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. 

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy VI

 This game gets a lot of buzz, and not without reason. I've played the original SNES version - I still have the original cartridge I bought at a Gamestop when I was a teenager - and the updated GBA version. This game was also updated/released to several other platforms including the Playstation and PC, but I will stick to the NES and GBA version as these are the ones I have experience with.

Unlike the last three games in this series, this one does not talk about elemental crystals, and has a much deeper story. Not that the previous games weren't enjoyable, but a new story certainly was refreshing, and we also got more depth to pretty much all the characters, including some quite tragic backstories. This also has the largest cast of characters, for a total of 14 if I recall correctly, though ultimately, four are optional (if you make the wrong choice, you lose one permanently, two can only be discovered with secret quests, and the fourth one is with you for the first part of the game, and you can choose to get him back later in the second part if you're so inclined)

This versatility and skill sets in the characters offer you a lot of options for your party. All your characters, except for one, can learn magic from Espers regardless of their skills, though their magical strength will naturally vary.

This game offers a real mindfuck at several points story-wise, and several choices will have real impact on the story later on. You will have character deaths, mental illness/insanity, exploitation of sentient creatures, and slavery, so this game may not be for those who are really sensitive, but I feel that for its time, these topics are handled appropriately.

The graphics and gameplay are pretty great. This holds true for the original version, and is polished for the GBA, along with the addition of several bonus dungeons/quests in the remake. If you like RPGs, this is definitely a game to try.

Grade

FF6 (SNES version) A-

FF6 (GBA remake) A

Retellings of myths and fairy tales

 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 Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12558730-m-m-strawberry-library-reviews

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy V

Look at that! More elemental crystals! We must save the four crystals again or the forces of darkness will take over the world!

Wait... didn't we already do this before? Three times already, if I recall... in FFI, III, and IV. Wow, these crystals must be super-important!

But the game is still good. The storyline is unique enough from previous ones that despite the thing with the Crystals, it doesn't feel like some boring rehash. The Jobs system is back, and impvoed, so that skills you learned from one job path can be chosen/retained even if you choose a different path, so you can be a Thief who knows White or Black magic, or a Mage with physical fighting skills (i.e. Monk or Knight) which makes it pretty awesome.

This is a pretty fantastic installment in the series, with five characters with stories that fit well into the main story, and the artwork and gameplay is pretty fantastic. FFIV had some pretty great graphics, but it was in SNES' earlier days, FFV came along when SNES was improving in its graphics and I loved the designs of some of the bosses/villians.

The Gameboy Advance remake is pretty much what you'd expect from the updated versions of these games - you get bonus dungeons, but also several new Job designations. This game has a certain complecity in its story and world that exceeds FFIV and I wholeheartedly recommend it to FF fans.

Grade

FF5 (SNES version) A-

FF5 (GBA remake) A

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy IV

I played the original SNES version in English (branded as FFII back then) when I was a teenager, and enjoyed it. The first three games in the FF series all had unique features, and flaws, as if the series was still trying to find/feel its way. FFIV was actually the very first of the original FF series I ever played, and having played the first 3 games since, I can say that FFIV has a more solid story and gameplay compared to its precedessors.

Instead of switching around jobs like in FFIII, each character in FFIV has a job and certain skills, and that doesn't change, though I don't think that's a bad thing for this installment. The story is solid, though like FFI, III, and V, there are four elemental crystals the characters need to locate/save. Kinda repetitive, but eh, whatever.

The characters have backstories/histories, which make them feel more real compared to the generic characters from FFI and III, and FFIV is the best in the series, thus far. At least in my opinion. The story of the villians, and who the real bad guy is, is also decent, and so is the dialogue... there's some funny lines mixed in with the serious/story dialogue. You also get to travel to the Moon, so whee!

Like all the other remakes so far, bonus dungeons and additional items/weapons are introduced, making a good game even better. Not only that, but the characters you previously lost in the SNES version (Cid, the twins, Yang, Edward) return as playable characters, which definitely made me very happy, LOL. All in all, I would say that though the previous games were decent (especially with their remakes) this is the first installment in the series which really, truly feels very FF-like.

Grade

FF4 (SNES version) B

FF4 (Nintendo Gameboy Advance remake) A-

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy III

 The first time I played this game, it was the oroginal Famicom version (albeit translated into English) I liked this game better than its precedessor, though it was still a basic one. The four main characters all start out as basically nameless OnionKids (you choose the names) and are given no real history. Fortuately in the remake/upgrade, they are given actual names and a history.

