From now until it's finished, this will be called the Great Novel Edit! Anyways, I was thinking that a new title deserves a new summary! The Phantom's Phoenix needs something with a little more mystery and more of the atmosphere of the story itself, with less dime-store romance. A thank you to the gal who helped work this one out!
"Two torturous years after the disastrous premier of Don Juan Triumphant, the Phantom wallows beneath the rubble and ruin from the flames
he brought upon all. Setting Christine free after finally
coming to understand love and sacrifice has cost him what was left of his soul. His
opera house now destroyed and desolate in his own madness, even his beloved music has lost its power, and Erik merely
waits for the end, to become the ghost he was long believed to be.
Yet in
the oppressing silence a small ember hides within the ashes. Vivienne, a
former ballerina now forced to become a street musician to
earn what she can, seeks shelter in Erik’s domain after tragedy
strikes her. However, she is an unwelcome guest, and is soon to learn
that the hushed tales whispered behind the curtain about the Opera Ghost
are true and she is not alone."
Voila!
Your pal,
Angels
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Reviews From an HBN (Mr Darcy, Vampyre - Amanda Grange)
I'm nowhere close to catching up with my reading, but I can at least catch up on reviewing!
A married man in possession of a dark fortune must be in want of an eternal wife...
My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...
I am afraid.
If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.
MY RATING: 2 STARS
That's the summary and rating, and this is the review:
I like my chances at getting a novel of my own published by a major company, because it looks like they'll print anything these days...
I'd be really pissed off that I spent money to buy this if I hadn't gotten it dirt cheap at a thrift store. Two dollars buys a book worth only two stars, who'da thunk it? In the end, I went with two because I couldn't even muster the energy to out and out dislike this book. The most it got out of me was a "meh." As a vampire novel, it failed. The word didn't even appear until halfway through the whole thing, not counting the title. As a Pride and Prejudice sequel, it failed. Darcy was stiff and boring, and Lizzy was never this slow, insipid and needy. As a Jane Austen retelling, it really failed. Grange completely lacked the wit, humor and charm of Miss Austen and can barely stand on her own merit without trying to cash in on someone else's.
I'm not saying that a P&P-with-vamps story can't be done. As a matter of fact, I'm tempted to try it myself. I'm saying that this ain't that story. This is more like a rip-off of Twilight than P&P (and I paid for this crap?!). Darcy may not sparkle, but he turns transparent at dawn, so that's close enough for me. And hell, even Bella freaking Swan figured out about Edward Cullen before Lizzy found out about Darcy!
That's not what ticked me off the most. It was the constant, direct quotes from the original that did that. Always verbatim, and always at least three in a chapter. What was the purpose of this, exactly? To prove that Grange read the original? Not very well, it seems, as both hero and heroine are so far out of character to the point of assassination. Was she trying to separate it from Twilight by throwing as much of Jane as she could in there? Was she trying to be clever, in putting such a spin on a classic? In this, she also failed.
The atmosphere threw me off as well. P&P is bright, cheery and playful. This is not. Decent vampire stories are dark, full of mystery, and occasionally scary. This is not. I have no idea what this is, but I can only call it bad fan fiction. Not the worst, as I've read some pretty nauseating garbage, but bad enough to be getting along with. It was dull and uninteresting, and I only finished it because it was so short and I literally had nothing else to do. This thing only serves to prove that if you pander to the folks in charge at the publishing houses and give them what sells--in this case, vampires and retellings of classics--then regardless of talent or worth, you too can see your name in print!
***
Your humble book nerd,
Angels
My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...
I am afraid.
If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.
MY RATING: 2 STARS
That's the summary and rating, and this is the review:
I like my chances at getting a novel of my own published by a major company, because it looks like they'll print anything these days...
I'd be really pissed off that I spent money to buy this if I hadn't gotten it dirt cheap at a thrift store. Two dollars buys a book worth only two stars, who'da thunk it? In the end, I went with two because I couldn't even muster the energy to out and out dislike this book. The most it got out of me was a "meh." As a vampire novel, it failed. The word didn't even appear until halfway through the whole thing, not counting the title. As a Pride and Prejudice sequel, it failed. Darcy was stiff and boring, and Lizzy was never this slow, insipid and needy. As a Jane Austen retelling, it really failed. Grange completely lacked the wit, humor and charm of Miss Austen and can barely stand on her own merit without trying to cash in on someone else's.
