Book Brouhaha

Review of "Asha," short story by Kevis Hendrickson

2013-05-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Asha is a 15-year old girl with the soul of a demon. She plans to wage war against heaven and hell using humanity as her main weapon. Asha begins the epic tale of the revenge of the dark goddess of demons!

Review:

I've read quite a few works by Hendrickson and this story certainly speaks for his ability to present interesting story lines move along at a nice clip. I liked the protagonist. She was an intriguing juxtaposition of human emotions and demon knowledge.

And yet it's because I liked her that I found myself a little frustrated with the story. I wanted to know more about her motives but all dialogue explanation remained frustratingly vague. I learned more about the plot reading the summary than I did reading the story. At no point in the story does Asha explain that she wants to wage a war or that humans will play an integral part in this war. I don't expect an in-depth outline but I do need enough to put some of the pieces together.

But other than this the story is actually really, really good. It's frustrating because it is good and as the reader I want to know what all that buildup was leading toward.

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

3.5/5 stars

Buy this story on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

And the Summer Slump Sets In

2013-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

So it had to happen at some point. It always does. Book selling is cruel like that. The very moment you start to think "Wow! My sales are really doing well! At this rate I'll be buying that private island I've had my eye on in no time!"

Then the Summer season sets in.

But there's no need to panic. Really. It's just a cold reminder of what actually happens in your own life. The weather is nice... you have some time off... you're on vacation... you're not reading...

Wait? Not reading? Oh yeah, I guess I'm not really. At least not as much as I do during the winter when the sun sets at 4:00pm and there's no reason to be outside.

But it doesn't change the sting of seeing your sales numbers drop like a rock to the bottom of the sales rank ocean. This too shall pass. Just keep publishing. Avoid hitting the refresh button on your KDP window. And know that places like Amazon are not broken. They are simply going through the natural cycle of money-making life.

Review of "Born Again," a short story by P.J. Lincoln

2013-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Beth Tanner has a secret. It's one she's kept from her husband, Jackson, for more than a decade of marriage. Now, a chance encounter with a device that allows your past to be viewed in full detail, Beth Tanner must confront her long ago transgressions.

Beth lives an ideal soccer-mom suburban lifestyle. It's a life she's grown accustomed to and she doesn't want to give it up. But Jackson needs to know the truth and that world she treasurers so much could be taken away.

Review:

A short piece with a quick, engaging plot that somehow feels lacking in the end. Lincoln has some writing skills, no question there. The opening scene to the story is quite good. He immediately manages to create sympathetic characters with only a few short paragraphs. Beth and Jackson are having the type of conversation that almost any person that has been in a long-term relationship could relate to.

The mysterious salesman and "life-sync" device piques your interest. How does it work? If I were in the same situation would I use it? Would I want to use it? You know, the classic Star Trek questions that make starship captains blatantly ignore the Prime Directive.

Thanks to the device, Beth's secret is blown and her dark past uncovered. And that's when the story just sort of leaves you hanging. There are too many questions, too many unknowns, and just not enough emotional resolution. Yes, it's implied that things could be worked out between her and her husband. But the decision seems to be reached with little more than a gasp of shock and a loving hug.

I don't necessarily think the story needs to be longer. As a short story writer/reader, I don't always feel that more words is the solution to everything. The conclusion to this story had the potential to be either touching or humorous. Unfortunately neither really happened which produced a "meh" reaction.

All in all it's not a bad read. The concept was good and I think Lincoln has some real raw talent showing through.

3/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story on Amazon.

Food for Thought

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

My dad, being the engineer that he is, always says that 5% or more is statistically significant. So does it solidify my nerdiness if I said that more than 5% of my Netflix recommendations are documentaries?

What? I like National Geographic! And it's only a matter of time before Nova actually catches the Loch Ness monster on film. What's really pathetic is I get hooked on these things late at night.

So the latest installment was "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." If you haven't see it, go watch it now. It's on Netflix instant watch. It's about one of the world's best sushi chefs. He runs a restaurant that has ten seats and his sushi starts at $300 a plate. Crazy right? But everyone who eats at his place says it's totally worth the money. Customers have to book their spot a month in advance.

