And now for something completely different...

Good evening constant reader.

The following entry is going to break with tradition, but as I've stated before, this is my blog and I can do that.
What follows is my review of a new CD from a band you may not have heard of, but need to, especially if you're into dark wave music.

It's show time folks!


 
 

In a nutshell, if you like dark wave music, then you'll find Sapphire Rebellion much to your liking.

Their latest CD, Pocketful of X-Rays is just what the doctor ordered.

Front man Tim Curry has an impressive pedigree.
Beginning in 1992, he was one of the founding members of the dark wave group The Cruxshadows. Exiting as their lead guitarist, Tim left in 1997.
In 2002, Tim took on production duties and helped hone the group Girls on Film into a nationally known band.
In 2004, he assisted  former Cruxshadow band member, Stacey Campbell by producing two of her tracks, "Read Your Mind" and "Within".
Since then Curry has worked to promote Sapphire Rebellion as a national act, touring the east coast frequently. 

Here's the skinny:

Genre: Dark Wave

Artist: Sapphire Rebellion

CD Title: Pocketful of X-Rays

Year released: 2011

Band Members:
Tim Curry: guitar, vocals, synth, programming, mastering

Jay Godin: drums, programming

Platinum Dragon Productions

Track List:
1. Radio Commander

2. Hot Little Number

3. No Memories of Angel

4. What I Meant

5. X-Ray Eyes

6. Why Me?

7. This Day Will Pass

8. See Her Again

Pocketful Of X-Rays hits the nail on the head. 

The opening strains of Radio Commander will have your foot tapping straight away. I loved the keyboards on this.

In No Memories of Angel, at the last, Tim's voice soars and I break out in goose bumps every time at the anguish in his voice.

X-Ray Eyes is another stand out with a awesome hook.

The entire groove of Pocketful of X-Rays is filled with catchy melodies and attention to detail.

Godin's drums mix it up and don't pump out the same rhythm song after song.
Curry's guitar is smashing and masterful.
Bass lines accentuate the drums making for a solid rhythm section.
Keyboards soar.

Curry's vocals are well crafted and enunciated...you can understand the lyrics.

Curry's compositions are aurally satisfying. And if you don't know what "aurally" means, get thee to a dictionary.

Sapphire Rebellion sounds like...well...Sapphire Rebellion.
Comparisons have been made to and I hear the influences of Sisters of Mercy and David Bowie, but SR has it's own sound.

The musicianship is honed to perfection and wasn't mastered or recorded in a traditional studio, but you'd never know it.

I like Pocketful of X-Rays and have it on my iPod, and listen to it frequently.
Any downsides to it?
Wish there were more than 8 songs. But that's not much of a down side.

If you're lucky enough to live in the eastern part of the country and Sapphire Rebellion is playing in your town, run, don't walk to see them.

I'm pretty sure the rest of the country is going to get a taste soon enough.

CDs by Sapphire Rebellion:
Conspiracy Theory 2010
Pocketful Of X-Rays 2011
Both can be acquired through the band website www.sapphirerebellion.com/products-page
For more information, please see the SR Facebook page: Sapphire Rebellion on Facebook

Good afternoon constant reader.

It's been almost two months since I last posted to The Written Universe. It's not that I've run out of books to review, it's I've run out of the ability to read and review.
I've spoken to this problem before, and it seems to have returned.
For those of you who don't know, I lost my father in February 2009, my son, my only child in September 2010, there was a lawsuit regarding his death in 2011, and my mother presented with Alzheimer's in 2010, and had to be removed from the family home in 2011 and put in independent living for the time being. It was also at this time I had to clear out the family home as the house had been reverse mortgaged.

All this has taken a toll on me, and has impaired my ability to concentrate on and retain what I read. That's a deadly combination for a book reviewer. I've gone through this once already, and it seems after the holidays to have returned again.

Because of this, I've stopped reviewing and am trying to work back up to reading by reading strictly for pleasure. Even that has been hard to do.

If you're a regular reader of The Written Universe, I ask your patience and understanding.
If you are an author wanting to submit a book for review, please note it may be some time before I undertake any new books for submission, as I am currently back logged. I may also be forced to be more selective about what I take on for review. I don't want to waste my time reading things that aren't worthy of my time, and I don't want to waste an author's time, either. I try to be as fair as I possibly can.
Along these lines, I'm also toying with the idea of only posting positive reviews. If a book doesn't strike my fancy or is poorly written from the get go, I may decline to review it and notify the author. I haven't decided yet.

