
I’m working on my writing as always (at least, when I am not working my essential job or taking care of other things) I can not promise a new novel this year because it seems that if I try to announce a date, I end up jinxing my projects... but I will try my damnedest to provide my fans with writing quality. Keep your fingers crossed for my muse to be cooperative so I can finish at least one project.
The recent kerfuffle with Andrew Tate and Greta Thunberg was a work of art from both sides - unintentional on Tate’s part, of course, but the end result was beautiful nonetheless. Other arrogant and rich men, such as Elon Musk and Donald Trump are facing criticism and censure for their actions. May 2023 be the year that things finally shift against entitled assholes and jerks. In a meaningful way that works out for the greater good of everyone, rich or poor.
I don’t have any particular resolutions for new years because self-improvement is something to work on year round, I have several goals well underway so I’m not really “starting� anything new, but I do hope to be a better person day by day. :)
Happy New Years, and let’s make 2023 a better year than the one before, and the ones before.
I’m working on my writing as always (at least, when I am not working my essential job or taking care of other things) I can not promise a new novel this year because it seems that if I try to announce a date, I end up jinxing my projects... but I will try my damnedest to provide my fans with writing quality. Keep your fingers crossed for my muse to be cooperative so I can finish at least one project.
The recent kerfuffle with Andrew Tate and Greta Thunberg was a work of art from both sides - unintentional on Tate’s part, of course, but the end result was beautiful nonetheless. Other arrogant and rich men, such as Elon Musk and Donald Trump are facing criticism and censure for their actions. May 2023 be the year that things finally shift against entitled assholes and jerks. In a meaningful way that works out for the greater good of everyone, rich or poor.
I don’t have any particular resolutions for new years because self-improvement is something to work on year round, I have several goals well underway so I’m not really “starting� anything new, but I do hope to be a better person day by day. :)
Happy New Years, and let’s make 2023 a better year than the one before, and the ones before.
September 24, 2022
The devil in the deets
Writing can be rewarding but by the gods it can be frustrating too! Fellow writers will be familiar with this, I am sure. It’s absolutely true what they say, the devil is in the details.
When working on a scene, whether it’s dialogue-heavy or action-heavy (or both) there’s a lot to think about, like background and motivation of the characters involved, or even just the background of the world you’re working in (whether it’s real world, or sci fi/fantasy)
Sometimes you get stuck on a scene, and you keep playing out different possibilities or choices in your head, but you keep rejecting them because for some reason this or that won’t work, and it’s especially frustrating if the reason is minor or petty.
It’s even more frustrating when the detail you need to move the scene forward, the one you’re trying to figure out, is minor and petty in itself, and some people might just say fuck it and skip it, but you KNOW this shit has to be resolved/worked out before you can move forward with the scene. Brainstorm this, brainstorm that, nothing fruitful comes out of it, and it makes you angry and frustrated and you wonder if something’s wrong with you.
So you spend days, weeks, if not months, trying to work out this detail that shouldn’t be such a bloody pain in the ass but is, and then one day, after much frustration, you finally have that lightbulb moment, or brain-spark, or stroke of inspiration, or your muse decides to not be a bitch that day, whatever you want to call it, and you finally resolve that problem and can finish the scene and move on with the rest of the story.
And then you ask yourself why your stupid fucking brain didn’t come up with this in the first place instead of making you struggle however long you did.
But that’s not the end of it! Even though you managed to solve that detail, you know there’s going to be more details in the future, and you’ll run in this problem again, and deal with that frustration again... but it’s not like you can just stop writing.
Oy vey.
When working on a scene, whether it’s dialogue-heavy or action-heavy (or both) there’s a lot to think about, like background and motivation of the characters involved, or even just the background of the world you’re working in (whether it’s real world, or sci fi/fantasy)
Sometimes you get stuck on a scene, and you keep playing out different possibilities or choices in your head, but you keep rejecting them because for some reason this or that won’t work, and it’s especially frustrating if the reason is minor or petty.
It’s even more frustrating when the detail you need to move the scene forward, the one you’re trying to figure out, is minor and petty in itself, and some people might just say fuck it and skip it, but you KNOW this shit has to be resolved/worked out before you can move forward with the scene. Brainstorm this, brainstorm that, nothing fruitful comes out of it, and it makes you angry and frustrated and you wonder if something’s wrong with you.
