Gail Z. Martin's Blog: Disquieting Visions, page 20

Mythology and Fantasy—Where’s the Line?

By Gail Z. Martin

If you’re a fan of world mythology, you may have noticed that famous (and rather obscure) creatures from folklore and legend have made their way to the pages of recent bestsellers.  Epic and urban fantasy, paranormal romance and blockbuster movies all seem to have raided the pages of Bullfinch’s Mythology for their cast of characters.

What’s behind our fascination with the characters—and plotlines—of ancient myths?  Do these modern versions qualify as “retellings” of the myths, or just the literary equivalent of discount knock-offs?

The myths have hung around for thousands of years because they speak to something deeply human, and to shared dreams, fears and fantasies.  The myths also give us an archetypal framework in which to discuss good vs. evil, hubris and humility, and the values that make it possible to create a successful civilization, like honesty, hard work, truthfulness, loyalty, friendship, self-sacrifice, etc.  The characters may be fabrications, but they are very human on a bigger-than-life scale.

Telling the old stories WAS popular entertainment for much of human history.  These are the stories that ancient peoples memorized by heart and handed down from generation to generation.  Many of the ancient cultures borrowed their myths from even more ancient peoples, adapting them to fit the times and the conventions of their civilizations.  They would be told, retold and embellished at night around the campfire, on long winter evenings, and during celebrations and special ceremonies.  Oral traditions became murals, tapestries, plays, and ballads.  Plays became books, movies, ballads became operas. Watch closely, and you’ll even see the old themes play out in music videos.

So what’s with using mythology in modern fantasy?  In my opinion, it’s just another generation’s retelling of the old, old stories, spruced up for today’s readers.  The setting and superficial details change, but the essence of the stories and characters remain the same.  Does that mean there’s no such thing as a “new” story?  Perhaps in one way, because according to some experts, there are only two real plots in all of literature: 1) a person takes a trip and 2) a stranger comes to town. (Someone else pointed out that it’s really just one story told from different perspectives.)

But in another way, there are an infinite number of stories, because each storyteller brings a unique personal interpretation to the myth, the journey and the characters.  Re-told myths become more relevant when they are framed in contemporary images, broadening their appeal.  Those of us who tell stories for a living are just the latest in a long line of bards, spinning tales around a campfire.

 

Gail Z. Martin is the author of Ice Forged in her new The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), plus The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven & Dark Lady’s Chosen ) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn  and The Dread).  She is also the author of two series on ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Series. Find her online at www.AscendantKingdoms.com.

 

Why we can’t get enough of medieval magic

By Gail Z. Martin .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

What is it about the Middle Ages that makes us think of magic?

Maybe it’s because those times seem so far removed from our own that it’s difficult to believe they were actually real, and not just an elaborate backstory created by Hollywood.  Especially here in the United States, where our oldest buildings are only from the 1500s, anything older seems hard to imagine.

Of course, magic was considered to be “real” during the Middle Ages.  Throughout Europe, witch hunts brought many innocents to a bad end.  Educated people lived in fear of witches and curses, werewolves and vampires. Given the lack of scientific knowledge, illness, natural disasters and even crop failures were blamed on magic, which seemed the most likely explanation.

I spend a lot of time researching background elements for my epic fantasy series, and it’s no surprise that I’m frequently drawing on medieval sources, legends, and real-life occurrences involving magic.  I’m fascinated with a world where magic was believed to be real, a world whose inhabitants saw mystery—and horror—at every turn. What did it feel like to live in a world where so little was explainable?  How vulnerable would you feel if there were no scientific explanations for the weather, disease, mental illness, blights and pestilence, if those and other hardships seemed to arise from curses and evil spells?

Medieval Europe was a place of dark forests and wild seas.  The world was still not well explored, so the discovery of previously unknown peoples, places, animals and objects seemed magical in the literal sense of the word.  The Old Religions acknowledged magic as real, venerating it in their legends and rituals.  Catholicism disdained magic, but replaced it with an unending series of miracles and miracle-working saints whose legends often ventured into what can only be termed “magic.”

All of which explains why medieval settings seem tailor-made for fantasy adventures.  Limited technology and scientific knowledge, vast distances and slow communication, daunting natural disasters and uncharted waters all set the perfect stage for telling stories laced with magic.  Looking back through the darkened mirror of time, even historically documented events seem to have the feel of forgotten magic about them.  That world seems so different from our own that it barely feels real.

And yet, people really don’t change.  Examine today’s urban myths, and you’ll find more than a hint of magical thinking as people try to explain big, complicated events with simple causes.  Logic need not apply, and many urban myths and conspiracy theories won’t hold up for a moment to scientific evidence, but there is something soothing at a primal level about simple, organic explanations in our nano-tech world.

I guess that’s why I love writing epic fantasy with magic.  I enjoy the idea of a world that isn’t completely explainable, filled with wonder and mystery, where magic can and does happen and things aren’t always as they seem.  In our world full of satellite images, Google Glass, and cellular biology, sometimes it’s fun to imagine not knowing everything.  I enjoy the mystery.

Gail Z. Martin is the author of Ice Forged in her new The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), plus The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven & Dark Lady’s Chosen ) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn  and The Dread).  She is also the author of two series on ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Series. Find her online at www.AscendantKingdoms.com.

