Kellyann Zuzulo's Blog, page 9
December 28, 2012
When Jinn Ruin Marriages
A nightmare or a dream?
No, this is not a blog about how my husband is fed up with me staying up late to write about genies. He’s quite tolerant and very supportive… especially if I sometimes wear a high ponytail and a filmy thing. But I digress.
Marriage can be a wish come true or a spell gone wrong. And when a jinni is involved, sparks are bound to fly. That may sound like flap copy for my next book, but it’s actually a summary of a real-life situation I came across in my research. I’m writing a new book about a guy and a female genie who agree to marry as diplomatic detente between the two races. He’s intrigued but reticent. She’s willing but suspicious. Passionate but prickly. Anyway, more on that later.
I needed to find out what sort of stressors serious cultural differences could cause in a marriage. So, I did a search on “jinni marriage.” And do you know I actually came upon a message board where some poor sap was looking for advice on his own ruined marriage. Ruined by a female jinni! The more I learn, the more true is the adage, Truth is stranger than fiction.
Everyone knows about the I Dream of Jeannie series on television that highlighted the relationship between adorable Jeannie and stoic Major Anthony Nelson. Then there’s an amusing 1945 film with Cornell Wilde based on and called A Thousand and One Nights. Evelyn Keyes stars as a redheaded genie who comes between Aladdin and his princess. (Seriously, though, when will Americans stop making genies goofy.) My book is neither of those things. I wanted something more intense, more real. As you may already know from my previous posts on this blog, the jinn are a real and accepted part of many, many people’s cultural awareness. I think that’s cool. And a great springboard for stories. Thus, the google search. This is an excerpt of what I found on the message board:
Not all jinni brides are cute-as-a-button.
“I write this message in great distress. What I have been going through for the past 8 months or so, I would not even wish it for the worst of my enemies. To some of you, this might be hilarious and you may laugh or even make mockery of me. However, only my Allah knows that whatever I am going to state here is true and a harsh reality.
I, my mother and brother live together. My father passed away long time back. I am 28 years of age now. When I was 26, I often had dreams in which I used to have an intercourse with different women. These women were very beautiful and attractive. When I got up, I felt satisfied and my clothes were all wet. Since I was young, I assumed it as my body’s natural lust for sex. Nevertheless, I had a feeling that these dreams and the sexual activity that occurs in the night had something unusual about it. At that point of time, I did not pay much attention to it and the daily hustle and bustle of life kept me away from the issue. I discussed the matter with friends and they made mockery of me. The mockery and fun made me reluctant to discuss the matter with anyone else.
A year back, I got married to the daughter of my mother’s cousin. Prior to the marriage, I had seen a woman in my bathroom. She was average in looks and dressed in black. She had a smile on her face. Her feet were huge and all turned; not like humans. I literally fainted and screamed. My family members rushed to my rescue. I told them the matter.
On the first wedding night, my wife behaved in a way which I could have never anticipated. She got rude and pushed me away whenever I wanted to get close to her. I got upset and discussed the matter with my mother. My mother talked to my wife. Astonishingly, my wife said that she didn’t even knew what she had done with me the last night.
Things started to go worse. Me and my wife started to hear screams from the bathroom. We also use to hear a woman laughing loudly outside my bedrooms window. Moreover, whenever I used to go for intercourse with my wife, I used to see horrifying faces in front of my eyes. I used to hear screams mostly. My wife has now left me and asked for divorce. My wife’s relatives and parents are accusing me that I am impotent and not fit for marriage. I have been socially victimized. At this point, my matrimonial life has been completely ruined. What I have been hearing, no man can bear to hear.
It is bitter to say, but, the Shaitan has won. My marriage is dissolved.”
When a genie ruins a marriage, as depicted in A Thousand and One Nights with Cornell Wilde.
Poor guy. Can’t help but feel sorry for him. Could be mental or it could be a jinni. The point is that he believes his troubles have been caused by a female jinni. As a writer, I see a fascinating story here. So much of what happens to us in our day-to-day life is a result of our perceptions. For me, that’s an interesting concept to keep in mind as I write my book. Yes, there are cultural differences between my two main characters…a divide that may be too wide to cross. But tenacity and, yes, love can conquer so many problems. Remember, I write romances. Meanwhile, the fella with the jinni problem may need more help than that. He should check out my earlier blog about how to get rid of a jinni.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
While waiting for this new book, please read THE GENIE IGNITES from Amazon.
Or download to any ereader from Boroughs Publishing Group.
December 23, 2012
Arabian Rhythms. More Music to Write By.
