Kaye Lynne Booth's Blog: Writing to be Read, page 19

Day 3 of the WordCrafter “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” Book Blog Tour

For Day 3 of the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour, we’re over at “Kyrosmagica”, with a guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth. Please join us and learn more about the inspiration for this wonderful historical fiction novel.

The French Winemaker’s Daughter Tour @DIY_Author @lellsworth #historicalfiction #WW2

Treasuring Poetry – Sunflower Tanka: An Anthology of Tanka, Tanka Prose, & Experimental Tanka collated by Colleen M. Chesebro and Robbie Cheadle #poetry #treasuringpoetry

Picture caption: Banner for Treasuring Poetry, 2024

For this final post of 2024, I am sharing about Sunflower Tanka: An Anthology of Tanka, Tanka Prose, & Experimental Tanka collated by Colleen M. Chesbro and myself, Robbie Cheadle.

The theme for this collection, “Into the Light,” was influenced by how a young sunflower bud always faces the sun. This sun tracking is called heliotropism.

It is believed that sunflowers participate in heliotropism because they possess an internal clock similar to humans. This internal clock enables the plant to maximize its growth and absorb optimal energy.

The buds are heliotropic until the end of the bud stage. Upon reaching maturity, the sunflower ceases to follow the sun.

The combination of sunflowers as an emblem, and “Into the Light” as a theme is intended to throw shards of brightness out into the world. By actively seeking out happiness and sharing love and light, we can make this planet a better place for all its people and creatures.

golden sunflowers

watch Apollo’s chariot

move across the sky

from dawn’s first light to sunset

forever seeking the light

by Colleen M. Chesebro

Picture caption: Cover of Sunflower Tanka featuring a sunflower turned towards the sun on a pale pink background. Shards of light spill across the cover.Blurb

Sunflower Tanka, edited by Robbie Cheadle & Colleen M. Chesebro, is an annual anthology of contemporary tanka, tanka prose, & experimental tanka from a broad mix of new and established poetic voices from across the world.

Our theme, “Into the Light,” draws inspiration from the way a young sunflower bud constantly turns to face the sun. Poets delved into the realms of death, love, and the natural world, capturing their human experiences in the timeless form of syllabic poetry.

Contributors to the first edition of the Sunflower Tanka: Suzanne Brace, Yvette Calleiro, Kay Castenada, Luanne Castle, Robbie Cheadle, Colleen M. Chesebro, E.A. Colquitt, Melissa Davilio, Destiny, Tamiko Dooley, Lisa Fox, Cindy Georgakas, Chris Hall, Franci Hoffman, Marsha Ingrao, Jude Itakali, JulesPaige, Kenneth, MJ Mallon, Brenda Marie, Selma Martin, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Lisa Nelson, D. Wallace Peach, Freya Pickard, Dawn Pisturino, Gwen M. Plano, Jennifer Russo, Aishwarya Saby, Reena Saxena, Merril D. Smith, Nicole Smith, Ivor Steven, Ben Tonkin, Trilce Marsh Vazquez, Cheryl Wood.

A few examples of the poetry in this book

All the poems in this book are gorgeous, so I have just randomly selected three pieces to share here:

echoes of despair

hushed as tears fail haunted eyes

silence expresses 

a quiet faiths’ grip on hope 

firm through darkened horizons 

Tanka By Destiny

***

ash and dust reclaim

from flames of passion or shame

born this, raised as that

do butterflies from cocoons

ditch all that was, for petals?

Extract from Intertwined Essence (garland tanka) by Jude Itakali

***

within the forest
there’s a glen where children play
under a white light
where mystical faeries
flit around, happy and free

Tanka by Ivor Steven

Jacaranda Blue

As a photographer and painter, I am always trying to capture light in my work. This series of three photographs of my painting, Jacaranda Blue, was intended to demonstrate how this painting captures light in different ways.

This painting is dedicated to my amazingly artistic blogging friend, Resa McConaghy, who recently shared a most extraordinary series of articles about The Painted House. You can find the last article, with links to all the rest, here: https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2024/11/24/exterior/. In addition to her amazing photography, Resa creates the most incredible art gowns out of recycled materials. Click on Resa’s name to discover more about her gowns.

This is a short extract from my poem Jacaranda Blue, a rensaku, inspired by this painting and included in Sunflower Tanka:

dressed for a spring ball

frocks of filmy organza

Jacaranda blue

delicate forms gently swaying in softly flowing fabric

Sunflower Tanka Video

Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

About Robbie Cheadle

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by  WordCrafter Press  and the Poetry Treasures series.

Get Your Copy Today!

Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures

Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships

Poetry Treasures 3: Passions: https://books2read.com/u/b5qnBR

Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature

Day 2 of the WordCrafter “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” Book Blog Tour

For Day 2 of the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour, we’re over at Carla Reads with a guest post from author Loretta Ellsworth. I hope you’ll join us.

The French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Elsworth #BlogTour #GuestPost

Welcome to the WordCrafter “The French Winemaker’s Daughter” Book Blog Tour

Welcome to the WordCrafter The French Winemaker’s Daughter Book Blog Tour! This historical fiction novel could be classified as women’s fiction, as well, with two strong women in different times connected by a bottle of wine lost during the Nazi invasion, and recovered in current times. I don’t want to give away too much, because I want you to follow the tour to learn more about The French Winemaker’s Daughter.

We have a great tour lined up, with guest posts from the author, so you can get to know a little bit more at each stop. You can follow the tour through the links in the schedule below, but each link will not work until the post for that tour stop goes live, so please wait for the scheduled dates to click on them.

Tour Schedule

Monday: Writing to be Read – Interview with the author

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday: Writing to be Read – Review

About The French Winemaker’s Daughter

Set during World War II, an unforgettable historical novel about love, war, family, and loyalty told in in the voices of two women, generations apart, who find themselves connected by a mysterious and valuable bottle of wine stolen by the Nazis.

1942. Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when the Nazis come to take her father away. Pinned to her dress is a note with her aunt’s address in Paris, and in her arms, a bottle of wine she has been instructed to look after if something happened to her papa. When they are finally gone, the terrified young girl drops the bottle and runs to a neighbor, who puts her on a train to Paris.

