Book Spotlight: Mirror of the Nameless by Luke Walker

Bonjour, Beardies!

When I first started The Bearded Scribe in 2012, Elizabeth pointed me to a website, called NetGalley, where I could obtain Advance Reader Copies directly from publishers. I occasionally receive emails alerting me of titles in which I might be interested, and last month one such email landed in my inbox.

Most of the titles didn't capture my interest; none, really, save one: a new horror. Although I am not much for the gory side of horror, I do enjoy a well-written scary tale and the darker side of fantasy. Mix in a bit of divine intervention and some paranormal flavoring, and you have a chilling recipe for a delectable ghoul-ash...

That is the case of the today's Book Spotlight, Mirror of the Nameless by Luke Walker.

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Book Spotlight: Death Watch (The Undertaken Trilogy, Book One) by Ari Berk

Hello Beardies,

I can't begin to describe how excited I am to bring you this Spotlight on Death Watch, one that has been long over-due and in the works since the blog's inception a little over a year ago.  As many of you well know, my alma mater is Alma College, but it is not the only college I attended...

After leaving Alma in the second term of my third year, I moved just fifteen minutes north to Mount Pleasant, home of Central Michigan University. It is upon enrolling part-time—with Jeremiah's encouragement—that I met the author of today's Book Spotlight, Dr. Ari Berk and his wonderful wife, Kristen.

Ari Berk, courtesy of April Slaughter

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

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Good Evening, Beardies,

Call me indecisive if you will, but making “Best of the Best” lists is my own personal brand of librarian kryptonite. I just can’t decide! Usually, the best book I’ve read this year is the one I’m reading right now. So, instead of making my own list, most of the time I read the books that are on everyone else’s lists. This Dark Endeavor, the first book of Kenneth Oppel’s The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series, was on a 2011 list from one of my librarian idols, Lynn Rutan. Along with colleague Cindy Dobrez, Lynn writes a blog called Bookends that I follow religiously. She called This Dark Endeavor “a steampunky Frankenstein retelling,” and from that description alone, I was hooked. Everything Lynn promised, the book delivered, and when the second book came out in August, the series skyrocketed to the top of my “Books to Spotlight” pile.

Book Spotlight: The Sixth Seed by Lee Allen Howard

Hi, Beardies!

I am excited to be a Guest Scribe for The Bearded Scribe and look forward to getting to know all of you.  I hope you enjoy my first ever post and review to be featured on the blog.

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Meet Nicole Galloway-Miller!

When I posted a thread searching for guest reviewers for The Bearded Scribe (on a site from which I have since decided to delete my profile), I originally received no response. That is, until about two weeks (or so) ago.

Once I received the response, I decided to do a little homework.  I read through Nicole's blog, browsing her many reviews and decided that she would be a good fit for The Bearded Scribe.  After a few emails back and forth, everything was set into place.  When I asked Nicole to write up a short biographical blurb, this is what was presented to me.

Nicole Galloway-Miller has been making up stories since she was born in 1981 at a small hospital in Freeport, Illinois. Her mother, Debra Galloway, fondly recalls that Nicole would “read” picture books with a nonsensical language before she could even speak her first words. After the birth of her brother Brad, the family of four moved to Erie, Pennsylvania to be close to family.

Her love of stories stayed with her throughout her life. At 12-years-old, Nicole wrote her first short story, on wide-ruled notebook paper, in turquoise pen, and dotted every i with a heart. Her favorite toy was a black, manual Underwood typewriter in an avocado plastic case. While her peers played house, she pretended to be a professor--using a green chalkboard on wheels and a tattered leather briefcase given to her by her father. Several years later, she moved on to an electric typewriter. She claims the soothing hum cures writer’s block. She always professed that when she grew up she would get several PhDs in areas of writing and literature and work as a professor sharing her obsessive love of the written word.

Nicole obtained a Bachelor's in English Composition from Theil College, a Liberal Arts School in Greenville, Pennsylvania. 

Her husband of four years, Jim Miller--who she lovingly refers to as Bo--was introduced to her by a colleague at The Bedford Gazette shortly after she graduated from Theil. He is her constant cheerleader and biggest fan. He commented that he is pleased with her success and is happy she now spends less money on books. He also added, "For her, every day a new book comes is Christmas."

Within a couple of weeks after their marriage, she shared her career goals with Bo and he promised to support her. He researched Master’s programs for her and they decided together that she should apply to a MFA in Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University, located an hour drive from Bedford in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

After being accepted in December 2011, Nicole started the low-residency program and now attends seminars on campus twice a year, in January and June. The remainder of her coursework is independent study. Since she is independently driven and free to choose her reading, researching, and writing assignments, the program is a perfect fit.

Her website, which she started in January 2012 and has over 730 followers as of June 2012, was a requirement for her 'Genres in Reading' course, which discussed Monsters in Popular Fiction. 

“It has always been a dream of mine to get free books in the mail, so I could review them. The incredible success of my blog Reading: My Thoughts on Writing is a dream come true,” Nicole said. 

“I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” Nicole commented. “I love hard work and my writing has improved exponentially in the past six months. I always knew I could write better and now I am.”

Nicole is excited to be a guest blogger for The Bearded Scribe and loves communicating with her blog followers and fans.  In addition to being a guest blogger for The Bearded Scribe, however, she writes newsletter content for Spectacle Publishing Media Group and reviews dark fantasy and horror novels on her blog for Angry Robot Books.

For more information about Nicole, check out her blog, Reading: My Thoughts on Writing or feel free to email her. You can also friend her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Nicole posts links to everything she writes on Facebook and Twitter and prides herself for providing links to quality information about writing, blogging and Autism. She explains she is “grateful” to be autistic and wants parents and children know that people on the spectrum often have successful careers that relate to their special interest.

“I see possibilities and believe that no dream or goal is impossible as long as a person is dedicated and focused on reaching it,” she said.

Nicole cannot wait to meet the followers of The Bearded Scribe. She loves connecting with new people and thinks they will be a valuable asset in her professional network.

“I’m not sure why I’m writing a dark fantasy. It is simply what my brain creates. I often need advice about the speculative fiction genre and people to help me brainstorm. If you have anything you want to share, please contact me."

Nicole's first review on The Sixth Seed by Lee Allen Howard will appear next Sunday.  Stay tuned.

Happy Scribing,