Mari Miniatt's Blog, page 19

September 17, 2010

Update time!

The file for Killer is sent, waiting for approval and proof. I almost changed the cover at the last minute, but I was in a mean mood and didn't want to mess around with my files.
Chapter one illustration. And how I felt last night.
Launch party will included an art show! Times have been extended and moved to 1 - 8 pm. So I could run and see Disturbed if I want to after wards. The one artist confirmed does wonderful stuff with blown glass. Now this will not be the all out party that they had la...
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Published on September 17, 2010 02:12

September 14, 2010

Teaser Tuesday: Artwork addition.


For your viewing pleasure! The front and back covers of Killer!

FRONT
There should be no doubt it is part of a series now.

BACKI love the back. 
There you go, just a quick tease.
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Published on September 14, 2010 02:03

September 13, 2010

I know when I have made it when.....

Banned Books Week is coming up. Link

I read banned books. I always have. That is a bit of the rebel in me. If someone says they do not think this book should be out for what ever reason. I want to read it now, to see if that is a justifiable reason. It never is. Even with the argument of Twilight being unsuitable for the age group. I didn't like the book, but I never would want it banned.

As it was said in the TV movie of "Going Postal"

Ridcully: You the type to burn a book, Lipwig?
Moist Von...
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Published on September 13, 2010 02:15

September 10, 2010

These Creatures are up for Adoption: Part 4

Part 1 HERE
Part 2 HERE
Part 3 HERE

A few requests from my friends.

Mothman
On November 12, 1966 people around Point Pleasant, West Virginia began to report sightings of a strange creature.

From Unknown Explorers
The Mothman, a strange creature reported to haunt the Charleston and Point Pleasant areas of West Virginia between November 1966 and December 1967, was also sporadically reported to be seen prior to, and after, those dates, with some sightings coming as recently as 2005. Most observers ...
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Published on September 10, 2010 16:18

September 9, 2010

These Creatures are up for Adoption: Part 3

Part 1 Here
Part 2 Here

Selkie

I am surprised we have not seen these in more Urban Fantasy fiction. One of the first Sci-fi novel had I read had a love interest with a man that had been genetically engineered to be a selkie. It really keep me wondering about him.


Wikipedia:
Selkies are able to become human by taking off their seal skins, and can return to seal form by putting it back on. Stories concerning selkies are generally romantic tragedies. Sometimes the human will not know that...
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Published on September 09, 2010 01:58

September 8, 2010

These Creatures are up for Adoption. Part 2

Part 1 is HERE:

Perhaps I did not give any authors enough humanoid monsters to work with in their Urban Fantasy. So this post will present three that might not have ever been considered before.

Wild Man:

I did write a few stories with one of these guys. Wonderful stuff. One of the first characters I have to say I fell in love with.
A Wild Man is a man that lives on the outside of society, he is usually covered in fur. And is the master of the forest. Unlike a bigfoot, he is closer to man than ani...
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Published on September 08, 2010 01:45

September 7, 2010

These Creatures are Up for Adoption. part 1

In a recent #UFchat on Twitter, pet peeves of the Urban Fantasy genre were discussed. One that came up was the lack of "new" monsters in the genre. Just how many vampires, werewolves, and demons can you handle?

So here are some suggestions for lesser known monsters that would love to be in the spot light.

Hodag:


I am giving away my upbringing here. What the heck is a hodag? The hodag is an American Folklore creature that made its appearance and home around Rhinelander, WI.

From Wikipedia:
In...
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Published on September 07, 2010 01:39

September 6, 2010

In Defense of those Naughty Words Part 2

Part 1 is here
Let's say you want to use swear words, but your target audience wouldn't care for them. Or you are looking at your characters and know they swear, but it doesn't sound right. If you are writing fantasy the solution is simple. Make up your own swears!
This is not a new idea. I was first exposed to it through Douglas Adams. I listened to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as I laid in my bed. The episode where you are informed that the most vile, offensive, and rude word in the...
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Published on September 06, 2010 06:48

August 30, 2010

Creepy Childhood.

"Beth, Beth, the wife of Death.
Had a crying baby.
She tanned his hide, and she cried;
'now he's ready for Daddy'."

- A rhyme I made up for my current WIP.

Childhood is brutal. Remember.

The WIP I am working on deals with children being hunted by a supernatural creature. Luckily, they have some werewolves that decide to protect the children. While I researched what type of creature would attack children. I was reminded about all the scary things we were told as kids.



"Ring around the rosies,
a...
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Published on August 30, 2010 01:40

August 26, 2010

What's in a name?

Moving from one identity to another.

A lot of people on the Internet know me as LeaPetra. There is a long history with that Internet handle. Before I seriously took my writing from hobby to profession (still need my day job, damn) I signed up with Twitter with that name.

Now, with over 1500 followers the question is; Was that the right thing to do?

Author branding, that phrase gets thrown around a lot now-a-days. Some people are scared when they see it, some shrug. I thought about it. I am famil...
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Published on August 26, 2010 14:38