A Girl Called Wolf by Stephen Swartz

In today's exciting podcast, I sit down with Stephen Swartz to discuss his semi-biographical novel, A Girl Called Wolf. It's the harrowing true survival tale of an Inuit girl named Anuka (a fan and friend I've known for many years through Facebook) and the rare indie book deserving more attention. Then in true Story Matters... Continue Reading →

Is the entire indie book industry a scam?

My two most popular posts involve scams. I've received thankful messages from hundreds of writers for steering them clear of Olympia Publishers. Yet, I feel I've done nothing but drive them into the bigger scam that is the independent book industry. Don't get me wrong. If you want to see your name in print or share... Continue Reading →

AENYA NEWSLETTER: 5/18/22

Greetings, Aenya fans! It's been a long while since my last update . . . and for good reason. I have been working for the past month, hammering away at my keyboard for 8-10 hour shifts, to get the latest Aenya release into your hands! And I think the results speak for themselves. My beta... Continue Reading →

Why MAUS Matters

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about MAUS, Art Spiegelman's moving holocaust graphic novel, now recently banned by the Tennessee School Board. Schools in Tennessee are run by ninnies, apparently, because all seven members voted to keep the book from the hands of middle schoolers owing to the book's depiction of... Continue Reading →

PODCAST | Graceling by Kristin Cashore

What does Kristin Cashore's Graceling, Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, Terry Pratchett, The Promised Neverland anime, the Twilight series, Fifty Shades of Grey, X-Men, Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America, George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm, Alice in Wonderland, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Testaments ALL have in common? Answer: THIS... Continue Reading →

VIDEO | Into the Wild

I delve deep into the themes of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, a nonfiction accounting of the life and death of Christopher J. McCandless, an idealistic college student who sought his life's purpose by escaping society, surviving alone for four months in the Alaskan wilderness until his untimely death. https://youtu.be/DZ5T-025N1Q

VIDEO | Cold Mountain Review

Charles Frazier's beautifully told Civil War drama deals with tragedy, hardship, and enduring love. It takes an unflinching look at the worst events in human history and people's worst inclinations in desperate times. More than a simple war story, Cold Mountain owes credit to The Odyssey, as Inman, the protagonist, spends years trying to get... Continue Reading →

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