Phil Giunta's Blog, page 30

August 20, 2019

“The Princess and the Assassin” and the Infinite Bard!

The Infinite Bard strikes again with a new FREE short story, “The Princess and the Assassin” by Tony Jones. Click here to read!  

 
The Princess and the Assassin by Tony Jones
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Published on August 20, 2019 18:32

August 17, 2019

Firebringer Take Two on sale at Amazon!

The paperback version of Firebringer Press’s first double novel is available for $6.65 on Amazon (normally $10.99)! Good thing it isn’t one penny higher! Nyaaah!


 


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Published on August 17, 2019 14:07

August 16, 2019

Book Review: Arthur C. Clarke’s Voices from the Sky

Voices from the Sky by Arthur C ClarkeDivided into three sections, Voices from the Sky delivers a series of enjoyable essays–some prescient, others less so–on topics ranging from spaceflight and communication satellites to the future of human culture as shaped by technological advancement.


While many of Clarke’s predictions have come to pass, others miss the mark including the elimination of business travel and the obsolescence of cities as a result of video conferencing and a global communications network. So enthusiastic was he about the U.S.A.’s burgeoning space program of the 1960s, that Clarke predicted mankind’s expansion to the moon, Mars, and beyond. He could not have known that budget cuts would curtail our space program by the 1990s.


Still, Clarke’s considerable talents as a science fiction writer and science communicator, combined with his cosmopolitan viewpoint, provide fascinating insights from a time when humanity was just entering the space age.

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Published on August 16, 2019 03:24

August 7, 2019

The Infinite Bard presents “Doppelganger”

Check out “Doppelganger” by Michael Kingswood, the latest FREE short story at the Infinite Bard! No need to register, just click here or on the cover image below and Happy Reading!


Doppelganger by Michael Kingswood

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Published on August 07, 2019 17:38

August 4, 2019

Book Review: The Making of Star Trek II by Allan Asherman

Making of Star Trek II by Allan AshermanAn excellent and succinct account of the making of what is arguably the best entry in the Star Trek film franchise. Asherman’s book recounts the genesis of the story, the various drafts of the script, the and the special effects as created by ILM. Through interviews with producers Harve Bennett and Robert Sallin, director Nicholas Meyer, and cast members Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley, we gain insight into the creative decisions that went into crafting the plot, the music, the wardrobe, and—most especially—the death of Spock.


 

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Published on August 04, 2019 19:02

August 3, 2019

The Toy Robot Museum

My wife and I spent a marvelous day with several friends in Adamstown, PA, renowned for its myriad of antique shops and the home of the Toy Robot Museum, owned and operated by longtime friend, Joe Knedlhans.


In addition to touring Joe’s incredible museum—which never gets old no matter how often we’re there—we managed to visit only four antique shops along Route 272. It would take an entire weekend to see them all, but many people in our group left with some amazing treasures.


The Toy Robot Museum is located in the Stoudtburg Village.


Address: 9 Market Plz, 17569 Reinholds, PA

Phone: (717) 484-0809




Rockem Sockem Robots


Star Wars Display R2-D2 Toy Chest


Robots on Display!


Robots on Display! Robot Movie Posters


Wooden Robots


Daleks


Robot Display Cases


Maria from Metropolis   Phil and Stuart at the Toy Robot Museum-Adamstown, PA


RoboCop Display


Toy Robot Museum-Adamstown, PA


Stuart Roth and Chris Ochs in the Toy Robot Museum


Toy Robot Museum-Adamstown, PA


Toy Robot Museum-Adamstown, PA


 


 


 

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Published on August 03, 2019 19:53

July 21, 2019

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Chris Winkle reviews common IT mistakes in fiction and how to correct them while Angela Ackerman helps us improve our character descriptions. Speaking of characters, Ruth Harris runs through a roll call of irresistible rogues and shows us how they can spice up our fiction.


Nate Hoffelder offers financial advice for first time self-publishers and Crystal King provides a brief tutorial on Instagram.  Kristen Lamb talks breakout novels and gatekeepers, Maria Grace reminds us that mere machinery does not good science fiction make, and writer pal Donna DeLoretta Brennan is in the spotlight for her new short story collection!


All that and a bit of counseling from Konrath, too. Enjoy!