What's really interesting about the documentary is Jiro himself. They talk a little about what goes into his sushi making but most of the film is about his work philosophies. The man is completely focused on always bettering himself. Here's a guy that is arguably top in his field and yet he is always striving for more. This or that adjustment to make the flavor that much better.

It's just really refreshing to watch. He doesn't care about being the best. The man has ambition for his craft alone. And what it really teaches you is to take pride in your work. If you make a mistake, who cares? It's just part of the learning process.

Review of "Mandy Marries a Muslim," short story by Aliya Anjum

2013-04-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Mandy 22, breaks the news to her mother that a Muslim from Pakistan has asked her to marry him. Carol, 46, is a strong Baptist woman who has raised Mandy by herself, after her husband's untimely death. She is dead against the idea of her only daughter marrying a Muzlim man. She tells Mandy to stay away from those terrorist Muzlims. Zafar's family also opposes the match, since his mother had already chosen a bride for him in Pakistan.

Mandy and Zafar met during college in her home state of Texas, where he had come to study from Pakistan. The two get married, ignoring their families protests.

When both set of parents meet for the first time, it leads to surprising discoveries for everyone.

Review:

This is the second story I have reviewed for this author. Both times I read her work I was left with a feeling that the story was unpolished and and possibly unfinished.

Anjum's clear strength as an author is presenting compelling protagonist concepts. For example, in this story we have Mandy, a Baptist, who is in love with Zafar, a Muslim. Both families are, of course, against the match due to stereotypes and misconceptions they have formed about each others' cultures. So it's kind of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Interesting, right?

So there's this set up that's ripe for conflict and emotional exploration but none of that really happens. Every single barrier is surpassed a little too easily which makes it feel like there's no character development even though you know that's not what the author wanted to come across. Anjum frequently throws in lines to announce large passages of time ("four months went by") and I couldn't help but feel like she missed out on some prime opportunities to play up the distress Mandy and Zafar feel over their families not getting along.

There are significant grammatical errors in the story and the redeeming factors being the potential for extremely charming characters. And what's frustrating is that a story like this is the kind that needs to be told because there's a powerful message underneath.

2.5/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

For the Self-Employed Author

2013-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's tax season. Ick. There's nothing quite so emotionally draining as handing all your hard-earned money off to the government. Yes, loved ones could pass away. But that's a different type of grief from what you experience bottoming out your car in a pothole that no one has bothered to fix with said tax dollars.

But I digress.

One thing short story authors really struggle with is money spent on cover art. When cracking out a new story every week or month, it's simply not practical to spend $300 on every cover unless you're making gobs of money from some other job that you have.

BUT... good quality cover art can make you money. People are shallow. I'm shallow. You're shallow. Do you really want to spend $2.99 on a romance with a cover that looks like this?

No.

Would you spend money on a book that had a cover that looked like this?

Come on. He's wearing a loin cloth! How could any woman resist that?

Point being that while the story inside may be the same, your assumptions going in and even your very decision to buy the story is based off a one second glance at the cover. So this is not something to just gloss over, even for a short story you plan on selling at 99 cents.

And on top of that, cover art can be a tax write-off. If you're making enough in sales to merit reporting it to the government, any expenses you have as a self-employed author can give you a reduction in taxes.

Note: I'm not a tax professional. You should definitely consult with yours about this.

All I want to point out is the bigger picture. Don't immediately think, "Oh there's no way I can afford a $75 cover for this story." Consider all the aspects. If you're writing the story anyway and publishing it as an ebook, it will be up for sale forever. Giving the story a professional front will increase the likelihood that someone will buy. Cover art is not just a superflous expense, it's an office supply and, therefore, a potential tax write-off. As a writer it's part of your business.

Review of "An Arranged Marriage," short story by Aliva Anjum

2013-04-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:
Based on true events in the life of four women Physicians in the US.

23-year old Reem, married 31-year old Iftikhar, in an arranged marriage. Arriving in America after marriage, she had hoped of a joyous, beautiful life. However, Reem soon discovered, that everything about Iftikhar was a lie.

Read the story of her suffering and eventual triumph, in the land of opportunity.

