New Release Tuesday May 26 2009

The City & The City by China Mieville (Hardcover)
This book is a nice example of crossover genres. It combines urban fantasy with mystery.

A review by Jessica Moyer states “Fantasy author Miéville (Looking for Jake, 2005) puts his own unique spin on the detective story. Inspector Tyador Borlu, a lonely police detective, is assigned to the murder of a young woman found dumped in a park on the edge of Beszel, an old city, decaying and mostly forgotten, situated in an unspecified area on the southeastern fringes of Europe. But Beszel does not exist alone; it shares much of the same physical space with Ul Qoma. Each city retains a distinct culture and style, and the citizenry of both places has elaborate rules and rituals to avoid the dreaded Breach, which separates the two across space and time. This unique setting becomes one of the most important and well-developed characters in the novel, playing a pivotal role in the mystery when Tyador discovers that his murder case is much more complex than a dumped body, requiring “international” cooperation with the Ul Qoman authorities. Eschewing the preliminary world-building techniques of many fantasy books, Miéville dumps the reader straight into Tyador’s world of crosshatching and unseeing, only gradually developing and explaining his one-of-a kind setting. Suggest to readers who enjoyed Michael Chabon’s alternate-history mystery, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union (2007), or to fans of the futuristic urban setting in A. L. Martinez’s Automatic Detective (2008). An excellent police procedural and a fascinating urban fantasy, this is essential reading for all mystery and fantasy fans.”

For our vampire and erotic theme enthusiasts, I suggest
Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton.
Publishers Weekly describes this book as “Anita's endlessly erotic adventures as a living vampire with many weird lovers. Anita serves her vampire sweetie Jean-Claude, Master of the City of St. Louis, obsessed with feeding him and her own need to leech off of others' sexual pleasure or ardeur while retaining her rep as vampire executioner (despite the seeming conflict of interest), U.S. marshal and necromancer. She's also accompanying her bed-buddy Jason Schuyler to visit his dying estranged father in North Carolina. After arriving, Jason's mistaken for his rich cousin Keith Summerland, who's ditched his bride-to-be to run off with the wife of a vampire Master, giving Anita a case to solve between wild orgies with wereanimals. Hamilton chronicles Anita's escapades with a growing air of ennui, which longtime readers can't help sharing as sex increasingly takes the place of plot and character development.”

And, finally, as an attempt to link the theme of fantasy and the recent Memorial holiday, may I suggest a popular military Sci-fi story,
Sempter Human: Book Three of the Inheritance Trilogy by Ian Douglas Okay, maybe I’m reaching a bit to relate this to Memorial Day as these are Star Marines and the story takes place in another galaxy but this is, after all a fantasy and sci-fi theme blog (*grin*)…work with me.
The description of this book reads “Chaos has erupted throughout the known galaxy, threatening countless colonies and orbital habitats—as the Associative struggles vainly to keep the peace. Extreme measures are called for in these times of dire crisis, and the Star Marines are awakened from their voluntary 850-year cybe-hibe sleep. But General Trevor Garroway and his warriors are about to discover that the old rules of engagement have drastically changed…

The end begins with an old-style assault on rebels at the Tarantula Stargate. But true terror looms at the edges of known reality. Humankind's eternal enemy—the brutal, unstoppable Xul—approaches, wielding a weapon monstrous beyond imagining. Suddenly not only is the future in jeopardy, but the past is as well—and if the Marines fail to eliminate their relentless xenophobic foe once and for all, the Great Annihilator will obliterate every last trace of human existence.
So, pull up a chair, your favorite coffee-house beverage (or whatever you prefer), and try a touch of fantasy/sci-fi blended with a familiar genre. You may like the variation.

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The Road to Worldbuilding

There are four basic elements in every story: plot, character, theme and setting. As writers we keep the plot compelling - engaging our readers and bringing them along every step of the way. If the plot is predictable we lose our readers to boredom. Characters, whether human or from another genre, have to be multi-dimensional, realistic and identifiable so readers will care about the characters and want to read their story. Theme is what makes the story more than mere entertainment. In the fantasy genre, even if the setting is not the major focus, it is paramount to build a credible world for your story. The key to this is creating a world as a whole – with depth - paying close attention to the many details that interconnect to make it work; it is through these interactions that you build an internal logic to your empire. The process is similar to building credible characters – the realism of your imaginary world is born through the details and back-story of the history of the realm you create. These details are usually revealed, at least in some degree, as the story unfolds.

Over the next weeks I thought I would dedicate Wednesdays to the art of worldbuilding. How much worldbuilding will you have to do and what elements of a new world will you have to consider? The amount of detail you need within your created world will depend on your story line. You may just need enough to keep your world interesting with enough twists to keep the reader’s attention yet not to distract them from the storyline. If, however, the storyline has some element of this world as the cause of the conflict in your story, you will need to delve much deeper into the back-story and the interconnections of this world. Why do you want/need a new world? Could your story take place in our world but you are looking for a new and interesting location or is this new world pivotal to your storyline? These are key questions to be answered, looking closely at the plot of the story churning in your imagination eagerly waiting to be told.