The original version was basic but decent, with job classes you could upgrade to as the game progressed, so you could customize your characters to an extent. There are also a few characters who join you temporarily, and the storyline itself is fairly creative, but also at the same time I could not help but sympathize with the villian Xande (Zande in the Famicom English translation) because the Archmage Noah gave him a shitty gift (mortality) compared to his other students Doga (who got magic) and Unei (who got the land of dreams)

Weird thing is, Doga and Unei end up dying anyway (voluntarily) We never see Noah in flashbacks or anything like that, even in the remake of the game, so it'd have been nice if the story had been fleshed out more and Noah's decision explained.

Xande gets so pissed off that it's easy for the Big Bad to use him as a tool and manipulate him Wonder if the great Noah saw that coming, lol.

Compared to the other earlier FF games (1-VII) this game is solidly in the middle as far as the original version goes, and a bit higher as far as the remake goes.

Grade

FF3 (Nintendo/Famicom version) B-

FF3 (Nintendo DS remake) B-

I would have given the DS version a better grade (A-) if it wasn't for the Mognet feature embedded into it. The WiFi feature in Nintendo DS was shut down in 2014, and I did not play this game until what, 2015 or 2016. So I had to use Game Genie codes to access the special features unlockable only by using Mognet. Fuck Mognet.

Book Spotlight - Blood And Other Matter by Kaitlin 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 - http://kaitlinbevis.com/

Where this book can be purchased - https://amzn.to/2QbFIXN

Kaitlin Bevis's other books - https://www.amazon.com/Kaitlin-Bevis/e/B00875POAG

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy II

 The first time I played this game, it was the emulated version for the Famicom/NES - translated into English as it had only been available in Japan before.

It was pretty damn weird, the leveling system. To increase your HP you had to basically attack yourself or others in your party, and your magic would gain strength by using the spells. Fortunately, this kind of stat-increasing would not be used in any other FF games, at least those I played (1-7)

The story itself is typical for the FF series - not that that's a bad thing. Your characters are on the run from an evil empire that wants to take over the world. It's been a long time since I played this game, or the GBA update, so I admit there's not a huge amount I remember about the details. You did have key words to remember from conversations, mentioning these keywords to other NPCs would garner you information.

It was an all right game compared to others in the series, and the GBA version did improve it a bit. Not something I recommend unless you're a hardcore FF or RPG fan. Like the other Advanced versions of the FInal Fantasy games, the updated version comes with a bonus dungeon (FF1 and 2 were released together in the Dawn of Souls remake so you can play both games if you get this title)

Grade

FF2 (Nintendo/Famicom) C+

FF2 (Gameboy Advance) B

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy I

 This wasn't the first of the Final Fantasy games I played, but if you're a FF fan, give the old school a try. I played the original NES version, which compared to subsequent titles, is pretty basic and yes, meh. Nonetheless, it sets a foundation for later games, and featured several items and devices that would become very familiar to longtime FF fans - the metal Adamant/Adamantite, four elements (often in crystals) and several job classes you could choose from to optimize the overall strength of your party (My personal recommendation is Thief, Knight, Black Mage, and White Mage, but that's just a personal preference!)

Gameplay itself is pretty basic, with the HP and GP system you see in most FF games. The MP system was different though, and you could only perform so many magic spells at each level. The number of spells you could cast does increase with each overall level you gain.

The storyline is somewhat simplistic, but easy enough to figure out, and overall it's a decent game for the first in its series, much like Super Mario Bros 1, or Legend of Zelda 1.

That said, I really recommend the GBA version of this game, which smoothed gameplay, brought about better graphics, and improved the MP system and made leveling up easier. After defeating each of the Elemental Fiends, you gained access to a bonus dungeon where you could get rare items and weapons, and even fight bosses from other FF games in the series.

Speaking of items, in the original FF, the item and weapon system was clunky and you could only carry so much at a time. In FF Advance, you can now carry all the weapons and items you like, making optimizing weapons for each player much easier, and you also get a Bestiary, which allows you to see what monsters you have defeated (and how many of each, as well as weak/strong points, possible treasure drops, and the like)

The four characters you play have no history or personality in either version, but the Advanced version is recommended if you ever do try FFI.

