Judging Books by Their Cover

After my adventure browsing books before Christmas, I decided to ask one of my friends, Rae, to go to the bookstore with me last night to play the Book Covers Game. I wish I could have recorded it but I did take some pictures. Basically we went to the new fiction aisle and started discussing which books were catching our attention and why. Then we read first lines in the book and discusses how appetizing they were with a simple grade system of "in" or "out." We looked at about twenty books, so here are just a few and how our conversation went.

This may seem mean but I think it's a more accurate portrayal of what consumers do when browsing books. We don't have time to consume the whole meal, so we just nibble a little here and there.

Word Count: 711

Edits: 1

Taste Test Thursday - Skinwalker

Skinwalker by Faith Hunter

Review: Interesting premise, but not interested in reading more.

Facade: Usually a woman on the cover is a positive indicator for me. However, the image of the her straddling a motorcycle with boobs pushed up seemed sexualized. She is also hoisting a shotgun aggressively, which combined with the dark colors of black and gold, was a deterrent because it seemed to highlight masculinity and violence.

Appetizer: "I wheeled my bike down Decatur Street and eased deeper into the French Quarter, the bike's engine purring."

I gave a little internal squee when I read the first lines because I love New Orleans, home of my family, and I wanted to see what Faith Hunter would do with it. So that is really all the first sentence does, is set the location. Because it is in first person the reader does not know for sure if the narrator is a man or woman but one assumes woman because of the cover. Regardless of gender, a person on a motorcycle does bring to mind certain images which is a good way to create visual with minimal words. That being said, I was a bit disappointed with the use of the phrase "engine purring" because the bikes I've been around have never purred.

Tossed Salad: I did not finish the story with any memorable characters.

Main Meat Course: Jane Yellowrock is a kickass, motorcycle riding, gun toting woman. But... the flavors didn't mesh for me and here is why.

The concept of the "Beast" was cool, but dialogue between Jane and Beat was inconsistent. The story started out slow and with a lot of 'telling.' Why explain about recuperating from an almost beheading if it is going to be brought up in conversation later. There is this problem with redundancy and repetition again. At times the story read like a history book with the 'telling' and not enough showing. This is a story and it seemed the author forgot that she was supposed to be sharing a world with the readers.

Although I love learning new and interesting things while reading, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of details about mechanics and guns and fighting. Many of the fight scenes were reading like a script from an action movie.

The most difficult part for me was that the rules of the world were not clearly explained, such as the rules for using "mass" to change forms and why. And how did Jane discover that she can only change at sundown and sunup? I have stated before that establishing rules in the paranormal world is very important and it is clear that Hunter has done this. However, if those rules are different from conventional "Hollywood" rules, then they need to be clearly explained to the reader and this is where Hunter's story lacks cohesion.

Ultimately, the story is interesting and I can see why many people like it. But for me to keep reading the crafting needs to be better.

Dessert: It was immediately evident that the story of Jane Yellowrock has lots of plot lines open for future stories. So if you enjoyed the first book, there is definitely more out there for the reader.

Word Count: 537
Edits: 2

Sunday Special - The Shadow Queen

After last week's taste test with Hounded by Kevin Hearne, I decided to review one of my go-to books that also has a speaking dog character.

The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop

Facade: There's a female on the cover and not sexualized. The costuming of the woman indicates that is possibly historic or fantasy. The wrought iron and smoke in the background lend to a fantasy environment. I really like, though, the shaft of light behind the woman which highlights her and keeps the cover from being too dark.

Appetizer: "Still shaken by the storm of power that had destroyed half of the blood in Dena Nehele only a few days before, the rogues came down from their camps in the Tamanara Mountains to face an unexpected enemy."

The opening line for the story is not especially appetizing, (except for the end with "unexpected enemy,") but it is informative. For those who have not read the Black Jewels series, which sets up the world this story takes place in, the first lines serves as a nibble, telling the reader that something big has happened ("storm of power destroyed half the blood") in a location not of Earth ("Dena Nehel") during a conflict (use of the words "rogue") in which something "unexpected" has happened (that's the suspense). So while it may not be the most savory opening line, it is an adequate hor d'oeuvres.

Tossed Salad: I picked this book because of its characters, especially Vae the talking dog to compare with Hounded's Oberon.