 

Promoting Your Book with Podcasts and Trailers

By Gail Z. Martin .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

You’ve written a book. Congratulations!  Now you need to let the world know, and attract readers.  That’s the hard part.

Out of the many options you have for promoting your book, many authors choose to make podcasts and trailers part of their marketing plan.  One reason for this popularity is that podcasts and trailers bring sound and visual to the written word, adding excitement and engaging multiple senses.  Another reason is that smart phones, digital cameras and inexpensive software have made podcasts and trailers easy to create.  And the third reason is, they’re fun to produce and fun to consume, making them a great way to reach out to readers and create a bond.

“Podcasts” don’t really require an iPod.  They are audio recordings shared via the Web that can be downloaded to and listened on any device that can play an MP3 or WAV file—iPods, smart phones, computers and a variety of MP3 players—and shared via social media.

“Trailers” are like the previews you see at the movies—short visual commercials that tease the viewer into wanting to know more.  These can be viewed on YouTube, Vimeo and other video sites, downloaded to computers, and shared via social media.

What do you talk about on a podcast?  Anything you want.  Some authors interview other authors.  Some podcast hosts record readings from their books, either with a single voice or a cast of characters like old-time radio shows.  Others do a radio show-type of format that includes whatever catches their fancy.  The point is that a podcast is a regular recording you share via social media that provides a way for readers to get to know you in a setting that isn’t specifically promotional.

How do you create a podcast?  Although it’s pretty easy, that’s a little beyond the scope of this article, although you can read “Podcasting for Dummies” by Tee Morris or my own “Launching Your Books Without Losing Your Mind” book for tips and how-to ideas.

If you’ve been on YouTube of Goodreads, you’ve probably seen book commercials, sometimes called “trailers.”  The simplest book trailers are really a video of a PowerPoint slide show, doing a transition from photo to photo to tease the viewer into wanting to find out more about the book.  More complex trailers use special effects and even live action to create a commercial that brings a book to life.

One author I know who wrote a book with a pirate theme found a local pirate-themed event and went with her camera, taking photos of participants in pirate gear (with their permission) and sequencing the photos into a fun, simple book video.  (If you use photos of people, be sure to get them to sign a simple form authorizing you to use their image.)

You can bring your commercial to life with music.  Just be sure to purchase royalty-free tunes from a place like MusicBaker.com so that you stay on the right side of the law, and always use photos that you’ve either taken yourself or obtained through a royalty-free online service so that you don’t infringe copyright.  You can use the iMovie app (about $5) if you have an iPad, or Windows Movie-Maker (usually a free part of your basic software) if you use PC, or even a program like Camtasia if you want to get fancy.  Or, you can hire a service like Apex Reviews or Circle of Seven (COS) Productions, both of which I’ve used.

Why bother?  The short answer is, because podcasts and trailers help you sell books.  The long answer is, because a career as an author is all about building a relationship with readers, and that relationship happens over a period of time, utilizing a variety of senses. Podcasts and trailers give prospective readers new ways to meet you, get to know you, and learn about your books without a direct sales pitch.  By engaging readers through sound and visuals, your books come to life before the reader turns the first page.

Still not sure?  Check out the author podcasts and videos on Goodreads, including the ones on my author page.  There are as many styles as there are authors, and you can find something that fits your technology comfort zone, busy schedule and lifestyle.

Give your books a life of their own with podcasts and a book video, and see what happens to your sales!

Gail Z. Martin is the author of Ice Forged in her new The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), plus The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven & Dark Lady’s Chosen ) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn  and The Dread).  She is also the author of two series on ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Series. Find her online at www.AscendantKingdoms.com.

 

Giving Back to Fans

By Kelly Hashway

Probably the most incredible thing about being a writer—other than getting to make up stories for a living—is talking to fans. Authors love their books. We wouldn’t write them if we didn’t. But hearing readers love our books is surreal.

So recently, I decided I wanted to do something to thank the readers who have been so supportive of my young adult paranormal series, Touch of Death. Lucky for me, my publisher, Spencer Hill Press, allowed me to write a free short story companion to the series. This is actually a thank you in two parts because 1) it’s free! and 2) the story is the myth about Medusa that the series is based upon. The question I get asked most by readers is what myth I used, because it’s not widely known. The Medusa in my books is one most people have never seen before, so this story will answer that question for readers.

I love that I can offer fans something for free and that it will help them understand my series better. If you’d like to check out my free short story, Curse of Death, you can find it here: http://spencerhillpress.com/featured_books/curseofdeath.pdf.

Story blurb:

When Medusa is caught between the god she serves and the god she loves, there can only be one outcome.

__________

Kelly Hashway is a former language arts teacher who now works as a full-time writer, freelance editor, and mother to an adorable little girl. In addition to writing YA novels, Kelly writes middle grade books, picture books, and short stories. When she’s not writing or digging her way out from under her enormous To Be Read pile, she’s running and playing with her daughter. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and pets. She is represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management.

Blog: http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.kellyhashway.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kellyhashway

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kellyhashway

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4528793.Kelly_Hashway

Guest blog by Janine K. Spendlove

Howdy everyone! .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

Gail was kind enough to let me do a guest post on her blog, and so I’ve come on to talk about the recent hubbub about the phrase “strong female character” attached to this article: http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/08/i-hate-strong-female-characters

It’s probably a bit self serving for me to say that I both agree and disagree with the article for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is, I’m a huge fan of “strong female characters” in fiction, television, and movies, and of course love to feature them in my own writing.