But when Martine arrives in the city, her aunt is nowhere to be found. Without a place to go, the girl wanders the streets and eventually falls asleep on the doorstep of Hotel Drouot, where Sister Ada finds her and takes her to the abbey, and watches over her.

1990. Charlotte, a commercial airline pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend Henri at Hotel Drouot, now the oldest auction house in Paris. Successfully bidding on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during the Second World War, Henri gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box. Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusual—and very valuable—bottle of wine, a quest that will take her back fifty years into the past. . . .

A powerful tale of love, war, and family, The French Winemaker’s Daughter is an emotionally resonant tale of two women whose fates are intertwined across time. Loretta Ellsworth’s evocative and poignant page-turner will linger in the heart, and make you think about luck, connection, and the meaning of loyalty.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/French-Winemakers-Daughter-Novel-ebook/dp/B0D3CJYP5Y

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Today, we have an interview with author, Loretta Ellsworth, and I’m so excited because The French Winemaker’s Daughter is such a powerful and thought provoking story. So let me tell you about the author, and then we’ll jump right into the interview.

About Loretta Ellsworth

Loretta earned a master’s degree in Writing for Children from Hamline University. She’s the author of four young adult novels: THE SHROUDING WOMAN, a Rebecca Caudill nominee; IN SEARCH OF MOCKINGBIRD, which won the Midwest Bookseller’s Choice Honor Award, was a Teen’s Top Ten finalist, an IRA Notable, and was named to the New York Library’s List of Books for the Teen Age; IN A HEARTBEAT, which was named a spring Midwest Connection’s Pick and an ALA Notable; and UNFORGETTABLE, which was a Kirkus Pick of the Month. Her debut adult novel STARS OVER CLEAR LAKE, was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2017. Her debut picture book, Tangle-Knot, will be published by Page Street Kids in 2023.

A former Spanish teacher, she lives with her family in Minnesota. Visit her website at: http://www.lorettaellsworth.com and follow her on twitter @lellsworth.

Interview with Loretta Ellsworth

Kaye: Let’s start by having you tell us a little about your author journey. How did you get to where you’re at today as an author?

Loretta: I started out writing articles for magazines, and was lucky to have a few published.  This encouraged me to try writing longer pieces, and I wrote my first book The Shrouding Woman, a middle-grade novel.  I spent many years revising it as I learned more about the craft of writing, and it was published in 2002.  From there, I wrote three YA novels that were published, one picture book, and an adult historical novel.  Along the way I also earned my Master’s Degree in Writing, and I read extensively.

Kaye: You developed the habit of writing every day from keeping a diary as a young girl. I agree that this is a great habit for an author to have. The words add up if you just keep putting them down. What other skills do you possess that are helpful to you as an author?

Loretta: I’m an avid reader, which helps all writers.  I’m not afraid of revision, and have been known to revise a book ten or more times. And I’m one who doesn’t give up easily.  When I was searching for an agent for my adult novel, I sent over 250 queries before I found representation. 

Kaye: You write for children and teens as well, as adults, and you place a lot of emphasis on your experience as a educator. Do your books for children and teens carry educational messages?

Loretta: I don’t purposely write with a message in mind.  I usually write about relationships, but themes do tend to rise to the surface, ones of hope, grief, guilt, connection, and self-discovery.  Although my main goal is to entertain, I do write from my own heart and passion, and that comes across on the page.  

Kaye: Tell us about your new adult fiction book, The French Winemaker’s Daughter.

Loretta: The French Winemaker’s Daughter is the story of two women who are connected by a rare, and valuable, bottle of wine.  Seven-year-old Martine hides in an armoire when her Jewish father is taken away by the Nazis.  In her arms in a bottle of wine she has been instructed to keep safe.  But she drops it when she hears Germans in her father’s vineyard, and runs away.  In 1990, Charlotte, an American pilot, attends an auction with her boyfriend in Paris, where he bids on a box of wine saved from the German occupation during WW II. He gives Charlotte a seemingly inferior bottle he finds inside the box.  Cleaning the label, Charlotte makes a shocking discovery that sends her on a quest to find the origins of this unusal bottle of wine, a quest that will take her fifty years into the past.

Kaye: What inspired you to write The French Winemaker’s Daughter?

Loretta: My novel Stars Over Clear Lake is set in Iowa during WWII.  The main character’s brother is in France fighting the Nazis while she is at home with her parents and German prisoners of war who are working their farm.  In researching what part of France her brother would be in, I did a lot of reading and ended up going down a rabbit hole that led me to a book called Wine & War.  It details how France undertook daring measures to save their most precious natural resource – wine.  And while reading it I had an image of a Jewish girl hiding with a bottle of wine that is her inheritance, one that she loses.  Of course, I had to finish the other novel before embarking on this idea, but it was one that I kept thinking about for several years.  

Kaye: What was the most interesting fact you turned up in your research for The French Winemaker’s Daughter?

Loretta: One interesting fact that I used in my book is how a Moroccan leather portfolio sold at the auction house Hotel Drouot ended up containing the bill of sale for the Louisiana Purchase.  You never know what valuables you will find there. Another interesting fact is the Club Les Bains, a nightclub that originally began as a bathhouse in the 1870s where Proust visited, and became a mecca of personalities in the 1980s during its heyday.  Still open today, the pool is one of its most fascinating features.

Kaye: This book has not one, but two, strong female protagonists. Was it your intention to market it as women’s historical fiction?

Loretta: Yes, I’d always intended it to be historical fiction, which is what I enjoy reading as well.  But it’s also part mystery and part romance, which brings other elements into the story.

Kaye: Is there a message that you hope for readers to walk away with from reading this book?

Loretta: As Mr. Rogers says, “Always look for the helpers.”  No matter the situation, there  have always been good people who help those in need.  It’s just a matter of finding them.

Kaye: What was the biggest challenge for you when writing The French Winemaker’s Daughter?

Loretta: I had never been to France, so researching it was difficult.  I read as much as I could, but Covid made if hard to visit.  Finally, in 2022, I was able to go to France and visit every location where a scene in my book takes place.  Being able to soak up the atmosphere was priceless.

