The Persistence of Time by Salvador Dali, retrieved from WikipediaArt feeds art; that much is true. We are inspired by our predecessors, whether to mimic success or challenge them; we compete with our contemporaries, even when the competition is friendly and playful; artists of one medium look to others when their muses refuse to speak up. It doesn’t matter if the art is painting, sculpting, dancing, filming, or, yes, writing. Creative energy flows from piece to piece, medium to medium, artist to artist.
Why do creative acts beget other creative acts?
In truth, this question is loaded. I’m sure there’s some neurological explanation for why art, even outside our mediums, stimulates our creative processes, but I’m no scientist. I’d probably understand it if I read about it, but I severely doubt I’d be able to explain it to anyone. I can only express my own thoughts and beliefs on the matter.
I think the reason art feeds art is because they’re part of the same whole and can never truly be separated.
Image retrieved from eBaum’s WorldAll art has been entwined since the beginning. Visual depictions accompany storytelling; ancient vases inspire poems; plays become books and vice versa. A picture is worth a thousand words and a master writer can paint a picture with a few words. Like a spider’s intricate web, they make a rare beauty when together; remove one thread and the pattern will unravel.
This thought makes sense and does not make sense. On the one hand, we watch visual art, acting, and writing evolve together from one era to the next. They all reflect societal changes and attitudes, and pairing one with another raises us to a new level of magic. On the other hand, they are very different forms of expression. You may be excellent at one but that does not mean you will be any good at the others (trust me, I know from experience). While some writers can draw, many can’t. Some actors can write but just as many fail horribly when they pick up a pen. And certainly not all sculptors can sing.
Again, there’s probably a neurological explanation for why an artist can master one form but not another. I like to think that we all have specific purposes assigned to us in this giant quilting bee we call art; some must sew multiple squares to complete the larger product, but most of us are given one square to perfect. In the end, it’s all entwined to make a beautifully mismatched piece which no group has done before us.
Perhaps we don’t need to know why artists are inspired by works outside their field. Perhaps we only need to know that it happens and embrace it. After all, if we are inspired by all the art surrounding us, we will never lack inspiration.
What do you think? Why does creativity beget creativity? Do you have any art outside of writing which you turn to for inspiration? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
We all hit a time in our lives–multiple times, in many cases–in which we find ourselves so busy that we suddenly feel as though we can’t do anything. At least, I’ve hit that wall several times and many of my family and friends have been there at some point, too. You know that work has to be done but the very thought of it makes you want to curl up in a ball or hide. We push through it, though. So here I am, trying to push past my anxiety long enough to get some work down without a panic attack, when a poem by Robert Frost pops into my head.
As you’ve probably figured out, I’m a moderate Frost fan. I’m not a complete fanatic but a couple of my favorite poems are by him. The poem which keeps coming into my head as I struggle to work is one of my all-time favorites: “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”.
I’ve loved that poem since I memorized it for a school project in the sixth grade. I used to be able to recite it at the drop of a hat–of course, thanks to a combination of time, technology, and mental health issues, my memory isn’t quite what it used to be, but I can still drop a couple of lines before running into any problems.
Anyway, this poem, although a bit depressing, brings me an odd sort of calm, especially when I’m stressed. That’s why I wanted to share Frost’s work here:
A popular interpretation of this poem is as a contemplation of suicide. I can certainly see the basis and evidence for this interpretation. However, for my own sanity’s sake, I take a slightly more literal and much less grim approach to Frost’s writing.
I see this poem as the grievances of an overworked individual, someone who has had so much piled onto his plate that he must struggle in order to finish the work before he can get some well-deserved rest. He sees no source for aid and it’s the darkest, loneliest part of his life; this part is one of many in which my interpretation intersects with the suicide one. The two approaches differ in that I take the allure of the woods to more being a desire to stray from the already-forged path, to break from the busy, routine life and get some rest.
Really, I look at the poem this way more out of a personal attitude than as true literary analysis. This poem reminds me that we all must pull ourselves along when we are struggling to maintain. That’s why, in these times, I prefer to see it as a need for a break rather than contemplation of suicide; for me, the latter is not an option, but I understand the emotions which Frost expresses.
Now I must return to my work, for I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.
