Tag: jw martin

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First Impression Friday – Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

 

A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope.

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For on their journey, they will discover an America convulsed with terror and violence, where this apocalyptic epidemic proves less dangerous than the fear of it. As the rest of society collapses all around them–and an ultraviolent militia threatens to exterminate them–the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart–or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

Let’s talk about Wanderers by Chuck Wendig.

So, I’ve got the audiobook version for this one. I already knew it was a big book, but I was still pretty surprised the first time I opened it up and saw it was 32+ hours! That’s easily double and triple of “normal” audiobooks. But don’t let that scare you away.

The first few chapters have been dynamite. Not a ton of action, but intrigue is everywhere. Each paragraph fills my mind with more questions that I can’t wait to get the answers to. My inner monologue on this one has basically been:

“What? Why is… ohhhhh. Awesome. Hey, wait. Who’s that? Why are they…? AWESOME!”

Definitely looking forward to more and more and more.

 

My Prediction: 4+ stars

Fun fact about this post: Chuck has been one of all-time favourite bloggers (terribleminds.com). In fact, I was reading his blog posts way before I read any of his books!
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

 

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard’s loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

Let’s talk about The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood.

This is a big, beefy book that I received as a digital ARC. It’s certainly not the biggest book I’ve ever read, and probably not the biggest I’ll even read this year, but it’s still intimidating. Especially because every single character has a name that I’m too dumb to be able to pronounce without the help of the pronunciation guide (which is about 15 digital pages long!)

But beyond all my crybaby nonsense, this book is gripping. The chapters are long and the description is thick, two things that usually drive me away, but in the case of this book I just want more and more and more.

An odd concern that’s never come up before, and probably won’t apply to most readers, is that I can see where it might be heading and it’s in a very similar direction to a book idea that’s been dominating my free thoughts for the past month. For someone trying to bust into the writing world, that’s very concerning. What if my ‘original’ idea is just like this book?!

I’m just hoping that it steers away from that direction and that I’m only seeing it as a possibility because of my own story. I’m also hoping that if it does prove to be just like my idea that the temper tantrum that will follow won’t affect my rating of The Unspoken Name.

My Prediction: 4 stars

Fun fact about this post: And before you ask, YES, I had this idea BEFORE I started reading this book. Sheesh. Give me a little credit.
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NaNoWriMo 2019 Wrap-Up!!

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Okay! This post has been a long time coming (too lazy to write it) and publicly demanded (by no one) to talk about gargantuan NaNoWriMo efforts (sitting at a keyboard) and explain why I didn’t blog for a month (which no one noticed).

November is always a tough month for me when it comes to spare time. Having a full-time job and kids that are into their own extra-curricular stuff means “spare time” is already hard to find. Now imagine taking that small amount of time and cramming 1,667 words of writing into it. Let me just say some sleep was sacrificed.

 

I felt bad that I wasn’t blogging during that time, but I just couldn’t fit it in. Could barely even think about it. Even my reading time suffered, which was one of biggest struggles of all.

However, despite all the hardships (oh, poor baby) I WON! 50,000 words in November!

The story I was writing, which I think will end up being about 100K all in, is about a group of detectives trying to catch a serial killer in a smallish town. What I found to be interesting is that the chapters from the perspective of the killer were way easier to write than the ones from the side of the law. I obviously know more about being a serial killer than I do about being in law enforcement (Quick! Someone call the cops!)

Now I’m faced with a particularly annoying quandary. I have 3 projects all begging for my attention.

  1. This NaNo project is going to need another 30-50K to be complete.
  2. A first draft from last year needs some attention and a new draft.
  3. A BRAND NEW story that popped into my head last week has taken over my every waking thought. It just walked up to me, slapped me in the mouth and dared me to do something about.

As desperately as I want to write the brand new idea, I know myself. If I don’t finish that first draft on number 1, I might never finish it. It might remain abandoned forever. What to do, what to do…

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

Fun fact about this post: Does anyone else hear a random voice shouting insults, or is that in my head?

