Not Over Yet

I'm not done writing, like some people who write one book and quit after achieving their singular goal. First of all, publishing a book has been a goal of mine, but for me this is all more about the obsession I have with telling good stories rather than about checking something off my bucket list. Perhaps it is for that reason that I look at Shadow House still as a warm-up exercise,which has caught some people off-guard when I have told them that. That is not to say that I don't think Shadow House is a good book, but rather I know the other ideas I have stored up. My wife knows a fair amount of my ideas as well, and so she can get anxious at times about when I will share these stories with everyone else. For example, my wife is very excitedly awaiting the release of the new Shades of Night in January, this one being her favorite of the ones I have worked on this far.

2011 will see the release of my second novel, The Devil's Nightmare, which is set for an October launch. I am also about to begin an aggressive pursuit to bring one of my young adult novel ideas mainstream, which would hopefully involve a publishing contract with a major publisher.Obviously I feel the idea for this young adult novel is highly original, marketable and could be the "big break" I have had numerous people on the inside of the industry tell me I need Whether the book turns into that or not, so far it is a very fun story with incredible characters, so hopefully readers enjoy it as well.  

I also have several other Shades of Night stories that I am working on in various stages, adding even more variety to what I already have on Amazon's Kindle store. So far the Shades of Night stories have been well-received, and so I hope their popularity only increases with time. I also have some surprises in store for October, to go along with The Devil's Nightmare launch.

I'm not done writing, but have only just barely begun.

Book Review: Monster Mythos: a Folklore Bestiary

I am trying to make it more of a practice on my blog to review some other creative people's work, helping spread the word especially about good independent projects you, my readers, may not otherwise know about. I recently received a copy of Monster Mythos: a Folklore Bestiary in the mail and have been pouring over its pages. The book, which is produced by the independent press Tiki Machine, features full page pictures of different fantastical creatures from around the globe. Needless to say I was engaged from the get-go, being the nerd I am when it comes to cryptozoology and folklore.

To be up-front, I have read and own several monster books that claim to have creatures from around the globe. Most of these books feature monsters from around Europe, or maybe Europe and North America, or if  they are particularly "thorough" they cover Europe, North America and some of Asia. Monster Mythos covers the entire globe, including Africa, South America and even the Philippines.  For example, check out a portion of the picture done by TJ Collins (whose blog you can check out here) depicting the Bulalacao from the Philippines:

Each page features a different artist's handiwork, making for a varied and enjoyable read. Information about each creature takes up a small portion of the bottom of each page, while the rest of the page is graced by a full-color depiction of the monster.

The book is interesting enough, my kids were enthralled with it from beginning to end (not an easy feat, I must admit). You can read through the creature descriptions in a relatively short amount of time, or spend hours admiring the artwork. It is the type of book I will surely go through again and again.

My only real complaint is that the book left me wanting more, which is the sign of a good book (or movie, etc.). If and when Tiki Machine comes out with a follow-up to Monster Mythos, I will be eagerly awaiting it.

You can order a copy of Monster Mythos: a Folklore Bestiary at tikimachine.blogspot.com

The picture of the Chimera, above, was drawn by Bobby O'Herlihy, whose blog you can check out by clicking here.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader Movie Review

Yesterday afternoon we loaded the kids up into the car and headed to the local theater to catch a showing of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Before I launch into critiquing the movie itself, I should confess that I read the complete Narnia series in grade school and thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite of all the books was and still is Voyage of the Dawn Treader, yet sadly the book has often been overlooked by so many. In fact, I am constantly surprised by how many people thought C.S. Lewis only wrote one Narnia book. Voyage of the Dawn Treader is so different from the other books, and it is one in which Lucy shines and becomes a true heroine. There is something as well about the sense of exploration and adventure, with each island bringing a new challenge to be overcome.

It was with some skepticism that I went to see the movie. I had seen some of the reviews of the movie, with some reviewers saying there was no plot just special effects, etc. After seeing Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I wonder if such reviews wrote their reviews before actually seeing the movie. To be quite frank, I have found that some people just have a problem with C.S. Lewis and the whole Narnia series, and so they will do pretty much anything to sink it in any way they can, including putting an end to this series of movie adaptations.

For those who have read and love the book, I should warn you that as is true with all movie adaptations, the movie is not just like the book. If it were, the movie would have become too long and unmanageable. This adaptation of Voyage of the Dawn Treader reminds me much of the Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Two Towers, which some purists hated since it did not follow the book as closely as they wished.

One of my most favorite characters in the Narnia series is Eustance, who is such a perfect little jerk at the beginning of the book. In fact, some have theorized (me being one of them) that Eustance was direct inspiration for J.K. Rowling's Dudley, the chunky cousin of Harry Potter. The actor who portrays Eustance nails his annoying nature so well, at points I wanted to jump out of my seat and wring his neck. We also see the return of Prince Caspian, Reepicheep, Lucy and Edmund.

One thing that took me by complete surprise was the special effects in the movie. I just read that Voyage of the Dawn Treader is in the competition for an Oscar for Visual Effects, and after seeing the movie I can see why. Perhaps one of the brightest spots of imagery in the movie (and the book) is when Lucy enters the mansion on the Dufflepods' island. The attention to detail, as well as the overall striking visuals in that scene alone are enough to give me reason to see the movie again.

You can probably ascertain from what I have written that I liked the movie. I would go so far as to say it has so far been the best of the Narnia series. Both of my kids proudly declared their love of the movie once it was over, even though there were some intense parts. This, I think, will become a staple in our family library of movies once it is released on DVD.

Amazon Contest

Hello everyone.

I just made an announcement on Facebook and wanted to post it on here so everyone knows about it. Starting right now and ending on January 15th, 2011, anyone who posts a review of one of my three works for sale on Amazon.com will be entered into a drawing for one of three $10 Amazon.com gift cards. The content of the review will not affect who is selected, since the drawing will be done at random. You do need to send me an email at writerstevensymes@gmail.com and let me know your Amazon username, the title you reviewed and your real name so I can enter you in the drawing. I have three titles on Amazon.com right now, so if you review all three you will be entered three times into the drawing, if you review two you will be entered twice, etc. Winners of the drawing will be announced on January 16th, 2011.

So there you go, write a review for Shadow House, Wounded Fox, or El Chupacabra in Texas to enter the drawing. Let your friends, family and neighbors know and good luck!