Reesa Herberth's Blog, page 4

Peripheral People Countdown – Ylendrian A-Z – C

C is for…

Corve – Corve is a third-wave colonial planet, marked habitable with limitations. The heavy gravitational pull keeps most offworld travel away.  The fact that Corve is a known haven for criminals and a place where nobody sees anything unless they’ve been paid to keeps the lagging economy going when the bureau of tourism can’t.

Today’s Peripheral Passphrase Letter is: S

Welcome to the countdown to Peripheral People!  Every day until our release date (May 11, 2015), we’ll be giving you a glimpse into our universe, the Ylendrian Empire.  And every post will include a new letter in our scavenger hunt/word jumble contest.  Catch the new letter each day, unscramble the words, and start submitting your contest entries on May 10, 2015 to be entered in a random drawing for the Ridiculously Cool(er) Ylendrian Prize Pack, which includes all of these prizes:

One (1) Slipstream Laboratories lunch cooler- a lovely powder blue insulated bag, proudly emblazoned with the Slipstream Laboratories corporate philosophy: Ethical Dilemmas Are Only a Problem If You Have Ethics

One (1) e-book of your choice from our backlist

One (1) $10 (US or equivalent currency) gift certificate to one of the following bookstores: Riptide Publishing, Amazon.com (or .country for non-US residents), or Barnes & Noble.com (Winner’s choice)

One (1) signed, full-wrap cover print of the cover art for Peripheral People, by the amazing Simone

Contest submissions open May 10, 2015 through May 24, 2015.  Winner to be announced May 25, 2015.  Contest open to US and non-US residents.  Shipping for physical items will be paid by the authors; any duties or taxes due upon delivery are the responsibility of the prize winner.  Winner will be notified via email, as well as announced on this blog and various social media outlets.  Eligible entries must contain the correctly descrambled phrase, contact name, and valid email address.  Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

 

Peripheral People Countdown – Ylendrian A-Z – B

B is for…

Bounty hunters- What do Corwin Menivie and Westley Tavera disagree on? The usefulness of bounty hunters!  Corwin’s dislike has a more professional motivation:  they interfere with official IEC business.  West’s approval stems from more personal, rather, well, intimate reasons. But maybe that was just one particular bounty hunter…

In the law enforcement and legal structure of the Empire, bounty hunters have a bit more legitimacy than Corwin gives them credit for.  Space, we’re given to understand, is really, really big, and there simply aren’t enough imperial and local officers to track down every criminal.  When a warrant is first issued for someone’s arrest, the hunt is usually handled by law enforcement, but if they can’t be found quickly the warrant is opened to licensed bounty hunters, who have more flexibility to follow trails across the stars.

Today’s Peripheral Passphrase Letter is: T

 

Welcome to the countdown to Peripheral People!  Every day until our release date (May 11, 2015), we’ll be giving you a glimpse into our universe, the Ylendrian Empire.  And every post will include a new letter in our scavenger hunt/word jumble contest.  Catch the new letter each day, unscramble the words, and start submitting your contest entries on May 10, 2015 to be entered in a random drawing for the Ridiculously Cool(er) Ylendrian Prize Pack, which includes all of these prizes:

One (1) Slipstream Laboratories lunch cooler- a lovely powder blue insulated bag, proudly emblazoned with the Slipstream Laboratories corporate philosophy: Ethical Dilemmas Are Only a Problem If You Have Ethics

One (1) e-book of your choice from our backlist

One (1) $10 (US or equivalent currency) gift certificate to one of the following bookstores: Riptide Publishing, Amazon.com (or .country for non-US residents), or Barnes & Noble.com (Winner’s choice)

One (1) signed, full-wrap cover print of the cover art for Peripheral People, by the amazing Simone

Contest submissions open May 10, 2015 through May 24, 2015.  Winner to be announced May 25, 2015.  Contest open to US and non-US residents.  Shipping for physical items will be paid by the authors; any duties or taxes due upon delivery are the responsibility of the prize winner.  Winner will be notified via email, as well as announced on this blog and various social media outlets.  Eligible entries must contain the correctly descrambled phrase, contact name, and valid email address.  Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

 

Peripheral People Countdown – Ylendrian A-Z – A

A is for… 

Akeloan – A race of telepaths, and one of the three founding cultures of the Ylendrian Empire.  Akeloan and Human physiology was extraordinarily compatible, resulting in many hybrid children who typically took on the physical characteristics of their human parent and the psionic capabilities of the Akeloan genetics.  Though the hybrid genetics can still be found, a pandemic plague swept through the empire in waves that were eventually believed to have killed every Akeloan in the known universe, and as much as 70% of the hybrid population.  On planets particularly hard-hit by the plagues, Akeloans are often referred to as “the lost people”.