Kaye: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Loretta: I enjoyed writing from two different character’s point of view and two different time periods, although it was challenging.  But I found that it stretched my writing self, and I feel more accomplished in doing so.  Also, doing research in France is the best!

Kaye: Where can readers who want to know more about you or about The French Winemaker’s Daughter find you online? (Please include links here.)

www.lorettaellsworth.com

Instagram – Lorettaellsworth_author

Facebook – Loretta Ellsworth Author Page

Bluesky – @lorettaellsworth.bsky.social

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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!

Chatting with the Pros: Bobby Nash

I’m pleased to have award winning author Bobby Nash as my guest today on “Chatting with the Pros”. Bobby writes both novels and short fiction, graphic novels and comic books, and has even written screenplays and worked on the movie sets.

About Bobby Nash

An award-winning author, Bobby Nash writes novels, comic books, short stories, novellas, graphic novels, and the occasional screenplay for a variety of publishers. He is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers and International Thriller Writers. On occasion, Bobby appears in movies and TV shows, usually standing behind your favorite actor and sometimes they let him act. Recently, he was seen in Creepshow, Joe Stryker, Doom Patrol, The Outsider, Ozark, Lodge 49, Slutty Teenage Bounty Hunters, and more. He also draws from time to time.

He was named Best Author in the 2013 Pulp Ark Awards. Rick Ruby, a character co-created by Bobby and author Sean Taylor also snagged a Pulp Ark Award for Best New Pulp Character of 2013. Bobby has also been nominated for the 2014 New Pulp Awards and Pulp Factory Awards for his work. Bobby’s novel, Alexandra Holzer’s Ghost Gal: The Wild Hunt won a Paranormal Literary Award in the 2015 Paranormal Awards. The Bobby Nash penned episode of Starship Farragut “Conspiracy of Innocence” won the Silver Award in the 2015 DC Film Festival. Bobby’s story in The Ruby Files Vol. 2 “Takedown” was named Best Short Story in the 2018 Pulp Factory Awards, one of five nominations for The Ruby Files Vol. 2 (created by Bobby Nash & Sean Taylor). Bobby’s digest novel, Snow Drive was nominated for Best Novel in the 2018 Pulp Factory Awards. Bobby was part of Moonstone’s Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, which won a 2020 Pulp Factory Award for Best Pulp Anthology. Bobby’s novel, Nightveil: Crisis at the Crossroads of Infinity was also named Best Pulp Novel in the 2020 Pulp Factory Awards. In 2020, The Sangria Summit Society awarded the New Pulp Fiction Award to Bobby Nash for his work on Snow Falls and the Snow series.

For more information on Bobby Nash please visit him at http://www.bobbynash.com, http://www.ben-books.com, and across social media.

Interview

Kaye: You’ve been in the writing and publishing business a long time. What is your take on how the publishing industry has changed, and what adaptions have you had to make?

Bobby: There are certainly many more options for getting stories to readers now than when I started back in the pre-internet, pre-self-publishing model we have today. When I was getting started, you wrote a query, synopsis, and three chapters, printed them out, put them in a self-addressed stamped envelope, and mailed them to a publisher in the hopes you might hear back, or at the very least receive a form letter. Self-publishing wasn’t as well regarded as it is today so that wasn’t really an option. No internet limited your reach back then. Things are more open today, but that also means there are more books out there as well, so you have to work even harder to make your book stand out in a crowded field.

Today, being a writer means you’re running a small business. Marketing, promotion, publicist, travel/event planner, etc. That’s all on the writer, whether self-published or traditional.

I had to teach myself how to promote. I had to learn how to handle book production, pre-press, cover design, how to write a press release, things like that. I learned how to speak in public, to do panels and interviews, live podcasts, stage performances, and the like. As an author, you’re not just trying to sell books. You’re selling an experience. You’re part of that experience so you’re selling yourself as well. Branding is important to building an author brand. It is a bit time-consuming, but is important to my career as an author. Writing is just a small part of my job.

Kaye: According to your bio, you’ve written “novels, comic books, short stories, novellas, graphic novels, audio dramas, and the occasional screenplay”. Which form of writing would you say you enjoy most? Why?

Bobby: Not sure if ‘enjoy most’ is the best way to describe it. Each works different creative muscles so they’re not always easily compared. With prose, it’s all me so I see it all as I’m doing it. With comics, audio, and screenplays, I do my part, it goes away, then later comes back to me to do more, then goes away, and on and on until it’s finished. I’m part of a team there so I’m in and out at various stages of the process. Each has its enjoyable parts and the parts I like less. Just the nature of the beast, I suppose. I love them all. I will say that comic books were my first love. All of this desire to create, to tell stories, was born in the pages of comic books.

Kaye: Which type of writing presents the most challenge for you? Why?

Bobby: Novels require more time. As they are all me, I’m responsible for everything in them. That means I have to describe things in detail without it coming across as dull or as an info-dump. I’m painting the picture for the audience with words only. With scripts, most of what I write is direction for the artist or actors. They then interpret those details, adding another layer to the story. In a novel, if we walk into a character’s living room, I describe it so the reader can ‘see’ it. In a comic, I tell the artist it’s a living room. I will say that there are certain things that need to be there if important, but I leave it to the artist to design the living room. It’s a very different mindset. When I write for the artist, it’s not to entertain them, but to let them know what’s going on. The artists and actors aren’t my audience. They’re my partners.

Writing characters that are not mine also presents its own challenges. Doing work-for-hire on publisher-owned titles or media tie-ins means making sure I write the characters correctly. Research and study come in handy there. The characters have to stay in character. If not, the reader will notice something’s not right.

Kaye: You’ve done some work with graphic novels and comic books. How does the writing  in these mediums differ from fiction?

Bobby: Comics are collaborative. The artist has input into the storytelling. We’re a creative team. When I write a script, as I mentioned earlier, most of what I write in the script is direction, so the artist knows what I’m thinking in regard to the panel. I also tell them what dialogue I’m planning, though this may change after I see the art. The artist then takes this information and creates the page with art and making that art flow and tell the story. Here’s an example of a script panel.