Review:
This story is a diamond in the rough. There's a very powerful and rich message but it's covered up by choppy pacing and editing issues.

The story is told stream of consciousness style from the point of view of a young woman named Reem. There's not much in the way of description but you eventually learn that she's in medical school, smart and very career driven.

Most of the story takes place as Reem takes her oath to become a United States citizen. I felt that the setting was perfect for such a piece. It's exactly the type of place one would become so reflective of one's life. The problem is that her "memories" are very disjointed. Sometimes it's a flash to the past other times it's something that is currently going on. Which is probably an accurate representation of how we really think about things but it makes for a confusing read.

There are a number of grammatical issues as well. I make a point to only bring this up in reviews if it detracts from the reading experience (it did). The author would switch points of view frequently. It would go from first person, to limited third person, to the omniscient third person and back again.

However, the storyline is so compelling that I couldn't help but be absorbed from beginning to end. So there's a lot of raw talent here. The writing just needs to be raked over by an editor or two. But worth keeping an eye on this author.

3/5 stars
Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The Power of Time and Experience

2013-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I just had this really cool experience while practicing my violin that gave me new perspective on writing. I need to give a quick history though in order for the coolness of the experience to come across properly.

I started playing the violin when I was 4. So number of years invested in music = more than 20. I don't really remember much of playing the violin when I was really young. Just that I did. It wasn't until I was about 10 years old that I really have firm memories of learning pieces. The memories stuck for two reasons. One was just that I was older. And two because by that point I was learning more advanced pieces. The types of pieces that take you months to work through because they're f-ing hard. You're not on Twinkle anymore, Toto.

I remember working through some of those concertos and sonatas and eventually being able to play them but they still didn't feel easy. Fast forward a few years... I studied music in college... learned more pieces... basically improved my craft slowly but surely. And now I teach which actually makes you even more attentive to details.

Back to my really cool experience, I started working on a piece that I have to do for an audition. Coincidentally, the piece that they are requiring for the audition is one that I had worked through/played years ago when I was a spry, young thing. So I pull out the music that has, like, 15 years of accumulated dust built up. I blow off the dead moths and start playing through it.

And that's when it hit.

For one thing, the notes came back a lot faster than I though they would. Yeah, it was rusty. But I was shocked how much I actually remembered. But then the really cool thing happened: I was playing through it and it felt easy.

Easy being a very relative term here. It was never a simple piece to begin with. But to have such vivid memories of the last time I played the piece and all the hard sections circled in the music that I drilled and drilled... and then 15 years later I easily play through those same hard passages.

I don't really know if there's a word to describe what I felt at that point. The thing that was powerful for me was that I clearly remember this particular piece maxing out my technical skills the first time I learned it. Like I gave it everything I had. And now that time has passed and my experience increased, I realized I now have the ability to give the piece even more. Which is just so COOL!

It ended up really putting my writing in perspective. The stories that I write right now are the best that I can do. They max out my technical skill. And I think sometimes this is a source of insecurity for me because I know that they're not life changing. I enjoy writing them, I feel like I have good concepts but it doesn't always rid me of the feeling that the story could be more somehow.

Playing that piece made me realize that I've only been writing for 2 1/2 years. Which is NOTHING. So right now the best thing I can do is try my best and to keep trying. Eventually time and experience will give me the ability to put that elusive "more" into my stories.

Review of "Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words," Flash Fiction Collection by Mark S. Bacon

2013-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:

A woman makes a daring escape from a bank robbery--with help from a cop. A detective sergeant outwits his inspector and solves the murder at a snowed-in manor. Two con men meet unexpectedly when they’re both plying their trade at the same resort hotel. These are some of the seemingly complex stories begun and resolved in exactly 100 words.

Seven of the stories in this collection have been published in five different online magazines: Stymie Magazine, 101 Words, Flashshot, 100-Word Story and MicroHorror.

Other stories include a man who discovers--and loses--his long-lost love at a ball game. A hit man receives an unusual request and is unable to comply. And a fatigued long-haul trucker reaches a bizarre destination.

Each entry is a complete story, most with a protagonist, a challenge and resolution. Here are 101 mini mysteries, mini puzzles with unexpected, satisfying endings.

