Welcome to Silent Screaming
The Annette Gisby newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:
News
Book Reviews
Feature Article
Qoute of the Month
Bad Joke of the Month
Contests/Offers
Books/Sites etc.

NEWS
~~~~~

A special offer this month, buy both my Drowning Rapunzel and Silent
Screams for only $25 including postage.

Just visit www.annettegisby.n3.net and click the paypal button to
buy. :-)


I've updated Beth's Journal on the Rapunzel website here:
www.freewebs.com/agisby

And at the moment, Drowning Rapunzel is being considered by some
Hollywood producers! Nothing definite yet, but keep your fingers
crossed for me. :-)

Don't forget to have look at Twisted Tales for short stories, poetry
and news from authors, and you can post your own stuff there too.
http://twistedtales.portal.dk3.com


~~~~~~~~~~~~
Book Reviews
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alchemist
by Peter James
Horror/Action

Reviewed by Annette Gisby
www.annettegisby.n3.net


"Bendix Schere - The World's Most Caring Company" - at least that's
what Montana Bannerman geniunely thinks and encourages her father,
renowned geneticist, Dr. Richard Bannerman to accept their offer
to take over the Bannerman Genetics laboratory.

Used to scrabbling for funds, Montana is amazed at the new labs
and euqipment they are given, and even her father begins to think
that maybe the Corporate world isn't so bad after all. Dr. Bannerman
is one of the few scientists there who are against patents, he thinks
that knowledge should be shared, but Bendix Schere have different
ideas.

It is up to patent attorney, Conor Molloy to try and convince him
otherwise. But Conor has a different agenda at Bendix Schere. He knows
their secrets and wants to expose them. What he hadn't counted on was
falling in love with Montana Bannerman. Can he expose Bendix Schere
without putting any of them in danger?

Part horror, part action, part romance, part morality tale, this is a
book that has something for everyone, although if you are squeamish,
some bits might be a little uncomfortable to read.

A real page turner, if a little on the long side, I however
enjoyed the length, as it gave a chance to the author to really delve
into the characters and you come away feeling as if you know these
people and worry for them.

The parts on genetics are very well researched, although easy to
follow even if you aren't in the least technically minded. I don't know
if what can happen with the genetic research in the book could actully
happen with the science we have today, but the scary part is, it could
one day.

An author to watch for.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Drowning Rapunzel and
Silent Screams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Housebreaking a Husband
by Lori Soard
Contemporary Romance

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"
and "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered"

This is a story as light as whipped cream and as quick as the
proverbial brown fox. Author Lori Soard sets the pace for
"Housebreaking a Husband" with a humorous, romantic and action-packed
beginning

A young woman with a scarred past meets a man with heavenly green eyes
on the beach behind her home-or rather she entangles that man with a
dog, leash, the arms and legs of children and some of her own body
parts.

It turns out this man with whom Sarah has become entwined has some
scars of his own. He is about to lose custody of twin toddlers and,
excepting for the deep love he feels for them, is determined to be
emotionally unavailable to all others.

The romance is titillating but is also so free from explicit sex that
it would be suitable for most 14 year olds. Like most families,
Sarah's is slightly dysfunctional and quirky and absolutely lovable.
It appears that Soard is incapable of formulating a cookie-cutter
character. They all have a reality quotient of 10.

This is a story about how love can be corrupted by a lack of
communication and by unaddressed fears. There is much more to it than
a quick, romantic read.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's first novel, "This is the Place," has won
eight awards. Her newly released "Harkening: A Collection of Stories
Remember" has won two. Learn more at:
http://carolynhowardjohnson.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Songs of Innocence
Tim Miller
Fugue State Press, 2002
ISBN: 1879193086
Adult
Poetry/Literary
Excerpt Link: http://www.fuguestatepress.com/songsx.html

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place" and
"Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered"

Are these writings before me on the page poems? Vignettes? Songs?
Quotations? It matters not.

Tim Miller has written a book about childhood. Each entry is numbered.
Number 1 sent chills down my back : "They chased each other through
a field just as the clouds hunted one another above; they hid among
the whisperingweeds and crouched beneath the thick sheets of
unforgiving steel."