What do you think of this poem? Do you have any works or quotes that you think about when you’re feeling stressed or down? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Warning: This book depicts violence, gore, and man-eating aliens in mild detail and contains slightly sexually-suggestive material. If you are offended by such subjects or otherwise wish to avoid them, proceed with caution.
Update: To learn more about The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. and Sam B. Miller II, check out the series’ Facebook page and Miller’s Twitter and Goodreads pages.
On Friday I posted an alien writing prompt and briefly discussed two science fiction novels I have been reading. As promised, I am reviewing one of those books today, The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. by Sam B. Miller II. This novel explores the possibility of aliens and a fictionalized initial human/alien encounter.
Roswell, New Mexico: July 8, 1947. It’s a day which thrives in history thanks to the UFO and paranormal communities. We all know, yet also don’t know, what happened that night. At first, the military told the public a weather balloon had been shot down. Since then, so many different versions of the story and theories about the event have emerged that it’s hard for any single person to keep track. However, there is one theory which has stuck in the minds of Americans, some as a serious matter and others as a joke: the fallen craft was, in fact, extraterrestrial.
Miller’s The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. follows this theory for that night but with a new twist. Rather than the traditional Gray which is most often portrayed, the aliens who piloted the craft are actually a reptilian race called the Chrysallaman. Telepathic, technologically-advanced and enhanced, vicious, and dominating, the Chrysallaman could easily overthrow the human race—and that’s exactly what they plan to do. They aren’t deterred when one of their scouts is shot down and all the crew killed by humans; in fact, it motivates the commanding officer, Hisspat Zeck, to take revenge on all mankind, if the Chrysallaman Emperor lets him live.
Unknown to Zeck, one Chrysallaman has survived the crash: WrrNrr Zennk, the twelve-year-old son of DrrTrr Zennk, the captain of the scout. Overpowered and captured by human Major James Blunt, WrrNrr—known to humans as Whatsit—holds the key to forewarning the U.S. military of the impending threat and preparing Earth for invasion. With 65-70 years before the Chrysallaman Empire returns, General Matt Collier compiles a committee of experts from scientists to military personnel with the purpose of designing a defense plan for the entire planet. On one side are McPherson and Heinbaum, two extremely intelligent opposites working to reverse-engineer the Chrysallaman weapons. On the other side are James Blunt and Diane Hoffman—with the help of Lucy Smith, Mike Jenson, Tom LeBlanc, and Whatsit—trying to genetically modify humans to be a match for the Chyrsallaman aliens in physical combat.
Over 459 pages, Miller exposes readers to military preparations spanning decades, starting with one generation and being passed to the next. Miller also explores the interpersonal relationships of the members of the committee and the effect that this project has on their lives, both bad and good. While everything seems to be progressing in the committee’s favor, threats on two fronts emerge: the long-awaited Chrysallaman ships and, more immediately, humans who fear what they don’t understand.
Will mankind be ready once the 70 years are up? Who will stand in the way of progress? And, most importantly, how will the long-awaited battle between humans and Chrysallamans end?
As I made clear in Friday’s writing prompt, while I have an embarrassing amount of knowledge regarding the alien phenomenon, I’ve never really been a fan of first-encounter science fiction. Honestly, before this book and the other novel I’m currently reading, only Ray Bradbury’s short story “Mars is Heaven!” truly captured my attention. I’m just not into alien invasions. Nevertheless, Miller’s book brings a level of intrigue, depth, and humanity to the invasion/first-encounter story line which I have not seen before.
Although it is around 459 pages long, the novel is a quick read once you get started. The writing is simple and almost like a modern storyteller in its form. Sometimes the style leads to unnecessary amounts of exposition, at least as far as the plot goes, but I enjoyed having the more in-depth view of the characters which this exposition provided. It gives multiple layers to many of the characters, even the ones whom I would argue border on stereotypes and clichés.
Along with the quick pace, Miller presents a compelling plot. I quite enjoyed the book spanning across so many years, although I can understand how some people may not have the patience for such a long-term setting. American pop culture has become conditioned to story lines of immediate alien invasion but that trend sets unrealistic standards. The time frame Miller uses makes the scenario much more plausible, and I think that part of that foresight is due to Miller’s scientific background.
