Phil Giunta's Blog, page 92
June 3, 2013
Wizard World Philadelphia 2013
I arrived in Philly on Thursday night around 10:30PM. I am fortunate to have a friend named Gayle who lives in center city and graciously provided crash space for the weekend, thus saving me hotel costs. I merely needed to park in a garage about two blocks away for $9/day. Not a bad deal at all!
On Friday morning at 10AM, it was already sweltering. I walked out to Market and took the 48 bus to 13th Street and made my way up to Broad to the Pennsylvania Convention Center's main entrance. After registering, I found the table that I was to share with friend and artist Laura Inglis. Laura was already there and mostly set up. The show did not open until noon so I had plenty of time. I had the foresight to bring a change of shirt since the one I was wearing had become soaked through with sweat just from the short walk.
After setting up my books, I took pause in the men's room to change and then I was ready for the con. Laura and I took turns watching the table as we each wandered the convention floor. When it was my turn, I decided to see which celebrities were present and signing autographs. I found myself fourth in line for Lauren Holly (she was on my list). Ms. Holly was a bit late in arriving, much to the consternation of the woman ahead of me who claimed to have grown up with her. Unfortunately, the woman was anxious and rather rude. She asked the people ahead of her in line to "hurry up" once Ms. Holly arrived.
She went on to complain that she had to be in Valley Forge within the hour and 76 was backed up in that direction. Clearly, she was also unaware of the nature of the venue, wondering why some people were in costume. "I'm too old for this," she muttered. When her efforts at nagging the Wizard World staff proved futile, she finally gave up, handed a note to one of the staff and asked that he give it to Ms. Holly. With that, she was gone and many of us were grateful.
Minutes later, Lauren Holly arrived, looking as lovely as ever. She was very friendly and worked quickly to get herself organized. I picked up an 8x10 from her table. She took a photo with me after signing it. I didn't stick around long enough to see if the convention staff ever passed along that woman's note.
A few hours later, Brandon Routh's line was a bit longer, but moved quickly. He was equally as gracious to the fans, taking photos with them at his table. I was happy to see this trend with many actors over the weekend rather than forcing fans to pay $30 and up for a "professional photo op" later in the day.
I wandered the dealer room and sat at my table until about 5:30PM when the Brothers Ashmore (Shawn and Aaron) were scheduled to sign. I happened to arrive just as they did and since their photos had yet to be delivered, we stood around and chatted for a bit. They were both very outgoing. Finally, I picked a Warehouse 13 photo from Aaron (once the pics showed up) and again, had my photo taken with him then and there.
Having obtained my final autograph of the day, I spent the rest of the evening at my table chatting with Laura, with convention attendees that stopped by and reading my copy of ReDeus: Beyond Borders, the newest release from Crazy 8 Press. Beyond Borders is the second volume in the ReDeus anthology series created by award-winning writers Aaron Rosenberg, Bob Greenberger and Paul Kupperberg. Bob and Paul are also both DC Comics alums. The ReDeus series started with Divine Tales last summer. I have a short story in both books and was happy to finally have the chance to read the contributions of the other amazing writers like Lorraine Anderson, Steve Lyons, William Leisner, Steven H. Wilson, David McDonald, Scott Pearson, Kelly Meding, Lawrence Schoen, and Janna Silverstein.
Friday after the con found Gayle, Laura and I out for excellent pizza on 13th Street. We walked Laura backed to her hotel and then called it a night.
On Saturday, the con opened to VIPs at 9:30AM. I wanted to be there by 9AM and since it was earlier in the day and I did not have to haul my rolling suitcase of books, I decided to walk the six blocks to the Convention Center. Again, I brought a change of shirt with me as I knew I would be drenched when I arrived.
As with any con, Saturday is usually the most crowded day and is also the time when the best cosplayers make their appearances. I took about 40 pictures of fans dressed as characters from comic books, TV shows, and movies (see below). Many were absolutely outstanding. Of course, the moment I stepped away from the table, I managed to sell a copy of my latest paranormal thriller novel, By Your Side. Thanks to Laura for handling that sale.
The rest of the day was spent at my table reading more of Beyond Borders and editing my novella-in-progress. I did not sign up for any panels as I really hadn't had time to review them before the con (life has been hectic as of late) and also, I had just spent four days over Memorial Day weekend at Balticon speaking on several panels and reading from both aforementioned books. I didn't mind the break.
Just before packing up, a lady popped by and picked up a copy of Testing the Prisoner, my first paranormal mystery novel. Gayle cut out early, leaving Laura and me to grab some strombolis and chat about conventions and fandom. I walked her back to the Doubletree then took a leisurely stroll down Broad to Walnut. I am by no means a city person, but Walnut is one of my favorite streets in downtown Philly and it was quite active. I followed it passed the French Quarter and Rittenhouse Square to 21st where I made my way over to Gayle's place and watched a bit of The Empire Strikes Back on Spike before crashing.
Sunday brought with it the threat of rain in the afternoon. That, and the fact that I had after-hours work to do for my day job, meant that I would be packing up around 2PM. I walked to the convention center again, but this time, the temps were tolerable and I did not need to switch to the spare t-shirt I brought with me. My plans were somewhat delayed, however, by John Barrowman's enormous autograph line. My fiancée and I are both Doctor Who fans, and she also enjoyed Torchwood. Although she could not make it to the con, she asked that I get her an autograph.
After waiting for nearly three hours in queue, I picked out a nice picture of Captain Jack Harkness. The convention did not allow photos with Barrowman at his table. However, my friend Loretta was ahead of me in line and asked about the color of his underwear today since that is apparently a favorite topic of conversation for Barrowman. He did not hesitate to unbutton his jeans and give us a peek at his white and pink briefs. Talk about TMI!!
And with that, I was out of there. I packed up, hugged and thanked Laura for arranging to bring me in as a guest, and hit the road, wheeled luggage in tow. I knew this was going to be the long, humid sprint up to 23rd and Race where my car was parked. The sky was threatening and by the time I hit 16th, it began to rain lightly. Luckily, it stopped by the time I reached 21st. Once in the car, I cranked up the A/C, drove down to Gayle's for the rest of my stuff and hit the road.
Overall, it was by far the best Wizard World experience I've had to date. The layout was vastly improved with wider aisles and more efficient use of space. The con seems to move to different sections of the convention center almost every other year as it expands, but this time they definitely found the perfect venue. It seemed that the number of celebrities was less this year, either because several had cancelled or the fact that a few were only scheduled for specific days (John Cena was only there on Thursday and Barrowman only on Sunday). Whatever the case, it was a wonderful experience, which allows me to conclude with something I did NOT say after Wizard World 2012....looking forward to next year!
On Friday morning at 10AM, it was already sweltering. I walked out to Market and took the 48 bus to 13th Street and made my way up to Broad to the Pennsylvania Convention Center's main entrance. After registering, I found the table that I was to share with friend and artist Laura Inglis. Laura was already there and mostly set up. The show did not open until noon so I had plenty of time. I had the foresight to bring a change of shirt since the one I was wearing had become soaked through with sweat just from the short walk.
After setting up my books, I took pause in the men's room to change and then I was ready for the con. Laura and I took turns watching the table as we each wandered the convention floor. When it was my turn, I decided to see which celebrities were present and signing autographs. I found myself fourth in line for Lauren Holly (she was on my list). Ms. Holly was a bit late in arriving, much to the consternation of the woman ahead of me who claimed to have grown up with her. Unfortunately, the woman was anxious and rather rude. She asked the people ahead of her in line to "hurry up" once Ms. Holly arrived.
She went on to complain that she had to be in Valley Forge within the hour and 76 was backed up in that direction. Clearly, she was also unaware of the nature of the venue, wondering why some people were in costume. "I'm too old for this," she muttered. When her efforts at nagging the Wizard World staff proved futile, she finally gave up, handed a note to one of the staff and asked that he give it to Ms. Holly. With that, she was gone and many of us were grateful.