Today’s Peripheral Passphrase Letter is: E

Welcome to the countdown to Peripheral People!  Every day until our release date (May 11, 2015), we’ll be giving you a glimpse into our universe, the Ylendrian Empire.  And every post will include a new letter in our scavenger hunt/word jumble contest.  Catch the new letter each day, unscramble the words, and start submitting your contest entries on May 10, 2015 to be entered in a random drawing for the Ridiculously Cool(er) Ylendrian Prize Pack, which includes all of these prizes:

One (1) Slipstream Laboratories lunch cooler- a lovely powder blue insulated bag, proudly emblazoned with the Slipstream Laboratories corporate philosophy: Ethical Dilemmas Are Only a Problem If You Have Ethics

One (1) e-book of your choice from our backlist

One (1) $10 (US or equivalent currency) gift certificate to one of the following bookstores: Riptide Publishing, Amazon.com (or .country for non-US residents), or Barnes & Noble.com (Winner’s choice)

One (1) signed, full-wrap cover print of the cover art for Peripheral People, by the amazing Simone

Contest submissions open May 10, 2015 through May 24, 2015.  Winner to be announced May 25, 2015.  Contest open to US and non-US residents.  Shipping for physical items will be paid by the authors; any duties or taxes due upon delivery are the responsibility of the prize winner.  Winner will be notified via email, as well as announced on this blog and various social media outlets.  Eligible entries must contain the correctly descrambled phrase, contact name, and valid email address.  Winner will be chosen via random number generator.

 

Remembering Black Sunday

Today is the 80th anniversary of Black Sunday, widely regarded as one of the worst days of the Dust Bowl.

I’ve been fascinated by the history of the Dust Bowl since I first saw one of the iconic photographs of a “black blizzard”.  Though the Dust Bowl was an environmental disaster with man-made roots*, there’s a nearly supernatural quality laced through the images and accounts of the time.  Maybe it’s that most of the written and oral accounts were coming from people who lived very closely with the land, and felt as though a friend had betrayed them.  Maybe it’s that nothing of the sort had ever been seen before, and the relentless assault didn’t ever seem likely to end.

I’m captivated by the idea that the environment could be quasi-sentient, and with a landscape so unpredictable that it’s easier to assume there are forces at work other than air currents and a lack of rain.  150,000 words of fascinated with it, but that’s a (long) story for another day.  In the meantime, you can check out what GhostsofNorthDakota.com has to say about Black Sunday.

*-Though most experts agree that a poor understanding of farming practice and the effects of erosion, combined with a drought the likes of which had never been seen, played a role in the creation of the Dust Bowl region and weather, there is growing skepticism about how much of the problem should be laid on the farmers of the time.**

2014 Frederick Book Festival

I’m pleased to be participating in the second annual Frederick Book Festival on Saturday, June 28, 2014.  This year the event will be held at the Hampton Inn (5311 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick, MD 21074), and it’s FREE for readers!  Please come out to join a host of authors, ranging across just about every genre you can imagine, from 10am to 6pm.  There will be a book signing event from 2-3pm, as well as diverse and lively panel discussions and readings all day.

Due to a conflict, Michelle won’t be attending, but I’ll be there, eagerly awaiting the chance to say hi, and hand out chocolate.  Stop by our table to try out the newly-minted Cabinet of Wonders, talk sci fi, romance, fantasy, or anything else… and did I mention chocolate? Because chocolate.

I look forward to seeing some of you there!

Balticon 48 Draws Nigh!

