Sheila Deeth's Blog, page 92

The Secret, for Readers and Writers

I've just read and enjoyed Russell Blake's The Voynich Cypher, and I'm honored to feature a guest post from the author on my blog today. He's written something for both readers and writers, with really good advice, interspersed with plenty of smiles, so please read on (and leave comments and questions at the end). Thank you so much for visiting today, Russell.
Meanwhile, for anyone wanting to know more the book, I plan to post reviews tomorrow. It's certainly an interesting novel to read around Easter (think Dan Brown), but then, I've always really enjoyed interesting and thought-provoking. I like exciting mystery-adventures too.
Oh, and if you look up Voynich on Wikipedia, you'll find out there really is a Voynich manuscript! 
Over to you Russell... 
For Readers and Writers
I've been asked, mainly by voices inmy head, what the secret is to writing well.
I think I've figured it out.
After writing about a million wordssince I started publishing last June, I've discovered the truth.
The secret is simple.
Read a lot.
That's right. You want to become agood writer? Read voraciously, with a discerning eye, and grow impatient withsub-par writing. Learn to tell the difference, and drill in into your noggin.Then, pick up a keyboard or pen and write something.
It will suck. Unless you're theequivalent of Mozart (and let's not forget he was a child prodigy recognized assuch by the time he could walk), it will. Just realize that. Read your creationwith your reader hat on, and you'll quickly see I speak the truth.
So ball it up, or hit delete, orfile it for posterity, and then write something else.
Repeat this simple process until youhave written, oh, I don't know, about 10,000 hours.
That's how long Malcolm Gladwell'scompelling book, Outliers, says it takes to become truly proficient at a skill.
Obviously, most don't like thatequation. I mean, it's fine for others, but surely we, WE, are different, andsomehow absolved or excluded from that crude rule of thumb...
Likely not.
I have a friend whose daughter is inballet class. Little gladiators in leotards spend a lot of time lookingseriously in the mirror as they perform the same, identical steps, over andover, hours and hours every day. Eyes following themselves and watching theirclassmates, while waiting their turn to try it again.
They also watch lots of footage ofthemselves dancing, as well as go to as many performances as possible. Thewatching is key. Even when they can't dance due to injury or sickness, thegirls sit in class and watch. Because you only develop an appreciation for theart by watching it. And only when you watch, do you see the mistakes. Youencourage a different sort of acuity than that created by doing.
I write things. You are reading oneof the things I wrote. Hopefully you like it. If you're still reading it (whichthis sentence assumes you are), you either sort of do, or are a masochist. I'lltake you either way.
Besides espousing on ballet and thedecline of western civilization, I also write thrillers. My latest, The VoynichCypher, which is being mentioned in the same breath as The Da Vinci Code andRaiders of the Lost Ark (mainly by me, and those who hate me, but hey), is writtenas well as I'm able to write, after putting in my 10,000 hours over many years(so much for my subtle subliminal self-promotion, huh? Still have to work onthat). If you're curious as to what I'm all about, you could do worse thanchecking out Voynich. Although I'll warn you up front that it's controversialand may not sit well.
Some of you reading this blog areprobably writers. Or maybe are thinking of writing. I've heard that everyonehas a book in them. That's probably true. Just as everyone who picks up aKaraoke mike has a song in them. But if you want my advice, read a lot beforeyou try to write. I simply don't understand writers who don't read. And thereare plenty. To me, it's like trying to create a TV sitcom without ever seeingone. How do you do it competently?
I'm a big proponent ofself-actualization, and chasing your dream, and crafting your own reality. Ifyou are a budding writer, you owe it to yourself to pursue your dream. Butnever forget where a love of writing comes from.
Being a reader.
So my advice is, get busy.

Name: Russell Blake
Email: Books@RussellBlake.com
Website: http://RussellBlake.com
Title: The Voynich Cypher
Genre: ThrillerSummary: Whena sacred relic is stolen from its subterranean guarded vault, Dr. Steven Cross,amateur cryptologist, becomes embroiled in a deadly quest to decipher one ofhistory's most enigmatic documents – a 15th century parchmentwritten entirely in unbreakable code; The Voynich Manuscript.Stalked by secret societies, and aided by the daughter of a murdered colleague,a trail of riddles catapults Cross from England to Italy to the Middle East,where a Byzantine web of ancient secrets leads him to a revelation so profoundit will change the world order.

