Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 336

A New Interview for Moi

Thanks to Tim Ellis for hosting me on his site.  I happily talk about writing with my co-author, David W Small.  For those who don't know it yet, Dave is my brother.  He is a retired Marine with 21 years of service who currently works as a network specialist.  It's fantastic writing with him and I'm having the time of my life.



I also give a shout out to my fabulous graphic artist, T.M. Roy, who designed the covers for the 2 Rule of Otharia novels.



You can check out my latest interview here: http://timellis.weebly.com/3/post/2011/06/featured-authors-debra-martin-david-small.html



   

Review of ENDLESS NIGHT by Maureen A. Miller

 4 of 5 starsA frightened woman with a GLOCK,  a man looking for answers and the secrets that connect them is the premise behind the romantic suspense ENDLESS NIGHT by Maureen A. Miller.



Megan Summers is the recluse that lives alone at Wakefield House in the small town of Victory Cove.  She rents the large victorian house nestled on an isolated cliff far from town and only has minimal contact with the local residents.  Her cover story is that she is an author and likes her privacy, but the truth is she is a frightened young woman running from a terrible secret.



Jake Grogan has received a mysterious letter telling him to find his birth grandmother Estelle.  He has always wanted to know about his birth parents and his search leads him to Wakefield House and Megan.  When a storm traps Jake at the house, he and Megan are forced together and that's when the story takes off.    Megan's fear of strangers is palpable and Ms. Miller is a master storyteller allowing the reader to feel Megan's every tremble. It is the way that Jake handles Megan, her nightly demons and secrets, that draw you in.  As the secrets are unfolded, Megan and Jake slowly learn to trust each other and that's where the story shines.



The suspense and romance are blended so seamlessly in this story.  One moment the reader is enjoying a tender moment between these two when a shrieking alarm goes off to remind us that there is evil lurking outside ready to pounce.  Who is Megan afraid of?  Will Jake find his birth mother?  Will they survive the raging nor'easter that threatens to tear Wakefield House off it's foundation?  The ending to this story is a page turner--just when you think you've got it all figured out, Ms. Miller throws another curve at you.  If you enjoy romantic suspense stories, ENDLESS NIGHT should be at the top of your TBR list.  Recommended.



  

Guest Blogger: Alice Yeh & First Impressions

Feet First

By Alice Yehhttp://www.stimulatedoutlet.com/

There is a scene in Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont in which an older woman is dressing up for dinner with complete strangers. As she adds a few finishing touches, she murmurs to herself, "First impressions." Two simple words that summed up her entire mindset. First impressions are the same reason why we wear suits to job interviews and agonize over first dates. What we often forget, however, is that the concept extends beyond the physical into the realm of silent text. When facial expressions and innate charisma are taken away, we are stripped down to vocabulary and syntax; our only weapons are a message worth sharing and the tools with which to do so.

Good writers have an innate grasp of this idea. They respect their craft and treat their words with painstaking care and a healthy dose of humility. This same conscientiousness is reflected in everything they write, down to their review requests to bloggers. These cold contact feelers  can either pique a reviewer's interest or obliterate it entirely. The well-written query, like that freshly ironed shirt, presents the person in a positive light, suggesting competence that will hopefully be present once the first impression is made and it is time for the second.

For authors, this second impression is a sample of the book itself. While some readers allow the first page to dictate their initial assessment, I look at the first paragraph or two. Those hundred words introduce me to the author's voice and demonstrate his ability to string words together in a comprehensible and meaningful fashion. The abruptness—or gentleness—of the introduction tends to tie into the overall pacing of the story, while the atmosphere starts to bleed into my reality from the moment my eyes strike the page. This initial lead-in can be likened to a promise from the writer in regards to the quality of the rest of the work. And promises are meant to be kept.

Perhaps all of this seems obvious, in which case, I applaud your understanding. Over several months of blogging, I have come across some truly horrific queries, the worst being one that was replete with "LOL" and other text-speak. With the precarious height of my current TBR pile, I feel justified in declining those requests without ever looking at the associated samples. Certainly I am not the first blogger to do so.

First impressions matter. A handful of words and a short string of seconds can determine your fate, whether you are a single looking to change your dating status or an author hoping for a good review. Treat your writing, as your body, with respect, discipline, and care. After all, language is no more—and no less—than another extension of the self. Dress it to the nines.

