Mayra Calvani's Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy"

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two children, Drake and Celeste.

[image error]Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Christine! Have you always been a fan of science fiction?

Oh yes! The first story I ever wrote, at the age of seven or eight, involved Cabbage Patch Dollars going to Mars. I liked aliens, the future, magic, witches, and anything strange or unusual. As a teenager, I had a crush on Wesley Crusher. My favorite books were A Wrinkle in Time and The Chronicles of Narnia.

When did you decide you wanted to become a novelist?

This was never something I decided, it's just a part of me, something I have to do. I could no more not write than not breathe, and novels are my natural style. I like to spend time with stories, getting to know them, and so while I have written and read a few short stories here and then, I vastly prefer novels.

Tell us about your novel, The Immortality Virus.

The Immortality Virus is a far-future science fiction novel that asks: “What if the entire human race stopped aging?” It takes place in 2450, four centuries after The Change (when humans stopped aging), and tells the story of a blacklisted P.I. named Grace who is hired to find the man who caused The Change – if he's still alive. There's action, mystery, and a sprinkling of romance to help brighten the darkness of an otherwise dystopian novel.

What was your inspiration for it?

The Immortality Virus didn't come to me in a burst of inspiration. I started out with the idea that I wanted to write a science fiction novel (I had just finished a paranormal novel and wanted to try something a little different), and then started doing a random search on Wikipedia. The search led me to the article on DNA, which helped me recall something I'd read about a genetic source for aging, which led me to more articles, and after about a week of reading and researching, it all came together in my mind: Someone released a virus that altered the human genome in such a way that we no longer aged.

After that, things came together fairly quickly. I got into characters (which is where I usually start, to be honest), world building, and I wrote an exploratory draft. Grace came to life as I started writing, as if she had always been inside of me and we were just waiting to be introduced.

How did you create the dystopian world in your story?

It all started with a what if: What if the entire human race stopped aging? I didn't set out to write a dystopian novel, although I clearly realize that is what I did, but rather to consider the actual consequences of something that we (the human race) has always wanted. How long have we searched for the Fountain of Youth, both literally and figuratively? The current popularity of vampire novels is, I think, largely about the draw of immortality. And maybe it would be exciting, to be one among many, watching history move, but what if it were all of us? Would history even move very quickly, without the natural momentum of birth, growth, and death?

After that, I went back and outlined a social and political history, focusing on the Unitd States, from the time of The Change (in about 2050) to the time of the novel (2450). Much of this did not end up in the book, but having the information clear in my mind helped me to realize the world of the story.

What makes your protagonist special?

Grace is a strong woman – touch, determined, and smart – but inside, she's vulnerable. She often sees the world through a cynnic's eyes, and yet she stops to help those in need, grumbling the entire time. She truly cares, but is afraid there's really no such thing as love, especially when forever is truly put to the test.

What is your greatest challenge when writing science fiction?

My greatest challenge changes as I grow as a writer. When I wrote The Immortality Virus, my greatest challenge was action sequences. I spent many hours with my husband, coreographing them with him, and acting them out, to aid in the believability. (My husband being well-versed in marshall arts.) The experience helped me a lot, though, and I now feel much more confident writing those same scenes.

What is your writing and editing process like?

So far, it has been different for each book I have written. I'm not sure if I learn something each time, or if I just have to mix it up to keep things interesting.

Lately, I've decided that the trick to writing is to listen to that voice inside my head telling me something isn't right and not just bash my way through a story that isn't working. Writer's block means something is wrong, and if I stop to fix it, I have much better success.

Editing is difficult for me, especially because I have to blow up my screen to a hugely large font so I can catch those obnoxious errors the word processor missed. I take it slowly, one chapter at a time, going through twice for content, once for style, and once for grammar and spelling. With all but the first content run, I put all the chapter numbers in a hat and pick them out one at a time, to help me keep things interesting.

How long did it take you, from idea to final draft, to complete the novel?

I first dreamed up the idea in the summer of 2006, at which point I wrote a novella-length story that I always knew needed to be a novel. I spent most of the next year working on other projects, including the promotion of my debut novel, Touch of Fate, then I picked it back up in the summer of 2007. I wrote a full draft that summer, then once again, worked on other things until August of 2008, when I finally wrote the last draft. This was something of a summer project because I was involved with a summer critique group for a while. All together, if I carve out the times I set it aside to work on other things, I probably spent 9-12 months on it, but as you can see, the math isn't all that simple. :)

What advice would you give to aspiring SF authors?

Writers write! (For more details, visit my blog. I have weekly tips for writers there.)

Thanks, Christine!

Thank you for having me!

Dominick Domingo is a veteran Animation Artist (Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback, Tarzan, Fantasia) who's illustrated YA books for Penguin, Random House, Lowell House, Disney Publishing, Hyperion Books, and Harcourt. Developing original screenplays as a filmmaker led to a growing writing resume. To capitalize on it, Dominick recently penned a collection of Narrative Nonfictionessays titled "Jesus Shoes," two of which have been included in anthologies. One of the essays, 'L'Epiphanie,' was awarded the 2011 Solas award in the humor category for 'Best Travel Writing.' The Nameless Prince represents Dominick's foray into Young Adult urban fantasy. He'd be happy to retire as a full-time author. He lives in the Silver Lake neighborhood of L.A., surrounded by hipsters.

Thank you for this interview, Dominick! You’re an illustrator and also a writer. How did both come about?