Grade

FFI (original Famicom/Nintendo) C

FFI (Game Boy Advance) A-

Stuff

I am going to be using this blog more often. I already have a Goodeads page where I write book reviews, but sadly there is no movie or video game equivalent and I no longer review on Amazon, so I have decided to use this blog for those reviews.

This entry is also an update on all relevant links.

My books on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/M-M-Kin/e/B00BXGVPFY?ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vu00_taft_p1_i0

My books on Smashwords (also available on Apple Store, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and all other channels Smashwords sells through)

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ememkin

My FB page

https://www.facebook.com/mmkinauthor/

My Tumblr

https://mmkin.tumblr.com/

Where I write my book reviews

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12558730-m-m-strawberry-library-reviews

Have a fantastic day!

Author Appreciation: Rachel Alexander

Today's author spotlight shines on Rachel Alexander, author of Destroyer of Light, an incredible telling of the myth of Hades and Persephone.

A couple of years ago, I had the delight of reading Rachel Alexander's novel, Receiver of Many, the first part of a retelling of Hades and Persephone. I was blown away by the superb writing and thorough research, along with the creative takes she did on various myths.

She published the second part of her story, and I was no less disappointed in it. Destroyer of Light is just as rich and deep as the first, and it is for that reason I am happy to recommend not just Destroyer of Light, but its predecessor, Receiver of Many. If you love mythology, and Hades and Persephone in particular, give this author a try. You will not be disappointed.

See below for my review (contains mild spoilers)

The author can be found at

Amazon

Indiebound

Kobo

Smashwords

iTunes

Barnes and Noble 

Goodreads

M.M. Kin's review for Destroyer of Light (from Goodreads) 

AMAZING.

Simply amazing. After I read the first book, I was eager for more, and boy howdy, I was not the least bit disappointed! The writing and use of research in the story is brilliant, and I love the creative twists that the author used for various myths she incorporated into this story, such as the gods of the Levant, or what happens to Sisyphus.

I was intrigued when Minthe was mentioned in the first book, and her story is revealed here in a brilliant twist of the original myth. I never liked that in the original myths, Hades cheated on Persephone with Leuke and Minthe, so the author changed that for a much more intriguing and believable story.

The erotic scenes, as one might expect after reading the first story, are absolutely delicious. I've read enough erotica with cheesy or ludicrous descriptions, and it's always a treat to read elegantly-written intimacy.

Overall a brilliant sequel to a wonderful book, and altogether an incredible series that shows the talents of creative and thoughtful author.

The Meddler

If you’re a voracious reader (or movie-watcher, or both) you’re likely to have become familiar with various tropes and cliches. Some are more genre-specific, such as a ‘chosen one’ in the realm of fantasy and sometimes science fiction. Some cliches can be fun, if carefully worked with, but others just annoy the fuck out of me.

The particular topic I am going to discuss today is typically seen in a certain genre, though you can find this character in nearly any other genre in varying capabilities.

This character type is often seen in the romance genre and is usually a secondary character to the story. It can be a friend of the main characters, or a neighbor, or relative, or such. She – and I’m not trying to be sexist here, but it often IS a she – goes by various names and epithets; meddler, busybody, pushy, and so on. They also have the tendency to think themselves above the rules, whether actual rules, such as in a workplace, or the rules of polite society. Many authors often take this cliché too far, creating characters that do not endear themselves to the reader.

Two examples come to mind – Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich, and All At Once, by Nora Roberts. I was very disappointed in both books.

Big Girl Panties is a romance novel centered around a personal trainer and a widow who’d had a difficult childhood before watching her husband die from cancer. I liked this book at first because it seemed to be an unconventional romance with a believable storyline. However, we are then introduced to the character of Amanda Walker. She is the wife of Chase Walker, Logan (the male lead)’s best friend.

Amanda sees the potential for romance between Logan and his client and teases Logan about it. It is clear that Logan and Chase have long experience with her bossy personality, but they still let her walk over them, resigning themselves to the fact that she will find out about this or that sooner or later. She came across as a know-it-all, and even after Chase told her in no unclear terms to leave Logan and his client alone, she still finds ways to push everyone’s buttons. With a blatant disrespect for other’s personal lives and spaces, Amanda’s meddling comes across as someone bored with their own life and needing to prove themselves smarter than others by being like, 'ha! See, I was right!’. Ugh.

Normally, I enjoy Nora Roberts books. I’ve read about a dozen of them, but All At Once was terribly disappointing. It is a two-story collection, and my focus is on the first story. It centers around a woman and her longtime best friend founding a summer camp for tween girls that happens to border an apple orchard owned by a handsome and wealthy man. (You can see where this is going, right?)

