Which Books Are You Grateful For?

Despite all the negativity surrounding Thanksgiving, the holiday endears itself to me more each year. Why? At its essence, the American tradition of Thanksgiving is about coming together with family, sharing a special meal, and taking just one day to express gratitude. 

Thanks to Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), Thanksgiving has started to be overshadowed by Christmas shopping, But, as Americans have become desensitized to the “amazing” deals, and Black Friday sales have pushed themselves into Thanksgiving night, there’s been a quiet call to reclaim the good parts of Thanksgiving. The family time, the gratitude, the restfulness. Yes, please.

For the second year in a row (and in my entire life), I’ll be spending Thanksgiving away from my family (and, almost as regrettably, my Uncle Dave’s famous smoked turkey). Now, I know you might not be an American or a meat eater, but I have a strong feeling you’re probably a reader. So, fellow bookworm, would you indulge me in a little bookish gratitude?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and our insatiable craving for book recommendations, drop the title of a book you’re thankful for in the comments. It could be a book that brought you joy, helped you through a difficult time in your life, or even one you wrote yourself!

What book am I grateful for? I’ll give you a simple answer and a serious answer. I’m thankful for Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn for getting me through the bulk of a 14-hour plane flight from Australia to the U.S. No matter what I do, I cannot sleep on planes for more than a few minutes at time, so having that novel engross me to the point where I lost track of time was a huge relief.

On a more serious note, I recently found myself grateful for one of my own novels. A reader shared that reading The Courtesan’s Avenger had served as an escape from her depression and that the themes of the novel resonated with and inspired her. That is exactly why I write, and it meant so much to me that something I imagined could do that for her. I was also thankful to “pay it forward,” as several books have helped me through tough times or made me feel less alone.

Now, before you scurry off for turkey or holiday shopping (no judgments), share your own bookish gratitudes in the comments. Feel free to add non-book gratitudes too – mine include my husband and our feline son, the friends who invited us to share Thanksgiving with them this year, and the internet for connecting me with you!

Guest Post: Why Books Are Important From a Writer’s Perspective by Joe Baldwin

We have everything we could ever want in this cruel world. We just have to come and get it. As simple as it may seem, getting all the things what we want can be a bit tough. First off, we have to equip our self with all the necessary knowledge to get there. We also need to dodge obstacles that come our way. With that, we find ourselves going to academies and universities trying to learn all the things that we possibly can, which we may, later on, use in fulfilling our dreams and desires.

Back during the days, teachers would require students to write a college essay, they would be required to read loads of books. But nowadays, with the invention of the computer and the internet, books aren’t much of a thing than it used to be. These days, with just a click on the internet, you’ll be introduced to tons of facts and research about a certain topic. To say it simply, information is free. That being said, people don’t resort to books anymore. They find the internet more useful since it gives them access to an even wider array of data. I guess it’s safe to say that some people have forgotten the importance of books in or lives. Who can blame them, though? With all the advancement that we have going on with gadgets, why would they even bother putting their phone down for one book?

I just feel differently about it, though. Books play an important role in our lives. You’ve probably heard of this saying before: “when you open a book, you open a new world”, and I don’t think I’m the only one who agrees with this. There are loads of people whose everyday lives are intertwined with books. They won’t last a day without at least having to read a few chapters from their favorite book. Why are books so awesome? They’re packed with insights, knowledge, life lessons, love, and helpful advice.

Books just seem perfect for me. Not only does it make for a great pastime, it also opens new doors for the reader. Yeah, sure, the internet also provides us with a diverse set of reads, but it’s really different when it comes to books. Books allow us to internalize each idea, whereas the internet reads only give us a gist of an entire topic. Here are more of the reasons why books are important:

It exposes us to new writing

Even though we’re not all writers, writing is still an important aspect of our life, most especially in our jobs. It’s important to be skilled in communicating effectively through the use of writing. Sure, good writing is inherent for some people, but for most, it can be a real piece of work.

I guess you can get a few ideas from the internet in writing, but that won’t surpass the writing insight that you’ll be gaining if you’re reading a book. Why? Well, it’s because reading a book lets you into the story or concept. Reading books on a daily basis will help you understand different types of writing.

