Terry Persun's Blog, page 9
April 26, 2013
New Release!

Just in case you missed it, I have released a new book.
Learn more about 10 Months in Wonderland below:
Private Kevin Grayson, a happily married, nineteen-year-old family man, is deployed to an airbase in Udorn in the fall of 1973. He is completely unprepared for two things that will change his life forever: Thailand’s seamy underbelly and Jerry, his dark mentor. Thrust into the seedy world of hardcore booze, drugs, and sex, Grayson must face losing everything he holds dear and risk becoming trapped down the rabbit hole forever.
Pick up your copy today: http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Months-Wonderland
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His latest poetry collection is “ And Now This . His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 26, 2013 12:14
Science Fiction often becomes Science Fact
We all know this is a true statement. The Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and all kinds of other television programs have reminded us. And there are a lot of books about this very subject, but I found it profoundly interesting that Delegate Ray Canterbury of West Virginia is proposing having sci-fi novels as part of the curricula for high school—how cool is that?
In a recent interview published on Blastr Ray said, “I’m not interested in fantasy novels about dragons. I’m primarily interested in things where advanced technology is a key component of the storyline, both in terms of the problems that it presents and the solutions that it offers.”
His interest is in getting kids to look at science as a possible career choice, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been writing for engineers and scientists for a long time and they are some of the smartest, most creative people I know. They are always thinking up new ways to create a better world. Isn’t that the type of citizen we want?
Although I believe that fiction, whether science fiction, fantasy, or literary fiction is healthy to read and broadens our potential and our openness to knew ideas, science fiction has that added benefit of “making science look fun.” My novels (like Revision 7: DNA ) are the types of novels he’s talking about. But that’s not all…
I’m so in line with his thinking that I have another project that’s near and dear to my heart: EntertainmentEngineering.com. My business partner and fellow editor friend started the magazines for the same reason that Delegate Canterbury speaks about. The coolest technologies these days are being used in movies, at theme parks, in sports arenas, and broadcasting.
I say, “If you want to get kids excited about science take them to Disneyland.” A quick behind-the-scenes walk at a show like Ka in Las Vegas will have any young boy or girl interested in the nuances of technology and how they can make a simple stage into a spectacle. Check this video out:
Look, we can’t make kids love math or physics by forcing mundane problems down their throats without showing them some of the cool stuff that technology and a clear grasp of math and physics can do. Oh, and you might let them know that not only do these careers offer some fun stuff to work on, but they are some of the highest paid jobs in industry.
So, my hat goes off to Ray and I hope he can help get the word out that reading science fiction can not only be fun, but profitable as well.
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His latest poetry collection is “ And Now This . His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
In a recent interview published on Blastr Ray said, “I’m not interested in fantasy novels about dragons. I’m primarily interested in things where advanced technology is a key component of the storyline, both in terms of the problems that it presents and the solutions that it offers.”
His interest is in getting kids to look at science as a possible career choice, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been writing for engineers and scientists for a long time and they are some of the smartest, most creative people I know. They are always thinking up new ways to create a better world. Isn’t that the type of citizen we want?
Although I believe that fiction, whether science fiction, fantasy, or literary fiction is healthy to read and broadens our potential and our openness to knew ideas, science fiction has that added benefit of “making science look fun.” My novels (like Revision 7: DNA ) are the types of novels he’s talking about. But that’s not all…
I’m so in line with his thinking that I have another project that’s near and dear to my heart: EntertainmentEngineering.com. My business partner and fellow editor friend started the magazines for the same reason that Delegate Canterbury speaks about. The coolest technologies these days are being used in movies, at theme parks, in sports arenas, and broadcasting.
I say, “If you want to get kids excited about science take them to Disneyland.” A quick behind-the-scenes walk at a show like Ka in Las Vegas will have any young boy or girl interested in the nuances of technology and how they can make a simple stage into a spectacle. Check this video out:
Look, we can’t make kids love math or physics by forcing mundane problems down their throats without showing them some of the cool stuff that technology and a clear grasp of math and physics can do. Oh, and you might let them know that not only do these careers offer some fun stuff to work on, but they are some of the highest paid jobs in industry.
So, my hat goes off to Ray and I hope he can help get the word out that reading science fiction can not only be fun, but profitable as well.
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His latest poetry collection is “ And Now This . His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 26, 2013 08:33
April 24, 2013
[Guest Post] The Writing of my Historical Fiction | JudithKirscht.com

