Book Review: Lucid Dreaming by Sofia Visconti

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When I received the opportunity to review this book on Booksirens.com, I was excited. I previously knew very little about lucid dreaming, though reading this introductory book, I realized that I have, in fact, experienced it before.


This book is a quick and great superficial start for someone just starting to explore lucid dreaming. Having said that, I was a little disappointed overall. I realize that I need to manage my expectations with such a short book, and it would be ludicrous to expect an in-depth exploration of this concept. Where this book let me down was how it felt a bit unbalanced.


Nearly the first two-thirds felt like an introduction to me, with only the remaining third being used to discuss the practical applications. I wish more time had been spent on the latter.


Also, I have read another book by this author (which I quite enjoyed), but unlike that book, this one seemed to have significantly more typos/incoherent sentences that were missed in the editing process. Normally, I overlook the occasional error. As an author myself, I empathize with how difficult the editing process is, and how easy it can be to miss things. I may not have noticed them as much if the book had held my attention better.


Having said all that, this book does a decent job introducing the unique experience of lucid dreaming, so if you are looking for a place to start on this topic, this book is a quick read and will set you on the right track.

Oh Hey! It’s been a minute…

April was a heavy month for me.  Why? I wish I knew.

In the past month and a half, I have only managed to write one chapter, with exceptional difficulty. My creative well was nearly dried up and to be honest, the world and everything going on as of late has been profoundly vexing.

It is very easy to drown in all of it. Writing is usually my life preserver but not having the desire to write really brought me low.

However, I participated once more in NYC Midnight’s 100 Word Micro Fiction Challenge, which is always refreshing. After finishing that entry, I found the motivation to finish the rough draft of Chapter 8 in book two of my novel series.

Book Two currently sits just shy of 17,000 words and I am thrilled about how the story elements are coming together.

In Book Two, I am dabbling with a unique literary technique that I have never used before which led me to read W. Goldman’s The Princess Bride, which employs a similar technique ( so I consulted an expert). While I don’t plan to write a detailed review here, I must say, I was floored by how the technique played out in reality.

I had only ever watched the film adaptation, and usually, I always find the book to be better. I can’t say that I enjoyed this book as much as the film (which is a first for me), but wow, Goldman had me duped (in a good way) and I sat dumbfounded for a bit after finished it. Overall, I would rate the book as 4-Stars because it was occasionally difficult to follow but as a whole, it really was brilliant. And I now feel more confident that I am using the technique properly.

In other news, Book 1 of my series, titled Magic in Her Blood will soon be heading off to my editor, which I am both excited for and terrified of — a necessary stress, I suppose.

Anyhow, I am currently reading Cassandra Clare’s newest trilogy, The Last Hours, so stay tuned for those reviews in the coming days! 

Thanks for stopping by!

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Book Review: Celtic Mythology & History by History Brought Alive

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History is not everyone’s cup of tea, and while I struggle to relate, I can appreciate that if you don’t love it (like I do), it can be challenging to read about it, study it or even think about it.

The issue is, history is so important. It tells us where we’ve come from. It provides clues as to why things are the way they are, how they came to be so, and what we should look for to prevent the unsavory parts of history from repeating.

Dwelling on the past is often discouraged, especially in many modern ideologies because all that exists is now. We cannot change what has happened before now, and spending too much time looking back can hinder our movement forward or even affect how we experience the present.

While I agree in principle with these ideologies, I think the occasional time travel to the past can be beneficial, even entertaining, and certainly worthwhile if you want to look at this crazy thing we call life in a holistic way.

History Brought Alive is an excellent resource for accomplishing this seemingly daunting task. Their books are concise snapshots of history, written in a way that provides the reader with the important details in a short amount of time in a way that is easy to follow and understand.

This book on Celtic Mythology and History is a great intro to the history of the Celtic people, often misunderstood as exclusively Irish or Scottish (they spanned a far greater geographical area than many lead us to believe). The Celts and their beliefs are unique, even amongst themselves, and that distinction and its importance are well laid out in this book.

I appreciate this book’s focus on what CAN be backed up with the very few and occasionally obscure facts about this group of people and their rich culture. History Brought Alive does so respectfully, honestly, and without too much speculation.

Much of what is known about the Celts was written long after Christianity spread into their lands. The ancient Celts didn’t write much down, instead passing along knowledge, history, and lore orally. Many so-called experts claim things about this beautiful culture but they really don’t seem to have a clue, so it is a refreshing relief to see that History Brought Alive has presented this piece of history in a way that reflects that.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, not just history lovers. It’s an interesting and entertaining read.

**I received a copy of this book from BookSirens.com**

Book Review: Raven Goddess (Going Deeper with the Morrigan) by Morgan Daimler

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This is the second book by Morgan Daimler on The Morrigan that I have read, and once again it was an absolute pleasure. I have been reading a lot of non-fiction lately, which I normally find daunting because I use reading as my primary means of escape from this planet we live on. Occasionally though, as I have found to be the case with all of Daimler’s books I have read, I am able to submerge myself in a non-fiction that is captivating, enlightening, and enjoyable.