It helps us improve our self

We may think that we already know enough about the world, but we only know so much as what information the media and society feeds us with. We only become as good as society expects us to be. It’s healthy to have our own personal standard. With that, we should aim to improve ourselves. The question is how. Self-improvement only starts with awareness, meaning knowledge. We need to become more aware. There’s no better way to become more knowledgeable than by reading books because through it, we’ll begin to understand the world more, and when we do, we come to understand ourselves more.

It improves our imagination

In this world, we are limited. We can only do so much. But we are only bounded by these walls if have a weak imagination. Imagination is part of growth. It’s the one thing that makes us think that everything that’s happening can get better, that there’s still hope. Reading books gives us access to other people’s ideas and imaginations, which we can inculcate in our own.

It improves our memory

Memory is an important aspect of our life. Unfortunately, our attachment to technology is disrupting our memory affectivity. We become too reliant. It’s not like we can avoid using technology, but that’s no reason to let ourselves to fall into the pit. Rather it gives us more reason to maintain or improve our memory. Reading exposes us to different kinds of information. In order for us to fully understand what we are reading, we have to become aware of the previous events in a book or story. That being said, it urges our memory power to be at its maximum.

It gives us entertainment

A life spent only on academics and career can really tear us down. We’ll get to the point when we don’t even know what we’re doing the things we do anymore. We need to get out of our poor spirits. Books can give us exactly that. Reading books can take us to a whole new world, where all our fantasies come to life.

It’s important to keep our life balanced. Reading books is one of the best ways to do so. Why? While you’re busy with school or work you’ll always have a book to keep you away from all your troubles. Imagine feeling all hopeless about your job, that it almost makes you want to quit. No worries, then because there’s a book you can rely on that’ll take you to other places of the world where you meet new people. It’s just like going on vacation.

It doubles our knowledge

Yeah, sure, school is already doing fine educating us, but it’s just not enough. Knowledge is ever static. It changes every second. That being said, we can’t always rely on what was taught to us at school. Reading books is great if you want to become more knowledgeable.

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About Joe

Joe Baldwin is a native US resident & professional Article writer for https://essaylook.com. He studied English literature and creative writing. He has experience with online web content including blogs, web page content, news, public relations, press releases, and long form sales and industrial presentations.

Guest Post: Five Favorite Fantasy & Sci-Fi Worlds by Andrew Q. Gordon

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome author Andrew Q. Gordon to my website. He shares his five favorite fantasy and science fiction worlds. After you’ve checked them out, say hi in the comments and share your own favorite literary worlds!

1) Middle-Earth: J.R.R. Tolkien may not have created the idea of world building in epic fantasy, but he is certainly one of the first names people think of when you say world building. I was 12 when my mother brought home the Fellowship of the Ring. I was so engaged my parents needed the jaws of life to get me away from the book. When I first read The Lord of Rings, there were no movies to taint my view of the Shire, Rivendell, Gondor, or the Misty Mountains. I had to ‘see’ those places in my mind. Decades later, I still see my vision of Middle-Earth and not Peter Jackson’s.

There is a deep history that seeps from the pages of the LOTR because Tolkien wrote an entire history for Middle-Earth before he finished the books. There is no info dump of backstory. Instead, it’s sprinkled throughout the books in a way that makes you want to get lost in this amazing world.

Wikipedia

2) The Land: Another of my childhood favorites – Stephen R. Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Although Donaldson followed the Tolkien playbook of an epic quest stretched over a trilogy, this was nothing like LOTR. There is so much to love about Donaldson’s world –the places, the beings, the people, and lore. Loric’s Krill, the Staff of Law, Berek Halfhand, the Bloodguard, Forestrals, and of course Lord Foul.

I’ll admit I wasn’t as fond of the Last Chronicles as I was of the First and Second, but Donaldson did use the last set of books to give us a more detailed look at the history of the Land. He used these pages to give depth to people and things we read about in passing in the first two books.

