Book Review: Urban Mythology by Eric Keizer

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Book Review, Eric Keizer, OWS Ink, LLC., poetry, Urban Mythology

Title: Urban Mythology

Author: Eric Keizer

Published by: OWS Ink, LLC (April 7, 2017)

Page Count: 72 Pages (Paperback)

Blurb: Eric Keizer, in his first poetry chapbook, documents the places in, and the people of, Chicago who have made lasting impressions in his life. He celebrates the commonalities all Chicagoans share, while typing the Classics to modern life in the urban landscape, as viewed through his unique perspective.

My Take: I have never been to Chicago, although it is a city within reasonable proximity from where I live. I am certain that those who have been to Chicago will gain deeper appreciation for the nuances of Keizer’s poetry, and moreso those who live there. Yet even if you have never been to Chicago, you can get a real sense of the urban life there by reading this collection of poetry.

I have never been a big reader of modern poetry. I prefer to dive into Medieval and Renaissance poetry. Keizer’s poetry is both modern and classical, a perfect pairing of today’s world with elements of myth and legend that the older poets built their foundation upon. Keizer is the most pre-modern modern poet I have ever read, and that makes me excited to dive into more of his poetry. It is the sort of poetry that most readers can enjoy, with allusions to today’s world and elements woven in with subtle hints of myths. Thus why the name, Urban Mythology, is perfectly appropriate for such a collection.

There is little risk to be run in reading this collection. The chapbook of poems is the perfect length to whet your appetite and familiarize you with Keizer’s poetic style. I look forward to the next chapbook that Keizer releases, and would invite you to give this one a try. You may find, like me, that Keizer is a modern poet worth keeping an eye on.

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Book Release: A Merchant in Oria by David Wiley

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A Merchant in Oria, Book Release, david wiley, Fantasy, Novella, OWS Ink, LLC., Willow Wings Press

Today is the big day. The novella is officially out! You can snag an electronic copy through several venues, which I’ve shared on my Author page and will share again soon.

From 8 am-10 pm (central time) today and tomorrow an event will be running on Facebook where tons of authors are helping to celebrate the release by giving away free books, hosting little games, and sharing a little about themselves.

So hop in as you are able to and maybe you’ll find an author or two that you might enjoy reading. Join in on some games for chances to win prizes.

https://www.facebook.com/events/269239190204356/

 

 

If you want to order a copy of A Merchant in Oria, here are some links.

Please note: The paperback version has been delayed a little in order to ensure it is the best quality product. It may be another week before that is able to be purchased. When it does go live, there will be a post on this blog to reshare the links so you can order a paperback version if you prefer to have a copy.

https://www.amazon.com/Merchant-Oria-David-Wi…/…/ref=sr_1_1……
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/720264
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-merchant-in-o…/1126276961…
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-merchant-in-oria

 

A Merchant in Oria Releases Soon!

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A Merchant in Oria, Fantasy, Novella, OWS Ink, LLC., Prerelease

I can hardly contain my own excitement because my first novella, A Merchant in Oria, will finally be available this Friday. It was a story that first begun in 2012 and I can’t believe it has finally matured into the work you will be able to purchase.

The team at OWS Ink, LLC. have been fantastic to work with during every step of the process.

Consider helping to spread the word. The more people who know about this release, the better things will (hopefully) go during the first days of this novella’s release. A good release will hopefully lead to their willingness to look at my first full novel, Monster Huntress.

Join us on Facebook this Friday and Saturday for two days full of authors coming together to help celebrate the release of the book.

Link to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/269239190204356/

And if you are a reviewer and would like to get a review copy, please reach out to me.

A Merchant in Oria – Social Campaigns

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A Merchant in Oria, david wiley, Fantasy, Headtalker, Novella, OWS Ink, LLC., Thunderclap, Willow Wings Press

The cover reveal is still to come, but in the meantime the wonderful people over at Our Write Side have started up a Headtalker and a Thunderclap campaign to help spread the word about this upcoming release.

Don’t know what those are? They are very simple. You sign up to allow Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/LinkedIn permission to make a one-time post on the day of the book’s release. It will auto-generate a message for you, which you are able to customize as you desire.