Happy Easter !

Why do I choose belief each dayIn this mysterious truth?I've tried but can't explain awayHis absence from the tomb. My Savior lives.

The Secret Life of a Fool

Andrew Palau is the son of a world-famous evangelist. I'mthe granddaughter of a Methodist local preacher. There's not much comparisonexcept we must have both grown up around people who talked about God. Ireviewed Andrew Palau's memoir, TheSecret Life of a Fool, yesterday, and today, as part of his virtualbook tour, I promised to think about what kind of fool being a preacher'sgrandkid made me.
My granddad began preaching during the Second World War whenthere was a shortage of people to work in the church since all the young men hadgone away. But Granddad was Methodist and I grew up Catholic, so I'm not sure Iever heard him preach. 
With a Catholic father and Methodist mother, my faith was neversomething I could take for granted. I couldn't answer the simple questions atchurch and say I believed all the same things as my parents. I couldn't performthe expected formalities without wondering why someone else didn't do thingsthe same way. Even hymns had different words and tunes. Never knowing quite whichanswer would please one parent and which would make the other sad, I kept myfaith very quiet—no preaching from me.
But Granddad didn't mind me asking questions when I stayedwith him. We could talk about my Christian faith, about Catholics andProtestants, about society and sin. He even showed me his sermons, written inblue ink on faded paper. I eagerly devoured them. He told me the world wasn'tnecessarily getting more sinful—we just talk about things more. Leaders weren'treally more corrupt—they just got caught more often. And the good old daysweren't half as good as the days I was growing up in.
More importantly, Granddad taught me that reading theBible's more important than believing what someone else tells me about it, andhe taught me God's big enough for all my biggest questions. I'm allowed to wonderbecause of Granddad, and disagreement, even if it sounds foolish, doesn't haveto scare me. I'm allowed to look at faith and science and know God's in chargeof it all. I can read Revelation and know the earth's present belongs to Godinstead of trying to measure when it will end. I can read Genesis and know theGod of my faith spoke science into being—my faith and science don't even knowhow to disagree.
Andrew Palau rebelled. I didn't, or at least, I kept myrebellions low-key and let my Granddad direct them. But in the end, Catholic,Protestant, world-famous or just a local preacher's grandkid, when God calls,eventually we end up hearing Him. The truly amazing thing is God cares enough,in spite of our folly, to want to talk to us all.

Digging holes

The word-count on my new novel grows in fits and starts. Some days I spend most of my writing time editing, digging holes in scenes and plot so the numbers grow then shrink again. Other days there's so much going on the best I can do is sketch in a couple of scenes before they fall out of my head. Still, it's up to 59,000 words now and I'm stitching half-sketched scenes from last week in hopes of attaching the middle fairly firmly to the end. Maybe writing a book is a bit like making a quilt, except I've never made a quilt so how would I know?

Meanwhile I dig holes in my read-and-review list, and in the ground for new plants except when it rains. And in the washing basket which is thoroughly overloaded.

And I drink coffee. So please enjoy the coffee recommendations with these book reviews.

My favorite book this week was E G Lewis's Martyr. The fourth and final volume of his Seeds of Christianity series, it's a wonderful conclusion to what has truly been a wonderful journey of discovery. History, science, faith, geography and the Bible combine to great effect and the perilous boat ride from Antioch to Rome becomes just as real and haunting as the great fire and Nero's madness. Highly recommended, enjoy this rich, elegant complex book with a 4-star rich elegant and complex coffee.

I read another Christian book this week, Andrew Palau's memoir, The Secret Life of a Fool.The fool of the title is the son of the international evangelist Luis Palau, and his folly's not so different from the worldly mistakes of so many disaffected youth. A great book for any parent wanting to know if it's worth continuing to try, or any youth wondering if there's anything to come back to. The writing's easy to read, the story's interesting, and the messages invite serious thought. Enjoy with a 3-star balanced full-flavored coffee.

