Chrystalla Thoma's Blog, page 8
December 14, 2012
What’s a serial – and would you like ketchup with it?
Art imitates life, and life imitates art. Films imitate videogames, videogames imitate graphic novels, graphic novels imitate film strips… it’s all a circle.
Recently Amazon announced a new line: serials. Obviously, written serials imitate (or work along the same principle as) TV serials. Is it the same as a series? Not precisely. Serials consist of episodes – relatively short, self-contained stories belonging to an overarching plot. Do you watch Supernatural? Sherlock Holmes? True Blood? The Vampire diaries? You know how there are smaller stories beneath the great BIG QUESTION that drives the serial as a whole?
That’s how serials work.
So, always curious about new things, I decided to give this a go. In reality, I’m writing a non-fiction book about dragons, remember? I still am! I have 2 months left exactly to deliver the finished book to the publisher.
But as I mentioned before, writers need breaks, and a writer’s break consists in writing something else… So I have began a serial, and the first episode has been written!!! The serial is called “Boreal and John Gray” and should hit the virtual shelves in time for the Xmas holidays… Or at least I hope so. It’s been fun. Easier to write than a novel, and allowed me to not shift my focus away from my dragons. 
Soon I will let you know more about it. Serials are fun!
December 12, 2012
Guest Author post: Kia Zi Shiru
Today I have a guest – Young Adult fiction author Kia Zi Shiru, whose first book “Black Sheep: Letting go of the Past” has just been published. I’ve known Kia from my critique group and she has been working on this story for a while – it promises to be great!
So, without further ado, I’m giving the floor to Kia to tell us about her book, her writing and herself…
Thank you Chrystalla for hosting the first day of my blog tour, I really appreciate it. My first novella Black Sheep: Letting go of the Past has been hitting the e-stores in the past few days just so I would be sure it would be available at midnight on the 12th (we’ll see how that works by the time this post goes live).
The first novella in the Black Sheep trilogy starts in the first week after the Christmas break, a time of change and new beginnings. Vic is only hoping to keep the friendship of his best friend and make the best of the new year. His best friend, Jack, has other ideas.
Some of this change of Jack reflects how I’ve always changed my look when I was back in high school, whether it was short hair, army boots or leather jackets. For me the Christmas break always has seemed like a good moment to change your appearance. You’re a couple months into the new year with your class and they have gotten used to you a certain way. I’ve always liked changing when people got too used to my looks.
Which is what Jack did. Having met Vic only at the start of the school year he has always loved the guy’s look and over Christmas changed his own style. Which changes the dynamic between the two guys dramatically. No longer Vic is the only goth guy in the class and Jack is no longer the soft looking guy Vic met at the start. Jack is starting to dress in styles that Vic has trouble resisting which of course leads to interesting situations.
Over all, I don’t often describe in detail what someone looks like because I like to keep that up to the reader. Though I always try to give clues. I don’t think I need to describe in detail how someone looks. I, myself, don’t usually care that someone is five feet or 1.70 meters or something like that because it sometimes makes it hard to remember how tall they are and by using one or the other way (feet or meters) I’m going to alienate readers. What I do like to know if someone is taller or shorter than the narrator at that moment. Which makes it easier to imagine how they would look making out (or you know, if they’re just standing next to each other talking).
Vic and Jack are around the same height, during the story you run into some characters that are taller (like Tom and Jo) and some are shorter (like Adam). But while Vic and Jack sport a goth look Adam has changed his look over time (from long hair to short colourful hair) and Tom has nothing goth-like.
I liked putting in different styles of people, even though the main characters (Vic and Jack) are both goths. I think that by not making all of them comply to the angsty goth stereotype that you sometimes run into in books and having multiple styles in looks makes it easier to connect with the characters, even if they aren’t the main characters.
If I did well, or if it works? You can check it out for yourself by reading Black Sheep: Letting go of the Past.
WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK!!!
WHO IS KIA ZI SHIRU:
Kia Zi Shiru is a Dutch girl studying English and Creative Writing in the UK. Amongst her interests she finds writing, reading, doing research and learning different languages (including but not limited to: English, Dutch, French, German, HTML, Java, PHP and Assembly). Her writing and reading habits include books with Young Adults, gay themes, strong female or minority characters and fantasy elements (more often then not all at the same time).
