Lisa Mason's Blog, page 169

Real Magic!

Abby Teller needs to learn Real Magic to defend herself against the Horde, gangster-sorcerers who murdered her father when she was a child of eight. It turns out she needs to learn Real Magic to deal with all sorts of supernatural people and entities at the Garden of Abracadabra. She applies to and is accepted by the Berkeley College of Magical Arts and Crafts.

At college in Book 1, she learns the First and Second Fundamental of Real Magic. As research I consulted several volumes in my own library, including Real Magic by R.E.I. Bonewits, Natural Magic by David Carroll, Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall, The Secret Doctrine of the Rosicrucians by Magus Incognito, and The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies & Magic by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler among many others.

THE GARDEN OF ABRACADABRA, Book 1 of the Abracadabra Series, my brand-new, big new urban fantasy, is up and running on Nook and Kindle. This is the advance ebook of the print publication scheduled for late 2013. THE LABYRINTH OF ILLUSIONS, Book 2 of the Abracadabra Series is in research and development. I’ll post developments on the website. Stay tuned!

For all my science fiction and fantasy books, stories, screenplays, and forthcoming news about print books and ebooks, visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Web Site.

There you’ll find the re-edited ebook adaptation of my Philip K. Dick Award finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book, Summer of Love, A Time Travel on Nook and Kindle; and the sequel, an ebook adaptation of my New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended book, The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on Nook and Kindle.

My science fiction thriller, SHAKEN, an ebook adaptation of Deus Ex Machina, first published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, republished in the anthology Transcendental Tales from Asimov’s (Donning Press), and translated and republished in Europe and South America, is now on Nook and Kindle. A List of Sources follows this short novel.

Tesla, A Worthy of His Time, A Screenplay, which was read by the producer of “Aliens” and “The Abyss” and is currently under consideration at another L.A. producer, is on Nook and Kindle. I’ve also included a List of Sources with this title.

New Novelettes republished for the first time include:

Tomorrow’s Child, first published in Omni and sold to Universal Studios, together with my blog from January 30 through February 21 setting out the twists and turns the project took from a medical documentary to an Omni story, The Story Behind the Story That Sold to the Movies, is on Nook and Kindle.

The Sixty-third Anniversary of Hysteria, first published in the acclaimed anthology, Full Spectrum 5 (Bantam), which also included stories by Neal Stephenson, Karen Joy Fowler, and Jonathan Lethem, on Nook and Kindle, was inspired by my favorite Surrealist artists, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. In the story, a visionary artist, Nora, takes a harrowing journey into madness, which she survives. I also include Sources with this novelette.

Every Mystery Unexplained, first published in David Copperfield’s Tales of the Impossible (HarperPrism), an anthology that also included stories by Ray Bradbury, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kevin J. Anderson, on Nook and Kindle, tells the tale of a young stage magician in 1895 who must come to grips with the accidental death of his mother and assume his rightful place, surpassing his famous magician father.

And Daughter of the Tao, first published in Peter S. Beagle’s Immortal Unicorn anthology (HarperPrism), which also included stories by Charles de Lint, Karen Joy Fowler, Robert Sheckley, and Ellen Kushner, on Nook and Kindle, is a novelette about a young Chinese slave girl who must save herself using Tao magic.

For something fast and fun, U F uh-O, A Sci Fi Comedy, my script for a producer looking for the next Galaxy Quest or Men in Black that evolved into a novella, is on Nook and Kindle.

For a short erotic novel, I recommend Eon’s Kiss by Suzanna Moore on Nook and Kindle. This has a paranormal hero who is not a vampire or a werewolf. If you’re looking for something erotic to read after “50 Shades,” check it out!

Forthcoming is The Quester Trilogy, an ebook adaptation of my cyberpunk classics, Arachne and Cyberweb, and much more.

Visit me and feast your eyes on the lovely book covers. I thank you for your readership!

The Super Was Just the Start!

