Category: Writing

Review – Bookshops & Bonedust

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Bookshops & Bonedust is sold as cosy fantasy, and it delivers on its promise. A standalone prequel to Legends & Lattes, it focuses on Viv the orc at the beginning of her career as a mercenary. She is keen to fight, but a wound forces her to take a reluctant break to recuperate in the quiet town of Murk. She ends up spending most of her time in a bookshop, and after awkwardly accepting a book recommendation from the owner she finds herself increasingly invested in the shop’s fortunes.

There are two levels of plot tension in the book. The overall grand tension is technically the threat to the town from a necromancer. However, the everyday tension that takes most of Viv’s attention is the struggle to keep the bookshop afloat with her friends. Likewise, we see two distinct sides to Viv’s character – the keen mercenary and the gentler shopkeeper. It is made clear throughout that young Viv will go back to being a mercenary once healed, but it also sows the seeds for her eventual retirement from that life when she opens Legends & Lattes. It is also made clear that both sides bring valuable skills that make a whole person – sometimes needing to be headstrong, and sometimes choosing to be more thoughtful.

This book is charming, with a small cast of predominantly female characters and a very gentle ff romance. The extracts from fictional books do feel a bit self-indulgent at times, but I found that very forgivable. There is a slightly bittersweet tone that comes with the time limit of Viv’s stay in the town, but there is also a warmth in the way she finds meaning and friendship despite the fact she won’t be staying. It’s an enjoyable book full of little details, and it compliments Legends and Lattes extremely well.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,



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Gunslinging Robots and Other News

I have another article up on Ferretbrain – What Kind of Park *is* This, a review of the film Westworld.

Once Upon an Apocalypse passed on my submission, although it got into the final ten in the slush pile. May have to retire that story for a little while, as fairytale/zombie mashups aren’t to everyone’s taste.

My At Year’s End sub is through the first hurdle and apparently with a panel of readers. Fingers crossed 🙂

Also, I’m sucking at NaNoWriMo this year.

Fly, My Pretties, Fly

Stories and poems currently loose in the wild:

One story to Once Upon an Apocalypse. Latest Facebook update says that unrejected stories have been shortlisted, so I’m crossing my fingers.

One Story to At Year’s End: SFF Holiday Stories – this market is open until 2nd November if you’d like a bit of the action.

One story to Le Carnival Grotesqe.

One poem to Mslexia – this market is always open to woman writers, so check the website if you’d like to submit.

Anthology – Ghost Stories Western Style II

Dorothy Davies has accepted my short story Revenge and the Railway Dead for her anthology Ghost Stories Western Style II. 

Also, I recently received the proof for Conquest Through Determination. There are some damn good stories in there.

Anthology – Conquest Through Determination

I just had my short story Sternum Flint’s Mechanical Heart accepted into the steampunk anthology Conquest Through Determination, edited by Miles Boothe and Deana Roberts.

For just 3000 words, it took me a ridiculously long time to write. Still, I rather like the title.

Also, I’ve been going back and forth on what byline to use – Sonia or Son. I’m thinking it’s going to be Son from now on. Sonia Mitchell is just too much of a mouthful, and it probably won’t hurt to have a mildly androgynous name.
Besides, everyone calls me Son these days. It’s easier to draw out into Soooonnnnnnn….? when they want something.

Anthology – Weird City 3

Weird City 3, an urban fantasy anthology edited by George Wilhite, is currently awaiting editing. I’ll have a 3500 word story in there called The Archester Minotaurs. It’s another vampire one, with some minotaurs thrown in for good measure.

I don’t think there are enough minotaur stories around.