Miller heavily explains the scientific concepts behind the technological and biological advances made by the humans. Some readers may be put off by such detail, but I found Miller’s writing helped me understand the “science” of this “science fiction” without too many holdups. In fact, I loved that the author took the time to think these aspects through and trusted that the reader can follow along. I hate when books underestimate the reader’s ability to understand harder concepts.
That being said, the explanations did lend to the excess in exposition, particularly in scientists’ dialogue. It didn’t bother me for the most part but, at points, the over-exposition bogs down the narrative.
My favorite character, by far, is Whatsit. Although an alien, Whatsit is no monster. He is nothing more than a frightened kid on the defensive when Blunt finds him; once his new “Master” takes command and he is exposed to more humans, Whatsit grows into a very strong, empathetic, and hilarious being capable of expressing a wide range of emotions. Whatsit, despite the tainting influence of his father, is very open-minded and brave, given his circumstances, and he becomes the constant the reader can latch onto for the entire story.
Admittedly, I had a stronger preference for the first half of the book, but I think I’m biased. I am fascinated by people who seem to wield unusual abilities, and so the search for “uniques” in the beginning is right up my alley. Miller also throws in a corrupt “church mafia,” as I will call it, which I found both entertaining and crucial as social commentary on mankind’s fear of the unknown. Still, the second half of the book kept my attention, and even piqued my interest during the alien invasion, in which I’m not typically all that interested.
This book is both forward-thinking and classic science fiction. Unfortunately, with the “classic science fiction” trait comes some pitfalls in the writing. Namely, Miller inevitably uses the over-done scene of landing in front of the White House, although he certainly makes up for the cliché of that scene with an unexpected twist that had me laughing out loud. As I mentioned before, there are characters who seem rather stereotypical and cliché. The military generals for the Chrysallaman military have no conscience and are just evil, soulless beings. While Whatsit more than makes up for the alien cliché, I still wished I could’ve had a little something I could relate to in these more “evil” aliens. Your Grace also comes across as a rather one-dimensional mafia-style church villain, but I think that may have been by design, both for social commentary and comedic effect.
Throughout the story there are grammatical errors, mostly in the areas of improper punctuation, a lack of punctuation, and extra/missing quotation marks. Regardless, they did not detract from my reading experience.
I could go on and on about this book, particularly how it could have been a series within itself and the potent parallels between the alien invasion and European colonization of the “New” World. However, I will leave my review at this: Miller’s The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. held my attention from start until end. I became emotionally-invested in the characters and their relationships, and I wanted to know what happened once the Chrysallamans arrived. This book has convinced me to pursue Miller’s writing further, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on the second book of The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. series.
Know of any books I should review? Want me to read and review your book on this blog? Drop a line the comments below, contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com, or check out my profile on Fiverr.
Happy Friday, movers and shakers! The weekend’s finally here. Today I’m going to propose a writing prompt specifically tailored for science fiction fans. In particular, I want to have people take a closer look at alien origins.
I’m not a big fan of stories detailing initial human/alien encounters. Still, I’ve found myself reading two such books recently, one which I will review on this blog much later today. These two books, while both focusing on initial encounters, take quite different approaches to aliens and their interactions with humans. One deals with a more enlightened Earth joining a league of other enlightened beings throughout the universe; the other involves reptilians from the Roswell UFO crash. Both of these books, nevertheless, have caught my attention. Why? Because, while mostly in line with classic science fiction, these stories have unique views of aliens which I haven’t often encountered.
I have a complicated relationship with the UFO and alien phenomenon. I don’t think that all UFOs are alien space craft. In fact, I’m not sure that even a small percentage is extraterrestrial in origin. I just think they’re unidentified flying objects, hence UFO. However, I do think we’re not the only inhabited planet in all the universe. I can’t imagine what the other beings might look like and I don’t know if we ever have or ever will make contact with them, but I think that they’re out there, beyond our reach.
I know more than I would like to admit about the pop culture trend. I watch shows on supposed alien encounters, sometimes out of curiosity and sometimes for a laugh. There seems to be, at least to me, three prominent species of alien people claim to encounter: grays, humanoids, and reptilians (all of which you’ll find on People of Earth).