So I had my superintendent of the mysterious, magical building in Berkeley and Abby Teller’s task of dealing with her tenants who are all some stripe of supernatural being and every apartment that is a portal to a fantasy world.

Sounded good!

But I didn’t think that was enough. Like some old TV situation comedy, “One Day at a Time,” with witches. I wanted more plot, more tension.

Also, I don’t like slacker characters. Abby Teller would need an excellent reason for taking a mundane job like that.

Well, of course! She’s going back to college to learn Real Magic. And she must learn to master her power to save her life.

THE GARDEN OF ABRACADABRA, Book 1 of the Abracadabra Series, my brand-new, big new urban fantasy, is up and running on Nook and Kindle. This is the advance ebook of the print publication scheduled for late 2013. THE LABYRINTH OF ILLUSIONS, Book 2 of the Abracadabra Series is in research and development. I’ll post developments on the website. Stay tuned!

Have you seen Men In Black 3 and loved it? Come away with me to the Summer of Love, A Time Travel, the re-edited ebook adaptation of my Philip K. Dick Award finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book, on Nook and Kindle. The sequel, an ebook adaptation of my New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended book, The Gilded Age, A Time Travel is also on Nook and Kindle.

And speaking of Men In Black, check out U F uh-O, A Sci Fi Comedy, my script for a producer looking for the next Galaxy Quest or Men in Black that evolved into a novella, now on Nook and Kindle.

For all my science fiction and fantasy books, stories, screenplays, and forthcoming news about print books and ebooks, visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Web Site.

My science fiction thriller, SHAKEN, an ebook adaptation of Deus Ex Machina, first published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, republished in the anthology Transcendental Tales from Asimov’s (Donning Press), and translated and republished in Europe and South America, is now on Nook and Kindle. A List of Sources follows this short novel.

Tesla, A Worthy of His Time, A Screenplay, which was read by the producer of “Aliens” and “The Abyss” and is currently under consideration at another L.A. producer, is on Nook and Kindle. I’ve also included a List of Sources with this title.

New Novelettes republished for the first time include:

Tomorrow’s Child, first published in Omni and sold to Universal Studios, together with my blog from January 30 through February 21 setting out the twists and turns the project took from a medical documentary to an Omni story, The Story Behind the Story That Sold to the Movies, is on Nook and Kindle.

The Sixty-third Anniversary of Hysteria, first published in the acclaimed anthology, Full Spectrum 5 (Bantam), which also included stories by Neal Stephenson, Karen Joy Fowler, and Jonathan Lethem, on Nook and Kindle, was inspired by my favorite Surrealist artists, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. In the story, a visionary artist, Nora, takes a harrowing journey into madness, which she survives. I also include Sources with this novelette.

Every Mystery Unexplained, first published in David Copperfield’s Tales of the Impossible (HarperPrism), an anthology that also included stories by Ray Bradbury, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kevin J. Anderson, on Nook and Kindle, tells the tale of a young stage magician in 1895 who must come to grips with the accidental death of his mother and assume his rightful place, surpassing his famous magician father.

And Daughter of the Tao, first published in Peter S. Beagle’s Immortal Unicorn anthology (HarperPrism), which also included stories by Charles de Lint, Karen Joy Fowler, Robert Sheckley, and Ellen Kushner, on Nook and Kindle, is a novelette about a young Chinese slave girl who must save herself using Tao magic.

For a short erotic novel, I recommend Eon’s Kiss by Suzanna Moore on Nook and Kindle. This has a paranormal hero who is not a vampire or a werewolf. If you’re looking for something to read after “50 Shades,” check it out!

Forthcoming is The Quester Trilogy, an ebook adaptation of my cyberpunk classics, Arachne and Cyberweb, and much more.

Visit me and feast your eyes on the lovely book covers. I thank you for your readership!

That First Inspiration!

Like every author on the verge of a special, big new project, I well remember that transcendent moment of first inspiration for THE GARDEN OF ABRACADABRA.

