Raking in Autumn: A Sonnet
Raking in Autumn Leaves blow and crinkle as I sway. I dance with the rake. Round and round the yard we go. Each step sends plumes of leaves skywards to dance, to twirl and fall in piles at my toes. Laying my partner down, I climb onto the peeling red picnic table. I spin round on the autumnal stage. The solo dancer takes her last leap. The expandin’ pile of leaves cushions my fall. Leaves twirl like, red ballerinas caught in an updraft, and gently land on the pile near my bike, I tossed leaves and watch them fall as I laughed. Bruised from twigs that infiltrated the pile, I brush … Continue reading Raking in Autumn: A Sonnet
Windows: A Sonnet
Windows In the barred window hung a perfect dress. Its train swept the floor. It’s creamy folds shined with dreams of wedded bliss. Wait for me, dress, for I’ve not yet met a man to call mine. Beyond the next window down that same street, a family gathers to share a meal while I stand cold and alone on the street. No supper waits for me. No one to steal a moment of their time, just a cold hearth, a silent home, me on my own. I turn Head quickly away but I feel that dearth. Paws click on glass. The dog toppled an urn. … Continue reading Windows: A Sonnet
Sestina: O, Guardian Most Dear
O, Guardian Most Dear* From earth to earth, drawn by the hand of need, and wielded by the arm of justice to protect all people, serve the Lord Father, uphold the Sacred Balance. Let thy will never falter, thy heart never become corrupted, O my Guardian most dear. In times of strife, O Guardian Most Dear be at my side to guard, guide and help at need. Shelter me when I’m lost, lest I become Swamped by the world’s darkness. Be a light to my path. Shield me from all evil. You will protect those I hold in my heart, Father. O Guardian … Continue reading Sestina: O, Guardian Most Dear
Doors of Mount Eredren: A Sonnet of Shayari
The Doors of Mount Eredren* Sunlight gilds the mountain’s door. Its carven with figures, text in languages unknown. Warnings to the dead carried by ravens? By those ravens high above the windblown meadow? More babysitters for door or warden? While standing sentry, you wonder what becomes of those who enter. What lures them to the mountain’s door? Inside blunder not, for a maze rife with traps awaits you. False tunnels and sheer drops test passersby. Perhaps inscribed upon those doors, a clue. Or a message telling merchants to try. For those doors hide a fortress city, spread under the mountain, where thousands once … Continue reading Doors of Mount Eredren: A Sonnet of Shayari
Goodbye Writing 201: A Sonnet
Goodbye Oh no, what woe, our class ’tis ending. Say it isn’t so. Goodbyes to make and silence soon to come where once we chatted and played, and held discourse of poetic science. What ho? “But merrily we’ll meet again?” You say, “Verily, no distance now exists, ‘tween blogs of like intent and purpose. When minds of poetic intellect insist.” Poets listen here, no effort is made in vain. Your words fit perfectly the shape of your soul. Your inner landscape don’t trade. Your words shine forth and in success you’re drape’d…. ‘Till next we meet in class or in … Continue reading Goodbye Writing 201: A Sonnet
Patron Saint: A Sonnet for the Daily Post
Patron Saint Saint of sestinas, sonnets and robots, patron of science and sweet baking cakes, why limit yourself to worshipful tots? When you could be prayed to by handsome rakes? Rolex wearing and luxury driving cheapskates? Neon halos cap steeples in crisp mega-storied cities; they’re falling into ruin. Its’ patrons are dice’n and betting on saints. Where’s their halos now? Their ivory gowns and soft folded wings? Do prayers wing to them? Does grief make them bow down and weep? On bended knee do they sing of a better world not yet brought to earth? Oh patron saint, bring that new … Continue reading Patron Saint: A Sonnet for the Daily Post
Swashbucklers, Rogues and Assassins: The Bad Boys of Fantasy
The bad boys of Fantasy, like the buddy cop flicks we all love, are full of friendship, ribald comments, one-upmanship and enough jokes to lighten up the darkest story. Set in places that range from the epic to the intriguing, their exploits run the gamut from world-ending to a simple heist gone hilariously wrong. Whatever these guys get up to for their clients, you can be certain of one thing: you’re in for a fun ride. Without further ado, I bring you the bad boys of fantasy.
Royce & Hadrian
Royce and Hadrian’s exploits are penned by Michael J. Sullivan in his Riyria Chronicles series and in the Riyria Revelations series. The Riyria Chronicles series covers the twenty year period between the boys’ founding their unique partnership and the events in the Riyria Revelation series. Mr. Sullivan will keep writing those prequels as long as fans request them and I will keep requesting more. I love these guys!
