NOT A REVIEW OF MY WIFE’S LATEST BOOK

Medusa Uploaded by Emily Devenport (I usually call her the fabulous Emily Devenport, but in this case I should try to be a bit subdued) is great and you should read--and BUY it! Under normal circumstances I’d write a rave review saying that it’s the best science fiction novel it has been my pleasure to read in years, and other quotable bits of lavish praise, but  not I’m not going to do that. It wouldn’t be right.

You see, Emily Devenport (could I have gotten away with calling her fabulous?) is my wife. I love her madly. I can’t even pretend that I can be objective about anything about her.

But Medusa Uploaded is a real knockout. I would have enjoyed the holy hell out of it even if I weren’t sleeping with the author. I feel compelled to tell the world about it.

So screw it. I’m writing about it. To hell with objective criticism. (is criticism ever objective? Do I smell an oxymoron here?) I loved the book! I’m not playing critic--I’m acting as a cheerleader: YAY, EMILY! GO! GO! GO!

Sure, some of the pleasure I get is because I was there while she created it. When she had the dream that inspired the original novelette. I have long known her love of classical music and Japanese movies. Together we learned how people treat the “help” when we were making a precarious living as housekeepers/janitors. As she wrote it, it was my pleasure to read passages as she wrote them.

And now that Medusa Uploaded is published, and taking off, the pleasure just multiplies.

And why not? It soars off into unexplored territory, while at the same time capturing the joy of old-fashioned space opera. What more can you ask for in a science fiction novel?

If that all weren’t enough, she has turned in a sequel to the publisher. There will be more!

So, what are you waiting for? Buy Medusa Uploaded. Help make it a bestseller. Make the fabulous Emily Devenport happy.

It’ll make me happy, too. A rich wife can come in handy.

CHICANONAUTICA FACES UGLY THINGS FROM MEXICO

Chicanonautica, over at La Bloga, is all about Isaac Ezban's Cosas Feas.

Here's an example of his filmmaking:

Cosas Feas includes scene from this capitalist propaganda cartoon:

And this classic of adolescent agnst exploitation:

He's also a professional, who's done commercials:

HOW TO WRITE MINIMALIST REVIEWS

One thing you can do if you want to support writers is review their work. Some of you are intimidated by it, but we realize that you aren't professional writers. We don't need masterworks of literary criticism on Amazon and Goodreads, or even Facebook and Twitter. We need help spreading the word.

My advice is to go minimalist.

And minimalist may sound highfaluting, but it's just a way of saying keep it short and simple. And it doesn't have to be long. One liners are okay!

My novel Smoking Mirror Blues got a five-star (see, you don't even have to use words) masterpiece of this genre.

D.S. White simply quoted from the book:

She was supposed to be some kind of neomythical recombocultural chimera. Real sumato, as all the recombozos and recombozoettes say.

Then added:

"Classic Hogan has returned!"

Yes, it can be that easy. And fun, too.

Bad reviews, often done by malicious folks who want to drag down your ratings are often minimalist. My books have gotten “Save your money,” and “Terrible.” But they can be countered by more minimalist positive reviews.

Get creative. Use emojis if you want.

So, review away!

Right now I could use some for the new edition of Smoking Mirror Blues and my wife's Medusa Uploaded is just out.

It's a way to make writers happy.

CHICANONAUTICA SURVIVES ANOTHER CINCO DE MAYO IN TRUMPTOPIA

And you can read all about at Chicanonautica, over at La Bloga.

Remember, it's all about the Battle of Puebla:

They celebrate it differently in Mexico:

And it's mutating:

And going global:
 

MEDUSA UPLOADED AND ON SALE

My wife, the fabulous Emily Devenport's new novel, Medusa Uploaded is available, online, and in bookstores. It's about class warfare on a generation starship—perfect entertainment for our times. Go get it!

And while you'll out there, pick up the May/June 2018 Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. It's got a story by Emily, “10,432 Serial Killers (In Hell).”

Things are getting busy here at Hacienda Hogan.