December 5, 2012
The Next Big thing – The next novel
Hi everyone! I am participating in a blog fest called “The next big thing” where authors post about their next book! Many thanks to author Suzanne Tyrpak for tagging me on this.
So here are my answers to the questions – here’s what I have to say about my next book!
1) What is the working title of your next book?
The next book is called “Rex Aftermath” and it is book 4 in the series “Elei’s Chronicles” (following “Rex Rising”, “Rex Cresting”, and “Rex Equilibrium”.)
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
I had this vision of a boy running for his life, not knowing why everyone was after him. Something like the Bourne Identity, I guess (although I didn’t know Ludlum’s work back then.) Add to that the parasites fighting each other, the post-apocalyptic world of the islands, and a situation where the protagonist doesn’t know if to trust his gut feeling or facts about the people surrounding him, and you’ve got the series Elei’s Chronicles, culminating in Rex Aftermath.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
It is dystopian science fiction for a mature (older) young adult public.
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I think Zach Roerig (but with darker hair) would make a good Elei, and Ben Barnes (but with spiky hair) would make a good Kalaes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Barnes_%28actor%29). Kaya Scodelario (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaya_Scodelario) could be Hera, and Emma Watson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_watson) could be Maera…
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
There is war on the Seven Islands and Elei together with his friends will do all the can to bring peace.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It will be self-published like the rest of the books in the series.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
About six months.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
The Hunger Games.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The idea for the series started when I read Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer (http://www.amazon.com/Parasite-Rex-New-Epilogue-Dangerous/dp/074320011X). This is a non-fiction book about parasites and their strange behavior and abilities. It reads like a mixture of horror and science fiction but it’s all true! Terrifying and amazing. When I read it back in 2004 (I think!), I immediately thought, “what if I could apply such facts to humans?” (most of the parasites in the book have insects and marine creatures as their hosts). In fact, there was one parasite I found so fascinating, it gave birth to my all-women race (the Gultur race). It’s called Wollbachia. This tiny parasite changes its hosts (flies) so much that they cannot survive without it, nor can they reproduce. It is a very interesting creature and worth reading about. (http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/wolbachia/index.html)
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
This is a book about parasites that give the heroes power but also pain and problems, about people who will do everything to find love and a home, about an old war that still tears people’s lives apart.
Passing the torch to some fellow authors:
December 2, 2012
What does an author do when taking a break?
What does an author do when taking a break?
You know this is a trick question, right? A break from writing? Are you mad? 
Still, you know – when you’ve written yourself dry and can’t bear to look at the words anymore and wish the world were mute, including films, and that you’d draw instead of write.
Well, then, you write something different.
Yep, that’s right. You take a break by writing something different. Because, being a writer, that’s a condition (almost fatal), a possession, a psychosis.
So I’ve been writing a book about dragons of the world, and I am very excited about it because I’ve wanted to write it for many many years… But I need a small break right now…
And I’ve decided to write a short fantasy piece.
I can hear you snickering again…
The plan is to finish this short piece within the next week and return to my faithfully waiting dragons. Hurra!
November 26, 2012
CYBER MONDAY!! FREE BOOKS AND GIFTS!!!
It’s Cyber Monday – a celebration of technology and science (and science fiction!!!)
To celebrate it, then, I am participating in Cyber Monday Deals!
Also don’t forget that there are 15 books set free for you these days, and 15 books at the low price of 99c:
15 FREE books amzn.to/V0nkYR
15 books for $15 amzn.to/UffY2O
“Rex Rising” is one of the free books – and for you I have also set my clockpunk fairytale “The Unfinished Boy” free as well, only for today!
Click on the images for the link to amazon:
Have a great Cyber Monday – and happy reading!
November 25, 2012
Novelscribe cover contest: Rex Rising wins first place in sci-fi
In the Novelscribe cover art contest, Rex Rising won the first place in the science-fiction category! That made me very happy, and many thanks to everyone who voted for me.
Here are the results of the contest.
And don’t forget: tomorrow is Cybermonday and we’ve got a contest with great prizes and freebies for all science-fiction lovers!
HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY! $175 in Amazon gift cards and lots of great sci-fi books & swag! Click to enter –> http://t.co/zbgF7sVy !!!