One of the campers is a, if I remember the age correctly, twelve-year-old girl named Roberta Snow. She is a very intelligent but devious and manipulative character who acts under the guise of innocence. The female and male lead of this character meet by chance, when Roberta and a couple of her friends sneak over into the orchard – a blatant violation of the camp rules that Roberta is well aware of. When caught, she will act all sweet and apologize, and when your back is turned, she will be off breaking another rule. When she catches wind of the male lead’s interest in the lovely female lead who is also her counselor, Roberta gleefully gets herself into the role of matchmaker and manages to embarrass Eden more than once. Honestly, I didn’t blame Eden for wanting to strangle Roberta.

The story is brought to its denouement with Roberta breaking YET another rule (and in somewhat dangerous circumstances) and forcing a confrontation between the orchard owner and the camp counselor. The male lead was arrogant and kept disrespecting Eden’s boundaries but THAT is not the kind of character cliché that is being discussed in this essay!

In both of these books, these two unrepentant meddlers go on about their merry way after the book is ended, with no repercussions for their actions, the feelings they hurt, the toes they stepped on, and the embarrassment and anger they caused towards the people they were trying to “help”. The only time I am amused by this character cliché is if in the end, the meddling character gets his or her comeuppance in some way, because too many of these 'I don’t care if this annoys/angers/embarrasses you, I’m just trying to help and you will accept my help whether you like it or not!’ assholes really need an ass-whooping, or at least a bitch-slap.

Intelligent design, my ass.

You all know about basic human biology and how we grow, right? Typically, we hit puberty between ages 12 to 14, signifying that we are capable of reproduction (not that it's a good idea to reproduce at that age, haha!) and for many, brains do not finish developing fully till around age 25 (although I've seen some older people whose brains have never apparently fully matured, haha)

This makes absolutely no sense to me. We're ready to reproduce in half the time it takes for our brains to complete their development? There's no way this is intelligent design, folks. How many of us were ready to be parents as teenagers? Or even in our 20's or 30's? I knew that as a teenager, I was nowhere near ready to have a child (having several younger siblings helped, I am sure)

I see people with the self-control and intelligence of small children, spitting out babies without regards to the consequences. Their sense of responsibility is practically nil, and they leave their crotch droppings for others to take care of, which just leaves a mess all around.

The human race would be much, much better off if the stages of our development were reversed, and it was our brains that were mature at 13, and our bodies didn't become able to reproduce till 25. Dealing with all the raging hormones of being a teenager would be much easier if we had fully developed brains to deal with the stress of that, along with the other stuff we have to deal with in our teens and early 20's. THAT is how I would intelligently design the human body (along with taking out the wisdom teeth and appendix, or at the least, making sure these two body parts actually serve a real function instead of hurting our jaws and rupturing in our stomachs)

It’s a total dick move, fellas

Piracy, that is. I, and many other authors have to deal with assholes ripping our books for illegal downloads/torrents. I can’t tell you how many DMCA notices I’ve had to file since I published my first book.

 

People who want to whine and be all like ‘but I can’t afford a book/movie!’ STFU., The Internet costs money, and so do the devices that access the Internet. If you have a desktop, tablet, laptop, or mobile phone, then you certainly can afford the price of a book, or movie, or song, or whatever it is you’re looking to pirate. Said devices cost a hell of a lot more money than the few dollars it takes to purchase an e-book or movie download. So does that Internet/service/data plan.

I price my books with my readers in mind - my books are only 4.99 each for the Nook or Kindle, which is cheaper than most meals, and cheaper than nearly every form of entertainment out there, including, yes, your Internet and device!

Complaining about the price of a book/movie/music download and going to illegal sites to torrent it is no better than bitching about prices at a brick and mortar store, and helping yourself to a five-finger discount. Either way, it’s stealing, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. There really is no excuse for stealing, unless you have absolutely no money and your children are starving so you steal a loaf of bread and some milk so you can feed them.

I’ve witnessed shoplifting several times (both as an employee at the stores i worked in, and as a customer at other stores) and it was NEVER for something that was actually important/lifesaving (except for condoms, but that’s another matter…)

Authors and artists work hard at their craft. Every dollar an indie author earns means a lot to them. Not that I encourage ripping big-name authors like Stephen King or whatever, he works hard at his books like I do, and even if he makes a lot more money than I do, I feel he is entitled to every bit of it. All the books I own have been either purchased properly, were hand me downs (from people who presumably paid for them) obtained from Little Free Libraries, or were given to me by other authors for reading and reviewing.

