The Juliette Society

By Sasha Grey

Four out of Five Stars

I was initially drawn to this book by its title. Realizing it was a work of erotica, the name ‘Juliette’ immediately took me to the infamous novel, Juliette written by the Marquis de Sade; the society in Sasha Grey’s first novel is named after Juliette, the wicked alternative to the Marquis’s other infamous female character, Justine. Having just used the Marquis as inspiration for my latest novel, a thriller, I was intrigued.

While Sasha Grey has been out of the adult movie business now, longer than she was in it (based on an interview I read about her), it seems it has to be mentioned she is a former adult actress in pornographic films. While she has branched out into mainstream movies, and now writing, it really shouldn’t have to be stated, but she can take solace in the fact that both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are still referred to as ‘Ex-Beatle...” despite the fact they’ve done so much more since then (and, yes, I know, their time as Beatles was significant).

Enough said about Grey’s past. What she’s asking us to do now is spend time with her book and the characters within. The Juliette Society follows Catherine, a college film student in a difficult and troubled relationship, who, out of frustration, and after meeting a sexually promiscuous fellow student named Anna, is dealing with her sexual fantasies and desires. Catherine is the narrator of the novel and is quite open about her sexual desires and thoughts, even to the extent of spending one chapter ruminating on male ejaculate (‘come’ not ‘cum’ in her estimation), which, surprisingly works, giving us further insights into this young woman’s thoughts.

Before I read The Juliette Society, I have to admit I did something I don’t usually do and read a few of the current reviews out there. I found a lot of criticism regarding Catherine’s literary or film references, as if the author was using them as a means of saying, “I’m intelligent...see, I’m intelligent.” I disagree, the Catherine in the book is a college film student, and if any of you have known any first or second year film students, you know they’re quite pretentious, no doubt parroting back the observations of their film professors, often to the point of being annoying. So, in this regard, it’s just good character development, and the references themselves, are excellent and used sparingly enough.

I read criticism that the book is called The Juliette Society and the Society doesn’t appear until halfway through it, and while that is so, and it doesn’t feature as prominently as I might have liked, that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book. I’d also read an interview in which it was mentioned Grey may be working on a sequel, so in that regard, I’m sure we’re in store for more – and I will definitely read that sequel as well.

The bottom line is, as a quick read, an erotic and explicit read, which I’m not overly familiar with, or just really isn’t my go-to genre, I enjoyed The Juliette Society. Grey is an excellent author and she has written a highly accessible read. She has a great style and I felt she had developed the character of Catherine wonderfully throughout the novel, as well as added in some interesting and colorful characters for her to interact with.

The Juliette Society didn’t satiate my interest in The Marquis de Sade, but because of that brief reference, it, or his legacy, did lead me to a book I thoroughly enjoyed and in asking me to spend any time with it, Grey has delivered on her part of the bargain by entertaining.

Blood Meridian – Or the Evening Redness in the West

By Cormac McCarthy

Three out of Five Stars

Blood Meridian – Or the Evening Redness in the West, the fifth novel by Cormac McCarthy, author of The Road and All the Pretty Horses, amongst others, is a tough novel to read; at times I was enjoying it, and at others, I was bored. In the course of reading it, my reaction to it shifted many times, but now that I’ve completed the novel I have to say I’m glad to have stuck with it during those times it was wearing on me.

The novel follows the journey of ‘The Kid’ a teenager in the 1830’s who finds himself in the company of Apache hunters, hired by a Mexican Governor to collect as many scalps as they can. Theirs is a journey full of peril and violence; a journey where when a group of men come upon another group of men, they are more than likely to attempt to kill one another, then let each other go about their merry way.

The common theme of those who have read Blood Meridian and are recommending it, is that you won’t believe the violence in it – that the book will shock and repulse you with it’s depictions of death and the depravity of man. This aspect was less startling to me. Having read extensively about the Wild West, as well as other moments in Humankind’s existence, the violence and depravity committed in this novel are no worse than what you can read in most history books. If you’re not well-read in this area, or a student of the darkness that lies in human souls, I guess Blood Meridian would be quite shocking.

While I enjoyed, at times, the journey ‘The Kid’ was taking, and was fascinated by the books most unique and intriguing character, Judge Holden, at times I found it tedious. A good part of the book seems like a travelogue, McCarthy describing in detail the terrain the characters are crossing; while interesting at first, after a while I could do without it. With such interesting characters, I would have enjoyed a further exploration of who they were and their true motivations. I’ve read that’s part of the books intent, not to explain the characters, but just focus on the senseless violence, but while that may satiate some, I’d prefer to delve further into their heart of darkness.

I have my own thoughts about Blood Meridian in that upon coming to the books end, I believe what I had read was one man’s – or teen’s – journey through 19^th Century Hell – a world where there are no heroes and only evil exists.

Blood Meridian is a good novel, and certainly one I’m glad I read. And while it has left me conflicted at times, not conflicted enough that I’m not going to read more of Cormac McCarthy’s books.

Finding Inspiration When Writing

July 12, 2015

Quite some time back, I said I would blog about finding inspiration as a writer; the act of doing so is unique to all writers. While there is no way to tell someone how to be inspired, I can relate how it works for me.

When it comes to writing, I would refer to myself as a working man’s writer. There are some authors who have the luxury of being able to sit around waiting for inspiration to grace them; these writers, no doubt bestselling authors, who have enough money to do so, can take up to a year or two, or more, to complete a book. I don’t believe, even if I had that luxury, I would do that.