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New Release Tuesday

In celebration of New Release Tuesday, I would like to introduce you to the books being released today on Amazon.com in the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres.

New Releases in Fantasy and Sci-Fi May 19, 2009


Monster Manual 2: A 4th Edition D&D Core Rulebook (D&D Supplement)(Hardcover)
by Rob Heinsoo (Author), Chris Sims (Author)
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Hundreds of old and new monsters for your 4th edition D&D(R) game!

This core rulebook presents hundreds of monsters for your D&D campaign. Classic monsters such as centaurs and frost giants make their first 4th edition appearance here. In addition, this book includes scores of new monsters to challenge characters of heroic, paragon, and epic levels.

Product Details
Hardcover: 224 pages
Published: Wizards of the Coast (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0786951017
Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds





Jedi Academy Training Manual (Star Wars Roleplaying Game) (Hardcover)
by Rodney Thompson (Author)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
"So, you wish to learn the ways of the Force..."

Written as the ultimate Jedi training manual, The Jedi Academy: Training Manual game supplement reveals the secrets of the Jedi across all eras of the Star Wars saga, from the earliest days of the Old Republic to the Dark Times and the reemergence of the Jedi Order after the fall of the Galactic Empire. It gives players exciting new talents, feats, Force powers, and equipment for their Jedi characters. It also elaborates on the known Jedi fighting styles and provides new ways to build your character around a particular fighting style.

Product Details
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0786951833
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds



Victory of Eagles (Temeraire) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Naomi Novik (Author)
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Naomi Novik continues her alternate history of the Napoleonic wars in this fifth adventure featuring British Capt. William Laurence and his faithful celestial dragon, Temeraire. Picking up after Empire of Ivory, a disgraced Laurence has been convicted of treason, sentenced to a prison ship and is only one step away from the hangman's noose. Temeraire is relegated to a breeding area in Wales along with other dragons viewed as past their prime. When Bonaparte invades England, Laurence and Temeraire are soon free to fly and fight for king and country. Vance fully inhabits Novik's vividly realized fantasy world. His battle scenes are exciting as he describes all the intricate fighting tactics without sacrificing the thrills. With keen vocal characterizations, he portrays a wide variety of individuals, both human and nonhuman, with the dialogue between Temeraire and some snobbish, older dragons singularly entertaining. A Del Rey hardcover (Reviews, May 19). (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review
“Invigorating . . . filled with spectacle . . . Naomi Novik has not sounded a wrong note yet in this sweeping, lustrous saga. . . . [This is] a glorious series whose future status as a genre classic is now assured.”—SF Reviews

“Engrossing . . . sheer page-turning excitement.”—Booklist

“Dragonslayer meets Master and Commander.”—Entertainment Weekly

Product Details:
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0345512253
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 7 ounces



No Prisoners (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) (Paperback)
by Karen Traviss (Author)
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The Clone Wars rage on. As insurgent Separatists fight furiously to wrest control of the galaxy from the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine cunningly manipulates both sides for his own sinister purposes.

Torrent Company’s Captain Rex agrees to temporarily relieve Anakin Skywalker of Ahsoka, his ubiquitous–and insatiably curious–Padawan, by bringing her along on a routine three-day shakedown cruise aboard Captain Gilad Pellaeon’s newly refitted assault ship. But the training run becomes an active–and dangerous–rescue mission when Republic undercover agent Hallena Devis goes missing in the middle of a Separatist invasion.

Dispatched to a distant world to aid a local dictator facing a revolution, Hallena finds herself surrounded by angry freedom fighters and questioning the Republic’s methods–and motives. Summoned to rescue the missing operative who is also his secret love, Pellaeon–sworn to protect the Republic over all–is torn between duty and desire. And Ahsoka, sent in with Rex and six untested clone troopers to extract Hallena, encounters a new and different Jedi philosophy, which shakes the foundation of her upbringing to the core. As danger and intrigue intensify, the loyalties and convictions of all involved will be tested. . . .

Product Details: Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: LucasBooks (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0345508997
Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8 ounces



Flinx Transcendent: A Pip & Flinx Adventure (Hardcover)by Alan Dean Foster (Author)
Editorial Reviews
Review
Praise for Alan Dean Foster’s Pip & Flinx series:

“An entertaining, imaginative adventure with a likable protagonist.”
—Library Journal

“Entertaining . . . Foster knows how to spin a yarn.”
—Starlog


From the Hardcover edition.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review
Praise for Alan Dean Foster’s Pip & Flinx series:

“An entertaining, imaginative adventure with a likable protagonist.”
—Library Journal

“Entertaining . . . Foster knows how to spin a yarn.”
—Starlog

Product Details:
Hardcover: 416 Pages
Publisher: Del Rey (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0345496072
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds




Order 66 (Star Wars: Republic Commando) (Mass Market Paperback)
by Karen Traviss (Author)
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The Clone Wars rage to their bloody climax. Treachery reigns. Treason takes courage. Commandos, Jedi, and the entire Galactic Republic must face the end of life as they know it . . . and the dreaded dawn of a new empire.