So you spend days, weeks, if not months, trying to work out this detail that shouldn’t be such a bloody pain in the ass but is, and then one day, after much frustration, you finally have that lightbulb moment, or brain-spark, or stroke of inspiration, or your muse decides to not be a bitch that day, whatever you want to call it, and you finally resolve that problem and can finish the scene and move on with the rest of the story.
And then you ask yourself why your stupid fucking brain didn’t come up with this in the first place instead of making you struggle however long you did.
But that’s not the end of it! Even though you managed to solve that detail, you know there’s going to be more details in the future, and you’ll run in this problem again, and deal with that frustration again... but it’s not like you can just stop writing.
Oy vey.
March 18, 2022
the wonderful world of myth and folklore
As a voracious reader, I have read many, many, MANY books through my time here on this planet. And naturally, although I read all sorts of books, there are certain genres, and sub-genres that I prefer. Among them are novels based on fairy tales, fables, and/or mythology. This is a popular genre on its own, and within this fandom/readership you'll find readers who absolutely love this or that one tale - i.e. Beauty and the Beast, and so they gravitate towards retellings of that story.
I enjoy various fairy tales/myths and their retellings, and have come across some amazing novels/graphic novels/TV shows/movies, et. al. Some are retellings of just one myth/tale, while others are a mashup of various stories - for example the TV show 'Once Upon A Time', or the graphic novel series 'Fables', or the Elemental Mages novel series by Mercedes Lackey. And naturally, I am going to see the same character presented in some wildly different images/personalities.
I also like reading reviews, both of books I love and books I hate, and sometimes gain valuable insights, even from people who hated a book I loved, or vice versa. However, one complaint that I find to be absolutely unnecessary in the genre of retellings of myths/fairy tales is 'the (character) in this story is not MY (same character)
When I read about people complaining that (character) would never act this way, this is not my (character), that's not how (character) is supposed to be, this is not how I imagine (character), I can't help but think, yeah, no fucking shit, Sherlock! Different authors/writers/artists are going to envision the same character in different ways, and that's one thing I like about retellings. I don't wanna read the same thing over and over and read about Beauty or Cinderella or Persephone or whoever being the same personality type and having the same experiences (or reactions) every time I read a story based on that character or myth/tale. Sure, there are some retellings I've enjoyed more than others, but I try my best to judge them to the same standard that I would judge a book of any genre. There are plenty enough issues that can harm a book, regardless of what it is about, without slamming someone for their interpretation of a character.
So if a character - whether they be female or male or the main character or a side character - doesn't match my own personal conception of that character, I'm not going to trash the author and give their work a 1-star rating/F/thumbs down or whatever.
It is useless and trite to attack a retelling (or its author) for not turning out the exact way you want it to because it's not YOUR retelling. There's a reason why mythology, folklore, and fairy tales are so beloved across the world, and why the subgenre of retellings of these stories is also a popular one in the world of literature. It's honestly fun for me to read different stories about much-loved characters, and this has caused me to come across, and truly enjoy other people's retellings even if what they decided for this or that character wasn't something that I would have chosen for the same character in my own imagination.
P.S. I'd like to add a list of personal recommendations here. I've done my best to recommend stuff I think that most if not all of my readers/fans would enjoy, but naturally, reading/media preferences are not entirely objective :)
Movies
Shrek. I know it's probably a bit dated now, but it's still an overall solid fun CG-animated film that mashes together various fairy tales.
Secret Magic Control Agency (also known as Hansel and Gretel) Another CGI movie, this one is much more recent and I recently watched it on Netflix. It's goofy but fun, and like Shrek, mashes up various fairy tales.
The 10th Kingdom. TV/movie miniseries, it's a bit old, but it's still hella lot of fun and mixes different fairy tales along with creating some new ones.
Disney. Some people love it, some people hate it. I'm not pro- or anti- Disney (except for specific things or whatever) but some of their movies have been solid. I like most of the cartoon movies even though some of them are quite dated. For the live-action remakes, I've really liked Beauty and the Beast, and The Jungle Book. For the animated ones, my favorites are Hercules, Brave, and Princess and the Frog (though when I was a little kid, the Little Mermaid was my absolute favorite!)
