The Z-Axis

Author Interview: Matthew Wayne Selznick

By: Amira K. January 8, 2014January 8, 2014

Interviewbooks, comic books, Matthew Wayne Selznick, reading, science fiction, Spider-Man, superheroes, writing3 Comments

Please welcome Matthew Wayne Selznick to the Z-Axis. Matt is an author, creator, and creative services provider living in Long Beach, California. He’s the creator of the popular Sovereign Era storyworld, the free fantasy serial Walk Like A Stranger: Passing Through Home, and Reading The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One, among many other books, short stories,…

In Memoriam

By: Amira K. January 7, 2014

Musingsdepression, in memoriam, regrets, suicide8 Comments

This draft has been floating around for about nine months. I’m not sure, even now, that I’m making the right decision by publishing it. It’s raw and it’s painful and there’s no right way for me to say the things I want to say. This may even be offensive or hurtful to some. I don’t…

Working Title: Porous, Chapter 1

By: Amira K. January 6, 2014January 5, 2014

Compositionsblog serial, creative writing, dark fiction, fantasy, fiction, fire, paranormal, Porous, reincarnation, serialization21 Comments

This is the first chapter of the story that resulted from all the amazing feedback I got from the prompt I posted on Friday. I’d love for you to read it and tell me what you think. Immolation Petrol. Chemical. The sweet scent of gasoline that burns the back of your throat. Slick on my…

It’s My Birthday!

By: Amira K. January 3, 2014

Compositions, Musings35 Comments

Today, January 3, I, Amira K. Makansi, am 25 years old. A quarter of a century. When I was born the Berlin Wall was still around, the Internet hadn’t been ‘invented’, and ‘smartphone was a nonsensical word. Now I’m twenty-five, thinking about history and wondering where I will be in another twenty-five years. Birthdays are…

Blog Awards, Or, Those Whom I Love

By: Amira K. January 2, 2014

Musingsblog awards, blogging, friends, Sunshine award, Wordpress family award, words, writing2 Comments

A great way to ring in 2014 – my good friend Nillu has just nominated me for a blogging award called the “WordPress Family Award”! I have no idea what this means, but I guess I’m in some sort of family now, and I’ve inspired at least one person with all these words I type.…

2014: Looking Forward As A Writer

By: Amira K. January 2, 2014December 28, 2013

Musings2014, New Year, New Year's Resolutions, reading, resolutions, writing6 Comments

Talking to Carol Cooper yesterday about resolutions for the New Year got me thinking about my own. I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, but this past year was full of so much promise, so much untapped potential, that I feel like now is a good time to focus on self-improvement to turn that potential…

Writer Wednesday: Interview With Dr. Carol Cooper

By: Amira K. January 1, 2014January 1, 2014

Musings5 Comments

Meet Carol Cooper, doctor, journalist, and most recently, novelist. Her debut novel One Night at the Jacaranda is about dating but has darker undercurrents. Carol has also authored a string of non-fiction titles on health and parenting. She works as a family doctor in London and is a journalist for The Sun, the biggest-selling newspaper in the United Kingdom.…

2013: Year In Review as a Reader

By: Amira K. December 31, 2013December 31, 2013

Book Review, Musings2013, Best Books of 2013, year in review4 Comments

Here I’d like to remark briefly on the past year in reading. In a few days I’ll post a list of New Year’s resolutions for my writing, but in this post I’m focusing on my favorite books of the year. I’m happy to share this list with the blogosphere, but this is meant as an…

Book Review: “Hunger” By Knut Hamsun

By: Amira K. December 30, 2013June 7, 2018

Book Reviewdepression, fiction, Hunger, introspection, Knut Hamsun, literature, Norway, Norwegian, philosophy, psychology2 Comments

I’ve been trying to add more quote-unquote literature to my repertoire of finished books. When I was a child I hated reading anything set in the real world. I found books without magic or elves or talking animals to be unbearably boring, and I had no desire to read anything that had any sort of…

2013 — A Great Year to be a Reader

By: Amira K. December 28, 2013December 27, 2013

Guest Post, Publishing, The Seeds Trilogy2013, Brandon Sanderson, fiction, Hugh Howey, K. Makansi, publishing, reblog, science fiction, The Sowing, Will Swardstrom, Wool2 Comments

Wow! It’s seriously a thrill to see The Sowing included on a list like this. I can’t believe I’m seeing my name alongside names like Hugh Howey and Brandon Sanderson. Thanks to Will Swardstrom for including me, and for taking a chance on The Sowing. I can’t wait to check out his work in 2014.…