Bouquet Island

Rating:
Summary: Writer's Digest Certificate of Merit Award
Review: The following comments about Bouquet Island were taken from material sent to the author by panel members of Writer's Digest Magazine's recent 2000 Self Published Books Awards program which judged all submissions: "This book really starts off with a big event and a crisis of sorts. Wow, that's definitely the way to grab a reader and pull them in. I was hooked after the first scenes in the book, and stayed up late to finish the book. You have a good sense of pacing in your work You let the suspense build, and then let it down a bit, and then build it up some more. That's what is needed when writing this type of book - that I considered a cross between Sci-fi and fantasy. You want something that the reader just can't put down.I think one of the most difficult thing to do in certain fantasy works is to create a different world that the characters share. With other genres, the known world is a given, and doesn't need much explanation. But an alien world - especially one under the sea -- must have rules, and landscape and a million details that need to be worked into the text without bringing the action to a halt. I think you did a good job of that. Using the main character as someone who is not of that world helps to show events and the strange places through his eyes. I like the way that you managed to bring in some political aspects by the mention of the environment, etc. You made some good points without being preachy."

Rating:
Summary: Writers Digest "Certificate of Merit" award
Review: The following is taken from material accompanying the recently completed Writers Digest Magazines 2000 Self Published Award Books program which was forwarded to the author: "The book really starts with a big event. Wow, that's definitely the way to grab a reader and pull them in. I was hooked after the first scenes in the book, and stayed up late to finish the book. You have a good sense of pacing in your work. You let the suspense build, and then let it down a bit, and then build it up some more. That's what is needed when writing this type of book - that I considered a cross between sci-fi and fantasy. You want somethat the reader just can't put down. I think one of the most difficult things to do in certain fantasy works is to create a different world that the characters share. With other genres, the known world is a given, and doesn't need much explanation. But an alien world -- especially one under the sea -- must have rules and landscape and a million details that need to be worked into the text without bringing the action to a halt. I think you did a good job of that. Using the main character as someone who is not of that world helps to show events and the strange places through his eyes. I liked the way you managed to bring in some political aspects by the mention of the environment, etc. You made some good points without being too preachy."