3) The Eternal Champion Universe. This is probably cheating because Michael Moorcock didn’t create one world for his champions (Corwin, Dorian Hawkmoon, Elric of Melnibone and others). Despite that, there is a common thread that ties them all together. Each of the heroes is a different aspect of the Eternal Champion. What makes this universe so brilliant is each champion is unique. This isn’t the same character transported across worlds. Corwin is nothing like Elric who isn’t like Dorian.

At one point, Moorcock brings the various champions together for a series and there is no confusion. Each character is distinct and defined. It is really hard to break this ‘world’ down because it is so diverse, but I remember how much I loved this author and his vision.

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4) Amber: Roger Zelazny’s Amber. Amber is the one true world. Every other place is a ‘Shadow’ of Amber. The princes of Amber can move through the Shadows and create new worlds as they move. As many others will opine, the first five books in the series – commonly referred to as Corwin Cycle – were better than the second five books – the Merlin Cycle. The series also ended up feeling unfinished by Zelazny’s untimely death.

Zelazny wove many of the myths of Earth into the story arc, offering his own unique explanation on how they came to be. The Pattern, Court of Chaos, Logrus and how royalty walked the Shadows made this a must-read series.

5) Valdemar (Or for the true nerds, Velgarth): This one has a special place for me. When I picked up Mercedes Lackey’s Magic’s Pawn, the first book in The Last Herald Mage series, I had no idea Vanyel, the main character, was gay. It was high fantasy, it had magic, it was my kind of book. That Vanyel, the savior and not some throw away side character or evil maniac bent on destroying the world, made it special.

Lackey’s stories go backward and forward through her timeline. The way she seamlessly connects the dots, explains things we read about in one book by showing us the lives of new characters in other series was masterful. As with all things, there were books I enjoyed more than others, but the entire universe is magnificent. Although Valdemar is a kingdom and reads like a magical medieval nation, the Shin’a’in and Tayledras draw there heavily on Native American culture. Reading the entire library of her books you will see elements from many of Earth’s cultures and some that have no resemblance to anything we know. All in all, this is really magical world and one I could easily move to and be happy. (Assuming I got to give myself great power in the transition, of course.)

Honorable mentions: David Edding’s Belgariad Universe; Pern, by Anne McCaffery; The World of The Riddle Mater of Hed, Patricia A. McKillip; Dune, by Frank Herbert and Isaac Asimov’s vision of the Milky Way.

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Author Bio

Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write. Andrew’s imagination has helped him create works of high fantasy, paranormal thrills and touch of the futuristic. To find out more about Andrew, follow him on his website or on Facebook (links below).

You can sign up for his monthly newsletter and get a copy of The Last Grand Master, Book One in the Champion of the Gods series: http://aqgsignups.getresponsepages.com

Follow Andrew:
website: www.andrewqgordon.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrewQGordon

Indie Book Review: Winter of the Wolf by Christina Ochs

Winter of the Wolf by Christina Ochs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Winter of the Wolf is the fourth book in Christina Ochs’ Desolate Empire series. To be blunt, I have a lot of wonderful things to say about this book — only I can’t say any of them, for risk of spoiling the novel (and the entire series) for you.

What I can reveal is that it falls beautifully in line with the rest of the series. Winter of the Wolf is full of action, political drama, and jaw-dropping twists that literally made me shriek (and sometimes cry). Despite being a long novel (595 pages), it read incredibly quickly and left me wanting more.

And that’s all I will risk telling you.

That being said, I’m going to break from my usual, detailed review style and simply list the top five reasons you should be reading the entire Desolate Empire series.