Even as the Clone Wars are about to reach an explosive climax, no one knows whether victory will favor the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) or the Separatists. But no matter who wins, the stakes are highest for elite Special Ops clones like the Republic Commandos in Omega and Delta squads–and the notorious renegade Advance Recon Commando troopers known as Null ARCs. And now even the deadliest weapon may not be powerful enough to defeat the real menace: the apocalyptic horror to be unleashed when Palpatine utters the chilling words The time has come. Execute Order 66. Translation: The Jedi have tried to stage a coup, and all must be shot on sight.

With their faith in the Republic and their loyalty to their Jedi allies put to the ultimate test, how will the men of Omega and Delta squads react to the most infamous command in galactic history?

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 496 Pages
Publisher: LucasBooks (May 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN 978-0345513854
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces


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Magical Monday

The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish.
~Terence McKenna

Magic is most associated to occur in the fantasy genre, but the truth of the matter is, elements of magic sometimes crossover into other genres. Think of the magic of reanimation at the hands of a mad scientist in Mary Shelly’s horror classic, Frankenstein, or the blend of science and fantastical make believe in Jules Vern’s classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Certain elements of books that may place it into a fantasy category (or sub-category) are things like a quest: a journey spurred by a prophecy or some foresight gained in a dream. In this pursuit the hero and his comrades set forth on adventure to gain some higher level of knowledge often used to save an individual or a world that propels them onward. It is always a search for something important and difficult to find. There are always challenges and obstacles along the way allowing the hero to gain knowledge, strength, self-confidence and the determination to let nothing stand in his way. The journey of the quest is just as important as the achievement of accomplishing the task for this is where the true knowledge and power are gained. This is one of the fundamentals of fantasy for children and young adults that teaches an important lesson – there is an inner strength inside everyone that can be drawn out with the proper emphasis on knowledge and a growing self-confidence; you just need the proper motivation and determination to draw it out.

Often the cast of characters will classify the novel in the realm of fantasy. There are classic characters such as wizards and dwarves, elves and dragons, but there are countless creatures taken from mythology (and authors own imaginations) that can propel the story into an epic adventure. If you are unfamiliar with the characters from the realm of fantasy, The Destineers’ Journal of Fantasy Nations serves as a good guide. It describes many familiar fantasy creatures, such as dwarves, elves, dragons and those not as familiar such as the Formorians, a savage tribe of giants; the Grindylow, green gangly underwater beings that live in icy waters; the Pech, members of the gnome family credited as aboriginal builders of many of the ancient megaliths; in the journal, their stories are told from the voice of a 15 year old girl who has studied these beings on her epic journey through the Netherscape. The appearance of certain imaginative beings in a fantastical adventure is inevitable, and often a reader may gleam reflections of a parallel to their world and the fantastical realm and begin to identify with the hero and his companions as they weave the tapestry of their story. The fantasy world is a familiar world after all. Who has not grown up in the realm of fairy tales in the familiar world of Once Upon a Time? Just a thought....


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To Boldly Go...

Today I went to see the new Star Trek film to see what the buzz was all about. I am not typically a fan of prequels but this was, I think, done exceptionally well. I remember following the original TV series as a child, always enthralled with the adventure as they would go “where no one has gone before”.

The series literally begins with the extraordinary circumstances surrounding James Tiberius Kirk’s birth. The USS Kelvin, the ship Kirk’s father serves on, investigates a lightening storm in space only to find it is an emerging black hole. A massive ship emerges and the Kelvin finds itself cast into an alternative timeline and under attack from this colossal ship. The ship’s captain has transported to the alien ship leaving Kirk’s father to captain his ship. It quickly becomes apparent the only hope for survival they have is to evacuate the ship. The auto pilot is destroyed and Captain Kirk senior must stay aboard the ship to allow the 800 passengers and crew the ability to escape. It is a suicide mission, which he realizes, but Star Fleet is always looking out for the greater good. Seconds before impact the baby is born, Captain Kirk senior and his wife decide to name the baby Jim after her father with a middle name of Tiberius after his father. Kaboom! In the 15 minutes he captained the ship, he literally saved the lives of 800 people - pretty big footsteps for a baby to follow in.

The film does a fabulous job of filling in the details of the back story of each of the regular characters from the show making a very entertaining storyline of how they met the circumstances of how they were assigned to the USS Enterprise and completion of the alternate history story line to bring things up to the original series.