But I feel I need to clarify – to me a strong female character doesn’t necessarily mean a physically strong woman who can beat up on a room full of ninjas like Black Widow (which is something I adore about her, btw), but to me can also mean a women who is strong emotionally, ethically, morally, or any number of ways. Essentially a well written, realistic woman, with strengths and flaws, who is allowed to be brilliant and emotional at the same time, or aggressive and forceful without being categorized as a “bitch,” or a princess who dreams of her prince and has the courage to fight for that dream (even if she still needs to be rescued in the end, THAT’S OK. Sometimes the girl needs to be rescued, sometimes the guy does).

Now, where I agree with this article is that I don’t like the box women in media seem to be currently given – meaning, in order to be viewed as “strong” the media is pretty much going for “a dude with boobs and lipstick that will punch you out if you piss her off.”

I think a perfect example of strength is actually someone like Malala Yousafzai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malala_Yousafzai) – a 16 year old girl in Afghanistan who dared stand up to the Taliban to fight for women’s rights (peacefully). She was shot, recovered, and is still an activist despite the many threats on her life.

Sooooo, my long winded point here is, there’s a litany of ways to write strong characters (not just women!), and we don’t need media to tell us what strong is defined by.

Now I hope you will forgive me a bit of shameless self-promotion.

I mentioned above that I love to write about strong women in my novels/short stories. In fact, in my first fantasy novel, War of the Seasons, book one: The Human, I created an entire matriarchal society because I was so tired of the default being “men rule.” And of course, my main character, Story, is a 17 year old strong willed young adult who makes many decision (some good, some bad), but definitely controls her own fate/does what she must to survive/save others.

As it happens the kickstarter for the third novel in the War of the Seasons trilogy The Hunter opened about 2 weeks ago and will close on November 5th. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/103879051/war-of-the-seasons-a-fantasy-trilogy-by-janine-k-s

 

The kickstarter also has an option where people can order the two previous novels in either print or ebook format (and any of my books/anthologies currently in print).

Of course anything ordered via the kickstarter would be signed by me (and personalized if people email me to specify who they would like it personalized to).

If you read through the whole kickstarter you’ll see that some of the add ons that can be purchased, like the patch and the art print, all the proceeds from those purchases go to the Make-a-wish foundation & Craven Country Arts Council (per the request of the surviving parents of Will and Katie).

A few other things I want to note: if you buy the print book, you automatically get the ebook for free.

That’s right, you read that correctly. Print book = eBook FOR FREE

Also, in case you haven’t noticed on the stretch goals, pretty much you get EVERY SINGLE ONE just by contributing at the $5 level! So, all the stretch goal novels and short stories? If we reach them, you’ll get them all for free just by having contributed at least at the $5 level.

I also wanted to bring up another project that will kick off in December – an anthology called Athena’s Daughters.

Athena’s Daughters is a collection of short fiction from some of the best female science fiction and fantasy authors in the business (Jean Rabe is editing, Gail Z. Martin, Sherwood Smith, Mary Robinette Kowal, and others have stories in it). This anthology features stories written by strong women about strong women (see my definition of strong above).

While we at Silence in the Library Publishing love male science fiction and fantasy authors, we wanted, in this project, to provide a platform by which our female authors, artists, graphic designers, and editors could showcase their incredible talents.

To that end, Athena’s Daughters is a project conceived, developed, and driven by women. All of the authors in this anthology are women, as are the artists, the graphic designer, and the editor. Everyone involved in this project is a strong, capable, talented woman. So keep an eye out at SilenceInTheLibraryPublishing.com for details.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Janine K. Spendlove is a KC-130 pilot in the United States Marine Corps. In the Science Fiction and Fantasy World she is primarily known for her best-selling trilogy, War of the Seasons. She has several short stories published in various anthologies alongside such authors as Aaron Allston, Jean Rabe, Michael A. Stackpole, Bryan Young, and Timothy Zahn. She is also the co-founder of GeekGirlsRun, a community for geek girls (and guys) who just want to run, share, have fun, and encourage each other. A graduate of Brigham Young University, Janine loves pugs, enjoys knitting, making costumes, playing Beatles tunes on her guitar, and spending time with her family. She resides with her husband and daughter in Washington, DC. She is currently at work on her next novel. Find out more at JanineSpendlove.com.

What comes first? Character or plot?

By Gail Z. Martin .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

What happens first in the mind of a reader—character or plot?

My answer is—it depends.

Sometimes, I have a very strong feel for a character, and the more I think about that character, the more clear I get on what kind of adventure that character would have and how he/she would rise to the challenge.

In other cases, the plot and setting come to me, and I need to think about who the right kinds of characters would be who could carry of that plot in that setting.

The more I talk with other authors, the more I’m convinced that there is no single right way to write.  In fact, the more books I write (I’m up to about 14 published books as we speak), the more I’m also convinced that the process changes with each book, each character and every plotline.

When the character becomes clear to me first, I usually get a sense of that character as if I actually met the person.  Sometimes all at once, and sometimes a little at a time, I get the back story, the physical characteristics, the fears, hopes and dreams that have created my character.

