Angelia Sparrow's Blog, page 32
February 28, 2013
Blog tour
Today I'm at Bending the Bookshelf, talking about fanfic conversion.
http://bibrary.blogspot.com/2013/02/allusion-homage-and-filing-off-numbers.html
I'm also at Babes in boyland, talking about facing the Blank page
http://mjandpiper.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-giveaway-facing-blank-page.html?zx=8b9f18f6cb01d832
Don't forget to comment and be entered in the contest!
Three great prizes are just hanging around waiting.
February 27, 2013
Blog tour keeps going!
Rolling along on my appointed rounds.
Today I'm at Jenre's.
Now Jenre is a true fan and has read and reviewed both Alive on the Inside and Nikolai, so I'm thrilled to be there.
Leave a comment to be entered to win one of three fabulous prizes!
http://jenre-wellread.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-basic-psychology-and.html
Today I'm at Jenre's.
Now Jenre is a true fan and has read and reviewed both Alive on the Inside and Nikolai, so I'm thrilled to be there.
Leave a comment to be entered to win one of three fabulous prizes!
http://jenre-wellread.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-basic-psychology-and.html
February 25, 2013
Blog Tour, Day 1
Today, I'm blogging about being prolific, over at Pants Off Reviews.
http://pantsoffreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-giveaway-prolific-by-angelia.html
Go leave a comment for an entry in the Big Prize Drawing!
You could win 12 novels, or an Etsy gift certificate or a copy of Barbarossa's Bitch.
http://pantsoffreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-giveaway-prolific-by-angelia.html
Go leave a comment for an entry in the Big Prize Drawing!
You could win 12 novels, or an Etsy gift certificate or a copy of Barbarossa's Bitch.
February 22, 2013
The Giveaway Begins!
To celebrate the release of my 12th novel, an even dozen, I am hosting a giveaway in conjunction with Storm Moon Press.
You can enter by commenting on any post on the blog tour throughout this week.
Commenting on multiple blogs means multiple entries, so follow along and keep commenting!
Entries are open until Midnight EST on Saturday, March 2nd, 2013.
There will be three winners.
The Grand Prize is my entire backlist (that’s 12 novels and over 70 short stories).
First runner up will get an ebook copy of Barbarossa’s Bitch along with a $10 gift certificate to Angelia’s Etsy shop.
The second runner up will get the ebook alone.
Today, you can comment at:
http://www.stormmoonpress.com/blog/?p=588
And another chance to win a copy:
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/2013/02/22/angelia-sparrow-free-book-february-22/#comments
You can enter by commenting on any post on the blog tour throughout this week.
Commenting on multiple blogs means multiple entries, so follow along and keep commenting!
Entries are open until Midnight EST on Saturday, March 2nd, 2013.
There will be three winners.
The Grand Prize is my entire backlist (that’s 12 novels and over 70 short stories).
First runner up will get an ebook copy of Barbarossa’s Bitch along with a $10 gift certificate to Angelia’s Etsy shop.
The second runner up will get the ebook alone.
Today, you can comment at:
http://www.stormmoonpress.com/blog/?p=588
And another chance to win a copy:
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/2013/02/22/angelia-sparrow-free-book-february-22/#comments
February 20, 2013
Promo Tour with prizes!
So, I have this book coming out Friday.
You may have noticed, I've only been talking about it for, oh, a year or so.
To celebrate its release (or escape, whatever), I'm doing a blog tour.
~~~~
And there are Prizes! Good Prizes.
Grand Prize: My backlist in ebook format. This is 12 novels and over 70 short stories.
Second Prize: $10 gift certificate to my etsy shop and an ebook of Barbarossa's Bitch
Thrid Prize: a copy of the ebook
~~~
Every comment left on one of the blogs counts as an entry for the drawing.
Friday, Feb 22nd -- Reviews By Jessewave (book giveaway, no blog post, but comments count)
Monday, Feb 25th -- Pants Off Reviews
Tuesday, Feb 26th -- Wednesday, Feb 27th -- Well Read
Thursday, Feb 28th -- Bending the Bookshelf
Thursday, Feb 28th -- Babes in Boyland (Piper Vaughn's blog)
Friday, March 1st -- The Armchair Reader
Saturday, March 2nd -- SMP Blog
See you on the road!
You may have noticed, I've only been talking about it for, oh, a year or so.
To celebrate its release (or escape, whatever), I'm doing a blog tour.
~~~~
And there are Prizes! Good Prizes.
Grand Prize: My backlist in ebook format. This is 12 novels and over 70 short stories.
Second Prize: $10 gift certificate to my etsy shop and an ebook of Barbarossa's Bitch
Thrid Prize: a copy of the ebook
~~~
Every comment left on one of the blogs counts as an entry for the drawing.
