Six out of Five Stars for Testing the Prisoner!

This, ladies and gents, is the kind of book review that every writer dreams about. Thank you to fellow writer Carson Buckingham for giving Testing the Prisoner 6 out of 5 stars on the horror review site, Hellnotes.

“…Testing the Prisoner is so much more brilliant than just a terrific piece of fiction. It’s about the crossroads that we all eventually end up at and the decisions we make when we get there. The book takes an old trope and imbues it with complexity and new life… The character development is masterfully done, with character growth of not only the protagonist, but almost every single character in the story…”

Click here for the full review.

Testing the Prisoner by Phil Giunta

About This Writing Stuff…

This month, Philip Athans explores the concept of originality in fiction while Chris Winkle shows us how we can effectively suspend disbelief in our readers.

Kristen Lamb explains the benefits of book reviews to an author’s career (seriously, I could always use more!) while Garry Rogers illustrates how the Feynman Learning Technique can help us with plotting.

At Writer Unboxed, the inimitable Kathryn Craft delves into vulnerability while Desmond Hall discusses suspense at the story and sentence level.

All that and much more. Enjoy!

How to Write a Ghost Story by Amy Holland

Desmond Drops: Suspense from the Beginning, Suspense in the Middle, and Suspense at the Sentence Level by Desmond Hall

How to Plan a Successful Book Launch in 10 Steps by Geri Mileva

The Importance of Tone in Writing by Anne R. Allen

On “On Originality” by Haruki Murakami by Philip Athans

7 Ways to Access Vulnerability by Kathryn Craft

“Can’t Put the Book Down” by Dale Ivan Smith

Plot Your Story Using the Feynman Learning Technique by Garry Rodgers

Book Reviews: Why They Matter So Much by Kristen Lamb

Audiences Don’t Suspend Disbelief – We Do it for Them by Chris Winkle

Print-on-Demand Publishing? KDF vs IngramSpark: One Author’s Experience by Paul Benjamin

NEA Finds Worrying Drop in Reading Participation by Jim Milliot

How Has Big Publishing Changed American Fiction? by Kevin Lozano

Testing the Prisoner is a 2023 American Book Fest FINALIST!

Best Book Award Finalist LogoI’m excited to announce that my novel, Testing the Prisoner, was a finalist in American Book Fest’s 2023 Best Book Awards in the Horror category!
Testing the Prisoner print promoI wrote this book to increase awareness and prevention of child abuse and domestic violence. After all, the best fiction tackles difficult and often uncomfortable social issues. It’s nice to see some recognition at this level. Not too shabby! I have the book out in one other contest but won’t hear the results until March.
 Testing the Prisoner wins Finalist in 2023 Best Book Awards