Five Information Technology Blunders and How to Fix Them by Chris Winkle


Character Descriptions: Avoiding the Boring Stuff by Angela Ackerman via Jami Gold


Six Things Writers Need to Stop Worrying About by Joe Konrath


Instagram 101 for Authors by Crystal King


How to Waste Money When Self-Publishing a First Book by Nate Hoffelder


Rogue Characters: The Secret to Compelling Fiction by Ruth Harris


Forget the Mess-It’s a Time for a Story with Donna DeLoretta Brennan via Catherine Castle


Science Fiction: More than Gizmos by Maria Grace via Kristen Lamb


The Breakout Novel and Why Publishing is Desperate for the Next Big Thing and Gatekeepers & Good Books: Trophy Fishing in a Literary Tsunami  by Kristen Lamb


 

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Published on July 21, 2019 18:46

July 19, 2019

“Take a Cue from the Canine” is Mentioned Honorably

Perhaps a month ago, I mentioned here that my short story “Take a Cue from the Canine” won Honorable Mention in the 2019 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable contest. My official certificate arrived in the mail today!


BWG Honorable Mention Certificate


 


The story will be published online in the Winter 2020 issue of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. When it goes live, I’ll post the link. Click here for more info on the contest.

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Published on July 19, 2019 18:24

July 17, 2019

Shore Leave 41 After Action Report

Last weekend, the Shore Leave SF convention celebrated its 41st anniversary with yet another stellar line-up of celebrity guests, writers, scientists, and artists.


Shore Leave 41 Celebrity Guests


My wife and I arrived on Friday evening straight from our vacation in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Due to an accident on 695, we were delayed and by the time we arrived, checked in to the hotel, and registered for the con, I was exhausted, sweaty, and in some physical pain. As a result, I missed my 6PM panel (for which I received a lecture from Bob Greenberger).


After a brief rest, my wife and I caught up with several friends in the restaurant including my buddy and former co-worker, Dan Torok, and his daughter, as well as writer pal Richard White, and Farpoint chairwoman Sharon Van Blarcom. Ultimately, the best reason for attending cons is not the celebrities, autographs, or collectibles, but to reunite with friends.


At 9PM, I met up with the entire cadre of writer guests to set up for the traditional Friday night book fair, Meet the Pros, where fellow Firebringer Press writer Diane Baron debuted her latest book, The Fandom Fifty: 50+ Fascinating People of the Maryland Science Fiction Conventions (aka, The Fandom Fifty for short).  Since many of the people interviewed for the book (myself included) were present at the con, Diane’s launch was extremely successful and generated quite the buzz around the con! Everyone interviewed for the book who attended Shore Leave was chasing the others for autographs throughout the weekend, myself included.  I believe Diane sold nearly 20 books by the end of the night and another 10 or more by the close of the con.


The Fandom Fifty was published by Firebringer Press, owned by writer pal, Steven H. Wilson who was, of course, with us at Meet the Pros.  (As an aside, my wife and I co-rented the beach house in Rehoboth with Steve, his wife Renee, and their son and future daughter-in-law, all of whom had also volunteered to work Shore Leave!)


 


I managed to sell a few copies of my latest anthology, Beach Pulp, and signed many copies of The Fandom Fifty (which I also helped edit along with Diane and Steve).


Diane Baron and Ana Eigen at Meet the Pros-Shore Leave 41 Phil and Evon at Meet the Pros-Shore Leave 41 Firebringer Press at Meet the Pros-Shore Leave 41


Before breakfast on Saturday morning, I met up with veteran author Howard Weinstein who gifted me with More of the Monkees on vinyl. We arranged this before the con as Howie was reducing his vinyl collection and knew that I was a Monkees fan.


More of the Monkees Vinyl


At 1PM, Steve, Diane, and I gathered once more for Firebringer Press Presents, our one-hour discussion panel where we talk about our current and upcoming releases. Of course, the hot topic was The Fandom Fifty, but we also discussed the third volume in our Middle of Eternity anthology series.


Firebringer Press Presents panel at Shore Leave 41 Firebringer Press Presents panel at Shore Leave 41 Firebringer Press Presents panel at Shore Leave 41


As usual, we carved out a few minutes near the end of the panel to mention publishing successes outside of Firebringer. Steve will have his first western tale included in Five Star Publishing’s next anthology, Hobnail and Other Frontier Stories and I was pleased to announce that I will have a Christmas story published in Over the River and Through the Woods by Year of the Book Press.


