The Hidden Machinery by Margot Livesey was the first craft book that I have read (besides the one that we read parts of in Fiction I, Narrative Design). One thing I liked about her essays was that when she would describe something, she would share an example from a famous author (such as Jane Austen … Continue reading →

In coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, people all across the United States are staying at home to stop the spread of the virus. One way many of us are coping is going back to the comforting media of our childhood. For me, Marissa Meyer’s Cinder is my book of choice. This book came out in … Continue reading →

Austin was the first to accompany me. Baby brother back when I was barely three Couldn’t wait for him to meet me.   Doug, a great father and I, called his favorite daughter Erika, a stepmother and friend who I’ve always cherished and felt so much love Forever holding on even though sometimes I felt … Continue reading →

The Giver is a young adult dystopian novel and also classified as a science fiction novel. It’s written by Lois Lowry and was published in 1993. Lois Lowry highlights nationalist propaganda by using emotional appeals and dualistic morality to shut down her readers minds. The book revolves around children and demonstrates how they don’t yet … Continue reading →

When I die the bell shan’t toll, instead only distant whispers will wisp and for thee it will be like any other day that I am dead.   When I die no one will speak of loss, nor will the air twist with empty platitudes and the absence of absence shall echo that I am … Continue reading →

Kalik sat patiently and sipped his cup of coffee, it was slightly more bitter than he liked, but not enough that he could be bothered with complaining. He slipped in and out of conscious thought, periodically glancing at his time-dial. His companion was late, they were supposed to meet here almost 15 minutes ago. As … Continue reading →

I spent the past week in Arizona, visiting my aging grandparents in their retirement community. As I think back on my trip, my mind is flooded with pictures of red rock, abandoned Spanish missions, rotary club meetings, and cacti. Among these mundane objects and experiences, one in particular has been itching at the back of … Continue reading →

A man awoke in his flat, two streets north of the deli and one street south of the red line bus. His night shirt was damp with sweat and it clung to his heaving chest as he collected himself from his unconsciousness. He could not recall what it was that put him in such a … Continue reading →

After reading Mulberry Child by Jian Ping I was reminded of Night by Elie Wiesel through the broad message it was sending. Both are marketed as memoirs, so they are rooted in truth in some regard, and both have subjects that face impossible inhumane events in their lives and overcome them. I think Jian Ping’s … Continue reading →

Taking the young-adult fantasy world by storm, The Throne of Glass series is one of the most well-known books in this genre. Everyone who keeps up with young adult fiction has either read or heard of this story that Sarah J. Maas has created. With the first book, Throne of Glass, coming out in 2012, … Continue reading →