Star Trek has produced many sequels in virtually every form of media there is – spin off TV series, movies, books and tons of promotional items (from action figures to lunchboxes to plush tribbles).

One thing I find intriguing from the Star Trek phenomenon is the number of people that have authored the books for Simon and Schuster. They have an entire set of submission guidelines pertaining specifically to Star Trek books. Amazing.

Are there other book series that encourage a range of authors to pen their tales? It struck me as a unique concept, but perhaps there are others out there. I have not followed the series (books or TV) but wonder if these authors use the same voice or if there are obvious differences. I know there are a lot of fan fiction stories out there for various other series, but I couldn’t think of other series that published multiple authors for profit with the same series such as this. Hmmmmm….

Just a thought...

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Pay it Forward Friday

In following with the theme of Pay it Forward Friday, I would like to suggest some of my favorite blogs for you to check out.

Let me begin by saying since I have been taking the blog book tour class I have discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I mean, I blogged before…sort of…on occasion…okay, I was really bad at doing it consistently. I focused more on my websites and, of course, my work in progress, and then I discovered social networks. I actually started making a list last night of the various social networks I have joined and discovered I really need to learn the art of moderation – does the Betty Ford clinic deal with social networking….? Just a thought… ANYway, my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of blogging and I have discovered so many wonderful sites out there, I really would like to share some with you.

First up, I would like to suggest a blog that focuses on trends in the world of publication. It is penned by Nathan Bransford, a literary agent from the San Francisco office of the Curtis Brown Agency (New York based). Nathan says he is particularly in literary fiction, mysteries and suspense, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, business, history, sports, politics, current events, young adult fiction, and science fiction. Of course, he tends to reiterate that sometimes it is hard to know exactly what will capture his attention until he begins to read it, but two things he does not represent are poetry and screenplays. His blog is humorous, and insightful. He offers a lot of great advice for breaking into the publishing world and keeping up with current trends.

Next, I would like to offer Desperately Searching for My Inner Mary Poppins Marybeth has a quirky, humorous outlook on life. She still has not found her own magic carpet bag that would solve all her problems, or learned to dance on the ceiling, but she will do her best to add a smile to your day. She describes her blog as writing about nothing, and everything and something on a regular basis.

I also like to check in from time to time with the One Minute Writer, not a blog, per se, but a way to jump start the creative juices with its writing prompts…and maybe inspire a blog topic or two! I love its tagline: “You have 1,440 minutes a day. Use one of them to write.” It’s a kind of brain calisthenics to get the writing day started! Why not? You exercise your body – why not your creative side too?

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Shiver, the contest

A friend and fellow blogger, Kai Strand has asked a few friends to pay it forward and help promote a book that will soon be released. Here is the book blurb:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Shiver, coming soon to bookstores near you. Pre-order now through Amazon or your local indie.

The idea of the promo is to (obviously) create a buzz...

I have gone to Maggie’s site and left her a comment showing I am joining Kai's team to help promote the book. Anyone else want to help pay it forward?

Some Brief Thoughts This Beautiful Mother's Day Morn

My passion is ...my family. I can't imagine life without any of them...yes, even the dogs!

My parents always told me ......if you can't think of anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Everyone has feelings and feelings are very fragile. This is a valuable life lesson. Words are important. They can wound deeper than anything you can physically do to a person, the wounds are so deep they are often unseen. They can also inspire someone and lift them higher than they have ever been. It all goes back to "it's not so much what you say, as it is how you say it." It is the thought, the feeling and emotion behind the word that gives it so much strength.

My childhood ambition ...To write books! I love to write, to meet my characters and help them tell their stories. I feel like characters in a story need to be multi-dimensional. You need to really know your character, not just in the moment, but on a personal level, what has led them to this moment ~~ how they became who they are and how they react, in order to tell their story well.

My favorite memory ...there are so many to choose from, I couldn't possibly say. I have been blessed. This is very true. I have so many good memories from early childhood right up to now; choosing one to be my favorite would be like trying to select my favorite snowflake~~ they are all so beautiful and unique, how can you possibly choose?

Why I write ...it's a great creative outlet. I love to write...many genres...many ideas. I read somewhere that you should, every so often, write something that is outside of your comfort zone ~~ maybe something in a different genre. It tests you and stretches you and gives you a different perspective to look at and write about.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...ahhhh.....that is ever changing (lol)

My first job ......was working with autistic and schizophrenic children. That was awesome, life altering. You can really make a huge difference in someone’s life if you just take the time to care and show them you care.

My best moment ...was becoming a mother ~~ how can you possibly top that?....well, okay, my son's graduation was pretty awesome too! I have never felt so much pride before ~ you know how they say you are so full of pride you feel like you could just burst...I had always thought that was an exaggeration, but it's true! My inspiration ...definitely my son. I hope someday to be able to live up the image he has always made me feel that he had of me. Just a thought....