Crime/mystery and law enforcement-oriented stories make up about half the collection. Also included are love stories, humor, dramas and “Twilight Zone”-style speculative fiction.

Review:

This is the first collection of flash fiction ever sent to be reviewed here at Book Brouhaha. I know from personal experience that putting together collections of flash fiction is quite challenging. To make a decent sized ebook, the author must compose dozens of complete stories.

I feel like the title was a bit of a misnomer. I know that in the summary it says there's a variety of stories but with a title that emphasizes Cops and Crooks, you can't help but go in with certain expectations. The stories feel like a hodgepodge. The only real connecting factor being that they're all exactly 100 words.

That said, the quality of writing in this collection was quite good. Many authors crack under such a tight word constraint but Bacon really seems to thrive. As expected, some of the stories are more predictable than others. But I found that they never failed to make me smile and sometimes even take a moment to reflect. I feel like a flash fiction author has really done his/her job right if you don't feel like you need to rush to the next story right away. Much like poetry, the stories should be savored.

Definitely worth picking yourself up a copy. If you haven't read flash fiction before, this is a perfect time to try.

4.5/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this collection on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Beta Reading for Your Short Stories!

2013-03-20T00:00:00.001-07:00

I am very pleased to announce that Beta Reading is now being offered here at Book Brouhaha!

A Beta Reader reads an author’s manuscript before it is sent to an editor and offers constructive criticism focusing on the flow of the story, characterization, dialogue, and potential plot holes. All authors need multiple Beta Readers to help improve their craft. Without them, an author cannot obtain objective feedback on the story and could potentially pay more in editing costs because of the level of effort needed to improve it.

The feedback offered during Beta Reading is private and will not be posted anywhere on the blog. Think of it as an in-depth, personal review. You can read more about this service by clicking on the Beta Reading tab at the top or by clicking here.

Review of "Dreamweaver," a short story by Benjamin Goshko

2013-03-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summary:

Tonight, Somnus, God of Sleep, has tasked Dreamweaver to craft a happy dreamscape for a little girl named Abigail. The assignment seems routine at first, but, no matter what webs he spins, Dreamweaver cannot please the child. The only thing Abigail wants is to be reunited with her father. Failing to grant her this one wish will forever banish Dreamweaver to the dark netherworld.

Review:

This was a simply delightful story. I want to say bordering on a fairy tale...? Sort of...? It didn't start with a "once upon the time" but for some reason it just struck me as belonging to that category.

Goshko does a fantastic job exploring the depth of pain and loss without attempting intentional heart string pulling. It was a brilliant touch telling the story from the Dreamwaver's point of view. The Dreamweaver is a spirit and therefore provides a sense objectivity as he explores each person's dream to try and get the complete story.

There were a few loose ends here and there that I wished had been tied up a little neater. For example, the story starts with the Dreamweaver explaining that Abigail's happy dream was a special request from Somnus, the God of Sleep. Yet, Abigail's relationship with Somnus was never explained. Why does he care so much about one little girl when there are millions of suffering children?

But none of this was enough to ruin the compelling plot told in this short story. The Dreamweaver is almost naive when it comes to human emotions which makes his discovery of anger and abandonment bittersweet. Definitely worth picking up a copy to read.

4/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

SFWG 2013 Romance Contest RESULTS

2013-03-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank everyone that took the time to submit to our first romance contest. Here at SFWG we want to try and celebrate all genres of short fiction which is why we chose something very different from speculative fiction this time around.

And now for the results!

First Prize goes to Amy Krohn for her story "The Third Painting." Amy has graciously offered to give a free PDF copy to anyone interested in reading her story. You can contact her at: amy.krohn@yahoo.com

Second Prize goes to Laura Lond for her story "A Merman's Kiss." You can buy this story on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Third Prize goes to Melissa Keir for her story "A Christmas Accident." You can buy this story on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Secret Cravings Publishing.

Always be on the lookout for future contest announcements on our site!

Prediction for the Future of Bookstores

2013-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Every time I walk into Barnes and Nobel these days it seems like there are more and more toys/games and fewer books. Is it sad that when I need a Valentine's Day card the first place I think to go is Barnes and Nobel?

