Notes on the Oxford Comma

Notes on the Oxford comma:

While reading my 'news' feed on Facebook, I cam across the picture below for about the millionth time.  I decided to respond.

1.  It's possible to write lists in such a way that it's not necessary.

Or you could say: We invited Washington, Lincoln and the rhinoceri.

2.  Sentences are understandable without it due to the fact that readers are accustomed to reading without it, thereby making making the rule unnecessary.

3.  I do not use the Oxford comma in my writing.  In 1 million published words, I haven't received a single comment saying something along the lines of, "I can only give this book 1 star due to the fact that there was no Oxford comma, leading me to unresolvable confusion."

All that said, everyone should write in the manner that works for them. The key is to understand the rules and make the writing understandable to as many people as possible.

And I will concede that it may be better to use the Oxford Comma than not.



All my best,

John H. Carroll

International Apple Book Bundle Promotion features "Wings of Fantasy"

So as you may or may not have noticed, I put together a box set a couple of weeks ago. What I couldn't tell you at the time, was that it was to be featured in a special promotion on Apple iTunes store, right as the iPhone 6 and iOS8 (which now includes iBooks as a standard feature) are being released. Here's the Smashwords link: http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/09/ibooks-launches-worldwide-book-bundles.html

A screenshot of it, there at the bottom right of the second row. :)

If you don't have it already, here is the link to the book on iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wings-of-fantasy/id913427017?mt=11

The compilation features great fantasy books by myself, M. A. Nilles, Stephen L. Nowland, and E.M. Sinclair.  I highly recommend checking it and many of the others out.  There's a feast of stories in all of these compilations. :)

All my best,

John H. Carroll

Wings of Fantasy, A Box Set of Fantasy Books

Recently, it was suggested that I put together a compilation of books together.  After thinking about a number of the authors I knew and considering what sort of theme I could come up with, an idea came to me.  That idea grew wings, wings of fantasy . . . and that's the name of the book I came up with, Wings of Fantasy. 

The theme of the book is winged creatures in fantasy: dragons, fairies, monsters and even a city with wings.  The genre is fantasy with full length books and a couple of smaller stories from Indie Authors who have been self-publishing their books for the last few years. 

Each of these authors, myself included, has written and published a number of books that have caught the attention of readers worldwide.  I invite you to explore the Wings of Fantasy and find exciting authors to discover.

Apple

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo  

Wings of Fantasy is a compilation of books written by four of the Indie World’s brightest upcoming fantasy authors. Let your imagination soar as you read extraordinary stories of dragons and other fantastic creatures of myth and magic.

Rojuun, a novel by John H. Carroll
Book 1 of The Willden Trilogy. Rumors are spreading about a new race called Rojuun. They appeared from the depths of the mountains eight hundred years ago with the intention of taking over the world. Tathan of the Shadows has been charged with learning more about them. However, he must learn more about his very unusual companions before he can succeed.

Fireblood, a novel by M. A. Nilles
Magic is everything to a priest or priestess, inherited by the descendants of the Creators. Over time, Ayali's abilities have weakened, threatening to expose her tribe to the power of the darkness befalling their lands. Beneath the pressures of her family and tribe, Ayali turns down a dark path. She must face the shadows within her before it consumes their world and destroys her life.

Nature Abhors a Vacuum, a novel by Stephen L. Nowland
Aiden Wainwright was the son of a wagon maker in a small country town where nothing interesting ever happened, until a chance encounter with a strange relic changed him forever. His resourcefulness and courage are put to the test when he travels to a nearby town and finds the place on the brink of disaster. Aiden must marshal his limited resources to aid the town and uncover the villains.

Soul Bonds, a novel by E.M. Sinclair
A young slave girl flees from the Lord who owns her, choosing to die in the mountains rather than become one of his 'pretties'. When that death seems all too likely, she is found by one of the Dragon Kindred and Tika's life takes a twist she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams - or her worst nightmares.



Those are the books that you will find in Wings of Fantasy.  I hope they fly you to fantastic new worlds that expand your mind and tickle your imagination.

All my best,

John H. Carroll