Reviews

L P King's Review of Merlin's Way by Kel Harris

Published by Mountain Mist Productions and available in print and as an e-book HERE

This Review may be freely copied provided that L P King is acknowledged as the Author and that a link be given to Mountain Mist Productions at http://www.1stmist.com

Leaving aside all discussion of what actually constitutes a novella, Merlin's Way by Kel Harris is about 55,000 words of fast-paced and riveting crime writing. At times gruesome, reality is tempered by humour and the laconic satire which characterises the Australian way of life. The Author employs simple language and imagery and even throws in a goodly measure of backyard philosophy. The result? A pretty good read that will have you trying to get through it all in one sitting as the action definitely hots up as the race to track down a vicious serial killer progresses.

But wait, there is a twist. Those of you with certain, shall we say... "literary prejudices", had better drop off right now. In the Publishing industry it is practically written in stone that one shalt not consider works which feature animals that talk. Well, after reading Merlin's Way I was more than smug about the fact that I was the first Publisher to have read this work. It is quite remarkable and by the end I was totally convinced of the credibility of Dylan, the dog who acts as Narrator and around whom the story is allowed to develop in a sympathetic way that is normally only reserved for human characters.

In fact, Kel Harris even manages to attribute to the dog certain ancient yet New-Age powers which add an almost eerie sense of spirituality to the work and which cries out to humans to be more perceptive and in tune to what is around them. The way this dog interprets human actions and emotions could teach most people a thing or two and as such adds a definite psychological level to the work and raises it above being a simplistic animal story. Add to this the cold-hearted serial killer given to leaving poetic calling cards after each gruesome deed, making the symbolism of King Arthur and Merlin equally significant, and the intrigue intensifies with each homicide.

Set in Toowoomba, Queensland, the main plot is about a maniacal killer bent on revenge and whose victims are little more than collateral damage. This tension is balanced somewhat by local colour and characters and at times the Reader is made to think of other issues to add dimension and perspective to the obsessive hunt for the killer. The police procedures are realistic and the characters original and only on a few occasions are you left with the feeling that there should be more. Given the constraints of the novella format the Author has done a pretty reasonable job of covering the progression of the crime, developing the characters and situations and of weaving in realistic dialogue and themes. Not bad for a first effort in this genre. To those critics who say works like this read too much like the "Movie of the Week", I say I think it is a measure of the skill of the Author if you can visualise the progress of solving a crime and that is merely a characteristic of this form of writing. It is a complicated path to the resolution of a crime and in all honesty, these days we have to be more than fair to our Readers, for reasons I shan't go into here.

But... back to Dylan, the police dog supremo. He is a delight; bringing us a meld of straightforward commonsense, loyalty, devotion... and love, which extends to all animal and human beings. Despite the racy subject matter and all the gory murders and child rapes, Dylan remains a calming force. Right up until the end, that is, and you are going to have to find all about that one yourselves....

So, I say pooh-pooh to Publishers who turn their noses up at animals who accomplish what their human counterparts struggle to even understand. Call it literary licence if you will, the fact remains that Merlin's Way is, in my opinion, a legitimate representation of the true crime genre and has the added advantage of drawing in the Reader to the extent that you will be cheering for Dylan, the dog, right up to the very end.

Below are excerpts from an email from Claudia Wieland of Writelink in the UK regarding The Art of Assessment - How to review Anything by Magdalena Ball who has permission to use the same.

"Wouldn't it be satisfying to air your views and receive payment for your efforts? Well, according to published writer and critic Magdalena Ball, it is easier than you'd imagine.

Having studied in America, England and Australia, Magdalena's work can now be found both in print and on-line in various formats from fiction and poetry to reviews and articles. Drawing from her wealth of knowledge, Magdalena has recently turned her hand to a "How-to" E-book entitled "The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything". Who better to teach the art of objective opinion than someone actively working in the industry?

Back away from your keyboards for the moment as there is a great deal to learn before you're likely to receive a cheque. "The Art of Assessment:
How to Review Anything" addresses this market niche, and provides an immediately available, and easy to read guide which will take you step by step through the process of writing, and marketing your reviews." (Page 7). However, if you are a consumer and you can write and would like to make a difference then "The Art of Assessment" is a fantastic starting point.