 

AllDiscussion

Books I Want to Read Before the End of the Year (…but probably won’t)

Posted on by J.W. Martin

I know what you’re thinking: But if you want to read them, then why won’t you?

Simple. I’m an awful person. I’ve been forcing these books to sit on my shelf while telling people I’m going to read them SOON. I’ve been saying that about some of these title for a few years now. Honestly, it’s sickening. Anyway. Here’s a list, in order of ‘most likely to read before the end of the year‘ to ‘least likely‘. I’ll just keep adding books until I’m too depressed to keep going.

Darkdawn
by Jay Kristoff

What? How? I pre-ordered this sucker. HOW?!

 

Obsidio
by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This hurts! It huuuurrrrrrrrts! Tell Jay I’m sorry!

 

Iron Gold
by Pierce Brown

Another one I pre-ordered, and now book 5 is out.

 

A Darker Shade of Magic
by V.E. Schwab

Seriously. No excuse. None.

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky

“But it’s so short! A child could read it in a day!” I know, I know.

 

Vicious
by V.E. Schwab

When you’re talking to Jay, apologize to Victoria as well.

 

Crooked Kingdom
by Leigh Bardugo

Blehck!

 

Warcross
by Marie Lu

Fraaaackle!

 

Sea of Rust
by C. Robert Cargill

Prffuf! The winner of the Contest of Covers and I can’t even open it? I’m awful.

 

Invictus
by Ryan Graudin

Was told this was Doctor Who X Firefly and didn’t need to hear any more to buy. Apparently I need to hear more to read it though!

 

All Rights Reserved
by Gregory Scott Katsoulis

I have nothing left to say.

 

Hopefully my books down grow legs, cause they’ll walk out on me and I’d deserve it. How many of these will I get through in the next 2 months? Who knows? I know a lot of people could get through the whole list, but my life is busy and NaNoWriMo begins tomorrow which will leave me with even less time! SOMEONE HELP ME!

Also, do I have any of these out of order? Which should get the priority?

Fun fact about this post: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

 

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

Let’s talk about The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.

The start is… confusing. We start right in the middle of events and are expected to catch up, which I like, but it’s taking a lot longer to catch up than normal. I’m hoping that leads to some real a ha moments down the road, but right now I’m just scratching my head a lot and picking up little things here and there.

In this beginning phase, the world is being laid out for me, and it’s all very interesting, but I’m anxious to get to the crux of this story.

My Prediction: An optimistic 4 stars

Fun fact about this post: I’ll be taking part in a blog tour for this book on October 9!
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – The Warehouse by Rob Hart

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

Paxton never thought he’d be working for Cloud, the giant tech company that’s eaten much of the American economy. Much less that he’d be moving into one of the company’s sprawling live-work facilities.

But compared to what’s left outside, Cloud’s bland chainstore life of gleaming entertainment halls, open-plan offices, and vast warehouses…well, it doesn’t seem so bad. It’s more than anyone else is offering.

Zinnia never thought she’d be infiltrating Cloud. But now she’s undercover, inside the walls, risking it all to ferret out the company’s darkest secrets. And Paxton, with his ordinary little hopes and fears? He just might make the perfect pawn. If she can bear to sacrifice him.

As the truth about Cloud unfolds, Zinnia must gamble everything on a desperate scheme—one that risks both their lives, even as it forces Paxton to question everything about the world he’s so carefully assembled here.

Together, they’ll learn just how far the company will go…to make the world a better place.

Let’s talk about The Warehouse by Rob Hart.

I have a digital ARC through NetGalley, but I didn’t find it. It found me. I don’t search for a lot of NetGalley titles, because that got me buried in ARCs for most of 2018 and I didn’t enjoy it. But then I received an email from a Marketing Manager at Crown books. She mentioned since I enjoyed Foundryside (which I did, very much) I should check out the Warehouse. And I’m so glad she did.

