Phil Giunta's Blog, page 89
September 23, 2013
Chapter Six of By Your Side is out on Audio!
Chapter Six – Dreams and Encounters
Following a morbid nightmare, Elias Gray is attacked in his home by an unseen entity. Thanks to Matt’s clairvoyance, Tammy becomes Gray’s guardian angel and arranges for Miranda and her team to investigate his home.
Click here to listen for free!
Following a morbid nightmare, Elias Gray is attacked in his home by an unseen entity. Thanks to Matt’s clairvoyance, Tammy becomes Gray’s guardian angel and arranges for Miranda and her team to investigate his home.
Click here to listen for free!
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, Kristen Lamb offers surgical tips to save your ailing novel, while Robin LaFevers explains the relationship between discipline, dedication and devotion. James Scott Bell lists the attributes of a boring novel and ways to provoke your muse. Dave King encourages us to stop worrying too much about process and just write! Neil Gaiman offers his best advice to writers young and old while Faisal Hoque examines the contradictory personalities of creative people. All that a bit more...enjoy!
The Hilarious Hypocrisy of Jonathan Franzen by David Gaughran
Ain't Nothing Perfect by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
How One Successful Indie Author Marketed His Work Up the Bestseller Lists by Sabrina Ricci
Start Your Author Blog in Five Easy Steps by Bill Ferris
On Discipline, Dedication, and Devotion by Robin LaFevers
Process and Product by Dave King
How Sick is Your Novel--Can It Be Saved? by Kristen Lamb
Why I Am Not Turning the Pages of this Novel and 10 Ways to Goose the Muse by James Scott Bell
All The Advice You Really Need by Neil Gaiman via The Sarcastic Muse
10 Paradoxical Traits of Creative People by Faisal Hoque
The Hilarious Hypocrisy of Jonathan Franzen by David Gaughran
Ain't Nothing Perfect by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
How One Successful Indie Author Marketed His Work Up the Bestseller Lists by Sabrina Ricci
Start Your Author Blog in Five Easy Steps by Bill Ferris
On Discipline, Dedication, and Devotion by Robin LaFevers
Process and Product by Dave King
How Sick is Your Novel--Can It Be Saved? by Kristen Lamb
Why I Am Not Turning the Pages of this Novel and 10 Ways to Goose the Muse by James Scott Bell
All The Advice You Really Need by Neil Gaiman via The Sarcastic Muse
10 Paradoxical Traits of Creative People by Faisal Hoque
September 16, 2013
Chapter Five of By Your Side is Out on Audio!
Chapter Five of my paranormal mystery novel, By Your Side, is available for your FREE listening pleasure!
Broken Families
Matt’s parents are appalled to learn what has happened to their son. Meanwhile, Amy and Eddie uncover the identities of the ghosts and Miranda reminisces about her brother’s first suicide attempt nearly 25 years ago.
Click here to listen!
Broken Families
Matt’s parents are appalled to learn what has happened to their son. Meanwhile, Amy and Eddie uncover the identities of the ghosts and Miranda reminisces about her brother’s first suicide attempt nearly 25 years ago.
Click here to listen!
September 10, 2013
Chapter Four of By Your Side is Out on Audio!
Chapter Four - Just in Time
Miranda, Amy and Eddie arrive at Tammy’s house in Lancaster, PA. Matt predicts the death of a young girl and Miranda has a painful encounter with one of the murderous spirits.
Click here to listen for FREE!
Miranda, Amy and Eddie arrive at Tammy’s house in Lancaster, PA. Matt predicts the death of a young girl and Miranda has a painful encounter with one of the murderous spirits.
Click here to listen for FREE!
September 6, 2013
Local Authors Night at Barnes & Noble in Bethlehem, PA
Just received the official email. I will be one of fifty writers participating in
Local Authors Night at Barnes & Noble in Bethlehem, PA
on Wednesday, September 25 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Please share and spread the word about this event. Special thanks to B&N Community Relations Manager Karen Rose for organizing this event.
September 3, 2013
Saying Farewell...
Over the Labor Day weekend,
we lost legendary SF writer, Frederik Pohl.
