Word of the day:
Necropolis pronunciation (ne-KROP-uh-lis) noun:
A burial place, especially a large and elaborate cemetery belonging to an ancient city.
How to survive a horror movie tip # 8
Always check the back seat of your car.
I got my 1st “real” one star review today but and I have to tell you it wasn’t very insightful besides I’m not even sure it should be called a review as the reviewer states that the book wasn’t finished.
So I cruised thru Amazon and Goodreads to find & compare other one star reviews because in my opinion if a reviewer doesn’t finish the book then there shouldn’t be a rating or a review but what became unsettlingly clear is that I didn’t find any one star “reviews” what I found instead were some pretty mean and down right nasty comments, and I couldn’t help but wonder why so many people would gleefully leave these types of comments:
“The author and the editor really need to go back to school. Or possibly they are still IN school because I think a 3rd grade student could have done better.”
How does that help? But more importantly …who do you think you are?
“This is just one of these books you knew, going into it, that you were never going to like it, and yet, after you finish it, you remain with a sour taste in your mouth.”
If your going to call your self a “reviewer” basically a book critic and authors are bearing the cost of sending you their book, then don’t you have the obligation to 1 read the book and 2 give it a in- depth, well rounded review?
"One star, because I paid money for this. I'd give it 2 stars if it was free..."
After all the purpose of writing a review/critique is twofold: (1) identify the weaknesses in the piece and (2) offer some constructive advice to the author that might lead to improvement in the story. To just bash the story without providing something useful to the author is not really being professional.
The feedback below is for a short story of mine called The Lazarus Antidote and I am sharing this with you because I think this is what a constructive criticism is supposed to look like:
“As a customer, this wasn't necessarily my cup of tea as far as horror goes, so I'm probably going to be more critical than someone who would specifically be looking for a story like this...I had the same problem with Handling the Undead. I am also pretty blunt, so I hope I don't offend you.
As a reviewer, I thought the two "articles" at the beginning were a nice touch, but too long -- I could see some people wondering when the meat of the story will begin. The further I read into it, the more I liked it...the dialogue helped move the story along. I absolutely love how you divided up the story, instead of traditional chapters! Some other good points: the story is very original, and it looked like you may have actually done some research, instead of just making stuff up out of nothing.
Now, I may sound critical, but despite my personal feelings, I can think of several people who would truly enjoy a story like this, so I don't think you need to make any changes.”
And here is a review for The Darkness that is less than glowing:
“I had the privilege of reading an ARC of The Darkness, by Crystal Connor the other day. It was a slow starter, but I had to find out what was going to happen with Adam, and so it kept me reading until the end.
"I reacted to this book the way I react to some of Dean Koontz's work-one minute I'll be loving it and then a few pages later I've become detached from the story. "I used to call you Mommy." I admit, prior to that sentence I was a little bored.
But suddenly I wanted to know all about this mysterious caller. That caller was Adam. I did have trouble connecting to the characters. We also get a lot of names of colleagues and organizations thrown at us in the beginning of the book, but not a real sense of who anyone is. I think the author did this on purpose-it seems to highlight Adam's early lifestyle, for instance.
We're pages in before we're 'introduced' to our narrator/main character, Artemisia, and I never did get around to liking her. But again, I don't think she was meant to be likeable. I don't always love books of this genre. But that's a personal quirk and shouldn't be reflected on the author. If you enjoy sci fi and horror, there's every chance you'll enjoy this book.”
If you’re going to call yourself a reviewer and you’re reaping the benefits of free books then get off your pretentious high horse and read and review the books and keep your nasty comments out of it. You need to realize that, the NaNoWriMo aside, it takes six months to a year to write a book and that’s before the rework.
If you come across a book you simply cannot finish take it to Half Price Books and trade it in for one you will read. Or better yet, why don’t you write a book and let’s us review it. I promise someone will be just as nice to you as you were when writing a review.
Then you’ll know what it feels like when someone comes along and says this about your work.
“So I'll leave it with one star, because it certainly doesn't deserve two stars. Now it sits in my Bookmooch pile, waiting to be requested so that I can pawn it off on some other unsuspecting fool. Hopefully it will end up somewhere far enough away so that the reader won't try to hunt me down and take revenge on me for the pain I have inflicted on them.”