Interview with Jeff Crimmel

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?My first book to date, Living Beneath the Radar; A Nine Year Journey Around the World is an account of my travels from 1970 to 1979.  The adventure took me from Europe to India overland through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan three times and eventually down through SE Asia in 1975, ending up in Australia. The book starts off with a little of my background including experiences with the army draft board, post college life and other influences that directed me to take this journey during a time of world turmoil. The book is full of events and encounters with people not found in the world of media and news.  The stories are humorous as well as true, even though some readers may challenge the author as to their possibility of ever happening. 

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?  I tried the traditional route after the book came out in the first edition as self published.  I sent query letters to agents in order to find a larger market for the book.  After I edited the first edition and added 100 pages of more stories and adventures I still searched for an agent, but may republish with the same self-publishing company in order to get the edited version out into the world quickly.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?I would have to say that Goodreads book club has become my critique group as well as other writers who pointed out my need to edit and redo parts of the first edition.  I was in a hurry to get my book published and did not take the needed time to go through the final copy to the degree needed before printing.  I received very good reviews but the editing needs really made me sit down and spend 4 months rewriting and editing the book.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?Amazon is the top name in on line bookstores and any independent author needs to get his or her book on their site.  It would be like building a solar car that can travel for free because you built it in the desert and the sun shines every day.  If there are no roads in the sand dunes for you to drive you solar powered car then you will go nowhere.  Amazon is the road in the desert for your book and it offers a place to be seen and travel on.  Without this avenue your book will be stuck in the sand and not journey very far.  (How's that for a green vision of Amazon?)

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?  A friend of mine used the Word edit-program and read the book through once.  He gave me some corrections but Word does not replace a human reading the book. Finding all the words that are spelled correctly but are the wrong word.  Where, were, choose, chose are just a few examples that only editing and reading a book can catch.  Also I found that one really needs another person to edit and review because the author will continue to re-read the same mistakes over and over again and still not catch them.  I now have re-written Radar, changed the passages in order to flow easier, and corrected grammar. I still have several friends reading it again and giving me their input. 

What have you've learned during your self-publishing journey?  The most difficult part of self-publishing is the promotion.  Bookstores will not accept your book in their store if it does not come through a big publisher.  Getting people to read your book and writing a review is one way to get it noticed and hopefully the buzz will reach someone who has an "in" with promotion.  Some writers are good at writing but cannot self promote or do not want to.  Promotion has to be the biggest hurdle for indie writers.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?I did get the book on all the e-book links.  Authorhouse sells the book and it is available on line with all the bookstores.  My Goodreads site is also helpful because there is where serious readers see reviews, read about the book and decide if they want to get it and read it.  I have given away a lot of books through Goodreads and have received many good reviews as well as a few that drove me to edit and redo the book.  I am glad I did edit Radar and now I feel the product is ready with out any regrets.  I hope to have the second edition available by fall of 2011.

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?I have a facebook page for Living Beneath the Radar.  I do get some interest when I do things like radio interviews or T.V. interviews and I post the links to these media spots for those interested. I also have a twitter account and hope to expand my exposure there as well.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?I have started another book on the experience of moving to Mexico.  The working title is "Learning to Love the Peso". The move is taking place as I write this.  I just returned from my last load of furniture.  I move down June 8 and my wife will arrive around June 19.  I dropped all work on the book when I edited Radar.  Marketing one book while working on another can be a real challenge. It takes a person who is very dedicated to write at certain times every day and promote at other times.  In other words the writer has to be dedicated to a writing window and move on to a marketing window in order to complete both.   What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?The biggest advice I can pass on is to not be in a hurry.  The book has to be edited to the 10th degree.  If not you will end up redoing the book later.  Do not be in a rush to push the send button.  Get a friend or person who edits and take your time getting everything right before taking the plunge.

What's next for you?My next is having Radar written into a screenplay.  I was interviewed and the person doing the interview fell in love with the stories and wants to write a screenplay.  She knows producers and it just might make it to the world of film.  We are also moving to San Felipe in Baja California in June.  I started writing about the move last year and I hope to make the book a need to know before anyone else tries to do such a move.  There have been other books in the past that have done such a story but the mechanics of such a move change all the time and those books are outdated.  This book will also be full of humorous adventures because humor is what I find in many of the situations I have been in.  Moving to Mexico is no exception.