Illegally downloading books is a total dick move. It hurts authors, especially indie ones who have to scramble for each cent they earn, and if you really could not afford a few dollars for a book, you wouldn’t be able to afford your Internet subscription or electronic device, so you just look like a lazy, cheap dumbass when you pirate.

Required reading in schools

I do not doubt that many if not all of you, at least once in your life, was required to read a book for school. I'm not talking about college/university, but primary/secondary school. You had to read the book at a certain pace, and do various things related to it – writing assignments, tests, quizzes, book reports, even projects.

Doubtless most, if not all of you, didn't like the work associated with said books – even if you were an avid reader like I am. For me, these assignments and projects simply ruined a book for me. I just wanted to read the book, damnit. I didn't want to do some lame poster or diorama or essay on the book. I LOVED to read, and read a god amount of classic books that had never been required reading for me through my time in public school.

School curriculums were different, I've heard of a wide variety of books being required that were not part of my own curriculum, and vice versa. The books carried from city to state, and doubtless, from country to country, but I do not doubt that many non-American students have had a similar experience with reading a book for school.

In primary school, several books were required from fourth through sixth grade (appr. Ages 9-12 in the American school system) For me, this included, but was not limited to, The Wind in the Willows, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Hobbit. I should have enjoyed all of these. I didn't. All because the school bogged down the reading process with superfluous junk that just left me bored and frustrated. I remember for Wind in the Willows, there were ten words per chapter that were apparently supposed to be challenging for us. Apparently we were deemed too stupid to have known what these words meant, and so each chapter came with a list of ten words that each student had to write into a sentence to show that they knew the meaning of the word. And making sure that we knew the meaning of the word was supposed to ensure that we knew what the fuck the story was about and it was also supposed to expand our vocabulary and help us become more well-rounded. Or some bullshit like that. It was just basically busywork.

Being an avid reader, I knew what most of the words meant, and for the few that I didn't, I'd just look up in the dictionary (mainly British words that I was not familiar with at 9 years old) These stupid vocabulary lessons were a waste of time for me, and I would write the shortest sentences possible (two or three words, typically) The teacher was upset at this, even though technically I was following the rules. I freely admit I was the kind of kid who would brush off aside assignments and put in minimum effort in projects I felt was a waste of my time. I'd have been happy to read more instead of doing projects.

The next couple of years brought more books which I would have enjoyed on my own, without any prompting from teachers, but the assignments given us ruined the experience for me. Group projects were usually an ordeal for me as I never liked to talk, and would have remained silent during the whole meeting unless prodded.

Middle and high school brought about several more books. Fortunately, my 7^th grade teacher was a decent fellow, and though we did have a few assignments/quizzes, it was much better than in elementary school. 8^th grade English was focused on grammar, but we did have several short stories to read and analyze through the year. My teacher was… ugh. That's all I'll say about her. We had to write exhaustive essays on these stories, and despite my best efforts, it was difficult for me to get an A (the best grade) on these assignments even though I had no problem with actually reading said stories.

High school (grades 9-12, ages 14-18) was actually better. I had one great teacher in 10^th grade that made his assignments more flexible so students were better able to use their natural talents. We did have a couple of assigned books, but he also gave us a couple of options. We could pick ANY book we wanted, and choose from one of several projects to do for our book. These options included an essay, making paper dolls, suggesting how you would make the book into a movie, and so on. All you had to do was demonstrate that you actually read the book and understood the story. 

Even the book everyone had to read was introduced to us in a manner that included some flexibility for us. 11^th grade brought me to American Lit. The teacher was a decent fellow, and we read several American classics, two of which I had already read before on my own (The Scarlet Letter and To Kill a Mockingbird) There were no projects, but we did watch the Mockingbird movie, and had classroom discussions on the chapters as we went along, along with several tests and quizzes. Overall not a bad experience.

I understand that teaching a child to read is important, and the value of the appreciation of a book. However, not everyone is so inclined to bookish pursuits. There are all kinds of people in this world, and while literacy is important for everyone, not everyone is going to have literary interests. There's plenty of other issues with the public education system, but I'm focusing on this particular topic. Not everyone is going to like a book. I know I hate a few books that are considered classics, and fortunately I never had to read them for school.

