Month: April 2013

Sneak Peek: Uncertainty Principles

Today we have a sneak peek from author Krista Tibbs’ new literary fiction title, Uncertainty Principles.

Nine years ago, five college students conceived a way to use atmospheric energy to predict mass acts of human violence. A tragic event ended the project, and team leaders Brian and Aiyana haven’t spoken since. But when Brian’s covert research predicts a threat to their heartland town of Freedom, the team reunites under a cloud of mutual contempt and buried affections. Long-held secrets are exposed as the teammates challenge each other’s philosophies and struggle to cope with their inner fears. The urgency rises with each new piece of data, but every potential solution is fraught with doubt and consequences.

Uncertainty Principles is available through Amazon.com, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon UK.

Here is an excerpt from Uncertainty Principles… Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Uncertainty Principles”

Featured Book: Solve All Your Money Problems Forever

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Available from Amazon.

Name Droppers

I was talking the other day with E.L. James and Hugh Howey about what a bunch of name-droppers we writers are.

Okay, maybe that part didn’t happen, and I don’t mean name-dropper in the conventional sense. I mean that as writers, we have actually dropped certain names from literature.

When we choose our characters’ names, we use the opportunity to enhance the reader’s mental image of the character. Certain names just don’t seem to do that as well, so we drop them from the lexicon. They may not be totally gone, but to the extent they are used at all, they are given to minor characters. Continue reading “Name Droppers”

Is That Satire or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” – Mark Twain.

Satire n. (from the Free Dictionary)

1.

a. A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.
b. The branch of literature constituting such works.

2. Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.

Even if you didn’t know the definition of satire before you read the above paragraph, you’ve more than likely read it or watched it on television. South Park, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are examples of modern satire. Mark Twain was considered a brilliant satirist. Jonathan Swift, of Gulliver’s Travels fame, was a gifted satirist. Dorothy Parker is a personal favorite. The Onion is a news satire organization that has been around since 1988.

It’s everywhere.

Poking fun at society’s idiosyncrasies is an age-old vehicle to reveal humanity’s foibles and is an entertaining outlet for writers and other artists in a *free* society. And, it’s a heck of a lot of fun to write. I’ve used satire to poke fun at politicians, serial killers, reality shows and the like. It’s all in good fun and readers get a glimpse of my (twisted) view of the world. That’s one of the things I love about satire: reading it is a sure-fire way to view the world through another’s eyes. It makes life more fun and I remember not to take myself or my own views quite so seriously. Continue reading “Is That Satire or Are You Just Happy to See Me?”