Like many artists/creatives, I have dabbled in various mediums of expression. I took my first oil painting class at seven. I got my first typewriter for Christmas at nine or so. Though I chose to get my degree in Illustration, I continued writing. I graduated Art Center and immediately began working at Disney on films such as Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback, Tarzan, and Fantasia, writing for pleasure all the while. I became involved in Middle Grade and Young Adult books as an illustrator by working with all the majors- Putnam, Random House, Lowell House, Harcourt, Penguin. Only after leaving Disney to make my own live-action films, did I stumble into a writing resume by acquiring several ‘original screenplay’ credits for imdb, sag films that found distribution. I decided to capitalize on that momentum and indulge my lifelong love of writing. Around that time, ( perhaps sensing my own mortality ) I began penning a collection of narrative nonfiction essays titled ‘Jesus Shoes.’ One of them won the Solas award for best travel writing in the humor category. Two were included in anthologies. ‘The Nameless Prince’ is my foray into Young Adult. I hope to retire as a writer. MUCH more relaxing to sit in coffee shops pecking away on my laptop than tearing my hair out on the set!

The Nameless Prince is an interesting title. How did you come up with it?

The novel is basically a parable for overcoming disillusionment and returning to innocence- a classic hero’s journey. When Seth arrives in the alternate realm, Interia, its residents immediately deem him the ‘Nameless Prince’ of prophecy, sent to save them from peril. On an odyssey of riddles and self-discovery Seth must prove himself the true Nameless Prince by symbolically discovering his own name. I don’t remember when exactly, but the title of the book created itself sometime while developing the mythology of the Interior. Their sacred text became the ‘Unfinished Story,’ and the savior of prophecy became ‘The Nameless Prince.’ I wanted a poetic simplicity, but more importantly the ring of truth, in the naming conventions. The title is meant to resonate with the undiscovered greatness within all of us.

Your novel seems to aim at a wide range of readers, from middle graders to adults. Can you talk a bit about this aspect of your novel?

The truth is, I’ve written in many genres. This is my debut novel, and it just happens to be YA. The concept was inspired, and it just demanded certain things, including a protagonist on the cusp of adolescence. I wasn’t thinking necessarily about conforming to the traditions of any one genre, or of marketing limitations with regard to readership. I just wanted to write a good story. I will say, however, that I’d carried a long-standing desire to write a ‘through the rabbit hole’ fairy tale, based on the hero’s journey. I’d always loved stories in which the protagonist (usually a loner) encounters a mythological creature in an unexpected place, and follows it to an alternate realm through some kind of portal. I grew up on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein, among others, and found myself returning to the worlds they created over and over again, as an escape. I like the idea of offering this solace to young readers- a place to go that makes the tough journey of adolescence a bit easier.

In the writing of the novel I discovered that the simple, archetypal narrative held as much or more poignancy for adults. To put it in very good company, I liken its universality to that of ‘The Alchemist.’ There are many stories that I believe speak to people differently depending upon their station in life, and which may even take on new meaning when re-read as an adult with more perspective. This is my hope for ‘The Nameless Prince.’

What themes do you explore in the novel?

As I said earlier, the main theme is that of overcoming disillusionment through forgiveness. This may sound a bit clinical; the more familiar template is ‘preserving innocence.’

Other sub-themes: the truth will set you free

The power of faith

All change comes from visualization- begins in the imagination

Family is where you make it

Trusting ones intuition

Discovering ones true self only by being tested

There are many more- but I am actually more interested in what readers walk away with- what it says to them! I believe the symbology is open to projection and says different things to different people!

Are you a disciplined writer? What is a typical day like for you and how do you balance writing and illustrating?

It is not an effort for me to be disciplined in my writing; I so enjoy it that I can hardly wait to get back to it. Especially when I am steeped in a world I’ve created or engaged with my characters, which are often like children!  And I suppose I am a bit of a workaholic. But the main thing that makes me disciplined in any creative pursuit is my understanding of the creative process and its various stages. I have easy access to my process ( no stringent conditions necessary; it is not ‘fragile’ ) so I can easily relegate my writing or illustrating to 9-5 hours. For those struggling with access to their own process, I recommend studying the various models of creativity and understanding the value of each stage.

I’ve been asked what environment I create or seek in order to write. Believe it or not, I prefer the hustle and bustle of coffee houses. Access to caffeinated beverages and humanity if I like. It’s hard for me to roll out of bed and walk across the room to create. I need a change of scenery, to get my blood pumping. And did I mention caffeine?

How would you describe your creative process when you write? How would you compare it to illustrating?

Believe it or not, they are similar. As alluded to above, the steps in the creative process, the way I understand and experience them, are the same whether one is writing a symphony or building a rocket. It’s about recognizing them.

Germinating on a problem to be solved is the same whether that problem is the perfect conceptual image to represent a text in illustrative form, or whether that problem is a story you wish to tell. After germinating, the burst of inspiration is the same and quickly, passionately expressing it as an outline or a layout for an illustration is the same. And then the more methodical execution is the same, whether that means rendering a surface in acrylic paint or fleshing out a scene from an outline.

What do you enjoy most, writing or illustrating?

I’ve done so much painting in my life, that at this point writing is infinitely more cathartic and enjoyable for me!

You have worked with some impressive names in the illustration world. What has been the single most important lesson you’ve learned from these experience?