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Crown of Sonnets: Tales of Shayari
A Crown of Sonnets: Tales of Shayari
{Drigorem’s Curse}
Not enough for you, the councilor’s seat.
Not for you, little brother, for your eyes
set upon a higher goal. A planned meet
sealed your fate and mine. What price in blood buys
a state? Did you think you could steal the crown?
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Tales of Shayari: Death of a King
Death of a King & Drigorem’s Curse (A revised version of this story appears in Chasing Dragons, book 11 of the Curse Breaker series.) Blood pooled, weeping from a gash in his chest and soaking into Drigorem’s clothes. He shivered. The chill stone sucked up his warmth. Boots thudded on stone. Screams and bellows competed with the metal on metal clang of a fight. How had it come to this vile betrayal, this victory via wicked trickery? Lady Shayari stood in her alcove, her marble face catching the light falling through the slit window. She held her torch topped with … Continue reading Tales of Shayari: Death of a King
Audio Book vs Audio Drama
in medias res continues its audio book obsession with a look into an emerging trend in the audio book world: audio dramas.
What’s the difference between an audio book and an audio drama?
A lot apparently. An audio book started out life as a book. Not a comic book or a screen play but a book. A book that sometime narrated. A book that included actual description of important things like wtf is going on in the action sequences, some kind of introduction to who the characters are and some reason to care about them.
Audio dramas start out life as a graphic novel or screenplay. They are meant to be accompanied by visuals. The visual element is the important part of these works. Audio productions have no visual element. They are pure sound. Do you see a problem? I do and I’m not alone.
A Bad Day in Three Concrete Sonnets
Bad Day
(Plain Text Version, scroll down for concrete version)
I.
Cars stopping. Cars honking. Cars whose drivers
are texting. Drivers yakking on cellphones.
Drivers rubbernecking. Damn those drivers
creeping past police cars. Police by cones
waiting, why aren’t they nabbing those drivers?
Who Will Narrate: Listen and Cast Your Vote
Okay, we’ve talked these last two days about audio books both the professionally produced variety and the self-narrated too. If you need a refresher, pop by this post here for a discussion of professional voice acted audio books and here for the DIY option.
You are armed with knowledge and ready to cast your vote an a very important issue. Who should narrate?
With the above posts in mind, I come to you, wonderful followers and one time visitors alike, to ask your opinion on the matter. Below I submit to you two scenes from my novella narrated by me, the author. Worry not, neither one is longer than 7 minutes. Together they comprise the first two scenes from my forthcoming audio book. It will be available for sale in 2016.
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Elegy for Lactose, God how I miss you!
Elegy for Lactose Lost Cheesecake topped with whipped cream, sweet, velvety fudge, smooth ice cream topped with nuts, buttercream frosting heaped onto crumbly cake, I love you and I loathe that you don’t love me. Not a sip, not a crumb, can cross my lips or pay the price I must. Dear lactose it’s over. No more fruity parfaits, no more yogurt snacks. No bowls of cereal, no snap crackle, pop, no lucky charms afloat sweetening cold milk. Dear lactose, it’s over. Goodbye ’till science cures my intolerance. Dear lactose, please know I love you but I must live without … Continue reading Elegy for Lactose, God how I miss you!
Audio Book Meets DIY
Yesterday we talked about audio books, specifically about the money side. You can refresh your memory here about that. I also referred you to a great post that Cecilia Lewis wrote up detailing how you pick a narrator for your book. Read her article here. Yesterday’s discussion centered around the cost to produce audio books and the options you have about production–if you go the professional route.
If you, like me, have some skill at editing audio files on your own, there is another option. You can narrate your book yourself, edit the audio yourself and submit the files to ACX. They have guidelines and tips to help you navigate your way through the DIY option.
A Silly Ballad about Buttercream
You’ve been warned. I can’t get this damned thing out of mind so I can write a serious ballad for today’s assignment. So here is the ballad making the rounds in my skull. I hope you get a chuckle. Maybe by the time you read this I will have stopped laughing.
Buttercream Day
The bakery exhaled sweet buttercream
through its flaky, drizzled white windows.
It’s not ice cream but we all screamed
for frosting to sweeten our woes.
Melinda Kucsera - USA Today Bestselling Author of Epic Fantasy Adventures 
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