I'm not saying that a P&P-with-vamps story can't be done. As a matter of fact, I'm tempted to try it myself. I'm saying that this ain't that story. This is more like a rip-off of Twilight than P&P (and I paid for this crap?!). Darcy may not sparkle, but he turns transparent at dawn, so that's close enough for me. And hell, even Bella freaking Swan figured out about Edward Cullen before Lizzy found out about Darcy!
That's not what ticked me off the most. It was the constant, direct quotes from the original that did that. Always verbatim, and always at least three in a chapter. What was the purpose of this, exactly? To prove that Grange read the original? Not very well, it seems, as both hero and heroine are so far out of character to the point of assassination. Was she trying to separate it from Twilight by throwing as much of Jane as she could in there? Was she trying to be clever, in putting such a spin on a classic? In this, she also failed.
The atmosphere threw me off as well. P&P is bright, cheery and playful. This is not. Decent vampire stories are dark, full of mystery, and occasionally scary. This is not. I have no idea what this is, but I can only call it bad fan fiction. Not the worst, as I've read some pretty nauseating garbage, but bad enough to be getting along with. It was dull and uninteresting, and I only finished it because it was so short and I literally had nothing else to do. This thing only serves to prove that if you pander to the folks in charge at the publishing houses and give them what sells--in this case, vampires and retellings of classics--then regardless of talent or worth, you too can see your name in print!
***
Your humble book nerd,
Angels
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Reviews From an HBN (The Constant Princess - Philippa Gregory)
I seem to be in a bit of a Tudor-ish mood lately...
"I am Catalina,
Princess of Spain, daughter of the two greatest monarchs the world has
ever known...and I will be Queen of England."
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, Katherine has been fated her whole life to marry Prince Arthur of England. When they meet and are married, the match becomes as passionate as it is politically expedient. The young lovers revel in each other's company and plan the England they will make together. But tragically, aged only fifteen, Arthur falls ill and extracts from his sixteen-year-old bride a deathbed promise to marry his brother, Henry; become Queen; and fulfill their dreams and her destiny.
"They tell me nothing but lies here and they think they can break my spirit. I believe what I choose and say nothing. I am not as simple as I seem."
Widowed and alone in the avaricious world of the Tudor court, Katherine has to sidestep her father-in-law's desire for her and convince him, and an incredulous Europe, that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated, that there is no obstacle to marriage with Henry. For seven years, she endures the treachery of spies, the humiliation of poverty, and intense loneliness and despair while she waits for the inevitable moment when she will step into the role she has prepared for all her life. Then, like her warrior mother, Katherine must take to the battlefield and save England when its old enemies the Scots come over the border and there is no one to stand against them but the new Queen.
"It was my dying husband's hope, my mother's wish, and God's will that I should be Queen of England; and for them and for the country, I will be Queen of England until I die."
Raised on the battlefield and in the most beautiful Moorish palace in the world, sent to England alone at the age of sixteen to take her place in a court where she couldn't speak the language, and abandoned and forced to endure poverty after the death of her husband, Katherine remained a woman of indomitable spirit, unwavering faith, and extraordinary strength. Philippa Gregory brings to life one of history's most inspiring women and creates one of the most compelling characters in historical fiction.
Whew, what a summary! Is there even any room for my review in all of that?
MY RATING: 4 STARS
My knowledge of Katherine of Aragon is limited to five facts: 1) she was the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand, king and queen of Spain, 2) she was first married to Arthur Tudor, Henry VIII's older brother, 3) she was Henry's first wife, 4) she was a devout Catholic, 5) she was Princess Mary's mother. For all I know, her life story is as Philippa Gregory wrote it, but after the misinformation of The Other Boleyn Girl, I highly doubt it.
Yet it bears repeating that Ms. Gregory is a good storyteller, in the sense that she made me finish reading what might as well be a novelized soap opera. My liking for Katherine carried over from TOBG and grew as she was portrayed with greater detail. She transformed from an obedient daughter to an independent, if troubled widow, and from there into a victorious queen. I grew so attached to the love story with Arthur that it fairly broke my heart when it ended, and my initial ambivalence towards Henry was cemented once again into dislike. Arrogant, selfish, demanding, and with the power to have you put to death if you annoyed him--yikes!
But back to Katherine, or Catalina, as she's called here. Her initial motive was to fulfill her destiny to please her parents, and that made for a dull start (one of the books problems, but I liked it as a whole, anyway). Her love and passion for Arthur, once it took off, got me caught up in no time, hopeless romantic that I am. It was her vow to become Queen of England no matter what that set things rolling. Was it really her determination to keep her promise that drove her, or did the promise just give her an excuse for her ambition? Did her pledge to Arthur really inspire her to cast him off and publicly denounce him, or was she serving her own purposes? And even after denying they were ever truly husband and wife, she still loved him heart and soul, and remained constant to him even as she was married to Henry. See? See what I did there?