I can't say I'm totally complaining about the current state of bookstores. They are trying to sell the geeky strategy games like Settlers of Catan. I love geeky board games (I collect them) so it's kind of validating for me to see that my geekiness is, in fact, trendy and cool.

But I do feel bad for the people that run bookstore giants like Barnes and Nobel. It has to be depressing going to work every day knowing your company is on life support. It brings to mind Blockbuster's amazing press line: "Our company is doing fine, we're just shutting all our stores down." Uhhh.... I guess admitting to the fact that your business model is no longer sustainable makes stocks crash?

The problem is not the commodity. Books have never before been in such high demand. The problem is how the commodity is being sold. There are simply so many options for reading material out there that it is impossible for any one physical location to keep enough stock that will cater to everyone's tastes.

But it doesn't change the fact that people still like to shop. The future is not one where everything is delivered to your doorstep. Humans are social creatures and going out to buy things feels like an event or a productive way to spend the day. The tricky part is that people are no longer satisfied with buying whatever the stores have in stock. The click of a few mouse buttons and you can search the entire planet for exactly what you had in mind.

Which means that the commodities that people are not willing to compromise on will be absorbed by things they are willing to compromise on such as food. Places like Starbucks will become the new bookstores. Coffee shops are already profitable because they sell a product at a huge markup that people can't buy online. Yes, you can buy coffee online. But you can't buy a "hang out" spot. The fact that coffee would still be the main product means that there's no pressure to stock every book, merely some books.

Review of "The Secret of Aniceto Cuevas," a short story by Jack Hughes and Peter Lewis

2013-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Summary:

In 1939, an English businessman is sent to San Juan, Puerto Rico to complete a deal for his firm. While there, he meets the fascinating and charismatic Aniceto Cuevas, a man who seems to truly have it all. He soon learns, however, that there is much more beneath the surface of Aniceto, and when the facade begins to unravel, a shocking discovery is made.

Review:

A gripping tale with a writing style that seems to ooze with the same charisma of Aniceto Cuevas himself. Aniceto is rich, cultured, well-spoken and seems to know everything about everything. You can't help but feel caught up with the protagonist as he strives to impress the type of man that everyone wants to be.

Without revealing too much, the story naturally leads to the reveal that not all is as it seems with Aniceto. A tragedy in his past seems to have permanently twisted his mind to the point where he can't enjoy his present accomplishments.

While the story and its ending are good, I can't help but feel that the "shock" factor was built up to be more than it really was. Had this been an Edgar Allen Poe plot, such a twist would have been considered cutting edge horror. Since it is a post-Poe story, I would classify Aniceto as "messed up" rather than shocking (which implies a level of horror never before imagined).

Still, this story is certainly worth a read. It has that classic horror vibe to it that short story lovers usually adore.

4/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story on Amazon.

Paperman

2013-02-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

I love short films. I know... shocker. But I think with the current trend of moviemakers cranking out three hour movies on a regular basis, this becomes a really interesting topic. When you're sitting through a three hour long film, do you honestly remember everything that happened in the film? No. You're left with an overall impression.

A good short film can have just as much of an impact on you as a movie. Sometimes more so. They're also a really good way to explore how to write short stories. You don't need $10 million in explosions to make a moving story line.

So I thought I would do a few blog posts exploring some of my favorite short films and what we can learn from them. Before reading further you must first watch this cute little love story (in honor of Valentine's Day): http://mashable.com/2013/01/30/paperman/

Awww... cute, right? From a storytelling perspective I really admire how little we actually know about the two main characters. We know in the first second of the film that he's bored with life/job. We also learn they she's a little shy and that they're both lonely. And that's all the information the viewer really needs to feel connected to them as characters.

Hours of backstory or character development are simply not needed. In being aware of the select pieces of information that truly matter, the viewer can fill in the rest of the details for themselves.

So let's discuss... what other storytelling techniques can you pull from this film?

DANGER: Over-Editing Ahead. Take Alternate Route.

2013-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Writers have a tendency to obsess. Wait, let me be clearer: writers have a tendency to really obsess. Wait, what did I mean by that? Should I have phrased that differently? Maybe I could have said, "writers will really obsess over their work" and that would have been a more powerful statement. Maybe "obsess" isn't the best word.

