A little while ago, Michael D’Agostino, of A Life Examined, brought up the idea of a new blog hop called Question of the Month. He thinks blog readers would like to know a little more about us, the bloggers. So we’re all gathering to show you guys who we are by taking part in the Question of the Month blog hop. On the first Monday of each month, we answer the question that gets posted here.
This month’s question is: “What was the first book (or book series) you really fell in love with?”
This is an easy question to answer for me, the only problem is I can’t just pick one. It’s no secret to anyone who’s read a little of my blog that the book Peter and Wendy changed my life at a young age. It made me see the whole world as an adventure, at least for a while. But of course reality set in and one day I realized that no matter how much I tried I would never make it to Neverland and become a lost boy.
Then one day I accomplished the small but notable feat of reading an entire chapter book all by myself- the title was Ramona Quimby. Once I discovered the work of Beverly Cleary, I sped through at least three in the series. Always the strong-willed and mischievous tomboy, I could relate to Ramona; plus, she had a big sister just like me and the similarities, at the time, seemed so close.
As much as I don’t like to admit it, as I grew older reading for enjoyment lessened. Fortunately, I did enjoy some of the required reading in school, but by the time I reached college- if it wasn’t assigned, I didn’t read it. Years later when I decided to rekindle my friendship with books I returned to my comfort zone of fantasy.
It was Gregory Maguire’s The Wicked Years series that helped me reconcile the imagination of my youth with the reality of my adulthood. It’s not my favorite adult series, but it means a lot to me. I’ve always been a fan of pretty much anything Oz and to question my feelings about a world I thought could be so wonderful was refreshing. As a kid you never really question if the far distant worlds you love are actually as good as they seem, but reading The Wicked Years series gave me an opportunity to embrace the child within and still stand firm the in mental and physical maturity I’d grown into. It was basically a reality check of the fantasy kind. 😉
Please visit the other participants in this hop and even join in if you’d like. I can’t wait to see what other books and series have impacted so many.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I have a treat to share. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, James P. McDonald. A good time was truly had by all,, and here’s how it went down… And since today is Indie “Author” Pride Day, I’m also sharing an in-depth look at Jim’s book Unbound and Determined over at “Who is so you?” Be sure to visit my side panel or head over.
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Toi Thomas:Hi thereJames! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m excited to learn more about you and your work.
James: Hello Toi.
Toi Thomas:So tell me, who isJames P. McDonald?
James: I’m a business and technology consultant, and write urban mythology, professional development, tech, and business related material. I’m currently developing a Business 101 for Authors.
My fiction and some NF can be found at: http://www.jim-mcdonald.net/
Toi Thomas: Well before we dive into your special message today, let’s get to know you, the person inside the author.
Toi Thomas:What makes you geek out?
James: Space… The final frontier… I’m a big fan of space exploration and looking into using off the shelf technology to get us moving along this path even faster.
Toi Thomas:What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?
James: My favorite authors are still Heinlein and Asimov. If I had to go with a favorite book from those years, it would still be Stranger in a Strange Land, the unabridged version.
And yeah, I probably read it when I was too young.
Toi Thomas:In terms of interviews, whose brain are you just itching to scratch?
James: I’d love to talk to Nikola Tesla and find out why he couldn’t just be a little more capitalist. We’d be much further along technologically, and I believe would live in a much different world.
And I could have a death ray.
Toi Thomas: Now that we know a little more about you, the person, let’s learn about you, the author, and dive into your special message.
Toi Thomas:So whacha got for me today?
James: Unbound and Determined is the third in the Home Summoning series. The best description is Harry Dresden dropped into the world of “Good Omens” and Machiavelli is the editor.
Toi Thomas:So who’s starring in this 2-dimensional script read ofUnbound and Determined?
James: My main protagonist is a wizard type who has had most of his power stripped away because of something that happened in his youth, and even he isn’t sure what happened, but a lot of people including his parents were killed. He’s on trial for his life, and trying to find out what really happened first.
The greater arc is the traditional demigod journey, and seeing if he can survive it.
Toi Thomas:What’s so special about this story that’s going to reel in the readers?
James: It’s fast, fun, and more than a little twisted. And where else can you visit Hellywood?
Toi Thomas:Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?
James: I’m always working on several projects. If I’m not writing, I’m reading, I’m listening to podcasts. I’m talking to people. If I don’t have 30 notes a day about potential characters, events, or plots, it’s a slow day.
Toi Thomas:What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?
James: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman have always been huge influences on me. They can write the darkest subjects with a light touch and humor.
Toi Thomas: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
James: What do you want now? 😉
Wikipedia
Toi Thomas:If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
James: Leon the Professional. It’s disturbing and a bit creepy, but there is a hopeful undertone in a dark world. Until the end.
Toi Thomas:When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?
James: Bagpipes can do it all.
Toi Thomas: Let’s play zombie urban survivor. What 3 things do you need to survive a blackout in Central Park the day zombies attack?
James: A rope, a machete, and a lighter. After that, it’s all a bonus.
Toi Thomas:What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?
James: Seeing the nine pound abused and frightened dog we rescued become the 13 pound loving ball of fury he is today.
Toi Thomas: Last question of the day; here we go.
Toi Thomas:Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
James: More books, more speaking, and more consulting. I want to help entrepreneurs build businesses, whether it’s authors, artists, or tech geeks.
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Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Want more IndiePrideDay fun and giveaways? Check out this FB event. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. Leave a comment below for a chance to WIN the ebook of Unbound and Determined. For more from James P. McDonald, check out these great links:
Brought to you by, Michael G D’Agostino at A Life Examined, this is a time of the month (the last Friday) where you can republish an old post of yours that maybe didn’t get enough attention, you’re really proud of, or you think is still relevant, etc. I’ve chosen to share old book and movie reviews because those are always relevant.
Breath of Air (The Dryad Quartet), By Katie Jennings
I give this story a solid 4. Almost everything you could want in a story.
This is the story of an orphan named Capri who discovers that her suppressed dreams are actually memories and that she does actually have a family. You’d think that finding out something like that would be enough to carry a decent story, but Breath of Air takes this heartwarming tale for a good old fashion thrill ride. This wild, funny, and sometimes scary journey opens Capri up to a world of mystical and mythological beings and helps her cope with the idea that she may just be one of them.
Not my usual read, but so worth my time. I’m used to more intensity and less romance, but this wasn’t too much or too little of anything. I’m still wondering what happened to the fairies. Were they real or did I overlook something?
The whole story was delivered in a laid-back Sunday afternoon kind of approach, but that doesn’t mean it was slow or boring in any way. It was beautifully descriptive, but very simplistic making for an easy and enjoyable read. It took me a while to warm up to Capri, but I think it’s because I’m more like the character of Blythe. Once I realized just how important Capri was to the whole dynamic of the relationships around her, I fell in love with her. She’s just the kind of person I’d love to have as a friend.
There were several prince charming types, a charismatic one and a brooding loner one, readily available for rescues and romance, but it was the plethora of diverse and dominant female characters that stole the show, so to speak. Always a fan of mythology, I loved seeing how the characters and story plot would play out in this world of Euphorea.
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