Minutes later, Lauren Holly arrived, looking as lovely as ever. She was very friendly and worked quickly to get herself organized. I picked up an 8x10 from her table. She took a photo with me after signing it. I didn't stick around long enough to see if the convention staff ever passed along that woman's note.
A few hours later, Brandon Routh's line was a bit longer, but moved quickly. He was equally as gracious to the fans, taking photos with them at his table. I was happy to see this trend with many actors over the weekend rather than forcing fans to pay $30 and up for a "professional photo op" later in the day.
I wandered the dealer room and sat at my table until about 5:30PM when the Brothers Ashmore (Shawn and Aaron) were scheduled to sign. I happened to arrive just as they did and since their photos had yet to be delivered, we stood around and chatted for a bit. They were both very outgoing. Finally, I picked a Warehouse 13 photo from Aaron (once the pics showed up) and again, had my photo taken with him then and there.
Having obtained my final autograph of the day, I spent the rest of the evening at my table chatting with Laura, with convention attendees that stopped by and reading my copy of ReDeus: Beyond Borders, the newest release from Crazy 8 Press. Beyond Borders is the second volume in the ReDeus anthology series created by award-winning writers Aaron Rosenberg, Bob Greenberger and Paul Kupperberg. Bob and Paul are also both DC Comics alums. The ReDeus series started with Divine Tales last summer. I have a short story in both books and was happy to finally have the chance to read the contributions of the other amazing writers like Lorraine Anderson, Steve Lyons, William Leisner, Steven H. Wilson, David McDonald, Scott Pearson, Kelly Meding, Lawrence Schoen, and Janna Silverstein.
Friday after the con found Gayle, Laura and I out for excellent pizza on 13th Street. We walked Laura backed to her hotel and then called it a night.
On Saturday, the con opened to VIPs at 9:30AM. I wanted to be there by 9AM and since it was earlier in the day and I did not have to haul my rolling suitcase of books, I decided to walk the six blocks to the Convention Center. Again, I brought a change of shirt with me as I knew I would be drenched when I arrived.
As with any con, Saturday is usually the most crowded day and is also the time when the best cosplayers make their appearances. I took about 40 pictures of fans dressed as characters from comic books, TV shows, and movies (see below). Many were absolutely outstanding. Of course, the moment I stepped away from the table, I managed to sell a copy of my latest paranormal thriller novel, By Your Side. Thanks to Laura for handling that sale.
The rest of the day was spent at my table reading more of Beyond Borders and editing my novella-in-progress. I did not sign up for any panels as I really hadn't had time to review them before the con (life has been hectic as of late) and also, I had just spent four days over Memorial Day weekend at Balticon speaking on several panels and reading from both aforementioned books. I didn't mind the break.
Just before packing up, a lady popped by and picked up a copy of Testing the Prisoner, my first paranormal mystery novel. Gayle cut out early, leaving Laura and me to grab some strombolis and chat about conventions and fandom. I walked her back to the Doubletree then took a leisurely stroll down Broad to Walnut. I am by no means a city person, but Walnut is one of my favorite streets in downtown Philly and it was quite active. I followed it passed the French Quarter and Rittenhouse Square to 21st where I made my way over to Gayle's place and watched a bit of The Empire Strikes Back on Spike before crashing.
Sunday brought with it the threat of rain in the afternoon. That, and the fact that I had after-hours work to do for my day job, meant that I would be packing up around 2PM. I walked to the convention center again, but this time, the temps were tolerable and I did not need to switch to the spare t-shirt I brought with me. My plans were somewhat delayed, however, by John Barrowman's enormous autograph line. My fiancée and I are both Doctor Who fans, and she also enjoyed Torchwood. Although she could not make it to the con, she asked that I get her an autograph.
After waiting for nearly three hours in queue, I picked out a nice picture of Captain Jack Harkness. The convention did not allow photos with Barrowman at his table. However, my friend Loretta was ahead of me in line and asked about the color of his underwear today since that is apparently a favorite topic of conversation for Barrowman. He did not hesitate to unbutton his jeans and give us a peek at his white and pink briefs. Talk about TMI!!
And with that, I was out of there. I packed up, hugged and thanked Laura for arranging to bring me in as a guest, and hit the road, wheeled luggage in tow. I knew this was going to be the long, humid sprint up to 23rd and Race where my car was parked. The sky was threatening and by the time I hit 16th, it began to rain lightly. Luckily, it stopped by the time I reached 21st. Once in the car, I cranked up the A/C, drove down to Gayle's for the rest of my stuff and hit the road.
Overall, it was by far the best Wizard World experience I've had to date. The layout was vastly improved with wider aisles and more efficient use of space. The con seems to move to different sections of the convention center almost every other year as it expands, but this time they definitely found the perfect venue. It seemed that the number of celebrities was less this year, either because several had cancelled or the fact that a few were only scheduled for specific days (John Cena was only there on Thursday and Barrowman only on Sunday). Whatever the case, it was a wonderful experience, which allows me to conclude with something I did NOT say after Wizard World 2012....looking forward to next year!
May 27, 2013
Balticon 47 Recap
Everything about Balticon 47 went smoothly from the trek down to the voyage home (I made some puns there, you saw that, right?). Above and beyond all of the lively readings, the edifying discussion panels, the launch of ReDeus: Beyond Borders, and the treasures found in the dealer room, was the company of good friends.
No sooner did I check into the Hunt Valley and register with the convention than I met up with Bob Greenberger in the hallway. We walked out to his car so that I could collect my 30 copies of ReDeus: Beyond Borders (ooooohhh, aaaahhh, pretty!). Bob was kind enough to walk me to my car (on the other side of the hotel) and helped load the box into my car. As Bob headed off to the SFWA Gala, I settled into my room and reviewed the Pocket Program.
Friday kicked off with dinner at the Corner Stable in the company of friend, publisher and fellow writer Steve Wilson and his sons Ethan and Christian. It was fun, but not without a bit of hassle. Though we were told the wait would be about 20 minutes, the reality was 45 and the staff was not entirely agreeable when it came to where we could stand in their cramped foyer which was already occupied by about ten other people. The Corner Stable has become a tradition for many of us who attend cons in the area, but this is not the first time I've experienced problems with their service.
We returned to the Hunt Valley Inn well in time to watch veteran SF writer Allen Steele and Dr. Yoji Kondo receive their Robert A. Heinlein awards. Dr. Kondo is an astrophysicist who also writes SF novels under the pen name Eric Kotani. On Sunday at 4PM, Balticon celebrated Dr. Kondo's 80th birthday. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict I was unable to attend.
My only panel on Friday was not until 11PM. It was about "Cover Trends" and my co-panelists included Collin Earl, Richard Allen Leider, Jean Marie Ward and Starla A.Huchton. Get writers and artists together in one room and the topic of what makes a book cover becomes a hot one! Panelists and audience members alike had strong opinions on what elements are needed to make a cover truly "pop."
On Saturday morning, Bob Greenberger led a panel to discuss the offerings of Crazy 8 Press , including and especially the ReDeus series, of which Beyond Borders is the second volume. Steve Wilson and I joined the panel and had the chance to chat up our contributions to this truly divine anthology. We sold two copies of each ReDeus volume after our presentation.
Later that day, I had the privilege of meeting guests of honor Joe Haldeman and Rick Sternbach at their autograph table. Haldeman is a Hugo and Nebula award winner known for such novels as The Forever War, Forever Peace, The Hemingway Hoax, and more including two Star Trek novels, Planet of Judgment and World Without End. Rick Sternbach is an artist and had worked as an illustrator on such films as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Last Starfighter as well as television shows Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.
At 5PM, I joined Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Theodore Krulik in a shared reading session. As Danielle was not feeling well, she asked to read first. She read a few scenes from one of her Bad-Ass Faeries books, and then promptly departed (not to worry, she was feeling much better later that night). Theodore then read an entire short story to fill in some of the time that Danielle had relinquished. I finished our session with a lively reading of the first three scenes from "Root for the Undergods", my comedic tale from ReDeus: Beyond Borders.