Memorial Day 2011 - Let's Take A Moment

To most Americans Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer.  The weekend is celebrated with family gatherings, picnics and bar-b-ques, but let's not forgot the real meaning behind this day.  It is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our country.  Luckily for my family, all of my brothers, nephew and niece came home from the various wars unharmed.  So please take a few moments out of your day and remember all of our military, each and everyone of them is a hero in my book.







America's War Dead From the Revolutionary War to IraqThroughout our history, thousands of brave Americans have died serving their country and fighting for their beliefs.  From the early days of the American Revolution to our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the numbers of battle deaths speak to the sacrifices our soldiers, and their families, have made.
American Revolution (1775-1783)4,435
War of 1812 (1812-1815)2,260
Mexican War (1846-1848)1,733
Civil War (1861-1865)140,414 (Union); 74,524 (Confederate)
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)385
World War I (1917-1918)53,402
World War II (1941-1945)291,557
Korean War (1950-1953)33,686
Vietnam War (1964-1975)47,410
Gulf War (1990-1991)147
Afghanistan War (2001-present)1,527 (as of April 7, 2011)
Iraq War (2003-present)4,446 (as of April 7, 2011)

New: Monday-Friday Schedule

I have been blogging non-stop for almost 3 years now and I need to step back just a bit.  So starting next week, I will only be posting on a Monday through Friday schedule.  This will back up posts a little, but not too badly.



Everyone should be out enjoying the beautiful summer weather on the weekends anyway!

ZOMBIE book Contest Winner

The lucky winner of the zombie tale, "Hungry for You" by A.M. Harte is:



 Jenni 



Congratulations.  You will be hearing from the author directly about how to collect your book.



Thanks everyone for entering the contest.

And the Winners of the Fantasy Titles Are:

Drum roll please....



The winners of the fabulous fantasy titles are:



Bleeder by LK Rigel:  webDzynz (Che)



























 Dance of Cloaks & Dance of Blades by David Daglish:  Serenity (April)



























Quest of Nobility by Debra L Martin & David W Small: Georgia 

























Blood of Requiem by Daniel Arenson:  Sirhijinx (Josef) 





Congratulations to all the winners.  You will be hearing directly from the authors about your contest wins.  It would be great if you'd consider leaving a review when you're done reading the titles.  Authors love reviews!



Stay tuned for another fabulous giveaway contest next month with 7 fabulous authors!

The World of Symbols: The Unicorn

by Michelle Snyder, Symbologist

Unicorns are one of the most loved symbols in art. The mythology of the unicorn is ancient and is concentrated in the northern hemisphere. Placing symbols in historic context is important when decoding them; knowing when and where a symbol was used is the first step. Who, what, when, where, why, and how are important questions to ask.

Although the opinion that unicorns really existed is common, to date there is no provable evidence beyond the many images that resemble oral tradition and literary descriptions. In ancient China the unicorn is called Ki-lin, was a badge of kingship, and symbolized kingly qualities. Emperor Fu Hsi (2852 - 2738 BC) is said to have received the secrets of written language from a unicorn 2,800 years ago. Like the western unicorn, the elusive Ki-lin is solitary and hard to capture. Considering their qualities, the images likely have a common ancestor.

As with many symbols, unicorn legends developed a dark side. The mythology of a dark, menacing unicorn developed from tales of the dangerous and mean-spirited wooly rhino during the Paleolithic (12,500 BC). The history of the more common white unicorn mythology developed from narwhal hunting during the same time period.

In folklore from Babylon, c. 3500 BC, the lion and the unicorn hate each other; a battle that may have roots in the unicorn, which represents spring, and the lion, which represents summer. England, with a lion emblem, and Scotland, with a unicorn, were at war for a long period; the battles are remembered in a traditional nursery rhyme from 1603 where England was usually victorious:The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown

The lion beat the unicorn all around the town.

Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown;

Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town.

Today, the unicorn and the lion are reconciled on the British coat of arms, the unicorn as a symbol of goodness and honor in women, and the lion as a symbol of courage and strength in men.

In general, unicorns are associated with unified absolute monarchy, stressing courage, grandeur, wisdom, nobility, and justice. Unicorns are attributes of sun-heroes and are associated with courtly love. According to legends, only a virgin, on whose lap it willingly lies down, can catch a unicorn. An engraving from the 15th century depicts the "capture" of the unicorn; however, the maiden has removed the animal's neck chain, and he is sitting with his head in her lap as she pets him.