My inspiration comes simply from the act of writing. When I decided to write my first book, I set a daily goal for myself - namely, I wanted to write 1,000 words a day. If you can accomplish this, in three months you’ll have enough words completed for a book-length manuscript. (Of course, the words and story have to be good enough to call it a book).

In setting a goal like this, you can’t guarantee that every day you’ll be inspired, or know where you’re going, so I did what I read in a writing magazine – just write. I remember one day, while writing Tripping on Tears, I really wasn’t inspired, but I had trained myself so well to write 1,000 words a day, that I felt guilty if I didn’t. So, on this particular day, I just sat down and wrote – where I thought the story should go. I remember thinking, as I wrote, that what I was writing was terrible. I knew, in the back of my mind, I’d probably be erasing everything I wrote the next day; what I was doing, was making sure I kept up my routine; that I sat down at my keyboard and tried.

Now I got lucky. The next day, when I read what I’d written, it turned out it was actually good – it had also taken me in the right direction. What I discovered for myself was that the story lived within me, even if I wasn’t aware of it, and by just typing it found its way out. I discovered I had to believe and trust in myself as a writer. I can’t wait for inspiration, but if I put myself in the write environment, doing what I love, it may just find me.

I got lucky that day, and many other days. I just wrote and continued writing. Most of us live in fear of losing what we’ve written. To find inspiration, as opposed to waiting for it to find you, you have to write and write without the fear of it being crap and needing to be thrown out the next day. If you can live with the possibility of mistakes, you’ll discover that great things can also happen. Erasing 1,000 words is not the end of the world, but might be part of the process you need to engage in to find your way in the story you’re telling.

Open your eyes to the world around you, observe, read, interact, and then trust in yourself; sit at your keyboard and write – don’t wait for perfection, but set about trying to find that day’s perfection. Just do it and who knows great things might just happen?

Finding the Writer Within

July 12, 2015

I’ve been away from my diary for a bit; like most of us, it can be hard to find the time to accomplish everything that needs to be achieved in the hours we’re given each day. If I look back on it, I guess I’d have to admit to a fair amount of wasting time, but what can I do, I believe that’s hardwired into, well – me.

Actually, I’ve been hard at work finishing my zombie-horror novel, Barkerton. I started it when I was a young writer and was unable to complete it, although over the years I’d managed to get it up to about 90,000 words – with only about another 10,000 to 15,000 needed to complete it.

Barkerton helped define me as a writer. The process of writing a complete manuscript was daunting. As a lover of movies, I turned to screenwriting, which is a little more controlled; you’re restricted to writing no more than 120 pages if you’re going to make it in that field. It’s not that it’s easy to do, just a little more structured.

My initial failure with Barkerton kept me from writing books, despite the fact I had ideas for novels – ideas that couldn’t be contained in the confines of a movie script. I let those ideas fester; some of them crying out for attention, but ignored.

It wasn’t Barkerton that wasn’t ready, but instead, me. Now that I’ve written three thrillers and finished Barkerton, I’ve come to understand that at the time I embarked on my first novel, I was too immature as a writer. For some people, writing, and writing well, is easy, but not for all of us. When I look back at that early manuscript I understand there is something there, but not something of publishable quality. I needed time to find my voice, and develop my skills; something that screenwriting unexpectedly helped me with.

Barkerton has been re-written and completed, but only because I was finally ready to complete it, and had finally developed the skills that allowed me to complete it. Looking inward and understanding our weakness is something difficult to do. I appreciate the skills I’ve developed, and the fact they’ve been developed, but only now understand it has been part of a lifelong process I couldn’t have hurried, even if I’d want to. Finding your voice as a writer is important and necessary; you’re going to want to share your work, and in doing so, you should make sure you put your best foot forward – if you’re lucky enough to find a readership, they deserve that.

So, whether you’re there or not, keep writing, keep challenging yourself, accept creative criticism and grow; the journey is worth it.

The Riveners: Beginnings

By V.E. Rayner

Five out of Five Stars

In terms of pure reading enjoyment, The Riveners: Beginnings by V.E. Rayner is one of those novels that reminded me why I love reading so much. A fantasy novel, which isn’t normally my go-to genre, The Riveners: Beginnings immersed me in a world that not only held my attention, but that I also fell in love with.

Now, before I go any further, I must give full disclosure, I’ve traded emails with V.E. Rayner, as a mutual associate of ours asked me to read the book for editing purposes. That’s how I came about reading a fantasy novel. What I discovered was a well-written, entertaining manuscript that needed very little work.

The book itself centers on the various denizens of Overview, a quaint little town where local physic Nicholas Beech, through necessity, is introduced to its darker nature – a fact that will have a lasting effect on him and his family. Along with the Beech family, V.E. introduces us to a wealth of colourful characters, some who are equally as engaging as the Beech family, and some who are abhorrent in nature. As for the Riveners themselves, creatures V.E. wrote me originated in a dream, they’re quite fascinating. V.E. takes these deadly creatures and gives them a personality of their own – at times you’ll be rooting for them, and at others, fearing them.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of the novel, as it is wide in scope, but never too wide that the author loses the reader. What is created is a fascinating world, populated by equally fascinating characters. What struck me about the novel – and why I’m writing this review – was that in reading it, I was surprised to find myself thinking about Overview and its residents, even when I put it down. The story and characters stuck with me in a way that is rare – yet thrilling.

I enjoyed the world I explored, and knowing that The Riveners: Beginnings is merely the first in a series of novels; I’m looking forward to revisiting it, and, luckily, have been asked to go over the manuscript for the second novel. All in all, The Riveners: Beginnings is a great read – a novel and new author worth taking a chance on, if you enjoy well developed stories, great characters, and a little bit of the fantastical.