After an enjoyable dinner at the Silver Spring Mining Co with Steve and Renee Wilson, their son Christian, Farpoint chair Sharon Van Blarcom, and Paul Balze, it was time for me to step up to the moderator plate for a 9PM panel called "Plotters vs. Pantsers". The panelists included 2012 Compton Crook award-winner T.C. McCarthy (he wears his sunglasses at night...and indoors), Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles Gannon and Paula S. Jordon. We discussed the differences--and preferences--of planning your stories in advance or writing by the seat of your pants (hence, "pantsers"). We had a packed room for this one and the audience participation was impressive.
Sunday was my busiest day, starting at 9AM with a panel on "Writing and Submitting Humorous SF and Fantasy". The moderator for this was Alex Shvartsman and the other panelists included Collin Earl (moderator from Friday's "Cover Trends" panel), Sarah Pinsker, and Stephanie "Flash" Burke. We covered a lot of ground on what makes a story humorous and how to skillfully add humor to balance drama. The panelists also discussed the fact that NY publishing seems to be challenged when it comes to marketing humorous books, thus the inclination for writers to release such works via small presses or self-publishing.
I had to skip my 10AM panel as it became my turn to feel suddenly ill. I retreated to my room and took a quick nap, after which I felt refreshed enough to take a leisurely stroll around the hotel until lunchtime, which was spent at the Nautilus Diner with buddies Bob Greenberger and Steven H. Wilson. For some odd reason, we spoke much about the topic of writing.
The three of us returned to the hotel just in time for the Firebringer Press panel at 2PM. Steve and his son, Ethan, were already there by the time I wheeled in with a suitcase full of books (yes, I've graduated to rolling luggage now that I have four titles). Steve and I chatted about current and future offerings including Steve's newly released e-novella, Mutiny Springs Eternal , from which he read the opening scenes. I then read an excerpt from By Your Side , after which we chatted about small presses and publishing in general. I managed to sell a copy of By Your Side before our session came to a close.
Immediately after, I was honored to share autograph table space with Bob and Keith RA DeCandido and although I sold no books, it was great to hang out with these fine gents.
At 6PM, I ventured into the Valley ballroom to watch the Family Wilson, Stephanie "Flash" Burke, Paul Balze, June Swords, Renfield, and others in their hilarious live action, low-budget parody, The Avengers...and Shwarma After.
It was time then for our final group dinner for the weekend at Basta Pasta, near the Timonium Crowne Plaza, home to Farpoint . After saying good-byes to Cindy Shockey and the Family VanBlarcom, it was back to the hotel where I hung out with Christian and Ethan Wilson until I could no longer keeps my eyes open.
Monday morning's final Balticon panel for me at 11AM dealt with "Why Good Writing Still Matters". Moderator Leona Wisoker was prepared with notes and questions for fellow panelists Hildy Silverman, Jennifer Povey and Ian Randall Stock. We discussed what makes good writing and storytelling, styles of writing, character arcs, story arcs, and the importance of reading in order to become a better writer.
Then another great con came to an end for me. Overall, a wonderful weekend with fantastic friends and enlightening discussions. With such beautiful weather, I took the opportunity to walk outside as often as possible between panels on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures were far milder than the scorching heat of last year's Memorial Day weekend. Also, I couldn't leave the show without perusing the used book dealers. On Saturday, I found two early printings of Joe Haldeman's The Forever War and Worlds (which he signed for me), as well Heinlein's Space Cadet. Before hitting the road on Sunday, I went back and snagged Stephen King's The Colorado Kid, and Harlan Ellison's Doomsman--a book that I owned back in 1998 until Harlan insisted on trading with me for another of his books, but I'll save that story for a later time...
No sooner did I check into the Hunt Valley and register with the convention than I met up with Bob Greenberger in the hallway. We walked out to his car so that I could collect my 30 copies of ReDeus: Beyond Borders (ooooohhh, aaaahhh, pretty!). Bob was kind enough to walk me to my car (on the other side of the hotel) and helped load the box into my car. As Bob headed off to the SFWA Gala, I settled into my room and reviewed the Pocket Program.
Friday kicked off with dinner at the Corner Stable in the company of friend, publisher and fellow writer Steve Wilson and his sons Ethan and Christian. It was fun, but not without a bit of hassle. Though we were told the wait would be about 20 minutes, the reality was 45 and the staff was not entirely agreeable when it came to where we could stand in their cramped foyer which was already occupied by about ten other people. The Corner Stable has become a tradition for many of us who attend cons in the area, but this is not the first time I've experienced problems with their service.
We returned to the Hunt Valley Inn well in time to watch veteran SF writer Allen Steele and Dr. Yoji Kondo receive their Robert A. Heinlein awards. Dr. Kondo is an astrophysicist who also writes SF novels under the pen name Eric Kotani. On Sunday at 4PM, Balticon celebrated Dr. Kondo's 80th birthday. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict I was unable to attend.
My only panel on Friday was not until 11PM. It was about "Cover Trends" and my co-panelists included Collin Earl, Richard Allen Leider, Jean Marie Ward and Starla A.Huchton. Get writers and artists together in one room and the topic of what makes a book cover becomes a hot one! Panelists and audience members alike had strong opinions on what elements are needed to make a cover truly "pop."
On Saturday morning, Bob Greenberger led a panel to discuss the offerings of Crazy 8 Press , including and especially the ReDeus series, of which Beyond Borders is the second volume. Steve Wilson and I joined the panel and had the chance to chat up our contributions to this truly divine anthology. We sold two copies of each ReDeus volume after our presentation.
Later that day, I had the privilege of meeting guests of honor Joe Haldeman and Rick Sternbach at their autograph table. Haldeman is a Hugo and Nebula award winner known for such novels as The Forever War, Forever Peace, The Hemingway Hoax, and more including two Star Trek novels, Planet of Judgment and World Without End. Rick Sternbach is an artist and had worked as an illustrator on such films as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Last Starfighter as well as television shows Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.
At 5PM, I joined Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Theodore Krulik in a shared reading session. As Danielle was not feeling well, she asked to read first. She read a few scenes from one of her Bad-Ass Faeries books, and then promptly departed (not to worry, she was feeling much better later that night). Theodore then read an entire short story to fill in some of the time that Danielle had relinquished. I finished our session with a lively reading of the first three scenes from "Root for the Undergods", my comedic tale from ReDeus: Beyond Borders.
After an enjoyable dinner at the Silver Spring Mining Co with Steve and Renee Wilson, their son Christian, Farpoint chair Sharon Van Blarcom, and Paul Balze, it was time for me to step up to the moderator plate for a 9PM panel called "Plotters vs. Pantsers". The panelists included 2012 Compton Crook award-winner T.C. McCarthy (he wears his sunglasses at night...and indoors), Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles Gannon and Paula S. Jordon. We discussed the differences--and preferences--of planning your stories in advance or writing by the seat of your pants (hence, "pantsers"). We had a packed room for this one and the audience participation was impressive.
Sunday was my busiest day, starting at 9AM with a panel on "Writing and Submitting Humorous SF and Fantasy". The moderator for this was Alex Shvartsman and the other panelists included Collin Earl (moderator from Friday's "Cover Trends" panel), Sarah Pinsker, and Stephanie "Flash" Burke. We covered a lot of ground on what makes a story humorous and how to skillfully add humor to balance drama. The panelists also discussed the fact that NY publishing seems to be challenged when it comes to marketing humorous books, thus the inclination for writers to release such works via small presses or self-publishing.
I had to skip my 10AM panel as it became my turn to feel suddenly ill. I retreated to my room and took a quick nap, after which I felt refreshed enough to take a leisurely stroll around the hotel until lunchtime, which was spent at the Nautilus Diner with buddies Bob Greenberger and Steven H. Wilson. For some odd reason, we spoke much about the topic of writing.
The three of us returned to the hotel just in time for the Firebringer Press panel at 2PM. Steve and his son, Ethan, were already there by the time I wheeled in with a suitcase full of books (yes, I've graduated to rolling luggage now that I have four titles). Steve and I chatted about current and future offerings including Steve's newly released e-novella, Mutiny Springs Eternal , from which he read the opening scenes. I then read an excerpt from By Your Side , after which we chatted about small presses and publishing in general. I managed to sell a copy of By Your Side before our session came to a close.