Michelle and I are once again participating in the festivities at Balticon.  We’ll be around Friday-Monday, so if you’re attending, please feel free to say hello.  Our books will be for sale at the Broad Universe table, and we plan to spend a fair amount of time there between panels.  The GoH is Brandon Sanderson, and I’m really excited to see Melissa Scott, Maria V. Snyder, and Myke Cole, as well.  Not to mention all the lovely people I only ever seem to run into at cons.

If you’d like to see the dog and pony show in action, please drop in to our panels!  Our schedules are below:

 

Michelle

Kicking Yourself Into Gear (Panel) (Participant), Friday 20:00 – 20:50, Parlor 1026

Broad Universe Reading Rapid Fire Reading Saturday Afternoon (Panel) (Participant), Saturday 16:00 – 16:50, Pimlico

Open Heart Surgery with a Chain-saw: Deep Edits (Panel) (Participant), Sunday 13:00 – 13:50, Parlor 1026

How to write Polyamory and not a train wreck (Panel) (Participant), Mon 09:00 – 09:50, Chase

 

Reesa

Kicking Yourself Into Gear (Panel) (Participant), Fri 20:00 – 20:50, Parlor 1026

Broad Universe Reading Rapid Fire Reading Saturday Afternoon (Panel) (Participant), Sat 16:00 – 16:50, Pimlico

How and Why Romance is 53% of the Market (Panel) (Moderator), Mon 08:00 – 08:50, Derby

How to write Polyamory and not a train wreck (Panel) (Participant), Mon 09:00 – 09:50, Chase

 

Writing Process Blog Hop

Wheeee, it’s my turn on the Writing Process Blog Hop!  Last week I got tagged by awesome reviewer Petra Grayson.  Her blog is full of reviews, recipes and other fun tidbits and can be found at http://theoryoflietofine.blogspot.com/.  Check it out!

 

What am I working on?

It feels like I’m really busy, but after seeing all the balls the other folks on this blog tour are juggling, I feel bad for complaining.

Just finished edits on the next Ylendrian novel, Peripheral People… the story of a psychic serial killer IN SPAAAAAACE.  Once the copy edits are completed, it’s on to the publicity push.  I’m really excited about Peripheral.  It was definitely one of those blood, sweat and tears projects, so it makes me feel very protective of it.  I think West and Corwin’s relationship is one of the best Reesa and I have ever written, and the plot itself is so intricate and deep that I feel incredibly proud of us every time I think about it.

I’m also working on two short stories in my Playa Escondida paranormal series: “Beach Patrol” and “Native Species”.  It seems like I’ve been plugging away at them for forever.  Here’s hoping there’s an end in sight, if only because I love my town, and I want to keep exploring it.  I mean, seriously, who doesn’t want to live in a coastal Florida town where a weregator runs the local used car dealership and a mysterious little girl and her lemonade stand herald town disasters?

Reesa and I are also working on a sequel to The Slipstream Con, with a working title of Inside Job.  We had too many requests for more Kellen and Vanya and Tal to refuse!  And not to give too much away, but Heston might be making another appearance, just to keep our trio on their toes.

 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Because I’ve written it.  Not to sound conceited, but I think that’s true.  Every single person has their own writing style.  You can try and copy the style of a writer you admire, but your own personality is always going to come through.  This is a good thing.  I know I’d read a whole lot less if everything I picked up sounded the same.

Along this same line, I believe that every character I write has something of me in them.  Even the evil ones, believe it or not.  Well, okay, so Heston isn’t really evil… he, uh, just lacks those boring societal morals.  But, hey, he and I share a liking of Hawaiian shirts.

 

Why do I write what I do?

I write what I love to read and I love to read romance.  Life is about relationships, and I’m fascinated by that.  How do they develop, what wild-n-wonky things happen along the way, how does it all work out in the end?  Closely tied with this is the fact that I only read and write happy endings.  The way I see it, there’s enough bad shit in the world… all you have to do is turn on the news to realize that.  Books (my own and others) are an escape for me, and I want sunshine and ponies and fluffy kittens!  Now having said that, I’m a-okay with a heavy dose of angst and misery getting to that HEA, but it’s got to be there.

 

How does your writing process work?

