ceLEStial books

When I first started reading my way through the world of "lesfic" about a year ago, one of the first novels recommended to me was Lise MacTague's Depths of Blue . I read it in one sitting, which is unheard of me these days because my young children make that very difficult to do.  As such, I was most pleased when Lise agreed to share some thoughts with me for the next author Q&A.  1.     What's the last novel you read? Was there something memorable about it? The most recent novel I’ve read was A Close and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. It’s a fascinating sci-fi novel about an AI who gets taken from the ship she was used to running and put into a human body. The body is mechanical but indistinguishable from a human from the outside. She has to come to terms to inhabiting a different form. At the same time, we get another story told from the point of view of a girl who was genetically created and raised to be a factory worker. She escapes from her circums...

1. Thinking about your upcoming release  Dalí , what's one aspect of the book you feel really proud of? This is my fourth full-length novel, and I think I’m finally starting to hit my stride as a writer. I’ve learned so much about story structure and the craft of writing from my CP’s and mentors in the last three years, since my first book was published. I read it now and compare it to Dalí —it’s like night and day. Dalí  is also in first-person, which I’ve never done before outside short stories. I felt like it allowed me to get inside their head in a way I haven’t quite mastered with third person. I hope to continue to grow and improve in my craft. 2. I see from your bio that you're a nurse. Has your job helped inspire or inform any aspects of your writing? When I started writing Dalí, I was working as a hospice nurse. The aspect of dysfunctional grieving was something we dealt with, and I think that background helped me to por...

This blog is starting to move into some exciting new territory with my first ever author Q&A. I'll be trying to do a few of these over time, hopefully they will compliment the book reviews I undertake and help us to engage more with both emerging and established writers. The first couple of author interviews will be for some fantastic writers being published through NineStar Press , given this is the same publisher my sci-fi novel will be released by in 2018.  I'd love to talk to some other writers soon though! _________________________________________________ For my fellow Australians, you can buy the Kindle edition here. _________________________________________________ What's one book you remember reading in high school? What stood out for you during or after reading it? I absolutely loved reading as a kid, both before and during high school. Honestly, it was one of my main go-to forms of entertainment growing up, and it was always the thing ...

Trans Liberty Riot Brigade by L.M. Pierce My rating: 4 of 5 stars "I ain't a man neither. I mean, what are we really?" "Well...what do ya feel?" "I'm me. I'm just-Andi. Whatever that means." Unique, bold and intriguing. Overall, a fantastic book. The social and political themes are woven into the story quite well, though there were some parts where I found myself wanting more. But, given that this novel is the first in a series and the author is busily working to get Book II into our hands, it makes sense some elements need to be withheld for future exploration. Our main character is an intersex 'Transgressor' who holds tightly onto her identity in a society that wants nothing more than to assign her to a binary sex. The world building is excellent and the narrator comes up with the most astounding, and sometimes HILARIOUS, ways of describing the places she finds herself in as she navigates a harsh and restric...

Thanks to the marvel that is Twitter , I have 'met' several wonderful writers in recent months. One of the most responsive of these has been Tamara Boyens . Her novel, Under Dark Sky Law , looked like something that I would enjoy reading.  It was a little bit tricky to find a hard copy in Australia (I don't own a Kindle....maybe I should), but the author herself helped me find a vendor.  Given that I would, ideally, love to finish a writing novel that's worth reading one day, it makes sense to share some of my reading adventures along the way. I don't get to read nearly as much as I would like (children + full time teaching), but it's one of the most important activities I engage in. It feeds my soul and helps me learn more about good writing.  The last book I read before this one was Kindred by Octavia Butler. Gorgeous! But I feel that because novels such as Kindred have received a lot of attention and reviews (as they should!), it's bett...