Silk Screen Views put the call out for Reviewers and we’re getting some really great responses! We’ve landed some excellent people and decided to create a page to show them off. Let’s welcome the new members of our eclectic crew! I like to call them “the PT Crew” but the official page name is Guest Reviewers.
Emma Churchman: the Greedy Reader: I am mother to a teenage son, studied Business and Finance, and was a Library Officer until three years ago. I can’t say I always dreamt of being a writer. I didn’t. For as far back as I can remember, the magic of books me has always been in my role as a reader. It wasn’t until the landscape of my life dramatically changed that I put pen to paper and began writing the bare bones of a story. Before long, I was totally caught up in the hows and the whys and the whos. The story began to take shape, my characters breathed their first breaths, and I was changed. Two and a half years later I’ve written my first book. It’s a Young Adult novel, a mix of paranormal and history. So here I am, as a writer in training, bringing my thirty-la-la years of experience as a total book nerd and eight years of experience as a Library Officer with me to my new role as Guest Reviewer. I don’t have anything published yet, but it’s not about that right now. It’s about me sharing my love of books. I may not have dreamt of being a writer, but now I go to bed and dream about writing.
Books: My reading tastes vary wildly. As a child I loved The Water Babies, Roald Dahl and Judy Blume. In my twenties I read things like Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. I especially loved Memnoch The Devil. In my thirties I discovered YA books, like the Uglies and Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld, and began to appreciate that genre. Dean Koontz is one of my favourite authors but I also love curling up with one of my cats and reading about one of the Brothers from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. When I’m in the mood for heart-thumping adrenaline, throw me a Matthew Reilly or James Rollins for me to get my Action/Adventure story fix!
Note: Emma is a friend from Goodreads, an aspiring writer, and joined SSV in March 2013. ~ Review Initials: GRE
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Mark Matthews: Marathon Mark: I am a graduate of the University of Michigan. I’m a therapist and social worker who has worked in the behavioral health field for nearly 20 years, and I have been writing just as long. Stray is my first novel and based on experiences working in a treatment center with an animal shelter right next door within barking distance. My second novel, The Jade Rabbit, is about a Chinese adoptee and inspired by my love for marathoning. My third novel is coming out soon. It’s called On The Lips of Children and will be published by Books of the Dead Press. I am thrilled to be a Guest Reviewer for Silk Screen Views, despite that fact that I have long held distrust for any group who would accept someone like me for one of its members.
Books: Books have helped shaped my life. From the simple; Cars and Trucks and Things That Go (find Goldbug!) to Kafka, Twain, Thoreau, Kerouac, and my current Game of Thrones obsession. I read anything that makes me sit back and go “Wow!, Ahh! or Damn!” I usually like my fiction like my coffee; black, dark and fresh, and I like my characters dripping from the page.
Note: Mark is the “Token Male” of the group and joined SSV in April 2013. You can find more information about him and his work on his website. ~ Review Initials: GRM
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Olga Godim: Bookaholic Olga: I’m a writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada. I’ve been making up stories with magic and swords since I was very young but I only started writing professionally in the 21st century. Before that, I was a computer programmer. I’m a passionate reader since elementary school. Curling up on a sofa with a book has always been my favorite pastime. Since my children have flown the coop, I started to collect monkeys. I have over 300 monkey figurines in my collection. I enjoy reviewing books because I want to share my joy in reading with others.
Books: My favorite reading genres include traditional fantasy, romance, cozy mysteries, and lighter mainstream. Fantasy takes precedence in my reading as well as my writing. I like Fantasy because it takes me away from reality, into imaginary lands of magic, talking squirrels, noble warriors, and away from the drab everyday life. Some of my favorite authors are Sharon Shinn, Lois McMaster Bujold, Georgette Heyer and Dorothy Sayers.
Note: Olga is our resident Canadian and joined SSV in April 2013. You can find out more about Olga’s work by checking out her website or find her on Goodreads. ~ Review Initials = GRO
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Erica Dakin: Contrary Erica: I am an aspiring writer and closet linguist. I was born in the Netherlands and studied Slavonic Languages at Leiden University, but moved to England after I got my degree to live with my then-boyfriend-now-husband. During the day I bring in money with a bog-standard office job, at night I mull over scenes and character interactions in my novels. That’s when I’m not procrastinating with a strategy computer game or Diablo III. In my reviews I can be opinionated, but even if I wasn’t blown away by a book I will do my best to highlight positive aspects. My writing combines my love for both Fantasy and Romance, and my novels are a blend of the two, with some adventure thrown in. The Ritual and The Conspiracy have already been published, and The Coup will complete the Theft and Sorcery trilogy sometime in 2014.
Books: My favourite genres to read are Fantasy, Romance, Erotica and Science-Fiction, but I’ll read outside those genres if the mood takes me. Some of my favourite authors are Jack Vance, Terry Pratchett, Iain M Banks, Scott Lynch, Nora Roberts, Courtney Milan and Robin Hobb. If it’s epic and I can get lost in a different world, it’s my cup of tea! In any genre, dark, handsome heroes are a definite plus, because I’m a sucker for a pretty face.
Note: Erica is part deux of our PT Crew in the United Kingdoms and she joined SSV April 2013. You can find out more about Erica and her work at her website. ~ Review Initials = GRD
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