This affirmation leads me to today’s writing prompt. You see, many pop culture stories focus on the alien invasion rather than the aliens and their home planet (with some exceptions, such as Avatar, although we’re the invading aliens in that one). The books I am currently reading try and address why certain aliens look and act the way they do. That, more than anything, fascinates me, and that’s what I want people to focus on during this exercise.
Here is the only known sketch of Kelly’s little green men based on actual eyewitness accounts. What sort of conditions would such beings come from?
Take a famous alien–Roswell grays, humanoids, reptilians, Kelly little green men–and jot down some physical characteristics reported about these species. Once you have these physical attributes, imagine the sort of planet these aliens must come from. Why did they adapt such traits as enormous eyes and gray skin? What do their civilizations look like? How do they communicate? Do they compete with other creatures on their home planet? All animals, humans included, look and act the way they do as a result of evolution; what conditions did these aliens have to work with in order to necessitate their evolution?
If you want to make this exercise a little more thorough, think about the aliens’ initial encounter with Earth. Why did they come here? How? What do they think of the planet and the beings that live on it?
With this information, write a short story or, if you want a bigger challenge, a field report about the aliens which incorporates some or all of the origin theories you listed in the first part of the prompt.
If nothing else, this prompt will help you develop world-building skills and character development. You’ll really get to know your alien buddies in this exercise, which you should do with all major characters in your stories. It might take a little time but it’ll enrich your stories in the end.
Did you come up with something particularly interesting? Encounter any unusual problems? Have an idea for a future writing prompt? Leave your thoughts on this prompt in the comments below.
I’m all for creative self-promotion in book sales, especially for first-time and small-print publications. Book signings, local meet-and-greets, even paying a blogger to read and review your book honestly (I cannot stress that qualifier enough; if the reviews aren’t honest, they’re just publicity fluff, which I deplore). However, one YA book far overstepped the line separating the gray area from the black. What did they do, exactly? They cheated their way onto the New York Times Bestseller list.
I’m sure you’ve all heard this story by now, but I’ll provide a recap for those who haven’t. For twenty-five weeks, Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give had dominated the YA category of the New York Times Bestseller list, and rightfully so. A drama filled with tension that hits close to home for the current U.S. political climate, the YA community has been all a-buzz over The Hate U Give. There’s even a movie in the works. No one stays on top forever, but it would be a pretty impressive feat to knock this titan down.
The book that took its spot, Handbook for Mortals by Lani Sarem, however, does not fit the bill.
Handbook for Mortals is published by the publishing branch of the website GeekNation. In fact, Kayleigh Donaldson of Pajiba pointed out that it’s the debut novel for GeekNation. Now, it’s not unheard of or unacceptable for a book from a small publishing company to make the New York Times Bestseller list. It’s a reason for readers and writers to rejoice; after all, some amazing books come from small-scale publication and yet are overshadowed by the mainstream conglomerates. Nevertheless, the sudden popularity of Handbook for Mortals is surprising, especially considering the buzz outside of GeekNation’s press releases (and, now, this scandal) is non-existent. Even the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads carry red-flags, such as duplicates and low-quality reviews.
Here’s the meaty part of the story: thanks to detective work conducted by YA writer and publisher Phil Stamper, we’ve learned that an incredibly in-depth and complicated “bulk buying” scam that seems to be partly be a publicity stunt for a movie being made out of the book (with the author of the book as the main character, BTW) may be responsible for this novel’s mighty leap.
I’m not going to lie, all of this gave me a headache, so I highly recommend reading Donaldson’s article; it’s thorough and well-researched. I had originally learned of this scam on Twitter but her coverage of it includes much more information, all of which is simultaneously infuriating and amusing.
So, why am I so perturbed by this scandal?
Clearly, these people tried to cheat a deserving writer out of a very high honor. No, it’s not technically illegal to buy your way onto the New York Times Bestseller list, but it is a cruddy and indecent thing to do.
I’d also like to point out that, in hindsight, the scam was quite obvious. I mean, you’ve already gone through this much time and effort, why not think it through a little bit more? Maybe, for example, not have your book skyrocket to #1 about a month after you’ve announced that you’ll start publishing books? Readers would rip that plot hole to shreds if a writer tried to use it in their book.