It seems days like this when the family is gathered near, I get nostalgic. Thinking of days gone by...happy thoughts...and the memories that lie ahead waiting to be made. What are some of your memories and happy thoughts? Happy Mother's Day!

The Enchanted Isle of Fincayra

TA Barron's Map of
The Enchanted Isle of Fincayra

"Fantasy opens the door to experiencing the magic that is in the world around us and more importantly the magic in ourselves. As a genre, fantasy is about moving from our world into the world of experiences beyond. By tapping into those experiences we come to know more about ourselves. ...In pure fantasy, readers on the journey discover truths about themselves and about their connection to humanity." ~ T.A. Barron

TA Barron is one of my favorite children’s fantasy writers. He wrote a series of books on Merlin as a young boy growing up (The Lost Years of Merlin). While most people know of Merlin, the most famous of wizards, there is very little known or written about his youth on the isle of Fincayra (an enchanted isle that lies between earth and sky). This series answers the questions “Where did Merlin come from and what happened to him for him to become this great exalted wizard?” Barron’s fantastical series imagines his youth and learning of magic and the very special way he interacts with the world around him. It addresses how he got his name. My favorite book in the series is The Seven Songs of Merlin (this is the second in the series of five books). Merlin must discover and master the Seven Songs of Wisdom that have been passed down from the great wizard Tuatha.

I’m currently re-reading this for the Cybrarian book review blog. It has a magical way of sweeping you back to days of childhood as you travel with Merlin, seeing him through more vulnerable eyes as he goes through adolescence and learning about the world around him. Barron is in the midst of another Merlin trilogy called Merlin’s Dragon which I am anxiously waiting delivery of my first installment.

With the numerous books dealing with Merlin, it is refreshing to see a different viewpoint, his early years.

As writers the question remains, how do we keep stories fresh – go beyond the normal storylines to keep the unique? Face it, there are clichéd storylines in virtually every genre – romance, fantasy, mystery…what do you do to have your book stand apart from the rest? Perhaps you use a different viewpoint as Barron did. Perhaps it is a unique and engaging character that sets your book ahead of others in the genre. What is that special X factor the reader looks for and, more importantly, how do we deliver?

Just a thought…

Karma and the Cosmos

Do you believe in superstitions? I don’t for the most part. I mean really, a black cat crossing my path is going to cause me bad luck?!? Not unless the cat is right under my feet (I have been known to be a rather clumsy girl) or running out in front of the car (of course I’m going to try not to hit it). Crossing under a ladder? Well, duh, that’s common sense (um, see the part earlier about being rather clumsy). How about Chinese fortune cookies? Well, okay, my favorite was one my son received warning him to “beware of splinters when sliding down the banister of life”. I thought that was pretty good advice. Astrological forecasts? Well, if the stars are telling me something I want to hear… Actually…well, maybe there is something to the stars. I mean, they are pretty accurate with sorting out personality traits within the astrological signs. Another thing about stars – they’ve been around for a long time. Maybe they do know a thing or two…kind of like dragons. Yes, I said dragons. They are immortal and have the benefit of the wisdom of the ages. I write fantasy, remember?! I digress.

Earlier this week I received an email about Karma. Now THAT’S one I believe in. According to the ancient laws of Karma, we are the architects of our own fate. Karma, by definition, is the result of our past actions and our present and future actions. I believe it is true for individuals and for groups alike. What comes around goes around. I think if you keep tossing bad vibes into the cosmos sooner or later it’s going to come back to bite you. If, on the other hand you do like you were taught so many years ago to practice the golden rule, I think the cosmos notices that too.

Whether it gets noticed or not, it is the way I prefer to live my life. Be kind to others. It’s short. It’s sweet. It’s honest. It’s the right thing to do. I know there are times when folks make it really tough to be kind…maybe they are having a really bad day. Or, they really need a hug or at least someone showing them some act of kindness. It really can make a difference. Maybe one you don’t have the opportunity to see right away, but its there. I’m sure of it. Just a thought…

FREE Online Writers Conference!

October 12-18, 2009 will be the 4th annual Muse Online Writers Conference and you can (and should) register now. Write these dates down on your calendar. In ink. Seriously. Carve it in stone. Clear your calendar. You will thank me for this, I promise you. Why am I so fired up about a writers' conference in October that I start blogging about it in May? This conference is amazing.

As anyone in the writing community can tell you, writing conferences are one of the best resources to have the opportunity to work with industry professionals and to learn from experts in the field; they also provide an amazing platform for networking. If there is only one conference you can attend during the year, this one is it. Trust me.

This online convention is an amazing opportunity for writers at all stages of their careers. The goal is to offer you, the writer, the opportunity to enhance and better your craft, to offer the opportunity to make some contacts to get you to that next level all writers seek whether that is becoming published or making new contacts for networking within the industry.

