In my novel Daemon Seer, Lu is twenty-five years old before she finally has a pet, her parakeet Foster. When the daemons descend on Lu, Foster can sense them coming. Lu realizes how much Foster means to her when she finds her front door open and Foster gone. In fact, the daemon Black Claw has […]
A few reviewers have compared Talion to the novels of Thomas Harris because of its graphic violence. I’m so thrilled and flattered by the comparison I could whoop like Daffy Duck. Harris is a master of his genre, and while his stories are undeniably horrific, the violence is a small part of what makes them awesome. When […]
“Sentimentality is loving something more than God does.” —Kenneth Meyers My horse, Tucker, lives on a farm forty minutes away from my home. The roads are flat and straight and sometimes so empty I drive for miles without seeing another car. One afternoon while driving out there to ride, I composed the above haiku […]
It’s gratifying when a reader not only enjoys your book but also understands the story on a level that many other readers overlook. The review below appears on Goodreads. I’m thrilled to bring it to you here with the permission of the reviewer, James Goltz. Daemon Seer is the second published novel by Mary Maddox […]
Looking for something different? AIA Publishing has just released its fifth book, and in line with previous fiction titles, the book has a unique voice and a metaphysical bent. Spiderworld by Richard Bunning turns the tables on humans and spiders, and makes you think about humankind’s relationship with animals and with each other. Not even […]
Today I’m pleased to interview author David Litwack. I loved his novel The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky (see my review of it here) and jumped at this chance to ask him about his books and views on writing. David, it’s a pleasure to have you on Ancient Children. What led you to […]
It’s finally here! Children of Darkness – Book One in The Seekers Series is available NOW. Check it out on Amazon.com. FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. GET YOUR COPY “A must-read page turner.” Kirkus Review About the Book: The Children of Darkness The Children of Darkness is about a society devoid of technology, the result […]
It’s finally here! Children of Darkness – Book One in The Seekers Series is available NOW. Check it out on Amazon.com. FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. GET YOUR COPY “A must-read page turner.” Kirkus Review About the Book: The Children of Darkness The Children of Darkness is about a society devoid of technology, the result […]
Today’s guest, Meryl Wright, is here to tell you about The Books Machine, an online site where authors list their books and readers get them for free in exchange for an honest review. Daemon Seer and Talion are both listed at The Books Machine, and I can assure you that the readers there do give […]
The epistolary novel (a novel written in the form of journals or letters) has a long history going back to the 17th Century. It’s uncommon these days, but Brian Sfinas has adopted it to write an imaginative and sometimes brilliant work of science fiction. The Darkest of Suns Will Rise consists of a series of […]
The second chapter of Talion includes a flashback of Lisa and her brother visiting their father in Chicago. She receives a locket that becomes significant later. For readers wanting an entirely plot-driven story, the flashback might be an annoyance, but unless they understand who Lisa is, how will they care what happens to her? Flying […]
You could write a book on why readers dislike ambiguity in fiction. Someone probably has. It might seem arrogant (or at least reductive) to address the question in 500 words or less, but I’m going to try. The answer comes down to what a reader wants — challenge or comfort. Ambiguity is a lack of […]