More information will come tomorrow, so don’t forget to check out the blog tomorrow!!!
November 23, 2012
New release – THE MINOTAUR (urban fantasy novella)
So, my urban fantasy novella “The Minotaur” – based on the myth and set in the same universe as “Dioscuri” (also published by MuseItUp) is now out! Many thanks to my lovely editors and to Marion Sipe who made the great cover:
You can’t outrun your divine lineage. When Asterion, Poseidon’s son, travels to Athens to join the battle against the newly awakened ancient gods, he doesn’t expect Poseidon to ask for the sacrifice of fourteen youths, or to demand that Asterion don the mask of the bull, become his vessel, and kill them. Outraged, Asterion refuses, but when his half-sister Ariadne is selected for the sacrifice, he takes the mask and becomes the Minotaur in a bid to fight Poseidon and save her.
Theseus, another son of Poseidon, is also in Athens. In love with Ariadne, he cannot let her be sacrificed to Poseidon. Unaware of Asterion’s dilemma, he changes another’s lot with his own name to enter the labyrinth, fight the Minotaur, and return everyone home.
With brother pitted against brother and the labyrinth closing around them, the outcome can only be death–unless Ariadne finds a way to return them to the world of the living.
THE MINOTAUR: It’s currently available at the MuseItUp store, but will soon be available on all sites.
Excerpt:
Asterion paced the length of the sanctum, back and forth, fists clenched at his sides. The bull mask grinned at him from its perch on the altar, the golden horns sparkling in the candlelight, the gem eyes glittering.
“You must do it,” said a gravelly male voice.
“Or what? The world ends? Chaos will fall on us?”
“And if I said yes?”
Asterion halted. Bitterness welled in his mouth. “I can’t do it. I can’t be the vessel for his gruesome sacrifice. I won’t kill them. I don’t owe Poseidon anything.”
What was he doing here? He had to return to the tunnels in the Acropolis Rock, the lair of the resistance. Since the Greek metropolis had turned into a battlefield between the mortals and the immortals, he’d taken the ship from Crete and joined in the war. He just never thought Poseidon would raise the stakes and demand more from him here.
Yet Athens belonged to Poseidon, too. Asterion should’ve known. Should’ve feared.
Too late.
The short, goat-legged silene shook his shaggy head, long animal ears drooping. “Poseidon is your father.”
“Right.” Asterion shrugged. “And he was never there. He left my mother all alone to raise me. She worked three jobs! If that accident hadn’t taken her, she’d still be working her butt off to feed me.”
“Don’t look at me, boy. I’m not wise, only an old drunk.” The silene tugged at his dirty long beard. “Besides, this wasn’t even my idea.”
Asterion snarled and started again to pace. “Then whose was it?”
“Just don’t kill the messenger.” The silene produced a small flask from behind his back—Asterion really didn’t want to know where the creature kept it—and took a swig. He smacked his lips. “Care for some tsipouro?”
Asterion ignored him. Being the son of mighty Poseidon sucked big time. Water came to him, spurted from the ground as he walked in the street. Worse still, cracks widened as he approached them, and small quakes shook the ground.
Poseidon, the bull-headed—earth-shaker, water king, horse-father. Asterion leaned against the door frame and sighed. He pushed back his hair and touched the star etched on his forehead, the symbol which had given him his name. A godly mark, hated in a world ravaged by the war with the ancient gods, reawakened and angry to find their world taken over by mortal kind. That’s what you get when you sleep till late. You wake up, and some vermin has taken control of your realm.
Being the son of a god had never been such a curse.
“I don’t understand this. You say Poseidon wants a tribute of mortals if he isn’t to flatten Athens and kill everyone. Why the heck would he do that?”
“Not me saying.” The silene took another swig. “Iris said so. Special delivery from up above. Poseidon is angry because the mortals ambushed and killed a nephew of his, Androgeus.”
“Why would they?” Not that mortals needed many excuses to kill each other.
“He caused a minor earthquake, killed some mortals. By mistake, says Poseidon. Because he was cruel, say the mortals. But now he is dead, and Poseidon wants revenge. Listen, boy. If you accepted the job, if you put on the mask and took the axe, you could protect the mortals perhaps. Do something to help them.”