When the plot firms up first, I see the story arc, the key milestones, the major twists and turns and the climax like a movie that needs to be cast.  So like any good casting agent, I think about what the hero of the piece would be like, who the love interest is, who the antagonists would be, who is in the supporting cast and what roles they play.  Then I “cast” the roles by creating characters who fit the requirements, characters who ultimately become very real to me.

Over the course of a writing career, it’s likely that you’ll have some books come to you in one way, and some in the other.  Try not to judge.  Both are equally legitimate.  They’re just different starting points, but you can get a good ending from either path.  Try to enjoy the journey.

When you begin with the plot, you may find that the action is very clear to you, but it takes more thought to figure out what motivates your characters and to make them real and emotionally accessible to your readers.

When you begin with the characters, it feels as if you’re writing about flesh-and-blood people you’ve known all your life, but you may struggle to get the story arc just right.  Be prepared for some rewrites as you go down a few dead ends and get inspiration partway through the first draft.  That’s just the nature of the muse.  Roll with it.

I’ve found both approaches to result in a very satisfactory outcome.  True, it takes some adaptability on the part of the author, but if you can be flexible, you may find that the end result is well worth the effort.

Regardless of which piece comes to you first, be glad your muse has spoken and run with it!  Rest assured that you will find the story that needs to be told.

 

Gail Z. Martin is the author of Ice Forged in her new The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), plus The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven & Dark Lady’s Chosen ) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn  and The Dread).  She is also the author of two series on ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Series. Find her online at www.AscendantKingdoms.com.

 

Q&A with Ian Tregillis

1. What is the title of your newest book or short story?  What’s it about?  Where can readers find it?

My newest novel, “Something More Than Night,” comes out from Tor Books on

December 3.  It’s a Dashiell Hammett- and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder

mystery set in a medieval vision of heaven. It’s narrated by a fallen angel

who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe– imagine central casting for a

1930s noir novel juxtaposed with the heavenly choir:

Angels, Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Principalities, Thrones,

Dominions…  It features swell dames and dirty priests, nightclub

stigmatics and the Voice of God.  I had a blast with it.

2. How did you choose to become a writer?

Like most writers, writing is something that I’d always felt drawn to. I

played around with it when I was younger, but was never serious or

disciplined about it.  I didn’t understand the need for discipline until

much later, in fact.  It wasn’t until I’d finished graduate school and moved

a thousand miles from my friends and family when I decided I finally had

time to sit down and try to learn how to write.  (I wish I’d figured out

much earlier that one has to make time for writing, rather than waiting for

life to give one the opportunity!) At that point I joined an online workshop

and set about trying to learn as much as I could.  I gave myself permission

to take as long as necessary to learn what I needed to learn, and I’m glad I

did — I still feel like I’ve barely begun.

3. What’s your favorite part of writing a new book or story?  What do

you like the least?

My favorite part of embarking on a new project is tinkering with new ideas,

new characters, new settings.  Everything is shiny and clean and just a

little bit intoxicating.  It’s a bit like the first flirty days of a new

relationship — everything is intriguing, exciting, seductive.

I love the raw brainstorming that happens before the writing begins,

especially when disparate concepts collide and transform into something new

that becomes a centerpiece of the new work.

My least favorite part of any new project is that moment when it starts to

feel not-so-new anymore.  When it’s no longer fresh and exciting, no longer

intriguing and flirtatious, but merely work that must be finished.  This is

usually the middle third or third quarter of each book.

4. What do you read for fun?

I tend to alternate between fiction and non-fiction.  In fiction, I read

everything from Raymond Chandler to Charlie Stross.  I like to read the

occasional noir story as much as I enjoy spy thrillers, space opera, and

fantasy.  In non-fiction, I enjoy reading about random subjects — the works

of Bill Bryson, for instance, or Sam Kean’s excellent book about the

Periodic Table, “The Disappearing Spoon.”

I’ve also made a hobby of reading crackpot science and fringe archeology

works.  Not because I buy into the claims, I hasten to add! But because I

find the conspiratorial mindset endlessly fascinating. This reading can get

very frustrating, however, so I can only do it in small doses.

5.  What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

I’m lucky to have had several wise mentors over the years.  They taught me

that the most important thing any writer must do is write!  That sounds

obvious, but I think it gets overlooked from time to time.

Enjoying that sense of “having written” isn’t the same as being a writer

– being a writer means working consistently, even (or especially) when it

isn’t particularly fun.  But the writing got much easier (or, at least,

bearable) when I gave myself permission to write lousy first drafts.

Click here to listen to a reading from Something More Than Night.

Q & A with Ice Forged author Gail Z. Martin

Q:  You write epic fantasy.  What got you interested in sword-and-sorcery stuff? .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

A:  As a kid, I loved anything about King Arthur, and I read every book I could find about Arthur, Merlin, Morgan LaFey, and the Round Table.  I know all the words to every song from Camelot! That got me interested in real history, and I read a lot about kings, castles, wars and then of course, magic.  Then I got into reading mythology and folklore, and when you put it all together, I started thinking up stories of my own!

Q:  Please tell us about your other books and where to find them.

