Facebook actually tried to censor one of my books! Can you believe that? Has this happened to anyone else?
In my case, it seems to come down to their software being unable to tell the difference between political satire and pushing a fake political candidate.
Facebook actually tried to censor one of my books! Can you believe that? Has this happened to anyone else?
In my case, it seems to come down to their software being unable to tell the difference between political satire and pushing a fake political candidate.
Percy Jackson meets Arabian fairy tales in this stunning middle grade fantasy debut about a girl who becomes the guardian of Ali Baba’s legendary treasure.
No idea how this amazing trilogy have eluded me for 2 decades!
"The best epic fantasy book I have read in a while. Tons of names, tribes, nations, cities, countries, factions, individuals clash in a massive once-in-a-millennium undertaking. What more does a bookworm need? Simply top-shelf stuff, imho. "
The shadow of New Crobuzon hangs very heavily over this story of socialist agitation in a magical steampunk city. I found this readable but not compelling. Some nice scraps of worldbuilding - why aren't there more minotaurs in fantasy? - but the characters didn't pop for me. #FinishedReading#Fantasy#Bookstodon#RjurikDavidson@bookstodon
⭐ Don't agonise over perfection – the odd typo won't make us hate an excellent story. Remember, publishers are looking for a sturdy foundation they can build upon. Your manuscript does not need to be publish-ready — it’s our job to get you there! So if you find yourself reading and re-reading your manuscript for the 999th time to catch those typos and to correct that formatting, it’s probably time to submit? [4/4]
⭐ Send us your best — If your manuscript isn’t ready to be submitted yet, we would strongly advise waiting until it is. Whilst publishers are not looking for a perfect manuscript, your submission will be assessed for writing quality and potential. Making sure your project is finished, and has been through a few rounds of feedback and edits will increase your chances of success. [3/4]
⭐ Be honest and genuine – we want to know you as well as your book! If a publishing house accepts your manuscript, you'll be working together for a year so it’s important that you are the right author for the imprint culturally and professionally. Be honest and let your personality shine through in your cover letter, you never know what might resonate with your potential publisher. [2/4]
If you'd like to discuss a quote for your manuscript, email me a query with a short synopsis, the first 1-3 full pages, and your word count: river@riverjhopkins.com
I’ve been reading the Chronicles of Narnia (publication order) for the first time since I was a child. I’m currently on The Magician’s Nephew, the part where the talking animals plant Uncle Andrew because they think he’s a tree. Ends with “and now on to more important things”. Meanwhile I studiously kill each and every one of my darlings in drafts of fantasy novels hoping against hope one day they’ll be published. 😵💫😵💫😵💫😭 @bookstodon#books#fantasy#writing#reading
‘The Invention of Morel’ (1940) by Adolfo Bioy Casares is usually classed as ‘literary fiction’ (whatever that means), but for me it’s an exemplary piece of fantastika.
HIGH TECH AND HOODOO and the powers of love, art, and community are mighty weapons in this unique adventure set in a near-future dystopian Massachusetts. Rich with the Afrofuturist spirit of funk and beautiful evocations of nature. B PLUS
I've finished the third and fourth entries of the saga.
In "The Farthest Shore" the magic is running out of the world; Ged and the prince of Enlad part in an adventure to find out what the problem is. It's a book full of adventure, visiting many Islands in the archipelago.
In contrast, "Tehanu" has a slower pace. It's a fantasy novel in which dragons and magic are not in the foreground. It answers the question How does the dispossessed, children, women, handicapped, live in a world with magic? And doing so makes you think about the power relations in the so called real world.
Finished Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee last night, completing her Green Bone trilogy. The series is excellent, bringing gangster epic storytelling to a 20th century-inspired world where martial arts film feats are a reality.
There's a lot to like about it, but maybe my favorite part is the seemingly effortless way the books adopt the POV of wildly different people with different perspectives, making all these characters feel real and worthy of empathy.
Kid: His stories are winding, convoluted, and at times nonsensical (even for fantasy). My D&D games are more fun than his books.
Adult: Tolkien was racist who promoted scientific racism. The orc is a creation born in racism against southeast Asian peoples that was later applied to black people. His elves are Aryan hyperfantasy. All of this has become a polarizing fantasy tale for white supremacists.