I think the best way to foster an interest in books for children is to give them an option. Some kids like sci-fi, others prefer historical, and so on. My recommendation would be to have a list of books for children of primary school age. Perhaps 20 to 50 different books. And the same, for older children. The books could also be split into length, with an appropriate selection from each. Perhaps 100 short stories, 50 middle-length books (150-200 pages for primary school, 200-250 pages for higher grades) and 20 longer books, again age-appropriate as needed. Over one semester, a child can choose one from each category, to read at their own pace through the semester. The categories would be varied so students could pick a book that would interest them more. Extra credit could be gained by reading more than the required amount of stories. Titles would include many classics but also some contemporary novels, perhaps a small category of current popular books like Harry Potter, Divergent, or the Hunger Games.

Students could also choose their own books and propose it to the teacher, so as to not limit students to the pre-approved book list. This flexibility would help students read/discover niche authors and titles, and share them with the teacher and other students.

To prove they have read the books, they can either have an interview with a teacher who has read said story, take a test with a mixture of multiple choice/short essay questions, or write an essay on their thoughts on the book, with enough information to prove that they actually read the story. The student can choose which s/he is comfortable with and fulfill the requirements without any silly busywork. This would ensure that a child does a set amount of reading, and since they chose the book, they can enjoy reading more. This wouldn't make everyone avid readers, but it would give children a good start in literacy and the chance to read and learn from different voices and authors.

Self-supporting dystopias

Over the last decade, dystopian fics have been popular. There's the Hunger Games, Divergent, the Maze Runner, Unwound, When She Woke, and so on. The authors of these novels (and plenty more that I didn't mention) comee up with all sorts of unique worlds/scenarios, with some sort of plot device that caused the world to become dystopic (natural disasters, war, nuclear holocaust, religious takeovers, and so on) and thus the world, or at least a country, is created, or begun anew. Dystopic stories are one of my favorite sub-genres of fiction, but I am also a picky… er, discerning reader.

I will admit first off, that I am a plot Nazi. Ever heard of grammar Nazis? Sure you have. For me, I tend to focus on the plot and its background, and how well certain details or subplots of a story fit together, and if the framework/background is plausible. At the end of a book, if important questions are left unanswered (without a sequel forthcoming) my jimmies become rustled.

Among my writing goals is a science fiction universe (which will have at least one book in it) and as you guessed, it will be dystopic. I can't reveal details right now as I am still working out and mapping the aspects of this world. What I can say is that reading various dystopic novels, and being a plot Nazi, has helped me in my own world-mapping.

One major issue in some novels – not simply dystopic, but some sci fi works in general, or fantasy, is that when the author introduces us to his or her world, there are aspects of it that he/she neglects. Now, each story is different, so certain story or societal elements in each tale will receive more or less emphasis. Some tales may focus more on the difference between the rich and poor of that world. Others will focus on gender issues, or religious issues, relations with alien races, or so on and so forth.

An author needs to be careful to create a world that is sustainable and actually makes sense. They don't need to go into every minute aspect of this world they created, but they do need to do a lot of thinking and planning behind the scenes, to make this world be able to support itself.

One big example of an author doing it wrong is the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. I must warn you, there will be spoilers ahead for those of you who have not read the books.

In the Divergent world, which is set in our future, the United States as we know it is no more. There is this society which is ruled by five factions – Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. The members of these Factions have traits which qualify them for their Factions, and each Faction has a duty to the city (which come with priilege) and there are certain jobs which belong to each Faction.

Abnegation, which focuses on selflessness, is tasked with the leadership of the city, since selflessness is seen as the best quality a leader can have. Amity, which focuses on living peacefully, is in charge of food production, as they work and maintain the farms which feed the city. Candor, whose trait is honesty and an intolerance of lies, serves as the lawyers of the city. Dauntless, which values courage, serves as the soldiers of the city. And Erudite, which values intelligence, are the teachers and scientists.

When I first started reading Divergent, I enjoyed the book and being introduced to this world. However, I began to see issues that would cause this society to collapse within itself pretty quickly.

People who do not have a Faction are basically screwed. They are second – heck, third-class – citizens, treated shabbily. Most of them are homeless, without means to support themselves. There is no mention of them having jobs, and Abnrgation gives them charity – Tris' mother does knitting and bakes bread for Factionless.