No, really, "constant" could refer to many things about Catalina. Constant determination, patience, perseverance, deception, pride, and constant devotion to her dead husband and lover. The next time I read TOBG, my view of Queen Katherine will have changed quite a bit...
About the shifts from third to first person--I didn't mind in the slightest. The reader has the omnipresence to see what's going on everywhere else in the story, and the intimate, personal account of the heroine herself. I'm partial to alternating POV, myself, so I was already slanted in Ms. Gregory's favor on that part. I would have liked to split the time mostly between Catalina's marriages without the long portion focusing on her widowhood, as that's when things lost a lot of steam, but other than that, I enjoyed this more than TOBG. *gasp* I really did.
The closing with Katherine ready to defend her marriage to Henry with her--paraphrasing here--having the courage to lie again knowing he would never be brave enough to tell the truth, and fighting for her daughter's rights as a legitimate princess, her queenship, and (truly, this time) the promise she made Arthur...brava. Highest point of the whole book, seeing she was all but defeated and yet anything but. My favorite scene by far, and that, if nothing else, makes this one worth it.
In closing: historical inaccuracies likely, reminiscent of daytime TV, less opulent than TOBG but with more...spirit, shall I say? This one has less grandeur, but more of something else that I can't quite put my finger on. Either way, I liked it, plain and simple, flaws and all.
***
Your humble book nerd,
Angels
Thus, bestselling author Philippa Gregory introduces one of her most unforgettable heroines: Katherine of Aragon. Daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, Katherine has been fated her whole life to marry Prince Arthur of England. When they meet and are married, the match becomes as passionate as it is politically expedient. The young lovers revel in each other's company and plan the England they will make together. But tragically, aged only fifteen, Arthur falls ill and extracts from his sixteen-year-old bride a deathbed promise to marry his brother, Henry; become Queen; and fulfill their dreams and her destiny.
"They tell me nothing but lies here and they think they can break my spirit. I believe what I choose and say nothing. I am not as simple as I seem."
Widowed and alone in the avaricious world of the Tudor court, Katherine has to sidestep her father-in-law's desire for her and convince him, and an incredulous Europe, that her marriage to Arthur was never consummated, that there is no obstacle to marriage with Henry. For seven years, she endures the treachery of spies, the humiliation of poverty, and intense loneliness and despair while she waits for the inevitable moment when she will step into the role she has prepared for all her life. Then, like her warrior mother, Katherine must take to the battlefield and save England when its old enemies the Scots come over the border and there is no one to stand against them but the new Queen.
"It was my dying husband's hope, my mother's wish, and God's will that I should be Queen of England; and for them and for the country, I will be Queen of England until I die."
Raised on the battlefield and in the most beautiful Moorish palace in the world, sent to England alone at the age of sixteen to take her place in a court where she couldn't speak the language, and abandoned and forced to endure poverty after the death of her husband, Katherine remained a woman of indomitable spirit, unwavering faith, and extraordinary strength. Philippa Gregory brings to life one of history's most inspiring women and creates one of the most compelling characters in historical fiction.
Whew, what a summary! Is there even any room for my review in all of that?
MY RATING: 4 STARS
My knowledge of Katherine of Aragon is limited to five facts: 1) she was the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand, king and queen of Spain, 2) she was first married to Arthur Tudor, Henry VIII's older brother, 3) she was Henry's first wife, 4) she was a devout Catholic, 5) she was Princess Mary's mother. For all I know, her life story is as Philippa Gregory wrote it, but after the misinformation of The Other Boleyn Girl, I highly doubt it.
Yet it bears repeating that Ms. Gregory is a good storyteller, in the sense that she made me finish reading what might as well be a novelized soap opera. My liking for Katherine carried over from TOBG and grew as she was portrayed with greater detail. She transformed from an obedient daughter to an independent, if troubled widow, and from there into a victorious queen. I grew so attached to the love story with Arthur that it fairly broke my heart when it ended, and my initial ambivalence towards Henry was cemented once again into dislike. Arrogant, selfish, demanding, and with the power to have you put to death if you annoyed him--yikes!
But back to Katherine, or Catalina, as she's called here. Her initial motive was to fulfill her destiny to please her parents, and that made for a dull start (one of the books problems, but I liked it as a whole, anyway). Her love and passion for Arthur, once it took off, got me caught up in no time, hopeless romantic that I am. It was her vow to become Queen of England no matter what that set things rolling. Was it really her determination to keep her promise that drove her, or did the promise just give her an excuse for her ambition? Did her pledge to Arthur really inspire her to cast him off and publicly denounce him, or was she serving her own purposes? And even after denying they were ever truly husband and wife, she still loved him heart and soul, and remained constant to him even as she was married to Henry. See? See what I did there?
