Indie Fantasy Author Carrie Gessner
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Monday, June 12, 2017
REVIEW: Whispers at the Altar, Allan C.R. Cornelius
Obviously, I'm a lover of fantasy fiction. I've particularly loved epic fantasy, but the more I read of it, the less excited I was about it. Although I still love the atmosphere of the genre, all the stories were beginning to feel the same. So, I was pleasantly surprised with Whispers at the Altar. In this first book of The Altar Trilogy, Allan C. R. Cornelius combines the best aspects of the genre with fascinating characters in order to tell a fresh, exciting tale.
Christa is half-elf and half-human in a world where the elves and humans live in separate spheres. Through her story, Cornelius explores the ramifications of such a separation on individuals and on society as a whole. When Christa is accepted at a school for magically gifted elves, she has to fight for respect from both professors and classmates. It's at this school that the story is at its most compelling--not only for Christa's internal journey, but because of the supporting cast. Too often, friendships among girls are depicted as trivial or unnecessarily catty, but here, Christa's relationships with Sinna, Westrel, and even Vaniel are formative and given the opportunity to change and grow.
In a book world that gets hung up on the "likeability" of female characters, Cornelius is unafraid in his portrayal of his young heroine. A far cry from the perfect heroes of the genre, she's headstrong and eager to prove herself and in doing so, makes mistakes. It's that exploration of Christa's character--who she is, what she wants, and what she's willing to do to get what she wants--that is the book's core strength.
While Christa is the book's main focus, Steven provides a perspective of what's going on in the world outside the school and broadens the novel's scope. His relationship with Brogan grounds that story line and lets Cornelius explore the theme of family set against the backdrop of a shifting world. The imagery of Steven's chapters is a particular strength, and the two story lines meet up in a satisfactory way during the climax.
Cornelius's first installment in The Altar Trilogy is a must-read for fantasy fans, especially those who are looking for a fresh take on the genre.
Whispers at the Altar is available for pre-order and will be released in July! Check Allan out on Twitter and on his website.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
APPEARANCE: Uniontown Public Library Author Series
“Creating a Fantasy World”
Saturday, January 21, 2017
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Join us for an evening with Carrie Gessner, author of The Dying of the Golden Day. Carrie will discuss how a rich setting built on magic, culture, history, and more can enhance speculative fiction. A Q&A session with the author and book raffle will follow.
Free tickets available at the Main Desk!
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2017 AUTHOR SERIES
These events are free and open to the public — you do not have to be a member of the Uniontown Public Library to attend! Each event will be ticketed, with the free tickets becoming available at the Library’s main desk before each author’s visit. Seats are limited, so we encourage you to get your tickets early.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Favorite Books of 2016
In terms of reading, this past year was an improvement! I still have trouble focusing when I first pick up a book and sticking with books, but I'm working on it. I'm also hoping to listen to more audiobooks in the coming year.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? - Maria Semple
Funny and out there in a perfect way. I like books about lost people.
Kindred - Octavia Butler
I can't believe I hadn't read this before last year. Looking forward to reading more Octavia Butler.
Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Weinstein
This book broke my heart, and I liked it. I love historical stories, and I love that this one revolved around the bond between two female protagonists.
Postcards from the Edge - Carrie Fisher
I ordered an audiobook from my local library before Christmas. It didn't come in until the 29th, two days after Carrie Fisher died, and when I went to pick it up, I decided to browse the shelves, which I don't typically do. This has been on my to-read pile for a while, but when I saw it that day, I knew the time to read it had come. It was lovely and dark and did exactly what the best fiction does--make me feel a little less alone.
Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer
I am unusually fascinated by religions as well as true crime, and this was an interesting, well-written look at one time those two interacted.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? - Maria SempleFunny and out there in a perfect way. I like books about lost people.
Kindred - Octavia Butler
I can't believe I hadn't read this before last year. Looking forward to reading more Octavia Butler.
This book broke my heart, and I liked it. I love historical stories, and I love that this one revolved around the bond between two female protagonists.
I ordered an audiobook from my local library before Christmas. It didn't come in until the 29th, two days after Carrie Fisher died, and when I went to pick it up, I decided to browse the shelves, which I don't typically do. This has been on my to-read pile for a while, but when I saw it that day, I knew the time to read it had come. It was lovely and dark and did exactly what the best fiction does--make me feel a little less alone.
I am unusually fascinated by religions as well as true crime, and this was an interesting, well-written look at one time those two interacted.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Lessons from NaNoWriMo
For the fourth year in a row, I participated in National Novel Writing Month, a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November. In past years, the challenge has helped me in several ways, like helping me finish a draft of my thesis. But this is the first year I actually hit the 50K mark. In the process, I learned a lot about myself as a writer.
1. I'm a sprinter, not a marathoner. This is true for me in real life, too. While some of my friends can easily reach 10K in a day, it's better for me to hit shorter goals. I try for 1,000 first, and if I make it, then I can try for another 1,000 and call it a day. But if I don't even make it to the first one, it's probably because something is wrong with the story itself. So instead of pushing it, I take a break and regroup.