Immediately after, I was honored to share autograph table space with Bob and Keith RA DeCandido and although I sold no books, it was great to hang out with these fine gents.
At 6PM, I ventured into the Valley ballroom to watch the Family Wilson, Stephanie "Flash" Burke, Paul Balze, June Swords, Renfield, and others in their hilarious live action, low-budget parody, The Avengers...and Shwarma After.
It was time then for our final group dinner for the weekend at Basta Pasta, near the Timonium Crowne Plaza, home to Farpoint . After saying good-byes to Cindy Shockey and the Family VanBlarcom, it was back to the hotel where I hung out with Christian and Ethan Wilson until I could no longer keeps my eyes open.
Monday morning's final Balticon panel for me at 11AM dealt with "Why Good Writing Still Matters". Moderator Leona Wisoker was prepared with notes and questions for fellow panelists Hildy Silverman, Jennifer Povey and Ian Randall Stock. We discussed what makes good writing and storytelling, styles of writing, character arcs, story arcs, and the importance of reading in order to become a better writer.
Then another great con came to an end for me. Overall, a wonderful weekend with fantastic friends and enlightening discussions. With such beautiful weather, I took the opportunity to walk outside as often as possible between panels on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures were far milder than the scorching heat of last year's Memorial Day weekend. Also, I couldn't leave the show without perusing the used book dealers. On Saturday, I found two early printings of Joe Haldeman's The Forever War and Worlds (which he signed for me), as well Heinlein's Space Cadet. Before hitting the road on Sunday, I went back and snagged Stephen King's The Colorado Kid, and Harlan Ellison's Doomsman--a book that I owned back in 1998 until Harlan insisted on trading with me for another of his books, but I'll save that story for a later time...
May 23, 2013
Book Review: Mutiny Springs Eternal by Steven H. Wilson
Approaching the planet Beta Antigone, the Confederate Naval Vessel, Arbiter, discovers the Faraday, a ship that had been missing for a century, lost in interstellar travel through a region called L-Space. Since that time, rumors of mutiny and murder have led to tall tales and even movies about its mixed crew of Quintils (genetically engineered humans) and Leonids, the first alien race encountered by humans.
Captain Jan Atal calls his senior staff to the bridge upon the detection of life forms on Beta Antigone, possible descendants of the Faraday's crew. Atal orders Lieutenant Terry Metcalfe to lead a team consisting of Midshipman Kevin Carson, the captain's daughter Kaya, and Cernaq. The latter is a Phaetonian, a branch of humanity that also happens to be telepathic.
Arriving on the planet, the landing party is greeted by a lovely young woman named Trace, to whom Metcalfe becomes immediately attracted, much to the consternation of Kaya. Trace takes the Arbiters to meet their community leader, L'lanck, a 217-year-old Leonid. It is then that they learn the truth of the Faraday's fate. There was, in fact, a mutiny--led by L'lanck. The ship had been on an archaeological expedition when precious Leonid artifacts had been uncovered. L'lanck and his people wished them to remain on Leonid soil, but the Faraday's human captain, Ian Trat, disregarded the request and stole the artifacts, thus angering the Leonid crew to the point of mutiny. Kaya is immediately disgusted both at L'lanck for taking human lives, but even more so at the deeply religious Metcalfe for showing sympathy for the Leonids' feelings at the violation of their heritage.
After the team splits into pairs to explore the village, a group of Renegades attacks and captures Carson, Kaya, Cernaq and Trace, leaving Metcalfe frustrated and disappointed in what he perceives to be a failure of his first command.
He returns to the Arbiter, taking the elderly and ill L'lanck and his attendants, Dawson and Andrews, to meet Captain Atal. Metcalfe, desperate to return to the surface to find his shipmates, is diverted to explore the Faraday along with Aer'la, a young Varthan that had been bred as a pleasure slave on her planet--a life from which she had managed to escape and join the Arbiter as a Bos'n. The two are forced to look beyond their intense disdain for one another and work together to find clues as to what truly happened on the Faraday 100 years before. While there, Metcalfe discovers that the ship's log had been completely erased, save for a few garbled seconds recorded by the Faraday's captain that speak of dangerous information and immortality.
Meanwhile, using wine laced with tranquilizer, Dawson manages to render Atal, and the Arbiter's wiccan Chief Medical Officer Celia Faulkner, unconscious for six hours during which he manages to lock down the bridge and arrange for more of his fellow Renegades to board the ship using the shuttle. L'lanck is shocked by this betrayal...or is he?
Dawson and the Renegades were well aware that Atal had every intention of rescuing the Faraday's descendants and bring them home, so why would they need control of the Arbiter...unless it isn't the ship they're after. And how are those precious Leonid artifacts linked to Captain Trat's warning about dangerous findings and immortality? For that matter, who erased the Faraday's logs?
Mutiny Springs Eternal does a thorough job of introducing the reader to a cast of unique, credible characters while delivering a fun, solid SF story with a few unexpected twists. Wilson displays considerable world-building prowess as well, but what truly stood out for me were the characters. The senior crewmembers of the Arbiter help one another grow even as each questions and ridicules the beliefs and lifestyles of the other. However, when the situation is dire, they are fiercely loyal to both each other and their captain.
This story was the first episode in Steven H. Wilson's Parsec and Mark Time award-winning SF auldio series, The Arbiter Chronicles . Now, Wilson is releasing these stories as e-novellas on Smashwords and Amazon. Mutiny Springs Eternal is available now on Smashwords for .99 cents and also from Amazon . I highly recommend these adventures. At.99 cents each, how can you go wrong?
Captain Jan Atal calls his senior staff to the bridge upon the detection of life forms on Beta Antigone, possible descendants of the Faraday's crew. Atal orders Lieutenant Terry Metcalfe to lead a team consisting of Midshipman Kevin Carson, the captain's daughter Kaya, and Cernaq. The latter is a Phaetonian, a branch of humanity that also happens to be telepathic.
Arriving on the planet, the landing party is greeted by a lovely young woman named Trace, to whom Metcalfe becomes immediately attracted, much to the consternation of Kaya. Trace takes the Arbiters to meet their community leader, L'lanck, a 217-year-old Leonid. It is then that they learn the truth of the Faraday's fate. There was, in fact, a mutiny--led by L'lanck. The ship had been on an archaeological expedition when precious Leonid artifacts had been uncovered. L'lanck and his people wished them to remain on Leonid soil, but the Faraday's human captain, Ian Trat, disregarded the request and stole the artifacts, thus angering the Leonid crew to the point of mutiny. Kaya is immediately disgusted both at L'lanck for taking human lives, but even more so at the deeply religious Metcalfe for showing sympathy for the Leonids' feelings at the violation of their heritage.
After the team splits into pairs to explore the village, a group of Renegades attacks and captures Carson, Kaya, Cernaq and Trace, leaving Metcalfe frustrated and disappointed in what he perceives to be a failure of his first command.
He returns to the Arbiter, taking the elderly and ill L'lanck and his attendants, Dawson and Andrews, to meet Captain Atal. Metcalfe, desperate to return to the surface to find his shipmates, is diverted to explore the Faraday along with Aer'la, a young Varthan that had been bred as a pleasure slave on her planet--a life from which she had managed to escape and join the Arbiter as a Bos'n. The two are forced to look beyond their intense disdain for one another and work together to find clues as to what truly happened on the Faraday 100 years before. While there, Metcalfe discovers that the ship's log had been completely erased, save for a few garbled seconds recorded by the Faraday's captain that speak of dangerous information and immortality.
Meanwhile, using wine laced with tranquilizer, Dawson manages to render Atal, and the Arbiter's wiccan Chief Medical Officer Celia Faulkner, unconscious for six hours during which he manages to lock down the bridge and arrange for more of his fellow Renegades to board the ship using the shuttle. L'lanck is shocked by this betrayal...or is he?
