A New Voice in Dark Fantasy: Sean M. Hogan

A week ago, my good friend Sean M. Hogan published his first novel on Amazon, The Crow Behind the Mirror. Now, you'd think that accomplishment would be enough, but he also decided to publish two other works at the same time: a novella called The Marauder and a book of short stories titled The Devil, the Grim Reaper, and a Ghost.

I first met Sean when he walked into the Brea Library Writer's Club, and from the beginning, his work just blew me away. I thought, Why doesn't this guy already have his book in Barnes and Noble? Later, when he joined my writing group, The Pendragons, he was a machine, constantly bringing in new chapters. Sean's forte is dark fantasy, and he can write humor, drama, and horror--and sometimes all three at once--but he never lets go of the character's humanity. He's got one of the strongest eyes for description I've ever seen.

I've reviewed his work in this blog and on Amazon. Obviously, I know him and want him to succeed, but more than that, I think his work is amazing and I hope people will discover him and fall in love with the complex world he's created.

Currently, The Devil, the Grim Reaper, and a Ghost and The Marauder are both 99 cents on Amazon, and The Crow Behind the Mirror is $2.99, but all three will be FREE on Monday, July 10th and Tuesday, July 11th. If you're uncertain or broke, you can pick them up then. But if you can afford it, buy it now, since they really are a bargain buy. And remember to review.

Weekly Update: 6-26-16: Shakespeare Season Begins

"Hunchback'd toad," they all did groan,

but Richard kept his face a grin.

He quick consumed his tadpole kin 

and leapfrogged up the British throne.

Free at Griffith Park

Life Update: It's Shakespeare season. Yesterday, my father, my friend Rita, and I attended the opening performance of Richard III as acted by the Independent Shakespeare Co. at Griffith Park. (Performances are free and run throughout the summer.) Although more traditional than other adaptions of Shakespearean plays done by this company,  Richard III included some fun modern-day twists, such as  a background track of electric guitar riffs and a montage of Richard shaking hands and kissing babies before ascending to the throne in a burst of confetti. The play took place in the evening. In the afternoon, Dad, Rita, and I visited the Getty Center, a ginormous (and free) LA art museum, where we viewed the Romantic landscapes of Rousseau, admired 18th century French furniture, and ambled through the beautiful gardens.

Getty Sculpture or the Isle of Lost Souls?

Writing Update: One of the rock sculptures at The Getty reminded me of the Isle of Lost Souls, a barren rock where sailors are shipwrecked by a sea dragon in the children's fantasy book I'm writing called Three Floating Coffins. Purely by coincidence, I happened to be editing the very chapter where the Isle of Lost Souls was introduced just a few days earlier. I wanted to edit my Coffins novel before Nanowrimo takes hold next week. In two weeks, I finished editing 3 chapters and got about halfway through 2 more. It's progress, I suppose, but I wish it wouldn't take so long. I'd really like to get Three Floating Coffins done by the end of summer, but between Nanowrimo, college, and all the Shakespeare days I'm taking, I've no idea how I will finish it all.

 Summer Tip: The Huntington Library is an awesome, awesome combination of museum and gardens. (I've written about it here.) Unfortunately, it's a bit expensive, with tickets costing up to $25. Fortunately, the museum has a monthly free day--the first Thursday of the month. Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of people who can enter, so you need to order tickets in advance. Tickets can be ordered on the website and printed at home. Tickets for July are already "sold out," but you can reserve up to 5 tickets for August 4th, starting from July 1st, 9:00 am. See website for details.