SHEPHERD'S FALL, By George R. Appelt Jr. -- A Book Review

The Gothic Victorian mansion located along the river bank is not your typical haunted house, and when Will Shepherd moves into it his life turns into a deadly, disturbing nightmare. But I would expect nothing less in this supernatural thriller, SHEPHERD'S FALL, written by George R. Appelt Jr. Scary stuff unnerves me, and rarely do I pick up such a book to read.  I have nightmares for days. Many times the story plot gets lost in the  gore.  But not so with SHEPHERD'S FALL, because Will Sheperd's life is entwined in the mysterious horrors entrenched in his new home.  I found myself unable to put it down.  From the first troubling scene early in the book to the last, the pages kept turning, enthralling me into the early morning hours. Sure, I did have a nightmare or two, and I slept with the lights on.  And I will never look at a Victorian house the same. Old houses have a history, but this one has a troubling, vengeful past that speaks to its occupants with death.

The protagonist, Will Shepherd, is a complex character with a rich back story whose new life is not what he thought it would be. Troubles at home, troubles at work, troubles with strangers, and make no mistake, his new Victorian house is the route of it all.  Reality fades as Will faces the horrors forced upon him, and when he sets out to uncover the secrets of his new home, the evil apparitions taunting him take deadly action.  The twisted spin at the end brings SHEPHERD'S FALL to a satisfying, rewarding conclusion.

SHEPHERD'S FALL, by George R. Appelt Jr. is published by Kismet and Company,  and is available in trade paperback and e-formats.

I highly recommend SHEPHERD'S FALL. But please, check to make sure your lights work before you turn the pages.

Putting the Blues into Words

Music, like all art forms, transcends us to places where our minds can wander and our hearts can cry.  It compels us to listen to voices that would otherwise go unheard.  It is there when we shop, drive, work, and in our minds when we think.  We've all had a tune we couldn't get out of our head, or lyrics we couldn't forget.  I like all kinds of music: jazz, classical, classic rock, international and the blues, and I've often speculated on the reason why I always go back to the blues.  What is it with that genre of music that stirs me?  Perhaps it's the ailing voices of the singers who sound as though they are ready to break down and cry, or maybe it's the relentless wail of the guitar that quakes in agony.  What ever it is, one thing is for certain.  The blues is a genuine crying of the soul that makes you shudder with empathy.  Its raw emotion punches you in the gut with a pain that's hard to forget.  

As a writer, it is my job to evoke a feeling, stir something within the reader that makes them sit back and contemplate their own fears, hopes and dreams.  Unlike the blues musician who accomplishes this task through auditory senses, a writer does this subtly, quietly, through invitation only.  Words in a book are only perceived by those willing to turn the pages.

Writing is a journey, and sometimes a painful one.  The ups and downs of the publishing world has ensured a tough battle for most of us.  But for many writers the majority of the pain comes in the form of the words we write, and every writer will tell you that a little bit of them seeps into each story, intentional or not.  The experiences we gather through the years feeds us, makes us stronger and more resilient.  For good or bad, our pasts shaped who we are, and our stories are reflections of the lives we've led.  Like a blues musician, the emotions a writer evokes should stab you in the heart and make you bleed.

As a writer, I embrace any hardships I've lived through, for it planted empathy in by soul and inspired my words.  Without those experiences, I wouldn't be me.

Music is the language of our soul, and the written word is the voice of our outpourings, the passions, hopes and tears of our souls.

Enjoy the youtube videos of B. B. King, Amy Winehouse, Tracy Chapman and Joe Bonamassa below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2kEx5BLoC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJAfLE39ZZ8&ob=av2e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAQm2qWnYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgXSomPE_FY&feature=related

Space and Time

When I look up at the sky on a clear night, a zillion stars twinkle in the black sky.  I can't help but to imagine all the stars with all the planets that may have life similar to our own here on Earth.  We as humans can not be that arrogant to think we are alone, or unique.  Unique?  Blaaa!  There's nothing unique about us.  We are but a speck, nothing more than a tiny dot in the center of the milky way galaxy which is itself a mere mention among millions.

The nearest star to our solar system is Proxima Centauri 4.2 light years away.  Thanks to the old TV show, Lost in Space, the Centauri system, Alpha Centauri in particular, became a household name.  Times have changed since then, but the reality of reaching that system is still no where near our future.

But this is my world, and I like to pretend.  If a ship travels to Proxima Centauri at a speed of 10% light speed, it should take about 40 years to get there.  Probably more, giving the fact that the ship must slow down considerably if it were going to make a safe landing.  Forty years is a long time.  The average person will probably not make the trip.  Because of the education and training, most astronauts do not fly until they are well into their 40s.  Perhaps we could put the occupants of the ship in some kind of stasis.
And then the problem of fuel arrises.   Hmm.

When writing science fiction, two things are clear.  Number one, the story is not true.  Number two, the science must be real, or extrapolated from current hypothesis or data that makes it plausible in the future.

I would like to hear your thoughts and ideas on space travel.  How would you like to tour the universe in the future?

Feel'n Like a Number, or What Defines a Writer

I remember the day I walked through my college campus for the first time.  I was one of thousands, a speck among the masses, just a number.  The huge campus swallowed me up, but somehow I rose from its depths a survivor packed with knowledge and a drive that hasn't faltered yet.  The memories I took with me, and the lessons I learned have taught me never to give in.

Or, give up.

