Having a book published is a very exciting time for an author. It's great to see all those hours of work finally come together into something others can read. So I'm very excited to be able to say that at last The Locksmith's Secret (the second in the Prunella Smith Series) has a publication date (8th of April). AND you can pre-order it NOW and get USD$1 off. Though it's the second in a series, it can also be read first. If you're a Prunella Smith fan, you'll want to snap this up while it's cheap and if you haven't met Prunella yet, then this is a good place to start. It has the same elements that impressed all those reviewers of Worlds Within Worlds. This book is more than just a steampunk murder mystery or a contemporary romantic mystery, it's also a transrealist and metaphysical work of literary fiction. I sum it all up by calling it magical realism, and that's what it is really because it blends fantasy and reality, and uses extended metaphors that become a world of their … [Read more...]
Paranormal Buddhist Fiction Review: Lotus Blood by Dean Norton
Another Buddhist fiction review: This was a great surprise, a refreshingly different story with lots of action and a Buddhist world view. The characters were likable, complex and well developed, the plot strong and well-paced. The imagery, though not my idea of the Bardos - my understanding comes from Tibetan Buddhism - was interesting and well described. For someone as well read as I, giving me that impression is no mean feat. I really like the cover as well, it gives a good sense of how different it is. Anyone who enjoyed The Diamond Peak Series would also enjoy this and visa versa. They share the great story with a Buddhist basis, the mix of budding romance and adventure, and the creative imagery. Really what's not to like? Unfortunately the book could do with another proofread. We have several instances of 'to' instead of 'too' and 'of' instead of 'off'. Had I been looking at it with a more critical eye, I suspect that I'd have found more issues; these are just what leaped … [Read more...]
Buddhist fiction reviews – The Story of Mu by James Cordova
Having discovered that there aren't a great deal of Buddhist fiction reviews around, I decided it was time to help rectify that problem, so expect more Buddhist fiction reviews from now on. Today we have The Story of Mu by James Cordova. This is a most unusual book in that it is both simple and profound, so much so that it would be easy to miss the profound aspect. The introduction gives ones clues, but to get the most out of it as an adult one needs to contemplate the words. The name of the central character is Mu, a sound that is open and comforting, and to suggests wisdom and compassion the essence of our true nature. To a child this is a simple story of a ‘soul’s’ rebirth and learning; to an adult it is an opportunity to meditate as you read to your child. I read it on a Kindle and so missed whatever colour was in the illustrations, but even in a grey scale I could see that they had the kind of atmosphere that such a book required. They balanced the real, in pictures … [Read more...]
WWW #19 I am a Goddess. I feel like Crap.
This post is part of 'WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS', a series of writings about Prunella (Ella) Smith, author, editor & reviewer, and the many worlds she inhabits: her physical reality; her online world where disgruntled author Dita stalks; the worlds of the books she edits; her dream world, and the world beneath the veil of her ordinary reality. Today's offering is very much metaphysical fiction. Click here for the previous offerings in reverse order, or here for links to them in order. Worlds Within Worlds #18 I am a Goddess. I feel like Crap. I am a Goddess. I feel like crap. My back aches, my life as a dancer abandoned because of it. One failure. My heart hurts. Love abandoned in its wake. He went to America to continue his career, I remained behind, trying to find my way in the world outside of classes, rehearsals and performances—without the sweat and the buzz. Two failures. Thoughts bewilder my mind. My present career is in tatters and I don’t know what to do. Three … [Read more...]