2. Being a sprinter means I need rest days. Out of the 29 days it took me to get to 50K, I didn't log any words on five of those days, and I took three days off in a row right in the middle of the month to recharge and rethink my project. Even though "write every day" is common advice, it's not necessarily good advice for me. A day or two off can be of more help than trying to push through when I know the story needs some retooling.
3. 2,000 words is a doable goal for me. Any more than that was pushing it, but 2K is comfortable and enough to make me feel accomplished. However, when I push myself to do double that, it's hard to do it two days in a row. If I hit an up day, I should be prepared for a down day next. And there's nothing wrong with that. I apparently just don't like consistency.
4. I'm not a pantser. I knew this to a certain extent already, but my need for outlines seem to have grown stronger. I started my first fantasy novel with a barebones outline of one page, which worked well. I tried the same thing again with the mystery novel I wrote for this NaNo, but it didn't get me nearly as far. The good thing about having an outline with not many details, though, is I could take the story in new directions when I needed to.
5. I need some writing socialization. Although writing is mostly solitary, I like to participate in writing sprints, critiquing, and brainstorming sessions. It's helpful for me to toss around ideas aloud and to be able to talk about writing. Even just getting out of my house to write, going to a library or cafe, even if I don't interact with anyone, prevents me from getting lost in my own head space, which is easy for me to do when I try to shut out the world for a big chunk of time in order to write.
1. I'm a sprinter, not a marathoner. This is true for me in real life, too. While some of my friends can easily reach 10K in a day, it's better for me to hit shorter goals. I try for 1,000 first, and if I make it, then I can try for another 1,000 and call it a day. But if I don't even make it to the first one, it's probably because something is wrong with the story itself. So instead of pushing it, I take a break and regroup.
2. Being a sprinter means I need rest days. Out of the 29 days it took me to get to 50K, I didn't log any words on five of those days, and I took three days off in a row right in the middle of the month to recharge and rethink my project. Even though "write every day" is common advice, it's not necessarily good advice for me. A day or two off can be of more help than trying to push through when I know the story needs some retooling.
3. 2,000 words is a doable goal for me. Any more than that was pushing it, but 2K is comfortable and enough to make me feel accomplished. However, when I push myself to do double that, it's hard to do it two days in a row. If I hit an up day, I should be prepared for a down day next. And there's nothing wrong with that. I apparently just don't like consistency.
4. I'm not a pantser. I knew this to a certain extent already, but my need for outlines seem to have grown stronger. I started my first fantasy novel with a barebones outline of one page, which worked well. I tried the same thing again with the mystery novel I wrote for this NaNo, but it didn't get me nearly as far. The good thing about having an outline with not many details, though, is I could take the story in new directions when I needed to.
5. I need some writing socialization. Although writing is mostly solitary, I like to participate in writing sprints, critiquing, and brainstorming sessions. It's helpful for me to toss around ideas aloud and to be able to talk about writing. Even just getting out of my house to write, going to a library or cafe, even if I don't interact with anyone, prevents me from getting lost in my own head space, which is easy for me to do when I try to shut out the world for a big chunk of time in order to write.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
An Incomplete List of Anti-heroines
Late last night, I had a conversation with a friend about how we're often bored by male characters, especially ones who exhibit anti-heroic traits, such as selfishness, manipulation, and gray morality. However, we find female characters who toe the line of heroism way more fascinating. With that conversation in mind, I'm starting a list of these characters in both television/film and books as both a recommendation page for anyone looking for anti-heroines and as a reference page for myself.
The way I'm defining an anti-heroine is a central female character who doesn't care to play by the rules, whether those rules are society's or her workplace's or her own. Characters marked with an * are suggestions from friends whose shows/films/books I haven't seen or read.
The way I'm defining an anti-heroine is a central female character who doesn't care to play by the rules, whether those rules are society's or her workplace's or her own. Characters marked with an * are suggestions from friends whose shows/films/books I haven't seen or read.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Release Day: THE DYING OF THE GOLDEN DAY
Synopsis: Marked by gray eyes that prophesy the death of magic, Aurelia seeks to avert her destiny by serving as advisor to the prince of Sunniva, but a chance to reunite two broken kingdoms soon forces Aurelia to decide where her loyalty lies--with her prince or with her magic. Meeting Brennus, the first male born with magic in centuries, further complicates her choice.
When Edana, the first seeress in generations, receives a vision concerning the end of the kingdom, she embarks on a mission to locate the subjects of the prophecy only to stumble upon a threat to all those with the gift of magic.
As prophecy becomes clearer and the future darker, they discover there are two sides to every coin--good and evil, hope and destruction, fate and chaos. Only they can restore balance, and only they can plunge the world into eternal darkness.
The book is available in paperback via CreateSpace and Amazon. The Kindle version is available for pre-order and will release on September 30th. You can also add it to your reading list on Goodreads.
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