TV Shows
Once Upon A Time (at least, the first 4 seasons. After that it just jumped the shark) Various fairy tales mixed up into an urban fantasy setting, had an original premise and the first few seasons were solid storytelling with intriguing characters.
Ever-After High (based on the YA novel series of the same name) I'm not a huge fan of the ultra-skinny bodies they use for the majority of the characters, but I like the stories themselves, this is another mix-up of various classic fairy tales.
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess (starring Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless respectively) Some of the episodes could be really out there or anachronistic, but it's a fun romp through mythology, and not just Greek or Roman.
Novels
Monsters of Greek Mythology by Bernard Evslin. When I was a kid, the library had a bunch of books in this series in individual hardback format. The collection is now available in e-book version, sans the illustrations that came with the hard copies, which is a shame as the various pictures depicted could be spot-on at times (they were photos of various works of art, from modern to classical, with some recognizable works by recognized masters of art)
Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. I have not read the few most recent titles (as of 2022) but most of the early books are solid, being a mix of fairy tale retelling and urban fantasy settings (Victorian and Edwardian eras) Personal faves being Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella) and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)
Daughters of Zeus series by Kaitlin Bevis. A refreshing modern-day YA take on various myths, particularly those of Persephone and Aphrodite, with some surprising (but fantastic) twists on the old stories.
Receiver of Many/Destroyer of Light-Unlike the previous recommendation, this is Hades and Persephone that is not safe for the kiddies. But it's well-researched and well-told, with a sexy Hades. Rawr.
Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper. A mix of medieval, modern fantasy, and science fiction, Beauty is one of the most original takes I've ever seen in fairy tale retellings, and overall this is one of my favorite authors for sci-fi. Several fairy tales are mixed in here but the main character/story is based on Sleeping Beauty.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. How the fuck can I NOT put that here? :)
Beauty by Robin McKinley. Based on Beauty and the Beast, and really made an impression on me back when I read it in high school. Beauty's smart and good-hearted, a winning combination. And the Beast? Hmm, read and find out for yourself.
Songs on Bronze by Nigel Spivey. The author takes on various Greek myths and retells them, adding interesting detail. Not a full-on novel but a collection of various myths the author chose to retell.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Based on Cinderella, this was one of the most unique and memorable novels I've ever read. Highly recommended.
Graphic Novels
Fables series by Bill Willingham, including various spinoffs such as Jack of Fables and Fairest. Heavily based on fairy tales including many popular ones such as Snow White, Cinderella, or the Big Bad Wolf, but it does have mythology and folklore as well, with many sources and references.
Hades, Lord of the Dead by George O'Connor. This is the fourth installment in the Olympian series by the author, but I chose this because I love the myth of Hades and Persephone, and this is a really fun graphic retelling of the myth.
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, including spinoffs such as The Thessaliad or Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold. This includes a lot of mythology from around the world, including Christian mythology.
This is just a partial list, I've read/seen PLENTY of stories within this genre, but didn't want the list to become too long :P For more book recommendations (or to share your own recommendations with me) check out my book reviews/blog at M.M. Strawberry Library and Reviews at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. /user/show/1...
I enjoy various fairy tales/myths and their retellings, and have come across some amazing novels/graphic novels/TV shows/movies, et. al. Some are retellings of just one myth/tale, while others are a mashup of various stories - for example the TV show 'Once Upon A Time', or the graphic novel series 'Fables', or the Elemental Mages novel series by Mercedes Lackey. And naturally, I am going to see the same character presented in some wildly different images/personalities.
I also like reading reviews, both of books I love and books I hate, and sometimes gain valuable insights, even from people who hated a book I loved, or vice versa. However, one complaint that I find to be absolutely unnecessary in the genre of retellings of myths/fairy tales is 'the (character) in this story is not MY (same character)
When I read about people complaining that (character) would never act this way, this is not my (character), that's not how (character) is supposed to be, this is not how I imagine (character), I can't help but think, yeah, no fucking shit, Sherlock! Different authors/writers/artists are going to envision the same character in different ways, and that's one thing I like about retellings. I don't wanna read the same thing over and over and read about Beauty or Cinderella or Persephone or whoever being the same personality type and having the same experiences (or reactions) every time I read a story based on that character or myth/tale. Sure, there are some retellings I've enjoyed more than others, but I try my best to judge them to the same standard that I would judge a book of any genre. There are plenty enough issues that can harm a book, regardless of what it is about, without slamming someone for their interpretation of a character.