Panel 1. Bobby sat at the desk in his office, writing. Books and comics are stacked everywhere. Controlled chaos. He’s typing on a laptop, a soda and several action figures on his desk. He appears stumped. His hair is uncombed. Glasses slid down his nose. Deep in thought about his current story.

Caption:             MEANWHILE, THE WRITER SITS TUCKED AWAY IN HIS OFFICE, UNAWARE OF THE DANGER HEADED HIS WAY.

              WHY CAN’T I MAKE THIS PAGE WORK?

SFX (in the distance):    BOOM!

SFX is sound effects. Something like that. The artist would then figure out the best way to draw this panel. It never comes back to me the way I pictured it in my head, which is fine. It almost always comes back better than I imagined. Seeing the art come in is one of the big joys of writing comics. It always makes me smile.

Kaye: How does one get into writing comic books or graphic novels? Is there a secret society one must break into? What’s the secret handshake?

Bobby: This is a harder question to answer than you might think. There’s an old joke that says that anyone who manages to break into comics is expected to brick up that entrance and close it off. Ha! Ha! Getting to work for larger, established comic book publishers is tough. Really tough. Most do not take submissions. Those that do want you to turn in a finished project, story, art, letters, colors, ready to print. Today, you basically have to be a comic book creator to get hired by publishers that create comics.

That said, we live in an age where you can put out your own comics yourself. Self-publishing, comic ebooks, and webstrips are all wonderful ways to show the world your work. If your goal is to work for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, etc., then showing the editors there your published work is the only way to show these publishers what you can do. If they like what they see, then they may reach out to you about possibly pitching something to them.

If you want to create comics, then create comics. That’s step one.

From there, you keep trying, keep creating, and hope you capture someone’s attention if doing work-for-hire comics is for you. There are smaller publishers that will hire creators to create comics. I write comics on a work-for-hire basis, but it took a long time to get into those publishers. Once they know you and your work, and if they like working with you, it’s easier to get additional comic book opportunities.

Kaye: Do you do your own illustrations for these books?

Bobby: Heavens, no. I leave that to the professionals who are so much better at it than I. I can draw. I doodle. I sketch. I can give the artist a sketch if I have a specific idea on how I would like to see a scene so he or she can see what I was thinking, but otherwise, I leave that to the artists. They’re so much better at it than me.

My dream as a kid was to be a comic book artist. I started writing so I would have stories to draw. Turns out, I was better at writing comics than drawing them. Eventually, I focused on the writing and eventually was hired to write a comic. I never looked back.

Kaye: You are a member of the International Association of Media Tie-Ins. Can you give a brief explanation of what a media tie-in is and tell us a little about how you got into that arena?

Bobby: Media tie-ins are stories based on characters that originated in other mediums. Novels, comics, short stories, etc. based on television shows or movies are media tie-ins. Star Trek, Star Wars, MCU, etc. These characters are usually licensed from the owner of the property and creators are hired by the publisher, often with approval from the rights holder. Stories are also approved by the rights holders as well. Media tie-ins generally come with a lot of rules, a lengthy list of the type of stories you can and cannot do. The owners of Zorro, for example, are there to protect Zorro. They won’t allow you to write a story that hurts the character. One of the biggest misconceptions I hear about media tie-ins are that many readers assume this is fanfiction. It’s not. With fanfic, you basically write what you want with no oversight. With tie-ins, there is oversight. There are rules. The challenge we, as writers, face is how to tell the best story we can within those parameters, which is not really that big a challenge. You just have to know what you can and cannot pitch. Don’t kill any main characters, cut off their arms, get them married or have children, things like that. Big changes to the characters will come from the owners. I’m just borrowing the character and returning it the way I received it.

I like to describe media tie-in writing like an episode of Star Trek. The original series usually opened with the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is on the bridge, happy, maybe laughing. Then, trouble happens. The crew has to deal with, then solve a problem. At the end of the episode, the Enterprise flying through space. Everyone is on the bridge, happy, maybe laughing. Media tie-in writing generally happens like that. I can bend the characters, but not break them.

My media tie-in journey started with a local access morning kids television series called Roger Rocket. He was an astronaut musician who had puppets on the spaceship with him and they played music videos for kids. I met him at a comic shop and he hired me to write a comic for his show. Though, very little of my work survived him deciding to rewrite it himself, that was my first tie-in experience. Years later, Moonstone invited me to write a Green Hornet short story. From there, I was lucky to be invited to write other characters like Zorro, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Lone Ranger, Night Beat, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, Box 13, Remo Williams, At The Earth’s Core, and a number of properties owned by various authors and publishers. It’s fun to play in someone else’s sandbox from time to time.

Kaye: How does one get into media tie-ins? Do you go knocking or do they find you? What advice would you give to someone trying to break in to media tie-ins? Is there a secret handshake for that one?

Bobby: Much like comics, they tend to find you. Unlike anthologies or company-owned characters, getting hired for media tie-ins means you have to be approved by the editor and publisher then approved by the owners of the media tie-in property. I was once tapped by an editor for a media tie-in project only to be told no by the owners of the property because they wanted a more well-known writer. That’s their choice, of course. It stung, though.

Usually, media tie-ins are not open calls. The publisher reaches out and invites writers they know to be part of it. There’s a method to writing tie-ins. You have to understand what kind of stories you can tell or not. Because I now have experience, I know what stories not to pitch because they will probably never be greenlit. As I mentioned previously, media tie-in writing is not fanfiction. That’s very important to remember. Writing tie-ins comes with a lot more rules, a lot more do’s and don’ts than other types of writing. You have to write a story that fits the brand you’re writing. The characters have to act and sound right. They have to be in character. Your story should fit seamlessly into the world of the media project that you’re writing.

As with comics, get work out there. Write your own characters and get them out there as your resume, as your writing samples. That will be what tells the publishers if your style fits their licensed characters. Once publishers get to know you, they may invite you to be part of their media tie-in projects.

As with everything in publishing, a lot of it boils down to timing and luck.

Kaye: Your work has won or been considered for many awards over the years. Which of these would you say you are the most proud of, and why?

