Not too long ago…as a former acquisitions editor for a literary agency…I searched for some promising beginnings in books of all genres for a special promotion. My rejection-vs.-acceptance rate was about 25 rejected for each one I accepted, and I didn’t allow myself to be swayed by the opinions of others. Even among those I did accept, the two reviews below only represent what I, at least, considered the crème de le crème:
“It’s beautiful,” says the intrepid heroine of JE Rowney’s novel Derelict. “Is that the right word? I mean, it’s empty, and bleak, cold and abandoned, but…I think it’s beautiful.” She’s just discovered “urban exploration” and refers to an abandoned hospital but could as easily be describing her marriage. Still, no melodrama is to be found here; JE Rowney’s writing is superbly crafted without being pretentious, concise without being hurried, and rich with symbolism without appearing to be conscious of the lush spell it weaves. If you’re looking for a true original amidst a sea of cliché, click here to purchase on Amazon.
Tired of the predictable? Try Ric Rae’s truly original sci-fi novella Monsters Inside. With a flawlessly adept prose style and true sense of the profound, even the raunchiest scenes are deeply compelling. You know you’re in good hands when the simile used to capture the heroine’s drug-induced hallucinations is “his face swirled like a Van Gogh.” Buckle up; you’re in for the ride of your life. Click here to purchase on Amazon.