To me, Pohl was one of those geniuses from the decades-spanning golden age of SF and speculative fiction alongside the likes of Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Ellison, Heinlein, Sturgeon and so many others luminaries. Now, few remain from that time and with their passing goes an era of foresight, innovation and imagination that has been unparalleled since.
I never met Frederik Pohl, but I did meet Ann Crispin, veteran SF and media tie-in writer . Ann has been a guest for decades at such SF conventions as Shore Leave and Farpoint in Maryland where she runs a writing seminar each year. Ann began her career with such Star Trek novels as Yesterday's Son, Time for Yesterday and later, Sarek. She penned the Han Solo trilogy and of course, created her own universes with the Starbridge series.
When my first novel was published in 2010 and I was invited to the cons as a writer guest, I had the honor of sharing a few discussion panels with Ann. Not only was she entertaining, informative and enthusiastic, but she solved a 12-year-old mystery as to why Harlan Ellison cussed at me about a book called DOOMSMAN at I-CON in 1998 (that's a story for another time, but one that I will treasure forever).
Sadly, Ann recently announced that she is losing her battle with cancer after being diagnosed over a year ago.
Along with Victoria Strauss, Ann founded Writer Beware in 1998, a site dedicated to helping new and experienced writers alike avoid publishing scams (and there are plenty of them). Veteran author Richard White later joined.
Ann will be sorely missed.
Below: Ann with fellow veteran SF & media tie-in writer, Michael Jan Friedman at Shore Leave 35 in August 2013.
Below: Frederick Pohl
I never met Frederik Pohl, but I did meet Ann Crispin, veteran SF and media tie-in writer . Ann has been a guest for decades at such SF conventions as Shore Leave and Farpoint in Maryland where she runs a writing seminar each year. Ann began her career with such Star Trek novels as Yesterday's Son, Time for Yesterday and later, Sarek. She penned the Han Solo trilogy and of course, created her own universes with the Starbridge series.
When my first novel was published in 2010 and I was invited to the cons as a writer guest, I had the honor of sharing a few discussion panels with Ann. Not only was she entertaining, informative and enthusiastic, but she solved a 12-year-old mystery as to why Harlan Ellison cussed at me about a book called DOOMSMAN at I-CON in 1998 (that's a story for another time, but one that I will treasure forever).
Sadly, Ann recently announced that she is losing her battle with cancer after being diagnosed over a year ago.
Along with Victoria Strauss, Ann founded Writer Beware in 1998, a site dedicated to helping new and experienced writers alike avoid publishing scams (and there are plenty of them). Veteran author Richard White later joined.
Ann will be sorely missed.
Below: Ann with fellow veteran SF & media tie-in writer, Michael Jan Friedman at Shore Leave 35 in August 2013.
Below: Frederick Pohl
September 2, 2013
Chapter Three of By Your Side is Out on Audio!
Strange Happenings
Miranda receives a disturbing distress call from Tammy followed by a warning from her late father. At dinner with police detective Denny Teelko, retired newspaper reporter Frank Knedlhans conveys his suspicions about Elias Gray.
Click here to listen for FREE!
Miranda receives a disturbing distress call from Tammy followed by a warning from her late father. At dinner with police detective Denny Teelko, retired newspaper reporter Frank Knedlhans conveys his suspicions about Elias Gray.
Click here to listen for FREE!
September 1, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, we say good-bye to SF giant Frederik Pohl and veteran SF/F fantasy writer, Ann Crispin. In the numbers, Rachelle Gardner lists 11 things that happy authors don't do while Huffington Post gives us 13 reasons to buy used books. Journalist-turned-novelist Brad Parks reveals his fiction writing secret.
Kristen Lamb offers several tips to make us stronger while Jami Gold summarizes a few methods for starting your story. Helen Hemphill reminds us of the old adage, "show, don't tell" while James Scott Bell warns us not to turn our characters into idiots just to bring an end to our tales.
And what does the Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling revelation say about the chances of newly published writers?
Enjoy!