If a reader eschews feeling good then this book is not for her. If a
reader can embrace Dostoyevsky's quote, "You must know that there is
nothing higher, or stronger, or sounder, or more useful afterwards in
life, than some good memory, especially a memory from childhood," then
this Songs of Innocence is definitely hers to hold in her hand and in
her heart.

Songs of Innocence tells short stories (are they stories?) that will
make you laugh or cry as surely as if they were full-length movies or
a novel of that lives through the ages. Each numbered piece has a
character of its own. Flash fiction. Small poem. A thought. The
intimate horror of Number 95 is worth the cost of this small volume,
enough to shame us, make the best of us think about what it is that
we do, think, and pray for in this world.

Number 4 is simply a quote from Baudelaire: "Genius is no more than
childhood recaptured at will." Need I say more?

[Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This is the Place
and Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered. Learn more at
http://carolynhowardjohnson.com. Her next book will be a book of
poetry called Skyscapes: A Woman's View]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feature Article

A short interview with Annette Gisby:

Take the brutal challenge and answer a few questions here on the
forum (and you are welcome to post them to your websites or zines) a
Brutal Dreamer Interview of YOU!

©2003 Brutal Dreamer

A BRUTAL DREAMER INTERVIEW OF THE STARS!

Brutal Dreamer: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a
writer?

Very shy person, but a very wild writer. LOL! People are very surprised
when they see what I've written, doesn't quite fit their expectations
of me. My writing happens in fits and starts (there's this strange
thing called real life that keeps getting in the way!)

Brutal Dreamer: What do you enjoy most about writing stories? Why?

What I enjoy most about writing them, is knowing that I can go back
later and read them, especially if I leave them for a while and forget
what I've written, so I get a surprise when I re-read them.

Brutal Dreamer: How would other authors describe your writing
techniques or style?

Well, from reviews from various other authors, I write books that keep
them turning the pages. I don't think anyone's ever mentioned a
particular technique or style. I write my own style and don't worry
whether or not it fits into a particular genre.

Brutal Dreamer: What can you offer us other authors that other
writers cannot?

British spelling? :-)

Brutal Dreamer: What about writing attracts you? Why?

It's something you can do anywhere, have pen and paper, will travel.

Brutal Dreamer: What is unattractive about writing? Why?

Finding the time to do the promotion of your books, it takes time away
from the fun part, writing, but it's something that has to be done.

Brutal Dreamer: What are your greatest achievements in your writing
career thus far?

I've just been asked to send details of my newest novel, Drowning
Rapunzel, to a Hollywood producer. No guarantees, but they might just
like it.

Brutal Dreamer: If a story you wrote was ever to go to Hollywood,
what would the title be? Who would star in it? What would the rating
be? What would the genre be? Would it be a BOXOFFICE bust or
BOXOFFICE hit?

That would be probably be the novel above, Drowing Rapunzel. It would
have the same title. The rating would probably be R and it would be a
paranormal suspense. Box office hit, of course. :-)

Brutal Dreamer: If you could pick any woman in the world to star as
your leading lady --who would she be? Leading man --who would he be?
WHY?

Clare Danes as the leading lady, because she's a great actress and is
young enough for the character of Beth. Leading man, that's a tough
one, got to be dark haired, maybe David Boreanaz or Matthew Broderick.

Brutal Dreamer: Tell us more about you. Tell us your most intimate
secrets, ideals, and goals.

Oh, my secret is that I have written X-files fanfic and actually have
heard from people who like to read it. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one
knows what they are." - W. Somerset Maughm.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BAD JOKE OF THE MONTH

What did the big telephone say to the little telephone?

You're too young to get engaged!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CONTESTS/OFFERS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flash Fiction Contest
500 words, first line to be:
"When I woke up, I heard something that sounded like cracking ice."
Entry fee: $25 US
1st Prize: up to $10,000
2nd Prize: up to $5,000
3rd Prize: up to $2,500
Deadline: June 15 2003
Website: http://www.thewritecoach.com/contest2.htm

More details and rules are on the website above.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word Smitten Ten Ten Contest
Entry Fee: Not sure there is one, it may be free to enter
Deadline: July 1 2003
Prizes: 1st prize $1,010 US
website: www.wordsmitten.com/fiction.html