At any rate, The Written Universe is still something near and dear to my heart, and I intend on continuing to review books. I may also throw in the odd review from time to time of a film, or a CD...you never know. ;)

13 Questions with...Joel Arnold

1. You’re hosting a dinner party. What is the menu, and do you cook it yourself, or do you call a caterer?

I admit I’m not much into hosting parties. I would probably order pizza!

2. What is your beverage of choice?

Caramel Macchiato when I’m splurging, just coffee w/ sugar and cream when I’m not.

3. Physical book Vs an E-Reader. Your preference and why?

For most books, I enjoy my E-Reader – I love having all these books at my fingertips. However, there are coffee table books out there that an E-Reader is just not adequate for.

4. What kinds of books make up your personal library?

All kinds, although horror is probably the most pervasive.

5. How and when did you catch the writing bug?

I caught it at an early age – the 2^nd grade, when I won a short story contest. The prize was a trip with my teacher, Mrs. Rosier, to the local A&W. She even said, “Joel, you’re going to be a writer someday.”

6. What is your writing routine?

I have a full-time day job, plus a wife and two kids, so we’ve worked it out so that I treat my writing like a part-time job. I have two nights a week set aside for writing, as well as about a five-hour block on Saturdays. Plus I’ll sometimes go write before work (on those days I can get my butt out of bed early enough.)

7. If you ever encounter writer’s block, what steps do you take to get past it?

I usually have multiple projects going on, so if I get stuck on one thing, I’ll go work on something else. Or I might just skip to a different scene in that particular piece. Sometimes – at least for me – I think writer’s block is just having this immense unknown in front of you, or at least a lot of work ahead of you – and you just don’t want to face it at the moment.

8. Do you have a hidden talent?

I know a disturbing amount of trivia about 1970s-era sitcoms.

9. What was your best subject in school?

Band. At least until I got into college, then it was sociology and literature. One of my favorite classes I ever took was one focused solely on the plays of Sam Shepard.

10. As in any entertainment, there are current trends. How much do these “current trends” influence what you write?

They don’t influence me much. I’m kind of a slow writer, so if I were to follow trends, I’d always be too late to the party, so to speak.

11. Mac or PC?

I use a PC.

12. Where do your ideas come from?

Anywhere and everywhere. There might be a setting that really sparks something in me, or a newspaper article, or a person I met. But usually the ideas come more freely while I’m writing.

13 What advice would you pass on to an aspiring author?

I think persistence is the key. Writers who have achieved any degree of success are those who don’t give up after the first few dozen rejections, or after getting stuck in the middle of something they’re writing; they keep coming back to it, they keep trying, because they can’t imagine doing it any other way.

But another piece of advice is to take advice from writers with a grain of salt – probably 95% of our advice doesn’t apply to you. Writing is an individualistic journey. There are sign posts along the way left by other writers, but some of those signs – while well-intentioned – will lead you in circles, while others will lead you straight into a rock wall. When you get advise, sure – ponder it, consider it, swish it around in your mouth awhile to see if it tastes right – but if it doesn’t, then spit it out and keep on plugging away.

Review: Bedtime Stories for the Apocalypse

Bedtime Stories for the Apocalypse
by
Joel Arnold
Available as an e-book on Smashwords and as an e-book from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Good afternoon constant reader.
In a nutshell, if you like a short story collection that is chilling and thought provoking, then this book is for you.

Bedtime Stories for the Apocalypse is a tasty collection of stories, perfect for killing a little time, and getting a case of the heebee jeebees.

I'll hit a few of the high lights of this collection and allow you to discover the rest for yourself.

Shiners is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where something really bad has happened and it seems to have an not-from-this-world origin. We find out real quick what a "shiner" is and then are introduced to Gibson, a gent who is minding his own business and trying to get by. He meets a young lady and befriends her, only to have the experience backfire in a terrible way.

Padre Sapo, is the tale of a father who will go to any length to try to find a cure for the cancer that ravages his daughter. We meet up with the pair on the road, making their way to yet another "cure" this time from a priest, Padre Sapo, which when translated, means "Father Toad". Yes, from that name alone, you know this probably isn't going to end well, and you'd be right.

What if you started looking up something on the internet, and got x number of hits, only to look the next day and find out the number of hits had decreased, and decreased again the next day, until finally there were no hits at all? Which in turn leads you to start looking yourself up? That's what happens in Narcissus in Links. Makes you think twice about what it is or who it is you might be looking for on the internet.

Branding Day is one of the grimmest short stories I've read in a long time.
Children are involved. I think that, with the title, is all I have to say.