RIP Frederik Pohl, the Man Who Transformed Science Fiction by Annalee Newitz of IO9
RIP Ann Crispin, Who Fought for Writers by Charlie Jane Anders of IO9
11 Things Happy Authors Don't Do by Rachelle Gardner
Long Odds for Authors Newly Published by James B. Stewart
My Filthy Secret by Brad Parks
How to Find the Start of Our Story by Jami Gold
Tips to Make Us Stronger Authors Part I and Part II by Kristen Lamb
Don't Let Your Characters Act Like Idiots by James Scott Bell
Writing Scenes & Showing by Helen Hemphill via Cynthia Leitich Smith
13 Reasons You Should Always Buy Used Books by The Huffington Post
Kristen Lamb offers several tips to make us stronger while Jami Gold summarizes a few methods for starting your story. Helen Hemphill reminds us of the old adage, "show, don't tell" while James Scott Bell warns us not to turn our characters into idiots just to bring an end to our tales.
And what does the Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling revelation say about the chances of newly published writers?
Enjoy!
RIP Frederik Pohl, the Man Who Transformed Science Fiction by Annalee Newitz of IO9
RIP Ann Crispin, Who Fought for Writers by Charlie Jane Anders of IO9
11 Things Happy Authors Don't Do by Rachelle Gardner
Long Odds for Authors Newly Published by James B. Stewart
My Filthy Secret by Brad Parks
How to Find the Start of Our Story by Jami Gold
Tips to Make Us Stronger Authors Part I and Part II by Kristen Lamb
Don't Let Your Characters Act Like Idiots by James Scott Bell
Writing Scenes & Showing by Helen Hemphill via Cynthia Leitich Smith
13 Reasons You Should Always Buy Used Books by The Huffington Post
August 28, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, Writer Beware warns of the return of the unsavory Albee Agency under a new name. With Kristen Lamb, Jane Friedman, Beth Bacon, and Joanna Penn, we focus quite a bit on building platform (in advance of publication) and marketing (once your book is on its way to the readers). David Gaughran compares popular ebook distributor Smashwords to the new Draft2Digital. In the craft department, Jami Gold wants to get your story moving again while Lorin Oberweger discusses pacing. All that and a bit more... Enjoy!
Turning Whine into Gold: Managing Your Emotions by Kathryn Craft
Sandpiper Publicity: The Albee Agency Returns by Victoria Strauss via Ann Crispin and Writer Beware!
Choosing the Right Distributor: Smashwords vs. Draft2Digital by David Gaughran
3 Pillars of Selling More Books Online by Beth Bacon
Genre Mash-Ups by John Abramowitz
5 Tips for Getting Unstuck in our Story by Jami Gold
Top Two Pieces of Writing Advice by Jody Hedlund
When Is It Time to Start Building an Author Platform? by Kristen Lamb
Career Writers by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The Best Way to Market Your Books by Joanna Penn via James Scott Bell
A Key Book Marketing Principle That Authors Must Learn (or Not Forget) by Jane Friedman
The Slippery Minx That Is Pacing-and How to Gain Traction by Lorin Oberweger
Turning Whine into Gold: Managing Your Emotions by Kathryn Craft
Sandpiper Publicity: The Albee Agency Returns by Victoria Strauss via Ann Crispin and Writer Beware!
Choosing the Right Distributor: Smashwords vs. Draft2Digital by David Gaughran
3 Pillars of Selling More Books Online by Beth Bacon
Genre Mash-Ups by John Abramowitz
5 Tips for Getting Unstuck in our Story by Jami Gold
Top Two Pieces of Writing Advice by Jody Hedlund
When Is It Time to Start Building an Author Platform? by Kristen Lamb
Career Writers by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The Best Way to Market Your Books by Joanna Penn via James Scott Bell
A Key Book Marketing Principle That Authors Must Learn (or Not Forget) by Jane Friedman
The Slippery Minx That Is Pacing-and How to Gain Traction by Lorin Oberweger
August 26, 2013
Chapter Two of By Your Side out on Audio
The Boy and the House
Pediatric oncologist Tammy Schell becomes unsettled when a terminally ill patient begins predicting suicides and seeing ghosts. Meanwhile, art dealer Elias Gray settles into his new home…and strange things begin to happen.
Click here to listen for free!
Pediatric oncologist Tammy Schell becomes unsettled when a terminally ill patient begins predicting suicides and seeing ghosts. Meanwhile, art dealer Elias Gray settles into his new home…and strange things begin to happen.
Click here to listen for free!