Please visit the website for rules etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DEADLINE EXTENDED. Dark Moon Lilith: A Journal Dedicated to the
Wondrous Strange first annual competition. First: $100. Second: $50
(each category). High-quality, previously unpublished work that
advocates and celebrates the mystical, magical, supernatural,
spiritual, and para"normal." Fee: $10 per entry 1 story, 1 essay, or
5 per10 poems. New deadline: June 30. Guidelines:
www.darkmoonlilith.com, or johnnie@darkmoonlilith.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOVELIST holds contest. Cathie Pelletier (who also writes as K. C.
McKinnon) is offering her home and 35 acres in Tennessee in an essay
contest. Great odds. Ten ways to win. Winners need not reside in the
home. An agent will sell it for them. $450,000 value. For details:
www.kcmckinnon.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glimmer Train Press
Very Short Fiction Award
Entry fee: $10
Prize: $1,000 plus publication in Glimmer Train Stories
website: www.glimmertrainpress.com

Please visit the website for rules and guidelines, submissions must
be made online.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word Press First Book Prize
minimum 48 page manuscript, first book only.
Fee: $20
Prize: $1,000 plus 25 copies of full length poetry collection.
website: www.word-press.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UNITEDPLANET.ORG

Calling for the voices of every nation to submit poetry, fiction, &
creative nonfiction addressing cross-cultural understanding,
friendship, world unity, and peace. No entry fee. First prize: $500
and publication. Deadline: September 15 2003. Submit in native tongue
and English by E-mail to voices@unitedplanet.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just have time to mention this offer, but you better get your skates
on, it closes on May 31, author Janet Elaine Smith is giving away
a "Black Sam Bellamy's Basket" from her book, "House Call to the Past".
Winner will be announced on June 1

www.janetelainesmith.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FEATURED BOOKS/SITES

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Long after any war ends, those who fought continue to
pay its price - and so do their families.
"Love, Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle,"
by Nina M. Osier -
http://www.geocities.com/nina_osier/JimmyFrontPage.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In His Corner: Will the Real Billy Joe Please Stand?
by Joan Moore Lewis
Atlanta, 1967 -- Is there some bad in the best of us?
http://www.joanlewis.com

Available from amazon, bn.com and more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dream Garden
by Anna Marie Fritz
Ariane Murphy is a 1960s housewife who is creative, lonely, and
greatly restricted by her tyrant of a traveling salesman husband,
Henry, who won't even allow her the freedom of planting a flower
garden.

Along comes handsome rover Martin, looking for part-time work, at the
very moment she decides to plant the garden anyway. She impulsively
hires him, then discovers he has planted more than flower seeds, when
she finds she has fallen in love with him. Home comes Henry, sparks
fly, and Martin is bent on going right back down the road he came in
on, despite his feelings for the lady. But will he?

Available on all the major booksellers on the web, and in bookstores.
An excerpt can be read on:
http://www.grannydragon.com/Weyr/books/SoundOff/fritz/DGexcerpt.html
and on
http://bookstotreasure.net

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Devil Glass
by C Robert Cales

A beautiful archaeologist makes a stunning discovery, an artifact with
a horrid appearance. Captured within the framework of the artifact is
the only example of Antitheus Vitrum the world has ever seen. Antitheus
Vitrum, an aberrant crystalline structure predicted to exist by an
archaic Numerology based science has finally been discovered.
Antitheus Vitrum has a dark secret. Pray we don't find out.

www.antitheus-vitrum.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coosa by Jack Prather

Black Cloud almost stopped the American Civil war single-handed. The
book is available at Amazon.

http://www.literary-websites.org/jackprather

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desert Heat by Kristie Leigh Maguire

Don't expect the typical romance story with this novel. There are no
shrinking violets or shy maidens who long to be taken against their
will in "Desert Heat". Get swept away to another world - a world of
passion, sex and romance. You may never view love - or the desert -
through the same eyes again.

http://www.geocities.com/kristieleighmaguire/desertheat.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have No Mercy by award winning author, Bobby Ruble, is a psychological
thriller based on revenge gone wrong. Read Chapter One at:
http://bobbyruble.com. Watch for Black Rosebud: Have No Mercy II -
soon to be released.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Georgia's Ghostly Getaways
by Kathleen Walls

Part ghost hunt, part travel guide, let the author take you on
a hunt of Georgia's ghostly haunts.

www.katywalls.com/ggg.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's it till next time,

Take care,
Annette

www.annettegisby.n3.net