written by Jessica Hope (guest post) Give me a decent bottle of poison and I’ll construct the perfect crime. Agatha Christie Made famous by the likes of Agatha Christie in her captivating novels, poison has become the popular choice of weapon in mystery books. From Murder Is Easy, to Sparkling Cyanide, Christie had an incredible ability to build complex narratives around...
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The passionate spirit of Charles Péguy
Facts Charles Péguy was a French novelist, dramatist, and idealist – who later in life became deeply fascinated by mysticism, the fight against fascism, the search for world peace, and the analysis of artistic genius. Quotes “Love is rarer than genius itself and friendship is rarer than love.” “Tyranny is always better organized than freedom.” “We must always tell what...
Continue reading...The trajectory of life: Andre Malraux
“The world has become like the world in my books,” wrote Andre Malraux. The 30s of the XX century were the time of global upheaval and change in Western society. The world was perceived as absurd, and the fate of man as random and nonsensical. Inspired by new literary styles, Andre Malraux turned to existential themes and mythology much earlier...
Continue reading...XXI century: in search of Utopia
I abhor the idea of a perfect world. It would bore me to tears. Shelby Foote Imagine you walk into your friend’s apartment on a dark, cloudy evening – head bowed and hands trembling. You sigh softly and say, “Friend, I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?” Now, people have their different...
Continue reading...Interviews with Authors – Dave Williams
Congratulations on your beautiful new book, “Nobody Will Like This Book”. Could you tell us a little about the idea behind it and about your writing journey; how it started out, whether it changed much along the way? Thank you for calling it beautiful! I was having fun creating my book “The Dancing Fish” (poems and drawings), and I wanted...
Continue reading...Author Interview – Alexander Raphael
Alexander Raphael discusses his new (third) book, his place in the literary world, the power and challenges of writing daily. His first book of short stories – THE SUMMER OF MADNESS – is famous for moving, funny, heartbreaking, informative, and utterly captivating plots. His second book – ILLUSIONS, DELUSIONS – is famous for a wide range of characters, twisted and...
Continue reading...Grotesque: abnormally large, shockingly ugly, distorted, and ludicrously odd
I have a remedy against thirst, quite contrary to that which is good against the biting of a mad dog. Keep running after a dog, and he will never bite you; drink always before the thirst, and it will never come upon you. François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, book 1 Have you ever wondered what a grotesque world would look like?...
Continue reading...Author Interview – Jessica Bakkers
LET THIS NOVEL HAUNT YOU… 1. I’m so excited to get to talk to you about Guns of Perdition (Armageddon Showdown Series), Jessica! This is your debut novel, and it’s haunting, gorgeous, and dark. Congratulations! What can readers coming in fresh to your work expect from this book? Thanks so much for having me, Ray! I’m thrilled to be here. Guns of Perdition...
Continue reading...Literature is not innocent
“When one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question, “What does it mean?” It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable,” said Rene Magritte about his painting The Lovers. As you understand, we’ll talk about surrealism, but not about Rene Magritte in particular, although he was one of the most plagiarized artists,...
Continue reading...Author Interview – John W. Howell
We chatted with John W. Howell about his new novel Eternal Road: The final stop, the transformation of the heroes, and the meaning behind historical and supernatural elements. 1. What is the significance of the book’s title Eternal Road? The title came to me one day while I was writing one of the scenes. Eternal Road is the avenue to...
Continue reading...Shame-less by Nadia Bolz-Weber
(nonfiction) #takeawaykeys If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive. Brené Brown, Daring Greatly Alert! Long post, if you can’t read it now, save for later! This book is for women who are almost-enough, who are struggling every day of their lives to be perfect, to deliver the image of the...
Continue reading...10 Eye-Opening Writing Rituals from Great Writers
The author should die once he has finished writing. So as not to trouble the path of the text. Umberto Eco The truth is (social distancing or not), I am still a very disorganised author. How could I publish so many books? 🤨 I don’t know. That’s why I’m diving in into some rituals of the greatest, in hope to learn a...
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