I LOVE this book. So unique. So intriguing. Funny in all the right ways, yet still mysterious.

My Prediction: 4.5 stars

Fun fact about this post: The Warehouse is also a very possible future for the world we’re living in.
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

 

The extraordinary true story of the black detective who goes undercover to investigate the KKK, the basis for the forthcoming major motion picture written and directed by Spike Lee and produced by Jordan Peele.

When detective Ron Stallworth, the first black detective in the history of the Colorado Springs Police Department, comes across a classified ad in the local paper asking for all those interested in joining the Ku Klux Klan to contact a PO box, Detective Stallworth does his job and responds with interest, using his real name while posing as a white man. He figures he’ll receive a few brochures in the mail, maybe even a magazine, and learn more about a growing terrorist threat in his community.
A few weeks later the office phone rings, and the caller asks Ron a question he thought he’d never have to answer: “Would you like to join our cause?” This is 1978, and the KKK is on the rise in the United States. Its Grand Wizard, David Duke, has made a name for himself, appearing on talk shows and in major magazine interviews preaching a “kinder” Klan that wants nothing more than to preserve a heritage and to restore a nation to its former glory.

Ron answers the caller’s question that night with a yes, launching what is surely one of the most audacious and incredible undercover investigations in history. Ron recruits his partner, Chuck, to play the “white” Ron Stallworth while Stallworth himself conducts all subsequent phone conversations. During the months-long investigation, Stallworth sabotages cross burnings, exposes white supremacists in the military, and even befriends David Duke himself.

Black Klansman is an amazing true story that unfolds like a crime thriller and a searing portrait of a divided America and the extraordinary heroes who dare to fight back.

Let’s talk about Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth.

These kinds of stories are fascinating to me. I think because I have trouble understanding that level of racism. Hate does not come easily to me, even when we’re talking about things that don’t matter: Reactions to movies, food, music, etc. So when we start talking about something extremely important, like racial equality, I just can’t believe there are people would devote their energy and passion toward being hateful.

Also, knowing that there really are those kinds of people out there, I like reading about times when they get what’s coming to them.

So far, in the very beginning of the book, I’ve learned about the very opening of this particular case, and a bit about Ron’s career, coming up through the ranks, and having to deal with racism even internally. It’s all been pretty interesting, though I’m looking forward to when he starts getting into the real meat and potatoes of it all.

My Prediction: 3.5 to 4 stars

Fun fact about this post: It’s been almost 3 months since I did FIF post. Insane!
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Let’s talk about Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff.

Confession time. I’m over halfway done. So this is way past what I would normally consider to be a “first impression.” BUT I DON’T CARE! I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK!!

It’s SO good. I’ve said that about a lot of books, but based on how I feel this time, I’m not sure I ever meant it before. I was a big fan of the first book, but even that doesn’t seem to compare. There’s so much of what made the first one amazing and still so much to make it original. The action is intense, emotions are high and so are the stakes. I’m even enjoying the footnotes this time around, which were a point of contention for me in the first book.

Time to go stab read more. Bye!

My Prediction: 5 MILLION stars

Fun fact about this post: Buddy reading this with Taylor from Nerd Narration, who buddy read Nevernight with me as well.
AllFirst Impression FridayMemes

First Impression Friday – The End of the World Running Club by Adrian J. Walker

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Welcome to another First Impression Friday. In case this is your first time, here’s the rundown:

• Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions
and predict what you’ll think by the end.
• Did you think you’d love and ended up hating it? Or did you think
you’d hate it and wound up loving it? Or were you exactly right?
• Link back to Storeys of Stories so I can enjoy reading all the
First Impression Fridays out there!

When the world ends and you find yourself forsaken, every second counts. No one knows this more than Edgar Hill. Stranded on the other side of the country from his wife and children, Ed must push himself across a devastated wasteland to get back to them. With the clock ticking and hundreds of miles between them, his best hope is to run — or risk losing what he loves forever.

Let’s talk about The End of the World Running Club by Adrian J. Walker.