I’m grateful for the understanding of Western Storytelling structure I gained at Disney. The skills I learned with regard to collaborating on creative projects- something not everyone can do! I feel lucky to have been surrounded by not only artists and storytellers I admire, but those with a drive to better the world around them through their craft. Those with a childlike appreciation for magic, and the intellectual curiosity to wish to interpret the world around them and share the results with others!

What has been the most rewarding aspect about writing this book?

Sharing it! Though the act of writing brought me solace, inner peace and well-being, there is something infinitely rewarding about knowing it landed with people! Touched them or moved them or inspired them somehow! Hearing feedback from loved ones or even complete strangers!

Where can we find you on the web?

The official Nameless Prince website:

www.namelessprince.com

To order through Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Nameless-Prince-Dominick-Domingo/dp/1606192434

To order through Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nameless-prince-dominick-domingo/1111483752

Please ‘Like’ us on FACEBOOK:

http://www.facebook.com/TheNamelessPrince

What’s on the horizon for Dominick Domingo?

As readers will see on the official site, I am developing the graphic novel version of ‘The Nameless Prince’ with two other artists.  The concept will be to release each episode in comic book format, premiering a new prolific American Illustrator with each instalment!

Also, ‘The Nameless Prince 2’ is half-finished! It was not conceived as a series, but certainly turned out to have been set up for it! My hope is that readers will fall in love with Seth and Elena as I have, and wish to follow them on their journey through adolescence toward adulthood. They are in high school in the sequel!

Is there anything else you’d like to say to readers?

Please enjoy the read! And spread the word! I truly believe in the message of the novel and its ability to make a difference, one heart at a time. I also believe it could be the next Harry Potter! But it takes a village…:-)

This interview first appeared in Blogcritics Magazine. 

 

Melodie Campbell achieved a personal best this year when Library Digest compared her to Janet Evanovich.

Melodie got her start writing comedy (stand-up and columns.)  In1999, she opened the Canadian Humour Conference.  She has over 200 publications including 100 comedy credits, 40 short stories and 4 novels. Her fifth novel, a mob caper entitled The Goddaughter’s Revenge (Orca Books) will be released Oct. 1. She has won 6 awards for fiction, and was a finalist for both the 2012 Derringer and Arthur Ellis Awards.

Melodie is the Executive Director of Crime Writers of Canada. Her humour column ‘Bad Girl’ appears in The Sage .

Connect with Melodie on the web:

www.melodiecampbell.com

www.funnygirlmelodie.blogspot.com

Facebook: MelodieCampbellAuthor

Twitter: @MelodieCampbell

Q: Welcome to the Dark Phantom, Melodie! Tell us why readers should buy ROWENA AND THE DARK LORD.

A: Need a laugh? Want to escape? That’s what I’m all about. I’m a former comedy writer who has gone over to the dark side of writing comic fantasy. ROWENA AND THE DARK LORD is a rollicking adventure novel, with romance, adventure, magic and sex…and hopefully you will find it ‘Hot and Hilarious” as many reviewers called the first book in the series.

Q: What makes a good comic time travel novel?

A: Fast and lean writing. A protagonist you like and want to be for a little while. OH, and maybe a few attractive warrior men to bring up the heat. But really, I think the trick to writing any novel is to provide the reader with an entertaining escape.

I write in first person. I like the reader to *become* the protagonist, to be pitched into Rowena’s head and experience what she does.  That’s entertainment.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I’m the Executive Director of Crime Writers of Canada, so I have a day job. My writing, like many authors, is done mainly at night, from 8 until midnight, and on weekends.

I tell my writing students that writing takes time, and you have to give up something if you want to write. So I gave up the gym. And housework. I’m quite happy, really.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: I’ve won six awards for fiction – BUT – have to admit - the most rewarding day of my writing life was very recent, when a reader found my email address and wrote to tell me that ROWENA THROUGH THE WALL (first in the Land’s End series) was the best book she had ever read. I actually cried. That’s the best reward I can imagine. And readers like her are the reason I continue to write.

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: Writing is work – hard work. Be prepared for that. We all think it should be easier, but it’s not. Sometimes, in those magic moments, it doesn’t seem like work, and that is grand. Those are the moments we live for.

 ----------------------------------------------------------

Dark magic…dark passions….

When Rowena is abducted from Arizona and taken back to medieval Land’s End, one thing is clear: she must learn to control her powers of magic. It isn’t easy being a modern girl in an archaic land, and when Rowena accidently conjures up a Roman Legion in mid-battle, Land’s End is on the brink of a war that could jeopardize everything and everyone she loves.

The stakes are raised when the Dark Lord reappears and traps Rowena in a cyclone of lust and passion. Once again, she is torn between the man she loves and the mage who fires her desire.

Purchase the book on Amazon.

Currently #2 Timetravel in Canada!  Top 100 in US!

Brandon Ellis grew up on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon in a little town known as Gladstone, where he graduated high school and moved on to college and has two great loves in his life – writing and sports.

After being declared an All State Baseball and All League Basketball player, he obtained his Therapeutic Massage License and became one of the most successful Sports Massage Therapists and teachers in the City of Portland. He’s now creating imaginative worlds of inspiration and art through his books.

Website: www.thepurelights.com

FB: www.facebook.com/BrandonEllis1212

Twitter: @thepurelights

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xbVDZAzts

Purchase the book on Amazon.

Q: What’s inside the mind of a fantasy author?