No, really, "constant" could refer to many things about Catalina. Constant determination, patience, perseverance, deception, pride, and constant devotion to her dead husband and lover. The next time I read TOBG, my view of Queen Katherine will have changed quite a bit...
About the shifts from third to first person--I didn't mind in the slightest. The reader has the omnipresence to see what's going on everywhere else in the story, and the intimate, personal account of the heroine herself. I'm partial to alternating POV, myself, so I was already slanted in Ms. Gregory's favor on that part. I would have liked to split the time mostly between Catalina's marriages without the long portion focusing on her widowhood, as that's when things lost a lot of steam, but other than that, I enjoyed this more than TOBG. *gasp* I really did.
The closing with Katherine ready to defend her marriage to Henry with her--paraphrasing here--having the courage to lie again knowing he would never be brave enough to tell the truth, and fighting for her daughter's rights as a legitimate princess, her queenship, and (truly, this time) the promise she made Arthur...brava. Highest point of the whole book, seeing she was all but defeated and yet anything but. My favorite scene by far, and that, if nothing else, makes this one worth it.
In closing: historical inaccuracies likely, reminiscent of daytime TV, less opulent than TOBG but with more...spirit, shall I say? This one has less grandeur, but more of something else that I can't quite put my finger on. Either way, I liked it, plain and simple, flaws and all.
***
Your humble book nerd,
Angels
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Randomness 18
I needed something funny, so...I bring you jokes!
The doctor replies, "Ma'am, you had twins! A boy and a girl. The babies are fine. Your brother came in and named them, if you don't mind me saying he does seem a bit of a redneck!"
The woman thinks to herself, "Oh no, not my brother!" Expecting the worst, she asks the doctor, "Well, what's the girl's name?"
"Denise," the doctor says.
The new mother thinks, "Wow, that's not such a bad name! I like Denise!"
Then she asks the doctor, "What's the boy's name?"
The doctor replies, "DeNephew."
The doctor replies, "Ma'am, you had twins! A boy and a girl. The babies are fine. Your brother came in and named them, if you don't mind me saying he does seem a bit of a redneck!"
The woman thinks to herself, "Oh no, not my brother!" Expecting the worst, she asks the doctor, "Well, what's the girl's name?"
"Denise," the doctor says.
The new mother thinks, "Wow, that's not such a bad name! I like Denise!"
Then she asks the doctor, "What's the boy's name?"
The doctor replies, "DeNephew."
***
Monday, December 3, 2012
NaNoWriMo Update: Eureka!
New title! New title! All thanks to my brilliant, devoted, biggest-fan-of-this-story-ever friend! It's no longer From the Ashes! What do you guys think of The Phantom's Phoenix?
I love it!
Your pal,
Angels
I love it!
Your pal,
Angels
Sunday, December 2, 2012
NaNoWriMo Update: Excerpt #3
I realize at this point that it's no longer NaNoWriMo, but this is still my NaNo project, so I'll keep calling it that in these posts. Just because.
Anyhoo, I think it's time for another snippet, what do you think? This one is coming to you from The Phantom of the Chagnys, and is one of many scenes between Erik and Christine that I dove into. It's their first meeting in three years, and of course the talk turns to music. As usually happens in my Phantom stories, there's an enormous Leroux influence with some Webber to add some sparkle and romance. I just love music scenes!
***
***
And now back to work!
Your pal,
Angels
Anyhoo, I think it's time for another snippet, what do you think? This one is coming to you from The Phantom of the Chagnys, and is one of many scenes between Erik and Christine that I dove into. It's their first meeting in three years, and of course the talk turns to music. As usually happens in my Phantom stories, there's an enormous Leroux influence with some Webber to add some sparkle and romance. I just love music scenes!
***
The room was very large and spacious,
but it looked smaller than it was due to the organ that took up the whole of
the far wall. It was so impressive and unexpected a sight in such a nondescript
building that for a moment Christine couldn’t look away from it, and when she
did she saw music everywhere. The Dies Irae met her gaze several times,
though indeed she could as easily have imagined Erik without that requiem as a
non-singing Erik. But mostly she saw books covered in red ink, more of the
music Erik had written himself. Among the scattered papers was a beautiful,
well-cared-for violin.
