Amber Polo's Blog, page 10

New Map for My Fantasy Town - Shipsfeather, Ohio

New Map


When I began writing The Shapeshifters’ Library series I realized that like any fantasy universe, my world I needed maps and drawings to keep my imaginary town consistent.

I could visualize the library and the town, but as characters moved around  Shipsfeather, Ohio readers might also want a map. And I needed to keep my descriptions consistent.

I drew sketches of the town and then began to make the library more real, So much of both Released and Retrieved take place in the former shapeshifter academy turned into public library. The lovely old domed building is remodeled into a high tech modern library without losing the charm of the original building.


In Retrieved, as my dog-shifters and werewolves spread out in a wider area over the town, a new map was needed as they excavate a ancient mound, endure a Survival test, and run and swim a Quadrathlon. And then, there's the location of the werewolves bookburning ceremonies.
 
 My talented friend Beth Bass, who loves fantasy, offered to turn my sketches into real drawings, forcing me to be even more specific about the town.
 
In Released, the town library burns and instead of rebuilding, the town buys a cursed academy on the river considered haunted by the local residents. As Liberty Cutter explores the building, she meets Chronus an Old English Sheepdog who begins to talk to her. As he tells her about the dog-shifters she learns hundreds of dog-shifters still live and work in levels below the library, unable to leave due to a curse by book burning werewolves. She accepts his stories of shifter magic reluctantly as she is brought into their world.

What isn’t included is the deeper levels. Below the library are more levels where the shifters live.They have a research library, gyms, spas, cafeterias, medical facilities, living quarters, and everyone’s favorite – the Starbarks café. The details of these levels I’ve left to the readers’ imaginations.

Hope you all enjoy visiting Shipsfeather. Thanks again to Beth for the wonderful drawings.
See the other maps and floorplans.

Tucson Festival of Books 2013

Chronus and I at the Tucson Festival of Books
Chronus hands out dog biscuits and bookmarks Kari Thomas, paranormal romance author, turns
 hairdresser for the day. "Relaxing the Writer"

Writers relaxing at my "Relaxing the Writer" Workshop
Sunday at the Arizona Dreamin' Valley of the Sun RWA Booth
The 2013 Tucson Festival of Books was a giant event held on the University of Arizona campus (during Spring Break). 
Last year 120,000 people attended. This year more than 300 presentation, panel discussions, and 275 exhibitors delighted the crowds. The fourth largest event like this in the U.S., authors included Jodi Picoult, Maggie Stiefvater, Nevada Barr, J.A. Jance. James Rollins, Diana Gabaldon, R.L. Stine, some others, and me.
Despite the cold rainy Saturday (cold for Tucson), lots of visitors enjoyed the programs, food and fun. I presented my Relaxing the Writer workshop in a warm dry room.
Sunday was perfect with something for everyone. I especially loved spending the day in the energetic Arizona Dreamin' booth managed by the amazing Kris Tualla and Morgan Kearns!

More Wolves!

I couldn't resist posting the latest photos of my friend Doris playing with her wolf friends at Healing Wolf's Medicine Wheel Lodge.

The top photo shows Doris with Mahota and Jhertoma and the picture below is Doris with a surprise visit from Kyra.

For more about Doris, her dogs, and wolves

see these previous posts:

Doris (White Wolf) McFadden and the Wolves
The Wolves of Medcine Wheel Lodge
Wolf Rescue

Donna Boyd's Werewolves
Greyhound Rescue 
Doris McFadden Dog Lover and Trainer for 70 Years




Photos by David G. Benson

Is Your Dog Is a Shifter?

