Happy book birthday, J. J. Fischer! Today is the release of her third book and the first installment of The Nightingale Trilogy, Calor. I absolutely loved reading this book and can't wait to share this review! Fairytale retellings are cool and all, but nothing is cooler (literally) than a fairytale retelling mashed with Greek myth … Continue reading Book Review: Calor by J.J. Fischer
Journey to the East: Original Poetry Inspired by Lord of the Rings
I just finished reading The Lord of the Rings again. Man. Each time I read this masterpiece I gain a new layer of appreciation for the story, the writing, the characters, the themes, and the language. (Compare with what I wrote in response to this saga two years ago.) While all those things impacted and … Continue reading Journey to the East: Original Poetry Inspired by Lord of the Rings
Book Review: The Darcentaria Duology
A young woman fleeing the horrors of World War II is astonished to find an undiscovered medieval world when her plane crashes in the Bermuda Triangle. Forced to join forces with a gifted but troubled warrior-prince to survive, El’s knowledge might just be the key to winning their civil war… but how can she share … Continue reading Book Review: The Darcentaria Duology
Book Review: Murder in Old Bombay
In 1892, Bombay is the center of British India. Nearby, Captain Jim Agnihotri lies in Poona military hospital recovering from a skirmish on the wild northern frontier, with little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. The case that catches Captain Jim's attention is being called … Continue reading Book Review: Murder in Old Bombay
Book Review: The Black Arrow
Did you know Robert Louis Stevenson wrote more than Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? I love his other writings, so when I saw The Black Arrow at a used-book sale, I snatched it up. It sat on my shelf for a few years, however, until I recently found myself in between … Continue reading Book Review: The Black Arrow
Reading Highlights of 2021
My total book count for the year is 58--including comfort (or book review) re-reads, skim-reads, and unpublished works. Here's the creme de la creme of my 2021 reading. (You can also find some of the new fiction titles on my virtual bookshelves.) Fiction Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Reread. Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale. … Continue reading Reading Highlights of 2021
Come Play, Mama [Original Poetry]
I am a perfectionist. Which means a lot of things. Some good, some bad. If you're a perfectionist too, you know. If you're not, be thankful--while perfectionism isn't all bad, it nurtures a lot of life-long frustrations. I was dialoguing with a friend about my WIP not long ago, and as I put my struggles … Continue reading Come Play, Mama [Original Poetry]
A Lamentation in Miniature [Original Poetry]
As I'm studying the book of Lamentations--chapter 3 in particular--Charles R. Swindoll's little book The Lamentations of Jeremiah (Swindoll, 1977) has opened my eyes to the depth, beauty, and poetry of this section of Scripture. Did you know that four out of the five chapters or dirges of Lamentations are acrostic poems in the original … Continue reading A Lamentation in Miniature [Original Poetry]
Writers Are Like Moms
Being a writer is like being a mom with kids who never sleep. No matter the time of day, there are always idea-children running around the house chasing each other or sitting in the hallway for you to trip over. They track mud everywhere. They color on the walls. They yell and laugh and cry … Continue reading Writers Are Like Moms
Project Update
It's been over a year since I wrote my "Meet the Project" post introducing you (vaguely) to my WIP, code name KJ. No, I don't have publication on the horizon yet, but a lot has happened in the past year, and I thought you might like to check in and see where things are. In … Continue reading Project Update
Melissa J. Troutman 