Dawson and the Renegades were well aware that Atal had every intention of rescuing the Faraday's descendants and bring them home, so why would they need control of the Arbiter...unless it isn't the ship they're after. And how are those precious Leonid artifacts linked to Captain Trat's warning about dangerous findings and immortality? For that matter, who erased the Faraday's logs?
Mutiny Springs Eternal does a thorough job of introducing the reader to a cast of unique, credible characters while delivering a fun, solid SF story with a few unexpected twists. Wilson displays considerable world-building prowess as well, but what truly stood out for me were the characters. The senior crewmembers of the Arbiter help one another grow even as each questions and ridicules the beliefs and lifestyles of the other. However, when the situation is dire, they are fiercely loyal to both each other and their captain.
This story was the first episode in Steven H. Wilson's Parsec and Mark Time award-winning SF auldio series, The Arbiter Chronicles . Now, Wilson is releasing these stories as e-novellas on Smashwords and Amazon. Mutiny Springs Eternal is available now on Smashwords for .99 cents and also from Amazon . I highly recommend these adventures. At.99 cents each, how can you go wrong?
May 15, 2013
My Balticon Schedule
FRIDAY – 24 MAY
COVER TRENDS – 11PM / Chase Room -What are the latest trends in science fiction, fantasy and horror covers? How are the new media changing the rules? What’s next? Moderator: Walt Boyes / Panelists: Jean Marie Ward; Phil Giunta
SATURDAY – 25 MAY
CRAZY 8 PRESS PRESENTS – 10AM / Parlor 1041 - We will launch ReDeus: Beyond Borders ! Bob Greenberger will also discuss what's to come from the prolific writers at Crazy 8 Press!
PLOTTERS vs. PANTSERS – 9PM / Parlor 1041 - Do you plan your stories in advance with an outline or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? A round table discussion of writers will discuss their methods. Moderator: Phil Giunta / Panelists: D. H. Aire, Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles E. Gannon, Paula S. Jordan, Justin R. Macumber, T. C. McCarthy
SUNDAY – 26 MAY
WRITING, SELLING, PUBLISHING HUMOROUS SF/F – 9AM / Salon C - Panelists discuss how writing humor differs from "straight stuff", both in the writing process and in the submission/marketing process. Moderator: Alex Shvartsman / Panelists: Sarah Pinsker, Stephanie Burke, Phil Giunta
NOBODY BECAME SOMEBODY AND TOOK OVER! – 10AM / Salon D - So, for the first 5 chapters this one character was clearly minor background noise. Now you're starting to see the character in light of other characters behaviors and the turns the story is taking, and you're not so sure… Suddenly you're seeing the whole story through this minor character! Now what? Panelists discuss this literary quirk. Moderator: TBA / Panelists: Brenda Clough, Kat Otis, Phil Giunta, Jeff Young
FIREBRINGER PRESS PRESENTS – 2PM / Salon B - Steve Wilson and I will chat about our upcoming projects to be released under the Firebringer banner.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION – 4PM / Hallway
READING – 9PM / Location TBA
MONDAY – 27 MAY
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS – 11AM / Belmont - We seem flooded with not just vanity-press crap these days but professional crap, e.g. the works of Dan Brown, some of which is very successful indeed. So, why should anyone bother to learn to write well? Why should anyone bother to seek out well-written reading material when there is plenty of junk food for the mind available? Moderator: Leona Wisoker / Panelists: Michael D'Ambrosio, Phil Giunta
COVER TRENDS – 11PM / Chase Room -What are the latest trends in science fiction, fantasy and horror covers? How are the new media changing the rules? What’s next? Moderator: Walt Boyes / Panelists: Jean Marie Ward; Phil Giunta
SATURDAY – 25 MAY
CRAZY 8 PRESS PRESENTS – 10AM / Parlor 1041 - We will launch ReDeus: Beyond Borders ! Bob Greenberger will also discuss what's to come from the prolific writers at Crazy 8 Press!
PLOTTERS vs. PANTSERS – 9PM / Parlor 1041 - Do you plan your stories in advance with an outline or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? A round table discussion of writers will discuss their methods. Moderator: Phil Giunta / Panelists: D. H. Aire, Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles E. Gannon, Paula S. Jordan, Justin R. Macumber, T. C. McCarthy
SUNDAY – 26 MAY
WRITING, SELLING, PUBLISHING HUMOROUS SF/F – 9AM / Salon C - Panelists discuss how writing humor differs from "straight stuff", both in the writing process and in the submission/marketing process. Moderator: Alex Shvartsman / Panelists: Sarah Pinsker, Stephanie Burke, Phil Giunta
NOBODY BECAME SOMEBODY AND TOOK OVER! – 10AM / Salon D - So, for the first 5 chapters this one character was clearly minor background noise. Now you're starting to see the character in light of other characters behaviors and the turns the story is taking, and you're not so sure… Suddenly you're seeing the whole story through this minor character! Now what? Panelists discuss this literary quirk. Moderator: TBA / Panelists: Brenda Clough, Kat Otis, Phil Giunta, Jeff Young
FIREBRINGER PRESS PRESENTS – 2PM / Salon B - Steve Wilson and I will chat about our upcoming projects to be released under the Firebringer banner.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION – 4PM / Hallway
READING – 9PM / Location TBA
MONDAY – 27 MAY
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS – 11AM / Belmont - We seem flooded with not just vanity-press crap these days but professional crap, e.g. the works of Dan Brown, some of which is very successful indeed. So, why should anyone bother to learn to write well? Why should anyone bother to seek out well-written reading material when there is plenty of junk food for the mind available? Moderator: Leona Wisoker / Panelists: Michael D'Ambrosio, Phil Giunta
My (Preliminary) Balticon Schedule
I have received a preliminary schedule from Balticon! I am told that the final schedule wil be sent in a few days.
FRIDAY – 24 MAY
COVER TRENDS – 11PM / Chase Room -What are the latest trends in science fiction, fantasy and horror covers? How are the new media changing the rules? What’s next? Moderator: Walt Boyes / Panelists: Jean Marie Ward; Phil Giunta
SATURDAY – 25 MAY
CRAZY 8 PRESS PRESENTS – 10AM / Parlor 1041 - We will launch ReDeus: Beyond Borders ! Bob Greenberger will also discuss what's to come from the prolific writers at Crazy 8 Press!
PLOTTERS vs. PANTSERS – 9PM / Parlor 1041 - Do you plan your stories in advance with an outline or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? A round table discussion of writers will discuss their methods. Moderator: Phil Giunta / Panelists: D. H. Aire, Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles E. Gannon, Paula S. Jordan, Justin R. Macumber, T. C. McCarthy
SUNDAY – 26 MAY
WRITING, SELLING, PUBLISHING HUMOROUS SF/F – 9AM / Salon C - Panelists discuss how writing humor differs from "straight stuff", both in the writing process and in the submission/marketing process. Moderator: Alex Shvartsman / Panelists: Sarah Pinsker, Stephanie Burke, Phil Giunta
NOBODY BECAME SOMEBODY AND TOOK OVER! – 10AM / Salon D - So, for the first 5 chapters this one character was clearly minor background noise. Now you're starting to see the character in light of other characters behaviors and the turns the story is taking, and you're not so sure… Suddenly you're seeing the whole story through this minor character! Now what? Panelists discuss this literary quirk. Moderator: TBA / Panelists: Brenda Clough, Kat Otis, Phil Giunta, Jeff Young
FIREBRINGER PRESS PRESENTS – 2PM / Salon B - Steve Wilson and I will chat about our upcoming projects to be released under the Firebringer banner.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION – 4PM / Hallway
READING – 9PM / Location TBA
MONDAY – 27 MAY
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS – 11AM / Belmont (I requested this today, will confirm later this week) - We seem flooded with not just vanity-press crap these days but professional crap, e.g. the works of Dan Brown, some of which is very successful indeed. So, why should anyone bother to learn to write well? Why should anyone bother to seek out well-written reading material when there is plenty of junk food for the mind available? Moderator: Leona Wisoker / Panelists: Michael D'Ambrosio, Phil Giunta (tentative)
FRIDAY – 24 MAY
COVER TRENDS – 11PM / Chase Room -What are the latest trends in science fiction, fantasy and horror covers? How are the new media changing the rules? What’s next? Moderator: Walt Boyes / Panelists: Jean Marie Ward; Phil Giunta
SATURDAY – 25 MAY
CRAZY 8 PRESS PRESENTS – 10AM / Parlor 1041 - We will launch ReDeus: Beyond Borders ! Bob Greenberger will also discuss what's to come from the prolific writers at Crazy 8 Press!
