Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
PIERS ANTHONY REVIEW OF SECOND COMING
New York Times best selling author, Piers Anthony reviewed WAKING GOD BOOK III: THE SECOND COMING OF HUMANITY, released by ATTMPress. he said:
I read Waking God III, The Second Coming of Humanity, the conclusion of a trilogy by Philip F Harris and Brian L Doe, published electronically (and in print) by ALL THINGS THAT MATTER PRESS. Like the prior volumes it has heavy action interspersed by the religious theme. It begins with a dense summary of the prior volumes, then gets to the continuation. The essence, if I understand it correctly, is that the child, Adam, has been conceived, who when born will herald the new order. Naturally there are those who wish to prevent this child from being born and who don't hesitate at murder; the minions of Evil don't pussyfoot. His parents have to travel deviously to Jerusalem, avoiding killers. At one point a woman who looks like the mother runs to intercept the bullet meant for the mother, giving her life for the child. The novel concludes with alternate endings, and a series of maxims from the Da Vinci Prophecies from the Codex Atlanticus, such as “OF CRUCIFIXES WHICH ARE SOLD: I see Christ again sold and crucified, and his saints suffering martyrdom.” I don't pretend to understand all this, but it's interesting, and I think exactly what would happen to Jesus Christ if he came again and tried to thwart the special interests who govern our society. Religion, the opiate of the masses, is fine as long as it doesn't interfere with business; that's as true in our day as it was in his day. So I recommend this for those who are more into adventurous religion than I am, who may be more competent to relate to its nuances. The authors obviously take religion and prophecy seriously."
His review can be found at: http://www.hipiers.com/newsletter.html
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Writing mature characters is Knox at her best.
Review: 'To Begin Again'
By Marisela Chavez
Special to the Express-News
Struggling with the isolating effect of sudden change stirs inner turmoil. And when it's not yours, it's entertaining. Few can resist gawking at a car crash or watching competing drag queens and chefs standing on a televised chopping block.
Jen Knox, a San Antonio College instructor and author of the memoir “Musical Chairs,” sets the cast of her new story collection, “To Begin Again,” in moments of transition and isolation, be it within a family, the world or one's aging mind.
Similar to how fans of the personal essay eavesdrop by invitation while essayists explore the human condition, readers of these 23 stories overhear characters working through their own understanding of life.
Although “To Begin Again” is a work of fiction, Knox's skill as a memoirist permeates. Whether told in first or third person, the language reads confessional; narrator and speaker alike expound on life's tribulations in voices both unapologetic and reflective. The book's title hints at a conclusion the characters never explicitly draw: begin again, start over, try again because you can.
The opening story, “At the Window,” lays the collection's foundation. While walking down the street, a homeless man unexpectedly socks the speaker in the jaw, and although numerous people observe, no one intervenes. The victim questions her assailant's motivation and the witnesses' lack of response. She confesses: “It was, to my mind, more an act of nature than one of aggression, or even free will. In a strange way, in fact, I feel as though he were as much a victim of his own rage as I had been. So why not extend the same sympathies to the people in the window?”
The stories that follow echo this contemplative focus on the various incarnations of isolation and the two-headed beast, perpetrator and victim, within each of us.
In “Asleep” and “Composure,” young women reflect on social, romantic and geographic isolation. The protagonist of “Asleep” is awakened by a visit from her sickly mother, who wheels in and begins a spontaneous love affair with a much younger man and, in turn, pushes her daughter to take control of her own love life. A young girl contemplates independence and co-dependence on a family visit in “Composure.” Subjection to rowdy neighbors in her aunt's apartment building widens the girl's perspective, more so when her aunt later stabs the abusive neighbor to death.
Writing mature characters is Knox at her best. Although the heroes of “Absurd Hunger” and “Disengaged” battle dulling minds, they shine with self-assurance. The refreshingly brash Walter of “Absurd Hunger” finds solace by writing hilariously touching letters to his dead wife. The task begins as an assignment in grief therapy but turns into something much larger. The speaker's mind in “Disengaged” gently deteriorates alongside a keepsake sunflower given to her by Henry, a man she befriended, maybe loved, at an age well past their prime. Her pragmatic voice slowly sweetens and leaves the reader with an affecting image of an old woman isolated in a nursing home but surrounded by memories.