A: Magic is always inside the mind of a fantasy author. We think up stories, characters, and situations that go against known physical reality while doing our best to show the reader that there's truth in what we're writing about, as if the story and events could actually happen, has happened, or does happen—and we just don't see it. It's a fantasy writer's job to find a place where truth and fiction collide, becoming as real to the reader as the chair they're sitting on. Because, you never know, magic could be a gift hidden inside the hearts and souls of each one of us. We just need a little push—a little imagination—to wiggle it out.

Q: Tell us why readers should buy The PureLights of Ohm Totem.

A: To lift your spirits. One professional reviewer at the “English Written Portrait” website stated that my book is one of the best books she had ever read and the best she'd read so far this year. That's why I think you should read “The PureLights of Ohm Totem”. It will give you an escape from your hard working day by bringing you into a world where spirit animals, portals, incredible battles, and important lessons are learned. Just pick it up, because like another professional reviewer said, “I couldn't put it down.”

Q: What makes a good fantasy book?

A: The struggle between the positive and the negative, not just in the outside world, but within the main characters as well. Also, the ability to use a force, such as magic or super human abilities, to help the main character's cause can make for a great fantasy thriller. A friend of mine once said: “A good book is one you can't put down. And, I mean, you can't put it down. You'd even think twice about getting up and going to the bathroom. It's so good that you just don't want to move to interrupt what you're reading.”

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: Oh boy! It's anything but regular. I have three kids, two jobs, and a part time writing career. So, when my kids are asleep, I write. Then, I do my best to get up early in the morning and write some more. The issue I'm having is, when can I sleep? One of these days I'm hoping my passion for writing will turn into a full time career, usurping my other jobs. I love it that much!

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: The ability to create worlds that have been in my mind for years. It brings me joy when someone says that they loved my book(s). It means that I gave them something to be enthused about and an escape away from the hum drums of life.

Q: How did you celebrate the completion of your book?

A: I took a trip to Whitefish, Montana to complete my book. In a way, that was my celebration. I was able to hike into National Glacier Park, canoe one of the parks large lakes, be with my partner and youngest child, and spend time getting to know the local city. It was a blast.

Dora Machado is the award winning author of the epic fantasy Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books July 2013. She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a fascination for writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She lives in Florida with her husband and three very opinionated cats.

To learn more about Dora Machado and her novels, visit her website at www.doramachado.com or contact her at Dora@doramachado.com.

Subscribe to her blog at http://www.doramachado.com/blog/, sign up for her newsletter at http://doramachado.com/newsletter.php and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Book

Lusielle's bleak but orderly life as a remedy mixer is shattered when her husband betrays her and she is sentenced to die for a crime she didn't commit. She's on the pyre, about to be burned, when a stranger breaks through the crowd and rescues her from the flames.

Brennus, Lord of Laonia is the last of his line. He is caught in the grip of a mysterious curse that has murdered his kin, doomed his people and embittered his life. To defeat the curse, he must hunt a birthmark and kill the woman who bears it in the foulest of ways. Lusielle bears such a mark.

Stalked by intrigue and confounded by the forbidden passion flaring between them, predator and prey must come together to defeat not only the vile curse, but also the curse giver who has already conjured their ends.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON.

Q: It's great to have you here, Dora! Tell us why readers should buy The Curse Giver.

A: If you like fast-paced, plot-twisting, epic, dark, and yes—why not?—romantic fantasy, The Curse Giver is for you. In a world teetering on the brink of war and destruction, three lives collide, bound together by a powerful, terrifying, undefeatable curse: an embittered lord at the brink of death, doomed by a curse he doesn't understand and tormented by a terrible secret; an innocent healer on the run, accused of a crime she didn't commit, bearing a mysterious birthmark that commands her murder; and the evil curse giver who has already conjured their ends. The stakes are high—peace, healing and freedom or war, madness and horrible death. Somewhere between love and hate and justice or revenge, redemption awaits those who dare to challenge the tenuous boundaries of good and evil.



Q: What makes a good fantasy novel?

A: Fast-paced action, thrilling adventures and rich imagination perfectly balanced by deep, complex and engaging characters, intricate plots, and transcendental relationships that matter.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I sit down to write sometime between eight or nine in the evening and write through the night. I go to bed anywhere between three and six and sleep the morning away. I get up around ten or eleven and spend the afternoon editing what I did the night before and taking care of the business aspects of writing. The best part: It's my schedule and I get to choose my office's dress code, which, by the way, is a notch below casual, super comfy. The biggest challenge: Talk about not being a morning person!

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: The amazing readers who come along in my adventures.

Q: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received that you’d like to pass to other authors?

A: Write like the wind, write often, diligently and continuously, write for yourself and, my favorite, write all the way to The End.

 

 

Dear Romantic Fantasy Fans,

Mark your calendars!

For the first time ever and for a limited time, Dora Machado’s entire Stonewiser award-winning fantasy trilogy, published by Mermaid Press, will be available FREE on Kindle.

WHEN? From Saturday August 31 to Monday September 2

Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Stonewiser%3A%20The%20Heart%20of%20the%20Stone

Winner of the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Award for best Debut Novel

Finalist for 2009 Foreword Book of the Year Award for SFF

Between truth and deception, between justice and abuse, a stonewiser stands alone with the stones. Or so begins the stonewiser’s oath. But what happens when a rebellious stonewiser discovers that lies have tainted the stone tales?