My other big issue with this book is the destruction of authorial integrity brought on by this stunt. Writing isn’t about the awards and recognition. Yes, it’s amazing to make the New York Times Bestseller list and it would make a writer’s day to be asked for an autograph. And yes, we often have to create works with “commercial appeal” in order to pay the bills, but those things aren’t the biggest reward of writing.
Writing and having others read our writing are the biggest, and most pleasing, rewards. We write to relieve the tension in our head, shut up the voices for a while, spread our thoughts and values to others, raise awareness of an issue, and even just to bring joy to other readers. When people pull stunts like this one, it degrades the genre and, often time, the entire writing/publishing industry.
I know what you’re thinking: I get paid to review books on my blog, so how is that different? The difference is that I write honest reviews. I’ve given three stars to books I’ve reviewed before and I’m not too shy to point out what I don’t like about the book. I put thought into my reviews and I always want to do good by my readers. My integrity comes before the money. Besides, honest reviews make for more curious readers than fluff.
Marketing and promotion, especially for first-timers and small publications, is a huge gray area. Some people approve of paid blog reviews, others don’t. Interviews and meet-and-greets generate attention for you and your work, but they take time away from our writing and can seem too commercial. Nevertheless, all writers have standards. Hiring bloggers who will review our books honestly is one; not neglecting our work or changing it to meet public expectations is another. And, of course, not buying our way onto the New York Times Bestseller list is near the top.
What do you think? When does creative self-promotion stop and cheating readers begin? Is it acceptable to buy your own books in bulk to pull yourself to the top? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
About a month ago, I wrote a post on a writing quote from Anne Rice. Rice’s quote encourages writers to go where the pain is, where the pleasure is, wherever your passion is when writing. I believe this to be sound advice. However, I’ve found it hard to follow. In particular, I have a hard time going where the pain is. Opening wounds does not come easily to me, and my struggles make me wonder: are some wounds not meant to be opened, even for fiction?
I’ve sincerely tried opening wounds for my writing. I know that there’s a rich vein of emotional material there, but something keeps blocking me. Whenever I attempt to immerse myself in these pains and sensitivities, I hit a brick wall. It feels as though something clamps down on my skull and an unbreakable window stands between my writing self and those emotions.
Don’t get me wrong, my negative emotions and experiences do often slip into my writing. It’s when I consciously write those emotions, when I try directly opening wounds, that I can’t access them.
Ray Bradbury once said that thinking is the death of creativity. Is that the case here? It certainly doesn’t help. When we overthink the pain we’re trying to access, we fear revisiting it. At least I do. Self-preservation dictates we avoid that which causes us pain. If memories and emotions cause pain, our minds and bodies will do all they can to avoid those wounds.
Does that mean we should avoid opening wounds? Are some scars too fresh or deep to touch, or should we push past the avoidance reflex for the sake of good writing? Do we just need to stop overthinking it?
My answer is a firm maybe.
Really, the memories and emotions we want to avoid make our writing rich and real. If we’re so deeply affected by them, our readers will be, too. Still, we have to take our mental well-being into account. If we have severe mental and/or physical reactions to opening wounds, those wounds may not be ready to pick at yet. Someday we might be ready but, at the moment, we’re not.
Sometimes writing can help us work through our emotions, like therapy. Sometimes we need to forget that other people might read the work to let the emotions seep through uncensored. Many times, we need to abandon the idea of directly accessing emotions and memories and let our subconscious write for us. We may not get what we originally set out to do, but we’ll at least have solid material to work with.
Emotions are the, to state the obvious, the heart of writing. Anything written without them turns out like crud. That’s why we can’t let ourselves shut out our personal selves while we’re writing. We may not react the same way as a character should or we may blather on in order to work through raw emotions, but those problems are best ironed out when rewriting. The initial writing phase is all about getting words onto paper; we need to let our id speak then and give our ego and super ego the stage later.
Do you have a hard time writing about painful emotions or personal pain? Have you found a way to push past that brick wall? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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Earlier today, I read an article from The Writer about creating DIY writing retreats, whether at a friend’s house or at a home rented in Mexico. The author has many interesting ideas and makes many good points. The two most important she discuss, in my opinion, are the need for no distractions and the need to set your own definition of “productive”. However, most of the ideas in the article involve either you going away or the other people in your house going away. What if we simply can’t do that?