“To Begin Again” is slim but packed. Any of the 23 stories could grow into a longer work, and, it is hoped, one will.
San Antonian Marisela Chavez is a San Antonio writer and tutor at Our Lady of the Lake
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/books/article/Isolation-transition-more-entertaining-than-it-1456966.php#ixzz1RjCRIilD
By Marisela Chavez
Special to the Express-News
Struggling with the isolating effect of sudden change stirs inner turmoil. And when it's not yours, it's entertaining. Few can resist gawking at a car crash or watching competing drag queens and chefs standing on a televised chopping block.
Jen Knox, a San Antonio College instructor and author of the memoir “Musical Chairs,” sets the cast of her new story collection, “To Begin Again,” in moments of transition and isolation, be it within a family, the world or one's aging mind.
Similar to how fans of the personal essay eavesdrop by invitation while essayists explore the human condition, readers of these 23 stories overhear characters working through their own understanding of life.
Although “To Begin Again” is a work of fiction, Knox's skill as a memoirist permeates. Whether told in first or third person, the language reads confessional; narrator and speaker alike expound on life's tribulations in voices both unapologetic and reflective. The book's title hints at a conclusion the characters never explicitly draw: begin again, start over, try again because you can.
The opening story, “At the Window,” lays the collection's foundation. While walking down the street, a homeless man unexpectedly socks the speaker in the jaw, and although numerous people observe, no one intervenes. The victim questions her assailant's motivation and the witnesses' lack of response. She confesses: “It was, to my mind, more an act of nature than one of aggression, or even free will. In a strange way, in fact, I feel as though he were as much a victim of his own rage as I had been. So why not extend the same sympathies to the people in the window?”
The stories that follow echo this contemplative focus on the various incarnations of isolation and the two-headed beast, perpetrator and victim, within each of us.
In “Asleep” and “Composure,” young women reflect on social, romantic and geographic isolation. The protagonist of “Asleep” is awakened by a visit from her sickly mother, who wheels in and begins a spontaneous love affair with a much younger man and, in turn, pushes her daughter to take control of her own love life. A young girl contemplates independence and co-dependence on a family visit in “Composure.” Subjection to rowdy neighbors in her aunt's apartment building widens the girl's perspective, more so when her aunt later stabs the abusive neighbor to death.
Writing mature characters is Knox at her best. Although the heroes of “Absurd Hunger” and “Disengaged” battle dulling minds, they shine with self-assurance. The refreshingly brash Walter of “Absurd Hunger” finds solace by writing hilariously touching letters to his dead wife. The task begins as an assignment in grief therapy but turns into something much larger. The speaker's mind in “Disengaged” gently deteriorates alongside a keepsake sunflower given to her by Henry, a man she befriended, maybe loved, at an age well past their prime. Her pragmatic voice slowly sweetens and leaves the reader with an affecting image of an old woman isolated in a nursing home but surrounded by memories.
“To Begin Again” is slim but packed. Any of the 23 stories could grow into a longer work, and, it is hoped, one will.
San Antonian Marisela Chavez is a San Antonio writer and tutor at Our Lady of the Lake
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/books/article/Isolation-transition-more-entertaining-than-it-1456966.php#ixzz1RjCRIilD
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
NOOK BOOKS
ATTMPress is happy to announce that all of our titles are in the process of being loaded to Barnes & Nobles NOOK BOOKS! All titles are only 5.99 and add to our growing distribution of titles to electronic venues to meet the needs of our readers.
If you need Nook apps, go here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379002321/
To find our growing list, go here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/all-things-that-matter-press?store=ebook
(Not all titles on this page are from ATTMP but the list is growing)
Friday, June 24, 2011
"unexpected and unconventional "
Re-Post from: http://dailyspress.blogspot.com/2011/06/to-begin-again-jen-knox-all-things-that.html
Winner of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Short Stories, To Begin Again is a lively and unique collection that examines the impact of unexpected and unconventional romance, unforseen wealth or loss, and the dynamics of family ties, despite distance.
The characters Jen Knox created are eclectic and engaging. Each is faced with a small decision that leads to life-altering circumstance. Some thrive and others surrender; but within each story there is a balance of grittiness and inspiration that will stay with a reader long after the last page.