Just in case you missed it, I wrote a guest post on author Judith Kirscht blog last week.
Here's a small snippet about my historical fiction novel, Sweet Song :
Like most authors, I write what comes to me. I had been reading about the Susquahanna River, along which I grew up. Williamsport, the nearest town to our country dwelling in Cogan Station, was a stopping point for those escaping the south through the underground railroad. These books brought me back to my childhood, back to where I’d grown up, and I wanted to explore that place deeper than I had before.Soon, the words to the novel began to come to me. Characters came to me. I could see them in my mind’s eye walking in the woods, meeting with other people. One morning, as it usually is with me, I got up with the sound of a narrator in my head. I went to my desk and began writing about Leon, the mulatto child who was mistaken for white, who had to figure out how he wanted to be seen.Read more at: http://www.judithkirscht.com
Unfamiliar with this title? Learn more below:
Description: Sweet Song
An archetypal American story of self-discovery, set against the turmoil of post – Civil War America, Sweet Song tells the story of the mixed race son of a white landowner and a black house servant. Leon, raised black but an outcast from both cultures, finds himself suddenly on his own — and passing for white.
Wrestling with a divided heritage in a world where honesty, even with friends, might prove fatal, he falls in with dispossessed thieves, mill workers, saloonkeepers, musicians, businessmen, thugs, freedom loving idealists and malevolent racists — a vivid panorama from America’s past. This tender, raw, provocative novel speaks from the heart about where we’ve come from and who we are.
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 24, 2013 11:01
April 23, 2013
Climbing the Science Fiction Charts: CATHEDRAL OF DREAMS

Happy surprise, everyone.
Cathedral of Dreams has been listed as one of the Top 100 dystopian science fiction titles on Amazon today.
What are readers saying?
"[J]ust a twinge of 1984 mixed with lots of action, I thought this book was great!"
"This is a book that will leave you contemplating just how far off Persun's tale society has actually become."
"[A] damn good story that nudges the reader to wonder if they are asleep and if their reality is truth or has it been invented for them. Next time the alarm clock goes off, ask yourself if you’re really awake."
Are you unfamiliar with this title? Read more below:
Description: Cathedral of Dreams
In Newcity, everyone is content. Bad feelings are not allowed, because your monitoring chip will alert the police to bring you in for treatment. Getting better is mandatory. Unchecked emotions made the world outside Newcity dangerous, unruly, and violent. At least that’s the official story in Newcity.
Keith knows something is wrong. Strange visions lead him to become one of the few who escapes Newcity. He finds freedom and companionship outside, but pressure building to revolt against the city’s insidious regime of social control. Leadership is thrust upon him, with only his visions for guidance, only a small band of friends for support—and the fates of both Newcity and the outside world at stake.
Cathedral of Dreams is a compelling tale of a dystopian future and personal heroism.
See this title on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Cathedral-of-Dreams
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 23, 2013 14:24
April 17, 2013
Welcome to the World of Doublesight