Friday, Feb 22nd -- Reviews By Jessewave (book giveaway, no blog post, but comments count)
Monday, Feb 25th -- Pants Off Reviews
Tuesday, Feb 26th -- Wednesday, Feb 27th -- Well Read
Thursday, Feb 28th -- Bending the Bookshelf
Thursday, Feb 28th -- Babes in Boyland (Piper Vaughn's blog)
Friday, March 1st -- The Armchair Reader
Saturday, March 2nd -- SMP Blog
See you on the road!
February 13, 2013
Five Influences on Barbarossa's Bitch
I have this book coming out next Friday.
Pre order now and save 20%
And people always ask me "Where do you get your ideas?"
I have various flip answers: I subscribe to a service in North Dakota. I found it under the soap in the shower. It jumped me when I was cleaning out a cabinet.
But here are some very real influences on the next book.
They may not be ALL of where I got my ideas (the barbed wire sissy bar on the bike is an actual thing that one of my driver trainers built), but they do show. And hopefully NOT like a cheap slip.
The Postman.
I had read the novella by David Brin when it was originally published in ASIMOV'S in the early 80s. (Read the sequel “Cyclops” too) I am one of six people on the planet not related to Kevin Costner who likes the movie.
The idea that people would need mail, as a sign of hope, had never occurred to me before that. And by letting the wildpack pick up this duty, and even organize a pen-pal exchange between various settlements, it gave the people a way to circulate knowledge.
Adam Lambert.
Naomi pointed me to the footage of the Sydney Mardi Gras. We both stared at the costume, especially the spiked codpiece. We both knew we would be writing that article of clothing into a story.
Adam became the inspiration for rocker Grant Starr, who was just about to break big. His single, “Dirty Touch” has been at number one for a while. Dylan is a fanboy and has a “Dirty Touch” ringtone and a framed poster. He goes to a Grant Starr concert on the night before the world ends.
The Road Warrior.
There are numerous bits that made their way in, from the masked leader—and Dylan is just geeky enough to remember the line about “Lord Humungous, the ruler of the wastes”--to the ragtag fleet of vehicles, to the very pretty toy riding bitch behind one of Humungous' men. While none of the pack has a toy so pretty and useless, Dylan comes close. We let him skip the bleached blond hair.
SM Stirling's Emberverse.
Despite the fact I call it “Heather Alexander kicks John Norman's ass after the end of the world,” I really do like this series. It strikes me as a fairly realistic representation of the end of the world. Some people have skills, some don't, but everyone has to eat. Only strong leadership—often female leadership—keeps women equal in some groups. This is where I swiped the idea that women are one of the more valuable trade goods. And the idea that someone would take John Norman's books a little too seriously. And the idea of one group going pagan because it was well suited to a subsistance farming life.
The SCA
This is where a lot of the primitive skills we write about come from. This is where the wildpack gets some of its structure (and furniture). This is even where the promise White gives Barbarossa comes from, “'Til death takes me or the world ends” is a fealty oath. White's brick oven on the back of his truck is patterned off one Lady Lorraine was using one long-ago Lilies War.
Pre order now and save 20%
And people always ask me "Where do you get your ideas?"
I have various flip answers: I subscribe to a service in North Dakota. I found it under the soap in the shower. It jumped me when I was cleaning out a cabinet.
But here are some very real influences on the next book.
They may not be ALL of where I got my ideas (the barbed wire sissy bar on the bike is an actual thing that one of my driver trainers built), but they do show. And hopefully NOT like a cheap slip.
The Postman.
I had read the novella by David Brin when it was originally published in ASIMOV'S in the early 80s. (Read the sequel “Cyclops” too) I am one of six people on the planet not related to Kevin Costner who likes the movie.
The idea that people would need mail, as a sign of hope, had never occurred to me before that. And by letting the wildpack pick up this duty, and even organize a pen-pal exchange between various settlements, it gave the people a way to circulate knowledge.
Adam Lambert.
Naomi pointed me to the footage of the Sydney Mardi Gras. We both stared at the costume, especially the spiked codpiece. We both knew we would be writing that article of clothing into a story.
Adam became the inspiration for rocker Grant Starr, who was just about to break big. His single, “Dirty Touch” has been at number one for a while. Dylan is a fanboy and has a “Dirty Touch” ringtone and a framed poster. He goes to a Grant Starr concert on the night before the world ends.
The Road Warrior.
There are numerous bits that made their way in, from the masked leader—and Dylan is just geeky enough to remember the line about “Lord Humungous, the ruler of the wastes”--to the ragtag fleet of vehicles, to the very pretty toy riding bitch behind one of Humungous' men. While none of the pack has a toy so pretty and useless, Dylan comes close. We let him skip the bleached blond hair.
SM Stirling's Emberverse.