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
My Apologies
Word of the day:
Nubile (NOO-bil –byl, NYOO-) adj
1.Sexually attractive (referring to a young woman)
2.Ready or suitable for marriage (referring to a young woman)
How to survive a horror movie tip # 31
If it stars snowing on the inside of your house and the hallway gets real dark … take your dumb ass outside!
I am so sorry about my absence and silence, I’ve got a lot going on and am really busy but in the best way.
For one Artificial Light is almost done (whoo hoo!), I am gearing up to go one another blog book tour and I’ve also started working on the 3rd book in The Spectrum Trilogy =D Oh! A 2nd edition of The Darkness is in the works and I have been confirmed as a vendor at World Horror Con!!!!!
TTYGS
Nubile (NOO-bil –byl, NYOO-) adj
1.Sexually attractive (referring to a young woman)
2.Ready or suitable for marriage (referring to a young woman)
How to survive a horror movie tip # 31
If it stars snowing on the inside of your house and the hallway gets real dark … take your dumb ass outside!
I am so sorry about my absence and silence, I’ve got a lot going on and am really busy but in the best way.
For one Artificial Light is almost done (whoo hoo!), I am gearing up to go one another blog book tour and I’ve also started working on the 3rd book in The Spectrum Trilogy =D Oh! A 2nd edition of The Darkness is in the works and I have been confirmed as a vendor at World Horror Con!!!!!
TTYGS
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
DVD pick of the week: The Black Death
Word of the Day: mise en scene
Pronunciation: (mee-zan SEN)
Meaning:
1. The setting of a scene in a play, movie, etc.
2. The setting or background of an event.
How to survive a horror movie tip # 31Remember that dark alleys and basements are under no circumstances "safe zones."
>
Plotline: Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village.
Scariness Factor: This movie is not really scary; it’s tense, gloomy, and dreadful. The torture and fight scenes are brutal & realistic and hard to watch.
Gross out factor: On a scale of 1 to 5: 0
Complaints: N/A
High Points: Black Death gets darker and darker the further along the movie goes. This movie is beautifully unsettling, I loved the small cast and all the characters and I am going to watch it again =D
Stars 5 Stars
Where I rented it: Netflix
Pronunciation: (mee-zan SEN)
Meaning:
1. The setting of a scene in a play, movie, etc.
2. The setting or background of an event.
How to survive a horror movie tip # 31Remember that dark alleys and basements are under no circumstances "safe zones."
>
Plotline: Set during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England, a young monk is tasked with learning the truth about reports of people being brought back to life in a small village.
Scariness Factor: This movie is not really scary; it’s tense, gloomy, and dreadful. The torture and fight scenes are brutal & realistic and hard to watch.
Gross out factor: On a scale of 1 to 5: 0
Complaints: N/A
High Points: Black Death gets darker and darker the further along the movie goes. This movie is beautifully unsettling, I loved the small cast and all the characters and I am going to watch it again =D
Stars 5 Stars
Where I rented it: Netflix
Monday, June 27, 2011
Psycho Suzie & Friends: Memoirs of a Nightmare
Word of the Day:
Paleography (pay-lee-AWG-ruh-fee) noun:
1. The study of ancient writings and inscriptions, dating, deciphering, and interpreting them.
2. Ancient forms of writing: documents, inscriptions, etc.
3. An ancient style or method of writing.
How to survive a horror movie tip# 14
Never be with the group who plays vicious pranks on the shy strange new kid, those pranksters will soon meet their doom and often in a horribly gory way.
No, it is not slander if you tell the truth. Especially if you have proof to back it up. Emails are great proof--I keep EVERYTHING.
So shortly after Crypticon I was contacted via facebook from an editor-in-chief from a small local publishing company here in Seattle. After exchanging a few emails I decided I liked this editor well enough and I asked about sending a query letter. The editor suggested that I send over the manuscript so I send an ARC.
After exchanging a few more emails I knew I wasn’t going to be working with this firm after explaining the reasons I chose to decline entering a working relationship this editor became abusive and belligerent which left me thanking my lucky stars that I had dodged such a large bullet. My BFF and I were joking about it and she said “you outta write a book about that.”
