Skip to main content
search
Tag

Mel Bossa

Import: My Awesome Year in Words

By Creativity, Journalism, ThinkingNo Comments

Hi all,

This year has been an awesome year for my reading & reviewing and for my creative writing. Let me take you through the highlights of this year:

In January Headline Publishers emailed me to say they wanted me to do more book reviews for them. I wrote, edited and submitted Stuck Between A Rock… to The Write Review Short Story Prize. Although it wasn’t shortlisted; the experience and learning gained from completing, editing and submitting the short story was invaluable.

In March I saw a call for submissions for short stories for a gay anthropology. I wrote, edited and submitted A Few Amazing Moments. The editors declined the submission stating that it has promise, but needs more work. Again, more invaluable experience and learning was gained.

In April I started writing for The Gay UK and shared this news with you. I decided to be brave and share my short stories online. I was inspired by this TED Talk: Elizabeth Gilbert – Your elusive creative genius.

In May I enjoyed reading & reviewing In His Secret Life by Mel Bossa. I was inspired by Advice About Writing From Anne Rice: ‘Kick Out The Pages!’ I wrote the politically sensitive NEWS: A Letter to Manchester Pride – Why are you giving less money to Gay Charities? article.

By June I was feeling more confident about my writing, thinking to myself: I’m doing it! I’m actually writing! This was helped by being commissioned for my first paid piece of writing by Hire Bloggers.

In July I reviewed I Want Your Love (DVD) and hosted two giveaways on blog, both of these activities was as a result of my continued writing. I renewed hosting on my personal blog and launched a professional writers website, both paid for by my writing.

By September I had submitted, had accepted and published twenty six articles or book reviews on The Gay UK.

In December, I begun work on my next short story and have enquired about a creative writing course at Runshaw College.

It’s been a truly awesome year of creative writing; with a good mix of successes and failures. In 2014, I hope to do more paid journalism and develop, write and submit more short stories into competitions.

Write soon,

Antony



I aim for posts on this blog to be informative, educational and entertaining. If you have found this post useful or enjoyable, please consider making a contribution by Paypal:


Share on Social Media:
Saturday 28 December 2013

Book Review: Suite Nineteen by Mel Bossa

By Amazon, Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
suite-nineteen-mel-bossa-cover In Suite Nineteen by Mel Bossa, we meet country boy Ben (Lebeau) who moves to the big city of Montreal. Psychic Ben moves to the old textile factory Shilts Manor, which has been converted into apartments.

In Shilts Manor Ben meets fellow residents Lennox (Van Kemp), Eevie and Happy. Ben notices that there seems to be a strange relationship between the three of them. Ben also meets neighbour Ezra (Collins).

Ezra is a man whose shrouded in mystery: physically crippled, emotionally traumatised and spiritually unreadable (at least in the beginning of the book). Ben see’s all of this but can’t help falling for Ezra, who has taken a vow of celibacy.

Despite Lennox’s advice to stay away from Ezra, Ben begins to spend time with him. Ben begins to loose memory – even memories of important events; and it seems to coincide with the amount of time he’s spending with Ezra.

Ben feels like he’s loosing his mind; yet at the same time his gut tells him his very survival is at stake and that he must unravel the mystery – a spiritual conspiracy dating back to Christ, before it’s too late.

There were a few sources of frustration with Suite Nineteen. Firstly it focused too much on the events and mystery; it didn’t give the reader a chance to get to know Ben. Secondly rather than a series of small revelations, Mel Bossa opted for a big unavailing of the mystery towards the end. The mystery was over explained and left little to spark the readers imagination.

Suite Nineteen is essentially a paranormal mystery novel which has a good mix of tension building and action chapters. Mel Bossa keeps the reader hooked with her clever idea, writers voice and with an unexpected twist at the end of the book.

Suite Nineteen by Mel Bossa is a seductive read which manages to captivate the reader, unravel the mystery and tie up all loose ends. You can buy Suite Nineteen by Mel Bossa on Amazon.

Review soon,

Antony

Click here to display content from Amazon Kindle.
Learn more in Amazon Kindle’s privacy policy.