My favorite part about picking up a book by this author is knowing that what I read has been thoroughly and carefully researched by a knowledgeable and well-respected expert on the topic. Daimler has built quite the repertoire of books on the topics of Irish folklore and mythology and is one of my go-to authors for accurate information for researching the Fair Folk and various Irish Gods, Goddesses, and un-gods for the book I am writing.


As stated above, this is the second of Daimler’s books that focuses on The Morrigan, and what I love about this book in particular is the way it explores people’s modern views and beliefs about this ancient Goddess. Daimler points out, validly, that while each individual will relate to the Goddess in their own unique way, it is important to understand and be familiar with the historical (myth or otherwise) context surrounding the Morrigan to fully grasp who The Morrigan was and is in Irish beliefs.


Daimler’s writing style flows in a way that makes reading about the history of these Irish beliefs easy to follow and understand, and for the skeptic, perhaps even believable. I can’t speak highly enough about this author and their credibility. If you love history or are interested in Irish Mythology and Folklore, and want an accurate source of information, it would be a mistake to not include Daimler’s books.

Book Review: The Morrigan (Meeting the Great Queens) by Morgan Daimler

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I came across Daimler’s book while I was researching the Irish Goddess of War and Prophecy, The Morrigan, for the fantasy novel I am writing. As an author, my personal belief is that while a certain amount of creative liberty should be permitted if not at least expected in fiction, I want to be the type of author that honors the beliefs, cultures, and real-world aspects that I include within my fiction.


My novel (and the series to which it belongs) incorporates a variety of folklore and mythology, and as such, I want to stay as true as I can to that source material when appropriate. As I am sure you know, Irish Folklore and stories about the Fair Folk are extremely popular. This means that the internet is abundant with information on the topic. But, would you believe there is a lot more speculative and actually “incorrect” information out there about it?


Having said all that, (I apologize for the tirade) it was important to me to get the details as accurate as possible for my book. Daimler is well-versed in Irish Folklore, and through reading a few of this author’s books, I have been led to other very credible sources of information, including native Irish authors who are still very much connected to the older Irish beliefs and practices. Morgan and those other authors have been invaluable sources of authentic information.


This particular book, as I mentioned above, focuses on The Morrigan, and the many aspects associated with her. One interesting fact is that based on ancient Irish texts (which are few and far between and mostly written by Christian Monks, decades and even centuries later) and oral tradition, the Goddess known as The Morrigan may in fact have been several different Goddesses all referred to as The Morrigan, more as a title, than as a name for an individual.


In my books, The Morrigan will be written as her own sovereign person but I think if I have learned anything from Daimler’s book, it would the importance of knowing where the information you use comes from, even if creative liberty is taken. It’s important to the people and cultures that the author is discussing but also, in my humble opinion, elevates the credibility of the author and maybe even adds something authentic to the fictional story that we are trying to tell.


This book and the more than two dozen other books written by Daimler are short, concise, and well-researched. I highly recommend reading them if you are searching for authentic information on Irish Folklore.


P.S. I am currently reading Daimler’s follow-up book, titled Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with The Morrigan and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Book Review: The Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey

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I came across this little book while doing some research for my current WIP. There is such a thing as creative license when you write fiction, especially fantasy, but for me, I want to write fantasy stories with respect to the cultures of those people that I include or perhaps bring focused attention to, in this particular case Irish Folklore (which is a major part of the novel I’m writing). Keeping with that goal, I have been trying to research authentic and authoritative sources of information.

The Fairy Bible is self-described as a “definitive guide to the world of fairies.” I’m not sure that I agree but I will attempt to explain.

Firstly, this book does well in exploring many examples of creatures from the Otherworld, not specifically those found only in Ireland. This was enjoyable for me because I love learning about various mythologies and folktales from around the globe. The book is also full of beautiful artwork to delight readers who perhaps need a bit of help visualizing what they read.

For me, this book let me down in a few ways:

  1. Many of the entities in The Fairy Bible are described with flowery (no pun intended) language, made to seem friendly or approachable, and even benevolent in some cases. Having delved pretty deeply into many reputable sources (Morgan Daimler and Lora O’Brien to name a few), I feel that it is a bit dangerous to portray the Other people as friendly, “disney-esque” beings who are fun-loving or altruistic. That does not line up with folklore, historical accounts, or many people’s experiences with them.
  2. The book contains meditations and “spells” throughout meant to, I presume, assist the reader in approaching or connecting with these Otherworldly entities. I am not an authority on the subject. Not even close, but I would advise against doing so, especially so frivolously.
  3. I was really hoping for concrete (at least as concrete as possible), details that I could use to properly portray these entities in my writing, but much of what I read seems to contradict what I have read and heard elsewhere.

Overall, if you like stories, and pretty pictures and are looking for something to entertain you, this is a neat perspective on the Otherworldy crowd, but I wouldn’t call it an authoritative guide on the topic.