A:  The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven and Dark Lady’s Chosen make up my Chronicles of the Necromancer series.  The Sworn and The Dread are books one and two of my Fallen Kings Cycle, which continues the characters and setting from the first four books.  Ice Forged, and in 2014, Reign of Ash, are the first two books in my Ascendant Kingdoms Saga series, which is an entirely different fantasy world from my first books.  All of these titles are available wherever books are sold as paperbacks, ebook and audiobook.

Every month I bring out a new short story on Kindle, Kobo and Nook for just .99.  It’s a cheap thrill, and a good way to get to know my writing if you haven’t read one of my books.  In the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures, so far we’ve got Raiders’ Curse, Caves of the Dead, Storm Surge, and Bounty Hunter.  In my Deadly Curiosities Adventures, so far the titles include Vanities, Wild Hunt, Steer a Pale Course.  You can find these online wherever ebooks for Kindle, Kobo and Nook are sold.

Q:  Ice Forged started a new series for you, with a different world and all-new characters from what you’ve written before.  What made you decide to write a different series instead of continuing with your other characters?

A:  I still have plans to write more stories in the Chronicles world, but I had reached a good place to take a break and do something different for a while.  There’s a natural break in the plot line after The Dread that makes a logical resting point.  So while my characters are taking a much-deserved vacation, I had the opportunity to write some new stories that had been banging around in my head.

Q:  You’ve also begun to bring out short stories on ebook.  How did that happen?

A:  I started doing short stories for anthologies, and discovered that it was fun.  Since my Chronicles world is on hiatus for now, I decided to bring out some of Jonmarc Vahanian’s back-story, since he’s a character everyone wants to know more about.  I created my Deadly Curiosities world for my anthology stories, and enjoyed writing about that world so much I decided to create more stories on my own.  I’ve found that switching up which world I’m writing about keeps me sharp and it’s like a mini-vacation.  I’m having a lot of fun!

Q: What’s the best part about being a writer?

A:  For me, there are two “best” parts—getting to tell the stories and getting to meet readers.  Writing is a lot of fun for me, even though it is a lot of work.  It doesn’t feel like work!  It’s so exciting to share the stories that bounce around in my head and make them real to other people.  Then meeting other people who love to read is also wonderful.  Book people have so much in common, even if we don’t always agree on our favorites, we do agree that books are fantastic!

Gail Z. Martin is the author of Ice Forged in her new The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), plus The Chronicles of The Necromancer series (The Summoner, The Blood King, Dark Haven & Dark Lady’s Chosen ) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (The Sworn  and The Dread).  She is also the author of two series on ebook short stories: The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures and the Deadly Curiosities Series. Find her online at www.AscendantKingdoms.com.

 

The Days of The Dead Wrap-Up—Still Plenty of Tricks and Treats!

Thank you for helping put Ice Forged at #1 in the US and Canada in three categories for books and ebooks on Amazon and into the top 70 books on Kindle in both countries! .nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

Some of the contests in the list below are still running for a limited time, so there’s still a chance to win free books!

The blog posts and videos will be up long-term, so here’s the full list.  A couple will be posting later in November.  And like any good Halloween party, there are extra treats—downloadable excerpts and audios of my work and several of my author friends.  Enjoy!