Open content directly



I aim for posts on this blog to be informative, educational and entertaining. If you have found this post useful or enjoyable, please consider making a contribution by Paypal:


Share on Social Media:
Sunday 30 June 2013

Book Review: In His Secret Life by Mel Bossa

By Amazon, Books & Authors, ReviewsNo Comments
In-His-Secret-Life-Mel-Bossa-Cover In His Secret Life is Mel Bossa‘s latest book. Allan has taken care of his sister Elise and her daughter Fay ever since Elise was dumped by Fay’s father. But when Elise meets Dayton, Allan knows things are going to change. It’s not long until Elise & Dayton get engaged and Allan gets to meet Dayton’s family.

Allan meets Davinder, one of Dayton’s brothers who is married with two kids. Something about Davinder captivates Allan and he’s about to break his one and only rule: never fall for a straight guy.

In His Secret Life is a love story about a seemingly impossible relationship, which is told over decades. It gives the reader a moral dilemma. On the one hand Davinder is a married man, but on the other it’s clear that he’s unhappily married and that he loves Allan.

The story is written in three parts. In the first part the characters are introduced and Allan & Davinder meet. The second part is about Allan & Davinder’s affair and the duality of their double lives. The third and final part is about Allan & Davinder’s journey on separate paths back to one another.

There’s something magical about Mel Bossa‘s writing that hypnotises the reader from the first word. All of the characters are likeable and the story is written from Allan’s perspective. The reader empathises with Allan’s loneliness, as well as the highs and lows of love – that he likens to drug addiction. The use of perspective and these emotions – that everybody has experienced at sometime in their life, creates a connection between Allan and the reader.

Allan & Davinder’s sexual relationship develops a bit too quickly in the beginning and their was a scene that gave the impression that Allan had drunkenly drove home. But apart from these minor details the plot is perfectly paced, well thought out and exceptionally well written.

Mel Bossa‘s use letters and emails to show other characters perspectives was a really clever idea. The description ignites the readers imagination, giving a flawless image of the characters, settings and events. The end this book made me cry (with happiness) and was heartwarming.

In His Secret Life is Mel Bossa‘s best book to date and is one of those incredibly rare books that comes into your life and leaves you feeling changed somehow.

If you want a book about impossible love made possible, that will make you question yourself, leave you feeling satisfied and joyous then I recommend In His Secret Life by Mel Bossa, which is available to buy on Amazon.

Write soon,

Antony

Click here to display content from Amazon Kindle.
Learn more in Amazon Kindle’s privacy policy.

Open content directly



I aim for posts on this blog to be informative, educational and entertaining. If you have found this post useful or enjoyable, please consider making a contribution by Paypal:


Share on Social Media:
Sunday 26 May 2013

Mel Bossa’s Latest Book: In His Secret Life

By Amazon, Books & AuthorsNo Comments

Mel Bossa‘s latest book In His Secret Life arrived through the post. Look:

In His Secret Life Mel Bossa's New Book (Cover)

In His Secret Life Mel Bossa’s New Book (Cover)
In His Secret Life Mel Bossa's New Book (Signed)

In His Secret Life Mel Bossa’s New Book (Signed)

It was so kind of Mel Bossa to sign it and such a lovely message. I’m so excited, I can’t wait to read it!

Here’s what the story is about (from the cover):

When Allan’s boyfriend leaves him for a younger man, Allan lets him go without a grudge. When his sister, Elsie, gets pregnant and ditched, he becomes her support system and father figure to his niece.

Then Elsie becomes engaged to Dayton, and Allan meets Dayton’s older brother, Davinder—a fierce and exceptionally gifted artist with a thousand secrets breathing in his eyes. But Davinder is a married man and father of two young boys.

From the moment they meet, and for over four decades, Allan and Davinder will walk along the edge of their secret lives, never allowed to push open the gates. And though their love is a head-on collision, a meeting of the minds, a fusing of two lost souls, both men know that it is also, and above all…impossible.

I’ll write a review of In His Secret Life when I’ve read it, but knowing Mel Bossa it will be a brilliant and addictive read.

You can buy In His Secret Life by Mel Bossa on Amazon.

Blog soon,

Antony

Share on Social Media:
Monday 20 May 2013
×