Gabe's journey in Into the Mist: The Silver Hand by Steve Finnegan, makes a very different tale. Gabe is a young teen with temporal lobe epilepsy and his family's reactions very from scornful rejection to overprotective custody. But Gabe's illness is part of who he is, and just might be the key to saving a mysterious other-world tied to our own through some ancient trees. First in a series, this one left me longing to read more. Enjoy this dark intense fantasy with 5-star bold dark intense coffee.

Finally, I've just finished Arm Farm by Sarah Butland, a mystery set around college forensics students that opens with a truly haunting scene, perfectly fitting the title. Mostly cozy with red herrings and snap decisions abounding, enjoy with a 2-star easy-drinking coffee (though you might need something stronger for the opening chapter).

Young Adult Fantasy in South Carolina

Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with herhusband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fellin love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years asa perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided towrite.I recently read and reviewed the first two books of Alyssa Rose Ivy's Afterglow Trilogy, and today I'm lucky enough to invite the author to answer some questions on my blog. So, thank you Alyssa, and readers, I'm sure if you leave questions Alyssa will be visit sometime to answer them.

Just a quick blurb from the two books before we start:

Beckoning Light: As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has astrong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.
Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she'sgoing to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, butshe's completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.
Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where shemeets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte ispulled deeper into this hidden world, it's up to her older brother Kevin torescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlottefighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilitiesthat she has only just discovered she possesses.  Perilous Light: Would you sacrifice everything for a world youbarely knew?
It has been over a year since Charlotte and Kevin first stepped through thegate into Energo, and neither has been able to settle back into a normal life.
Even though she tries to deny it, Charlotte is in love with Calvin and can'tpush him from her mind. She distracts herself with the antics of James and hergrowing friendship with Liam—the one person who seems to understand her.
Kevin is starting to adjust to his new identity as a college student andbasketball player, but he can't seem to shake his feelings for Samantha, hisfear for Charlotte's safety or the sensation that basketball is no longerenough.
When they unexpectedly return to Energo, both Charlotte and Kevin must facetheir fears and step up to become the leaders they were always meant to be.

And our interview:
1.      Why did you set the story in South Carolina? Ireally liked the contrast between SC and Alaska.

Fromthe beginning, garden imagery played a big part in developing Beckoning Light.Specifically I kept picturing a lush southern garden. At first I tried usingSavannah, but having spent a lot of time in Charleston, the setting seemed theideal fit.

2.      Did you know before you started writing that youwere going to tell the story through Charlotte and Kevin's eyes? Did you findit hard to create their different voices as you wrote?

AlthoughCharlotte's story is the dominant one in Beckoning Light, the Afterglow hasalways been the story of siblings. I knew that to tell the complete story Ineeded to give the reader dual perspectives. Charlotte's voice came much morenaturally to me, but I have had a lot of fun writing Kevin. A dual perspectiveis very challenging, but I can't imagine the Afterglow Trilogy without it.

3.      Did you know at the start that you were going towrite a trilogy, or did you just find your original book got too long--I'vealways wondered how people decide how many books a story will require.

It'salways been a trilogy. I just kept seeing the complete story broken into threesubsets so it was natural to make it three books. Looking back I can't believeI chose to start my writing career with a series that required three books (notsomething I would suggest to others)!

4.      Were you thinking of the Secret Garden when youwrote this?
TheSecret Garden was definitely an influence as I have loved the story sincechildhood.  My draft title when I firstsat down to write Beckoning Light was "The Garden."

5.      What were your favorite novels when you were ateenager?
Iwas really into the classics. I read a lot of Jane Austen, some classic fantasylike Tolkien and I really enjoyed any southern literature I could get my handson. On the lighter side I loved reading mysteries, especially when they had alittle bit of romance thrown in.

6.      Do you think you modeled your characters on realpeople?
Yes.The one character in particular where this happened is Kevin. He has a lot of mybrother and my brother-in-law in him.  Also,Charlotte has a lot of me in her (minus the supernatural abilities of course:)).

7.      A friend has commented to me on how many YAnovels start with absent parents. Do you have an opinion about this?
Thereis no question that the absentee parent has become a common element in YAbooks. I think the missing parent plays into the emotionally charged nature of thebooks. I was definitely cognizant of this when starting the series andquestioned it, but the absence of Charlotte's mother is an essential piece ofthe storyline.  The series wouldn't bethe same without it. 