What a symbol looks like is also important in decoding. Unicorns are often imaged as white horses with a single horn growing from their foreheads. In depictions of the unicorn and lion in the Royal Arms the unicorn has split hoofs, a small beard like a goat, and a tail that looks more like that of a donkey, which curls up over his back, like the lion he faces. The golden chain and crown around the unicorn neck denotes his royalty. Old esoteric writings describe the unicorn as having a white body, red head, and blue eyes; some have a horn that is white at the forehead, red in the center, and black at the tip. Added to the mythology associated with the unicorn, this description indicates royal Celtic origins, perhaps unicorns are a symbol for the bloodlines of princes and kings.

Unicorns are much loved characters in Faerie tales and their history has been preserved through these great stories. The character of Prince Charming, the hero prince, is the Unicorn at his best (the deconstruction of the Prince Charming ethic is evident in the film Shrek 2).

Article and artwork © 2011 Michelle Snyder, author of Symbology: Decoding Classic Images, available at Amazon. Her website is www.whiteknightstudio.com.

10 Things I Hate About Zombies by A.M. Harte

Flash back ten months ago. It is the summer of 2010 and I've just been issued a challenge I'm determined to refuse.

The challenge doesn't involve crazy aerobatics, unnatural physical endurance, or intense focus and commitment. No: the challenge is simply to write a zombie love short story.

I read through my friend's email challenging me to take part, scowl in disgust, and hit 'reply'. In the subject line I write 'absolutely not!' and in the body of the email I write:

"10 Things I Hate About Zombies"

1. They're infectiousNothing creeps me out more than disease. Remember that really cheesy film Mission Impossible II, where Tom Cruise has to destroy the genetically modified disease 'Chimera'? Yeah. That gave me nightmares.

2. They're insatiableThere really is no way to reason with these chaps. You know how the Athenians used to send 14 youths every so often to placate the Minotaur? That wouldn't work here. Zombies will always be hungry for more.

3. They're unstoppableCombine reasons 1 and 2 and you get an unstoppable monster. Scientists have run projections on how a zombie virus would spread, and come to the conclusion that if it ever happened, we'd all be screwed. Great. So our options are either to become a zombie, or die while killing zombies? I'm taking the first spaceship out of here.

4. They're disgusting Zombies have no panache, no style. With zombies, you have all the issues of a decaying corpse: maggots, the smell, the exposed bone and sinew... ew! At least vampires look good while they're doing their thing.

5. They're the living deadNo one likes to be reminded of their own mortality, and zombies do just that: they show you how fragile your hold on life is. Their bodies are a full-colour moving model of what'll happen to you when you die (minus the brain-hunger, hopefully).

6. They're faithlessZombies have no loyalty, no friends. The moment the infection sets in, everything—hopes, loves, relationships, dreams, goals—ceases to exist, replaced only by hunger. A zombie doesn't even care what happens to another zombie.

7. They never give upZombies don't get bored or impatient, or, you know, just plain tired of the whole hunting thing. Pretty soon you'll run out of food and supplies, open your front door, and bam! They'll be there, waiting. You wouldn't want to queue behind these guys."

That's when I hit a roadblock. I was missing three reasons and my mind had gone blank.

I reread through the list, searching for inspiration, and all of a sudden I found myself wondering: What if zombies don't have to be this way? What if they can feel emotion, fall in love? What if they are just as sad and lonely and human as the rest of us?

'What if': the two words that always mark the beginning of a story. I saved the email to drafts, opened a new document, and began writing.

One story turned into two, two into three. I kept my list handy and tried to break the rules. Swimming zombies, married zombies, zombie swans, zombies who fall in love.... The possibilities were endless.

Flash forward to today, and I've published an anthology of zombie love short stories I never thought I'd write.

I guess I don't hate zombies after all.***If you'd like to enter to win a copy of HUNGRY FOR YOU, please leave your name and email in the comments section by Friday, May 27.  The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 28 just in time for the long Memorial Day Weekend!

BUY LINKS:1889 LABS, http://1889.ca/books/hungry-for-you/

***AUTHOR BIO: A.M. Harte writes twisted speculative fiction, such as the zombie love anthology Hungry For You. She is excellent at missing deadlines, has long forgotten what 'free time' means, and enjoys procrastinating over at amharte.com.