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.

Retrospecticus 2010

Looking back 2010 sure has been good to me. My first novel was published, quite a number of short stories were accepted for publication by a half-dozen different houses-though we'll be waiting until next year to share those.

In reviewing my favorites of the year I'll look first at music-apparently I'm getting old enough that even when I try to say what my favorite stuff released this year was-I come to find out 'they' were released in 2009. Oh well, Delain's second album April Rain was still my favorite new stuff of 2010. I'll also mention The Crystal Method's: Divided By Night (another favorite album released 2009) I listened to it all year writing action scenes & Goldfrapp's bizarre Head First was actually (released this year) its good, although not as moving as 2005's Supernature.

I didn't see too many movies in theaters, I usually wait for DVD - but of new films I saw this year I probably liked...this is even harder than current music...nothing is coming to mind that's how dreadful the year was. I remember TV better, I enjoyed The Office and Community and the History Channel when they actually air history instead of reality Tv-for movies, I do have high hopes for True Grit and Season of the Witch.

Bookwise-this was a new kind of year for me-I didn't read too many popular novels (Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton and The Burning Lands by Bernard Cornwell-both were good but neither author was at the top of their game either-Crichton for obvious reasons) Instead I read, reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed a lot of books by folks I'd like to call friends.

Charles Allen Gramlich
: Swords of Talera, Bitter Steel,

Tamara Hart Heiner: Perilous, Abby Arington: Precession, Dan Wells: I Am Not A Serial Killer, John Brown: Servant of A Dark God,

Daron Fraley: The Thorn (which was graced by a blurb of mine on the back cover).

I read a lot of history the standouts being Wayward Saints by Ronald Walker, Pirates and the Lost Templar Fleet by David Hatcher Childress, and Fortune is A River by Roger D. Masters.

I also reread a lot of favorites like The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel, Night Winds by Karl Edward Wagner and The Black Stranger collection by Robert E. Howard, oh and his huge Collected Poetry.





I come away from all of it grateful for the new friends I have made, the prose I have enjoyed and the influence of excellent writers. It turns out that I cannot say any one book was my favorite of the year. That's not a cop-out so much as an admission that I just can't nail it down.




We lost my two of my all time favorite artists this year: Frank Frazetta







and









Arnold Friberg


















Their gifts will be missed.

Looking forward, I believe 2011 will be even better for me and my family-see you there.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, One and All.

I have gone the last 48 hours plus without writing anything and it feels kinda weird, like I'm incomplete and missing something-I'll make up for it hardcore the rest of the year, got a lot of last minute submissions to catch up on.


On the gifting side, my kids made out like bandits one way or another and it was a lot of fun watching that magic happen.


For myself-thanks especially to my bro & sis-in-law for the pair of Elven War Swords-beauty's. And to my Mother-in-law and Aunt & Uncle-for the Spartacus DVD, and those gift cards are getting a lot of books.





Now to go watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand and see what I think.





Happy Holidays.

Six-Shooters & Sorcery

My novella "Fangs of the Dragon" has been accepted into the forthcoming Monsters & Mormons anthology. I'm pretty stoked for that, its one of the tales I have had the most fun writing ever.

I would classify it as a weird western or even a sword and sorcery tale taking place in 1869, 'six-shooters and sorcery'? Part of the fun was the historical research I did, the idea that based off what we 'don't know' and what might have happened ~ and all of this could still fit together. I only outright made up one major character-the rest are real.

Fantastical as many things within the story may sound-the bulk of them did happen-I came away from the experience with the personal feeling that it is at least 66% true and it was exciting to help reveal those true macabre events in such an entertaining fashion. I believe we are looking at an October 1st release date.

In addition to this Porter novella, I have several other yarns starring Port coming soon. 2011 could be a great year for the long-haired gunslinger.

And just in case I don't feel like posting again-Merry Christmas

Bitter Steel: Book Review

Bitter Steel by Charles Allen Gramlich, is one of my favorite reads of the year. A collection of previously released short stories and poems, Bitter Steel throws down a gauntlet of both action and tribute to the pulp fantasy masters of yesteryear.

From the back cover~
"So come! Gather with me around the fire where the smoke stings our eyes. We’ll listen to the drums beat in time with our hearts. We’ll drink from the common bowl as it passes among us. The darkness whispers outside our camp, but we have no fear. There are heroes among us. Let us hear their tales."

Charles prose and poetry throughout the collection is visceral and enticing. With the first paragraph of the first tale "A Gathering of Ravens" I found myself taken away, wandering the battlefields beside his heroes. It granted that magical feeling that I suppose most writers feel at one time or another of "I want to write something like this..."

The next half dozen tales of Thal Kyrin (and Jys) were even better and I especially enjoyed the climactic fight of "Dark Wind" the resonance of "The Evening Rider" and the originality of ""Wine and Swords" because as Charles mentions, he wanted to write a Sword & Sorcery tale without any sorcery in it. The twists and encounters were well drawn and felt real. I found myself hoping Charles will write more tales of the Earth that has become the planet known as Thanos.

Three humorous stories followed, and while I didn't really care for "Worms in the Earth" (great ending however) and "Mirthgar". I loved "Slugger's Holiday". A pastiche based on Robert E. Howards, brawling sailor Steve Costigan on holiday in Hawaii. As far as pastiches go I thought it was spot on-a real gem. The voice and story would make REH proud.

I'm glad Charles included a little about each tale and poem, I like to know about a short stories genesis and inspiration whenever I like them as much as I did these. You can get a copy HERE.

The Latest Interview

Here is the link to Dan Harrington's blog where he just posted a great interview of yours truly. Much appreciated Dan!

I will also be reviewing Dan's book "Who's at the DOOR?" first of the year.