It takes minutes to contribute to the campaign and makes it so you don’t have to try and remember to post about it on the actual release date. We need 100 people for the Thunderclap to be a success, so please consider taking a moment to sign up and help spread the word.

Thunderclap: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/55573-a-merchant-in-oria-debut

Headtalker: https://headtalker.com/campaigns/a-merchant-in-oria-release/

And as a bonus treat, here is the blurb for this upcoming release:

 

Firion is a young merchant descended from generations of merchants. His first big break comes along when he sets out to trade with the wealthy dwarven kingdom of Oria. He has always dreamed of visiting this grand kingdom, having heard his father describe it in detail a hundred times when he was younger. But when Firion arrives in Oria, he is jarred by the details present that contradict with the image etched in his mind.

Something dark and sinister seems to be afoot in Oria, but Firion knows he is no hero. He is just a simple merchant, and what can an ordinary person do in the face of danger and deception?

Announcement: Coming Soon

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A Merchant in Oria, Announcement, Cover Reveal, david wiley, OWS Ink, LLC., Willow Wings Press

If you are a regular follower of the blog you may have noticed a sudden decrease in posts. I would like to say that all of that extra time has gone into writing, but I can honestly say that a good chunk of it has. I’ve been working hard at getting my first novel polished with one more big revision before trying to get it accepted.

I’m at a point now where I can feel confident about the timeframe for finishing those revisions and, if all goes well, this book could be coming out this fall.

And if that wasn’t exciting enough by itself, I also have a novella coming. April 28th is the tentative release date.

And there is a cover. Oh my, is the cover fantastic. OWS Ink, LLC. is impressing me at every step in this process, and I hope that all of our hard work will pay off. A cover reveal is coming soon. Very soon. There is a teaser image at the bottom of this post.

So apart from the occasional review, look for the next slew of posts to contain a cover reveal, preorder information (and why you should preorder!), and then release information. So keep on checking back! I will finally have a book in print, with just my name on it, after years of short stories, anthologies, and rejections. And I couldn’t be more excited to have you read it and share your thoughts.

So, coming soon:

Book Review: Tales from Our Write Side

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A.L. Mabry, A.M. Rycroft, Anthology, Book Review, david wiley, E.C. Jarvis, Elizabeth Abel, Emma T. Gitani, Eric Keizer, J.K. Allen, Katheryn J. Avila, Lorah Jaiyn, Mandy Melanson, Nancy E. Miller, OWS Ink, LLC., R.G. Westerman, Stacy Overby, Stephanie Ayers, Tales from Our Write Side, Tara Roberts, Wendy Strain

Title: Tales from Our Write Side: An Anthology

Authors: Various

Published by: OWS Inc, LLC. (November 25, 2016)

Blurb: From Lewis Carroll and Shakespeare to tales that will keep you up at night, make you cry, and touch your heart comes Tales from Our Write Side, OWS Ink’s debut anthology with 17 authors sharing 17 stories, 2 poems, and one creative screenplay.

My Take: Anthologies are among my favorite things to read these days, because they offer a reading experience that completely departs from what you’d get with a novel, or even a collection from a single author. In this particular anthology there are 17 unique voices sharing poetry, screenplays, and short stories that are categorized. Don’t like Horror or Speculative Fiction? You can clearly see which stories were thrown into that section, although I would recommend not skipping any of these. They are all short enough that, even if it isn’t a genre you particularly like, it will be brief enough to be worth your time. And you might just find that you enjoy at least a few of the tales in every category.

And that is the particular strength in this anthology: the stories are short, they are sorted by category, and they represent a diverse range of authors. It begins with some delightful tales revolving around the theme of Summer kidnapping Winter, and it is fun to see how seven different authors approach that theme.

While I enjoyed them all on different levels, my favorites include Solstinox by Lorah Jaiyn, The Next Best Seller by A.L. Mabry, Dawn’s Light by Wendy Strain, and Patterns by Katheryn J. Avila. Pick this collection up, as you are bound to find some stories you enjoy and might just discover some new authors who you wish to read more of in the future.

As a side note, several of the contributors to this anthology will have their own works published this spring by OWS Ink, LLC. More details on those books will appear here in the future, so if you want to get a feel for whose works you might enjoy, this anthology is a great starting point!