In a world devastated by the rot’s widespread destruction, only the tales preserved in the stones can uphold the truth and defend the Goodlands. In this world, stone truth is valued above anyone’s word, and stonewisers are the only ones capable of retrieving the tales from the stones, the only link between past and present, order and chaos.

Sariah is the most gifted stonewiser of her generation, but her talent does not atone for her shortcomings. A survivor of the Guild’s brutal training, she is curious, willful and disobedient. Yet not even Sariah is prepared for what she finds when she steals into the Guild’s Sacred Vaults: A mayhem of lies and intrigues that shatters her world.

Hunted, persecuted, and betrayed, Sariah must make an unlikely alliance with Kael, a cynical rebel leader pledged to a mysterious quest of his own. The fate of their dying world depends on their courage to overcome centuries of hatred and distrust. But not even the grueling journey has prepared them for what they are about to discover. Because nothing is really as it seems, and the truth is more intricate and devastating than they ever suspected….

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Stonewiser: The Call of the Stone

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Stonewiser%3A+The+Call+of+the+Stone&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AStonewiser%3A+The+Call+of+the+Stone

Winner of the 2010 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Gold Medal for SF/F

Finalist for the 2010 ForeWord Book of the Year Award for SF/F

Sariah’s reward for revealing the stone truth: a death sentence.

The executioners have arrived and Sariah, the most powerful and controversial stonewiser of her generation, has been judged and condemned to death. For the last few months, Sariah has been hiding in the Rotten Domain, trying to find the elusive tale capable of uniting a divided people teetering on the brink of a catastrophic war. As she is dragged to the nets, where an eel rave has been stirred to maximize her execution’s gruesome spectacle, Sariah knows she cannot escape her sentence. She is guilty of the crimes for which she’s been condemned and no one, not even Kael, the Domain’s foremost rebel leader, can save her from the executioners’ righteous justice.

But Kael is more than just a formidable warrior; he is also a cunning strategist and Sariah’s steadfast lover. Risking all he has, he bargains with the greedy executioners, bribing them into delaying Sariah’s execution, buying her precious time and a last chance to realize the mysterious legacy that the stones have imposed on her. The agreement is hardly a reprieve. It encourages a mob to hunt Sariah for ransom, banishing her from the Rotten Domain and imposing heavy fines on anyone who tries to help her. Worse, it requires her to wear an irremovable, mysterious bracelet. If she doesn’t return to the executioners with the tale in hand when the allotted time expires, Kael and his kin will be ruined and the bracelet will kill her.

Hunted by the executioners, the Guild and the Shield, Sariah and Kael embark on a desperate search. Their journey will take them to the depths of the Rotten Domain, where Sariah must wise a guiding beam out of the wild tale stored in a stone-carved game. The beam will lead them through the warring Goodlands—where the rot is on the move—to the land beyond the Bastions, where a zealous people guard an ancient stone that could hold the key to their search. Along the way, Sariah and Kael must overcome deadly traps, torture, heartbreak, agonizing defeat and devastating losses in a desperate attempt to avoid war and answer the mysterious call of the stone.

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Stonewiser: The Lament of the Stone

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Stonewiser%3A+The+Lament+of+the+Stone&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AStonewiser%3A+The+Lament+of+the+Stone

Winner of the 2012 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Silver Medal for SF/F

Finalist for the 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Award for SF/F

“Do you know why the stones grieve?” the woman said to Kael. “Not for a soul, I’ll tell you that much. The stones don’t grieve for the passing of a lowly woman or the madness of a smitten man. They don’t mourn death, or lost love, or broken dreams, or loneliness or despair. Yet you will make them wail. For you, the stones will weep.”

In their most perilous adventure yet, Sariah, the rogue stonewiser who stunned the world by discovering lies in the stones and defying the all-powerful Guild, and Kael, the rebel leader who against all odds loves her, must find a stolen child, the only one capable of setting rule upon chaos, preserving the future of stonewising, and defeating the rot ravaging the land. The stakes couldn’t be higher. The coveted child they seek is said to be an abomination. He is also their son.

It’s a daunting challenge. Their child is in the hands of a deceitful enemy who has fled to a mysterious ruler, a rival deity with unfathomable powers pledged to destroy the goddess and eradicate stonewising from the world. Worse yet, the land is engulfed in strife, the rot is spreading faster than ever, and Kael is haunted by a malevolent curse compelling him to kill the woman he loves.

In a dangerous journey fraught with shocking twists, Sariah and Kael must do more than defeat their foes, unravel the mystifying forces vying to control their lives, and discover the mysteries of ages past. They must challenge the stones, defy the goddess and confront their cursed fates. Because only by embracing their destinies do they stand a chance to save their child and their world.

For those of you audio book lovers, the first book in the series, Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone is now available from Audible. Be sure to check it out!

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About Dora Machado

Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, from Twilight Times Books, available July 2013. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University. She was born in Michigan and grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a bilingual fascination for writing, a love for history, and a taste for Merengue.

After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and connecting with the amazing readers who share in her mind’s adventures. She lives in Florida with her indulging husband and three very opinionated cats. Visit her at www.DoraMachado.com.

Dear Romantic Fantasy Fans,

Here it is, Folks! Dora Machado's entire Stonewiser award-winning fantasy trilogy, published by Mermaid Press, FREE on Kindle.

WHEN?  Starting today, from Saturday August 31 to Monday September 2

To get your free download NOW from the Kindle store, click on each title below. It’s as simple as that!

Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone 

Winner of the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Award for best Debut Novel

Finalist for 2009 Foreword Book of the Year Award for SFF

Between truth and deception, between justice and abuse, a stonewiser stands alone with the stones. Or so begins the stonewiser's oath. But what happens when a rebellious stonewiser discovers that lies have tainted the stone tales?

In a world devastated by the rot's widespread destruction, only the tales preserved in the stones can uphold the truth and defend the Goodlands. In this world, stone truth is valued above anyone's word, and stonewisers are the only ones capable of retrieving the tales from the stones, the only link between past and present, order and chaos.

Sariah is the most gifted stonewiser of her generation, but her talent does not atone for her shortcomings. A survivor of the Guild's brutal training, she is curious, willful and disobedient. Yet not even Sariah is prepared for what she finds when she steals into the Guild's Sacred Vaults: A mayhem of lies and intrigues that shatters her world.

Hunted, persecuted, and betrayed, Sariah must make an unlikely alliance with Kael, a cynical rebel leader pledged to a mysterious quest of his own. The fate of their dying world depends on their courage to overcome centuries of hatred and distrust. But not even the grueling journey has prepared them for what they are about to discover. Because nothing is really as it seems, and the truth is more intricate and devastating than they ever suspected.... 

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Stonewiser: The Call of the Stone

Winner of the 2010 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Gold Medal for SF/F

Finalist for the 2010 ForeWord Book of the Year Award for SF/F

Sariah's reward for revealing the stone truth: a death sentence.

The executioners have arrived and Sariah, the most powerful and controversial stonewiser of her generation, has been judged and condemned to death. For the last few months, Sariah has been hiding in the Rotten Domain, trying to find the elusive tale capable of uniting a divided people teetering on the brink of a catastrophic war. As she is dragged to the nets, where an eel rave has been stirred to maximize her execution's gruesome spectacle, Sariah knows she cannot escape her sentence. She is guilty of the crimes for which she's been condemned and no one, not even Kael, the Domain's foremost rebel leader, can save her from the executioners' righteous justice.

But Kael is more than just a formidable warrior; he is also a cunning strategist and Sariah's steadfast lover. Risking all he has, he bargains with the greedy executioners, bribing them into delaying Sariah's execution, buying her precious time and a last chance to realize the mysterious legacy that the stones have imposed on her. The agreement is hardly a reprieve. It encourages a mob to hunt Sariah for ransom, banishing her from the Rotten Domain and imposing heavy fines on anyone who tries to help her. Worse, it requires her to wear an irremovable, mysterious bracelet. If she doesn't return to the executioners with the tale in hand when the allotted time expires, Kael and his kin will be ruined and the bracelet will kill her.

Hunted by the executioners, the Guild and the Shield, Sariah and Kael embark on a desperate search. Their journey will take them to the depths of the Rotten Domain, where Sariah must wise a guiding beam out of the wild tale stored in a stone-carved game. The beam will lead them through the warring Goodlands—where the rot is on the move—to the land beyond the Bastions, where a zealous people guard an ancient stone that could hold the key to their search. Along the way, Sariah and Kael must overcome deadly traps, torture, heartbreak, agonizing defeat and devastating losses in a desperate attempt to avoid war and answer the mysterious call of the stone. 

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Stonewiser: The Lament of the Stone

 

Winner of the 2012 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Silver Medal for SF/F

Finalist for the 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year Award for SF/F

"Do you know why the stones grieve?" the woman said to Kael. "Not for a soul, I'll tell you that much. The stones don't grieve for the passing of a lowly woman or the madness of a smitten man. They don't mourn death, or lost love, or broken dreams, or loneliness or despair. Yet you will make them wail. For you, the stones will weep."

In their most perilous adventure yet , Sariah, the rogue stonewiser who stunned the world by discovering lies in the stones and defying the all-powerful Guild, and Kael, the rebel leader who against all odds loves her, must find a stolen child, the only one capable of setting rule upon chaos, preserving the future of stonewising, and defeating the rot ravaging the land. The stakes couldn't be higher. The coveted child they seek is said to be an abomination. He is also their son.

It's a daunting challenge. Their child is in the hands of a deceitful enemy who has fled to a mysterious ruler, a rival deity with unfathomable powers pledged to destroy the goddess and eradicate stonewising from the world. Worse yet, the land is engulfed in strife, the rot is spreading faster than ever, and Kael is haunted by a malevolent curse compelling him to kill the woman he loves.

In a dangerous journey fraught with shocking twists, Sariah and Kael must do more than defeat their foes, unravel the mystifying forces vying to control their lives, and discover the mysteries of ages past. They must challenge the stones, defy the goddess and confront their cursed fates. Because only by embracing their destinies do they stand a chance to save their child and their world.

 

For those of you audio book lovers, the first book in the series, Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone is now available from Audible. Be sure to check it out!

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About Dora Machado

Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, from Twilight Times Books, available July 2013. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. She holds a master's degree in business administration and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University. She was born in Michigan and grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a bilingual fascination for writing, a love for history, and a taste for Merengue.

After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and connecting with the amazing readers who share in her mind's adventures. She lives in Florida with her indulging husband and three very opinionated cats. Visit her at www.DoraMachado.com.

 

Please welcome my special guest Dina Von Lowenkraft, author of the tantalizing new YA romantic fantasy, DRAGON FIRE, jut released by Twilight Times Books!