Vae is a dog that is described to look like a sheltie which is called sceltie in the novel. The interesting aspect of Vae's character is that she, the dog, is able to communicate with the humans in the novel and continue to retain essentially doggy characteristics. Vae is loyal and loving who loves to go on "walkies" and has no problems herding her "humans" or nipping those who do not fall in line. Early in the story the reader gets the scent that the scelties are not "owned" by people, rather it is the other way around. Vae says, "I am helping to train him... I am allowed to bite. But not hard. Not the first time."

Like Kevin Hearne's Oberon, Vae serves as a source of humor. However, Vae's role is extended because the comedic exercise functions as counterpoint to the serious piquancy of the story. Additional differences arise between the craft styles of the two authors. Hearne's tendency to show and tell was too repetitive and weighted down the enticing aroma of the story. Bishop was able to establish a unique balance that allows the reader to imagine along with the story. For example there is  a scene in which a male character is being particularly obtuse while Vae is explaining what she thinks should be completely obvious. Bishop writes at the end of the scene, "Vae stopped walking and looked at him." The reader does not need a complete play-by-play of the dog stopping suddenly, turning around with her head tilted up and cocked to the side in that inquisitive look all dogs seem capable of doing with the tail slowly switching behind her, to know that is exactly what Bishop means in seven simple words. There are many descriptive details that readers can fill in on their own without being told by the author and it cuts down on possible repetitions because the reader does not need to be told that the dog is puzzled or does not understand why the human male seems so dense. It is all surmised by the simple descriptions and dialogue.

Cassie (Protagonist) is one of my favorite characters because she is someone who is born to rule by her very nature and by societies but has been hurt because she is not a beautiful and has insecurities about her looks and the type of ruler she is. Cassie has a strong work ethic which makes her a good ruler but she does not have the 'airs' that other rulers exude. Therefore, many people underestimate her and her capabilities and strengths. Cassie is innately kind, which is her strength though others do no always see this, and she uses that kindness-strength to protect those around her.

I really appreciate that though Cassie is extraordinarily kind, she is also real in that she does not get along with everyone and that kindness does not mean she is submissive. When shoved verbally, she shoves back and when pushed physically, she takes up arms (a club) though not the traditional weapons because those do not suit her style of fighting. Cassie know she is innately a queen who manages people and properties but ultimately she would much prefer to trade that work for working in the garden. Cassie is by no means perfect, she is insecure about her looks which causes misunderstandings between her and other characters. She has difficulty trusting men as a result. She worries that she will not be able to do the job expected of her and let everyone down.

I also love that she comes from an openly affectionate and supportive family. She also has quirks that are woven into the story, such as the by-play between her and different characters about Cassie wearing a hat outside because of her pale skin which "molts," according to Vae.

There are many other crunchy characters I could munch over but I think Vae and Cassie are enough for now. I may come back and update this later.

Main Meat Course: Reading Shadow Queen was like going to a another restaurant you know is owned by the same people who run your current all-time favorite restaurant. Hoping the meal is going to be just as fabulous but mentally preparing yourself to be disappointed. And the relief when your realize that, yes, the story is different but just as good.

My experience reading the story was overall very positive and there is not much I can offer in the way of critiques. I was slightly annoyed by one of the main supporting characters, the male Vae is "training," because he does continually get in his own way and does not appear to learn from his mistakes. 

Dessert:  There is a quality of the Shadow Queen and other books in the Black Jewels stories that appear original but echo of ancient medieval histories, matriarchal philosophies and pagan mythologies found in our encyclopedia past. Though the story is fiction it reads like an lost story from another time than a fantasy of pure imagination.

Word Count: 1,093
Edits: 2

The Secret Ingredient - Facade

I do not remember every paying much attention to what books looked like because I was raised to "never judge a book by its cover." Some times the best meals come from those hole-in-the-wall restaurants that look like flophouses. I know authors worry about their book covers. My favorite being Lynn Veihl's post on Paperback Writer blogspot about the "bright metallic glow-in-the-dark pink albino Robin Hood on the cover." She clearly and humorously communicated the frustration of authors with their book covers in Dilemma.

Her concern is legitimate, because last week I decided to go to the bookstore and try to find some books that had strong female protagonist as part of my reading/writing assignment. I even downloaded a list of "Formidable Female Protagonist" from Cybermage. Then I left the list in my car. Rather than walk the twenty steps back outside to my car, I decided to browse.

