Series Rec: C. J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake Mysteries

I'm partway through C.J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake Mysteries. They're set in England during Henry VIII's reign, and feature historical characters like Thomas Cromwell.

I'm loving these so far. Matthew Shardlake is a London lawyer who begins as an ardent Reformer but starts going through a crisis of faith as he sees that Cromwell is just as corrupt (and spilling just as much blood) as the Catholics in power before him.

Matthew solves murders with a loyal but uncouth rogue named Jack Barak, a patralineal descendant of converso Jews. Jack isn't much religious, but he has a sentimental (and potentially dangerous) attachment to his Jewish heritage.

I adore Jack and his relationship with Matthew. (Is it a bromantic friendship? More father-son? Maybe it's a bit of both.) Sadly, Jack doesn't come in till the second book, but the first one is worth reading anyway.

I love mysteries, history and religious issues, so these books are perfect for me. Overall, I think Sansom does a brilliant job of bringing the Tudor period to life. The mysteries themselves are so-so, but since I love the characters and setting, I'm ok with that.

My Goodreads Review of Dissolution: short and to the point!

My Goodreads Review of Dark Fire: more in depth!

My Goodreads Review of Sovereign: also in depth!

Book Review: Man Oh Man, Writing M/M for Cash and Kinks by Josh Lanyon

My Rating:

5 out of 5 stars

Book Blurb:

It can be more than just a dream...

To write the kind of stories that you love to read - that's what you really want. If only you knew how to get started. Help from someone who knows...

What you need is professional advice, help from someone who's been there, who can support you through the creative process, with the goal of writing for publication. What you need is Man, Oh Man. 

So, why this book? Why not one of the other "How to Write..." titles? Because everything in Man, Oh Man is geared to the M/M market and the M/M writer, to you and the genre that you love, whether you're an aspiring writer or you're already published. Lambda Award finalist Josh Lanyon takes you step-by-step through the writing process: from how to find fresh ideas and strong hooks, to how to submit your carefully edited manuscript. With help from the genre's top publishers, editors, reviewers, and writers-- experts in the field of M/M and gay romantic fiction--Lanyon offers insight and experience in everything from creating believable masculine characters to writing erotic and emotionally gratifying M/M sex scenes.

Indulge yourself and your dreams...

My Review:

Solid advice from Josh Lanyon, complete with insights from other authors and editors. I'll be reading this one again!

Book Rec: Writer's Guide to Character Traits

This book provides profiles of different personality types, such as the Adventurer, the Conformist, the Creator, the Flamboyant and the Manipulator. It also covers stuff like criminal styles and the traits associated with psychological disorders.

Profiles like this can lead to lazy and stereotypical characterization--but only, I think, if the writer in question is lazy. I'm not slavishly following these profiles, but I'm finding them helpful. I've got a character brewing right now who owes a good deal to both the Adventurer and the Manipulator . . .