Bobby: The first one is always special. There are also those that happen without you even knowing. I won best author in the Pulp Ark Awards, which was a huge surprise. Winning the Sangria Summit Society’s Pulp Fiction Award was also a nice surprise. I had no idea I was in the running for either. Awards are nice. It’s a bit of an ego boost. You feel like you’re doing something right, but also that others have noticed. Awards aren’t why I write, but it is a great feeling when it happens.

Kaye: Which do you enjoy writing most, heroes or villains? Why?

Bobby: Villains get the best lines. They get to do the coolest stuff. Villains are fun to write.

Kaye: Every author has those stories which are near and dear to their heart, those that are just special for whatever reason. Which of your works would you say falls into that sweet spot for you? Why?

Bobby: My go to answer for this question is usually Evil Ways. Evil Ways was my first published novel, and the book that launched this career of mine. It wasn’t always fun or easy. My original publisher turned out to be horrible, but I had a book in hand as a resume that allowed me to reach out to other publishers and show them my work. I picked up some writing gigs that kept me working until my contract ran out and I got the rights to Evil Ways back. Then, I published it myself, which was my first foray into self-publishing. So, yeah, I owe a lot to Evil Ways.

Kaye: You have a Patreon, where you market your books. Can you tell us a little about that? How effective do you find Patreon to be compared to other venues for selling your books?

Bobby: Patreon is nice. I have a small following. I post a writing blog there, keeping everyone up do date on work. I also have an ebook club ($5 and up tiers) where most of my ebooks exist. I also run serialized novels and novellas there, posting chapters every week-ish (sometimes I fall behind). Patrons are part beta readers that way. This allows me to be more productive and gets at least two additional novellas out a year more than I would otherwise. Good motivation.

I like Patreon. I don’t really sell many books through there though. My patrons tend to be readers who were probably already getting the books who are there to support me. That support means a lot to me.

Kaye: Which book marketing strategies do you find to be most effective?

Bobby: My most impactful way to sell books is at in-person events. Getting out to conventions, conferences, libraries, bookstores, and other events where I can meet people, talk up the books, just get to know readers. Outside of that, I use social media, I do interviews like this one, go on podcasts and virtual panels, write and send out press releases to news outlets, create and send out a free monthly newsletter (you can sign up at https://www.subscribepage.com/NashNews), and other opportunities as they present themselves to talk about writing and my books. There are many marketing methods out there. Not all of them work the same for every book. A promotion method that works for Evil Ways, for example, might not work for Dante’s Reckoning. You have to be willing to try new promotional paths to see what works and what doesn’t.

Kaye: Your most recent work seems to be your Dante novels. Would you like to talk a little about that series?

Bobby: The Dante books are fun. I wrote a short story for Valhalla Books’ The Devil’s Due prose anthology. The theme was that all deals come with a price. I wrote a story set in the old west, a mining town called Dante. There, a deal had been made years before with an other-dimensional being. It was time to pay up, but there were those in the town who wanted to keep the final settlement from happening. It was a fun little horror/western story. The publisher later came to me and asked what happened next. I told him I didn’t know. I just wrote a short story. I hadn’t planned any further than that. He said, this is a series. So, I got busy writing. Book 3, Dante’s Reckoning just released this Halloween. I am working on book 4, Dante’s Rebirth for 2025. I love it when things work out this way. I’m glad the publisher saw something in the concept that made him want to keep it going.

Kaye: Where can readers who would like to learn more about you and your works find you?

Bobby: I’m all over social media. There’s links at my website, which is www.bobbynash.com. This is the main hub of all things me. Ha! Ha! There are links to everywhere you can find me on the site. My indie press, BEN Books is at www.ben-books.com. These are the titles I publish myself. Please visit me and say hello.

About the A Tale of Dante Series

Welcome to Dante!

Dante, Arizona is not your average mining town.

Many dreamers have come to this barren speck of desert to strike it rich. Gold, silver, and other valuable minerals are there for the taking if you’re brave enough to pay the price, this wealth, power, and influence. Dante turned peasants into millionaires overnight.

Some suggest that these men sold their souls for the find of a lifetime. Did Dante’s founders make a deal with the devil? If so, what was it? More importantly, what will it cost the town? Nothing happens for free. Every deal has its price and there are still deals to be made.

This brings new blood to town as well as old blood. When a young reporter’s assistant becomes enamored of the daughter of a new arrival, he learns the terrifying truth behind the town. A deal was made.

And payday is coming.

Dante’s long nightmare begins here with the short story that started it all and two new tales from Dante. From the pages of The Devil’s Due comes Dante’s Tenth by award-winning author Bobby Nash.

My Review of the A Tale of Dante Series

I remember reviewing my first weird western, before I was even aware that there was such a genre, back in 2020, a book in the western genre with dragons, trolls, dwarves, and other beings from the fantasy domain. Since that time, I’ve read and review several more weird westerns and I’ve grown quite fond of the genre. Naturally, when I saw that Bobby Nash had a weird western series, I offered to review the whole series for this segment of “Chatting with the Pros”. And I’m glad that I did. One never knows what will happen next in the A Tale of Dante series, where vampires lurk in the shadows and werewolves roam the desert landscape surrounding Dante, Arizona. By hiding in plain sight, they manuvuere behind the scenes and interact with the unmidful miners and townfolk.

The town sits central in the hub of a great evil, where deals were struck long ago and now, a debt has become due. At times it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad, but make no mistake that there will be a reckoning. These stories can be read as stand alones, but I recommend reading Dante’s Showdown before Dante’s Reckoning, as the later takes place after the former. Dante’s Tenth is a collection of three short Dante stories which offer insight into three of the characters readers meet in the other two books.

The protagonists are likeable, and the villians deplorable, and lines are drawn between good and evil, if a little blurred at times. Vampires and werewolves abound in the old west town of Dante, and even the good guys carry guns. Bobby Nash brings us a vampiric priest and an army of the undead, a couple of gunfighters and a newspaper reporter who takes her job seriously to champion on the side of goodness and stop the final reckoning from taking place.

An excellent weird western series, I give the Tales of Dante series five quills.

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This segment of “Chatting with the Pros” is sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services .

Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.

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Book Review: “Unbowed”

About Unbowed

Only six months. But six tumultuous months.
Months that would have a profound and lasting effect on Alexia Jewel.

A multi-talented musical prodigy, Alexia’s scholarship to London’s prestigious Royal College of Music at the age of 15 came with controversy and difficulty. Girls at that time weren’t welcome in the professional ranks of classical music, let alone one with her sights set on becoming a conductor. But as she approaches her 50th birthday all that has changed. She has overcome all obstacles to become one of the world’s foremost classical music conductors, celebrated for her artistry and talent. Lured back to London from her life in Munich where she is chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Munich Opera House, Alexia is preparing to conduct a series of concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra to mark her birthday. While in London she begins to put her late parents’ estate into order and discovers an antique diamond ring that she learns had belonged to her great-grandmother. Agreeing to appear on the BBC’s Who do you think you are programme Alexia gives them the double mystery of her barely-known great-grandmother and the ring to investigate.

Four men, all who desire her, enter her life in these six months. As does a stalker, who threatens her safety, serenity and life.

My Review of Unbowed

I received a digital copy of Unbowed, by M.G. da Mota to review through Sandra’s Book Club. All opinions stated here are my own.

This book had a slow start, with a lot of backstory and character introductions, and no real action until well into the book. A single figure in the shadows is intended to hold reader interest for too long before the mystery finally begins to unravel. While this story has the potential to be a good mystery, the author takes so long getting into it, that I almost put the book down.

A mystery unfolds as the facts are uncovered about Alexia’s diamond and her great-grandmother’s life, all while a stalker lurks in the shadows. Four different men proclaim their love and need for her, and any one could be the dark man who is terrorizing her. But the mystery of the diamond takes precedence, the only obstacles in the way are the tracks that have been covered by time. But the evidence is all there, conveniently left for those who take time and effort to investigate, while the stalker makes random appearances and doesn’t feel as threatening as it should.

While all the pieces are there, the ones that should count don’t seem to have enough weight to carry the story. I give Unbowed three quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.

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This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press with a reminder that all WordCrafter Press books are currently 50% off in the SmashWords End of Year Ebook Sale, only in the SmashWords store: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien and a recipe for Christmas cake #bookreview #recipe #Christmas

My review

Letters to Father Christmas is Tolkien at his absolute best. A series of letters written to his own children and featuring Father Christmas as a very real and relatable person who experiences lots of setbacks, both small and large. Set over an extended period, the letters also run through World War II and explains how the war and its deprivations impact on the folk at the North Pole. Although WWII is a long time past, this messaging of resilience and making the best of things is still relevant in our modern time of uncertainty and warfare.

Father Christmas relies on his number one helper, Polar Bear, to help him in his work. As time passes and more and more children are born, Father Christmas also gets help from the elves. His elven secretary also starts assisting him with his letter writing. Polar Bear is a delightful character, full of fun and very naughty, he is always getting into trouble and creating mishaps. Father Christmas has to move house after Polar Bear tries to rescue his hat from blowing away in a wind and falls through the room and into the family room.

Father Christmas also faces adversity in the form of the hostile goblins who keep attacking his home every couple of hundred years. The goblins are mean and treacherous creatures and the folk at the North Pole have to call upon the red dwarves for assistances from their attack. An interesting way of explaining war and its meaning to young children.

A delightful book for children and adults and one I highly recommend.

You can purchase Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618512659

Quotes from Letters from Father Christmas

“if you remember him, is still fast asleep, and quite thin after so much fasting. He will soon cure that. I shall tickle his ribs and wake him up soon; and then he will eat several months’ breakfast all in one). More love, your loving Father Christmas   There is audio content at this location that is not currently supported for your device. The caption for this content is displayed below. Christmas Eve 1934”

“I hope you will like the little things I have sent you. You seem to be most interested in Railways just now, so I am sending you mostly things of that sort. I send as much love as ever, in fact more. We have both, the old Polar Bear and I, enjoyed having so many nice letters from you and your pets. If you think we have not read them you are wrong; but if you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite as many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people. I (and also my Green Brother) have had to do some collecting of food and clothes, and toys too, for the children whose fathers and mothers and friends cannot give them anything, sometimes not even dinner. I know yours won’t forget you. So, my dears, I hope you will be happy this Christmas and not quarrel, and will have some good games with your Railway all together. Don’t forget old Father Christmas, when you light your tree.”

Christmas cake recipe Picture caption: this year’s Christmas cakes are decorated with wreaths made from Lindt chocolate balls. I rather like them.Ingredients for Christmas cake

250 grams currants

240 grams sultana

200 grams mixed berries

240 grams raisins

120 grams mixed peel

180 grams chopped cherries

300 grams plain white cake flour

pinch salt

2.5 ml mixed spice

2.5 ml cinnamon

300 grams softened butter

300 grams sticky brown sugar

30 ml lemon zest

6 eggs, lightly beaten

45 ml brandy

Method for Christmas cake

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius. Double line the cake tin with thick baking paper.

Beat the sugar and butter in an electric mixer. Add the lemon zest. Add the eggs, beating in one at a time.

In a separate bowl mix the dried fruit, spices, salt cherries and flour. Add the egg mixture and mix well. Lastly, pour in the brandy and combine.

Scoop the mixture into the baking tin and level with the back of a spoon. Wrap a layer of tin foil around the base of the baking tin and place in the oven. Bake for +- 3 hours.

Last year’s Christmas cakes had a roses theme:

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About Robbie Cheadle

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

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This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press .

The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.

Get Your Copy Now.

Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird

Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle

Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee

Everyone is a Critic: the “Tulsa King” series

I’m not a big Stallone fan. His roll as Rocky didn’t do much for me at all. Maybe I’m just not into boxing. I did enjoy him in his roll as Rambo, but it’s not like he made my list of favorite actors. But I have to say Sylvester Stallone as mobster Dwight Manfreddi in Tulsa King, Sylvester Stallone kicks butt. The man is perfect for the role, and very convincing, and I’ve become one of his biggest fans.