I thought it was insanely funny suggestion at the time but now I’m thinking that’s not such a bad idea …
So with that said I am considering a non-fiction publication Psycho Suzie & Friends: Memoirs of a Nightmare: just a simple journal type book of email exchanges with individuals representing four different companies spanning over the last 3 ½ years.
Of course with Artificial Light being near completion this pet project is going on the back burner and I’m in no rush to start a comedic autobiography. I’m not too worried the good thing is I’ll always have more than enough material because most people don’t choose their words carefully or think before speaking. Once you say something you cannot take it back and a lot of people have either forgot or don’t care that emails last forever….
Paleography (pay-lee-AWG-ruh-fee) noun:
1. The study of ancient writings and inscriptions, dating, deciphering, and interpreting them.
2. Ancient forms of writing: documents, inscriptions, etc.
3. An ancient style or method of writing.
How to survive a horror movie tip# 14
Never be with the group who plays vicious pranks on the shy strange new kid, those pranksters will soon meet their doom and often in a horribly gory way.
No, it is not slander if you tell the truth. Especially if you have proof to back it up. Emails are great proof--I keep EVERYTHING.
So shortly after Crypticon I was contacted via facebook from an editor-in-chief from a small local publishing company here in Seattle. After exchanging a few emails I decided I liked this editor well enough and I asked about sending a query letter. The editor suggested that I send over the manuscript so I send an ARC.
After exchanging a few more emails I knew I wasn’t going to be working with this firm after explaining the reasons I chose to decline entering a working relationship this editor became abusive and belligerent which left me thanking my lucky stars that I had dodged such a large bullet. My BFF and I were joking about it and she said “you outta write a book about that.”
I thought it was insanely funny suggestion at the time but now I’m thinking that’s not such a bad idea …
So with that said I am considering a non-fiction publication Psycho Suzie & Friends: Memoirs of a Nightmare: just a simple journal type book of email exchanges with individuals representing four different companies spanning over the last 3 ½ years.
Of course with Artificial Light being near completion this pet project is going on the back burner and I’m in no rush to start a comedic autobiography. I’m not too worried the good thing is I’ll always have more than enough material because most people don’t choose their words carefully or think before speaking. Once you say something you cannot take it back and a lot of people have either forgot or don’t care that emails last forever….
Friday, June 3, 2011
It’s been awhile!
So sorry to have been gone for so long…it’s been crazy. I need to find a way to stay on of this social media thing.
Over the Memorial Day weekend I attended Crypticon as a vendor and oh dear God I had a flipping blast! I shared a booth with authors Timothy W. Long, and Eloise L Knapp, both of whom I interviewed here on my blog and sold out of all the copies of The Darkness on the 2nd day and Sunday just mere hours after the doors opened I sold my last copy of Strange Tales of Horror. It was an unbelievable weekend.
I think I might be a 3rd of the way through Artificial Light, and I changed the title of book III and a revised, re-edited, and 2nd edition may be in the works for The Darkness!
But wait! There’s more!
I also have a DVD pick of the week for you guys. Whoo Hoo! So. America’s answer to Masters of Horror is called 6 films to keep you awake. I’ve seen all six films and they all kick ass!
Out of the 6 here are my 5 stars:
To Let 5
Carolina and Tony have looked at dozens of potential apartments, and none of them have worked. When their realtor assures them that a newly refurbished and renovated apartment will be a perfect fit, they decide to check it out. Upon arrival, they find an abandoned and decrepit building without any residents in sight. They go up to the 3rd floor and enter the apartment, and find their own belongs already on the shelves.
A Real Friend 5
Ten-year-old Estrella spends a lot of time alone at home...or so it appears to everyone else. Like many children, she has imaginary friends, but hers are a bit different. Her friends are monsters. One day, Estrella makes friends with a new monster, a vampire that seems to be a little more real than the others.
The Christmas Tale 5
A group of children playing in the woods find a woman dressed as Santa Claus who has fallen to the bottom of a well. After some armature detective work they discover their new friend is a thief on the run with a substantial haul. The kids make the trapped thief an offer--her freedom for the money. But some of the children aren't sure that they can trust the thief, and go back on the deal.