Last week, I posted some of the classic Arabic and world music tracks that keep me tapping away at the keys, summoning the jinn and writing the words. Here are some more that keep me company while I tap out in time:
Niyaz. Beni-Beni. Just try to sit still when you listen to this
Souad Massi. Khalouni (Let Me). Her voice is so clear and the strings so crisp, in a backdrop of exotic rhythm, it’s like a glass of water in the desert.
Sting and Cheb Mami get together for the outrageously popular Desert Rose. There’s a reason why it was such a hit. Familiar and alluring at the same time. They blend two worlds, two sounds. Sting’s voice never disappoints. When combined with the haunting vocals of Algerian rai singer Cheb Mami, you’re transported.
Amr Diab of Egypt has a great voice. Doesn’t hurt that he sort of resembles a jinni. Here he is signing Amarain…
Finally, a great party tune for when you’re serving hummus and grape leaves. This is Sawt El Atlas of Morocco with Ne Me Jugez Pas…
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
Listen while you read THE GENIE IGNITES.
Read it on any computer, ereader, or smart phone.
December 20, 2012
Shameless Self-Promotion: A Hobbit’s Tale
If you’re a writer, an artist, an artisan, a chef, a blogger, or a creator of any type, you shouldn’t be ashamed to promote yourself. Be more hobbit-like. I’m blogging today at The Pop Culture Divas about it. Check it out.
thepopculturedivas: Shameless Self-Promotion: A Hobbit’s Tale.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
December 19, 2012
Preview - Sharaz-De: Tales From the Arabian Nights
Reblogged from Graphic Policy:
SHARAZ-DE: TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
Original Graphic Novel
Retail Price: $29.95 U.S.
Page Count: 208 pages
Format: hardcover, 9” x 12”, partial color
Genre: Fantasy
On-sale Date: Dec. 19 in comic book stores, Dec. 22 – Jan. 1 in bookstores
ISBN-13: 978-1-936393-48-0
Diamond Code: MAR120754
Written by Sergio Toppi
Illustrated by Sergio Toppi
Cover by Sergio Toppi
Rating: T – TEEN (12 and up, may contain mild violence or mild profanity)
I write words about the jinn. But if I could draw, my imaginings might resemble the atmosphere of this graphic novel that's coming out this week. It's based on The Arabian Nights, which is the inspiration for my tales of the jinn. Definitely adding this book to my "wish" list.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
And for more tales of the jinn, read THE CHRISTMAS BOTTLE for 75 cents from Boroughs Publishing Group.
THE GENIE IGNITES is a paranormal romance novel that begins the tale of Zubis and Bethany. Book 2 due soon.
December 18, 2012
Reader Reviews Matter
Any writer will tell you that a review by a reader is a wonderful thing…that is, unless the reader totally trashes your book. Reader reviews catch some flak for potentially being biased or solicited. And, yes, that can be true. Authors frequently solicit readers to review their books, especially on Amazon where the star-rating makes a big difference in the ranking of a book. Even bestselling authors solicit readers. The big publishers offer ARCs (Advance Reading Copies) of their anticipated novels so that reviewers can read the book and create a buzz before it is released. I, myself, was solicited on Twitter by the marketing firm that was publicizing Frank Delaney’s book The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland. That was a thrill. I was sent a downloadable ARC via NetGalley. I felt like an insider. I guess I was an insider. And I really enjoyed the book, but I was under no obligation to give the book a favorable review. I really enjoyed the book and gave it four stars. Yet, by the cessation in communication, I do believe they were perturbed that it wasn’t a five-star review. Ah well.
The bottom line is that if you are getting reviews, people are reading your books. Granted, an author would be haunted to see a string of 1-star and 2-star reviews. My rule of thumb as a reader and sometime reviewer is that if I can’t in good conscience give the book a 3-star or higher rating, I won’t review it. Statistics are a big thing with Amazon and a few 2-star slaps can damage ranking and sales and, ultimately, a career. I’m not willing to do that. If a book is crap, I figure that people will figure it out and eventually stop buying it. It’s literary evolution.
So, imagine my delight when I received another 5-star rating this past weekend for my romance short, The Christmas Bottle. I love readers!!