The stories I cited above are part of an overall collection that is written brilliantly. Horror excels in the short form and Joel Arnold shines in this medium.
But wait, there's more!
In the e-book edition of Bedtime Stories for the Apocalypse I read, there is an excerpt for a full length novel by Joel Arnold called Northwoods Deep. For some reason, I missed the part telling me this and I thought I was reading another short story. As the excerpt progressed, I was drawn along, deeper and deeper into the story until I reached the end and realized I was reading a preview... and was wishing I had more to read.
That is the mark of a good writer, to leave the reader wanting more.

Look out for this Joel Arnold.
He's armed with a pen and his imagination and he knows how to use them.

13 Questions with...Adrienne Jones

1. You’re hosting a dinner party. What is the menu, and do you cook it yourself, or do you call a caterer?

I’m primarily a vegetarian but if hosting a dinner party I’d cheat and go with seafood(cooked myself!) Probably shrimp.

2. What is your beverage of choice?

Wine, wine, and sometimes wine.

3. Physical book Vs an E-Reader. Your preference and why?
My opinion wavers on this – I usually prefer curling up with a paperback rather than ebook, but E-readers appeal to my impatience when I want to read a certain book NOW. Plus holding an E-reader makes me feel all Starfleet.

4. What kinds of books make up your personal library?

Oh man, it’s a totally chaotic, overflowing mix with no rhyme or reason! There is a lot of science fiction and paranormal but also plenty of classics and nonfiction. I read everything.

5. How and when did you catch the writing bug?

I’ve been writing since first grade when I won a district poetry festival contest in my town, and I’ve done varied forms of freelance journalism over the years. But I didn’t get serious about fiction/novel writing until much later. There was no transition or Eureka moment, I just started waking up with these stories in my head, and the characters wouldn’t leave me alone until I gave them some attention.

6. What is your writing routine?

Ah…um, ROUTINE, yeah, I’ve been meaning to get me one of those.

7. If you ever encounter writer’s block, what steps do you take to get past it?

Cursing, drama, self-flagellation. But usually it just means I’m not thrilled with what I’m working on at the moment, so I either have to change it up or switch to another project for a while. I’ve found working on multiple projects at once is a godsend when it comes to stalling out, because you can always take a breather and focus on something different for a while.

8. Do you have a hidden talent?

I don’t think so! Though I’ve always wanted to be telekinetic and toss people across the room with my mind.

9. What was your best subject in school?

Definitely the Literature classes, loved them. Math still makes me want to cry and curl into fetal position.

10. As in any entertainment, there are current trends. How much do these “current trends” influence what you write?

I’m aware of trends and pay attention to what’s selling etc., but I write my best work when I just do my own thing, regardless of genre or categorization. If people want to call it paranormal mystery, science fiction, fantasy, it makes no difference to me as long as they enjoy the ride. People always say my work is diverse or without genre (or cross-genre), but I think there’s an upside in that it can fit snugly into a lot of categories.

11. Mac or PC?

PC

12. Where do your ideas come from?

A small purple alien from the Omega Centauri galaxy delivers them to me in an orb every six months or so.

13 What advice would you pass on to an aspiring author?

Learn to edit your own work. I don’t mean just spelling and grammar, though that’s obviously crucial. But when you first start, you’re going to say in five sentences what you could say more eloquently in one, and professional editors will notice. Read as many reputable books on editing your fiction as you can find, practice, be willing to sacrifice words, sentences, entire chapters if it’s for the good of the story.

13 Questions with...Rebecca Carter

1. You’re hosting a dinner party. What is the menu, and do you cook it yourself, or do you call a caterer? 
Pasta and french bread pizzas. I'm a horrible cook but, if I do say so myself, I can make some awesome pasta dishes. I wouldn't hire a caterer, that's just not the kind of person I am. We even had Chick-Fil-A trays at my wedding instead of hiring someone to cater it.

2. What is your beverage of choice?
Mountain Dew. I'm addicted. 

3. Physical book Vs an E-Reader. Your preference and why?
Nothing can beat the way that a physical book feels and smells and flipping pages is satisfying in a way that scrolling on a screen can't be. I appreciate eBooks but there are things they can't replace. 

4. What kinds of books make up your personal library?
Unfortunately my library is understocked at the moment, but we were very tight on space until recently. If you looked at my bookshelf you would see lots of Accounting and Networking textbooks alternating between non fiction books on religion, mythology, history and art/film history. I love non fiction. Most of the fiction I read are shorts downloaded online, even though I prefer a physical book sometimes it isn't practical. 

5. How and when did you catch the writing bug?
I have been writing since I could remember but I only decided to continue to pursue writing in 2010. I was really disappointed in the horror genre and knew I had better stories to tell than what was coming out so I self published as a (successful) exercise. Now thousands of people own something that I wrote and that is very, very addictive. I couldn't stop now.