Ideas:

If I’m writing with Reesa, she’s the awesome idea person.  She’s all over the “what-if” side of things.  I love the conversations with her that start “Hey, I was thinking…” because it means there’s a great story seed.  On my own, a lot of inspiration comes from anthology calls.  I’ll see one with a publisher I like and think “Oooh, that sounds like fun” and then I’ll let it percolate through my brain (unfortunately the image I always get is a septic field percolating!) and hopefully come up with an idea.

Plotting:

I’ve learned through hard experience that I’m better off with some kind of, if not an actual outline, at least a roadmap pointing me in the direction I need to go.  I had a lot of years of viewing myself as a “pantser”, mainly because outlines made me think of high school English and Roman numerals and indents that seemed totally random.  Then Reesa and I hit the last quarter of Peripheral and realized if we were going to finish, we needed to have a plan.  We put together a rough outline that kept us on track, and voila!  There was something very comforting about reaching a point in a chapter and instead of sitting there staring into space wondering what the hell was supposed to happen next, I could look at the notes/outline,  sigh in relief,  and keep writing.

Right, so when I’m co-writing, that’s how things fall out.  When I’m on my own, there’s a whole lot of knowing where I want to go and not a freaking clue how I’m going to get there.  Case in point?  “Beach Patrol”.  Gotta get rid of a demon and set up a possession.  Crap, I have NO idea how I’m going to do that and make it both true to the town and interesting-n-different.  Where’s that road map?  I don’t even need all the highways filled in.  Just give me a compass rose so I know I’m headed in approximately the right direction!  I’ll muddle through the rest on my own.

Thank goodness I stick to short stories since I think a novel on my own might kill me.  That would be why I’ve got about five winning (50,000 word) NanoWrimos sitting around unfinished and with plot holes big enough to drive a truck through.  The thought of having to rewrite huuuuuuge vast expanses of prose so that they’re not only coherent but move in a logical, linear pattern and actually GO SOMEWHERE makes me want to sob.  Loudly.  And continuously.

Up next week you need to be looking for Connor Wright and Reesa Herberth!

 Connor has written such wonderful stories as First Flight and Tobias’s Own Adventure. Connor is a firm believer in the “what-if” school of writing, which has led to some fun and fantastic stories that magically appear out of the great Northwest.       Connor can be found at http://www.connorwrites.com/.
Reesa Herberth has written such incredibly diverse stories as “Fin de Siècle”, The Balance of Silence, The Slipstream Con, and “The Wishing Box”. Her love of science fiction provides a strong foundation for her writing. Reesa can be found at http://www.michelleandreesawrite.com/.

Indiscreet Valentines

I’m featured over on The Book Belle’s blog today with a passel of other Riptide authors.  We’ve all got special excerpts and treats for everyone, so please pop over and help yourself to some literary truffles.  Or, in my case, wildly inappropriate valentines!  Here’s one that didn’t make it to their page, just for all of you:

Don’t forget, you can woo me (easily!) with a little space station not!zombie love poetry of your own, and be entered to win a free book- just drop me a tweet (@reesah) or comment on the blog. More details here.

Not!Zombie Poetry Contest

I’m having an impromptu contest! Write me a Valentine’s Day poem about zombies and/or failing space stations, and you’ll be entered to win an e-book copy (format of your choice) of anything I’ve written.  Tag me on twitter – @reesah, or leave it in a comment here. I will post all poems here, with credit (let me know if you want credit as something other than your twitter username).  Winner will be chosen in a completely un-random way, based on which poem I like best, on Feb. 15th, 2014.

Here are some romantic verses to inspire you:

Roses are red;

Space is black;

Our universal domination plans;

Have gotten a bit off-track.

Zombies love eating;

but I’m fond of you;

so blow out that airlock;

and turn them to goo.

by Thomas Burke/@impossibly

I can hear them approaching;

it makes my heart race;

Don’t you dare tell me;

there are no sounds in space.

by Thomas Burke/@impossibly

“In Discretion” Wins a 2014 SFR Galaxy Award!

I’m proud to announce that In Discretion has been honoured with an SFR Galaxy Award!

Best Reason For Reuniting Lovers—Space Zombies, Of Course!
In Discretion – Reesa Herberth (Riptide Publishing)