December 16, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
I read Kellyann’s story knowing it was going to give me a wonderful read and I wasn’t disappointed. The story of Lola, the woman who just desires to be loved, and her domineering and brutal husband Fernando is one that lifts the mood and makes sure you aren’t left wanting. The lovely and heart warming story of a woman who wishes for love and finds it in the guise of a very sexy, half naked jinn called Shai who appears before the fireplace (yes, absolutely every woman’s – and probably some men’s too- fantasy and I dare you to to disagree)and makes sweet passionate love to her. There is karma at work here and soon, the rather nasty Fernando gets his come uppance and not a minute too soon either. I love Kellyann’s passion and knowledge of her subject matter.It left me wanting to seek out the very first green bottle I can find at a second hand store or antiques shop just in case I can get the same magic to work for me. I too desire a sexy jinn. Of course, if I could find a stocking on my mantelpiece containing a huge diamond too I’d be the happiest woman in the world…I can definitely recommend this as a really feel good read. Happy Saturnalia to Lola and Shai!
It’s not an ARC, but you can download it for 75 cents from Boroughs Publishing Group. Give it a read. If you like it, give it a review. And thanks for reading. It’s why I write.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
December 16, 2012
Naked Rhythm. Music to Write By.
When I write, I have to have music playing. The music depends on the scene being written. Since I write about genies, Arabic and world music are the threads that weave my magic carpets. Today, I wanted to share the music that inspires me. Please share the music that inspires you.
I recently came across Naked Rhythm on my Pandora Channel. If I could belly dance, I’d probably wriggle to this tune.
Azam Ali is one of my favorite Arabic artists; reliably rhythmic.
My Pandora channel that I created for writing is actually called the Natacha Atlas channel. She’s a classic in the Arabic pop and folk music world. You won’t go wrong with Natacha Atlas.
Great strings work on this one by Rachid Taha. A familiar and favorite tune.
Finally, one of my all-time favorites to join me in my office is an Israeli band called the Idan Raidchel Project. If you haven’t heard of them, check them out.
If you have any world music suggestions for me, please share. I’m always looking for a new artist to help me entertain the jinn.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
All of these songs helped me finish THE GENIE IGNITES.
Available from Boroughs Publishing Group for $3.99.
December 13, 2012
Word-of-Mouth Still the Best Way to Sell
Social media may have exploded all over our laptops, iPads, smart phones, and frontal lobes. But there remains one sure way to spread the word, and that’s with the human mouth. When people like something, they’re going to tell somebody. And they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on and so on. [Reminds me of Heather Locklear from that 1980s shampoo commercial.]
Hugh Howey
Case in point: Hugh Howey just sold the rights to Simon & Schuster for the print version of his originally self-published ebook bestseller Wool. Got that? It’s what you might call a bit backward, according to the standards the publishing industry has stubbornly set. It doesn’t necessarily mean that big publishing has evolved. They’re merely piggybacking on the sweat of digital authors who have macheted their way through the technology forest and found a community. It’s great news for self-pubbed and indy authors. But it still doesn’t mean that traditional publishing is going to be any more helpful in the future to authors than they haven’t already been. Major kudos to Howey. He self-published a digital novella called WOOL, sold over 300,000 copies, and now has a Big 6 publishing contract. –> Simon & Schuster Acquires Print Rights to Self-Publishing Ebook Hit Series Wool.
How did he sell 300,000 copies of Wool, you might ask. (Doesn’t hurt either that, as it is now, the novella is sometimes offered FREE on Amazon.) But, really, seems it all started with word-of-mouth. Granted, technology helped to spread the word as fast as a headcold on an airplane. But it took people talking about the book to fan the flame of success. Same thing happened with E.L. James and her captive-ating romance 50 Shades of Gray. James was writing fan fiction on Twilight message boards. She was already in her niche market; i.e. readers (primarily women) who loved Twilight and wanted more of the romance. Readers started asking for more and spreading the word, and so on and so on and so on. There’s a reason it’s called “going viral.” News that people share one to the other quickly spreads like a virus. Publishers can’t yet capture why it happens to a certain title. What authors can do though is expose themselves to the germs of interest. Put your book out there and see if it “catches.”
E.L. James started writing fan fiction on message boards.
What’s the take-away? When you have something to sell, target a “boutique group” to start with that is specific to your demographic. WordPress is a great community for doing that. Also try your local community. If you have a Patch news outlet in your area, you can blog for them about things in your community. You can’t hawk your wares there, but people will become familiar with your name and check your links. In my case, since I write romances about genies, I look to paranormal romance readers and communities that are interested in the supernatural world of the jinn or just a good suspenseful read.
Where’s your community? Start mapping out your journey.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann Zuzulo
Check out my novel THE GENIE IGNITES. Let’s see if we can start a fire.
December 11, 2012
How to Jolt a Jinni
A jinni may not be hostile.
First of all, I wouldn’t recommend jolting anything…especially not a genie. Jolt not lest ye be jolted. Yeah, I think that’s a rule that applies to most anything. But if the situation calls for jolting, there are some things you can do.