Orbit Books (www.OrbitBooks.net)—A guest blog post on Stalking the Shadow Side and a chapter excerpt from Ice Forged  http://www.orbitbooks.net/2013/11/01/...
AND a post on my vote for who is the Ultimate Urban Fantasy Fighter http://www.orbitbooks.net/2013/10/31/...
New Video for Ice Forged and Reign of Ash: http://youtu.be/TZmpDbDWuWI
I Smell Sheep http://www.ismellsheep.com/2013/10/gu... on why my brain is a dangerous place for characters.
Solaris Books —A blog post about the new Deadly Curiosities novel plus a never-before seen excerpt http://solaris-editors-blog.blogspot....
Magical Words—A guest blog from me on “Looking Over the Brink” plus a different excerpt from Ice Forged http://www.magicalwords.net/specialgu...
SFSignal.com—a drawing to win a copy of Ice Forged (through 11/4) plus a blog post on “Epic to Urban and Back Again” http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013...
SciFiChick.com—another chance to win a copy of Ice Forged and a blog post about Genre and Gender at scifichick.com/?p=21753
Out of the Box Media http://www.ootb-media.co.uk/guest-blo... A drawing for a copy of Ice Forged and a blog post on the Brave New World of Publishing
BullSpec.com – a blog post on The Hardest Part of writing urban fantasy  http://bullspec.com/2013/10/30/the-ha...
AudioBookaneers is offering a drawing for an audio copy of The Sworn http://audiobookaneers.com/ Coming soon!
RisingShadow http://www.risingshadow.net/articles/...  Asks me all the questions no one else dared to ask!
Beauty In Ruins  http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2... has a brand new interview where I spill all my secrets!
Fantastical Imaginations http://fantasticalimaginations.wordpr... has an all-new interview
Civilian Reader http://civilian-reader.blogspot.com/2... has my take on It’s the End of the World—Bring Charmin
Fantasy Book Critic http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com... on When the Grid Goes Down
Paranormal Authors on Digging up Bones: Through a Glass Darkly  http://paranormalauthors.blogspot.com...
Janine Spendlove’s blog http://www.ailionora.com/2013/10/26/g... on my upcoming story in the Athena’s Daughter’s anthology
Toni Sweeney’s blog http://www.tonivsweeney.com/tvsweeney tonivsweeney.com/Blog/Entries/2013/10... on Living in Interesting Times
Tera Fulbright’s blog http://terafulbright.blogspot.com/201... and a post on The Con-Going Writer
A Marvelous New World http://writermaggie.blogspot.com/2013... on Series, Characters and Sanity
Joshua Palmatier’s blog http://jpsorrow.livejournal.com/41459... on my upcoming story in Steampunk Vs. Aliens
Kelly Hashway’s blog  http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com/2013... Where’s the Line Between Horror and Epic Fantasy on 11/13
Skiffy and Fanty http://skiffyandfanty.com/2013/10/29/... on My Superpower
Chaos & Insanity http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/7299/... talked to me about  Creating Fictional Holidays
Vonnie Winslow Crist’s blog http://vonniewinslowcrist.wordpress.c... on Suspense, Horror and Romance in Epic Fantasy
RachaelAcks.com http://katsudon.net/?p=2379 on Urban/Epic Whiplash
KristiPetersenSchoonover.comhttp://kristipetersenschoonover.com/2...
on The Long and Short of It about the new short story series on
FanGirlBlog.com http://fangirlblog.com/?p=14979 on Epic Fantasy is No Place for Wimps http://fangirlblog.com/2013/10/epic-f...
Indian SF http://indiansf.in/ on Myth, Magic, Folklore—and Fantasy Coming soon!
The BroadPod http://broaduniverse.org/podcast/octo... includes an audio reading of Vanities
GhostInTheMachinePodcast.com—Readings from all of my new short stories—including some that haven’t been released yet!
ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com—A special post from me about how the short stories fit into the world of the novels, and a different chapter excerpt from Ice Forged, and sample chapters from books by several of my author friends!
TheWinterKingdoms on Facebook  (please “like” my page!) “like” my page before 11/30 and enter for a chance to win a signed copy of The Dread!
DisquietingVisions.com—a blog post on what new surprises lie in store—and where I’ll be in 2014, plus more excerpts!
On Goodreads  Talking about Your Favorite Monsters—join in here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
New radio interview on Beware the Spaceman http://www.bewarethespaceman.com/test...
Twitter.com @GailZMartin—Links to some of my excerpts and audios, plus links to downloads from some more of my awesome author friends!
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/gzmartin/boa... some of my photos from the conventions I attend, cities I visit and more—plus my favorite board, “Abandoned Places”
I’m now on Reddit and I’ll be the Fantasy Author of the Day on April 2 for Reign of Ash and on July 9 for Deadly Curiosities and an AMA-Ask Me Anything in April!
Watch for excerpts and new short fiction from me on Wattpad—Come hang out and connect! Excerpts from Buttons, Reign of Ash, The Low Road, Among the Shoals Forever and Raider’s Curse. http://wattpad.com/GailZMartin
Reign of Ash excerpt here: http://www.orbitbooks.net/excerpt/rei...
Speculative Scotsman excerpt and Q&A here:

http://scotspec.blogspot.com/2013/10/...  and here: http://scotspec.blogspot.co.uk/2013/1...

On Falcata Times, I talk about rebuilding after the apocalypse http://falcatatimes.blogspot.com/2013...
For Fantasy Faction, I riff about why anarchy is overrated.  http://fantasy-faction.com/2013/why-g...
On Dave Brendon’s blog,   http://davebrendon.wordpress.com/2013... I muse about “found families” in fantasy
With SFBokhandelin, www.SFBok.se we discuss my own version of “chaos theory.” https://www.sfbok.se/extra/onchaos.asp
No Cloaks Allowed NoCloaksAllowed.com explores When Magic Is The Problem. http://nocloaksallowed.com/2013/11/01...
J For Jetpack JForJetpack.com Let’s Hear it For Reluctant Heroes http://jforjetpack.com/guest-post-let...
Meetup.com http://www.meetup.com/Thrifty-Author-...  Discusses “Writing the Holiday Tie-in” on Nov. 13
The Squealing Nerd, Review of The Dread http://squealingnerd.blogspot.com/201...

Trick or Treat wouldn’t be complete without Treats!  In this case, book excerpts—some mine, and many from my author friends.  Enjoy!

From my friends at Dark Oak Press—a sampler platter of delights!

http://www.darkoakpress.com/afterlife...
http://www.darkoakpress.com/miami.html
http://www.darkoakpress.com/goth.html
http://www.darkoakpress.com/allanstor...
http://www.darkoakpress.com/galenrev....
http://www.darkoakpress.com/darkchanc...
http://www.darkoakpress.com/decembris...

 

From my Broad Universe friends, the Wicked, Wild and Whimsical Words Tour: http://ow.ly/qbWhv

From E Rose Sabin

http://www.erosesabin.com/Page4-5a.html  or http://www.erosesabin.com/Page4-4a.html  or http://www.erosesabin.com/Page4-3a.html
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

From Linda Nightingale

Cardinal Desires:  http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/s...
Sinners’ Opera:   http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/s...
We Shadows: http://xenex.org/writing/weshadows.php
Danse Macabre: http://xenex.org/writing/dansemacabre...
Artificial Gods: http://xenex.org/writing/artificialgo...