See what I mean? It's endless and often times pointless. Gasp!

I think the obsessing stems from a breakdown of what's on the page and what's in your head. In your mind you have this epic sprawling tale of love and woe but the epicness is just, for whatever reason, not coming across when written down.

For me, it was kind of mind-blowing when I realized that the reason this was happening was because my ability level was not quite high enough. There's a quote by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki that I really like: "Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus 10,000 repetitions is skill."

Sure we all know how to write. But it takes practice to know how to convey the story in your head to the written word. You literally have to just keep writing action scenes in order to figure out how to write an action scene that meets your expectations. And in the process you're probably going to write a lot of really cruddy scenes. And then maybe one spectacular one that you try to recreate only to realize that you basically just wrote the same thing twice.

Rewriting the same scene over and over again will accomplish nothing. Write the scene as best you can, make sure it's grammatically well put together and then move on. In other words, create the best story you can at this moment in time. It is unreasonable to demand more than that. You must allow yourself time and repetitions for your craft to naturally grow. In order for growth to happen you have to approach the challenges from different angles.

Review of "The Session" by Mike Dennis

2013-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Summary:

Jeff Dryden is a top recording session guitarist in LA. Makes big money. Has a beautiful wife and a big house. Life is good.

But one night, he's awakened by a phone call from a record producer who needs him for a session right away. The money is good, so he agrees, but this session will dredge up long-buried memories and dreams, and wind up changing his life forever.

THE SESSION calls together Mike Dennis' past as a professional musician and his present as a noir fiction author in a harrowing portrayal of a man who can't quite grab the brass ring.

Review:

In general, noir fiction is not really my thing. I respect it as a genre I just tend to be more of a "happy ending" type of person and noir, by definition, is usually about crime and decline.

But I can't deny Dennis' strength as a writer. I've read stories of his before and he always does an excellent job pulling you into his depressing little world... in a good way. This particular story is not your typical murder investigation that you think of when the word "noir" is used. It focuses more on the repressed dreams of one man being brought to surface and then crushed. An interesting and refreshing take on the genre.

As a musician, I did find myself relating to the protagonist. There's definitely a reason why it's called the music business. Much depends on your name and who you know. One minute you're in, the next you're out. Dennis pulls does a credible job accurately depicting just how fickle the industry is in surprisingly few words.

If you enjoy noir fiction, Dennis is certainly an author worth looking into. His short stories in particular are consistently good.

4/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this story here.

The Founders

2013-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

For those who do not yet know, I have banded together with three other short fiction writers to form a group called the Short Fiction Writers Guild. The purpose of the group is to promote short fiction to new readers and provide opportunities such as contests for those that write it. Think of it like a short fiction club.

Something that we thought worth exploring is the publication of anthologies. And it seemed only fitting that our first anthology should feature those that founded the club! Volume one is all speculative fiction but there's a nice variety inside. Everything from young adult scifi action to epic fantasy.

I'm pretty excited about this whole thing. Writing is, in general, a lonely profession so it's nice to have some "coworkers" to chat with and discuss what our next "company direction" is going to be. In a couple of years I see this being a really valuable resource for people. Especially considering the increasing number of novellas/novelettes out there.

Buy link here.

Delusions of Verbosity

2013-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

There is a sizable population of readers, American readers in particular, that seem to feel that all story ideas need to be long. Everything must be exactly spelled out less the reader feel gypped.

But you know what? The things that really make a story memorable are the things that aren't said. Pride and Prejudice? Women for all time are haunted by the fantasy of being married to Mr. Darcy. Lord of the Rings? Imagining the epic battles unfolding before you (which is why the movies were so popular).

In both of these cases the authors laid out the framework and left it to your imagination to take it the rest of the way. Spelling out the adventure would have actually ruined the story.

Adding more words doesn't always fix storytelling problems. The trick is making sure that the words you do add are the right words.

Review of "The Hunt," a single story in a collection by Tara Fox Hall

2013-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Summary:

From the murky depths of a summer lake to the echoing halls of an insane asylum, evil lies in wait for victims. Innocents might escape by a hair’s breath, if they’re lucky. Then again, they might not. The shadows are waiting. Dare you step into the darkness and be judged?