You can read a review and an excerpt at Lit Endeavors.
Jen Knox works as a creative writing professor at San Antonio College and served as Fiction Editor and Workshop Coordinator at Our Stories Literary Journal. She is the author of Musical Chairs, her short stories and essays have been published in Annalemma Magazine, Bartleby Snopes, Flashquake, Foundling Review, Metazen,Slow Trains, SLAB, Narrative Magazine and other magazines.
About All Things That Matter Press
All Things That Matter is a no fee-royalty paying, POD small press that seeks to publish those books that help the author share their Self with the world: "Our interests are on spiritual, self-growth, personal transformation, fiction and non-fiction books with a strong message. We understand that new authors have an increasingly difficult time in wading through the morass of agents, publishers, query letters, and marketing. Our press may well be the place where you get your first book published."
Winner of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Short Stories, To Begin Again is a lively and unique collection that examines the impact of unexpected and unconventional romance, unforseen wealth or loss, and the dynamics of family ties, despite distance.
The characters Jen Knox created are eclectic and engaging. Each is faced with a small decision that leads to life-altering circumstance. Some thrive and others surrender; but within each story there is a balance of grittiness and inspiration that will stay with a reader long after the last page.
You can read a review and an excerpt at Lit Endeavors.
Jen Knox works as a creative writing professor at San Antonio College and served as Fiction Editor and Workshop Coordinator at Our Stories Literary Journal. She is the author of Musical Chairs, her short stories and essays have been published in Annalemma Magazine, Bartleby Snopes, Flashquake, Foundling Review, Metazen,Slow Trains, SLAB, Narrative Magazine and other magazines.
About All Things That Matter Press
All Things That Matter is a no fee-royalty paying, POD small press that seeks to publish those books that help the author share their Self with the world: "Our interests are on spiritual, self-growth, personal transformation, fiction and non-fiction books with a strong message. We understand that new authors have an increasingly difficult time in wading through the morass of agents, publishers, query letters, and marketing. Our press may well be the place where you get your first book published."
Sunday, June 12, 2011
SINS OF THE ABUSED
A TRUE STORY!
Authored by Marco L. Bernardino Sr., Helen J. Wisocki
Young Marco, blissfully living with his grandparents, is whisked away to a new school when his parents re-enter his life. Befriended by Father McCool, Marco is groomed with methodical precision, exclusive indulgences, and thrilling sports outings. Slowly, he is introduced to alcohol and porn, molested, and programmed for life with sexual perversions.
Years later, Marco self-medicates in a subconscious attempt to suppress the lurid memories of dark secrets hidden behind closed rectory doors and to control an insatiable appetite for morally depraved behavior. He struggles to prove to himself there is a virtuous self hiding deep inside. When he finds a patient and understanding therapist, the reconstruction of his twisted life begins. But by now the rippling effect of abuse has spread throughout his dysfunctional family. Marco crawls, wobbles and falls, gets back up, and continues on his painful yet heroic journey to separate himself from the shameful creature he'd become ... all the while juggling single parenthood and his career along with his internal battles.
About the author:
Marco L. Bernardino, Sr., is a survivor of clergy sexual abuse and works to bring hope and help to
others in similar situations. His aspiration for this book is that it will offer a path to recovery for victims who feel alienated from mainstream society - a direct and insufferable result of the actions of predators lurking in the shadows of our churches.
Helen J. Wisocki has published short stories and co-authored Innocence Betrayed. She owns a retail business in Newburyport, and resides in Massachusetts. Helen helps others put their life stories on paper.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
SHOW US THE EMOTIONS
In this session I’d like to address ‘showing’ your characters’ emotions in dialog scenes rather than ‘telling’ the reader in what way the words are being said. Oftentimes I see writers relying on those dreaded and lame ‘ly’ adverbs dangling at the end of dialog tags, a lazy way of qualifying the ‘said’ or ‘asked’ verbs. Let’s take a look at just such a passage-
Mary sat in the breakfast nook bench across from John. “Why didn’t you bother to let me know that in the first place,” she asked pointedly.
“Because I knew you’d never believe me anyway,” he said angrily.
