Category: Writings

  • Review of The Vampire Memoirs

    I enjoyed reading this because of it’s a simple straight-forward reluctant vampire tale told from the perspective of Mara, a 1,600-year-old woman recounting her life. She’s not the glamorous, wealthy, worldly vampire one might expect in this kind of story, nor did she participate in consequential historic events or meet those who shaped them. She’s…

  • Attending the 2019 James River Writers Conference

    Thoroughly enjoying the conference this year, which is no surprise. It’s my favorite time of year on my literary calendar. The best part is meeting wonderful, creative, supportive fellow writers. Looks like Shadows Within is in good company!

  • Review of The Scribbled Victims

    The Scribbled Victims tells a familiar tale of the vampire tradition in a way that’s different, emotionally compelling, and doesn’t shy from the horror of the vampire condition. I appreciate that Tomoguchi’s vampires need human blood to survive, though as the author shows, one cannot live on blood alone.

  • The Etymologicon

    The longest grammatically correct English sentence using the same word is: “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.”* This, according to Mark Forsyth in his book, The Etymologicon, which I have read with delight.

  • Happy New Year 2019

    Happy New Year 2019

    How are we already in the final year of the decade? Well here’s to a great 2019. I’ve re-read my 2018 New Year post and the goals therein. How’d I do?