I cannot remember the last time I browsed. How in the world did I pick a book to choose from before I found those authors I liked, who then lead me to others? I realize that my reading experiences have been dictated by a chain of suggestions for the past fifteen or more years.

So how to decide? I started picking books at random and opening to the first lines, but that became futile quickly. There had to be a better way, and for the first time in who knows how many years - I started judging the book by its cover.

I pulled up the covers of my favorite books on my phone and compared them for clues. 9 of the 10 books had strong female protagonist (I already knew I was drawn to that!). Of the 9 books with strong female protagonist, women were featured on 7 of them, with only one of the 7 sharing the cover with a male. 2 of the covers featured objects instead of people.

The logical conclusion was to start looking for book covers that featured a female, preferably alone, on the cover. With this criteria set I went in search of book covers and found A Secret History: The Book of Ash. There were several aspects of this image that stuttered by attention. I first thought this was a man because of the armor and the hands. Then I looked closer and realized the hair was long and the face more feminine that I original judged. The armor is unexpected because it reflects a bucolic landscape rather than the gore of a battle field. I am drawn again to the hands, which are roughened and red, to the awkward pose and position of the hand holding the sword. The whole composition was unusual and I wanted to find out what the reasoning might be.

Appetizer: "It was her scars that made her beautiful."

I bought the book.

And that is how I chose a book to read, the secret ingredient is the cover and the author has no control over it.

Word Count: 499
Edits: 3

Taste Test Thursday - Hounded

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Review: Wishing the story was better edited because it is an interesting and engaging plot but the crafting of the story is frustrating and characters need to be fleshed out more.

Appetizer: "There are many perks to living for twenty-one centuries, and foremost among them is bearing witness to the rare birth of genius."

The first line identifies an intrigue about the main character, the fact that he has lived for over two thousand years. This drew me quickly into the story which jumped straight into action. However, this excitement was soon overshadowed by problems in the meat of the story.

Meat Course: The story overall had some surprising spices to an otherwise jerky story. Much of the novel was contrived or cliche and was short on the unexpected surprises that make stories like these great. For starters the immortal Druid owns and operates an occult shop. There is nothing unexpected or unusual about that but there could have been ways to make it so. I will say the action sets in quickly with the plot's point of tension beginning with the Druid's necklace. Hearne establishes the necklace's importance defending its wearer within the first chapter. "My cold iron amulet was bound to my aura, and by now they could no doubt see it: I was some sort of Iron Druid, their worst nightmare made flesh." This if followed by a detailed explanation of its creation (read very hard to make and took many years).

Additionally the creator wears the necklace who is also very old and one assumes experienced. So what does the character do?... He takes the necklace off to clean leaving himself completely unprotected and vulnerable. For a two thousand year old man, he's really, really, really stupid. Additionally, the author uses the moment of weakness to emphasize that he has a very stereotypical testosterone driven libido towards a "naked, statuesque woman with milk-white skin and raven hair" when she "draped an arm around [the Druid's] shoulder and trailed her nails down the back of [his] neck, causing [him] to shudder involuntarily." This happens again later in the story. I am not a fan of seduction or sex without an emotional connection, so this did not work well for me.

Getting back to the crafting of the story. So fairly early in the book the author has 'shown' the reader the necklace's importance and then proceeds to 'tell' the reader why the necklace is important. This is redundant and a crafting trait found throughout the whole of the novel. It is annoying and frustrating like having to chew the same piece of jerky over and over again.

This story does a lot, sometimes too much especially when the reader gets a double dose of show and tell. On of the aspects about fantasy is there needs to be clear cut rule for the universe of the story to exists. A lot of stories run into problems because they do not establish these rules for the reader or it takes too longer for the reader to understand what the rules are. Hearne's story actually goes in the other direction, the reader is bombarded with rules of the world and the Druid's seemingly infinite powers: seeing through fae glamour, self healing, sensing metal, communicating with other paranormal, immortal, handsome, converses with goddesses (has sex with them too), has a lawyer who has ghouls on call, a dog he can talk too, can "cloak" himself to change forms, etc... That is a lot to get a handle on in the first story and a little too good to be true.