As many of you know, I write about genies. Specifically, I write fiction about genies. That’s right, I make up stories. However, all of my stories of the jinn are based on thorough research. Apparently, there have been situations throughout history where a human wanted to escape, elude, or otherwise divest themselves of a troublesome genie. And some of them figured out how to do it. How? I guess these methods resulted from a process of trial-and-error, or through assumed knowledge from stories in The Arabian Nights, or maybe somebody just asked a genie. “Hey, how can I make you scram?” I’m sure there were many other methods tried, but if we’ve never heard about them probably means they didn’t work.
Instead of just listing the few that I know, I’ll share a passage from my most recent novel, The Genie Smolders, which is the second book in The Zubis Chronicles. The book is due to be released in February, so this is what you call a sneak peek. The jinn are big on peeking. If the science of molecular manipulation is to be believed, genies often can see us when we can’t see them.
Anyway, the main character, Bethany O’Brien, is on her way to a rendezvous with Zubis, the jinni love of her life. Bethany’s friend Lisa doesn’t trust Zubis or any genie. She’s done some research of her own and tells Bethany how she can control or vanquish — basically jolt — any jinni that gets out of hand.
Excerpt from The Genie Smolders:
Besides holding a master’s degree in theology, Lisa had studied anthropology of the ancient world as a minor. But the application of her knowledge did not extend into her nightly shift as a barista at Tryst, an Adams-Morgan coffee shop. She preferred the authentic to the academic.
“I know, Lee.” Bethany waited.
“And I’ve done some research of my own.” She moved closer to Bethany, voice hushing. “You know, into the jinn….”
“Lisa, if there’s anything you can tell me that might help Fia, you should just say it.”
“Well, it sounds crazy, but both the anecdotal and the anthropological evidence going back for thousands of years—”
“Lisa.”
“Right. Well, there are some prevailing superstitions about how to handle these … entities. For instance, some accounts talk about killing a jinni with the Inwa. It’s a way to throw the stone of a fruit so hard that it could, in fact, kill a jinni. Or like in the Arabian Nights it says sometimes a jinni enters the body or consciousness of a human. As an antidote, you get a cat that’s all black except for a white spot on the end of its tail—”
Lisa waved her hand as a sign for patience when she saw the look on Bethany’s face. “I know, I know. Just listen. You would take seven hairs out of the cat’s tail, then burn the hairs in a small closed room with the person who is, um, possessed, so you would fill their nose with the scent. And that should release them from the jinni.”
“Okay.” Bethany grabbed her friend’s hand, which had been gesticulating the act of waving smoke under a person’s nose. “I just have to be really careful not to hurt him this time.”
Lisa shook her head as though hearing bad news. “Bethany, why do you care? He’s done nothing to help you these last two years. And before that. What did he ever do for you?”
Two years ago, Lisa’s words would have hurt her. Bethany would have doubted herself and questioned her choices. But now she knew she had to follow her heart. “How do you measure love?”
Lisa looked stricken. “You love him?” She closed her eyes, her head tilting back for a brief moment. When her brown eyes opened, they were gentle. “I know you do, babe. But it’s hopeless. You can’t ever be with him.”
So line up your iron nails, cat hairs, and peach pits. Then you’ll be prepared for any jinni onslaught.
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
Read The Genie Ignites today before the next book in the series releases in February 2013
From Boroughs Publishing Group.
December 6, 2012
Today is My Birthday!
I love birthdays! Anyone’s birthday… but, admittedly, my own. I love the affirmation of life of a birthday. Happy BIRTH Day, people say. Yes, it must have been happy. Though I don’t remember. Actually, I’m sure it was uncomfortable. I was probably cold and crumpled,
Make a wish!
cramped and wet when I came out. At that point, I’ll bet I preferred it where I was. Warm in my mother’s womb. But life is about moving forward. So move forward I did. Right out of the birth canal into the open air.
Here’s a present you can get me. ; )
And here I am! Happy Birthday to me! Some people are funny about birthdays; they don’t want to acknowledge them; don’t want people to know. Not me. Feel free to wish me a Happy Birthday! I’ll be walking around singing all day. Help me celebrate. And if you want to get me anything, just download a copy of my book THE CHRISTMAS BOTTLE. (I’ll be dipping into that bottle tonight to celebrate 
) I’ll say, “Oh, really, you shouldn’t have!” But I’ll be glad you did. If you like it, let me know. Publishing a book is sort of like a birth, too. And if a genie just happens to smolder from that book, make a wish. I will.
Toot!!
Best Wishes,
Kellyann
