Mages, scribes, and chroniclers

There are books and there are books. Big books, small books, short books, tall books, fat books, skinny books; there are all kinds of books. Cookbooks, law books, crime books, storybooks; there are all kinds of books. Books about athletes, explorers, and doctors. Books about… you get it!

I’m not here to list every kind. If I listed every kind, then I’d never reach the end. Let us agree that the possibilities with books, whether printed on paper or retrieved electronically, are endless. This is the characteristic that should make them accessible and a draw to anyone and everyone on Earth who has learned to read. Is it good to read just a tiny, narrow band of books? No. Variety is better. And non-fiction definitely plays a huge role in education and research. There are classics that embody lessons and experiences that most anyone can benefit from reading. People from all walks of life can discuss a classic for at least a short time. Perhaps they’ll have a full-blown conversation about it.

The best way to develop a love of books is to start young, by visiting the library with your class or family or friends. The library has a cross section of the different books that are out there. Read what you like! Find your preference and go with it. The more you exercise your brain with books you enjoy, the stronger it gets.

My favorite books are those which describe worlds that only resemble the one outside your door. Science fiction and fantasy draw me in with their premise of “What if?”. Most of my favorites were recommended to me by friends who also read SF/fantasy. In my humble opinion, you can’t go wrong with authors like Roger Zelazny, Ursula K. Le Guin, Samuel R. Delany, Cordwainer Smith, Peter David, Arthur C. Clarke, Poul Anderson, Frank Herbert, and Philip Jose Farmer. If you enjoy SF/fantasy, check these authors out!

As long as I’m sharing favorite authors, I’ll include my favorite books. They are Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and Don Quixote by Cervantes. My favorite series begins with Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny.

I am an author too. My publishing house is Love Shack Books. It is a teeny-tiny, almost microscopic producer of fantasy and science fiction. How small is it? If you’ve ever seen the 1991 action movie Point Break, you may remember FBI Agent Angelo Pappas sending his partner Johnny Utah for meatball sandwiches. They were staking out the bank, and Angelo was explicit in his instructions. “Utah! Get me two!”

Two is the number of books currently available from Love Shack Books.

Every saga has a beginning, right? My first book, a middle-grade fantasy titled The State of Oz, is currently available from Amelia Publishing/The LifFire Bookstore online. The second edition is currently available from Youronlinepublicist.com. You can also order the first edition from Barnes and Noble.com. Believe me, there are copies floating around out there to be had.

The other book from Love Shack Books is also by me. It’s titled Black Magic & Serendipity: Volume One–The Blood Witch. The first of three parts, it follows Moeera the apprentice witch as she encounters magic during her childhood and teenage years. If that sounds too touchy feely, luvvy duvvy… let’s just say that it truly isn’t. It isn’t all dire, black hopelessness, but it has its fair share of darkness. It’s available from that giant of online retail Amazon. Believe me, you don’t want to miss this one. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the artwork by the great Angela Bagenstose on the cover.

The future looks bright. There are two more parts to the Black Magic & Serendipity Trilogy coming in the near future. They are in the works as I type this. Many revelations will be made. Some of them you won’t see coming.

There is also a follow-up for The State of Oz in the works. Look for The Serendipidoors of Oz in 2025. L. Frank Baum’s classic Oz characters will have quite an adventure when the Whimsies come to town.

Beyond that? The sky’s the limit. Farther even. There’s more literary cooking going on. Maybe even a mystery or two. A Back Mountain Mystery.

That’s all for now. Check this spot for updates. They will be coming.

Love Shack Books. There’s no stopping us!