Many writers out there, particularly in this economy, do not have the monetary resources to attend outside conferences, or perhaps they are situated very far and even some may be incapacitated in some ways making it difficult for them to travel. Within the world of the Internet, everything is possible and they offer you this chance to come out, chat with the Presenters, ask them questions and even attend the FREE workshops to be held throughout the week.

Last year there were participants from all over the world. One of the things I really like about the writing community is, as a rule, they are a very giving group. They learn something and share their experience and expertise with other writers. This conference is the creation of award winning author and editor Lea Schizas.

What is so different about this writers' conference? First of all, it is interactive. There are a plethora of workshops you can participate in AND you get immediate feedback from the facilitators. The handouts you will receive are worth their weight in gold. Learn the secrets for writing attention getting blurbs about your books, how to write a query that will catch the eye of that elusive publisher, classes on marketing your book, the list of workshops goes on and on, there is something for everyone. Seriously. Everyone. There are general classes that benefit anyone in the industry and classes that are genre/market specific. Learn how to find more freelancing opportunities. Learn about press releases. Do you need help in organization and time management so you have TIME to write? Thinking about self publishing? Learn the ins and outs from a pro. Show don't tell…how many times have you heard that as a writer…sharpen these essential storytelling skills. Whet our curiosity for your novel with that killer opening line that grabs you and won't let go. There are worldbuilding classes and how to create and use a magic system for fantasy writers, classes in poetry, horror and romance. Do you write nonfiction? There are classes for you too. There is great representation for virtually all genres.

Secondly, it is online, therefore, it is open 24-7. This gives you the opportunity to network with writers, illustrators, editors and publishers literally from all over the world. Is your book going to be marketed outside the US? What sort of network do you have in place to help market your book overseas? This is a tremendous opportunity to network with international colleagues. Some classes are in a chat format that you must be pre-registered for (and class size was limited in these last year) so you definitely want to register and select classes early. Since these are real time chats, you do need to attend these at their designated times, but the open forums are available 24-7. The facilitator will post the lesson, you post your response (this is the interactive part) and you will get feedback on your post. This is your opportunity to get your query and blurb polished before you submit for publication.

I highly recommend this conference to everyone in the writing community no matter what stage of your career you are in. Another great plus, once your register for the conference you can participate in the year round forum…again, an amazing group of very helpful writers, editors, and publishers sharing resources and encouraging each other in every attempt and milestone! The networking possibilities are amazing. You can be as active as you like, or simply lurk in the background and read the boards as your time permits. Personally, I think you would be missing out not to do the interactive classes. Even advanced writers that have been published many times over find workshops of interest – honing a skill that may need a little boost – or maybe you are toying with the idea of a change in genre for a storyline in the back of your mind. This is a truly great resource.

Don't hesitate. Run do not walk. Go sign up now to reserve your spot. Registration closes August 1, so don't delay. Just a Thought....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/2009MuseConference/

Tweeting Book Clubs?

The micro blogging phenomenon seems to not only be catching on like wildfire, but finding new ways to engage the community of writers, publishers and readers that micro-blog. In the quickly evolving social media world I have recently come across a post for a speculative fiction book club that is (wait for it) “meeting” exclusively on Twitter. To my knowledge, this is the first of this type of book club. They will be reading Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War and begin posting their discussions tweet style beginning May 15 and plan to discuss the book for a week…140 characters at a time.

If you are interested in joining in, the book is available on Amazon, brick and mortar stores and in audio format through Audible To make the discussions easier to follow they will be appending the hashtag #sfbookclub. You can enter through the site TweetChat , Twitter Search, or the search functionality of most Twitter clients.

Interesting concept!

The Happiest Place on Earth

If you ever feel you need a booster of imagination to jump start your creative juices, visit a theme park. It is truly amazing how they can rejuvenate you.

Yesterday was my birthday and I took advantage of Disney's spend your birthday at the happiest place on Earth for free promotion. My son and my niece graciously agreed to help me celebrate. All day long I heard choruses of "Happy Birthday Nancy" from strangers throughout the park. I chose what used to be called MGM studios in Florida (now called Hollywood Studios) It was GREAT! We went early - there was hardly anyone there until nearly lunch time, so we got to see most of the shows and attractions with little or no wait. By the end of the day I was excited and more than ready to sit down to my current work in progress "The Destineers and the Legend of the Netherscape". I was jazzed and easily able to sit and immerse myself in the fantasy world. Sigh. It felt amazing!

What do you do to rejuvenate and get the creative juices flowing? I'd love to hear all about it! Well, I'm off to visit the blogs of my classmates in the blog tours class and see what they are blogging about today. Join me - check out the blogroll on the left hand column!

Color Me Surprised!

What a wonderful Holiday weekend surprise to find out The Destineers’ Journal of Fantasy Nations has arrived on Barnes and Nobel a couple of weeks earlier than originally anticipated – how cool is that?! Have I mentioned the wonderful reviews we are getting?! We are very humbled yet thrilled!