“No.” Asterion rubbed a hand over his face. “Not my problem, silene. I don’t owe Poseidon anything. Nor the mortals. They’ve taunted me and picked on me since I was little. Why should I care? As for Poseidon, I’m not doing his work. Let him find another vessel.”
The silene giggled. “True, true. Go your way. Leave the mask and the Labrys, the double axe; leave the mortals to their fate. You’re not one of us, not one of them. Yet another man caught in the middle of the gods’ love and war making.”
Absolved by the silene, Asterion looked away. Yet somehow, the weight on his chest grew heavier, his conscience an angry muttering in his head. “How am I supposed to make this work? Protect the mortals, how? How can I find a way to save them from Poseidon’s wrath?”
November 22, 2012
Wanna see the print copy of Rex Cresting?
Do you wanna see the print copy of Rex Cresting? Because I received it! And it looks great! I’m as proud as a mom of her baby! (yes, you’re allowed to snicker now…)
Isn’t it pretty??? (especially against the backdrop of my quilt… haha)
So… yeah. That’s today’s announcement.
Stay tuned, as tomorrow I will be announcing the release of my urban fantasy novella The Minotaur, but, well you know, I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
Yeah.
November 20, 2012
Step Velkin Series and a freebie, by featured author Karl Jones
Today I am featuring Crime and Horror thriller author Karl Jones who is here to tell us a few things about his series “Step Velkin” and in particular book 1: A Brother’s Debt.
A Brother’s Debt is part of The 20 Books for 20 Bucks Thanksgiving Promotion! Only 99c for a few days – grab a copy before the offer is over. See more about the promo at the end below!
And note that Karl is also giving another one of his great book for free for Thanksgiving – Shattered – so grab your free copy as well!
I have met Karl on Facebook where the fate of the world is wrought (or something like that) 
and I was impressed by the quality of his stories and the hard work he puts in them. Although not a fan of horror myself, thrillers do draw me, and I admit I look forward to exploring Karl’s stories…
But here I give the floor to Karl, to tell us about his book:
KARL SAYS:
Step Velkin, scout pilot with the Mulnoy navy, a rising star with a promising future, that’s the hero of A Brother’s Debt.
Step knows where he’s going, he has a command post in his future, as long as he doesn’t mess up, but all of that changes the moment he responds to his brother’s latest plea for help. He knows it’s a mistake, he knows he shouldn’t go, but he does, and soon he finds himself in an unfamiliar region of space, smuggling a package that leaves his life in danger as he’s caught between rival gangsters.
As a fan of Firefly, Joss Whedon’s failed sci-fi TV series, and Serenity, the film that came after, it gave me no small amount of pleasure to create what I hope will become an adventure series set in the frontier of space.
Step Velkin has inherited a large debt, owed to a dangerous gangster, from his brother, and is stuck working for him until he pays it off. It’s a simple premise but one I believe has the potential to lead him into adventure and danger in equal measures.
A Brother’s Debt is the first adventure in the series, and the second, tentatively titled ‘Escape from The Bounty’ has a hoped for release of mid 2013.
At present A Brother’s Debt is available only from Amazon, but I hope to expand its release to Apple, Barnes & Noble et al in 2013, as well as turning the adventure into a paperback.
Who is Karl Jones:
Biography
In the dark of the night and the still of the evening you’ll find Karl Jones writing furiously to exercise his dark muse to the delight of his fans.
Specializing in Crime and Horror thrillers, he refers to himself as a loner, haunted by the stories he pens and driven to push the boundaries until all lovers of the genres have no choice but to sleep with one eye open.
Karl explores the dark side of humanity and turns the stories of some of the most depraved into literature you’ll have no choice but to read with one eye on the door and every light in the house on.
Blog
Thanksgiving promotion – 20 Books for 20 Bucks!
What the title says! Each book less than a dollar – only for a few days! Find the books included in the promo here!
November 18, 2012
Mantis is now free!!
This is a quick post for all of you following the series “Elei’s Chronicles”. The short story “Mantis”, set in the world of Rex Rising and recounting the first meeting between Mantis and Kalaes, and Mantis’ contact to Pelia, is now free on amazon as well!
This story sets some of the background for events in Book 3 of Elei’s Chronicles – Rex Equilibrium.
So happy reading!