Born in the US, Dina has lived on 4 continents, worked as a graphic artist for television and as a consultant in the fashion industry. Somewhere between New York and Paris she picked up an MBA and a black belt. Dina is currently the Regional Advisor for SCBWI Belgium, where she lives with her husband, two children and three horses.

Dina loves to create intricate worlds filled with conflict and passion. She builds her own myths while exploring issues of belonging, racism and the search for truth… after all, how can you find true love if you don’t know who you are and what you believe in? Dina’s key to developing characters is to figure out what they would be willing to die for. And then pushing them to that limit.

Connect with Dina on the web:

Site: www.dinavonlowenkraft.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dina-von-Lowenkraft/551209381555837

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vonlowenkraft



ABOUT THE BOOK

Some choices are hard to live with.

But some choices will kill you.

When seventeen-year-old Anna first meets Rakan in her hometown north of the Arctic Circle, she is attracted to his pulsing energy. Unaware that he is a shapeshifting dragon, Anna is drawn into a murderous cycle of revenge that pits Rakan and his clan against her best friend June.

Torn between his forbidden relationship with Anna, punishable by death, and restoring his family’s honor by killing June, Rakan must decide what is right. And what is worth living – or dying – for.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON.

Q: Tells us, Dina. What’s inside the mind of a YA Fantasy author?

A: Multiple worlds, exploding planets, lots of characters, passionate conflicts and True Love.

Q: Tell us why readers should buy DRAGON FIRE.

A: That’s a very hard question for me to answer. I think that one of things that sets Dragon Fire apart from some of the other books out there is its alternating locations in the Arctic and Tibet. The world of my shapeshifting dragons is multi-layered and I think it will be of interest to readers who, like me, enjoy being able to follow a world through several books and several characters’ points of view.

Q: What makes a good YA Fantasy?

A: For me, a good YA Fantasy needs to have several things: a world I believe in, characters I care about, a real problem to be solved and a romance that moves me. Above and beyond that, I really fall in love with a book (preferably a series) that is the author’s own creation, is well-written and keeps me up way past a reasonable hour. I love complex, interwoven threads that only become clear as the book(s) go on - it gives the world a depth that makes me feel like I have experienced it first hand. And having a world come alive for me is the best thing about any book, in any genre.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: Unfortunately, I don’t have too many regular writing days anymore since I have so many different demands on my time right now! But my favorite kind of writing day is during the school year when I can do e-mail and social networking early in the morning, then write from say 8:30 - 12:30, have a quick lunch, ride my horse, pick up the kids, make dinner and have family time before writing again from 9:00 - midnight. And I always read for at least half an hour before going to bed.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: There are two things that I find equally rewarding. First, feeling the world I am creating come alive as I am writing the book. Second, and most importantly, when a reader e-mails me ‘I love, love, loved your book!’

Q: How did you celebrate the completion of your book?

A: Hmm - which completion? The first draft? The revision? The edits? The proof copy? There are so many stages to completing a book, and each one is a big accomplishment. The first time I finished writing a manuscript, I danced around the house and my husband insisted on taking me out to dinner. For the next book, I knew just how much work there was still left to do. Especially since the first one didn’t get published. So I still felt excited and jumped a little, but it wasn’t the same feeling as with the first manuscript. My husband, however, always insists on taking me out to dinner whenever I finish a manuscript, get a contract, have my first sale - and if I refuse, he goes and gets a bottle of champagne!

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My review of DRAGON FIRE

Set in the mysterious, alluring Arctic, Dragon Fire is a mesmerizing debut novel about a girl torn between the shape-shifting dragon she loves and the best friend she must stay loyal to.

When Rakan is sent to Tromso high school by his mother in order to restore their family’s honor and destroy their enemy dragon Jing Mei, he never thought his attraction to Anna, a human, would complicate matters. But, for one thing, Jing Mei — aka June — is none other than Anna’s best friend, and to make things worse, Rakan’s mother expects him to seduce and deceive Anna to get information.

In fact, she expects him to stop at nothing and to stay loyal to the dragon code, which includes disregarding humans and using them as pawns. Yet, something different about Anna touches a deep core within him, and even though loving a human is punishable by death, he can’t stop.

When Anna first sees Rakan, she immediately senses the strange animal-like energy emanating from him. He seems to like her, but his mood swings leave her hurt and frustrated. What is going on between him and her best friend June? Do they share a past? If yes, is it a romantic one? What, in fact, does Rakan want from Anna? Does he really care about her, or is he only using her for his own ends?

Dina Von Lowenkraft’s world-building is rich, original, and fascinating. The setting is vividly laid out, transporting the reader into a genuinely different world. There are also an array of intriguing, interesting characters, such as Rakan’s wilful half-sister Dvara, and Anna’s predator-like soon-to-be-stepfather Ulf.

The prose is beautifully clean and the dialogue sparkles. Filled with intrigue, romantic tension, and sensual imagery, this is a must-read for fans of dragon stories and young adult paranormal!

Dear Readers,

I’m currently representing author Christine Amsden, whose new adult urban fantasy/mystery novel, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective, was released earlier this year by Twilight Times Books.

I have 20 print copies available for review. Please let me know if you’re interested!

About the book:

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

From Publisher’s Weekly:

“In this entertaining series opener, Amsden (The Immortality Virus) introduces readers to the eponymous Cassie, a decidedly mundane member of a magical family. …Readers will enjoy Cassie’s fish-out-of-water struggles as she fights magical threats with little more than experience and bravado.”