I’ve discussed finding the best place to write multiple times on this blog. Somehow, I can’t ever find the right place. I can’t afford to leave and, unlike the author of the aforementioned article, no one I know plans to leave town for too long anytime soon. Even if they were, at best I’d only be down the street from the chaos. I can’t send everyone else away, either; they have their own responsibilities to take care of here and they can’t walk away for more than a day or two without a lot of advanced planning. I get some writing done in those short bursts of freedom, but lately it hasn’t been enough.
I know a lot of writers have this issue. We have family, social obligations, work (we have to pay the bills somehow), pets, chores, the list goes on. I can hear the objections to this belly-aching already: if you’re a real writer, if writing is so important to you, you’ll make some sacrifices and find a way to fit it in.
I’m sorry but I need money, so I can’t pay to leave and I can’t close down shop (figuratively) for more than a week or two. It also doesn’t help that not everyone gets the hint to shut up when I say I’m working.
Well then, what’s the plan? How can we create DIY writing retreats when we can’t go away or send others away?
Desperate times call for desperate measures; it’s time for plan “barricade myself in my room (or spare room)”. It’s a bit obvious but often the obvious answer is the right one.
Locking yourself in a room within the house with your browser closed and phone turned off allows you to exist in a sort of vacuum almost free of all distractions. Of course, if you live in an area like mine, there’s still plenty of noises that you’ll have to block out. That’s where you’ll have to get creative. Play music you can write to, invest in noise-cancelling headphones, buy a cheap pair of disposable earplugs, whatever it takes. My personal favorite is playing a string of TV shows or movies I’ve watched a thousand times before; I can block that out a lot better than crowing roosters and people talking outside my door.
The fun part comes in personalizing your DIY writing retreats. Hang up posters and artwork you find inspiring; line bookshelves with your favorite books and works by writers you admire; a whiteboard, cork board, or sticky notes to jot ideas down; if you have a mini-fridge taking up space in the garage or storage, you could really make it a retreat. A mini-fridge stocked with essentials, a makeshift mailbox constructed from a cereal box slapped on the outside of the door, and a bed, cot, or sleeping bag and you’ll only need to leave for the bathroom.
Whether it’s for a few hours after work or a couple weeks, you can make your own retreat without anyone leaving the house. You just have to get creative and assertive. Insist that no one bother you, that someone else walk the dog and do the dishes. After all, people can’t tease you for being a writer who doesn’t write if they complain about what needs to be done in order for you to write.
What are your thoughts on writing retreats? Have any ideas for DIY writing retreats you’d like to share? Drop a line the comments below and help other writers find ways to solitude.
Today’s book is more for my readers’ kids than my readers themselves. The author wrote it for much younger readers, around preschool age, specifically to help them know what to expect on their first day of kindergarten. It’s not one of those children’s books that adult readers will read for themselves but you will want to check it out if you have a young child. For this post, I’m reviewing Abigail’s First Day of School by Sarah L. Bailey.
Abigail’s First Day of School follows a young girl named Abigail as she embarks on her first day of kindergarten. Over the next forty pages, Abigail meets her new teacher and fellow students, has lunch, plays during recess, and goes home. Bailey presents the reader with lessons on following directions and learning new rules throughout the story and brings the promise of meeting new friends on the first day of school.
As a little kid’s book, the story is very cute and entertaining. The rhymes pull the story along at a good pace and there’s just enough writing to keep a young reader’s attention. Illustrations make up most of the book, which makes it perfect for basic readers and the adults helping them learn to read. The illustrations depict a diverse cast of characters, which is very important to expose readers of this age to, and I hope that Bailey will continue with this diversity in future books.
Abigail’s messages could not only ease a little kid’s apprehensions about the first day of school but may also make the first day easier for teachers. While the book focuses on showing kids all of the good things they’ll experience on their first day, Bailey also teaches readers the importance of following directions and being respectful. If more children were taught these lessons ahead of school, we’d probably save teachers a lot of headaches. I know it could’ve helped my kindergarten teacher.
The minimalist plot and lack of conflict puts Bailey’s book on the same level as stories like Goodnight, Moon. This form of plot allows adult readers to use this book as a teaching tool for their children, both in the messages from Abigail and for use in learning how to read. However, I’m not sure that this story is one which kids will want to read or have read to them repeatedly. I also think that the lack of plot restricts the appeal of this book to preschool age, not the 4-8 years old that is indicated on the Amazon page. As readers get older, they prefer to have some form of conflict in their stories and this one doesn’t have any.