Well, just a quick reminder that this is the final weekend of our “get your own piece of dragon treasure FREE”. Order The Destineers’ Journal at Amazon…or Barnes and Nobel and email a copy of the sales confirmation to NetherscapeRealm@aol.com to get your choice of FREE silver tone dragon charm pendant OR a FREE silver tone dragon bookmark. Hurry – through this Sunday, April 12, 2009 only. (Clicking on the blog title will take you directly to the Amazon page)

Have a great Easter weekend, everyone! May the bunny bring you all loads and loads of wonderful, delicious chocolate! Just a thought...

Fantasy Creatures Arrive at Amazon!!

It’s here!
“The Destineers Journal of Fantasy Nations” is now available on Amazon.com
We are excited and celebrating with a special sale. This weekend only (Friday, April 3 – Sunday, April 5) buy your copy of “The Destineers Journal” on Destineers.com, Cybrarie.com, NASharpe.com or Amazon.com and forward a copy of your sales confirmation to NetherscapeRealm@aol.com and claim your FREE piece of dragon treasure. That’s right! You get your choice of a FREE silvertone dragon charm pendant OR a FREE silvertone dragon bookmark. This is a $5.00 value, but this weekend only, it is FREE with purchase. Have you got your copy yet? Just a Thought!

Rebel in Blue Jeans BOOK REVIEW

REBEL IN BLUE JEANS
By Beverly Stowe McClure

Publisher: Twilight Times Books
www.twilighttimesbooks.com
Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: Paper: 978-1-933353-49-4
1-933353-49-X
1st edition October 2008


In the blink of an eye, Rebel Ferguson’s world turned upside down and shattered. Her mother’s announcement that she was leaving the family behind…to be with the drummer of a rock band came as quite a shock. This simply couldn’t be happening - after all, parents don’t run away….do they?

What an attention grabbing opening scene!

I thoroughly enjoyed Rebel and would most definitely recommend it. Ms. McClure has an amazing sense of the relationships between her characters. The characters in this novel are very realistic and easy to identify with. The story is told from the sixteen-year-old protagonist’s point of view and you are immediately pulled into her world. Having to cope with the imminent divorce of her parents, a budding romance with a childhood friend, and all the attention she is getting from a very cute college guy (who just happens to have a really bad reputation), Rebel Ferguson finds many challenges being thrust upon her and faces them with courage and humor. She is lucky to have the help of some compassionate friends that are determined to help in her time of need by providing the support and voice of reason she needs to get her past the feelings of betrayal and anger.

I think the author definitely knows her audience and young adult readers will relate to the contemporary theme of dealing with the parents’ pending divorce, the support system of friends and family teens rely on, dealing with new relationships and established relationships that take an unexpected turn into something completely new. Suddenly, it seems like everything Rebel depended on in her world has changed. She feels as though there isn’t anything she can count on – people are not what they seem and nothing is turning out the way she always thought it would. The author shows some tender moments where the teen identifies very strongly with her love for animals and all the pets she keeps in the country home.

Ms. McClure has done an excellent job of capturing the range of emotions the young protagonist is going through, the roller coaster of feelings from the cornucopia of life events she is experiencing. In the midst of all the serious and intense story threads woven into this tale, Ms. McClure has built in many humorous antics from some of the characters in this book to lighten some of the scenes and make this a very enjoyable read. I definitely give this book a five star rating and a place on my bookshelf with my other favorite books.

Rebel in Blue Jeans can be found at retailers where books are sold, online at Amazon, and through the publisher.

And the Groundhog Says......

According to Groundhog.org (I kid you not, this site is great!)

Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the holiday:

Yes! Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.

How often is Phil's prediction correct? 100% of the time, of course!

How many "Phils" have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years!

Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the "elixir of life," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life.

On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter.

According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

No! Phil's forecasts are not made in advance by the Inner Circle. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in "Groundhogese"(a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world.

The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May..."

Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob was made on February 2, 1887.

So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.

And the shadow says....

Looks like we've got another 6 weeks of a "fun filled" winter

Here's To Magical Beginnings

Like many others, I tend to take time in early January to reflect on the past year and contemplate goals for the New Year.


From a writing standpoint, 2008 was a good year. I hit several writing milestones in completion of projects and publications. You don’t understand. This is a REALLY big step for me. I never have problems meeting deadlines in the workplace or in my personal life where others are counting on me. Yet, somehow, I have a lot of difficulty completing…anything, deadline or not, when it is solely for me. And writing, until recently, has been just that – strictly for me. I enjoy writing. When writing for your own pleasure, you write what you want to write. When writing for business, you do not always get this luxury. I am blessed. I have had the incredible good luck to have writing projects that I have enjoyed immensely, had them published and been paid for it – the trifecta of writing.


