Discipline and Free Pie

My first introductory post is up over at the Man Cave Author Blog. I wax a little philosophical about how long it took me to get going on writing-even when I always knew that was what I wanted to do, that and I am the guy who always got free pie. Ah, writing at my old haunt back in the day. I think I am showing Jaime something I wrote and I am doing my drunken Hemingway face for Tiesha.
Is it really so strange that just a couple weeks after these pics were taken I met my wife (she also served at the writing haunt) So now I still get discipline and free pie all the time.

Nyarlathotep Essay

Whilst googling for information about the Lovecraftian phenomenon that is Nyarlathotep, I came across this below.
Obviously a spam hoping to cash in on whatever subject you want a essay on, it struck me funny.

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So I suppose among their sources, they must have access to an unabridged Necronomicon. I also like that while the paper will look at his advantages and disadvantages it will focus on Nyarlathotep's fallacies-because that's where a lot of people get tripped up.

I'm actually waiting at the moment to hear back on a very short Nyarlathotep story I wrote. If it gets rejected, I'll know its because I didn't do the coursework from Miskatonic University properly.

Man Cave Authors Blog: No Doilies Allowed

Some friends of mine have just put together a writers blog, I suppose in answer to the many women's writerly blogs out there and it has been proclaimed the Man Cave Authors Blog, so now four other authors, Michael Young -The Canticle Kingdom, Jason Morgan - The Hidden Sun, Dan Harrington - Who's at the Door?, Frank Cole - Hashbrown Winters,and I are sitting round the fire there to grunt (discuss) this and that.

So between all of us we have = Young Adult, Fantasy/Romance, Memoir/Journalism, Middle Grade/Humorous, and Historical/Speculative ~ that about covers it.


I appreciated that Dan the founder wanted to use something I told him once as a byline ~ "Writing can be solitary, but success isn't."

I will make it a point to have some actual writerly advice (like making up new words) posted there semi-often.

So for perhaps another perspective on writing and such, head on over to the Man Cave Authors Blog for some red meat about writing. We are just getting it started, so hurry over follow or grab the feed, spots are going fast, or your money back.

No doilies allowed. Man Cave Authors

No Uplifting Sunday Afternoon Read

Jennie Hansen, author & reviewer at Meridian Magazine just reviewed HEROES OF THE FALLEN and said it,


"is no uplifting Sunday afternoon read, but it does make the final Nephite/Lamanite confrontation unforgettable. Though billed as historical, it's as much speculative as historical. It's also brutal, gory, and depressing, but then it's all about one of the most evil, corrupt periods of history the world has ever known."

I like that because this was never intended as a Sunday school read, it was intended to be the Book of Mormon historical that had teeth. Brutal, gory and depressing?~I never thought so. Yes, it is a grim time period, but part of the concept behind Heroes of the Fallen is just that-the Heroes, those beacons of hope against the night-black wall of opposition.
Going on...

"The wickedness that prevails at this time may be more than many readers wish to grapple with. I don't doubt the book's realistic portrayal of evil people and evil acts are very close to the true events of that time, but I suspect there is a sound reason Moroni didn't dwell on those events in the graphic manner West does. Readers accustomed to reading the more violent and graphic science fiction novels of our day will likely feel more comfortable with this depiction. The same is true of the magic and occult practices of the priests and Gadiantons which are highly reminiscent of some of the current fantasy novels of our day."

Yeah, I do think readers of fantasy will get more out of HEROES than the usual B of M romance readers-that's the way I wanted it.


"West has a rapid fire style that keeps the action moving at a fast pace and since this novel is expected to be the first in a series, there are many incidents that do not reach conclusions and characters introduced whose stories go nowhere in this volume. The events of this historical period as portrayed by West are clearly speculative, but plausible because of similar occurrences among other corrupt civilizations that have been destroyed at other times. There are few errors in the text of the type commonly found in self-published books."

Definitely, I have to have that rapid fire to keep things moving-that's my biggest problem with Robert Jordan's later works too slow, too bogged down-but I sure don't believe that any characters story is going nowhere? We know where everyone is by books end and we know roughly what they are about to do, nobody is left holding the train ticket to nowhere. I'm also glad they were few errors in the text commonly found in self-pubbed books considering I'm not self pubbed~thank you very much.


"This book will appeal primarily to men and to those women who enjoy violent, action-packed science fiction and fantasy. Those who read for pleasure or enlightenment may not be comfortable with this novel, neither will those who prefer scriptures straight without imaginative enhancements."

I'd like to think people who read for pleasure and enlightenment are not always comfortable, and really read scriptural historicals without there being any imaginative enhancements present? I'm calling you out historical romance authors.


But I am very pleased that Hansen ends with,

"But make no mistake, West is a talented writer and whether a reader ordinarily picks up fictionalized scripture novels or science fiction, once embarked on this novel readers will find it nearly impossible to put down."

So what are you waiting for? Pick it up.

The full review can be found here. I almost forgot to add-Jennie Hansen did give me 5 stars on Goodreads.

Strange Sights of the Week

This time of year we could all use just a little more Mordor Money.
I'm always on the lookout for deals but I ain't picking these up.
I was told the bear was only on loan.
Your Honor, if I might quote BOC.






Hope all your after Christmas shopping is done-Happy New Year.

Who's at the Door: Book Review

Who's at the Door: A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries by Dan Harrington

Dan is a friend of mine now, for the last month or two-and while I love talking shop with other authors, I wasn't sure at first I was terribly interested in his memoir just because in Utah land we get an awful lot of LDS (Mormon) conversion stories.

Just speaking for myself, I'm tired of hearing them. Unless your dead fathers ghost came and talked to you or you found a Book of Mormon while scuba diving, read it and converted (this really happened to the coolest, grouchiest old WW2 frogman I ever knew).
There are just too many other books begging for me to read them. I don't feel a drive to read how someone came to the faith I happen to share with them-and yes I am not exactly Mr. Fellowship-I'd rather hole up in my office and write than go to ward parties.

BUT I was interested in Dan's memoir because he did not convert. It kinda threw something different into the mix. Dan is Catholic and I have noted down through the years that generally the religious non-LDS people I get along best with are Catholic too. Coincidence? Maybe.

In any case this is the beginning of Dan's journey getting to know a peculiar culture. (I don't deny we are weirdos-we are supposed to be a peculiar people) He paints a vivid picture of the revolving missionaries that came into his life (and he into theirs). It was easy for me to visualize a lot of the exchanges and at some points I even wished I was there to join in.

Ultimately in the memoir despite some missionaries best efforts, Dan decided he wasn't going to join the LDS church. Some doctrinal disputes and questions-and THAT'S FINE-this isn't a grudge match or debate, this is about people finding common ground and learning something new about each other-becoming friends and brothers and that's what matters in the long haul.

It does give a different outlook to what is typically the kind of book that only an LDS person would buy/read. That Dan is still outside the Mormon faith gives a new vista on religious understanding and perspective.

All the best to Dan and his writing endeavours. You can order his book Here.

Biting the Bullet=Triumph

Life needs balance and dreams coming to fruition takes work. Somehow I am gonna find that happy place and balance the work. I'm biting the bullet and getting the work out there.

And NO, the pic is not ME biting the bullet.

I finally came up with a solution to a daunting plot device for Blood of Our Fathers and that will be progressing shortly.



That and I will have quite a number of short stories available in anthologies soon-seeing as how the few I was expecting last year were all delayed-and all the ones for late 2010 will be released this year too.




Also gratitude comes to mind-thanks to all of you for reading, thanks for commenting and thanks to my wife for helping me along on this journey.



This is gonna be a good, good year.