Review:

**This review contains spoilers**

The stories in this collection are short. Bordering on flash fiction kind of short. I enjoyed this aspect to the collection because you never forget that you're reading short stories.

"The Hunt" is a suspense horror piece about a frontier woman being chased by a psychopath killer. Think Scream only gold rush style. Hall does an excellent job introducing her main character quickly and in a way that makes you instantly sympathetic. Almost immediately you feel fearful for the woman's life.

The tension doesn't really let up as more and more is discovered about the this person stalking the protagonist. I did find myself to be a bit skeptical at the number of people our leading lady just happens to run into while out in the wilderness. If lost in a frontier forrest, the chances of stumbling across multiple parties of people in a short space of time are slim to none. But it didn't change the fact that I was seriously creeped out by the killer so, for me, the plot pacing remained unbroken.

This story kept me going right up until the very end when it just... stops. Things are kind of resolved but not really. There just wasn't enough concluding information for me to finish the story in my mind. It's the type of story where the end needs to hint if the protagonist may have found something to give her and edge or a hint needs to be dropped that she just fell into the killer's plan perfectly.

But, overall, this was a strong story and an entertaining read. It's certainly worth picking up a copy if you enjoy a little night fright.

3.5/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this collection on Amazon.

Difference Between Novels and Books

2013-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Somehow the word "novel" has become synonymous with "book." I have no idea when and how this happened but it did. The fact of the matter is that they are NOT synonymous. People just think they are which is causing some unwanted problems for those of us that happen to write short stories.

All novels are books. Not all books are novels.

Confused?

A book is anything that is bound and published. In the case of this ebook area, it's really just anything that's published (i.e. packaged) and sold as a single reading entity. That's why we call the things that we buy on our Kindles or Nooks eBOOKS and not eNOVELS. A collection of articles could be a book if it's packaged together. A comparative study on the flora and fauna of the Great Plains is a book. An essay, if put together and sold as an individual entity, is a book.

And, yes, a single short story is a book.

A novel is one of the major forms of literature. This means that there are certain style elements that must take place. It's usually fictional or has fictional elements. There has to be a story arc of some sort and a novel must have a certain number of words (40,000 and up is usually the standard). Once all this is said and done and you created your finished product, the novel is packaged together and sold as a book.

Hope that helped to clear things up.

Diversification and Selling Short Stories

2012-12-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am going to make a rather bold statement about short stories and say that the only thing that ensures an increase of overall writing income over a prolonged period of time is diversification.

The number one mistake people make is publishing a single short story in a single genre. The story never sells so they automatically assume there's no money to be had publishing shorter works. Not true.

Publishing short stories is a constant process of throwing spagetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. It's stupid to put all your hopes on a single strand. This type of mentality should be left to the novel writers as they slave for years over their supposed masterpiece. Short story writers don't have this kind of luxury.

You must experiment and you must make your work available to as many readers as possible. My sales increased once I stopped thinking that I was a sci-fi short story writer and started thinking that I was a short story writer. I branched out. I started new pen names and writing in all the genres that interested me. I also made sure that all of my work was available is every possible ebook retailer. Forget KDP Select. It will only hold you back.

I don't keep track of every sale. But I do monitor what IS selling and what's not. It's a constant balance of watching all channels and all the genres published in each channel and seeing what is picking up momentum. If I see, for example, that scifi sales are increasing on iBooks, this directs where I am going to be putting my energy when I start my next writing project.

Some genres just don't sell on some channels. Period. I think I've sold maybe a dozen copies of scifi stories on Barnes & Noble. Most of them to my mother. But on Sony and Kobo I have scifi stories regularly selling every month. Short stories may not be a gold mine, but getting $20 from B&N and $30 from Amazon and $15 from Apple... it does start to add up slowly but surely.

SFWG 2012 Speculative Fiction Contest RESULTS

2012-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank everyone that took the time to submit to our first contest. We received a number of very intriguing stories that led to some fun discussions for us. SFWG does plan on making contests a regular part of our yearly events. So there will certainly be more prizes to earn in the future!

And now for the results!