Hobnail and Other Frontier Stories .    Over the River and Through the Woods (front cover)


At 3PM, I joined fellow scribes Kim Headlee, Jenifer Rosenberg, Amy Imhoff, and Richard White for Getting the Word Out, our discussion panel on book promotion. We discussed the various methods and tools that writers can use to promote their work, from the social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to book trailers on YouTube and from Goodreads and LibraryThing giveaways to the importance of creating your Author Central page on Amazon. More items were expounded, but as I write this, the clock is ticking past my bedtime and I worked a 12-hour day so my brain is beyond weary.


Thus endeth my discussion panels for Saturday. After Evon and I shared a wonderful dinner at the Iron Rooster with writer friends Susanna Reilly and Heather Hutsell, we returned to the hotel where I met up with Dan and his daughter again in the restaurant while Evon crashed in our room for a few hours.


Shortly after we sat down at a table, Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels, Star Trek: Discovery) ambled up to the bar for a late dinner.  To our surprise, only a handful of fans interrupted him in an attempt to schmooze, but he handled it well before making his way to the back of the restaurant to hang out with the Star Trek authors.


Before calling it a night, I was invited via text message to a small gathering up in Sharon Van Blarcom’s room. By the time I arrived, Evon was already there and we were shortly joined by Steve and Renee Wilson, Brian Sarcinelli, and Ethan Wilson. We chatted about cons, fandom, and all the mayhem and chaos intrinsic to both.


After packing up the car on Sunday morning, I made my way to the McCormick Suite at 10AM for a conversation on How to Cut that Story or Novel Down. My fellow panelists included Joshua Palmatier, Hildy Silverman, Susan Olesen, and Kathleen David. We discussed ways to trim the fat our of your novel or short story. Some examples included removal of excess dialogue tags, cutting extraneous descriptions, avoiding infodumps, combining two or more characters into one where possible, and more.


Next up was Building an Anthology with Mike McPhail, Joshua Palmatier, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and Michael Jan Friedman. As the name implies, discussion points included all of the ingredients that go into creating an anthology whether multi-genre, themed, or shared universe. We touched on invitation-only versus open call, the importance of cover art and back cover copy, using a series bible, editing, formatting, and much more.


With that, another Shore Leave came to an end almost as quickly as it took you to read this blog post. One thing to note was that after 26 years of attendance, this was the first time I did not stand in line for autographs and/or photo ops with any of the celebrities. It certainly made for a more relaxing convention experience and permitted me more time to chat with friends in between the panels and take a quick tour of the dealer room.


One item that definitely captured much attention was the Star Trek Operations Simulator arcade game from 1982. No, I did not play!


Star Trek Operations Simulator Arcade Game


It should be noted that Shore Leave 41 was one of the final stops for Nichelle Nichols during her farewell tour. At 86, Ms. Nichols is retiring from the convention circuit this year. I have fond memories of meeting her several times in my 30 years of con attendance. She is an elegant lady and unfailingly gracious to the fans.


Nichelle Nichols (Photo credit: Larry Berman) Nichelle Nichols (Photo credit: Larry Berman)

Of course, it would not be a genre convention without a healthy coterie of cosplayers and Shore Leave never disappoints in that area! Pictured below are merely a few amazing examples.


Astromech Droid


Astromech Droid


Borg!


Captain America and Agent Carter


Klingon Stormtroopers


Mandalorian Bounty Hunter (Photo credit: Shore Leave)
Mary Marvel and Shazam (Photo credit: Shore Leave)

Sallah from Raiders of the Lost Ark


Doctors Strange and Doom


Supergirl and Matt Murdock


Star Trek Cosplayers


Wonder Woman and Agent Carter Photo credit: Elisheva Atara Marks

 


 

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Published on July 17, 2019 18:44

July 10, 2019

Read “The Raven” by Barbara G. Tarn on the Infinite Bard!

Time again for another fantastic and FREE bi-weekly short story brought to you by The Infinite Bard. Check out “The Raven” by Barbara G. Tarn. This one has some bite!


The Raven by Barbara G. Tarn


 

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Published on July 10, 2019 15:10