Eden Baylee

Perfect for authors at all levels, May 14, 2013

I've been reading Robert Chazz Chute's blog for some time, and these chapters are reminiscent of his style--witty, informative, and well written.

Even as a writer who's been at this for a while, I found Mr. Chute's words to inspire. He also has the ability to get his points across quickly and succinctly.

No matter where you are in your writing journey, you will learn something from this book.

Deeply Personal, Strong Storytelling, February 20, 2013

T. W. Dittmer unlocks certain mysteries in The Valley Walker, which had me think he unlocked mysteries within himself in the process.

It's an oversimplification to think of this as just a tale of a war-worn man who's seen too much death in a mystical land, or a hard-nosed female cop who's shut down due to tragic events in her life.

Why do the two meet? What is the purpose? Though symbolic on dichotomous levels--not least of which include: a meeting of East and West, a relationship between a man and woman, mysticism vs. realism, peace time vs. war time--the story also imparts wisdom in a way which shows we are not all that different after all.

In The Valley… Read more

Strong Characters Make for a Great Story, January 26, 2013

Everyone Burns takes place in Thailand, a country I know well, and Mr. Dolan knows better. His attention to setting, language, and the accurate depiction of the Thai people drew me in from the start.

A cast of eccentric characters kept me riveted to the story, and none was more eccentric than protagonist, David Braddock. He roams the island of Samui as a farang (foreigner) but is intimately familiar with the culture, working as a private investigator and pseudo-therapist. He's a smartass with a razor-sharp intuition and a cocky son-of-a-bitch with a heart--a stand-up guy despite his shortcomings.

His encounters are discreet, honest, and oftentimes laugh-out-loud funny… Read more