Tag Archives: Fiction novels

There’s a Need for Large Print Books

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Yesterday, I went to my local library to have something printed. Honestly, I could just buy myself a printer and not leave my house, but then I wouldn’t have the experiences I do at my local library. Plus, our local libraries need our support hence the reason why I prefer paying the library to use their copying machines. Not to mention, checking out a few books while I’m there.

I live in a small country town. Majority of the patrons I meet at my local library are elderly and retired individuals. I love to listen to the stories they share while they check out their books at the front desk.

One of the stories I listened in on included the lack of large print books. They told the librarian that they enjoy reading books, too, and that at their age, it is harder to see the print on regular paperback books.

As an author, I hadn’t put much thought into large print. My list of published titles consists mostly of ebooks. I do have two books that are paperback, Dana’s First Fish, Chaos: Supernatural Realms; one is for children and the other is for young adults.

As I prepare one of my recently published books, Rancher’s Daughter, for a paperback release, a thought came to me. I have a chance to broaden my readership if I also publish it in large print.

I had to look this one up and stumbled upon a website that I had visited a few times before. Joanna Penn is a wonderful author, who explains how to publish large print and how it is actually more popular than I realized. You can view her post here.

 

Chaos My YA Fantasy Book is Now Available

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Chaos Cover EBOOK

I’m happy to say that my young adult fantasy fiction novel, Chaos, the first in my Supernatural Realms Series is finally available.

I have worked on it for quite a long time that I am overly ecstatic to finally hold a copy in my hands!

You can get it on Amazon as an ebook or a paperback, or on my website: www.twistedcrowpress.com

Fairy Tales Are Still Popular

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As I’m browsing the internet and books for certain literary agents to send a query letter to, I’ve come to notice, fairy tales are still popular, though only those with a new spin to them. Some literary agents are looking for newer versions of fairy tales, called fairy tale re-tellings. Imagine telling the story of Cinderella, though in a different way. The book I’m currently reading is called Cinder, by Marissa Meyer. It’s a Cinderella story, but it is so completely different that it actually captivates you into reading it. It has even made the New York Times Bestseller list.

Cinder is a sixteen year old mechanic and a cyborg. Yes, a cyborg Cinderella. At first, I thought, nah, I highly doubt I’ll be interested in reading it, but I was wrong. I decided to buy it the other day and am glad I did, it’s a great page turner. The first line even caught my attention: “The screw through Cinder’s ankle had rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle.” It’s hard to find books with an awesome opening line like that. It makes you want to keep reading. I’m sure it’s a book of what our near future may look like – androids and humans living together.

I have read, Mr. Darcy, Vampire. Though it isn’t a fairy tale, it is a re-telling of the Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice. I’m not too big on vampire books. They have to be different than everyone’s stereotypical image and I’ve only found very few that break that image so far. Mr. Darcy, Vampire is actually very different than some of the stereotypes some often have of vampires. It was a good read, if you haven’t read it. I think I’ve even heard of Alice in Zombieland, a re-telling of Alice in Wonderland. A different perspective for all of those who are familiar with the original version of Alice in Wonderland. I haven’t read it, but if you have, indulge me. Is it a good read? Or not worth buying? What other fairy tale re-tellings have you found or heard of? Click here for a list of what other fairy tale re-telling books are out already.

North and South – The Novel

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A few weeks ago, I had started reading a book by Elizabeth Gaskell, called North and South. I had seen the movie first, then later I learned it was adapted from a book. I loved the movie so much, that I had to find the book; I purchased it off of Amazon.

This Monday began my Spring Break, to which I desperately looked forward to. Those of you who are currently in college, or have been to college, know that your mind requires rest from your studies. This gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my daughter and more time reading for leisure, instead of reading for this class and that class.

Just last night I had finally finished reading Gaskell’s book, North and South. Usually movies adapted from books aren’t all that great. They don’t follow along with the book, or they miss so much important information, that either you don’t feel like reading the book ever again or the movie, sometimes both. However, the movie followed right along with the book. Plus, I could not help but see Richard Armitage each time I was reading about John Thornton; Armitage played Thornton in the movie and very well I might add! (Yes, I’m a huge fan of Armitage’s work!)

I fell even more in love with the characters, the time period, and the book, that I have added it to the pile of books that I’ll definitely read again; along that pile is the Hobbit, Jane Eyre, some Austen, and several Karen Marie Moning’s books.

North and South was published in 1855, so I would put this right along with other classical writers, such as Bronte, Austen, and M. Shelly (I’m a fan of that era of female authors); also, Gaskell was a close friend of Charlotte Bronte. If you haven’t read it, you should pick it up today. It’s one of those ‘hard to put down’ novels. And if you haven’t seen the movie, you can find that on amazon as well – it’s the BBC version.