Creativity, Covid-19, and Closure

Hello, fabulous people on a Friday! I don't know where to begin, so let's start with some good news! I'm currently reading Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. I will be writing a review and most likely publishing it as a video on YouTube (#BookTube) provided that I am successful …

Quick Sip Reviews’ Take On “Bondye Bon”!

This review is a more than two years old, but it's a timely one for me for obvious and perhaps not so obvious reasons. One, I missed seeing this review the first time it was published in 2018. During that time, I met so many amazing authors and readers. And two, my other author website …

Fireside Fiction Review “Foie Gras” by Charles Payseur is . . .

"Foie Gras" is weird, witty, hilarious, and delivers a knock-out punchline at the end. I will not spoil it for you. You must read it to experience it. It appears in Fireside Magazine's April 2020, Issue 78 edition and edited by L.D. Lewis, (author of A Ruin of Shadows), which I have read and reviewed: …

Another Review for “Bondye Bon”!

Thanks to FIYAH Literary Magazine, "Bondye Bon" first appeared in their Ahistorical Blackness, Issue #5. This short story was then bought by editors Betrand Campeis and Hermione Hémon, translated by Erwan Devos, and published by Rivière Blanche for the Dimension Uchronie #3. The full review of the entire anthology can be found here.     

Microfiction Monday: The Sound of Silence?

Sometimes Twitter surprises me with potentially inspiring tweets. Like this one: I love J.K. Rowling's reply: I'm more of an ambivertly (is that even a word -- it is NOW) inclined introvert and the stigma we get for our desire for solitude, reflection, and peace of mind is unfair. Introverts and extroverts shouldn't be in …

Monday Writing Strengths!

Ideas! I love creating weird "what if" stories through the lens of a scientific or historical context. And if that tiny seed blooms into a three-headed Venus flytrap . . . that's half the battle.

Epigraphs? How to Increase the Depth and Tension of Your Fantasy World

An epigraph is a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme. Epigraphs usually come from other artists, such as poets, authors, painters, or musicians. For example, here's the famous epigraph, written by D'Invilliers from Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. If you've read The Great Gatsby, then you're familiar …

Lyrics from the Soul: FIYAH’S Issue #5 Ahistorical Blackness Spotify Playlist

Music is an art form that I hold close to my heart. When I was a child, I loved singing and modulating my voice to match the tone and pitch of various artists. Whether it was Prince (Joy in Repetition), Annie Lennox (Love Song For A Vampire), Mariah Carey (Someday), or Stevie Wonder (Signed, Sealed, …

The War of the Genres and Why Fantasy Writing isn’t for Everyone! (I Feel Your Pain, George R.R. Martin)!

I love reading all kinds of genres. Whether it be poems, song lyrics, autobiographies, recipes, etc. I'm not a picky reader. In this post, I'll discuss something few talk about. The War of the Genres! Publish America and the Hasty Generalization That Pissed Off the Science Fiction and Fantasy Community Almost twenty years ago, a …

2017 Year-End Reflection AND 10 Reasons Why I Plan on 2018 Being Even Better!

Soon, the year 2018 will roll on in. Looking back to all that I've accomplished, in spite of the struggle and medical hardships (yup, maybe I'll share that someday), I can finally admit that I'm amazed and proud of myself. Before I sat down to type this post, I had to think back on every …