PLOTTERS vs. PANTSERS – 9PM / Parlor 1041 - Do you plan your stories in advance with an outline or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? A round table discussion of writers will discuss their methods. Moderator: Phil Giunta / Panelists: D. H. Aire, Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles E. Gannon, Paula S. Jordan, Justin R. Macumber, T. C. McCarthy
SUNDAY – 26 MAY
WRITING, SELLING, PUBLISHING HUMOROUS SF/F – 9AM / Salon C - Panelists discuss how writing humor differs from "straight stuff", both in the writing process and in the submission/marketing process. Moderator: Alex Shvartsman / Panelists: Sarah Pinsker, Stephanie Burke, Phil Giunta
NOBODY BECAME SOMEBODY AND TOOK OVER! – 10AM / Salon D - So, for the first 5 chapters this one character was clearly minor background noise. Now you're starting to see the character in light of other characters behaviors and the turns the story is taking, and you're not so sure… Suddenly you're seeing the whole story through this minor character! Now what? Panelists discuss this literary quirk. Moderator: TBA / Panelists: Brenda Clough, Kat Otis, Phil Giunta, Jeff Young
FIREBRINGER PRESS PRESENTS – 2PM / Salon B - Steve Wilson and I will chat about our upcoming projects to be released under the Firebringer banner.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION – 4PM / Hallway
READING – 9PM / Location TBA
MONDAY – 27 MAY
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS – 11AM / Belmont (I requested this today, will confirm later this week) - We seem flooded with not just vanity-press crap these days but professional crap, e.g. the works of Dan Brown, some of which is very successful indeed. So, why should anyone bother to learn to write well? Why should anyone bother to seek out well-written reading material when there is plenty of junk food for the mind available? Moderator: Leona Wisoker / Panelists: Michael D'Ambrosio, Phil Giunta (tentative)
Justice Department Accuses Apple of Leading eBook Price Fixing
The New York Times posted an article yesterday
indicating that the Justice Department has obtained some rather damning emails from Apple that places them in the center seat of a conspiracy to fix the price of eBooks along with almost all of the major NY publishers. YIKES!
May 11, 2013
About This Writing Stuff...
This week, David Pogue of the NY Times examines Tor's experiment with eBook piracy. David Gaughran and Jami Gold address scam publishing services such as Author Solutions. On the craft of writing, Writers Digest offers "how-to's" for adding suspense and tension in your novel while James Scott Bell uses a 50's noir novel to provide examples for making your story a page-turner. Kristen Lamb discusses showing your characters' true colors and August Wainwright passes along tips from Ernest Hemingway.
And as we approach the release of ReDeus: Beyond Borders, series co-creator and editor Bob Greenberger and cover artist Lorraine Scheleter chat up their contributions.
The E-Book Piracy Debate, Revisited by David Pogue
5 Ways to Make Your Novel More Suspenseful by Hallie Ephron
How to Create Tension Through Misdirection by William Noble
Lorraine Schleter Envisions Beyond Borders via Bob Greenberger/Crazy 8 Press
Bob Greenberger Walks with the Gods Beyond Borders by Bob Greenberger
The Author Exploitation Business by David Gaughran
Is This the New Breed of Vanity Publishers? by Jami Gold
Social Media for Writers: A Kool-Aid Drinking Cult? by Jody Hedlund
Quitting the Day Job by Keri English
Would You Rather? An Exercise for Creating Max Conflict in Fiction by Kristen Lamb
How to Write Better Prose According to Ernest Hemingway by August Wainwright
11 Ways to Make a Novel a Page Turner by James Scott Bell
May 10, 2013
Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part Two
The conclusion of my interview with award-winning writer, Danielle Ackley-McPhail!
Leaping from Fantasy to Military SF, you’ve also contributed to the anthology series, Defending the Future, edited by your husband Mike McPhail. Had you written Military SF previously? Did you initially find it challenging to move across genres?
You know…I am convinced that my muse is schizophrenic. I did not have a problem hopping genres because I’ve always read both and I’ve also been an active gamer in my husband’s Alliance Archives Martial Role-Playing system. Since many of his play-testers were former military, it gave me a lot of insight into military science fiction well before I even tried my hand at it. Movies help, as does living with a former military personnel. Besides, it’s been said that technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic…which means I have a LOT of room to play with J
In the end, really, my stories are character-driven, so it doesn’t matter the setting so much as those I populate it with. The tech or the magic supports the characters I’ve come to love. Now true, the scenarios are very distinctly different, but I don’t really find it difficult to shift gears. I love the wonder and magic of words and playing with concepts I then have to sell the reader on.
Ironically enough, I have a better success rate with my science fiction than I do my fantasy. I’ve [knocks on wood] sold every single piece of sci fi I’ve ever finished. I would likely be a wealthy woman if I could say the same thing about my fantasy ;)
I understand that there is a second book pending in your Legends of a New Age series called Eternal Flame . What can you tell us about the series? Do you have a release date for book two?
Remember what I said about turning expectations on their ear? Well, we are putting our own spin on the traditional legends. See, everyone “knows” that dragons are drawn to virgins or gems or…whatever your cultural legends tell you, but they don’t say why. In Dragon’s Lure, the first book in the series we put our own spin on the “why”. Eternal Flame is along the same lines, but we are looking at Phoenixes and other eternal flame creatures. It’s been back-shelved a while due to health issues I had in 2011, but as soon as we are done with Bad-Ass Faeries: It’s Elemental, this one’s being dusted off. It probably won’t release until late 2014, though.
What can readers expect from you next?
Well, Dark Quest just released The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, so that’s good for some immediate gratification J Here’s the blurb:
The Hunt Is On!
When strength becomes weakness…
And hope becomes doubt…
As the past collides with the future…hard…
Can Suzanne—Wild Hunt biker chick and one-time member of the fae High Court—stand strong as her world falls apart? She survived an assault by redcaps, an all-out battle with the High King’s armies, and her first encounter with roller derby… but how will she fare against her inner demons? Caught in the midst of a transformation she scarcely realizes and does not understand, her hard-won convictions are tested as never before.
Suzanne is left with only one question—what if those convictions are wrong?
The truth could mean the difference between saving her sanity and losing her soul…
_____________________________
In the more distant future I’m told I have to start working on The High King’s Fool, the sequel to Redcaps’ Queen. Also I have to put together my solo Fantasy collection: On Darkness and Light. Beyond that, I’m working on a Daire’s Devils novel in my predominant military sf universe, and an unconventional vampire novel that is currently unnamed. I could keep going…but who knows how long it will take me to get that much done.
What does Danielle Ackley-McPhail do when she isn’t writing?
Groan! This entry could be longer than all the others put together. Let’s just say, oversleeping isn’t one of those things.
I typeset and do promotional work for Dark Quest Books, I sew and make costume horns, I work for a medical publisher for my day job, and I torment my husband endlessly. Whenever I’m not doing any of those, I read or play Words with Friends or Scramble with Friends.
Leaping from Fantasy to Military SF, you’ve also contributed to the anthology series, Defending the Future, edited by your husband Mike McPhail. Had you written Military SF previously? Did you initially find it challenging to move across genres?
You know…I am convinced that my muse is schizophrenic. I did not have a problem hopping genres because I’ve always read both and I’ve also been an active gamer in my husband’s Alliance Archives Martial Role-Playing system. Since many of his play-testers were former military, it gave me a lot of insight into military science fiction well before I even tried my hand at it. Movies help, as does living with a former military personnel. Besides, it’s been said that technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic…which means I have a LOT of room to play with J
In the end, really, my stories are character-driven, so it doesn’t matter the setting so much as those I populate it with. The tech or the magic supports the characters I’ve come to love. Now true, the scenarios are very distinctly different, but I don’t really find it difficult to shift gears. I love the wonder and magic of words and playing with concepts I then have to sell the reader on.