Dessert: That is not to say that there aren't some good points. The overall concept of the story is very different and unique making it interesting and the key reason why I finished the main course. The really good part is Oberon, an Irish wolfhound in the series that is the Druid's 'familiar.' The dog is funny and communicates in English but with an identifiable doggy voice which provides excellent comedic quality to the story. "After my bathtime story, [Oberon] wanted to be the Genghis Khan of dogs. He wanted a harem full of French poodles, all of whom were named either Fifi or Bambi."

With better editing this could have been a great novel worthy of every course being devoured.

Word Count: 719
Edits: 2 (last updated 12/29/15)

I Did Not Fail, Because I Did Not Quit

On November 18, 2015, I passed my Doctoral Qualifying Exams.*

Once I began to breathe again, my brain began to itch and twitch. Immediately upon finishing my exams, I put all my academic history and culture books away on the highest shelves of my cabin walls and escaped into the urban fantasy lives of Mercy Thompson, Meg Corbyn, and Eve Dallas. And I wanted more, more than just to read about these character’s lives, I wanted to create my own character.

This was the push I needed to get my own journal out and started writing again. I am writing every day and my engine feels waterlogged and frozen. My mind is a giant tractor left out in the rain of a fertile but barren field with the pistons rusted in place.  Reading earlier blog post, I know it is going to take me time to get back to writing the way I was before. I need tremendous willpower to unstick my mind from the muck, but I have a plan and this blog is going to help me.

During my extended absenteeism, I actually did manage to write more short stories, attend regular writing workshops and submit the stories to publications. I have also improved my academic writing. Both forms of writing will be making appearances throughout the blog as I continue this literary/cultural/historical writing adventure.

I am assigning myself two writing projects because everyone says I need to write what I read… And I tend to read two very different things, one for learning and one for escapism. The first is to write my Doctoral proposal (by May 2016) which will ultimately go into my dissertation (due May 2018). The second is to write an urban fantasy novel (by May 2020).

As a result, this blog is going to twist in another strand of writing.

*(Much has happened between October 2013 and November 2015. I did not keep up with the blog because I was in a state of shock having attended 9 funerals of close family within a 2 year period. The resulting stress in addition to work at the museum tripling and the push to finish my coursework sent me to therapy. It took longer than 18 months to pass the qualifying exams and find some stability in my life again, but I didn't quit and I passed.)

Word Count: 392
Total Edits: 5

Preventing Cabin Fever, Kismet Cabin Exterior

Now that winter is setting in, which means cooler weather and longer, darker days - I can feel the beginnings of cabin fever starting to brew. So it's time to turn my attention to the outside of the cabin because once spring gets here, I'm going to want to enjoy the sun on my face.

I spent quite a bit of time this fall cleaning the exterior of the cabin. I kinda wish I'd taken a before picture to show all the vines growing across the cabin which were starting to work their way under the clap board siding and the seams of windows, which is why they had to be removed. There's a few places along the roof line that I need to work on but over all the cabin exterior cleaned up very nicely.

There's still things to be done though. The cabin is in desperate need of new coats of paint, which of course means lots and sanding and scraping in my future. I'd like to give it some charm and character by painting it a light blue with a light green trim. Then I could use purple as accents for trellis and the screen door (I'm still looking for an old wooden one to install).

Also, the ground has been very wet every since the torrential rains began in May and carried through to Thanksgiving. This means lots of mud especially right in front of the cabin which sees the most traffic so there's no grass growing, just a dirty slushy mush. There are a few flagstones right around the stoop under the porch cover and I'd like to extend that out entirely in front of the cabin.

Right now the stoop is a stacked pile of cinder blocks. My plan is to build a wooden stoop that would act as storage for my ladder, rake and other garden supplies. I also want to put a kitchen cabinet outside to the left of the door. The lower cabinet would hide the propane tank that currently sits on the ground. Then I could use the upper cabinets for my "Little Free Library & Trading Post."

I also want to build the garden beds back up. The Herb and Edible garden would go in the front since it gets the most sunlight. The butterfly and bird garden would go on the right with a bird bath since there's a window on the side that I like to look through when I'm writing. The left side and back would be shade gardens since the trees provide so much cover.

So... that's my spring plans, but since I'm renting I need to get approval from the manager first. I'm hoping the graphics I provide will help me convince her.