I’m torn on Bailey’s illustrations. On the one hand, they have the feel of being drawn by actual children, which is an interesting angle for a children’s picture book. However, this trait also detracts from the quality of the illustrations. The perspective does not match from one picture to the next and the scale of the drawings is off, i.e. a kid will look bigger than the others in one image and then the same size as them in the next. There also appears to be a mix of three-dimensional and two-dimensional drawing in the illustrations, especially around the lunch scene. The pictures do look like marker drawings done by children and I can see the appeal in that. Nevertheless, the illustrations hurt my eyes after a few pages and just weren’t my cup of tea.
Overall, Bailey’s book would make for a great bedtime story, especially the night before the first day of kindergarten. It would easily calm any child’s nerves and entertain them at the same time. Some people may hesitate to read the book to/with little boys because the protagonist is a girl, but I don’t think the character’s gender matters at all. The situation appeals to both genders and Bailey writes experiences which could happen to any child, so I think that boys will enjoy this book as well as girls. I don’t think your child will be asking for this story ever night but I recommend getting it to ease his/her first-day-of-school jitters.
To buy Abigail’s First Day of School follow this link to Amazon. For more information about the book and its author, please visit the book’s website.
Do you know any books I should review? Want me to review your published work on this blog? Contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or reach out to me on Fiverr.
Today I’m reviewing a book which is very different from the other books I’ve reviewed thus far. I’ve sampled a bit of everything, from “mature” books like Anna James Watson’s Blackmail to Samantha Ryan Chandler’s inspirational A Love Story: How God Pursued Me and Found Me and Ameel Koro’s epic historical fantasy Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain. Today’s book is yet another flavor of fantasy, one which is simultaneously relaxing and stimulating and defies any clear age group classification. For this post, I’m going to review The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm by Sybrina Durant.
This illustrated novel follows the struggles of a tribe of Metal Horn unicorns as they try to avoid slaughter by the evil sorcerer Magh. As their numbers dwindle and all beings on MarBryn fall prey to Magh’s dark magic, there seems to be no hope for the desperate unicorns. Then Alumna, the oracle of the Metal Horn tribe, receives a message from her crystal ball about the one destined to save them: a blue unicorn to be born to Miral, the indium-horned unicorn. However, the tribe loses heart when the unicorn is born not with a metal horn but with a plain blue leather horn. No metal, no magic. How could this magicless foal possibly be their savior?
Fast-forward twenty years. The tribe has suffered many losses at Magh’s hands, including the death of Blue’s mother, Miral. Blue has grown up accepted and loved by his tribe, especially his stable mate and dearest friend, the golden unicorn Ghel. While he is not the hero they expected and one male unicorn teases him, the only one to really give Blue grief is himself. He feels like an outsider and is disappointed that he does not seem to be the magnificent savior that Alumna had prophesied.
Then, when all had lost faith in her visions, Alumna receives life-changing news from Numen, the otherworldly device behind the visions in her crystal ball. They’re going back to Unimaise, the world from which all unicorns originate, and Blue will be the one to get them there. Alumna tells Blue of the development and how he must go to Musika Wood in order to meet with the Moon-Star, which holds Numen. Blue embarks before they can meet with the rest of the tribe, but he lacks a crucial piece of information. Blue must be in the Musika Wood with the rest of his tribe or else he will die when the Moon-Star arrives and all will be lost.
Durant takes the reader on a series of mini-adventures with Blue, his tribe, and his non-unicorn companions, culminating in an epic battle of good versus evil. Will Blue meet his destiny? Will he and the other unicorns make it back to Unimaise? And if they do, what will they find when they finally come home?
Paired with beautiful watercolor illustrations, this story is a quick and engaging read that’s enough to keep anyone’s attention from start to finish. Durant writes with a simple style and vocabulary, although by no means is it a simple book. While an easy read for anyone 12 years old and above, the book conveys themes and messages with multiple layers, some of which may be hard for a younger audience to handle. The story openly explores death and the grief which accompanies loss, as well as the importance of believing in yourself and condoning violence.