“So you don’t trust my ability to handle much of anything, huh?” she whined.
John said abruptly, “No, I don’t.”
“Fine,” she cried, “just fine. Be that way.” She walked quickly away, pausing at the door to turn around and hastily say, “I’m leaving for mother’s house. Bye, John.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he said flippantly.
~~~~~
Now we have been ‘told’ how John and Mary are feeling and in what kind of tone and emotion they are talking to each other. But there is no movement, very little visualization to the scene. To this writing coach, it is just plain lazy writing. Reliance on qualifying adverbs is a shortcut that results in flat, lifeless scenes. Let’s now examine the same scene being shown to the reader, with little or no need for embellished tags-
Mary sat in the breakfast nook bench across from John. Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes locked on his, she leaned in, tapped a forefinger twice on the tabletop and said, “Why didn’t you bother to let me know that in the first place?”
A wince shot across John’s face. His pupils narrowed. He bit his lower lip as his face glowed crimson and he clenched his fists. “Because I knew you’d never believe me anyway.”
Mary looked down and away, pouting. “So you don’t trust my ability to handle much of anything, huh?”
John rapped his whitened knuckles on the table. “No, I don’t.”
She sniffed and whimpered. “Fine. Just fine. Be that way.” She shot out of the bench and trotted away, pausing at the door to turn around. Her parting words were fired like bullets. “I’m leaving for mother’s house. Bye, John.”
John tolled his eyes and shook his head, flapping his lips with a sigh of mock sincerity. “Yeah, whatever.”
~~~~~
See how much it opens the scene up? There is seldom any need to add anything other than ‘he said’, ‘she said’ to a dialog tag and, indeed, quite often there is no need for any tag if your writing is done in such a way as to reveal the moods and emotions of your characters through their motions and expressions.
Marvin D Wilson, multi-published author and editor with All Things That Matter Press, using the pen name “Professor Old Silly,” posts writing tutorials on his blog each Tuesday. The above tutorial is a re-post from the archives of his blog at: http://theoldsilly.com.
Mary sat in the breakfast nook bench across from John. “Why didn’t you bother to let me know that in the first place,” she asked pointedly.
“Because I knew you’d never believe me anyway,” he said angrily.
“So you don’t trust my ability to handle much of anything, huh?” she whined.
John said abruptly, “No, I don’t.”
“Fine,” she cried, “just fine. Be that way.” She walked quickly away, pausing at the door to turn around and hastily say, “I’m leaving for mother’s house. Bye, John.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he said flippantly.
~~~~~
Now we have been ‘told’ how John and Mary are feeling and in what kind of tone and emotion they are talking to each other. But there is no movement, very little visualization to the scene. To this writing coach, it is just plain lazy writing. Reliance on qualifying adverbs is a shortcut that results in flat, lifeless scenes. Let’s now examine the same scene being shown to the reader, with little or no need for embellished tags-
Mary sat in the breakfast nook bench across from John. Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes locked on his, she leaned in, tapped a forefinger twice on the tabletop and said, “Why didn’t you bother to let me know that in the first place?”
A wince shot across John’s face. His pupils narrowed. He bit his lower lip as his face glowed crimson and he clenched his fists. “Because I knew you’d never believe me anyway.”
Mary looked down and away, pouting. “So you don’t trust my ability to handle much of anything, huh?”
John rapped his whitened knuckles on the table. “No, I don’t.”
She sniffed and whimpered. “Fine. Just fine. Be that way.” She shot out of the bench and trotted away, pausing at the door to turn around. Her parting words were fired like bullets. “I’m leaving for mother’s house. Bye, John.”
John tolled his eyes and shook his head, flapping his lips with a sigh of mock sincerity. “Yeah, whatever.”
~~~~~
See how much it opens the scene up? There is seldom any need to add anything other than ‘he said’, ‘she said’ to a dialog tag and, indeed, quite often there is no need for any tag if your writing is done in such a way as to reveal the moods and emotions of your characters through their motions and expressions.
Marvin D Wilson, multi-published author and editor with All Things That Matter Press, using the pen name “Professor Old Silly,” posts writing tutorials on his blog each Tuesday. The above tutorial is a re-post from the archives of his blog at: http://theoldsilly.com.
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