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-Par...

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!
Regards,
Mayra

Born in the high desert country, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, Florence loved exploring the wilderness on foot and horseback. Those grandiose landscapes formed her sensibility. Hidden pockets of unexpected greenery tucked away near springs in folds of barren mountainsides spoke to her of gentleness and beauty in an otherwise harsh world. She published her first poem in a children’s magazine shortly after she learned to read at age four; wrote her first ‘novel’ at age six, entitled Ywain, King of All Cats. She illustrated the ‘book’ herself.

She traveled extensively with her military family during World War II. With her husband the brilliant scholar and teacher, Kurt Weinberg, she worked and traveled in Canada, Germany, France, and Spain. After earning her PhD, she taught for twenty-two years at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, and for ten at Trinity University in San Antonio. She published four scholarly books, many articles and book reviews, doing research in the U.S. and abroad. When, after retiring in 1999, she was freed from academia to devote herself to writing fiction, she produced ten novels, ranging from fantasy to historical romance and mystery. An avid researcher, she grounds most of her publications in historical fact. She spends hours combing through web sites, books and periodicals, and historical archives to enhance her writings with authenticity.

Eight of her ten books are now in print: an historical romance about the French Renaissance, published in France in French translation by Editions Lyonnaises d’Art et d’Histoire, and two straight historical novels, Apache Lance, Franciscan Cross and Seven Cities of Mud. In addition, four historical mysteries starring the 18th-century Jesuit missionary, Father Ignaz (Ygnacio) Pfefferkorn. Two of these are set in the Sonora Desert, the third in an ancient monastery in Spain,and the fourth, Unrest in Eden, follows Pfefferkorn’s fate after his release from Spanish prison. Five of the historical novels have received a total of ten awards. Unrest in Eden is now published in German translation by Dr. Renate Scharffenberg under title Unruhe im Paradies.

The most recent book,  Anselm, a Metamorphosis: metaphysical suspense , weaves an aura of black magic and nightmare that should fascinate all levels and ages of readers.

Florence also serves as Lector at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas, as well as appearing as a guest lecturer to various groups throughout the country and abroad.

Her favorite animals are horses-an intense love affair over many years-and cats, her constant companions. She enjoys music, traveling, hiking, biking, gardening, and swimming.

Website: www.florenceweinberg.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/florence.weinberg.9

Twitter: htpps://twitter.com/floren4

Purchase the book on AMAZON

Q: What’s inside the mind of a HISTORICAL FICTION/ FANTASY author?

A: First, an off-the-wall idea, maybe inspired by something I read, maybe by a dream, maybe a movie. There must be a combination of an interesting time, a difficult and problematic situation, and an unusual protagonist. I, as author, must identify with the hero, otherwise the paranormal fantasy will not work. I must live the horrors of the hero’s fate so that the situation can come alive. I must feel his or her fear, frustration, and desperation. I must grope toward a solution to his impossible situation along with (or within) him, seeing everything from the inside outward, not as an omnipotent chess player. Often, the situation requires research as well, as in the case of a heart valve repair, or a believable Swiss topography. It must be something that strikes a universal note as, in this case, the wish “Gee, I wish I were in her/his shoes,” which could land the wisher in terrible trouble s/he knows not of.

Q: Tell us why readers should buy ANSELM, A METAMORPHOSIS.

A: Anselm is a departure from my normal writing, which is historical fiction and historical mystery. Everyone has had fantasies of being someone else. Christianity and most other world religions hold that the soul is real and separable from the body. This book asks, what might happen if a person were to wish to be someone, anyone, else and find that s/he really has become another person, while retaining her/his own mental identity? How would a person cope with that? This process of discovery of the hero’s new outer self and adjusting to his circumstances occupies a large portion of Anselm. Once the adjustment has been made—as best he can—then he tries to reverse the change. The pace is rapid, with something significant happening on each page.   

Q: What makes a good FANTASY NOVEL?

A: In most cases, a good fantasy creates a parallel world (as in Tolkien or Oz) that resembles our own enough to be engaging, but which differs in wonderful ways. The hero is usually an innocent, a naïve person, who must discover the rules of the alternate world in time to avert disaster. In Anselm’s case, the worlds are real (university and monastery) but the circumstances of the body-exchange drive the action, first by discovering the new body and its capabilities, then by trying to find a way to “go home.”.

Q: What is a regular writing day like for you?

A: I rise at eight, breakfast, then spend several hours editing and adding to what I had written the day before. I have lunch, do any necessary errands or chores, then, after supper, continue writing until midnight. If on “a roll,” I might stay up until 2:00 AM. This is not a regular occurrence, however.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an author?

A: The greatest pleasure is in creating believable characters and seeing them in action in believable settings that I also create. My people are three-dimensional, think and talk like normal people (although occasionally, an anti-hero can get pretty extreme.) Also, the ability to create—in my case, as a historical novelist, recreate—a past reality. Anselm is the nearest thing to a contemporary novel that I’ve ever written. It is set, however, in the Viet Nam era—in the mid 1960’s. I needed a time when electronic media, especially cell phones, had not yet been invented.

Q: How did you celebrate the completion of your book?

A: I had a scotch on the rocks with a good friend and then went out to a gourmet restaurant and had a fine meal. I fear this wasn’t terribly imaginative! The conversation that evening was the best part.