I can’t remember who recommended this one to me, but someone, somewhere said that it seemed like the kind of book I would love. So far, in the early runnings, it’s proving to be a book I don’t hate. There’s still a lot of book left, and a few things that I do find really interesting.

I don’t read too many books these days where I can see myself—as a middle-age father of young children—represented on the page, but this is one of them. This mirror-like MC even voices a handful of opinions that her and I share. So that aspect has been really enjoyable and interesting. Then the world starts to end. And this dude starts to act like the complete opposite of me (I hope!)

I’m looking forward to finishing, but I’m not clearing my schedule or anything.

My Prediction: 3 to 3.5 stars

Fun fact about this post: Does anyone else see the irony of a book with RUNNING in the title that was written by a dude with the name WALKER?!
AllLifeWriting

The Week of No Blogging

Posted on by J.W. Martin

You may have noticed I pretty much wasn’t here last week. Probably not, though. Last week was nuts. There were highs, there were lows, frustrations, and feelings of success I have never experienced before. 

Let me go back the full week. It’s Friday as I write this, so last Friday my wife and I decided to throw the family in the van and go to autorama. It’s only an hour away, so it wasn’t a massive trip, but I had just heard Seth Rollins was making an appearance there. He’s my son’s favourite wrestler and the opportunity seemed too perfect to skip. As a bonus, the man helping Seth Rollins looked familiar. I’ve been a wrestling fan my whole life, so I was wracking my brain trying to figure out why as we stood in line. Then it hit me! The man in question was none other than legendary referee Tim White. I asked his to pretend to disqualify me in the picture but he refused and stated that he had never disqualified anyone in his career.

On Saturday, I took my son to a birthday party/sleepover only to find out that it was the wrong weekend. Luckily my son’s disappointment was quickly smashed by the plans to buy a bunch of junk food and invite some friends over to watch Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse. 

By the way, if you haven’t seen Spiderverse yet, you’re missing something truly special. Whether you’re a comic book fan or not, whether you like animated movies or not, this is something I feel like everyone should watch. It won an Oscar, for crying out loud! Just go watch it and thank me later. 

Sunday rolls around and the furnace starts to act up. I kept it running, but this would prove to demolish a good portion of the remaining week. More on that later. 

Monday passes without any real event. Work. Play rehearsal. And I call to have someone come look at the furnace. A lot of you can see where this is going.

Tuesday has be staying home from work until the technicians can diagnose my furnace. They do, and I need a new one. You might be thinking some technicians will always recommend a new furnace. But my furnace is almost 50 years old. Putting money into a furnace that old has never been recommended by anyone.

Now the real problem of the week settles into place. The old furnace has stopped working, and the new one needs to be ordered. I live in Canada, and it’s winter. For 2 days, we survived in the house with nothing more than those little space heaters for warmth. I have to say, they do an impressive job, but it was still cold ALL THE TIME.

So Tuesday, Wednesday, and most of Thursday go by like an iceberg floating in the Tundra. 

Thursday, I discover a twitter party event called Pitch Wars. Any unrepresented writer, with a finished unpublished manuscript, is invited to tweet a pitch for their book using the #PitMad hashtag. Agents taking part then browse these tweets and anyone who get a like from a literary agent is officially being asked to query that agent. 

I’m proud and thrilled to let you all know that over the course of a few tweets, I got 3 likes!

I know what some of you are thinking: Oh, big deal. 3 likes. 

To me, it’s a massive deal. It’s not a lot of interest, but it’s the most interest/interaction I’ve had to date. I sent the queries later that night. Strike while the iron is hot, right?

And that brings us back to Friday. Life seems to be back to normal, at least for the moment. And I have to say, I’m pretty exhausted. This week was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I can only hope that it turns into the next step in my road to being published, as well as many, many years of reliable heat in my house.

Fun fact about this post: The header image is the first of many visual changes that this blog will see over the next while. I’d love to hear what you think about it.