Location: United States
Member Since:
March 04, 2014
1 reader has added this author as a 'Favorite Author'.
J Lenni Dorner
Biography
J is best know for the Existence series. Book one is titled Fractions of Existence.
While embracing the ancient tribal traditions, J Lenni Dorner learned a legend originated by The Grandfathers.
In May 2016, J became a member of the Operation Awesome Team, running the Debut Author Spotlight on Wednesdays. Blogging from A to Z #AtoZchallenge co-host as of 2017.
J weaves fantasy with lore to unhinge your mind.
This speculative fiction and reference author is happily married and living in Pennsylvania (USA) on the original lands of the Lenni-Lenape people. When not reading or writing, J enjoys video games, funny cat videos, finding drawings of dragons on Pinterest, and watching movies.
While embracing the ancient tribal traditions, J Lenni Dorner learned a legend originated by The Grandfathers.
In May 2016, J became a member of the Operation Awesome Team, running the Debut Author Spotlight on Wednesdays. Blogging from A to Z #AtoZchallenge co-host as of 2017.
J weaves fantasy with lore to unhinge your mind.
This speculative fiction and reference author is happily married and living in Pennsylvania (USA) on the original lands of the Lenni-Lenape people. When not reading or writing, J enjoys video games, funny cat videos, finding drawings of dragons on Pinterest, and watching movies.
Smashwords Interview
Where to find J Lenni Dorner online
Website: https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/p/what-are-they.html
Twitter: @JLenniDorner
Facebook: Facebook profile
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-lenni-dorner-48544243/
Blog: https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @JLenniDorner
Facebook: Facebook profile
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-lenni-dorner-48544243/
Blog: https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/
Books
Lumber Of The Kuweakunks
by J Lenni Dorner
You set the price!
Words: 4,580.
Language:
American English.
Published: April 11, 2020
.
Categories:
Fiction » Fantasy » Short stories, Fiction » Mystery & detective » Short Stories
(4.00 from 1 review)
Children are missing. One minute they were in class, the next they had vanished. They aren't the first people to disappear from the area. Hokus Wood has a mythical secret. A history lesson might be the key to getting the children back.
Writing Book Reviews As An Author
by J Lenni Dorner
Price:
$0.99 USD.
Words: 16,350.
Language:
English.
Published: March 26, 2019
.
Categories:
Nonfiction » Literary criticism » Books & Reading, Nonfiction » Reference » Writing skills
This book aims to provide inspiration to encourage people to write more book reviews. It is written for authors, though any reader can benefit.
Preparing to Write Settings That Feel Like Characters
by J Lenni Dorner
Price:
$0.99 USD.
Words: 7,630.
Language:
American English.
Published: March 25, 2015
.
Categories:
Nonfiction » Reference » Writing skills
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
This reference guide is a tool to help you organize your thoughts and ideas to obtain the goal of making a setting that feels like a character. The Setting Character Sketch (to copy and use with the book) is on the blog of J Lenni Dorner.
J Lenni Dorner's tag cloud
author advice
characters
characters fiction writing
characters for novels
criticism
literarature
myth legend
nativeamerican
reference
review
review a book
review book
review guide
review writing
setting contributes to the drama
setting feels like a character
settings
speculative
tribal fantasy
writing a book
writing craft
writing skills
J Lenni Dorner's favorite authors on Smashwords
L.G. Keltner
Latest book:
Adam's Apple and the Infinite Regress.
Published February 23, 2017. (3.00 from 2 reviews)
Published February 23, 2017. (3.00 from 2 reviews)
Smashwords book reviews by J Lenni Dorner
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Smashwords Style Guide
on April 08, 2015
My assistant and I, both winners of NaNoWriMo 2015, recently downloaded our discount copies of Scrivener. I signed up for an hour long online course on how to use this, and ended up buying into the learnscrivenerfast.com course of Joseph Michael. I thought I had followed along. I thought my book was formatted correctly for Smashwords. I WAS WRONG. (I got an error about my table. I don’t even have a table in my book!) This book by Mark is what saved me. On the first attempt, I tried just the instructions that come after nuclear. Nope. Waste of five hours of my life. But on the second go-round (yes, I read this book twice in 24 hours), I went step-by-step, starting with the Nuclear Method. About three hours later, I was able to proudly call my book PUBLISHED. Booyah. Thank you, Mark Coker.
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Write Good or Die
on April 08, 2015
Scott Nicholson has created an excellent compilation of the blogged advice of himself and other several published authors. Cut down your research “how-to-write-better” time by reading this book. It starts with a hilarious and visionary comparison of the craft of writing to the effort of Olympians. Then there’s the comfort that writing gets better with practice. There’s the A to Z of the industry. The book hits on the harsh realities that come after finding an agent or publishing, and tells you how to get there. By chapter 31, it’s clear that this book is aimed at indie authors who are ready to succeed with pride. Chapter 33 does have a link to a site that doesn’t exist. Searching leads to a blog post from Feb 2012 that says it’s “coming soon,” a Goodreads group that hasn’t posted since 2012, and a rarely used Twitter hashtag. Overall, this is a very good book, and I recommend that new writers take the time to read it.