Ironically enough, I have a better success rate with my science fiction than I do my fantasy. I’ve [knocks on wood] sold every single piece of sci fi I’ve ever finished. I would likely be a wealthy woman if I could say the same thing about my fantasy ;)
I understand that there is a second book pending in your Legends of a New Age series called Eternal Flame . What can you tell us about the series? Do you have a release date for book two?
Remember what I said about turning expectations on their ear? Well, we are putting our own spin on the traditional legends. See, everyone “knows” that dragons are drawn to virgins or gems or…whatever your cultural legends tell you, but they don’t say why. In Dragon’s Lure, the first book in the series we put our own spin on the “why”. Eternal Flame is along the same lines, but we are looking at Phoenixes and other eternal flame creatures. It’s been back-shelved a while due to health issues I had in 2011, but as soon as we are done with Bad-Ass Faeries: It’s Elemental, this one’s being dusted off. It probably won’t release until late 2014, though.
What can readers expect from you next?
Well, Dark Quest just released The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, so that’s good for some immediate gratification J Here’s the blurb:
The Hunt Is On!
When strength becomes weakness…
And hope becomes doubt…
As the past collides with the future…hard…
Can Suzanne—Wild Hunt biker chick and one-time member of the fae High Court—stand strong as her world falls apart? She survived an assault by redcaps, an all-out battle with the High King’s armies, and her first encounter with roller derby… but how will she fare against her inner demons? Caught in the midst of a transformation she scarcely realizes and does not understand, her hard-won convictions are tested as never before.
Suzanne is left with only one question—what if those convictions are wrong?
The truth could mean the difference between saving her sanity and losing her soul…
_____________________________
In the more distant future I’m told I have to start working on The High King’s Fool, the sequel to Redcaps’ Queen. Also I have to put together my solo Fantasy collection: On Darkness and Light. Beyond that, I’m working on a Daire’s Devils novel in my predominant military sf universe, and an unconventional vampire novel that is currently unnamed. I could keep going…but who knows how long it will take me to get that much done.
What does Danielle Ackley-McPhail do when she isn’t writing?
Groan! This entry could be longer than all the others put together. Let’s just say, oversleeping isn’t one of those things.
I typeset and do promotional work for Dark Quest Books, I sew and make costume horns, I work for a medical publisher for my day job, and I torment my husband endlessly. Whenever I’m not doing any of those, I read or play Words with Friends or Scramble with Friends.
Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part One
One the more favorable aspects of being the writer liaison for a convention is the chance to network with writers both new and experienced. At Farpoint this past February, the convention doubled its usual number of writer guests and among them was award-winner Danielle Ackley-McPhail. 
As she states in her bio, Danielle has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over eighteen years. Her published works include four urban fantasy novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court and The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale. She is also the author of the non-fiction writers guide, The Literary Handyman and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Dragon’s Lure, and In An Iron Cage. Her work is included in numerous other anthologies and collections. Danielle is a member of the New Jersey Authors Network and Broad Universe, a writer’s organization focusing on promoting the works of women authors in the speculative genres.
To say that Danielle is busy would be an understatement, but I'm thrilled that she took the time to chat with me about her career.
First, where can we find you online?
I’m all over the place, but here are my official sites.
Website and/or blog www.sidhenadaire.com , http://lit_handyman.livejournal.com , http://damcphail.livejournal.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/DMcPhail
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/danielle.ackleymcphail
Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-Ackley-McPhail/e/B002GZVZPQ/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/989939.Danielle_Ackley_McPhail
What conventions do you typically attend throughout the year?
There is some variation, but my regular conventions are Mysticon (Roanoke, VA), Lunacon (Rye Brook, NY), Ravencon (Richmond, VA), The Maryland Faerie Festival (Darlington, MD), Balticon (Hunt Valley, MD), Capclave (Rockville, MD), Philcon (Cherry Hill, NJ), and Darkover (Timonium, MD). I do other random conventions as the opportunity arises, and I also do a lot of one-day or local events. Book Fairs and stuff like that. The two big ones I do are the Collingswood Book Festival and the Baltimore Book Festival. I’m hoping to return to Farpoint (Timonium, MD), which I attended for the first time this year, and I’m looking for a few new events to fill in gaps in my schedule. I’m also hoping Confluence (Pittsburgh, PA) returns next year. This year’s event had to be cancelled due to problems with the hotel being sold.
What attracts you to the Urban Fantasy genre?
I have always loved things that are reality one step to the left. I could write about the most mundane things and find some unexpected twist to make it magical. I love to let my imagination out to play. Sometimes it doesn’t wait for an invitation! I can’t complain, though…often when the muse grabs the bit is when things get truly amazing. Those stories tend to be my performance pieces. They are always a bit surreal, but they have a voice of their own that resonates with the reader (or listener). For those who want examples of what to look for, some of those stories are: A Legacy of Stars (A Legacy of Stars, Dark Quest Books 2012), "Ruby Red" (Of Darkness and Light, Dark Quest Books 2014), and "Consigned to the Sea" (Sails and Sorcery, Fantasist Enterprises, 2007)
On the flipside, I also enjoy deconstructing myths and legends…thinking of plausible situations that could have led to those beliefs. This has given me an understanding of how to construct my own legends, which is always a handy thing for an author!
You recently released Today’s Promise, the third book in your Eternal Cycle series. Could you provide a blurb about the series and also tell us what inspired it?
Today’s Promise (Book Three in the Eternal Cycle Series)
Love...Life...Liberty...
Never before had Kara O'Keefe had cause to doubt in any of these,
and yet she was now called to defend all three or lose them for all time.
Though the Battle of the Knock was counted a victory, the war--as they say--was not won. Carman's Children have resurface after millennia and have reunited against their common foe once more. These adversaries from the ancient history of the Tuatha de Danaan have one goal: dominate all.
Kara and the Sidhe Fianna must find a way to end this threat forever
or find themselves and all humanity shackled to the will of evil demigods.
As this journey of self discovery comes to an end, will Kara find herself
and retain her freedom, or will all be lost for eternity?
I used to work with a number of great authors on a writer’s site hosted on AOL. When we weren’t “working” we would head to a chatroom and just talk. My supervisor was one of those in this group and he had plenty of stories of various odd jobs he’d held over the years, including pawnbroker. Now his chosen writing style is very dark so knowing his writing personality and hearing about the pawnbroker position, my mind just went running with the concept of what would happen if you pawned something that was actually linked to your soul? How would the ruthless take advantage of that? That kernel morphed into a benevolent pawnbroker seeking to safeguard such things. At first that was all it was. A character portrait about a girl giving up more than the cherished heirloom she thought she was pawning. It was popular enough when I posted excerpts that I just kept going. That led to research into Irish mythology, which expanded the story even more as I encountered random bits of legend that dovetailed perfectly into the story.
Definitely love the title, Bad-Ass Faeries! How did the anthology series come about and are there future installments planned?
This series is our attempt to de-Disneyfy the faerie. Basically the concept came out of a chance encounter with an artist and a failed author event. I met Ruth Lampi at Albacon, where she showed me her sketches for warrior faeries. They were just pencil drawings, many of them on lined paper, but they were really good. I ended up commissioning Ruth to work on a number of projects with me. We had a local event at a friend’s store and the timing was bad. It conflicted with some other event going on and not many people showed up. We sat there for most of the day entertaining each other. During the conversation the question came up of how we met. That topic lead to speculating about the sad state of faeries in fiction, which lead to an anthology proposal of tough faeries that were more in line with the actual legends. From that, Bad-Ass Faeries was born!