Children who are born to people in Factions may choose to stay in this Faction when they become 16, or transfer to a different Faction where they must pass an initiation to prove that they have the trait that is valued by that Faction. If they fail the initiation, they become Factionless. Nothing is said of the children that are born to Factionless parents, it seems that they remain Factionless their whole lives, having no chance at all to have a decent life.

As I pointed out, each Faction has jobs that it has provenance over. However, there are plenty of jobs which apparently don't exist anymore, like construction (many things in the city are in decay, potholes in the roads, etc. However, some buildings – particularly the ones that the Factions use or reside in, are maintained) So officially, jobs in construction don't exist because the Factionless are given no means to support themselves, yet someone has to do the construction/repair. There are plenty of other jobs that don't fit in the Factions, either – such as blue collar jobs, i.e. textile/clothing production, food processing, production of various goods such as shoes, containers, books, electronics, and so on. Veronica Roth completely neglects this vital aspect of society, simply dividing the world of Divergent into the haves and have-nots. The world of Divergent would not last a year with this system, as things would go to hell pretty bloody fast. (This society, according to the Divergent series, has gone on for about eight generations, or about 200 years, if I recall correctly)

No society is perfect. Hence dystopia, instead of utopia. But when creating a society, however oppressive or cruel it is, one has to consider how such a society and regime would be able to sustain itself for a meaningful period of time. In the society of the Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins created the country of Panem, and even though in the end Pamen comes to an end, Pamen had a system which lasted for 75 years (not including the years before the first rebellion) which included keeping the majority of the population poor and oppressed, and using the Hunger Games to keep the districts pitted against one another instead of cooperating.

Even though the oppression and cruelty of the Capitol came back to bite it in the ass (with some help from Katniss Everdeen) the fact remains that the regime of the Capitol was effective enough to keep the masses oppressed for 75+ years, and may have gone on longer if not for Katniss.

Regardless of what kind of story/world you create, and whether or not you plan to have the rulers/society of this world eventually come to an end, you need to lay a good foundation for this world.

Book recommendation: Receiver of Many

It's been a while since I did an Author's Spotlight, and it gives me no small amount of pleasure to introduce a talented fellow author, Rachel Alexander! Recently, she released the first book in a duology based off the myth of Hades and Persephone (gods, I do love that myth!)

Receiver of Many is rich in prose and image, and the story itself is written fantastically. I have written a more complete review of the book over at Amazon and Goodreads. I can say in all honesty that if you enjoy the myth of Hades and Persephone, this book should not disappoint you.

The second book in this duology, Destroyer of Light, comes out next year. It is one book that I am having a hard time waiting for, given how much I enjoyed Receiver of Many. She also has a third book to be released, 'Thrice Plowed Field' which ties in with her duology.

 

All links open in new windows for ease of navigation.

My Amazon review

And mirrored over at Goodreads

Ms. Alexander has other websites you can also follow, including her own Goodreads.

Blog

Goodreads 

Amazon

Facebook

Tumblr

Ghostwriting

As both an author and as a reader, I have to say that I have a low opinion of ghostwriting. Whatever its intent, I feel it is a dishonest practice. When I was little, I read Babysitters’ Club, Goosebumps, and Sweet Valley. I enjoyed these books, and thought at the time, that these were actually written by the person whose name was on the cover of these books. It was not until years later that I learned that these books were farmed out to various people who would churn out these titles month after month. (I did wonder how Francine Pascal was able to write so many series of Sweet Valley books – at least four monthlies that I know of/remember, plus various specials.

It’s not the worst thing to happen in this world, to be certain, but when I was little, I honestly believed that the authors who had created these universes wrote these stories themselves, and to discover that these books were done by basically anonymous authors in need of a few bucks.

Recently I obtained two books by the author Vince Flynn from my nearest Little Free Library. I really enjoyed both books (military/government thrillers) so I decided to go online and do a bit of research. To my dismay, I found that he had died a couple of years ago from cancer. He was relatively young, and he had a lot of talent and a knack for storytelling.

I was saddened to discover that his books are being continued through a ghostwriter. It doesn’t matter how much a ghostwriter studies an author, NO ONE can ever imitate an author. Some can try, some might get close, but no one is perfectly imitable. I still plan to read more Vince Flynn books because I enjoyed his work and stories, but I have no interest in reading the ghostwritten books.