Often that inspiration springs from something quotidian. You’re in the shower. Or shopping for groceries. Or, in this instance, searching for a parking place in Berkeley.

Berkeley is a small historic university town across the Bay from San Francisco, and the town is so crowded now, searching for a parking place on the street is something of a quixotic quest.

As Tom and I cruised through unfamiliar neighborhoods looking for that elusive space, we passed by a spectacular 1920s Mediterranean apartment building and were both instantly struck by its beauty. But more than that, the place had a powerful vibe. It was spooky!

The idea sprang instantly to my mind: what if you were the superintendent of a building like that and discovered that every tenant was some stripe of supernatural being and every apartment was a portal to a fantasy world? To a fairyland or a hell?

THE GARDEN OF ABRACADABRA, Book 1 of the Abracadabra Series, my brand-new, big new urban fantasy, is up and running on Nook and Kindle. This is the advance ebook of the print publication scheduled for late 2013.

For all my science fiction and fantasy books, stories, screenplays, and forthcoming news about print books and ebooks, visit me at Lisa Mason’s Official Web Site.

There you’ll find the re-edited ebook adaptation of my Philip K. Dick Award finalist and San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book, Summer of Love, A Time Travel on Nook and Kindle; and the sequel, an ebook adaptation of my New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended book, The Gilded Age, A Time Travel on Nook and Kindle.

My science fiction thriller, SHAKEN, an ebook adaptation of Deus Ex Machina, first published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, republished in the anthology Transcendental Tales from Asimov’s (Donning Press), and translated and republished in Europe and South America, is now on Nook and Kindle. A List of Sources follows this short novel.

Tesla, A Worthy of His Time, A Screenplay, which was read by the producer of “Aliens” and “The Abyss” and is currently under consideration at another L.A. producer, is on Nook and Kindle. I’ve also included a List of Sources with this title.

New Novelettes republished for the first time include:

Tomorrow’s Child, first published in Omni and sold to Universal Studios, together with my blog from January 30 through February 21 setting out the twists and turns the project took from a medical documentary to an Omni story, The Story Behind the Story That Sold to the Movies, is on Nook and Kindle.

The Sixty-third Anniversary of Hysteria, first published in the acclaimed anthology, Full Spectrum 5 (Bantam), which also included stories by Neal Stephenson, Karen Joy Fowler, and Jonathan Lethem, on Nook and Kindle, was inspired by my favorite Surrealist artists, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. In the story, a visionary artist, Nora, takes a harrowing journey into madness, which she survives. I also include Sources with this novelette.

Every Mystery Unexplained, first published in David Copperfield’s Tales of the Impossible (HarperPrism), an anthology that also included stories by Ray Bradbury, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kevin J. Anderson, on Nook and Kindle, tells the tale of a young stage magician in 1895 who must come to grips with the accidental death of his mother and assume his rightful place, surpassing his famous magician father.

For something fast and fun, U F uh-O, A Sci Fi Comedy, my script for a producer looking for the next Galaxy Quest or Men in Black that evolved into a novella, is on Nook and Kindle.

And Daughter of the Tao, first published in Peter S. Beagle’s Immortal Unicorn anthology (HarperPrism), which also included stories by Charles de Lint, Karen Joy Fowler, Robert Sheckley, and Ellen Kushner, on Nook and Kindle, is a novelette about a young Chinese slave girl who must save herself using Tao magic.

For a short erotic novel, I recommend Eon’s Kiss by Suzanna Moore on Nook and Kindle. This has a paranormal hero who is not a vampire or a werewolf. If you’re looking for something to read after “50 Shades,” check it out!

The Labyrinth of Illusions, Book 2 of the Abracadabra Series is in research and development. I’ll be posting developments on the website. Stay tuned!

Forthcoming is The Quester Trilogy, an ebook adaptation of my cyberpunk classics, Arachne and Cyberweb, and much more.

Visit me and feast your eyes on the lovely book covers. I thank you for your readership!