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Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities
on April 24, 2015
Very imaginative. There are some good jokes. (Ricky Rocky... ha! And the abs, omg.) And "drop me off on the way" is an ominous and brilliant line. Gotta watch out for that Aunty Ida! That last story-- I think several writers wish for readers that dedicated to our words. It has a great deal of dialog. There are some fun twists. It's very fast paced (I read the whole book in half an hour.)
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The Imaginary Friend
on May 11, 2015
A short read well suited for younger readers. It's a story that will assure children that it is okay to come out of their shell and grow-up. This seems aimed at comforting the reader in knowing that imaginary friends left behind will be all right. That they are here to do a job and will move on to do another when it's time.
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Friends and Lovers
on June 03, 2016
A good short story that shows how much one bold statement, one brave moment, can change a life. Believable characters. Good flow. Well-written and easy to read.
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Cosmic Seasoning: A Collection of Short Stories
on Dec. 29, 2016
This collection of speculative fiction stories was very fun to read. I enjoyed the “Polite Letter of Complaint” with the line: I would never insult such a rotund, mentally-deficient, greedy despot such as yourself. There are some news-relevant, deep stories mixed in with the humor and good times. “Emissary,” for example: How could I help how I was born? I didn’t make the choice to come into the world. And “A Politician Tell the Truth Before Armageddon” has the classic line: So yes, I do in fact believe that you’re all suckers for electing me. I think “Lux in Tenebris, Rendition #7,620” was my favorite story of the bunch.
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Runaway
on May 08, 2017
I read the book three times (in my quest for the secret scene). I enjoyed all three read-throughs. There is a good amount of suspense, making it more like a mystery-thriller, in several of the choices. It’s easy enough to believe that this could be real; that the characters could exist, as could the scenarios. Runaway was as fun to read as every other choose-your-adventure book I’ve picked up. It might be hardcore, it might be softcore, there are some HEA and some not, or it might just be a suspense with some romance… the reader decides. I read erotica when it is written by someone I know or recommended to me. (This book was a recommendation.) I was pleasantly surprised by how fun this was to read. Perhaps because I was able to decide her fate. The only problem I had was that I didn’t get that secret bonus scene on the first read, so I had to go back! Okay, that’s not a bad problem to have, and speaks more to my stubborn determination. It was a fun journey.
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It's Illegal, but It's Okay
on Sep. 25, 2017
The author states in the introduction that "the people who lived in New York could be so rude sometimes even when they were trying to be polite." Which, I feel, is an accurate summary with which anyone who has spent more than a week's time in NYC will agree. Fagner faces various problems while living illegally in NYC. His downward spiral into crime is presented with varying degrees of humor as the play goes on. There are so many social issues brought up in this that it's difficult to keep track. An excellent philosophical discussion could (and should) be held after concluding this. The second character, a color-blind man from Iran named Oman, is a Catholic Republican who doesn't look or sound like a "white American," which is the source of most of his problems in the script. Anyone who has ever been mistaken for a culture, nationality, religion, or such to which they do not belong will easily relate. That's what I enjoyed about this.
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LVPANaNo Presents: A NOVEL WRITING HANDOUT
on Oct. 25, 2018
This free guide is provided by my local writers' group. It's full of fun tips, an excellent "unstucker" to fight writer's block, websites, and other writing resources. It took a small village to put this together. All in the name of helping people write more books. I found it to be very useful and well presented.