Despite the fact I call it “Heather Alexander kicks John Norman's ass after the end of the world,” I really do like this series. It strikes me as a fairly realistic representation of the end of the world. Some people have skills, some don't, but everyone has to eat. Only strong leadership—often female leadership—keeps women equal in some groups. This is where I swiped the idea that women are one of the more valuable trade goods. And the idea that someone would take John Norman's books a little too seriously. And the idea of one group going pagan because it was well suited to a subsistance farming life.
The SCA
This is where a lot of the primitive skills we write about come from. This is where the wildpack gets some of its structure (and furniture). This is even where the promise White gives Barbarossa comes from, “'Til death takes me or the world ends” is a fealty oath. White's brick oven on the back of his truck is patterned off one Lady Lorraine was using one long-ago Lilies War.
February 12, 2013
A correction!
The print edition of Barbarossa's Bitch, while not available immediately, should be available around late March.
February 11, 2013
Pre-orders are up!
BARBAROSSA'S BITCH is available for pre-order!
http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Barbarossas-Bitch.aspx
The ebook is $4.79 now. It will be $5.99 later. There is no print edition.
Blurb:
Dylan Taggert was one of the few people lucky enough to wake up the morning after the world ended. But as humanity picks up the pieces, he quickly learns that there is no place for a gay computer programmer in a subsistence farming community. Hounded out of one settlement and harried out of another, Dylan keeps his wagon packed and his walking boots ready.
All that changes when he is captured on the road by a wildpack. The ferociously masked leader, Lord Barbarossa, sees something in Dylan that he wants and he keeps the programmer as the pack makes its round of the settlements. The wildpack serves as defenders, trade caravan, circuit riding judge and priest, and mail carrier for the settlements. And Dylan, now called Kane, serves Lord Barbarossa.
But Kane wants to be more than just a warlord's toy and sets about making himself a useful part of the pack. Over the years, he earns himself a place, clothing and his membership marks. But the wheel keeps turning and once again things are changing for the wildpack. The settlements are stronger. The trade routes are secure again. And they are growing older with every winter. They have lived through the end of the old world. Now, they face living through the end of their new world as well.
January 31, 2013
Award winning fiction
Adventuresses won in the SFR Galaxy Awards:
http://sfrgalaxyawards.blogspot.com/2013/01/sfr-galaxy-awards-2013-round-seven-by.html
Most Eclectic Collection of Lesbian Speculative Stories – Adventuresses by Angelia Sparrow
Adventuresses offers an eclectic mix of ten stories, all of which were written by the author. Each story features lesbian protagonists—because sometimes you just want sci-fi romance with women headlining the show. The heat level is erotic, but varies in intensity across the stories. Two standouts for me include the steampunk airship pirate in "Adventuress" because she’s just so darn cool, and "Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch," a Western steampunk romance with action-adventure, a heartfelt romance, and zombies. (Indie release)
http://sfrgalaxyawards.blogspot.com/2013/01/sfr-galaxy-awards-2013-round-seven-by.html
Most Eclectic Collection of Lesbian Speculative Stories – Adventuresses by Angelia Sparrow
Adventuresses offers an eclectic mix of ten stories, all of which were written by the author. Each story features lesbian protagonists—because sometimes you just want sci-fi romance with women headlining the show. The heat level is erotic, but varies in intensity across the stories. Two standouts for me include the steampunk airship pirate in "Adventuress" because she’s just so darn cool, and "Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch," a Western steampunk romance with action-adventure, a heartfelt romance, and zombies. (Indie release)
January 30, 2013
Thoughts on Homophobia
There is a certain type of Righteous Man(tm) that seems almost obsessed with homosexuality. They want to keep it out, out OUT of every institution, out of society if possible.
Common wisdom says the average homophobe is hiding his own gayness, trying to make society hold the closet door shut for him.
I have a different notion.
These Righteous Men(tm) know they are sinners. They know they are coveters and adulterers (if not actively then in their hearts or by marrying divorced women), they know they are murderers (if only by virtue of hating).
But they are not gay.
Gays are the one group they can truly feel morally superior to. And like every privileged group, they want to retain what little sense of moral superiority they have.
As the Gay Rights movement gains steam, and society says there is no need to consider the QUILTBAG less moral than others, they will shout all the louder, trying to retain that one area where they feel superior.
Common wisdom says the average homophobe is hiding his own gayness, trying to make society hold the closet door shut for him.
I have a different notion.
These Righteous Men(tm) know they are sinners. They know they are coveters and adulterers (if not actively then in their hearts or by marrying divorced women), they know they are murderers (if only by virtue of hating).
But they are not gay.
Gays are the one group they can truly feel morally superior to. And like every privileged group, they want to retain what little sense of moral superiority they have.
As the Gay Rights movement gains steam, and society says there is no need to consider the QUILTBAG less moral than others, they will shout all the louder, trying to retain that one area where they feel superior.