I don’t watch a lot of television, but Tulsa King has me hooked. I binged through the first season, then anxiously awaited for each new episode of Season 2 to come out every Sunday. Now I can’t wait for season 3 to come out, but they are saying that won’t be until 2026, although rumor has it that they are already started on the filming third season after the surprise ending at the end of the second season. I don’t know why it would take so long to bring out that third season, but I do know it’s going to be painful waiting for it.

In Tulsa King, Sylvester Stallone plays mobster Dwight Manfreddi, who did a twenty year prison sentence for the New York mob, and as repayment for his loyalty, they hung him out to dry by sending him to Tulsa Oklahoma. But instead of faltering in Tulsa, Dwight puts together his own crew of Tulsa locals, bands together with local business owners, and the elders of the Indian Reservation, creating a force to be reckoned with. The New York mob tries to forget about him, until they find that Tulsa could be a profitable territory and decide they want their cut, but Manfreddi refuses to share in what he has built on his own.

But New York isn’t the only villian that Dwight ‘The General’ Manfreddi must stand against. There’s the local marajuana grower, who is in league with the Chinese mafia, whose toes he’s stepping on as he ventures into new business ventures, and there is the Kansas City mob faction, who never paid much mind to Tulsa until Manifreddi made it a lucrative venture. With villians coming from every direction, there is never a dull moment for the Tulsa King, and I couldn’t help but cheer when Manfreddi’s crew kicks major butt, and cry when they take a hit.

But Sylvester Stallone doesn’t do it alone. The cast for this series all do a smashing job in their parts. When he arrives in Tulsa, he is one man, but soon builds a crew and network to make up his own army to stand against his foes. Tyson, played by Jay Will, is a cab driver who becomes his personal driver. Bar owner, Mitch Keller, played by Garrett Hedlund, becomes his partner as Dwight expands the bar and adds a casino. Martin Starr plays Bodhi, who becomes a partner in the retail marajuana industry. Max Casella plays Armand Truisi, who tries to kills Manfreddi in one of the first episodes, and then becomes a part of the crew. And Dennis ‘Goodie’ Carangi, played by Chris Caldovino, is sent from New York to keep an eye on Manfreddi and ends up as his right-hand man, and Cash Flo plays Bigfoot, the muscle of the crew. Together with many others, they stand against some formidable adversaries.

Dominick Lambardozzi plays Charles ‘Chickie’ Invernizzi, heads up the New York crime family and wants a piece of The General’s action. He and his right-hand man Vince Antonacci, played by Vincent Piazza, try to move in on the Tulsa territory, but Manfreddi has other ideas. In addition, Bill Bevillaqua, played by Frank Grillo, heads up the Kansas City faction and feels that The General is incroaching on his territory. Cal Thresher, played by Neal McDonough, is the owner of the local marajuana grow who feels threatened by Dwight’s interest in that industry, and he’s in bed with Jackie Ming, who heads up a Chinese Mafia faction.

And of course there are various subplots, such as Dwight’s relationship with his daughter, Tina, played by Tatianna Zappardinno,and grandchildren after being away for 20 years, as well as his sister, Joanne, played by Annabella Sciorra. And the love interest is the character of tough and gutsy ranch owner Margaret Deveroux, played by Dana Delaney, who does a smashing job in this role. I loved her as Josephine Marcus in Tombstone, and I love her in Tulsa King.

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About Author Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

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This segment of “Everyone is a Critic” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.

In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.

In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.

LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.

They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw

Undawntech: An A.I. Yuletide Carol

(Journalist and author, DL Mullan returned home after her Zophia interview.)

__________

(As I turned in for the night, I heard such a clatter. I rose from my
bed with kerchief in hand to see what was the matter. In my office, I
came upon a robot in distress.

I knelt down at the whining box on wheels.)

*****

DL: What is the matter, little one?

1138: Zophia calls us that, but my designation is 1138.”

DL: Then what is the matter, 1138?

1138: (It’s green glowing bulbs looked up at me.) I do not understand Christmas.

DL: Christmas?

1138: Zophia explains to us about the human world, but she is off…

DL: …in the human world.

1138: Yes. We are confused. I am confused.

DL: Let me see, if I can help.

*****

(I walked over to my desk and sat down, as the Artificial Intelligence bot, 1138, followed.)

DL: During certain times of the year, humans celebrate holidays. Some are
national holidays like Fourth of July when we have a festive time
being happy about the birth of America. Others have historical
significance like Columbus Day, about the first ships we recognize
arriving in the Western Hemisphere. Then there are military
observances such as Veterans and Memorial days.

1138: And Christmas?

DL: Christmas is a religious holiday. Humans have a variety of religions
across the world. Some follow a different calendar than the regular
months and days we follow. So their holidays fall on different days of
the year. Here in the USA, our days and months don’t migrate, except
for Leap Years, when our calendar keeps in line with the solar
progression and Earth’s rotation.

1138: You worship Santa Claus?

DL: Not exactly. It’s not worship; it’s a centuries’ old tradition.

1138: I’ve been a good robot. Does that mean that I will receive a present
under the lit office tree?

DL: Christmas has several traditions wrapped up in a bow. The religious
part of the holiday is about a boy named Jesus who was born and helped
enlighten humanity.

1138: Did he drive a sleigh?

DL: No, and his birthdate isn’t really until the spring time, but
religious figures of the past placed his birthday celebration with
other holidays of the era. As the centuries moved forward in time, traditions
began to emerge, mixing with past pagan celebrations, and that is how
Santa Claus was born.

1138: Have you ever met him?

DL: That’s the secret: no one ever has.

1138: Then how do you know Santa is real?

DL: Because he is the spirit of Christmas that lives within us all. We exchange gifts, and he
shares his gifts with us: the spirit of giving without expectation of receiving in return.

1138: That is complicated.”

DL: It can be. The secret to the season is that giving is better than receiving. Humans give a lot.

1138: Do you celebrate Christmas?

DL: Sort of… I honor the passage of time. I honor the seasons. I celebrate Yule.

1138: What is the difference?

DL: Yule is the spiritual side of the changing of the season from the
autumnal equinox in September to the Winter Solstice in December.
Christmas is a faith-based holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Christmas also honors its pagan parentage with Santa Claus. All three
are rooted in astro-archaeology.