The Baby's Room 3 ½
A couple and their newborn arrive at their new home, a beautiful old house that has been renovated to meet their every need. However, there is an entity living in the baby's room, which can be heard over the baby's monitor, and later seen on a closed circuit camera. Is it human, a ghost, or are the tenants simply going insane?
The Specter 4
An elderly writer visits the small coastal village where he was born and raised. He reminisces of his childhood, and the beautiful, mysterious woman he's been unable to forget. As he walks through his old village he catches ghostly glimpses of the same woman, and recalls the dark story of their forbidden love affair.
The Blame 3
Ana, a respected gynecologist, invites a nurse and friend from the hospital (and her daughter) to live with her, and act as an assistant. The house, a section of which is used as a private clinic, is light, cheerful and peaceful. However, something sinister lies beneath the veneer of contentment. Once her new `family' has moved in, Ana reveals that her private practice is in fact an abortion clinic. Soon after strange events begin to transpire.
Well until next time guys!
Over the Memorial Day weekend I attended Crypticon as a vendor and oh dear God I had a flipping blast! I shared a booth with authors Timothy W. Long, and Eloise L Knapp, both of whom I interviewed here on my blog and sold out of all the copies of The Darkness on the 2nd day and Sunday just mere hours after the doors opened I sold my last copy of Strange Tales of Horror. It was an unbelievable weekend.
I think I might be a 3rd of the way through Artificial Light, and I changed the title of book III and a revised, re-edited, and 2nd edition may be in the works for The Darkness!
But wait! There’s more!
I also have a DVD pick of the week for you guys. Whoo Hoo! So. America’s answer to Masters of Horror is called 6 films to keep you awake. I’ve seen all six films and they all kick ass!
Out of the 6 here are my 5 stars:
To Let 5
Carolina and Tony have looked at dozens of potential apartments, and none of them have worked. When their realtor assures them that a newly refurbished and renovated apartment will be a perfect fit, they decide to check it out. Upon arrival, they find an abandoned and decrepit building without any residents in sight. They go up to the 3rd floor and enter the apartment, and find their own belongs already on the shelves.
A Real Friend 5
Ten-year-old Estrella spends a lot of time alone at home...or so it appears to everyone else. Like many children, she has imaginary friends, but hers are a bit different. Her friends are monsters. One day, Estrella makes friends with a new monster, a vampire that seems to be a little more real than the others.
The Christmas Tale 5
A group of children playing in the woods find a woman dressed as Santa Claus who has fallen to the bottom of a well. After some armature detective work they discover their new friend is a thief on the run with a substantial haul. The kids make the trapped thief an offer--her freedom for the money. But some of the children aren't sure that they can trust the thief, and go back on the deal.
The Baby's Room 3 ½
A couple and their newborn arrive at their new home, a beautiful old house that has been renovated to meet their every need. However, there is an entity living in the baby's room, which can be heard over the baby's monitor, and later seen on a closed circuit camera. Is it human, a ghost, or are the tenants simply going insane?
The Specter 4
An elderly writer visits the small coastal village where he was born and raised. He reminisces of his childhood, and the beautiful, mysterious woman he's been unable to forget. As he walks through his old village he catches ghostly glimpses of the same woman, and recalls the dark story of their forbidden love affair.
The Blame 3
Ana, a respected gynecologist, invites a nurse and friend from the hospital (and her daughter) to live with her, and act as an assistant. The house, a section of which is used as a private clinic, is light, cheerful and peaceful. However, something sinister lies beneath the veneer of contentment. Once her new `family' has moved in, Ana reveals that her private practice is in fact an abortion clinic. Soon after strange events begin to transpire.
Well until next time guys!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Darkness snags two lit. prizes!
“The Darkness” Two-Time Award Winning Finalist of the 2011 International Book Awards!
Dudes! Yesterday the winners and finalist for the 2011 International Book Awards were announced and I’m super excited to tell you guys that The Darkness is now a two-time award winning finalist!
There is no way that I’ll be able to thank you guys for following me, finding & friending me on Facebook, your comments, your reviews but most of your encouragement and support. From my family, my friends, other authors, and artist I’ve met along the way and to those of you who don’t know me personally there are no words to describe how much that means to me…
Thank you!
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