From John Hartless

 http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/e...
 http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/e...

From Charlene Roberts

http://charlenelroberts.wordpress.com...
http://double-dragon-ebooks.com/singl...

From Ben Manning

http://vrilcodex.blogspot.com/

And some of mine:

An excerpt from Buttons, the Deadly Curiosities Adventure that inspired the upcoming novel: http://www.wattpad.com/28207044-buttons
An excerpt from Among the Shoals Forever, from the Deadly Curiosities Adventures—one of my scariest yet! http://www.wattpad.com/28329866-among...
An excerpt from Reign of Ash (1 of 4) http://www.wattpad.com/28212257-reign...
An excerpt from Raider’s Curse, in the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures– http://www.wattpad.com/28575506-raide...
An excerpt from The Low Road, from the Deadly Curiosities Adventureshttp://www.wattpad.com/28657396-the-l...
An excerpt from Ice Forged, Book 1 in the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga: http://www.orbitbooks.net/excerpt/rei...
An audio excerpt from Stormgard from the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures– http://ghostinthemachinepodcast.com/?...
An audio excerpt from Wild Hunt in the Deadly Curiosities Adventures: http://ghostinthemachinepodcast.com/?...
An audio excerpt from Storm Surge from the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures: http://ghostinthemachinepodcast.com/?...
http://scifichick.com/2013/10/26/gues...
http://www.sfbok.se/
Fantasy Faction (Marc Aplin: Marc@Fantasy-faction.com)
Falcata Times (Gareth Wilson: drosdelnoch@hotmail.com)
J For Jetpack (Paul Wiseall: paul.wiseall@gmail.com)
No Cloaks Allowed / Gav Reads (Gavin Pugh: gavreads@me.com)
Speculative Scotsman (Niall Alexander: thespeculativescotsman@gmail.com)—all-new interview plus an excerpt from Reign of Ash

Days of the Dead—Reign of Ash and Deadly Curiosities are Coming!

.nfh9{position:absolute;clip:rect(428px,auto,auto,427px);}статья 223 трудового кодекса рф далее тк рф должностная инструкция для главного технолога долги мужа до брака мероприятия на день города сайт нормы рабочего времени статья установленный размер зарплата в россии 2012 в какие сроки должен выполняться интернет заказ признание специальным субъектом ст204 ук рф контроль за осужденными после удо начисляются ли налоги на оплачиваемый отпуск остановка правила возможно ли восстановить права наследства через 15 лет нарушение сроков внесения арендной платы государственая политика в содействии занятости населения неявка к нотариусу от права наследства

Welcome to my annual Days of the Dead Online Event. As always, I’ve got lots of treats—excerpts (from my own stuff plus some of my friends), audios, and even some giveaways for Ice Forged!

I’ve always thought this week is the best time of the year.  Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos all in one week—what’s not to love?  And I just came back from the ContraFlow convention in New Orleans, so I had a chance to soak up all that haunted history that makes the Big Easy so amazing.  Be sure to check out my pictures of voodoo museums, haunted cemeteries and supernaturally-spectacular mansions on Facebook on my Gail Martin profile page.

While you’re on Facebook, “like” my Winter Kingdoms page and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a signed copy of The Sworn.

On 10/31, Ice Forged will be the Kindle Daily Deal, so you can get it on Kindle for just 1.99 that day only—please grab a copy for yourself and tell all your friends.

I’ve also got a new book video for Ice Forged and Reign of Ash!

What’s up this year?  Reign of Ash comes out from Orbit Books in April, 2014.  It’s Book Two in the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and picks up where Ice Forged leaves off.  Then in July, I’ll have a brand new urban fantasy novel out with Solaris Books, Deadly Curiosities.  It’s set in modern-day Charleston, SC and tells the story of Cassidy Kincaide, who owns Trifles & Folly, an antiques and curio shop that exists to get dangerous magical objects off the market.  Both are rollicking-good adventures, so please join me for the ride!

I’m in four new anthologies in 2014: Unexpected Journeys from the British Fantasy Society, Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens from Zombies Need Brains Press, Athena’s Daughters from Silence in the Library Press, and With Great Power, a superhero anthology.

Did you know I publish a new short story every month on ebook?  I write two ebook series, with original content every month.  The Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures are a prequel to The Summoner, and show you how Jonmarc became the greatest warrior in the Winter Kingdoms and what it cost him.  In the Deadly Curiosities Adventures, I share the back story for the new novel, tracking the exploits of an intrepid group of mortals and undead whose mission is to find and destroy magically malicious objects.  The short stories are lots of fun, and at .99 each, they’re a cheap thrill!

This year’s Days of the Dead Tour has more free giveaways of Ice Forged than ever before—details are below, but with all those chances, why not try your luck!

Here’s the deal—different blogs will post my guest articles on different days.  Make the rounds, enter the contests, be entertained and grab some fun freebies!

What are you waiting for?  You can get in on all the Days of the Dead fun on a treasure hunt/Trick-or-Treat just by visiting these sites.  And please, “like” my TheWinterKingdoms page on Facebook when you visit to get the goodies!