Thank you for answering my questions Alyssa, and I wish you the best of luck with the trilogy. I have to say, I really like the new covers--can't wait to see the third!

For anyone wanting to read my reviews of Alyssa's books, click here for my review of Beckoning Light, and here for my review of Perilous Light.

And if you want to know more about Alyssa and her novels, here are some links:


Website:  http://alyssaroseivy.blogspot.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvySmashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/85383Amazon (Paperback) http://www.amazon.com/Beckoning-Light-Alyssa-Rose-Ivy/dp/146370884X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1328218860&sr=8-5Amazon (Kindle)  http://www.amazon.com/Beckoning-Light-Afterglow-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B005CYN3YE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1328218860&sr=8-6Twitter: @alyssaroseivy

Yes, I did read one book just for myself this month

With all those books to review, finding time to read just for me can be a challenge. Luckily there's a goodreads group for just such reading-challenged reviewers. We've committed to reading one book for ourselves every month and so far I'm just keeping up, usually starting and finishing my me-book just as the month end--though I'm still not sure how March can be ending already.

This month I chose Peter Joseph Swanson's By the Light of the Carnival--I'd read excerpts on gather and I really enjoy his writing, so I knew it would be good. And it is. His best yet I think, bringing 1970s small-town America to life with farm and fair, faith and hypocrisy, and more than a touch of Ray Bradbury style horror to hold it together. Enjoy it with a 5-star dark intense coffee.

Moon Mist Valley casts a similar spell over the reader with thought-provoking and evocative images and poems, available from Lulu and very well worth a look. Enjoy a 4-star elegant complex cup of coffee while losing yourself in these words and images, easily the best poetry book I've read in quite a while.

Fezariu's Epiphany, by David M. Brown, brings you down to a nicely imagined different earth of Elenchera, where people as human as ourselves overcome problems not so different from our own in a world that's beautifully different and well-imagined. The author has created a fascinating universe and promises more stories--but not sequels (see yesterday's guest post)--set among its peoples. Fezariu, after finding his parents are not who he thought they were, runs away to be a soldier, then finds the army's not what he thought it was either. Enjoy a 4-star complex coffee with this complex and detailed epic.

Meanwhile, back in 1950s America and France, Monique Domovitche's Scorpio Rising tells the story of two wounded young people seeking a different way out from their broken backgrounds. The writing reminds me of Jeffrey Archer or Barbara Taylor Bradford, easy reading, fascinating characters, ever-increasing trials and a well-defined plot. Enjoy with a 3-star well-balanced full-flavored coffee.

And finally, returning to fantasy, I've read one more young adult novel this week, Alyssa Rose Ivy's Perilous Light, second in her Afterglow trilogy. Choosing between physical attraction and love's not easy at the best of times, but throw in magic, politics and war, plus the temptation to use fake IDs and go partying... It's easy reading, best enjoyed with a 2-star easy drinking cup of coffee.

An Aversion to Sequels

47,500 words and counting, that's how far I've got with writing and editing the sequel to Divide by Zero. My main character's finally told me how the story ends, so now I've just got to set all the pieces in place and avoid that insidious urge to race too fast to the finish line.

When the author of Fezariu's Epiphany told me the title to his guest post today it sounded just perfect. He doesn't like sequels and I'm writing one. I'm also reading, of course, and have just finished reading his unsequeled novel, Fezariu's Epiphany. He's created a huge and fascinating world, filled with social and geographic history, great characters, curious nations and much much more. But perhaps I should let him tell you about it.

Click here for my review of Fezariu's Epiphany, and read on to learn of author David M. Brown's aversion to sequels. Thank you David for visiting my blog.