So if a character - whether they be female or male or the main character or a side character - doesn't match my own personal conception of that character, I'm not going to trash the author and give their work a 1-star rating/F/thumbs down or whatever.
It is useless and trite to attack a retelling (or its author) for not turning out the exact way you want it to because it's not YOUR retelling. There's a reason why mythology, folklore, and fairy tales are so beloved across the world, and why the subgenre of retellings of these stories is also a popular one in the world of literature. It's honestly fun for me to read different stories about much-loved characters, and this has caused me to come across, and truly enjoy other people's retellings even if what they decided for this or that character wasn't something that I would have chosen for the same character in my own imagination.
P.S. I'd like to add a list of personal recommendations here. I've done my best to recommend stuff I think that most if not all of my readers/fans would enjoy, but naturally, reading/media preferences are not entirely objective :)
Movies
Shrek. I know it's probably a bit dated now, but it's still an overall solid fun CG-animated film that mashes together various fairy tales.
Secret Magic Control Agency (also known as Hansel and Gretel) Another CGI movie, this one is much more recent and I recently watched it on Netflix. It's goofy but fun, and like Shrek, mashes up various fairy tales.
The 10th Kingdom. TV/movie miniseries, it's a bit old, but it's still hella lot of fun and mixes different fairy tales along with creating some new ones.
Disney. Some people love it, some people hate it. I'm not pro- or anti- Disney (except for specific things or whatever) but some of their movies have been solid. I like most of the cartoon movies even though some of them are quite dated. For the live-action remakes, I've really liked Beauty and the Beast, and The Jungle Book. For the animated ones, my favorites are Hercules, Brave, and Princess and the Frog (though when I was a little kid, the Little Mermaid was my absolute favorite!)
TV Shows
Once Upon A Time (at least, the first 4 seasons. After that it just jumped the shark) Various fairy tales mixed up into an urban fantasy setting, had an original premise and the first few seasons were solid storytelling with intriguing characters.
Ever-After High (based on the YA novel series of the same name) I'm not a huge fan of the ultra-skinny bodies they use for the majority of the characters, but I like the stories themselves, this is another mix-up of various classic fairy tales.
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess (starring Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless respectively) Some of the episodes could be really out there or anachronistic, but it's a fun romp through mythology, and not just Greek or Roman.
Novels
Monsters of Greek Mythology by Bernard Evslin. When I was a kid, the library had a bunch of books in this series in individual hardback format. The collection is now available in e-book version, sans the illustrations that came with the hard copies, which is a shame as the various pictures depicted could be spot-on at times (they were photos of various works of art, from modern to classical, with some recognizable works by recognized masters of art)
Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. I have not read the few most recent titles (as of 2022) but most of the early books are solid, being a mix of fairy tale retelling and urban fantasy settings (Victorian and Edwardian eras) Personal faves being Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella) and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)
Daughters of Zeus series by Kaitlin Bevis. A refreshing modern-day YA take on various myths, particularly those of Persephone and Aphrodite, with some surprising (but fantastic) twists on the old stories.
Receiver of Many/Destroyer of Light-Unlike the previous recommendation, this is Hades and Persephone that is not safe for the kiddies. But it's well-researched and well-told, with a sexy Hades. Rawr.
Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper. A mix of medieval, modern fantasy, and science fiction, Beauty is one of the most original takes I've ever seen in fairy tale retellings, and overall this is one of my favorite authors for sci-fi. Several fairy tales are mixed in here but the main character/story is based on Sleeping Beauty.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. How the fuck can I NOT put that here? :)
Beauty by Robin McKinley. Based on Beauty and the Beast, and really made an impression on me back when I read it in high school. Beauty's smart and good-hearted, a winning combination. And the Beast? Hmm, read and find out for yourself.
Songs on Bronze by Nigel Spivey. The author takes on various Greek myths and retells them, adding interesting detail. Not a full-on novel but a collection of various myths the author chose to retell.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Based on Cinderella, this was one of the most unique and memorable novels I've ever read. Highly recommended.