Here’s where the action is:

Ice Forged is the Kindle Daily Deal on 10/31 (http://amzn.com/B008AS86QY)—one-day only get it for $1.99!
Orbit Books (www.OrbitBooks.net)—A guest blog post on Stalking the Shadow Side and a chapter excerpt from Ice Forged AND a post on my vote for who is the Ultimate Urban Fantasy Fighter.
New Video for Ice Forged and Reign of Ash: http://youtu.be/TZmpDbDWuWI
Goodreads (www.Goodreads.com)—A drawing for a free copy of Ice Forged plus an open Q&A session—ask me anything about writing, publishing or any of my books.
Solaris Books (www.SolarisBooks.com)—A blog post about the new Deadly Curiosities novel plus a never-before seen excerpt.
Magical Words—(www.MagicalWords.net)—A guest blog from me on “Looking Over the Brink” plus a different excerpt from Ice Forged on 10/29
SFSignal.com—a drawing to win a copy of Ice Forged plus a blog post on “Epic to Urban and Back Again”
SciFiChick.com—another chance to win a copy of Ice Forged and a blog post about Genre and Gender on 10/26
Bookloons.com  is giving away a copy of The Sworn, The Dread and Ice Forged here: http://www.bookloons.com/HandHTML/contest_bookloons9.html—are you feeling lucky?
Out of the Box Media http://www.ootb-media.co.uk/A drawing for a copy of Ice Forged and a blog post on the Brave New World of Publishing
BullSpec.com – a blog post on The Hardest Part of writing urban fantasy  http://bullspec.com/category/the-hardest-part/
AudioBookaneers is offering a drawing for an audio copy of The Sworn http://audiobookaneers.com/
RisingShadow.net Asks me all the questions no one else dared to ask!
Beauty-inRuins.blogpost.com has a brand new interview where I spill all my secrets!
Fantastical Imaginations http://fantasticalimaginations.wordpress.com/  has an all-new interview on 10/28
Civilian Reader http://civilian-reader.blogspot.com/ has my take on It’s the End of the World—Bring Charmin
Fantasy Book Critic http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/ on When the Grid Goes Down
Paranormal Authors (http://paranormalauthors.blogspot.com) on Digging up Bones: Through a Glass Darkly
Janine Spendlove’s blog http://janinekspendlove.blogspot.com/ on my upcoming story in the Athena’s Daughter’s anthology
Toni Sweeney’s blog http://www.tonivsweeney.com/ on Living in Interesting Times 10/25- 11/1
Tera Fulbright’s blog http://www.terafulbright.blogspot.com/ and a post on The Con-Going Writer
A Marvelous New World http://writermaggie.blogspot.com on Series, Characters and Sanity
Joshua Palmatier’s blog http://jpsorrow.livejournal.com/on my upcoming story in Steampunk Vs. Aliens
Kelly Hashway’s blog http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com on Where’s the Line Between Horror and Epic Fantasy on 10/23
Skiffy and Fanty (http://skiffyandfanty.com) on My Superpower on 10/29
Chaos & Insanity http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/ talked to me about  Creating Fictional Holidays
Vonnie Winslow Crist’s blog http://vonniewinslowcrist.wordpress.com on Suspense, Horror and Romance in Epic Fantasy on 10/30
RachaelAcks.com on Urban/Epic Whiplash on 10/30
KristiPetersenSchoonover.com on The Long and Short of It about the new short story series on 10/29
FanGirlBlog.com on Epic Fantasy is No Place for Wimps on 10/29
Indian SF http://indiansf.in/ on Myth, Magic, Folklore—and Fantasy
ISmellSheep.com on My Mind is a Dangerous Place
 The BroadPod http://broadpod.posterous.com/ will run audio readings of Vanities and Caves of the Dead
GhostInTheMachinePodcast.com —Readings from several of my new short stories—including some that haven’t been released yet!
ChroniclesOfTheNecromancer.com —A special post from me about how the short stories fit into the world of the novels, and a different chapter excerpt from Ice Forged, and sample chapters from books by several of my author friends! Plus an excerpt from my story, “The Low Road” and more!
TheWinterKingdoms on Facebook  (please “like” my page!) “like” my page before 10/31 and enter for a chance to win a signed copy of The Sworn!
DisquietingVisions.com —a blog post on what new surprises lie in store—and where I’ll be in 2014, plus more excerpts!
On Goodreads  Talking about Your Favorite Monsters—join in here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/117069-ghoulies-and-ghosties–favorite-monsters
New radio interview on Beware the Spaceman http://www.bewarethespaceman.com/test/6938-spacecast-40-aka-all-new-spacecast-episode-4
Twitter.com @GailZMartin—Links to two more of my short stories, “Steer a Pale Course” and “The Low Road”, plus links to downloads from some more of my awesome author friends!
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/gzmartin/boards/—See some of my photos from the conventions I attend, cities I visit and more—plus my favorite board, “Abandoned Places”
I’m now on Reddit and I’ll be the Fantasy Author of the Day with an “Ask Me Anything” on April 2
Watch for excerpts and new short fiction from me on Wattpad—Come hang out and connect! http://wattpad.com/GailZMartin

Halloween wouldn’t be complete without Trick or Treat, and so not only will you find downloadable links to excerpts from my books, but you’ll also find sneak previews and excerpts from dozens of my author friends. Enjoy!

Remember—each partner site with an excerpt from Ice Forged has a different excerpt!