🔖 As a kid, I would have loved these. As an adult LEGO enthusiast, I still want a set. Braille LEGO bricks!
I just keep playing Timeless — by Rob Thomas over and over. Love all the 80s song references. 🎵
Once upon a time, I was obsessed with the Eamon adventure games. They’re being brought back! And they’re just as accessible as ever. 💚⚔️🛡🧙♀️🐉
News: Harmony's Song Is Available Now on Audible 📚
#Harmony’s Song: A Dragon’s Brood Tale is now available on Audible worldwide, and just like the other audiobook entries in the Dragon’s Brood Cycle, it’ll shortly be available on iTunes as well.
Harmony’s Song is a prequel short story that centers around Daniel, the street urchin boy whom Emily befriends in Haven Lost. Familiarity with the other books in the series is not necessary to enjoy this story, but it is designed to enhance your enjoyment of the series as a whole.
The audiobook is narrated once again by the marvelous Reay Kaplan and includes a song composed by yours truly. The song is performed by my lovely wife, Molly, and was remastered for the audiobook by the fabulous Cara Quinn.
Life is hard for Daniel and the other kids who struggle to live on the streets of Ravenhold, a seaside city allied with the sorceress Marianne and the kingdom of Seven Skies. There is seldom enough to eat, and the nights are cold, but Daniel finds warmth and friendship when he meets the enigmatic Harmony. Their special bond, coupled with the mystery of Harmony’s past, sends Daniel from his life on the streets to the wider world beyond in this short-story prequel to
Haven Lost and the Dragon’s Brood Cycle.
Just fired up my old Apple iiGS for the first time in many years. It still works—and I found a disk full of stories I wrote 25+ years ago. This should be entertaining. 😎
I just realized I’ve spent all day thinking it was Wednesday. 🤦🏻♂️
News: Haven Divided Is Available Now on Audible 📚
#It’s been a while in coming, but Haven Divided: The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, Vol. 2 is finally available on Audible! worldwide!
You can hear the first sample in the Media section of the official website, and more samples will be coming soon, as well as the audiobook edition of Harmony’s Song.
If you enjoy my work, please consider supporting it by picking up this audiobook and leaving a rating or review. I couldn’t do what I do without you, dear readers, and I’m infinitely grateful to all of you. 🧜♀️🐉
Song of the day – One Less Day (Dying Young) by Rob Thomas 🎵
After a bit of a hiatus, I’ve returned to my Esperanto studies in DuoLingo. I’d forgotten just how satisfying it was.
My wife and I have embarked upon a Harry Potter reread, this time with the Braille editions. I’ve read the first two books a few times in Braille, but this will be the first time through the entire series that way. Its definitely a different experience from the audiobooks. 🧙♂️⚡️✨📚
Reading Star Trek 🖖📚
#I’ve been a Star Trek fan (Trekkie, never Trekkor) for just about as long as I can remember. Among my earliest memories are sitting down in front of our little television and watching reruns of the adventures of Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise at around age four. Even then, I had a paper cutout of the illustrious starship hanging from the ceiling in my bedroom, and I spent countless hours over the next 15 years assembling model kits of the various vessels from every era of the franchise with my father.
So it’ll surprise exactly no one that knows me that I was reading Trek novels very early on. Many were good–some were awful–and a handful were truly great. Not great Trek novels–great novels, full stop.
The first, and best, of these truly great Trek entries of the literary world was The Pandora Principle by Carolyn Clowes. It covers the early life and trials of Saavik, one of the most under-appreciated and underused characters in Star Trek lore–at least as far as I’m concerned. (Saavik is featured only in The Wrath of Khan and The Search for Spock films, and makes a brief appearance in The Voyage Home.) The Pandora Principle remains, to this day, my favorite Star Trek novel.
In second place is its quasi sequel, Unspoken Truth by Margaret Wander Bonnano. It was written by a different author, nearly thirty years after The Pandora Principle, which I think goes to show the profound impact the latter had on those who read it.
The Romulan Way by Diane Duane and Peter Morwood is another of the Star Trek greats, exploring the life of a Federation spy living undercover within the Romulan Star Empire.
Recently, I read a new Star Trek: Discovery novel. The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack, which is an excellent Star Trek novel, detailing the early life of Tilly, one of my favorite characters on Discovery. While the book doesn’t quite achieve the greatness of The Pandora Principle, it is thoroughly entertaining, capturing the character perfectly. The narrator of the audiobook edition likewise does a tremendous job with the character voices.
The story does a great job of explaining Tilly’s quirks, what makes her tick, and explores her motivations. The last section of the book even features a brand-new Starfleet captain who is, I think, the first captain to ever be introduced in a novel that I wish we could have a TV series based around–or at least more books!
My only criticism–and it is relatively minor–is that the book is too short for the story it’s telling. It feels like the author was trying to fit a story that was too large for its intended word count. At times, parts of Tilly’s story seem almost summarized, and I think the story would have benefited from being half again as long.
That said, it is well worth the read for any Discovery fans, and even those who haven’t watched the series won’t be able to keep themselves from falling in love with the vivacious Sylvia Tilly.
So far, I’ve read and enjoyed three of the four Star Trek:Discovery novels, and I hope that Star Trek as a whole continues to produce fun reads for Trekkies–and Trekkors too!
Live long and prosper. 🖖
So many books to read, so little time. Starting the newest installment of the Arlo Finch series, which is sort of America’s answer to Harry Potter. Very fun reads. 📚
After a rough January, February is starting out on a good note. Let’s keep it rolling, shall we? 👍🏻
Never underestimate the power of a kind word or simple expression of empathy or understanding. Just a word or two can make all the difference, whether you know it at the time or not. Be good humans.
A very merry Christmas to everyone! 🎄 I hope you’re all celebrating it with loved ones. ❤️💚 ❤️💚 ❤️💚
Enjoying my first ever ride in a Tesla. 🤯😍 🚗⚡️
This might be the greatest YouTube video of all time. — Package Thief vs Glitter Bomb
A Rather Flattering Surprise 📚
#Christie Stratos, an author I admire and who wrote the fantastic Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, gave a fun interview recently, which included an incredibly flattering surprise!
MR: You are an avid reader. What is your favorite underappreciated novel?
CS: It would have to be Haven Lost and the whole Dragon’s Brood series by Josh de Lioncourt. He is a brilliant fantasy author, and a lot more people should discover his work. It’s written just as well as any traditionally published fantasy author’s work, including excellent pacing, great twists on lore, in-depth character development, and loads of action. The first time I listened to one of his books on audio, I was blown away!
She’s a great author, and Anatomy of a Darkened Heart is absolutely worth your time if it sounds like something you’d enjoy. You will not be disappointed. I’m so flattered by this coming from such a talented writer.
Christmas is incomplete without Alvin and the Chipmunks, who are a fixture in my holiday music playlists. 🐿🎄
Song of the day – Kick Start by Lisa Loeb 🎵
While going through old emails, cerca 2006, one of the many things that strikes me is the lack of emoji. It just seems kind of wrong now. 😧
“I Have the power…and holiday spirit!”
Song of the day – You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Neil Diamond 🎄🎵