An Aversionto SequelsWhen I published Fezariu's Epiphany back in May 2011, I sometimes found interviewquestions wanted to explore the possibility of a sequel. I can say for certainthat you will never find me writing a follow-up about another epiphany Fezariuhas. The Elencheran Chronicles are intended as a series of self-containednovels, a visit for the reader to a different period of history, and a briefamount of time spent in the company of some of the characters. The timeline currentlystretches to 47,000 years and may go further when I revisit the world historyat some point, so readers are not short of literary destinations for theirsummer holidays.So, am I saying that sequels are completelytaboo? My next novel, A World Apart,will not have a follow-up. It's a long novel but by the end there have beenenough resolutions to say the story is well and truly over, there isn't a needfor any more from the three main characters – Demetrius, Eleyna and Halcyon. Thatsaid the idea of writing a series of novels about the same characters is notone I can readily dismiss, the history of Elenchera simply won't allow it!
Looking through the history I find I havemany ideas waiting to be written and it becomes more difficult trying to decidewhich one will be the third book in the Elencheran Chronicles. Some events inthe history are so action-packed and stretch across a vast range of years thatone novel may not be enough to contain them all. I think inevitably sequelswill be necessary, perhaps a trilogy, but no more than that, I simply can'tcommit to that many books.
When I first started writing about theworld of Elenchera I knew that I wouldn't and couldn't write a series likeRobert Jordan's The Wheel of Time orTerry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth.I never got into Jordan's work despite completing the first Wheel of Time book but I read every oneof Richard and Kahlan's adventures in TheSword of Truth series. Goodkind did very well to sustain those charactersthrough one long and continuous narrative but I did find the later instalmentsinferior to the earlier books. I didn't want to go down that same path. I lovemy characters but the thought of spending half a dozen books with them is notan appealing one. I would strangle them before their stories were finished!  
This is one of the reasons I am drawntowards Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.They're always in the same world but they are self-contained novels and featurea wide range of characters, always plenty of variety. Although regulars likeRincewind, Death and the Guards of Ankh Morpork would request that you readtheir books in order I don't always think it's essential. Elenchera will bejust the same. If you saw a pile of books about Elenchera you could pick any ofthem up and not be missing anything. 
When I come to write those longer novels Iwill have to commit to a maximum of three books to tell the story but no morethan that. I'd rather have just one novel to tell a story but some are suchlong narratives I fear they could stretch to 2,000 pages which is an epic bookfor any reader, it would even put War andPeace to shame. I've seen many people roll their eyes at the mention ofTolstoy. I don't want that to happen to me! 
My aversion to sequels means that somemuch-loved characters may only get a brief time in the spotlight but althoughthat saddens me to a degree I think it's also a mark of great characters ifreaders can get attached to them after knowing them for only a short time. Themore I focus on self-contained novels, the more of Elenchera I can show you.There is a lot that goes on in those 47,000 years, certainly more than I cantell you in a lifetime but I will endeavour to whisper as many secrets as Ican. Just remember that if a novel of mine does not end on a cliff hanger thenthe chances are you won't be getting a follow-up.
Thank you for visiting today David, and, having read the book, I can certainly agree that Elenchera is an amazingly detailed world worthy of many more novels, and Fezariu's Epiphany is a wonderful introduction to its peoples, history and places.
More Information
Title: Fezariu's Epiphany
Author: David M. Brown
Genre: Epic Fantasy
12-year-old Fezariuthought his mother died when he was little, but when his beloved stepfatherdies the boy discovers she is alive and well - and working at the most famousbrothel in all of Elenchera. When she cruelly rejects him it's more than he canbear, and he runs away to join a band of ruthless soldiers for hire. TheMerelax Mercenaries will fight for anyone who can pay them, no matter thejustice of the cause.

Fezariu grows up among the soldiers and becomes one of them. He thinks his timewith the mercenaries has hardened him. But a campaign in his old home townpushes him too far, and he discovers what really happened to his mother. Maybethere are some things money shouldn't buy... and maybe it's time Fezariu tookhis revenge.  Author BioDavid Brown could beconsidered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 yearsdeveloping a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. Whenconverting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorouswriting and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combinedwith the critical eye of his wife and a BA Honors in History and English,David's dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfeltstories and characters.Although David is inspiredprimarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime,world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu's Epiphany andthe in-progress A World Apart, combine aspects from worlds both old and new intocompelling tales of a world not soon forgotten., David himself certainly doesnot lack a spirit of adventure; in fact, he left his job in 2007 in order tospend a month traveling. Second only to meeting and marrying his wife, Davidcounts this as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.
Important LinksTheElencheran Chronicles  http://elenchera.comTheWorld According to Dave   http://blog.elenchera.com Twitter  http://twitter.com/elencheraFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/fezariuGoodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11451305-fezariu-s-epiphany (book page)Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fezarius-Epiphany-Elencheran-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00515BM9W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327742120&sr=8-1B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fezarius-epiphany-david-brown/1102095604?ean=9781456500597&itm=1&usri=fezarius+epiphanyBook Depository: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Fezarius-Epiphany-David-Brown/9781447718772IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781456500597?aff=elenchera