Graphic Novels
Fables series by Bill Willingham, including various spinoffs such as Jack of Fables and Fairest. Heavily based on fairy tales including many popular ones such as Snow White, Cinderella, or the Big Bad Wolf, but it does have mythology and folklore as well, with many sources and references.
Hades, Lord of the Dead by George O'Connor. This is the fourth installment in the Olympian series by the author, but I chose this because I love the myth of Hades and Persephone, and this is a really fun graphic retelling of the myth.
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, including spinoffs such as The Thessaliad or Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold. This includes a lot of mythology from around the world, including Christian mythology.
This is just a partial list, I've read/seen PLENTY of stories within this genre, but didn't want the list to become too long :P For more book recommendations (or to share your own recommendations with me) check out my book reviews/blog at M.M. Strawberry Library and Reviews at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. /user/show/1...
November 5, 2021
because I love Hades and Persephone so much...
I've loved the myth of Hades and Persephone ever since I was a kid. So that's why one of my writing projects was doing a retelling of the myth in the form of my Seeds trilogy. I researched various aspects of the ancient world so that looked at one way, Seeds could be seen as historical fiction, with gods actually existing in our world. Worthy of Love and Khthonios were written with the same premise in mind and I am really proud of what I did with these novels and the world I created, and the stories I put in it.
I have one more book - Tapestry - set in this world, but I've always wanted to do science fiction and I have a couple of projects planned in that genre.
For a while now I've been batting around the idea of a science fiction version of Hades and Persephone. There's a fair amount of modern-day H and P retellings and I've enjoyed such stories from other authors, but you don't see much of fairy tales oe mythology in general in science fiction, and recently the idea has been really percolating and solidifying in my head for a fun science-fiction take on the myth of Hades and Persephone. Keep tuned!
I have one more book - Tapestry - set in this world, but I've always wanted to do science fiction and I have a couple of projects planned in that genre.
For a while now I've been batting around the idea of a science fiction version of Hades and Persephone. There's a fair amount of modern-day H and P retellings and I've enjoyed such stories from other authors, but you don't see much of fairy tales oe mythology in general in science fiction, and recently the idea has been really percolating and solidifying in my head for a fun science-fiction take on the myth of Hades and Persephone. Keep tuned!
May 7, 2021
Do NOT publish with NovelStar!
This is a self-publishing website that has been going around spamming on mutiple platforms for writing - i.e. Tapas, Wattpad, Fanfiction dot net, and just this morning I see that the assholes behind Novelstar are now spamming GR reviews with their spam. They'll post reviews of books, but they're not really reviews, they're links to Novelstar.
There are many good platforms for publishing - whether it's for free, like Booksie, Wattpad, FFN/FP, or for profit like Amazon and Smashwords.
Avoid Novelstar like the plague, because that's what it is - a plague of spam that keeps infecting various websites.
There are many good platforms for publishing - whether it's for free, like Booksie, Wattpad, FFN/FP, or for profit like Amazon and Smashwords.
Avoid Novelstar like the plague, because that's what it is - a plague of spam that keeps infecting various websites.
April 23, 2021
Book Spotlight - Blood And Other Matter by Kaitlyn Bevis
I've really enjoyed this author's Daughter of Zeus series - all 6 of the books - so when she endeavoured into a new genre (horror/mystery) I was curious to see what kind of story she would write.
I was not disappointed. As far as weiting style goes, she is consistent. The Daughter of Zeus series was written for a YA audience, and so was this, so those familiar with Ms. Bevis's work will not have a hard time getting into this.
Like with her previous books, she does a good job with narration and internal dialogue, so the characters feel real. It's hard to not feel bad for Tess considering what she has to deal with, and the author does a great job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seats, wondering who is behind all this - as someone who has read a fair amount of mysteries, it's nice that the culprit isn't obvious. The various viewpoints are presented well - Tess, her friend, the asshole football players.
The story is nicely-paced, and the ending... OMG. I won't spoil it, but I can honestly say it never occured to me that THAT would happen. Though I would love to read more mytholgical books from Ms. Bevis, I am also absolutely up for reading more of this kind of book too, or whatever else she may decide to write.
Kaitlin Bevis's website -
Where this book can be purchased -
Kaitlin Bevis's other books -
I was not disappointed. As far as weiting style goes, she is consistent. The Daughter of Zeus series was written for a YA audience, and so was this, so those familiar with Ms. Bevis's work will not have a hard time getting into this.
