Comics and More

These are my favorite comics of 2015, including manga, superheroes, graphic novels, reprints, etc. I try to be as true to how I feel about a book as possible when ranking them, which is why it may seem odd for some to see a superhero title hardly anyone read rank over an acclaimed graphic novel. If I enjoyed my experience of reading it more, it was placed higher on my list. These are my favorite twenty comics of the year. I hope you enjoy my list, and hopefully check out some books that may have eluded you. Honorable Mentions Baba Yaga's Assistant ( Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll ) Harrow County ( Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook ) Junji Ito's Cat Diaries: Yon and Mu ( Junji Ito ) One-Punch Man ( ONE and Yusuke Murata ) Princess Ugg ( Ted Naifeh ) 20. The Legend of Zelda: A Link To the Past ( Shotaro Ishinomori ) - I subscribed to Nintendo Power growing up, so I have fond memories of the comics that ran in the magazine, including this classic from master Shota...

Check out a Q&A session I had with Library Journal here , where I discuss Yokai , the inspiration for my works and self-publishing.

YA may have blown up over the past decade, but it used to be a small section of bookstores.  In the early nineties, it consisted mostly of "teen thrillers," which mostly featured dark mysteries and serial killers, although there was some supernatural fare as well.  The authors of those days were ahead of their time and built an audience in teenagers, and paved the way for the YA that is beloved by so many today. Many YA writers were established in other genres before venturing into YA, but used pseudonyms.  An adult romance author, for example, would clearly want to distance herself from horror novels aimed at teenagers, and could adopt a different pen name to do so.  Sometimes, the reasons behind pseudonyms aren't so obvious. YA Pioneers Nicholas Adams is a curious case.  It's actually a pen name that was created by Daniel Weiss Associates that was used by several authors to write teen thrillers during the 90's.  Clay Coleman w...

The following are my favorite songs and albums of 2015, a fantastic year in music. 10 Best Albums of 2015 1. Till It's All Forgotten by Farao - This folk-pop album is stunning.  Farao isn't afraid to experiment with sound, and the result is a slew of mesmerizing melodies that hypnotize your senses and make you feel the music. Key Tracks: Hunter, Warriors , Silence 2. Liberman by Vanessa Carlton - Deceptively simple, Carlton's sound draws you in with its haunting melodies, strings and piano.  The sound is refined, sophisticated and ultimately, makes you want to put this on repeat. Key Tracks: Take It Easy, House of Seven Swords, Operator 3. The Desired Effect by Brandon Flowers - A love letter to 80's music, Flowers has devised an album full of catchy pop sounds that dare you to sing along.  Full of energy and life. Key Tracks: Can't Deny My Love, I Can Change , Between Me and You 4. Delirium by Ellie Goulding - Goulding's raspy voi...