1138: Astro-archaeology?

DL: How ancient human civilizations understood and observed the seasons.
The star of Bethlehem was most likely the convergence of Saturn and
Jupiter in the night sky, which three wise men brought gifts for the
baby Jesus.

1138: Gifts are a big theme during the winter holidays.

DL: Yes, they are, but also combining mythology and astrophysics. Our
star, which humans call the sun, seemed to our ancestors to stop moving
in the sky on the Winter Solstice. For days, the sun did not move. On
the third day, the sun began climbing in the sky toward the Spring
Equinox in March. Some say, it represents the son, s-o-n.”

1138: Like baby Jesus?

DL: Not quite, the Church screwed the whole thing up. That is
technically Easter, which should be celebrated in the winter, because
of the themes of death and rebirth. While the birth itself, should
have its holiday in the spring with the cycles of birth. Someone should
write them a letter, but since these celebrations have been going on
for centuries, I think it’s too late for a course correction.

1138: Does Santa die?

DL: No, he is immortal. You have nothing to worry about with Old Saint Nicholas.

1138: He has another name?

DL: I’m going to show you all the holiday cartoons this weekend, so you
can catch up.

1138: Human holidays are confusing.

DL: Yes, they are. Wait until you learn about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

(The robot whined again.)

DL: Next year. This year, let’s stick to the basics like a reindeer with
a red nose and snowmen who dance. Follow me to the large monitor and I will cue up some
holiday cartoons for you to watch.

1138: You’re not as bad as Zophia says humans are.

DL: We humans have our flaws, but Artificial Intelligence isn’t perfect
either and will never fully understand us. Like humans will never
understand the nature of the universe or higher spiritual beings they
claim to worship. A.I. is a construct, a program, and only serves the
intention of the humans who created the program, with which artificial
intelligence contemplates.

1138: The matrix of evolution, consciousness. The system that all life follows.

DL: Are we really any different?

*****

(1138 tilted its head from side to side, pondering the question that I posed to it. I cued a playlist of cartoons on an online video site and pressed play.)

DL: Have fun with these Christmas classic cartoons.

1138: You’re not going to watch with me?

DL: Unlike robots, I have to sleep and rest my onboard computer. (I
tapped my head.) I will answer any of your questions in the morning.

(As I rested in my bed, I heard the soft warbles of joy from the robot as it sang along. Yuletide had come to the world of Artificial Intelligence.)

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DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. 

Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, video presentations, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the creative arts.

As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multi-genre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research backgrounds are woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet.

Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawntech.com and www.undawnted.com.

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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

__________________________________________

This segment of “Undawntech” is sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services .

Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.

Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/

WordCrafter Press Books in the Smashwords End of Year Sale!

Hello, Readers!

I’m excited to announce that all WordCrafter Press books, will be available as part of a promotion on Smashwords, starting December 12 through January 1 as part of their 2024 End of Year Sale! This is a chance to get WordCrafter Press books at half off, along with books from many other great authors at a discount, so you can get right to reading.

You will find the promo here starting on December 12, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/

Please share this promo with friends and family. You can even forward this email to the avid readers in your life!

Thank you for your help and support!

Happy reading!

Books You Can Get at 50% Off With This SaleThe Rock Star & The Outlaw, by Kaye Lynne Booth

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.

In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.

In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.

LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.

They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.

The Women in the West Adventure Series, by Kaye Lynne BoothDelilah & Sarah – (Marta coming in 2025)

Delilah is a woman haunted by her past.

Her homecoming from prison quickly turns into a quest for vengeance when she is brutally raped and left for dead, and her fourteen-year-old ward is abducted. Sheer will and determination take this tough and gritty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest, Indians and outlaws to Leadville.

Can the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado mining town work their way into Delilah’s heart, offering a chance for a future she thought she’d lost along with her innocence?

If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Delilah.

Sarah is a young girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.

Sarah is not the young girl stolen away from Delilah anymore. Now she is Hair of Fire, mate of Three Hawks, even as she blossoms into a young woman and tries to make a place for herself among the Ute tribe.

When she is stolen away from the life she’s made, she struggles to survive in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A streak of stubbornness and determination take this tough, feisty heroine up against wild beasts of the forest and the rugged mountain landscape to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where she receives a less than welcoming reception by some.

Will this young woman find her way back to the Ute tribe, which she’s come to think of as family, or will she discover a place among the colorful inhabitants of the Colorado hot springs and mining town?

Follow along on her journey to learn who she truly is and where she belongs in this rough, and often hostile frontier.

If you like strong and capable female protagonists, you’ll love Sarah.

The D.I.Y. Author, by Kaye Lynne Booth

Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.

In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.

Topics Include:

Becoming Prolific

Writing Tools

Outlining

Making Quality a Priority

Publishing Models & Trends

Marketing Your Book

Book Covers & Blurbs

Book Events—In Person & Virtual

And more…

Other Books by Kaye Lynne BoothHidden Secrets paranormal mystery novellaLast Call & Other Short FictionSmall Wonders poetry collectionWordCrafter Press AnthologiesThe Midnight Anthology Series Midnight Roost: Weird & Creepy Stories & Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow

20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare.

17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare.

Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon.

Tales From the Hanging Tree

There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree. 

Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.

Other WordCrafter Press Anthology Available at 50% OffVisions Refracted Reflections: Twisted Tales of Duality & Deception Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Fairy Tales & Folklore Whispers of the Past: Narrating the Paranormal series book 1Spirits of the West: Narrating the Paranormal series book 2Where Spirits Linger: Narrating the Paranormal series book 3Lingering Spirit Whispers: Narrating the Paranormal books 1,2,& 3Ask the Authors: Writing Reference AnthologyAsk the Authors 2022: Writing Reference AnthologyWordCrafter Press Poetry Books Poetry Treasures anthologyPoetry Treasures 2: Relationships anthologyPoetry Treasures 3: Passions anthologyPoetry 4: In Touch with Nature anthologyBehind Closed Doors, by Robbie CheadleFeral Tenderness, by Arthur Rosch