How To Tell If Your Dog Is a Shifter
1. Have you met your dog’s parents?a. Nob. Yes
2. What is your dog’s favorite food?a. Kibble and dog biscuits b. Pizza, hamburger, and filet mignon
3. How does your dog get along with other dogs?a. Loves to play or fight with other dogs b. Ignores them like they’re another species
4. Where does your dog prefer to sleep?a. Dog bed or crateb. King sized bed with duvet
5. Does your dog prefer spending time with you a. Watching TV b. Reading a book
6. Does your dog have unexplained absences?a. No b. Yes
7. Does your dog have friends you’ve never met?a. Nob. Yes
8. Do bookmarks move after your dog has been home alone?a. No b. Yes
9. Did you ever find your favorite book in your dog’s bed?a. No b. Yes
10. Does your dog enjoy walks to bookstores with outdoor cafes?a. Nob. Yes
11. If you ask your dog what is his/her favorite book, does he/shea. Growl or ignore youb. Try to tell you that you have low-brow taste
12. Does your dog come home smelling likea. Dead animals and skunk b. Old books and internet cafes
13. Does your dog alphabetize his/her toys?a. No b. Yes (definite dog-shifter librarian tendencies)
14. Is your dog was smarter than your brother? Prettier than your sister?   a. No. b. Yes
15. Do you find unidentifiable stains on unworn clothes in your closet?a. Nob. Yes

     16. Does your dog look bleary-eyed after a long night reading?
a. No
b. Yes
17. Has your dog suggested you sign up for an obedience class?a. Nob. Yes
A = 0 pointB = 1 points
Scoring0-5 Regular dog (Lucky you)6- 9 Not sure (Be careful)10-17 Definitely a dog-shifter (You may have a problem)
No one characteristic will distinguish the dog-shifter (or part dog-shifter) from a regular domestic canine. In general, watch a dog who is usually smart or good looking. Size does not matter. Any size from English Mastiff to Chihuahua could be a shifter. Also note that a werewolf can masquerade as a common dog or wolfdog. 
If you have a dog-shifter, provide high quality reading material and don’t complain if your computer is on when you wake up in the morning.

To learn more about dog-shifters read
 Released (The Shapeshifters' Library Book 1)
Retrieved (The Shapeshifters' Library Book 2)


 Leave a comment telling why you think your dog could be a shifter? 

And for a chance for you and your dog to win a great prize visit  the great blogs I'll be visiting between February 1st and 16th!
February 1 Arias Dark Muse Review
February 2 Wanted Readers Excerpt
February 4 My Cozie Corner Review
February 5 Over A Cuppa Tea   Review/Author Interview
February 6 Forget The Houswork I'm Reading  Review
February 7 Known To Read  Review/Feature
February 8 Hanging With Bells  Guest Post
February 9 Books, Etc. Review
February 11The Wormhole Review/Guest Post
February 12 Melissa's Mocha's Mysteries And More Author Interview
February 13  A Buckeye Girl Reads  Excerpt
                   Tales of Topaz-Book Spotlight
February 14 A Book Obsession Review
February 15  Literati Literature Lovers Excerpt/Author Interview
February 16th Amys Booket List Guest Post 
Thanks Colette from ABG Reads Book Toursfor setting up the tour.

World Building a Library - Library Floor Plan

Shipsfeather Public Library


 
When I began writing The Shapeshifters’ Library series I realized that like any fantasy universe, my world I needed maps and drawings to keep my imaginary town consistent. 

I could visualize the library and the town, but as characters moved around  Shipsfeather, Ohio readers might also want a map. And I needed to keep my descriptions consistent.
 

Town of Shipsfeather, Ohio

I drew sketches of the town and then began to make the library more real, So much of both Released and Retrieved take place in the former shapeshifter academy turned into public library. The lovely old domed building is remodeled into a high tech modern library without losing the charm of the original building. 
 
Library First Floor




In Released, the town library burns and instead of rebuilding, the town buys a cursed academy on the river considered haunted by the local residents. As Liberty Cutter explores the building, she meets Chronus an Old English Sheepdog who begins to talk to her. As he tells her about the dog-shifters she learns hundreds of dog-shifters still live and work in levels below the library, unable to leave due to a curse by book burning werewolves. She accepts his stories of shifter magic reluctantly as she is brought into their world.


Library - Lower Office Level

My talented friend Beth Bass, who loves fantasy, offered to turn my sketches into real drawings, forcing me to be even more specific about the town and the public library and the “basement” office level. 

What isn’t included is the deeper levels. Below the library are more levels where the shifters live.They have a research library, gyms, spas, cafeterias, medical facilities, living quarters, and everyone’s favorite – the Starbarks café. The details of these levels I’ve left to the readers’ imaginations.

