Written by Nathaniel Postell Women are warriors! A fact that becomes abundantly clear by studying African legends and folklore. These fiercely independent women help shape the world, inspiring countless interpretations, even presenting themselves in recent pop-culture. The wildly successful Marvel Studios movie Black Panther features a group of gifted women warriors inspired by the Dahomey Amazons – an all-female military...
Continue reading...Victoria Ray NB
Surreal Humor & Absurdist Comedy – Why Is It So Weird?
Written by Peter Manley When we think about comedy, there are so many different styles and “flavors” for us to choose from. For example, some of the most common forms of comedy – especially in the stand-up comedy realm – are anti-humor comedy (where a dry and otherwise unfunny statement is said out of indirect humor) and insult comedy, where...
Continue reading...Urmuz – the genius beneath the boffoon
Written by Andreea Padurean (Her Goodreads Profile – here) One of the most controversial figures of the Romanian Literature – Demetru Dem or Demetrescu-Buzău, known as Urmuz, a genius who left behind a literary work of 50 pages at most. His pen name (Urmuz) was interpreted in various ways, one of the attributed meanings being ‘I amuse’. And yes, he amused...
Continue reading...Interview with Sabina Gabrielli Carrara
I managed to grab a quick word with Sabina Gabrielli Carrara, author of the murder mystery novels ‘Field of lies’ & ‘Black Souls’, for a short interview… Q: Why do you write? What motivates you to write? Sabina: Simply because I like it, I always did. Q: What kind of books did you love growing up? Sabina: As a child, I liked fantasy....
Continue reading...Book Review: “Left Waiting”, River Dixon
Foreword: This is a poetry book. I often hear the words, “I hate poetry,” “I don’t understand poetry,” “Poetry is so boring”… and yes, I agree – poetry is a very subjective art, just like paintings: some love Dali, some love Ruben. I just want to remind you about the time when you were a kid and your parents bought...
Continue reading...Best horror books by Russian writers (19th century)
Everyone needs to experience Russian literature at some time… so why not now? 👻 #1 Nikolai Gogol and his awesome Viy – a horror novella, published in 1835. The title is also the name of the demonic creature, the main hero of the plot. Every summer, a large procession of students moving around the area as they travel home. However, the group...
Continue reading...“The Story Grid”, Shawn Coyne #takeawaykeys
What your characters say they are is NOT who they are… What they do is the key. Shawn Coyne 1. Think in 5 principles, the bricks for any successful story: TIME, SUBSTANCE, STYLE, STRUCTURE, CONTENT. 2. Learn your genre – there’s a great collection (with examples) of differences between each genre. I can’t mention them all (only some), but read...
Continue reading...The anatomy of a thriller
Dan Brown’s masterclass #takeawaykeys 1. The most important stones to build a perfect thriller are: world the sole dramatic question a hero a goal obstacles a moment when a hero concurred a villain 2. Think 3 C’s First C – The Contract That promise you are making with the reader (do NOT break it!) Second C – The crucible Something...
Continue reading...Book Review “Fields of lies”, Sabina Gabrielli Carrara
Writing a book is always a hard job. One is always tempted to limit oneself to dreaming it. Gaston Bachelard But she did it. From dream to reality is only ONE jump, but it is a damn hard one. Well done, Sabina! The idea of the book: Cheat – Kill – Repeat… Just kidding. Here it is: Some people are...
Continue reading...Book Review “In the Calyx”, Libre Paley
“I want her to melt into me, like butter on toast. I want to absorb her and walk around for the rest of my days with her encased in my skin.” Sara Gruen 1. From Stefan (aka all male readers): Wow, this story had me glued to my wife like never before! Wonderfully written storyline and very detailed characters! All...
Continue reading...Book Review “The Contract: between heaven and earth,” John W. Howell, Gwen M. Plano
“Like flowers we grow, bloom, and whither – each day and each life. But although we blossom more grandiose in each new life, all our lives are perfect in their own way.” Stefan Emunds Unpredictable Mysterious Intriguing On the surface it looks like the usual thriller, but if you look deeper inside, you’ll find a kick-ass paranormal fantasy. Just imagine...
Continue reading...Book Review “Colder: A Collection of Poetry & Prose”, River Dixon
Winter. Somewhere in North Dakota. River: Do you know what I’d ask Santa if I’d ever met him? Dixon: Hot babe? River: I’d say “I want COLDER”… Dixon: Are you mad, it is already -16,6 F! Why do some young kids dislike poetry? Why do so many people unsatisfied with modern poetry? When Marianne Moore wrote a poem titled “Poetry,”...
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