One of my favorite books of the year so far, free on kindle

Just for Saturday, free on kindle, James Conroy's Literally Dead. Click here for my review of Literally Dead, and hurry over to Amazon to get your copy!

Paper and Words

I cancelled the newspaper a few days ago. Yes, I know--as a writer I really ought to support my fellow writers. But the cost kept going up and up and I'd rather read a book.

Two days later we had a phone call from the newspaper distributors. For half the price we could reinstate our order. Two months later the fees would start to climb. And eventually they'd be less than they were when we stopped. Really? Not only that, but if we didn't like the new price, we could always phone and get it reduced again.

I guess the moral of the tale is remember to complain. And the impetus to my writing it here is I've read four books in the last four days, all of which were printed on paper. It was kind of nice, relaxing and comfortable, and I didn't have to worry what would happen if I dropped the book 'cause paperbacks don't break.

So, if you want some fictionpaper reviews, grab a coffee and read on...

Isaac, by Ivan G. Goldman, comes out in April from the Permanent Press and is a modern fable of good and evil, love and loss, God and the devil, Job's patience and Isaac's redemption, and much much more. Literary allusions abound side by side with the Biblical, and modern academia deconstructs Frankenstein while Isaac reconstructs his history. Enjoy this complex fiction with a 5-star bold dark coffee and explore forgiveness, freewill and Hollywood while you drink.

Zetta Elliott's Ship of Souls is written for younger readers and combines the present with a somewhat less distant past as three Brooklyn teens--the nerd, the Muslim jock, and the gorgeous geeky girl--break their stereotypes and find mystical adventure among ghosts of the Revolution and African slaves. The mix of wholly believable modern-day school and mystical history is kind of intriguing. Enjoy with a 5-star intense cup of coffee, or let the kids choose their own drink.

January's Thaw, by J. Conrad Guest, mixes recent history with the future as a time-travelling 1940s PI finds himself trapped in 2047. Combining H.G. Wells-ian  analysis of future history and society's fall with a dawning recognition of love and lust, January's Thaw makes a fascinating addition to the January Tales. Enjoy its twists and turns with a complex 4-star cup of coffee.


Last but not least is Connie Dial's Fallen Angels, an LA detective story with a female protagonist balancing work's demands, loyalties to family and friends, and concerns for her grown-up son who'd rather play piano than go to college. A starlet dies and Captain Josie Corsino's husband walks out. But there are many more betrayals, large and small, and the protagonist's honest search for truth will reveal truths about herself as well as everyone else. This one (another April release from the Permanent Press) deserves a 4-star complex coffee too, with intriguing mystery, great characters and a solid bedrock of rules and law.

Not quite paradise

I'm delighted to feature Aubrie Dionne on my blog again today. Author of Paradise 21 and the new book Tundra 37, Aubrie has imagined a fascinating future earth, and colonists who venture on centuries' long journeys to distant stars. The following is the prologue from Tundra 37, where the fascinating beings who pilot the spaceship Expedition to Paradise 18 are introduced.

PrologueThe Seers
I'm losing her.

Abysme guides the vessel in silence,her blind eyes rolling as she senses our course, two hundred years away fromParadise 18. She's scattered her thoughts among the stars, and her mind driftsfarther from the sister I once knew. I fear the machine has engulfed herindividuality. She's forgotten the meaning of our goal, the oath we took threecenturies ago. Most of all, she's forgotten me, creating an emptiness inside memore profound than the desolation surrounding us.