1. It’s “clean” Game of Thrones. An epic fantasy world, inspired by a real-world war. Multiple kingdoms fighting for control of one empire. Political intrigue, bloody battles, dark magic, and a little romance. All in a family friendly, no cursing, fade-to-black package.
2. There’s a character for everyone. From the beautiful and savvy Princess Gwynneth to the brooding warrior Braedon Terris to the evil and manipulative Empress Teodora, you’ll find characters to love and love-to-hate. (Psst — sound familiar?)
3. You won’t be able to breathe. Between the tense political situations and the life-or-death action, the Desolate Empire series will leave you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you can breathe again, Ochs will give you another unexpected twist or a gripping cliffhanger. (For that reason, you’ll love to hate her, too. But mostly love!)
4. Each book gets better. Thus far, this is not one of those series with a weak link or two hiding in the middle. Every single book has been better than the last.
5. You can’t tell it’s self-published. As an independent author myself, I loathe to even make this point because it shouldn’t matter. However, for some readers it does. So, trust me — the writing is great, the plots are solid, and it far surpasses many traditionally published books I’ve read.

If this all sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Do yourself a favor and buy these books today.

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As always, the links throughout this review are Amazon Associate links. This means, if you buy the book, I receive a small percentage of the sale. However, you pay no more and the author receives no less. The author has not paid or incentivized me for this review — I do so purely to spread the word about a book I love.

Indie Book Review: Maledicus (The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I)

Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I by Charles F. French is a horror novel that mixes elements of paranormal suspense with historical fiction. In the relatively sleepy town of Bethberg, Pennsylvania, the Investigative Paranormal Society (IPS) team (Roosevelt, Sam, and Jeremy) search out strange happenings, then debunk them or dispel disgruntled spirits, as appropriate.

In the series’ debut novel, the IPS faces off against its toughest opponent yet: a demon named Maledicus. Once a proud (and depraved) Roman citizen, Maledicus now delights in bringing terror to the living. When Maledicus targets a young girl and her aunt, the IPS must stop him before he can devour their souls.

Before I dive into my review, I want to add two quick disclaimers. First, as always, I’ll be keeping the content details vague to avoid any spoilers. Second, I’m inclined to note that I received an advance copy of this novel. Therefore, it might have gone through further revision before publication (thus rendering some of my comments moot).

One of my most important concerns for paranormal novels is whether the story follows “the rules of its world.” Maledicus does exactly that. The paranormal content is believable within the story and “the rules” remain consistent throughout. French uses vivid language to bring the paranormal activity and demon Maledicus to life, which makes the scary moments all the more chilling for the reader. Without spoiling anything, the plot follows a clear trajectory, contains a great balance of action and quiet suspense, and reaches a satisfying conclusion.

Though the plot itself remains rather linear, the narrative structure of Maledicus jumps back and forth between different times, locations, and character perspectives. At first, I found this a bit odd to read. Like many classic novels, the narrative often reads more like the author is telling a story, rather than the reader is in the moment with the characters. However, once I adjusted to this style, it did flow rather well.

French offers the readers chapter flashbacks into the human life of the demon Maledicus (which makes him all the more despicable), as well as mini flashbacks within scenes that feature the IPS team. These are clearly given to add depth to the characters and succeed in that goal. However, personally, I would have preferred for the scenes featuring the IPS team members to stay in the present day, with hints at backstory peppered throughout. Of course, this might have just been my impatience to see if/how the evil Maledicus would be defeated!

As for the characters themselves, I found them to be well-rounded and distinct personalities. In particular, appreciated that they are mostly middle-aged to elderly, as I believe literature needs more diverse/fewer stereotypical representations of “older” characters. Roosevelt is the classic gentlemen, while Sam feels every bit the ex-cop (and jokester), and Jeremy perfectly fits his role as the more introverted one of the group. The main side characters are equally well-developed and compelling – I especially liked Helen’s passion for learning, dedication to her family/students, and unwavering bravery.

My only criticisms with the characters are that sometimes the dialogue came off a bit stiff and that I felt they were over-described. Many physical and emotional details were repeated multiple times, and while that is always a writing no-no, it was superfluous with such distinct characters.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I. Horror in plot, paranormal/historical in details, and literary in narrative style, it’s a well-crafted debut novel with compelling characters and a nice balance of action and quiet suspense. Recommended for readers who like ghost stories, history, and cozy mystery.

Charles F. French was kind enough to contribute a guest post to accompany my review, where he discusses the theme of evil in Maledicus. Check it out here. If you’d like to read Maledicus, pick up your copy from Amazon.