Like any good tutor, Magdalena teaches from the bottom upwards starting with a definition of a review and what type of person would suit this line of work. If your writing needs a little honing then fret not, many helpful web addresses begin to appear in chapter 2. Spelling and grammar need to be in peak condition if you are seriously considering submitting your work but by using some of the on-line resources provided by the author, you'll be up to speed in no time.

Throughout the first 3 chapters Magdalena not only explains the basics but also instills a quiet confidence in the reader - anyone is capable as long as there is an interest in the review material, "Don't review genres or products with which you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar." (Page 14).

Further in to the book, Magdalena uses two sample reviews to outline the use of planning, research, structure, language, spelling, and grammar.
Everything learnt thus far can be seen (and indeed, objectively criticized) in its full glory in the form of a book review and a CD and concert review.

By far, the most insightful chapter for me was entitled "Interviewing".
Whilst demonstrating her professional interrogation tactics, which can be used to enhance a review, the author coaxes 4 established reviewers into baring their secrets of success. As each human being is different, so are the routes leading to this profession though there is one constant: each reviewer loves their subject matter.

Chapters 8 through 13 describe publishing, payment, related income, restaurant reviewing, and resources for reading other reviews. In total, Magdalena provides over 140 (some repeatedly) web addresses to aid your progression whilst learning the skills of a competent reviewer.

I have only one gripe: most of the websites used are based in the USA, which can cause conflicting advice with spelling and grammar. That said the author is addressing this issue by providing her email address for comments and suggestions. I accepted this kind offer and suggested a British site that I often use. My comments were well received and in return I received a lovely email of thanks from Magdalena herself. The beauty of an E-book (as stated by the author) is that you may revise your work at any time and provide the latest copy to consumers immediately. I hope to see my suggestion in print shortly. "

E-Book Publishing Essentials Toolkit

by Carol Larsen

This Review may be freely copied provided that a link is given back to us at http://www.1stmist.com and that L P King is acknowledged as the Author and that a link be provided to Carol Larsen's Site at:

http://www.digiknowhow.com.

With the arrival of the electronic age Writers have been presented with a greater degree of choice when it comes to developing their brilliant careers. Tremendous advances have been made in a very short time and it is no wonder that some Writers feel a little overwhelmed and out of their depth. That's why it is important when one is starting out that one gathers all the information available and processes that information very carefully before proceeding.

Changes and restraints in the print publishing world have literally opened up a Pandora's Box when it comes to self-publishing. In the eBook Publishing Essentials Toolkit, Carol Larsen seeks to inform the rookies in the industry struggling to take those first tentative steps along the road to becoming a published Author. Whilst she doesn't dwell on the negatives of traditional print publishing, you still get the feeling that the electronic media is a sort of creative release that addresses the shortcomings of a bygone era, and which represents tremendous future potential.

It is a concise, well-structured and well-written exposé of all aspects of e-publishing beginning with the definition of a book and a brief overview of the history of print. To begin a self-publishing initiative takes a lot of education, planning and follow-through and Carol aims to address each aspect of the journey in a way that can be understood in lay terms, but which is not overly simplistic. The benefits of e-books in terms of cost, accuracy and convenience, speed of delivery, rights management and earning potential are all discussed.

I found the discussion on the need for standards interesting. I had to agree that it is wrong to give credence to a few pages of piffle and call it an e-book and charge an industry-standard price for it. I totally agree that consumers are not going to be satisfied with inferior quality and that we must respect their needs and their intelligence.

The Author goes on to discuss the pitfalls of POD and legal and copyright issues receive due attention, as does an overview of e-book compilers. Different compilers and formats are discussed and this is very important because beginning e-publishers are not always as tech-savvy as some might think. It is all a learning process and it is important to learn as much as one can and to shop around for the best programs. One issue that requires particular attention is software and hardware compatibility and this e-book handles this question adequately enough for someone to go away and actually liaise with product sellers. Again, it is all a matter of continually gathering information and I think we should look at this work in terms of its adequacy in starting people off in the publishing process.