Out in the alley the air had felt
malevolent; in here there was a sense of dormancy, as though it were sleeping
and waiting for that Angel of Music to bring it to life again. Christine could
almost feel it on her skin, a divinity that was of both Heaven and Hell.
Erik gestured to the room at large. “No
sound whatsoever permeates these walls,” he said. “I filled them in myself. It’s
merely a question of adding an extra thickness. In here I could call down fire
from Heaven and the outside world would be none the wiser.”
Christine was speechless. It was always
an affecting experience to be in the heart of Erik’s lair, but to find herself
once again at the center of his creative genius after never expecting to see
him again was just as surreal as being with him again in the first place.
He sat down at the organ and began to
play. She didn’t recognize the music, but she knew its quality well. It was of
Erik’s own composition; it filled her, captivated her, and entranced her. It
awakened the sleeping divinity on the air and in her spirit, stirring her
senses into life. She could feel it in her blood, and as she breathed it in it
elevated her very soul.
The song within her rose, filling her
mind and body with the need to set it free at last. It had slept for too long,
and now Erik had invoked it with his music. He had allowed her, even compelled
her, to give in to the need. Powerless to resist any longer, she heeded the
call.
She sang, as she’d only ever sung with
him before. She’d never improvised before in her life, but his music and her
voice seemed to blend seamlessly until there was no dividing one from the
other. He played on with ever-increasing passion, and she sang until it felt as
though her soul had left her body, reaching out for the music and soaring away
in rapture when she touched it.
Time lost all meaning, and she didn’t
know whether they’d been at it for hours or only a few minutes before their
song drew to a close. Her voice faded to a whisper and the final notes of the
organ died away, and Erik said without looking at her, “Now you see, Christine.
I am quite safe in my music here. There’s no need to hold it back, it can be free
and fly as it’s meant to.”
Christine didn’t answer. She had closed
her eyes and she stood still, her mind serene and her body tingling. The music
was gone, but she didn’t despair as before. When she spoke, she said, “I have
to leave now, Erik.”
His voice was heavy with sorrow as he
replied, “Of course, Christine. But you’ll come back.”
“Yes,” she promised. “I will.” She
would, and as soon as she could. She couldn’t remain without that music for
long, the music that had once again claimed her for its own.
And now back to work!
Your pal,
Angels
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Artist of the Month - December 2012
A return to regular posts! Isn't it marvelous! Well, regular features, at least, with some NaNo still rolling...anyway, it's been too long! Drum roll, please!
*drum roll*
Bon Jovi
Crap, now I gotta give the bio...you know, on the chance someone around here hasn't heard of them. All right, basically a rock band from New Jersey formed in the 80's that hit it big with their third album Slippery When Wet (which is a really good one, BTW). The 2000 single "It's My Life" brought more attention from the younger generations, as every kid growing up in those days has heard that song at least half a dozen times. The track record thus far is eleven studio albums, three compilation albums, one live album, and over 130 albums sold worldwide. They were given the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004 (I know! I watched it!) and in 2009, members Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Livin' On a Prayer
Ick, don't ask me to pick just one favorite song, but this one is my anthem lately, so rock on!
It's My Life - another little anthem of mine...
You Give Love a Bad Name
Have a Nice Day - this video introduced what became their trademark smirk logo
Wanted Dead or Alive - this one gained recent popularity after its inclusion in an (awesome) episode of Supernatural. You know, just a little fun fact...
Blaze of Glory
Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore (featuring LeAnn Rimes)
I think I picked a good one to get back on track with! Happy listening!
Your pal,
Angels
*drum roll*
Bon Jovi
Crap, now I gotta give the bio...you know, on the chance someone around here hasn't heard of them. All right, basically a rock band from New Jersey formed in the 80's that hit it big with their third album Slippery When Wet (which is a really good one, BTW). The 2000 single "It's My Life" brought more attention from the younger generations, as every kid growing up in those days has heard that song at least half a dozen times. The track record thus far is eleven studio albums, three compilation albums, one live album, and over 130 albums sold worldwide. They were given the Award of Merit at the American Music Awards in 2004 (I know! I watched it!) and in 2009, members Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Livin' On a Prayer
Ick, don't ask me to pick just one favorite song, but this one is my anthem lately, so rock on!
It's My Life - another little anthem of mine...
You Give Love a Bad Name
Have a Nice Day - this video introduced what became their trademark smirk logo
Wanted Dead or Alive - this one gained recent popularity after its inclusion in an (awesome) episode of Supernatural. You know, just a little fun fact...
Blaze of Glory
Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore (featuring LeAnn Rimes)
I think I picked a good one to get back on track with! Happy listening!
Your pal,
Angels
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