It’s one thing if an author dies with an unfinished book, and someone else finishes that book with whatever the author was able to finish, plus any notes he may have left for the unfinished part. Even then, I feel that such books need to come with a disclaimer, in a foreword or some such, explaining that the book was completed by someone else due to the true author’s demise. After that, an author’s works and name need to be frankly, left the fuck alone.

Unfortunately, thanks to greedy, unscrupulous publishers, agents, and/or family members, some authors can’t count on their name and dignity being respected after their death. One prime example is V.C. Andrews, author of Flowers in the Attic. At the time of her death, she had seven published novels, plus several others that had been written, but not picked up by a publisher. The IRS declared that her name was a valuable asset that could be taxed, and her family went to town on it, hiring a ghostwriter who has since then written over 70 books under her name. In the beginning, he did a decent job, and was able to complete the few manuscripts she had left uncompleted, but after that, her notes and material ran out, and the books he has been writing have gotten steadily worse and worse, with cliched plots, nonsensical stories, repetitive phrases, and an overall lack of effort.

He’s written more books under V.C.’s name than his own, because he is a lackluster author in his own right, and he knows that if he publishes his own stories under the VCA name, he is guaranteed more profit and readers than if he put his own name on his stories, just because of the weight that VCA’s name carries (and the poor woman has been dead for almost 30 years!)

Despite the suckiness of his recent books, books under her name continue to sell because of the fame and success she earned with the books she wrote under her own name (although older books sell better than more recent ones, which are received more negatively) To this day, many people still believe that the original V.C. Andrews is still alive and writing, and the publishers even push this illusion by putting on the blurh “from the bestselling author of Flowers in the Attic” on recent books.
I can’t imagine anyone ever using my name for things they write. I don’t care about their skill level; if they’re confident that they can do a good job, they should also have the confidence that they can be successful under their own name (whether it be their birth name, or a pen name)

As for authors who are alive, and allow others to write under their name, I can’t say that I have much, if any respect for them. I wouldn’t be bothered if a series had the name of the individual who actually wrote it somewhere in the book (and not in a spot where they would try to hide it) so that readers would know exactly who wrote said book, and how many different authors there are for any series. When you look at a TV show, you have writers for each episode, and you can find their information in the credits. A book shouldn’t be any different.

I certainly don’t want anything that’s not mine, to be credited to my name, especially if that work is lackluster and shoddy. The sad example of V.C. Andrews, among others, should give authors pause in how they want their legacy to be handled after their deaths. I have stated before, and I will state again publicly, that I never have, nor will I ever, give anyone permission to write under my name in case I become ill or die. I would never want to leave behind a legacy that could be tarnished by someone else, especial in the name of profit. Anyone who wants to write, needs to stand on their own feet instead of mooching off someone else’s name and hard work.

Facebook

Due to a psychotic ex-friend/fan who filed a false report against me to Facebook for using a "fake name", my old account went kibosh even after I explained to FB that I was not using a fake name, but a pen name, and showed them my Amazon page and other evidence of my author persona. I can no longer access/run my old FB community page, so I had to create a new one.

Please unlike any of the old pages I created, this is the new/official FB fan page.

 https://www.facebook.com/MM-Kin-1487803744867049

 I can be contacted at ememkin@gmail.com. I am no longer posting links to my personal FB profile, from now on I am only posting links to the fan page. If you were my friend on my old account, understand I did not ban or unfriend you - that account is kibosh and is not showing up anywhere - not on friend lists or anything like that, if you try to click on a link to it, it will say the page is broken/unavailable. If you had been my friend on my old account, email me so I know who you are, and can link you to my new personal profile.

Author Spotlight - Kathryn White

Today, my author’s spotlight falls on Kathryn White!

I have enjoyed Kathryn White’s books, and like me, she writes in different genres, with a little bit of different things, to create a collection that I really enjoyed. I would say that my favorite out of her books is Being Abigail, but I have enjoyed her other books. She has a style of writing that I really enjoy, with a nice mix of serious and humor, both applied at appropriate moments within her books. She just released a new book, Everybody Hates Abigail, , and will be releasing another book, Poison Ivy, which I am more than eager to read. Give this author a try – you will not be disappointed!

Kathryn has a blog where she reviews books http://kathrynwhiteauthor.blogspot.com/
Her FB page https://www.facebook.com/kathrynwhiteauthor
Her Amazon, where you can find her books in paperback and e-book http://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-White/e/B00BZQMN26/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Her Goodreads page http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5208758.Kathryn_White