If I had my arms, I'd reach out tocomfort her and usher her back from the black abyss spread before us. Aschildren, I kept her alive through the destruction, signing us up for the Expeditionand winning two tickets off Old Earth before it succumbed to hell. But can Isave her now?

I send impulses through my brainwavesand into the ship. Bysme, do you hear me? 

Unlike her, I have one operating eyeand can see the control chamber we hang from. Twisting my head, I search herfeatures. Her skeletal face twitches. She writhes and the wires holding her inplace stretch taut. I wonder what I've done to us, the shock of ourdisembodiment jolting me. Every input hole drilled into my skull snakes withactivity. The ship surges through me, a vast intranet of information, names,status charts, and infinite trajectories. If I couldn't feel the cold,regulated air on the remnants of my torso, I'd be lost in the machine too. Iremind myself of our mission and the perseverance flows into my veins.

She doesn't respond and the fear wellsup from within me. Can I guide the ship alone? I realize I've left her at thehelm for too long while I drifted into memories.

Status of Beta Prime? Bysme speaks in monotone computer speech asshe turns to the corner of the main control deck where the orb glistens,tempting us with the mysteries hidden in the cosmic swirls within its core.Sometimes, I wish we'd blasted the ball off the hull after its tendrilsattached to the outer frame instead of recovering it for study. We've guardedit for so long, Project Beta Prime has become part of us, yet we're furtherthan ever from unlocking its secrets. All I know is the insistence of mymemories, like ghosts that refused to be ignored.

Unchanged. The weight of my voice in our mindspeakreflects my disappointment. Like everything else.
Bysme falls silent, and I scan thesystems searching for answers that aren't there.

 


But how is the gene-pool of these colonists kept vibrant and strong over hundreds of years of interstellar travel? Meet Genne, the Matchmaker.







Chapter OneMatchmakerThe Expedition 2751

Names trailed in pairs along thewallscreen as the next batch of destinies unfolded. Gemme pulled her hair intoa ponytail and sipped her synthetic coffee, reviewing the computer's choices.Beside her, a constellation of stars glittered on the sight panel. She studiedthe spherical pattern, content to watch the world float by from the safety ofthe Expedition's computer analytics wing.

She'd live and die on the decks of theaging transport ship. The certainty of her fate comforted her from the blackvoid pressing in. Consistency gave her solace, and in her life regularityreigned. She lived through her work, finding life in numbers.

After another long sip, she gazed upat the screen and read the first pair of names.

Aaron Tixton and Cassandra Smith.

She accessed their profiles with thetip of her finger on her keypad. Both Lifers tested well in energy maintenanceand ship repairs. Their personalities were type ISTP and type ENFJ, and theirfamily trees didn't intersect until third cousins in the first generation,providing a promising match. Neither showed any manifestation of the rarehypergene they'd searched for since they left Earth, but no one she'd evermatched had. There were no guarantees the Seers would last until the shipreached Paradise 18. Suppressing a moment of worry, she scratched her chin,then typed an affirmation on the touchscreen.

Ray Ellis and Melissa Stewart. Although they were three years apart, Raybeing the senior, their genes were optimally compatible. With resistance toAlzheimer's, cancer, and heart disease, they would produce durable children.The touchscreen flashed as her finger pressed enter.

Molly Fritz and—

The portal beeped, interrupting herwork. Who would visit so early on the first morning shift? She'd draggedherself out of her sleep pod for a reason. The Seers expected the next reportby fourteen hundred, and she didn't have time for unplanned meetings.

Gemmesighed and clicked off the screen. 

If you want to know more, you'll have to read the book. Suffice it to say, spaceships and love are both subject to changes of course.

 
Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings haveappeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat,Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber,
and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press,SynergEbooks, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. Aubrie teaches flute at PlymouthState University and the Manchester Community Music School. Please visit herwebsite: www.authoraubrie.com
Book Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XcwFtmeTcM Twitter: @authoraubrie Aubrie's Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com Buy on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Tundra-37-New-Dawn-2/dp/1937044491/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329478503&sr=8-1 Buy on B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tundra-37-aubrie-dionne/1108616503?ean=2940014020817&itm=1&usri=tundra+37 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/search?query=tundra+37