First Prize goes to Aaron Engler for his story “Event Zero.” You can read this story for free here.

Second Prize goes to Erin Lawless for her story “Deadlands.” You can read about the collection containing this story here.

Third Prize goes to Anthony Stevens for his story “Statuary.” You can read this story for free here and read about his upcoming project here.

Short Fiction Writers Guild

Review of "Low-Budget Monster Flick," a single story in a collection by Mary Anna Evans

2012-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Summary:

An eight-year-old girl who has just watched as her sister was kidnapped... A nurse who holds the lives of a mother and child in her hands... A makeup artist who has just found a murdered starlet on a movie set... Find these characters and more in this book-length collection of short works by Mary Anna Evans, author of the Faye Longchamp mysteries. This collection includes stories and essays originally published in anthologies including FLORIDA HEAT WAVE, A KUDZU CHRISTMAS, MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL, NORTH FLORIDA NOIR, MYSTERY MUSES, and A MERRY BAND OF MURDERERS, as well as never-before published stories by Evans. Bonuses include a story by guest author Libby Fischer Hellmann and an excerpt from her environmental thriller WOUNDED EARTH. Mary Anna Evans is a recipient of the Mississippi Author Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, a Florida Book Awards Bronze Medal, the Patrick D. Smith Florida Literature Award. KIRKUS REVIEWS called her latest release, PLUNDER, "delightfully erudite." She lives in Florida with a humongous piano and an unusually charming cat.

Review:

This is a review of one story in a collection by Evans.

I fully admit to having a weakness for cult horror and sci-fi films. If it involves a rubber monster suit and/or a virgin sacrifice, I've probably seen it. So it's really no wonder that this short story appealed to me in every way. It was like murder mystery noir with a sense of humor.

Evans has a strong style of writing that instantly transports and immerses. Despite the large cast (for a short story), never once was I pulled out of the action by trying to figure out who was who. I found myself enjoying all the characters. Yes, some of them were bordering on stereotype but it totally suited this type of story.

The plot is perfectly paced. It feels neither rushed nor needlessly dragged out. Some hardcore mystery fans may feel a little jilted with such a short investigative process but I actually liked this aspect to the story. In my opinion the story was more about "a day in a life" of a 1940s hollywood worker rather than a nitty-gritty whodunit. The underlying humor being that no one really cares about the victim, it's all about the showbiz and the art.

This story alone would make the collection worth investing in. Evans is not a short story author you want to miss.

5/5 stars

Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this collection on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Genre and the Short Story

2012-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Short stories generally tend to belong to more artsy genres. By this I mean that's it's not at all uncommon to classify a short story as a fantasy/fairy tale/sci-fi/young adult/thriller hybrid.

For a novel, this would probably end up being confusing for the reader. But often for a short story, it makes perfect sense. Starting mid-action in order to lead up to a slightly twisted ending often requires pulling elements from multiple mainstream genres.

While fun to write and even more fun to read, the lack of clear genre makes it tricky to market to your target reader. Therefore, it's important to keep two things in mind:

1) Who is your target reader? Think about the personality type of the person shopping around and let that be your guide. For example, say your story is a bittersweet romance with supernatural elements. At first glance, this type of story could fall under "paranormal" and "romance." But is your story the type of plot those shoppers are looking for? Probably not. Romance shoppers are usually looking for a few steamy scenes and a happily ever after.

So you have to go outside the box. What type of reader would enjoy this short story you just crafted. Perhaps "fairy tale" would be more appropriate than "romance." Disney movies aside, those that have read the real Grimm fairy tales know that sometimes the ending isn't always happy. So if they came across your story, their expectations would be more in line with what you actually wrote.

Which leads us to...

2) As a short story writer you must become your own "genre." A perfect example would be Edgar Allan Poe. By just seeing his name you would know what type of short story experience you're in for. His name sells his work.

Given the fact that short stories sell so few copies compared to novels, you need to give that one reader that finds your work a lot of buying options and a lot of similar reading experiences. I don't mean write the same story over and over again. But do always keep in mind the things that make your stories unique. Do you have a twist at the end? Are your stories "thinkers"? Do you have trademark characters or humor? Use those features to your advantage.