Writing is often a very personal thing. It reflects your work, your time and talent. It is not always easy to share what you have written with others. Face it, it’s a critical world out there, and to have someone else read your work and pass judgment on it is not an easy thing to handle. Often as writers we baby step it, first showing a piece we’ve written to our closest circle of friends and family – those people in our lives who know our short comings and stick around anyway. The problem with this is we sometimes get feedback that is slanted towards what we want and need to hear (thank you kind hearted friends and family) but not necessarily what we may hear from someone who is not concerned with sparing our feelings. When we make that giant leap of faith to show our work to professionals in the industry it can be a very big and scary step. I’ve been baby stepping this leap of faith offering certain projects for critique to my writing group, reworking areas and polishing it and sending the piece out into the big world of publishing. So far, I have been fortunate – haven’t found homes for everything of course, but have gotten off to a pretty good start.


To those of you who know me, you know the Destineers stuff is my baby. For anyone who may not know about the Destineers, here are some links. The website link is http://Destineers.com and the forum link is http://Cybrarie.com Please feel free to join in the fun. We love new friends! These are my playgrounds and you are most certainly invited to come join in and play there with me, Ryan (the leader of the group), his brother Brady (who is fanatical about dragons…especially since he found a dragon egg in the Netherscape), Sean (the self proclaimed comic relief of the group) and Kylie (the writer of the group who keeps the journal of all they have learned and their adventures).


In a few weeks we are releasing the Destineers Journal of Fantasy Nations. This is the Journal as recorded by Kylie, her “field guide” of the various fantasy beings they have learned about in class. It’s filled with tidbits she has learned in class [from Professor Noah Washington who is, by the way, a goblin] about the various Nations of Fantasy as well as her own observations from meeting these folks. It’s sort of a prequel to the novel – a sample of the types of characters from the quests. We hope you will join the fantasy and the fun.


Please take a moment to stop by the website (at http://Destineers.com) and the forum (at http://Cybrarie.com) and join in the fun.


Thanks, and have a magical week!

RIP Michael Crichton

Sometimes life comes at you fast. Sounds like a commercial. It also sounds like my life lately - busy with the Muse Conference, which was fantabulous by the way, (except in the midst of it my computer crashed and burned...grrrrr...thank goodness for flash drives.), lots of things going on in my personal world and writing projects, this year's Nano project...and then tonight I heard some very sad news.

Michael Crichton lost his brave personal battle with cancer. He will be definitely be missed. His work and contributions to the general field of entertainment (writing, film and television) has touched so many lives. He has been a favorite author of mine for years. His work has definitely inspired me - what an impressive list of credits:

Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Congo, Sphere, Prey, Andromeda Strain, and my personal favorite Timeline.

"Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of ..Jurassic Park,'" said "Jurassic Park" director Steven Spielberg, a friend of Crichton's for 40 years. "He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the Earth. ... Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."

John Wells, executive producer of "ER" called the author "an extraordinary man. Brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful.

Wow - what an amazing legacy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans. This is indeed a great loss.

I'm going to go curl up with Timeline, a cup of cocoa, and wonderful memories of a great author....just a thought

Woo Hoo! It's Finally Here!

Well, it’s that magical time of year again and I can hardly wait! This morning the Muse Online Writers conference officially begins. This past week has been a flurry of introductory emails and networking, and handouts for galore for each of the classes, but tomorrow the forum workshops and chat workshops officially begin and it promises to be a whole lot of fun.

This is my second time attending the conference. This year is no different than last – I signed up for waaaaay too many workshops…but they all sounded simply to good to pass up.

A lot of the writers at the conference are doing their preliminary work for NaNoWriMo. What’s NaNoWriMo? It stands for National Novel Writing Month. Yes, November is officially the month to challenge yourself to flesh out a novel of 50,000 words or more. That is quite a challenge. I tried it last year. I was successful in hitting my 50,000 word target, but the novel still in my “work in progress” drawer. You see, I decided not only to challenge myself to write a novel in a month…but to change genres and challenge myself to try something totally new – out of my comfort zone. It was great! Invigorating! The only downfall was with the change there was a need for a lot of research. I had not realized how much research was going to be necessary to get a believable mystery written. You have to know law – well, not chapter and verse, but the basics. You have to know jurisdiction – there are some lines that cross in the particular storyline I have going. You have to know people and behaviors. Well, for any good book to have believable characters you need to know the human element fairly well and show well defined and developed characters to keep today’s readers interested. By the way – there are a couple great workshops on writing mysteries at the Muse Conference!

My favorite genre is fantasy. Again, there are lots of great workshops at the Muse conference on Fantasy, World Building, Magic, Celtic magic. Of course I signed up for all of them. Yes, it is like regular school and they all have homework. Sleep? Nah, not this week, they’ll be plenty of time to sleep…hmmmmm…well, sooner or later there’ll be time to sleep, I’m sure. I’m an insomniac by nature anyway, lol.

Well, I’m still working on preliminary work for the conference soooooo…to everyone who is attending the conference – have fun and I’ll see you there!