Hope you all enjoy visiting Shipsfeather.
Thanks again to Beth for the wonderful drawings.
To see any of the drawing in more detail see my website.

Creating a New Dog Friendly Logo

I love the covers for TheShapeshifters’ Library series. Released and Retrieved both have gorgeous covers I am so proud of.  

Originally I used a version of the top of the book cover design as a logo for the series and my Facebook Fan Page banner:


Facebook Banner
As I created more promotional materials (book bags, coffee cups for Starbarks and post cards) I wanted a version of the logo that showed off the dog more clearly.

I asked the creative, talented and beautiful Connie Lee Marie Fisher to give the log a white background that would emphasize the dog. After all, the book is about dog-shifters and everyone knows dog lovers love dogs on book covers.

Connie created a couple of versions I liked:


And then one with a red dog that was perfect:


 
And then the trouble began... 
Never one to let perfection alone, Connie sent me another. Apparently late one night she was bewitched by her cat Harry and one of them added a cat to my logo. And more cats...                          


And more cats... And more cats...


Retrieved has several cat chapters where readers will learn that some cats have ancient shifter blood which gives them the ability to speak, but they can’t be bothered. 

Retrieved also features a cat infestation in the library when book-burning werewolves put not one, but many, many cats in the library’s book drop. (Apologies to Dewey whose library life began when he was dumped into a bookdrop.)

So despite Connie and Harry, The Shapeshifters’ Library series is really about 

DOGS!

Character Interview - Lily Mumford & her Wassail Recipe

Lily MumfordRetired Librarian
Being a retired librarian is wonderful. I live in a wonderful old Victorian house with a spectacular garden. I cook for my tenants who are teachers and have no time for the culinary arts. I garden and plant flowers around the  Public Library and help out at the Shipsfeather Shelter for Travelers and the Temporarily Homeless. I visit the library and read all the books I’ve promised myself I’d read after I retired. 
Or at least that was my life until I met Liberty Cutter, the current Shipsfeather Library Director. At first she thought I was a homeless old bag lady. As she began to trust me, she asked me if I knew anything about dog-shifters and werewolves in town and confided she had a friend who was a talking dog.
The next thing I knew I was helping her find the gingerkucken recipe my Aunt Leila baked for St. Nicholas celebrations. And there I was in the middle of the old battle with werewolves. I’d had enough of werewolves when I served as Assistant Library Director under Elsie Dustbunnie, the meanest werewolf ever to burn a book. When Elsie attacked me, I’d have been a goner if sweet Liberty hadn’t come to my rescue.
On a happier note, I resumed an old romance with Aldwyn Chisholm, who had been my professor in library school. Through the years we’d met at library conventions, but that’s another story... 
Aldwyn wants to move in with me in “Retrieved” Book 2 of the series. But now that he’s Mayor of the town and I’m Chairperson of the Library Board, Amber says that wouldn’t be quite respectable for two retired librarians, so there must be wedding bells for us. 
Favorite Reading: I love cookbooks, gardening guides, and novels in every genre except werewolf fiction. 


Interesting notes: Wassail (Middle English wæs hæl, literally 'good health' or 'be you healthy') refers both to the salute 'Waes Hail' and to the drink of wassail, a hot mulled cider. Wassail bowls were traditionally made from lignum vitea wood. The dense oily wood retains hot liquids.

To warm you for the coming holiday season I’ll share the ancient dog-shifters St. Nicholas wassail recipe. Just remember to imbibe only when in human form.

St. Nicholas Wassail4 cups apple juice or cider 2 cups cranberry juice1 cup orange juice1 cup pineapple juice1/3 cup brown sugar1 t. ground ginger½ t. grated nutmeg½ t. cardamom3 sticks cinnamonFresh orange slices for garnish
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and bring almost to a boil. Then on low for 2-8 hours. Oranges on top are so festive. With or without alcohol (some adult revelers) add dry sherry or Madeira), a cup with fill you with warm holiday cheer.

Complete List of Characters 
in The Shapeshifters' Library Series  Read  Released (The Shapeshifters' Library Book 1) to learn more about Lily, the dog-shifters, and the werewolf book-burners.