To this end the Author has taken great pains not to neglect the obvious and her hints on starting out as a writer may seem extraneous to some but I believe they are necessary because so often conceptions of Writers and the writing process bear little relevance to reality. Some Writers do need to be told what is and isn't good practice. Some Writers do need to be reminded of the need for careful planning and marketing.

Other useful information can be found in the resources section with many links readers can follow up as required. I found the section on multimedia in e-books very helpful and this is an area that a lot of similar books tend to ignore. Add to this the material on ISBN's, barcodes, rights, royalties, finding a legitimate e-publisher and hints on marketing and promotion and the importance of having a website and you pretty much have all you need.

Overall, the treatment of the subject-matter is concise and the areas for discussion are very well-chosen. I was afraid the Reader might get bogged down in technicalities but this did not happen as the Author managed to stay on a carefully plotted track throughout the book. The sign of a good educator is whether the lessons being taught can be relayed in a way that encourages further study and analysis and I feel this has been accomplished in this work. With the electronic publishing industry being so dynamic I feel that is probably all one can hope for and if the basic lessons can be learned then the journey can begin.

This Review may be freely copied provided that L P King is acknowledged as the Author and that a link be provided to http://www.1stmist.com.

Buy The Art of Assessment - How to Review Anything by Magdalena Ball.

Bless you, Maggie Ball, even though I had to face the irony of being asked to write a Review on a tome dedicated to writing... A Review.

Biblical analogies aside, I was pleasantly surprised as the would-be Reviewer is expertly inducted into this niche market. So often I find these "How-to" books are intended to stroke Authors' egos and it is refreshing to find a work that acknowledges the place of the consumer in relation to the Writing process. I wonder at all the books I've read on E-Publishing and "Reader" is not once mentioned.

In seeking to put Assessment in perspective Maggie Ball begins with the premise that our society is based on consumerism and that consumers need information and guidance when it comes to deciding what to buy. Yet she doesn't go so far as to say consumers need to be told what is good for them and suggests that a good Reviewer should never be so bold, but she does concede there is a place for criticism in the review process.

Despite its integrity the book does have a very interesting hook which is the foundation of the whole work. The Author very cleverly baits would-be Reviewers with the prospect of being able to make money from writing Reviews. In all fairness this is later qualified when it is acknowledged that this is a very difficult business. The fire is kindled, however, and there is even a hint of power to be had as it is suggested that Reviews may give some universality to the subjective in terms of consumer taste.

So what does constitute a good Review? Certainly not this one if we are to follow Maggie's guidelines. I rarely follow formulas and I rarely do Reviews so I was able to stand back and examine the book's contents objectively and assimilate the information as a whole rather than as a regimented menu for success.

A serious beginning Reviewer might be warned off doing this as the steps to a good Review are obviously tried and tested and basically... work. The novice is forced to answer whether or not they think they are up to the task of becoming a Reviewer and that may be a little disconcerting for some. Rightly so.

All aspects of the Review process are covered as we are stepped through researching, structuring and placing Reviews and the best advice is simply to know your product. Helpful Check Lists are provided for Reviews for Fiction, Biography, Children's Books, How-to Books, Academic Books and Concerts, CD's, Film/Video and even restaurants with sample Reviews, Interviewing techniques, pay rates and an impressive Reference/Bibliography section with an easily navigable Index, making the mechanics of the Review process less of a mystery. The beginner and the seasoned Reviewer will both be empowered by the content and these shared references.

There is just one area I have an issue with in this work. Maggie Ball states," As reviewers I think we have a responsibility to frown upon that which is trite, cliché-filled, mediocre, meaningless or poorly crafted." Sadly, for some life is a cliché and if you look at this statement in terms of the Internet, for example, one wonders if that doesn't considerably narrow down available subjects for review. Such an attitude would be fine in a perfect world but this is less than a perfect world and it is one characterised by decreasing levels of education and literacy. Standards and tastes have changed and I wonder whether Reviewers should not be aware of that or is it simply their mission to try and raise standards as they seek to influence people? Lots of luck if the latter is the case.