Sotto Voce's Blog, page 3

I’ve just tidied up some of my book collection, reminiscingthe days I bought them home and devoured them. However, just like any othernormal sensical reader out there, there are many that I haven’t read yet.

When words started to get blurry, and I had to get my firstglasses, I gradually enjoyed reading and other meticulous hobbies less. Ithought that was the price of growing old. When I breathed and sprained amuscle instead of being immortal when I was young, I thought that was the price...

What I like the most aboutthis book is the earlier few chapters. The reality is gripping, and I feel forthe character. The fear of growing old, getting out of the familiar and comfortzone, and watching something she has built over decades crumbling down. It'sheartbreaking to see the indifference when someone closest to her slowlybecomes a stranger, especially when she has given him her best younger years.

The almost drama-freeseparation also works well, and I can see it happening betw...

When I was young, I read How to Win Friends and InfluencePeople by Dale Carnegie. To be honest, I barely remember what I read now, andI'm not sure it would work the same now that it has been almost three decadeslater. Still, I can safely say I learned several things from it, mainly becausethere are concrete ways to implement the strategies in realistic situations,not merely theories.

Personally, this book is exhausting to read. The points arerepetitive, and it almost feels like, for each...

Rounded up from 4.5

This book is a collection of short stories, full ofimagination and creativity. One can jump from one story to another and beamazed at how the characters and world have changed. Some endings are abrupt,but that is the charm of short stories. Some leave us wanting more, while therest feel incomplete.

Some elements made me chuckle, like how the author pokes atmany questionable things in our current society. For example, the absurdity ofsocial media that continues to ex...

One day, I got a follower on Twitter. Whenever I getfollowers, I check them out, and if they look genuine, I follow back. Sadly,those sexy profiles who are calling me sexy are bots. I know that because Ican’t be that sexy.

Anyway, this one is from an author. I created Twitter tomarket my book. Obviously, I fail to do that because I don’t want to floodothers’ feeds with unsolicited advertisements. I only mention my books when itfeels natural and fits into the topic, which is not often. F...

3.5 out of 5

I was hoping to read some deeper character developments orimprovements to the main storyline; after all, this is the fifth book I haveread in the series. However, everyone remains the same, and the plot remainsthe same: little mentions about the characters’ school lives, sucked into theblack hole radio, meeting alien species, bad ugly, good cute, and characters dosome elaborate things to save the oppressed aliens, all the while barely haveany sense of danger or worries, and ...

I guess I forgot to update here, so I will consolidate my posts into one.

One and a half months ago, after going back and forth, getting my hope up and down and delays because of my own problem, it was confirmed that my dog Locky had to be operated to remove tumors on his head and below his left eye. We were worried about the one in the head because it was growing, and the size was significant. Tumor, as scary as it sounds, is the term given for every unusual growth; it could be benign or maligna...

Something terrifying is happening to me right now: my booksales have been flatlining for quite a while. I have no one to blame but myselfbecause I suck in getting them out there. I'm not a fan of advertisements, so Ialso don't wish to subject others to advertisements about my books, and thatearned me virtual smacks from several online acquaintances who tried their bestnot to yell at me, "How do you sell anything if you never tellanyone?"

Okay, I tell people through this newsletter. I am ...

This is not Locky trying to be spooky. He just tested if he was big enough to cover my TV (15inch monitor). Why do other things when you have a dog, right?

It’s October. I don’t celebrate Halloween, it’s notsomething common where I am. Yes, the cinemas here are populated by horrormovies, but that is common all year round. What’s up with that? I guess themarket is good, and most probably, horror movies require smaller budgets. Makeeverything dark, there are many settings that already look scar...

It has been a while. I was away for a family reunion and hadan unexpected health issue that required hospitalization, but it’s all wellnow.

Before they knew what to do with me, I was put in a big roomand wheeled here and there with many other patients. The room was full, filledwith beds in every corner; some were even put in the middle. We never stayed inthe same spot, they would take us to the X-ray room, Ultrasound, blood test,this corner for picture taking, and other corners for ques...