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Exploration: An Erotic Novel
on June 03, 2020
This book is written by one of my "favorite people that I've never met," J.R. Vincente, a fellow A to Z Challenge co-host. I bought a copy from Smashwords the day it came out because I enjoyed her Runaway book. Exploration was a good book. I enjoyed that it it's set in a post-apocalyptic future. It gives the characters a different set of "rules" and "morals" to play by, and gave my mind a chance to ponder possibilities. (So many of which I hope will come up in book two.) Mara, the main character, comes of age. Everyone takes vitamins, and those not of age have a vitamin that prevents sexual desires. So this future society has totally ended teen pregnancy, child molestation, and it seems to heavily imply they've even put a stop to non-consensual sex in all forms, including rape and forced marriages. I'd love for Mara to learn more about that, but it isn't the focus. The story is about all of her firsts, because she is assigned a job as the colony's new porn star (which she consents to). The tension comes from a guy she grew up with, a friend, who now that they're off the suppression vitamins, is interested in her. He is sent away for most of the book, and she only occasionally thinks about him. She's more focused on her career, which is having sexual firsts. They're making porn videos so others who come of age know what to expect. As of book one, what to expect is just sex. No romantic connection, no seduction, no dating and debating how long to wait between anything. Just pick a guy from a list and he shows up and they go at it, pausing only to verify consent is still given. Mara questions if she's just a job to the two guys she has sex with in this book; in both cases, that is how it started out. She feels lucky to learn about sex from people who are very experienced. Mara also pauses to reflect for a brief moment on the fact that it would have been fun to explore with James, who equally lacked experience. She's now the experienced one, so they'll never have all of these first together. (I'd honestly like to see a book three where they make a video for the guys. And one for others, because the book does mention they have the whole range genders and the whole LGBTQIA+ experience. This could easily be an entire series with different characters taking Mara's roll. Maybe she'll become a director? Maybe we'll find out that she's the one writing this, fictional speaking, and it's a call to those looking at a career path like her own? Very exciting possibilities. I'm also pretty sure they've only offered her male partners so far, so I'm curious as to if that will change in the next book. Maybe Jean won't stay behind the scenes? I love that this books fills me with so many thoughts about what the next book could be!) Relationships similar to marriage last for one year, after which people can stay together or not. Poly relationships also exist, as far as I can tell. I'm hoping to see more of how this works in that world. How is heartbreak dealt with? Mara questions jealousy at one point, so does that remain an issue, or is there a daily vitamin that turns that emotion off and people are given it if they enter a steady relationship? So many questions! My biggest qualm about this book is that it isn't long enough. I need more pages, more information, more about all the deeply fascinating world that J.R. has created here. Within the erotic genre, which I don't read much of (basically only if I have a connection with the author), this is fascinating because it's all about sexual first, mostly BDSM exploration. All of her "vanilla" or usual firsts are over very fast (her first kiss and over-the-bra touch one day, everything else two days later). Anal gets the big build up on the pages instead. There are some plot twists, mostly thanks to Marchand. Mostly it's just a fun and entertaining read. Marchand is described as having caramel-colored skin and dark hair, so there is diversity, though the society might be advanced enough to be beyond prejudice. The cover does match the book, as she is followed by a camera to record everything. (Mara barely has any feelings about being naked and exposed. It's a fleeting thought. But their society has different ways than most current real-life places. Jean is the shy character.) The title goes perfectly with the book. Mara starts off with a thirst for knowledge about sex, and the book ends with her still exploring and still eager to learn more, but also navigating and juggling various relationships thanks to her job. Potential Triggers: "He called me names, and I loved it." Mara pauses to question why she is aroused by being demeaned, but brushes it off quickly, her focus moved to being tied down and beaten with three different objects. There is consensual BDSM in most of this book. It's an erotic novel, after all. The theme is coming-of-age and having the courage to learn about your passion. (In Mara's case, sex is her passion. Jean's passion is make-up. How much make-up people use, when, and why aren't mentioned, but Jean seems to be focused on make-up for film stars.) The plot all came together, everything progressed in a natural order. I enjoyed the characters, but none of them relate to me specifically (which is fine, I rarely see myself represented in books of any genre). The book would probably be most loved by anyone who wants to read about a girl going through her firsts with experienced partners in a world without sexual taboo. I was especially excited about the setting and the culture of the world. Mara faces very few obstacles and her goals are mostly met quickly and easily. Having to eat a lot of cereal because she can't cook is probably the only real difficulty. There's potential for her friendship-maybe-more with James to become an obstacle in the next book. I have to wait for the next one to find out! Exploring Limits (Exploration Book 2) will be released on June 15, 2020.
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Adam's Apple and the Infinite Regress
on March 23, 2022
This book was enjoyable, had great humor, a good pace, and a satisfying ending. Sci-fi humor with a touch of romance and justice. This is an honest and unbiased review of a book I got for free on Smashwords. I have followed this author for years and love her blog. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy science fiction that's more funny than it is scientific. I'd also suggest it to those who have done the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge, as that's why this book exists. "Ditz" is a funny character when introduced, and I love how she quickly develops into someone with such a strong backstory. Excerpt: She makes solitude seem appealing. Bibble feels like a metaphor for an ultra-wealthy politician who seeks to criminalize and punish the poor for existing. There are great action scenes mixed with humor, such as this one: “Adam, you’re about to get kicked in the ribs.” “What?” Adam demanded. Then the crushing blow came as a steel toe collided with his ribcage. 👽 Excellent and imaginative alien races appear in this story. It reminds me a bit of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," so much so that I "heard" Stephen Fry narrating in my head when I got to the part about the Jupiter Station facts. Adam made me really want a piece of cake. If you were to have a near-death experience and your life flash before your eyes, would it be a positive or negative viewing experience? The book had me pondering that. Trigger warnings= prostitutes and impotence are mentioned, minor violence, possible sacrilegious remarks. It is well-edited.