book spotlight – Cynthia D. Griffin

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Book Series Review: Cradle By Will Wight

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

This next series I am reviewing is by far one of my absolute favorites. And I mean top five of all time favorites, favorites. Yeah, it’s that freaking good. This was another series that was recommended to me. It is similar to LitRPG, but without all the status updates and player progression information. From what I understand, this series called Cradle is a cultivation (I think that’s the word?) or progression book.

Anyways, the series follows the adventures of Lindon who grows up thinking he is unworthy to be a sacred artist, but that’s all he wants to become. His clan, and even his family doesn’t think he has the power to do it (and won’t help him either). He was born unsouled, and can never truly harness the powers of even a low level sacred artist. Lindon doesn’t accept this fate.

After a truly bizarre experience where he nearly dies, Lindon is given the opportunity to change his fate and become a powerful sacred artist. So he makes the decision to leave everything he has ever known behind to do just that. He also knows there’s a looming threat to his clan and family sometime in the far future, and he’s determined to become the best sacred artist he can, so he can stop it.

On his journey, he meets Yerin and Eithan, who are also dedicated to advancing through the stages of sacred artist as fast as possible. And so the three of them race against an unknown clock as they advance, and face surmounting enemies and devastating monsters.

This series has a very martial arts feel to it that reminds me of a kung fu movie, but it certainly has it’s own and unique world. Will Wight really makes the characters and story come to life with his lovely descriptions and well thought out storyline. He had me hooked from the very beginning of book one.

Right now, there are ten books in the series. The titles are…

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Discovering a New Perspective: The Four Agreements

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Cynthia D. Griffin

My life has recently gone through some major changes (very good changes), and will be going through more in the near future. A large contributing factor of that is a change of perspective that I have gradually come to. I believe this has happened through many avenues that has taken a long time to evolve, which has been a slow, painful, yet enlightening path. Even though it has been slow coming up out of the mire of negativity that I had been entombed in, there have been a few key pieces that when snapped into place have catapulted me into a faster evolution. One of these key pieces was reading this fascinating book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

I purchased this book on a high recommendation of a friend. I took it with me last spring when my husband and I got away for a week in a cozy cabin in the mountains. One of the things I really enjoyed doing on that trip was cuddling up near the fireplace and reading. While I did bring another book to read as well, this was my book of choice. It fascinated me and stretched my mind in such a way that I simply could not put it down.

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Plotting Your Novel by Writing from the Middle

Posted on July 28, 2017July 12, 2019 by Cynthia D. Griffin

As a writer, I am always learning. I think that’s what I love most about writing––the learning never stops. I am either learning something new about myself and writing as I write, or I stumble across new information as I am looking to learn more about writing. This time it was the latter. Recently on Twitter, I ran across a book recommendation for plotting that I loved so much I had to share it here.

Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between by James Scott Bell is must read for anyone serious about writing. This book goes into detail about why writers should start from the middle of a story instead of the beginning or end (who would of thought!). And how finding a character’s “mirror moment” is essential to true character development.

I definitely believe character development is a key element in a story. The more a reader can relate with a character and feel for a character’s journey, the better the book becomes. And this method certainly will help with that!

This book also helped me realize that I’m a Tweener (I always thought myself a straight up Pantser). I do love writing by the seat of my pants. That’s how I get some of my best ideas, but I also know where I’m writing too as well. I have a loose idea of events I need to reach and about where I need those events to happen. Also, I find already knowing my ending is a necessity to writing, even if I don’t know specifics. Just having a good idea of where I need to stop gives me a clear goal to reach for. But after reading Bell’s book I have an even better way to approach my writing. Start in the middle and Pants my way to the beginning and end. I’ll still have those events and goal posts to reach, but I think it will be far easier to get there knowing exactly what the character’s journey should entail.

And you know this book couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I’ve become somewhat stalled on writing the first draft of my second novel. I think this technique will get things churning quite nicely. Thanks Bell. 🙂