Have you had a chance to see my exciting new project? I am collaborating with writers and other creative individuals who use the world within my Doublesight series as inspiration to write short stories, fan fiction-style.
Check out the second story in this on-going series, "Vixen" by Nicole J. Persun.
"The vixen didn’t need vests or rings, nor was she hungry. She felt sick, actually. Her heart beat fast inside her chest, yet she pressed on. There had been rumors about this day. About the wickedness of an old crow who’d stolen jewels from booths and taken them back to her yellow gypsy wagon. About how she’d be hung, in view of her flock. No one seemed to know how she’d been caught..."
Curious? Read more of Nicole's story at DoublesightBooks.com.
Learn more about Doublesight :
Book One in the Series: After the Doublesight Wars, dangerous and mean-spirited shape shifters were killed off, causing other doublesight to hide their gifts, congregate into their own villages or clans, and avoid most humans.
Zimp and Zora are the twin granddaughters of the crow clan's sage. The reticent Zimp is relieved that she has not been chosen to take her grandmother's position, but after Zora is murdered after an attack on the clan, Zimp is forced into her obligations.
Rumors, stemming from Castle Weilk, suggest that dangerous throwbacks have been born--gryphons, harpys, dragons--and, once again the humans decide to hunt them down. Fear leads to mistrust, and mistrust to murder, all seemingly.
The doublesight council assembles to assess the situation and sends five doublesight to investigate the rumors, placing Zimp in charge of four men. Struggling with her own intuitive abilities, and trying to hold a stable position as leader, Zimp finds herself in the center of a changing world and must decide on her real place within it.
Find Doublesight on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Doublesight-ebook/dp/B00BOWTX92
Inspired? Want to contribute your own stories? Your artwork? Join us at DoublesightBooks.com.
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 17, 2013 07:30
April 12, 2013
Free Book Friday
Published on April 12, 2013 16:15
April 10, 2013
[Guest Interview] Author2Author with Terry Persun and Bill Kenower
Listen to internet radio with Author magazine on Blog Talk Radio
In a recent podcast I discuss creativity and writing within ourselves with Bill Kenower.
"A good companion reminds you of your value...
Forgetting what you have to say is not the same as having nothing of value to share."
Learn more about Bill Kenower's recent release, Write Within Yourself .
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Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
In a recent podcast I discuss creativity and writing within ourselves with Bill Kenower.
"A good companion reminds you of your value...
Forgetting what you have to say is not the same as having nothing of value to share."
Learn more about Bill Kenower's recent release, Write Within Yourself .
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on April 10, 2013 16:17
March 31, 2013
[Guest Post on Armchair ePublishing] "If I was a setting, what would I look like?"

Today I am presented a thought exercise by Armchair ePublishing: 'If I were a setting, what would I look like?'
"I close my eyes... I often do that while writing, which is like meditation to me... I think [of a] magic garden: anything can grow here, anything can appear, animals speak, trees and flowers move, everything is fluid, everything possible. When I am a setting, I am that magic garden."
Read more at Armchair-ePublishing.Weebly.com
Published on March 31, 2013 14:39
March 29, 2013
[Guest Post on Stefon Mears' Blog] Writing About Shamans

In today's guest post, I consider writing about shamans.
"Since my main character was shaman-like more than magical, it was a great opportunity to play with more than one realm of existence and how the realms overlapped. The most difficult part of 'playing the shaman' in a book like Doublesight was keeping the reader in a stable place."
Read more at StefonMears.com.
Published on March 29, 2013 14:53
March 25, 2013
Welcome to the World of Doublesight

"The shamans are all gone now, but we the Doublesight remain. And like them, we must hide what we are from those who would not understand..."
Curious? Read more of Stefon's story at DoublesightBooks.com.
Learn more about Doublesight :
Book One in the Series: After the Doublesight Wars, dangerous and mean-spirited shape shifters were killed off, causing other doublesight to hide their gifts, congregate into their own villages or clans, and avoid most humans.
Zimp and Zora are the twin granddaughters of the crow clan's sage. The reticent Zimp is relieved that she has not been chosen to take her grandmother's position, but after Zora is murdered after an attack on the clan, Zimp is forced into her obligations.
Rumors, stemming from Castle Weilk, suggest that dangerous throwbacks have been born--gryphons, harpys, dragons--and, once again the humans decide to hunt them down. Fear leads to mistrust, and mistrust to murder, all seemingly.
The doublesight council assembles to assess the situation and sends five doublesight to investigate the rumors, placing Zimp in charge of four men. Struggling with her own intuitive abilities, and trying to hold a stable position as leader, Zimp finds herself in the center of a changing world and must decide on her real place within it.
Find Doublesight on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Doublesight-ebook/dp/B00BOWTX92
Inspired? Want to contribute your own stories? Your artwork? Join us at DoublesightBooks.com.
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord MagazineBook of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His novel Sweet Song just won a Silver IPPY Award, too. His latest novel is, Revision 7: DNA , a sci-fi thriller. Terry’s website is: www.TerryPersun.com or you can find him on Amazon HERE.
Published on March 25, 2013 20:10