Category: Blog

Author Spotlight: Vera Nazarian

Erin Penn

Book Cover for Compete

Cover from Amazon

Vera Nazarian is a Russian immigrant, now American citizen, presently living in Vermont after leaving Los Angles, which she obviously remembers fondly (or maybe not) considering some of the things which happen in Qualify, the first book of The Atlantis Grail series. Compete is the second book of the series and Ms. Nazarian’s most recent publication. The third in the series, Win, is due out shortly.

She has previously published the Cobweb Bride series, several stand-alone novels, a couple novelette, and a myriad of short stories. Ms. Nazarian runs the small press of Norilana Books.

Bobbing along, minding my own business, trying to find some fictional romance stories based on Hades and Persephone after coming out of my own private six months the dark underworld of Taxes, I discovered the Cobweb Bride and was blown away. The layers of world building, the unique characters, the lyrical language – it’s like Ms. Nazarian is specifically writing for all my “love” buttons.

I had to find more.

Since then, I have gobbled two more short stories and both of the published books of her Atlantis Grail series. All her books contain the wonderful love of language; some readers claim she dips into “purple prose” – but I do not find this to be the case. Purple prose is page after page of description; Ms. Nazarian balances description with action and dialogue. Anytime my inner editor starts speaking up saying “this type of writing – narrative or dialogue – has been going on too long”, the very next sentence switches the mix up.

If you want non-stop action, then she is not the writer for you. But if you rub against books for the texture of the velvet described (right before the knife is slid through the silk doublet), then you will enjoy her writing.

The novels I have read have a lot of characters, casts of dozens to hundreds. Somehow Ms. Nazarian makes each a unique character. Often when you first meet them, it is like in real life; you instantly categorize the person by the environment and situation you meet them in. But as time goes on, and you get to know them, the characters don’t stay in their nice little categories. No one does exactly what you expect, but everyone does what is within their character.

I hope you take a moment to explore this incredible storyteller. She has a few free items available on Amazon.

Her website can be found here: http://www.veranazarian.com/

 

Flash: My Seat

Erin Penn

Empty Airplane Seats In The Cabin Stock Photo

FreeDigitalPhotos.net photo by jk1991

Someone was sitting in my seat. Every year, upon returning from the family reunion, I would immediately make a reservation for the next year, choosing the middle seat on the row with the emergency wing exit. One of my many plans. I didn’t want the responsibility of opening the door; I wanted to be the first one through in case the plane was on fire. Always safe and always careful.

Until the accident. My gently used Volvo and a run-away truck had an argument. I lost.

My family returned the seat for the refund months ago. I’m just hanging around following my plans. I attended the last of my college classes. Went to all the job interviews I planned during spring break so I would have a job as soon as I graduate. Attended graduation and the three June weddings of friends. The list goes on. All my beautiful plans.

I haven’t seen any other ghosts. I am not sure I am a ghost. Or what the rules are. I like rules and plans. Everything has a structure.

Everything SHOULD have a structure.

I’ve been very annoyed Saint Peter isn’t available as a gate guard or guide.

My best guess, since I seem to be drawn to everywhere I had made commitments and plans, is I am stuck here until my last plan deadline is past. I hope my hypothesis is wrong, since I had everything worked out including retiring to Florida like my grandparents did and had even given thought to which part of the Diocese’s cemetery plots I would be buried in.

My family cremated me.

I am looking forward to what would have been my 30th birthday. My plan was to go to New Zealand if I didn’t marry before then and use it as the honeymoon. In fact, I had been returning from coming back from getting my passport when the truck hit me.

The stewardess finished showing everyone how to work a seatbelt. Can’t believe that is still part of the take-off spiel, but I guess it calms nerves. It’s a full plane so there are a lot of nerves to calm, especially at the start of a three-hour flight.

Someone was sitting in my seat. … I wonder what would happen if I sat in his lap?

(words 383 – first published 5/15/2016)

Editing Rant: Mechanical Means

Erin Penn

Man on Horse, photo by Matt Lee

Image courtesy of Matt Lee of Unsplash, cropped by Erin Penn

Never substitute human eyes for mechanical help.

Not that the mechanical help isn’t helpful, because it is. I use two different editing programs as part of my editing process. But I use them very, very carefully. They cut out a lot of easy stuff, allowing me (when I am editing) and my human editor (when I am writing) to concentrate on fixing the real issues.

But mechanical suggestions are just that, suggestions. Just don’t take them as gospel.

Example:
He nodded and patted his horse’s neck in an affectionate way.

Machine recommend changing “in an affectionate way” to “affectionately” – true, normally this would get rid of extra words and help clarity, but for verbal nuances, this changes the sentence to something a little creepy.