I would argue that the writing, at times, can be too young for older readers to feel fully stimulated. However, it reads more like a fairy tale than a modern children’s book. Durant seems to be writing for children when, like traditional fairy tales, many components are better-suited for an audience of the middle grade and older age groups. Much of the humor, while clever, would also go over a younger audience’s head.
Many of the creature names—“Hoipolloi”, “Pendragon”, “Ragamoffyns”—make for humorous puns that, while childlike in nature, would only be understood by an older audience. Durant creates an overall vivid world with many imaginative elements, including my favorite, the Rainbow Colored Lands of Weita. This magical world combined with the pun-like names help the already-compelling plot construct a very entertaining read.
However, some of the names are little too heavy on the pun element for my liking. “Magh” for the magic-wielding sorcerer, “Iown” for the iron-horned unicorn who irons out disputes, “Nix” for the nickel-horned unicorn who nixes danger, it can feel cheesy after a while. Given the overall children’s book feel, I brushed these names off without too many problems. Still, given that it’s Middle Grade and suggested for readers 12-18 years old, I’m not sure how older readers will take them.
Durant severely under-develops the antagonist, Magh. He acts like the stereotypical villain, one with very little depth or reason for causing turmoil other than he likes power and pain. Durant briefly dives into his backstory, enough to perk my interest and make me realize that he could be so much more than he is in this story. I wish we could have learned more about him, such as why he took so well to the power he felt from evil magic when he was younger.
I also spotted a few grammar errors, including missing words and misplaced quotation marks. They aren’t that frequent in the beginning but seem to grow in number in the second half of the book. Regardless, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
All in all, I really liked this book—loved it, even. It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, easing me into the harder moments and providing enough humor throughout that I never felt overwhelmed. I saw many deeper messages throughout the story and genre-bending elements, a mix of fantasy and science fiction reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey’s The Dragonriders of Pern series, had it been written for a younger audience. The pronunciation guide, unicorn diagram, and map at the end of the book serve as great aids and are themselves entertaining.
If Durant chooses to pursue the worlds of MarBryn and Unimaise further, you can be certain that I’ll be checking out those books. To me, it doesn’t matter what age group the world is intended for. I’m a born-and-raised fantasy fan; if I like the premise, I’m going to read it, whether it’s G-rated or X-rated. I suggest other readers do likewise and fantasy readers in particular explore MarBryn and Unimaise.
To buy The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm as an e-book on Amazon, follow this link.
In addition to a Kindle e-book, The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm is also available as a coloring book. You’re never too old to color, after all. In fact, it can be quite the stress-reliever, so if you need an outlet, consider buying the coloring version for a great read and relaxation.
For more information on this book and Durant’s other work, check out the writer’s website and follow her on Twitter as @Sybrina_spt.
Have you read Durant’s work? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Know a book I should review or want me to review your book on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or reach out to me on Fiverr.
Joyous day, everyone! The weekend is here! I’m working double-time right now but don’t worry, that means you’ll be learning about a lot of new books soon. In the mean time, I wanted to give you a writing prompt to remind everyone that writers are young at heart.
You remember when you were a kid and could devour a book every day? (OK, some of us still do, but back then you weren’t hindered by bills and other responsibilities.) The pure amazement and glee you felt as you read? It’s time to tap into that wonder again.
One of the reasons writers are so good at writing is that we are young at heart. We approach each book and story with that same sense of amazement and glee that we felt as children. Sure, our reading tastes have matured and branched out and our view of the world at large may now be more pessimistic, but we’ve never lost the reading magic.
For today’s writing prompt, I want you to write the sort of story or poem you would’ve read as a kid. Think Curious George, Horton Hears a Who, Winnie the Pooh, whatever you read when you were four to seven years old. Try not to think too hard about it; just find that concept that would’ve excited younger you and roll with it. Write no more than ten pages for a story or two pages for a poem. Feel free to draw your own illustrations, no matter how crude they might be.
If you really want to put your writing to the test, grab a kid you know–preferably a family member or friend’s child whom you’re close to–and have them read your work (or read it to them). How does he/she react? No one can help spark a fire under the young at heart than a child they love.
What were your experiences with this exercise? Want to share what you wrote? Have a writing exercise you think we should try? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
