I’ve started a new series: the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. This is her debut novel and I enjoyed it a good bit. A motley crew made up of several different species runs the warp hole tunneling ship Wayfarer. When they take on a new crew member, she learns the true meaning of family as…
I’ve started a new sci-fi series recently: the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Despite the name, they’re not horror but humorous adventure, very similar to what I like to think my books are like. The protagonist in the series is an organic/robotic construct designed as a security unit. However, it has hacked its governor module…
OK, sure… it’s YA and fantasy. But I know the author personally and I enjoyed the trilogy. Plus, there are giraffes … how could you go wrong? Princess Adana of Moniah is sent away to the neighboring kingdom of Elwar to learn to be a “lady.” As a Watcher, one of an elite band of…
It’s that time of year again — time to think about the perfect gift for your writer friend or family member. Not to worry, though. Here are XX great ideas for your author. And you’ve still got nearly a week to pick them up! The Writer Emergency Pack ($14) – 26 illustrated idea cards and…
I love Dean Koontz — he has a knack for setting the hairs on your nape standing up, while still leaving you with a feel-good ending (unlike Stephen King, who leaves a bitter taste in my mouth with his dystopian endings). Since his wife, Michelle, left seven years ago, Jeffy Coltrane has worked to maintain…
Here’s what I’m reading today in science fiction: Lou Diamond Phillips — yes, the actor guy! — has published a science-fiction retelling of the old folk tale “The Tinderbox.” In the original story, there are three dogs of varying sizes. In Phillips’ work, the “dogs” are high-tech devices of which I will speak no further.…
Robert Heinlein once wrote a book called The Number of the Beast, a fun frolic about a scientist who invents a time/space device and his family. However, unbeknownst to most of his fans, Heinlein also wrote a parallel novel called The Pursuit of the Pankera: A Parallel Novel About Parallel Universes. The two novels begin…
May 4-10 is Children’s Book Week. What are some favorite books from your childhood? Here are some of mine: Goodnight Moon is a lovely read-aloud book for small children. The pictures are colorful and full of interesting details. My mother would end each section by asking “Where’s the mouse?” and my sister and I had…
It’s International Children’s Book Day today. What were some of your favorites as a child?