Like with her previous books, she does a good job with narration and internal dialogue, so the characters feel real. It's hard to not feel bad for Tess considering what she has to deal with, and the author does a great job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seats, wondering who is behind all this - as someone who has read a fair amount of mysteries, it's nice that the culprit isn't obvious. The various viewpoints are presented well - Tess, her friend, the asshole football players.
The story is nicely-paced, and the ending... OMG. I won't spoil it, but I can honestly say it never occured to me that THAT would happen. Though I would love to read more mytholgical books from Ms. Bevis, I am also absolutely up for reading more of this kind of book too, or whatever else she may decide to write.
Kaitlin Bevis's website -
Where this book can be purchased -
Kaitlin Bevis's other books -
February 8, 2021
beep beep boop doop
Not much to report. I was happy to have finally been able to release Khthonios last fall, and am working on Moonshadows and Tapestry.
I've been asked if I will ever write YA, and to be honest, I sincerely doubt it. I do enjoy YA myself, and I know that teens are a big audience to tap into. If my muse inspires me, perhaps it will happen, but the few definite current and future projects I am working on are not specifically designed with YA in mind.
This doesn't mean they will be sexually graphic or anything (Seeds is/was the most sexually explicit thing I intend to publish) but I'm going for longer and/more serious stories, with heroines and main characters older than the usual teenagers that you see in YA.
I've worked hard to think outside of the box, or give creative twists to old tropes in Moonshadows and Tapestry (and same with Khthonios!) and I hope that people enjoy Khthonios and my future efforts.
Have a fantastic day and stay safe and take care of yourself!
I've been asked if I will ever write YA, and to be honest, I sincerely doubt it. I do enjoy YA myself, and I know that teens are a big audience to tap into. If my muse inspires me, perhaps it will happen, but the few definite current and future projects I am working on are not specifically designed with YA in mind.
This doesn't mean they will be sexually graphic or anything (Seeds is/was the most sexually explicit thing I intend to publish) but I'm going for longer and/more serious stories, with heroines and main characters older than the usual teenagers that you see in YA.
I've worked hard to think outside of the box, or give creative twists to old tropes in Moonshadows and Tapestry (and same with Khthonios!) and I hope that people enjoy Khthonios and my future efforts.
Have a fantastic day and stay safe and take care of yourself!
December 13, 2020
Book Spotlight - About A Girl by Kathryn White
This is not my first book by the author and I swear she gets better the more she writes. I will admit I was a bit wary of the premise at first, because, a novel that takes span over a day?
However, Ms. White absolutely makes it work. Although the present-day narrative does indeed take the span of a day, we are presented with several flashbacks that answer several questions about what/why is happening in the present-day narrative. I also liked how Callie's thoughts are narrated, they felt realistic to me - her joys, her frustration, her anxiety, etc.
The ending was also satisfactory and didn't feel so cliched like so many romance novels I read.
Other books by Kathryn that I have really enjoyed are Being Abigail and Best Forgotten, among other titles. Ms. White mainly writes contemporary novels and short stories, about romance, relationships, and/or coming of age. This upcoming Christmas, please consider one of her books as a gift for someone else, or yourself.
Links to Kathryn White...
Amazon profile
About A Girl on Amazon
Smashwords
However, Ms. White absolutely makes it work. Although the present-day narrative does indeed take the span of a day, we are presented with several flashbacks that answer several questions about what/why is happening in the present-day narrative. I also liked how Callie's thoughts are narrated, they felt realistic to me - her joys, her frustration, her anxiety, etc.
The ending was also satisfactory and didn't feel so cliched like so many romance novels I read.
Other books by Kathryn that I have really enjoyed are Being Abigail and Best Forgotten, among other titles. Ms. White mainly writes contemporary novels and short stories, about romance, relationships, and/or coming of age. This upcoming Christmas, please consider one of her books as a gift for someone else, or yourself.
Links to Kathryn White...
Amazon profile
About A Girl on Amazon
Smashwords
October 24, 2020
Khthonios!
Khthonios is now out and available for purchase! It is available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon, and also available on Smashwords, Apple Store, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and various other e-book retailers that Smashwords sells through. Huzzah!