FREE - Book 1 of The Shapeshifters' Library!

Free on Kindle! Released By Amber Polo (The Shapeshifters' Library: Book 1)Free December 25-27  
 Both “Released” and Book 2 “Retrieved” are filled with holidays.
 “Retrieved” 
has Valentine’s Day, 
a St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and 
a magical ending at the Summer Solstice. 

“Released” 
has Halloween, St. Nicholas, 
and a magical ending on the Winter Solstice Eve. 
 If you love dogs and books and shifter romance, “Released” and “Retrieved” will warm your reader’s heart.  “Released” is free today on Kindle Amazon  Website
   

A True Christmas Fairy Tale

 The Round-Headed Boy and the Magic Sheet by Amber Polo  Once upon a time (that’s fairy tale talk for over 50 years ago) there was a round-headed boy (no, not Charlie Brown). This RHB lived with his beautiful older sister above a toystore. One Christmas their parents, busy preparing toys, hung a magic sheet across the door of one room and warned their children to never, never look behind the sheet. For, if they did, Santa would give the tree and all their presents to less fortunate boys and girls. As Christmas came closer and closer, their excitement grew. Finally, three days before Christmas, the two children stared at the magic sheet, imagining a tinsely tree and glorious presents.“I want to look!” said the RHB.“No!” replied his very good, beautiful sister.“I can’t wait.” He reached one pudgy hand toward the sheet. “Nooooooooo!” she cried. He jumped, grabbed a fistful of cloth, and pulled hard on the magic sheet. The sheet cascaded down. She squeezed her eyes shut. His bugged out. She screamed.

Their mother ran up the stairs.“I didn’t look,” cried the little girl, tears streaming down her face. “It was him,” she sniffed. “I told him not to do it.”The RHB planted his legs as his mother towered over him. “I wanted to look.” “I didn’t want to look. He made me do it,” his sister moaned. “I didn’t see the tree or any presents. Not one.”“You let him do it,” her mother scolded.“Right!” the RHB said. “It’s all her fault.”His sister lurched towards him and their mother scooped him up. “Leave him alone. You’re bigger.”The girl crossed her arms, imagining a Christmas morning with no presents, no tree, and not one Christmas cookie. The RHB grinned a round-faced grin. He’d seen he had more presents than his sister.Previously published in Story Circle Journal, vol 13, no 4 (December, 2009)*** This is one of a series of simple stories I wrote for my brother at I time when he needed a happy reinventing of family history. He called the stories the second best Christmas present he ever received (his first two-wheeler stayed in number one). I am so happy I shared this with him before his unexpected death. I’d like to think this is an example of how we each can use our writing skills in healing ways.

The Magic Trees of Sedona

The Magic Trees of Sedona       Something magical happens in Sedona every December.  Well since it’s Sedona, let’s say something more magical happens in December.  Along Highway 179, between Bell Rock and the Town of Sedona, Christmas trees appear along the road.  They just appear.  One day they’re not there and the next morning they are.  Not ordinary Christmas trees, these are heavy with thick tinsel garlands and bright round balls.  Each tree is different but they all seem to be decorated in the same style, as if there were a plan.  This year among the reds and greens, silvers and golds, and purples and blues, there are many covered with red, white, and blue garlands and ornaments. 
          Since the trees appear on Coconino National Forest land where federal regulations require visitors to stay on the trails, decorating trees isn’t allowed.  It is rumored that families sneak along the road late at night with boxes of decorations, but that rumor is harder to believe than magic.
          Wherever these magic trees come from, they disappear as mysteriously as they appear.  On New Year’s Day there are no trees.  If you look carefully you might find a few shards of a red or silver ornament or a bit of glittery purple tinsel, but the trees are gone.  The red rocks and the green trees are still there and still magnificent, but they seem a little drab for a few days.                               

*************************

I wrote this in 2001. Since then the trees don't appear. The nature-loving people of Sedona have stopped decorating forest trees for fear birds will be attracted to the glittering decorations, eat, and die. So let's keep our trees indoors or with animal friendly decorations.