In science fiction, as any form of writing, the key elements are compelling characters and a believable story. What separates this genre from others is the power with which it captures the imagination, especially for those blessed to have read works by such giants as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and to … Read more
In August 1942 twelve-year-old Shulamit (“Musia”) Perlmutter and her mother escape the ghetto of Horochow in Eastern Poland following the murders of Musia’s father, sister and neighbors by the Germans. Separated from her mother, turned away by the family that had promised to shelter her, hounded by Nazis, Musia manages to survive for two years … Read more
I knew Denise Kalette only a short time. She joined our Atlanta authors group a few months ago and was working on a memoir about her service as an AP correspondent in 1960s Hungary. We came to know her as a brilliant yet warm person with a passion for writing. Her stint behind the Iron … Read more
Nothing reveals character better than conflict, adversity and resolution. What matters even more than what a protagonist wants and the obstacles they encounter is the way they respond to those obstacles. By this process, over the course of a novel, we see that person grow and evolve. Conflict and adversity don’t always depend on body … Read more
McFalls County Sheriff Clayton Burroughs has a problem. He’s spent his entire adult life distancing himself from his violent and dysfunctional family on Bull Mountain. Into Clayton’s office walks Federal Agent Simon Holly with an interesting proposition. If Clayton can convince his older brother and last living family member, Halford, to shut down his meth … Read more
Chicago gallery owner Adam Barrow stages a gala event that he hopes will save his venture from financial ruin. He invites wealthy patrons from throughout the city. In stumbles an unwanted guest. Adam’s drunken brother, Wes, has found two letters, decades old, one from their now dead father and the other, dated November 1941 from … Read more
Every now and then, an historical novel comes along that casts a harsh light into a dark and unfamiliar corner of our past. The Hidden Light of Northern Fires is just such a work. Daren Wang’s story opens in the winter of 1861. Like any compelling story, it introduces us to complicated characters striving against … Read more
What makes a well-crafted short story is the writer’s ability to create an identifiable character, distill that character’s experience down to a couple thousand well selected words and convey an underlying theme that teaches us something about life. I met author and singer-songwriter Rod Picott at an independent bookstore a couple of years ago,. I … Read more