Being a writer has its glory.  It's great when someone actually reads what you write and LIKES it.  It's even better when the story gets published and you see your work in print, wondering how many sets of eyes will read it.  I am one of thousands of writers out there waiting to be read, understood, or seen as something more than a number.  Yes, there are thousands of us.

Sounds familiar, just like the old days.

When friend and fellow writer, George Appelt Jr., came to critique announcing the upcoming publication of his first novel, we were all very happy for him having read his humorous work through the years.  It was about time.   Kismet and Company, a new small press publishing company, will do the honors.  Seems to be the way to go these days since the big publishing companies slam the door in your face far too often.  They just won't let you play the game.  I wonder who let them make the rules in the first place.

Hum now.  Think about that.  There's something unique among artists.   Regardless if you are a writer, musician, painter or dancer, we as artists are steered by our own visions.  Since when did we ever follow somebody else's rules?  If there was a rule to be broken, I always found a way to break it, or bend it according to how it better suited my brain.

We writers might just be a number, a speck among the thousands, another name on your bookshelf, but we are all unique, because we are artists who never fall flat on ideas, imagination or rules to break.

So, what defines a writer, or any artist for that matter?  The desire to create our own rules to the game with the talent, imagination and drive that's embedded so deeply within us that our numbers are irrelevant.

I've come to know many local writers through the years, and their talents are a testimony of just how diverse the artist can be.  Find out for yourself by supporting the local writer.  Books by Cate Masters,  Susan Gourley, Mike Silvestri, Jon Sprunk, Dennis Royer, Don Helin fill my bookshelves.  What authors fill yours?  If you haven't read their work, check them out.  And don't forget about George's upcoming novel, Shepherd's Fall, coming out soon!

And don't forget to get a copy of SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS, an anthology of my previously published short stories.
 --Support your local writer.

The End of the Book As We Know It? or, SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS, now available for Kindle

I remember the days when I spent my afternoons in the library, searching through books, selecting a pile to take home, and the looks from the librarian who thought I would never finish them all in two weeks. Many of those libraries are closed now, and the book stores sprung up in the neighborhoods. But within a few short decades, they saw their demise. 

The closing of major book stores leaves a gap in soul. What is to become of the book? The time I've spent browsing, sniffing pages and reading back covers in book stores could be culminated into years. (not to mention gaping at the front covers) For some avid readers and writers, there is no better time, and it is something that could only be understood by others who pursue the same past time. 

Buying a book is easier now. It is only one-click away on Amazon. There is no reason to leave home, or to get off that seat anymore. And I have to admit being able to read in a dark room with a glowing Kindle on my lap has its appeal. I never go anywhere without it. The bag I carry to my child's soccer game, my purse, my brief case--they must all be large enough to carry the Kindle.

SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS: An Anthology of Scifi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales, is an anthology of my previously published short stories that can be found on Amazon.com. It is now available in Kindle format for those who don't want to leave their seat in order to buy a book. 

The book is not dying, it never will. But the major publishers have initiated their own downfall, and until they open their eyes and crawl out of their holes, the book will continue to transform.

SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS is now available in Kindle format at Amazon.com

Speculative Journeys: An Anthology of SciFi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales

Short Stories are a hard sell. Not only are there very few markets, but also many of the markets fade in and out of existence faster than my daughter's crushes. It is for the most part a one time deal. Publishers want first time rights. Your story is bought, published for a spell, and then the rights are returned to the author. This makes for a crowded filing cabinet. Very few markets, if any, buy second rights. So, there are two options. The first, you can keep the story in the filing cabinet where nobody will ever read it again, or you can take it upon yourself to republish the stories and increase your readership.

That is why I chose to publish SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS: An Anthology of SciFi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales. Explore the strange and endless possibilities of the future. How desperate will humans become? Where will exploration, science and politics lead us? What will be the warning signs of the end? Regardless of where you go to seek answers, a distant moon, the back streets of a dystopian society, a grave, the stories in SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS will keep you wandering.

The Devil and Preston Black, a novel by Jason Jack Miller

Sometimes you read a novel that pierces your heart and hits your gut so hard that you can’t put it down. Jason Jack Miller’s, Appalachian noir fiction novel, The Devil and Preston Black, is that type of book. Miller has a way of glimpsing into the bleakness of the human spirit that makes it real and frighteningly possible. His passion for music, intertwined throughout the story, comes alive with each turn of the page and becomes a character in itself.

The story begins with Preston Black finding an old vinyl LP. Not just any album, but an album with a song named after him. In the small towns of West Virginia, that could hardly be a coincidence. Preston’s world turns upside down as he searches for the lyrics to the song, his father, and the path that will lift him out of his “white trash” world. His journey takes him where the devil herself awaits, spiraling him in a downward path toward failure. Preston’s character is so vivid that I found myself cautioning him, rooting for him, and sometimes crying right along side him. Music is the only thing that can save Preston, but even his Martin D-28 guitar takes a beating. And just when Preston thinks things can’t get any worse, they do.

Regardless if you’re a music enthusiast, thirsty for Appalachian folklore, or simply love good writing, The Devil and Preston Black will enthrall you. Miller puts the reader right there by Preston’s side as the character struggles the torrential rains, heartaches and broken dreams that we all encounter from time to time. But there is a light at the end of Preston’s dark tunnel, and you’ll have to get to that light on your own.

Regardless of what genre you prefer, The Devil and Preston Black is a must read, one you will remember in years to come. Thank you Jason for giving me the opportunity to read this exceptional book.

The Devil and Preston Black is available from Amazon.com and smashwords.