6. What is your writing routine? 
I don't have one. When I get an idea or the urge to write I just do it. My brain works at a thousand miles a minute so I have to let it go where it wants or I will lose the thought. 

7. If you ever encounter writer’s block, what steps do you take to get past it?
I just walk away for as long as it takes for me to want to finish a story. That probably doesn't work for someone on a deadline, but that's what it takes for me.

8. Do you have a hidden talent?
Is balancing ledgers a hidden talent? No? I guess probably not. Writing really is my "hidden talent". Sales Manager by day, horror author by every other waking minute.

9. What was your best subject in school?
Accounting. I was getting a business degree and in my first accounting class I realized that I liked it-and everyone else hated it. I switched to Accounting and got my degree in it.

10. As in any entertainment, there are current trends. How much do these “current trends” influence what you write?
I try not to let them influence me greatly but I have to admit that the reason I wrote "Hunger" for Moonlit Daydreams is I knew that there were people really into vampires and that if I left out a vampire story I would be isolating a big customer base. In the end I think I made sure it wasn't a paranormal vampire romance and I made the story mine.

11. Mac or PC?
PC! Mac's were great back in the day when you couldn't do what you needed on a PC. Now a Mac is just three times the cost with none of the customization. Then again I used to work in networking technical support, so my needs may be different than some other peoples.

12. Where do your ideas come from?
My brain. All kidding aside, I really don't know how to answer this one. I try and make my stories female centric because no one else does. Women are really overlooked as the "bad guy" or "the monster" unless there is a man romantically involved; we really deserve an equal run as the antagonist. 

13 What advice would you pass on to an aspiring author? 
Write for you first, your genre second, your fans third and the publishers last. If you can't get your work out with a publisher you can do it yourself. I didn't even try with a traditional publisher because that wasn't the vision I had. Don't compromise your art but don't forget the genre you are writing for. If you want genre fans to accept your work you have to respect their lines (or blow them out of the water if you're writing horror).

Review: The Hoax

The Hoax
by
Adrienne Jones
Available through Amazon in paperback and Kindle e-book, through
Barnes & Noble as a Nook e-book, on Kobo as an e-book, and Mundania Press in paperback.

Good evening constant reader.
In a nutshell, if you like off the beaten path stories, with characters so well drawn they leap off the page and help you keep turning the pages until you find out what their ultimate fate is, then this book is for you.

Part horror, part science fiction, and all compelling, The Hoax starts off with an attention getting prologue that jump starts the action and then starts revving to full throttle.

How well do any of us really know our "best" friends? That's one question The Hoax poses, as it explores the friendship of three men: Patrick Obrien, Joey Duvaine and Melvin Shepherd.  Their friendship seems genuine and honesty bound, until little by little, layers start to flake away and cracks begin to appear. It all seems so innocent and unremarkable at first, the result of a recent tragedy. Joey, in the space of a year, has lost his entire family and is now on his own, trying to decide what direction his future holds. Patrick and Shepherd (he hates to be called Melvin) are there to support their friend, onlooking bystanders to the melt down Joey has at a local bar after the funeral of his father. Fists fly, shirts are taken off, drinking accelerates and this is where the story takes off, when we are given a glimpse of Shepherd's back and the horse shoe shaped scar he has...a result he says, of an abusive father.

That's round one

Round two has our three friends at Joey's apartment, hanging out, with Joey trying to decide what his options are. Joey laments he has no family to the extent Shepherd blows a gasket, asking what are he and Obrien? Chopped liver? Words fly fast and furious until it gets physical and blood is drawn, with Shepherd sneering that Joey doesn't think anyone is "family" unless they're blood family. A knife surfaces and all three cut themselves and make a blood bond, with Shepherd uttering some strange words, words he claims the ancients used to bind themselves together before battle: unity and brotherhood.

And it's with this sharing of blood that things really take a turn into Weirdville.
If I say too much more, I risk giving too much away.
I will say Shepherd manipulates Joey and Patrick into staging something miraculous at a church, which sets the rest of the action in motion, heading into a hell of a climax.

Jones has crafted an absorbing tale, whose characters come alive. As you read, you feel like these are people you know. The dialogue perks along and never seems forced - the characters actually say what you'd think a real person would say in a situation like they're in. A situation, which constant reader, as you read along, starts to take some really fantastic turns.
The story is paced well with suitable down times, and packed at the right time with action.

I loved every minute of reading this book, and that's not something I say too often.
My only complaint is there's no sequel...yet...it's in the works.

Adrienne Jones is a writer to watch.

For more on Adrienne Jones:
Author Adrienne Jones
Mundania Press
Smashwords