Currently there are three anthologies (Bad-Ass Faeries, Just Plain Bad, and In All Their Glory) and three novels (The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, and James Chambers’ Three Chords of Chaos) based on the Bad-Ass Faeries concept. We are currently working on the fourth anthology, It’s Elemental. It should be out sometime in 2014. We are also planning which authors to tap for the A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale novella series. The concept behind that is a series of novellas or novels based on story universes that appeared in the anthologies. Basically, we’ve taken a look at what stories resonate with readers and reviewers and expand on them.
Stay tune for part two of my interview with Danielle, which should be posted tomorrow!
As she states in her bio, Danielle has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over eighteen years. Her published works include four urban fantasy novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court and The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale. She is also the author of the non-fiction writers guide, The Literary Handyman and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Dragon’s Lure, and In An Iron Cage. Her work is included in numerous other anthologies and collections. Danielle is a member of the New Jersey Authors Network and Broad Universe, a writer’s organization focusing on promoting the works of women authors in the speculative genres.To say that Danielle is busy would be an understatement, but I'm thrilled that she took the time to chat with me about her career.
First, where can we find you online?
I’m all over the place, but here are my official sites.
Website and/or blog www.sidhenadaire.com , http://lit_handyman.livejournal.com , http://damcphail.livejournal.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/DMcPhail
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/danielle.ackleymcphail
Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-Ackley-McPhail/e/B002GZVZPQ/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/989939.Danielle_Ackley_McPhail
What conventions do you typically attend throughout the year?
There is some variation, but my regular conventions are Mysticon (Roanoke, VA), Lunacon (Rye Brook, NY), Ravencon (Richmond, VA), The Maryland Faerie Festival (Darlington, MD), Balticon (Hunt Valley, MD), Capclave (Rockville, MD), Philcon (Cherry Hill, NJ), and Darkover (Timonium, MD). I do other random conventions as the opportunity arises, and I also do a lot of one-day or local events. Book Fairs and stuff like that. The two big ones I do are the Collingswood Book Festival and the Baltimore Book Festival. I’m hoping to return to Farpoint (Timonium, MD), which I attended for the first time this year, and I’m looking for a few new events to fill in gaps in my schedule. I’m also hoping Confluence (Pittsburgh, PA) returns next year. This year’s event had to be cancelled due to problems with the hotel being sold.
What attracts you to the Urban Fantasy genre?
I have always loved things that are reality one step to the left. I could write about the most mundane things and find some unexpected twist to make it magical. I love to let my imagination out to play. Sometimes it doesn’t wait for an invitation! I can’t complain, though…often when the muse grabs the bit is when things get truly amazing. Those stories tend to be my performance pieces. They are always a bit surreal, but they have a voice of their own that resonates with the reader (or listener). For those who want examples of what to look for, some of those stories are: A Legacy of Stars (A Legacy of Stars, Dark Quest Books 2012), "Ruby Red" (Of Darkness and Light, Dark Quest Books 2014), and "Consigned to the Sea" (Sails and Sorcery, Fantasist Enterprises, 2007)
On the flipside, I also enjoy deconstructing myths and legends…thinking of plausible situations that could have led to those beliefs. This has given me an understanding of how to construct my own legends, which is always a handy thing for an author!
You recently released Today’s Promise, the third book in your Eternal Cycle series. Could you provide a blurb about the series and also tell us what inspired it?
Today’s Promise (Book Three in the Eternal Cycle Series)
Love...Life...Liberty...
Never before had Kara O'Keefe had cause to doubt in any of these,
and yet she was now called to defend all three or lose them for all time.
Though the Battle of the Knock was counted a victory, the war--as they say--was not won. Carman's Children have resurface after millennia and have reunited against their common foe once more. These adversaries from the ancient history of the Tuatha de Danaan have one goal: dominate all.
Kara and the Sidhe Fianna must find a way to end this threat forever
or find themselves and all humanity shackled to the will of evil demigods.
As this journey of self discovery comes to an end, will Kara find herself
and retain her freedom, or will all be lost for eternity?
I used to work with a number of great authors on a writer’s site hosted on AOL. When we weren’t “working” we would head to a chatroom and just talk. My supervisor was one of those in this group and he had plenty of stories of various odd jobs he’d held over the years, including pawnbroker. Now his chosen writing style is very dark so knowing his writing personality and hearing about the pawnbroker position, my mind just went running with the concept of what would happen if you pawned something that was actually linked to your soul? How would the ruthless take advantage of that? That kernel morphed into a benevolent pawnbroker seeking to safeguard such things. At first that was all it was. A character portrait about a girl giving up more than the cherished heirloom she thought she was pawning. It was popular enough when I posted excerpts that I just kept going. That led to research into Irish mythology, which expanded the story even more as I encountered random bits of legend that dovetailed perfectly into the story.
Definitely love the title, Bad-Ass Faeries! How did the anthology series come about and are there future installments planned?
This series is our attempt to de-Disneyfy the faerie. Basically the concept came out of a chance encounter with an artist and a failed author event. I met Ruth Lampi at Albacon, where she showed me her sketches for warrior faeries. They were just pencil drawings, many of them on lined paper, but they were really good. I ended up commissioning Ruth to work on a number of projects with me. We had a local event at a friend’s store and the timing was bad. It conflicted with some other event going on and not many people showed up. We sat there for most of the day entertaining each other. During the conversation the question came up of how we met. That topic lead to speculating about the sad state of faeries in fiction, which lead to an anthology proposal of tough faeries that were more in line with the actual legends. From that, Bad-Ass Faeries was born!
Currently there are three anthologies (Bad-Ass Faeries, Just Plain Bad, and In All Their Glory) and three novels (The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, and James Chambers’ Three Chords of Chaos) based on the Bad-Ass Faeries concept. We are currently working on the fourth anthology, It’s Elemental. It should be out sometime in 2014. We are also planning which authors to tap for the A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale novella series. The concept behind that is a series of novellas or novels based on story universes that appeared in the anthologies. Basically, we’ve taken a look at what stories resonate with readers and reviewers and expand on them.
Stay tune for part two of my interview with Danielle, which should be posted tomorrow!
May 8, 2013
A Cover Gorgeous Enough for the Gods!
As one of the contributing authors to the second anthology in the ReDeus series, I was sent an image of the full cover spread this morning and I must say, it is chock full of awesomeness! Art by Lorraine Schleter. Layout by ReDeus co-creator and editor, Aaron Rosenberg.
ReDeus: Beyond Borders will launch at BaltiCon 47 over Memorial Day weekend in Hunt Valley, MD and then will become available in trade paperback and ebook the last week in May.
Beyond Borders will be a 450-page collection of short stories that continues the theme of the first book, Divine Tales, which premiered in August 2012. What if the mythological gods from every culture on Earth returned today? How would they deal with human advancements in technology--cars, planes, computers, smartphones? How would humans deal with pantheons that once again demand our worship? Which of them will be beneficent toward us...and which will not?
Returning authors include Lawrence M. Schoen, Scott Pearson, Steve Wilson, Dave Galanter, Phil Giunta, William Leisner, and Allyn Gibson. Joining for the first time are Kelly Meding, Janna Silverstein, David McDonald, Steve Lyons, and Lorraine Anderson. Series creators Robert Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg and Paul Kupperberg will once again have stories in the book as well.
ReDeus: Beyond Borders will launch at BaltiCon 47 over Memorial Day weekend in Hunt Valley, MD and then will become available in trade paperback and ebook the last week in May.
Beyond Borders will be a 450-page collection of short stories that continues the theme of the first book, Divine Tales, which premiered in August 2012. What if the mythological gods from every culture on Earth returned today? How would they deal with human advancements in technology--cars, planes, computers, smartphones? How would humans deal with pantheons that once again demand our worship? Which of them will be beneficent toward us...and which will not?
Returning authors include Lawrence M. Schoen, Scott Pearson, Steve Wilson, Dave Galanter, Phil Giunta, William Leisner, and Allyn Gibson. Joining for the first time are Kelly Meding, Janna Silverstein, David McDonald, Steve Lyons, and Lorraine Anderson. Series creators Robert Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg and Paul Kupperberg will once again have stories in the book as well.
