Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 78

Siegfried Sassoon, "The Dug-Out"

The Dug-OutWhy do you lie with your legs ungainly huddled, And one arm bent across your sullen, cold, Exhausted face? It hurts my heart to watch you, Deep-shadow'd from the candle's guttering gold; And you wonder why I shake you by the shoulder;Drowsy, you mumble and sigh and turn your head... You are too young to fall asleep for ever; And when you sleep you remind me of the dead.St.

Sale, Philcon, NINC guest post

Three things today:1. I sold a short erotic story, "Vanilla," to Kristina Wright's anthology Dream Lover: Paranormal Tales of Erotic Romance for Cleis Press. It's already available for pre-order!2. I am at Philcon this weekend, hanging out with a UK friend, an archivist who was one of my chief resources about male homosexuality during World War One for The Moonlight Mistress. If you're there,

Ella Drake - A Space Western World

Please welcome my guest, Ella Drake!#A Space Western worldWhen I started to write Silver Bound, a space western releasing Nov 22nd from Carina Press, the elements of world-building excited me. What's not to love about creating a world for a book with the tagline: "A dangerous journey across the galaxy"? During the course of the story, we visit five shuttle craft, two planets, two space stations,

Philcon 2010 & "Hints of Mystery" at K.S. Manning's Blog

Today, I'm visiting K.S. Manning's Blog talking about "Hints of Mystery" in the plot of The Duke and The Pirate Queen.Please stop by!I'll be at Philcon 2010 this weekend (November 19-21). Here's my schedule:Fri 7:00 PM in Plaza VII (1 hour)Breaking into the fantastic erotica marketVictoria Janssen (moderator), Stephanie Burke, Jennifer Williams, Lynn PerkinsHow to be part of this burgeoning

Glimmerings in the Fog

I was in the shower last week when I finally felt the merest flicker of enthusiasm for a new writing project.I've been deliberately taking some time off from writing. I took a week off solely to read (though I did end up writing a little bit on a short story). Before taking the time off, I wrote two synopses which were fine, adequate, but though they might be salable, I decided I wanted to

Stacey Kennedy on Wolves & Weres

The winner of the signed print copy of The Duke & The Pirate Queen, per Random.org, is Crystal Jordan. Congratulations, Crystal! I'll email you to obtain your mailing address.Now, please welcome my guest, Stacey Kennedy!#What do we know about wolves? They live in a social hierarchy which is lead by an Alpha. They mate for life and will defend that mate to their death. They're loving, yet

Siegfried Sassoon, "Thrushes"

ThrushesTossed on the glittering air they soar and skim, Whose voices make the emptiness of light A windy palace. Quavering from the brim Of dawn, and bold with song at edge of night, They clutch their leafy pinnacles and sing Scornful of man, and from his toils aloof Whose heart's a haunted woodland whispering; Whose thoughts return on tempest-baffled wing; Who hears the cry of God

Siegfried Sassoon, "The Fathers"

The FathersSnug at the club two fathers sat, Gross, goggle-eyed, and full of chat. One of them said: 'My eldest lad Writes cheery letters from Bagdad. But Arthur's getting all the fun At Arras with his nine-inch gun.' 'Yes,' wheezed the other, 'that's the luck! My boy's quite broken-hearted, stuck In England training all this year. Still, if there's truth in what we

GreenFlea Market in Manhattan

Two friends and I made the trip up to New York City last weekend, for the GreenFlea Market at 77th and Columbus. The setting:Where furs go to Live Again. Or be Unalive Again? Zombie furs?I declined to purchase this little fellow. Yes, you are intended to wear him.Yarn!!! I don't even knit but I was tempted by the bright colors and the oh-so-soft textures. I have friends who knit....These

Laurence Binyon, "The Fallen"

For The FallenWith proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,England mourns for her dead across the sea.Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,Fallen in the cause of the free.Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royalSings sorrow up into immortal spheres.There is music in the midst of desolationAnd a glory that shines upon our tears.They went with songs to the battle, they