If you are looking for specifics on the topic, I suggest looking into Morgan Daimler, Lora O’Brien, et al.

In Libras Libertas,

Alicia

✨March 2023 Writing Update✨

Before Christmas of 2022, I finished writing my first novel. I had self-edited it to the point that I felt comfortable distributing some advanced reader copies to get some feedback. That way, I could do one more round of self-edits from the feedback before I sent it to my professional editor. Somewhere around two dozen people offered to help and about a quarter of those people have read and given feedback so far. I am so grateful to all the volunteers and I will likely still get more feedback as more people get a chance to finish reading, so this first shout-out is to all of you who offered to help. I can’t put into words how much I appreciate you.

On the reading/reviewing front, I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing several books whose authors reached out asking me to review their books. I love being able fellow authors get their books noticed. Reviews are invaluable to us authors. In this digital world of algorithms and AI-assisted targeted marketing, reviews help more than you know. If you read something, even just a star rating helps the author in the long term and only takes one click of a button. Thanks in advance to all the all-star author supporters out there who leave reviews. You are amazing!

I haven’t been as engaged in writing competitions as I would like to be, alas, there are only so many hours in the day and I haven’t figured out how to juggle it all, yet. The biggest reason for my lack of competitive drive lately is I AM WRITING BOOK 2.
At the beginning of March, I set a goal to write a minimum of 500 words per day on my current work-in-progress (forevermore known as WIP). I had been struggling for the first two months of 2023 with low creativity and a general disdain for the current state of our world. Something had to be done.

So, this second shout-out is to me, because I have now written at least (but actually more than) 500 words per day in March, and book two currently stands a little over 11,000 words!!! I am so excited to have the creative juices flowing again.

Writing is a journey of hills and valleys. Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride!

Alicia

Book Review: Equanimity by John Elliott-White

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I was recently sent a copy of this book by the author and asked to give a review. I have read multiple books in the self-help/self-improvement genre and the premise of this book, to combine what we know of neuropsychology and the wisdom of the Ancients was very intriguing to me. I love philosophy. I love thinking deeply about things for no other reason than to challenge my own mind. I also love the brain and how it works, and how little we yet know about it.

Whether you are like me, or even if you find philosophy a bit heady, this book is an excellent read. Elliott-White does a great job taking modern psychology and ancient philosophy and breaking it down into simple-to-understand nuggets that will enhance your life.

Many books in this genre are good at telling you the same song and dance about self-help or giving a great pep talk that makes the reader excited, but only for as long as they are reading it. Others tell you what to do, but not how to do it.

This is where I believe this book really excels. Elliott-White uses a conversational tone, and relatable experiences to explain why the principles work but he goes a step further and breaks down exactly how you can put them into practice with very little effort starting off.

Personally, I have always wanted to learn meditation, but I could never really figure out what should be going on in my head.  Practitioners would say, ‘notice a thought and let it go’, which only left me confused. The author of this book addresses that and so much more. I am excited to implement elements of this book into my own life. If I was going to recommend a quick read to someone looking for solutions for a happier, more peaceful existence in this tumultuous world, I would absolutely recommend this book.

Book Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

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The Graveyard Book is a deliciously dark tale about a little boy who grows up in a graveyard. Raised and accepted by the spooky residents, Bod, short for Nobody, is only truly safe within the confines of the graveyard on the hill, where the normal rules for the living hardly apply.
This book made me ugly cry. Now, you may be wondering how a spooky book about a boy in a graveyard can accomplish such a feat, but it would be a great disservice to just tell you. You must read this book.
For me, I think the part that hit closest to home was the little boy in the story and how he comes to terms with growing up. As a mom of four boys, thinking about them leaving the utter magic of childhood and then facing the realities of growing up always feels bittersweet.
The Graveyard Book is bittersweet. Not only will you be entertained by Gaiman’s storytelling, but you will also be charmed by the characters, intrigued by elements of the story that probably could be written as their own book entirely.
For example, how did the Jacks of All Trades come to be, and who exactly are they? This, and the other questions that pop up, add depth and layers to the story which allow the reader to let go and fully embrace their own imagination.
I really loved this book and I highly recommend you read it.

My One-Year Author-versary!

Today is my one-year anniversary of being an officially published author. It may have only been a small book of poetry but it was the first step on my author journey and I haven’t looked back. As you know if you’ve been following along, you know I have spent the past year entering lots of writing competitions and have finished the manuscript for my first-ever novel. It is currently at the stage where I am comfortable having some advanced readers take a peek and give me their thoughts.
I have secured an editor for the next steps after the advanced readers have done their thing, and I can’t wait to work with Raya (my editor) and get the novel reading for publishing.
I have also been busy starting book two and finished my first draft of the first chapter today!
I can’t wait to see what this next year brings! Thank you if you have followed this blog or opted to receive updates. Thank you if you just like to stop by once in a while. It means the world to me.
Alicia