Eden Baylee's Blog, page 88

Harmonica Monday with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band

This will be my final music post featuring harmonica … for a while anyway.

This week is my last harmonica lesson. It’s been a great several months of learning the instrument.

“One More Heartache’” by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band comes from their album, The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw.

If you like your stories with some blues, pick up Fall into Winter, which includes harmonica in the first story, “Seduced by the Blues.”

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Buy links: 

US | UK | Canada | Germany | France | Japan | Italy | Spain

Filed under: Musical Mondays

Get Inside the Mind of author @MeiLinMiranda

I’m honored to have fellow author from the Allegories of the Tarot anthology, MeiLin Miranda join me today. She’s a prolific writer, and a woman I admire for her strength and perseverance.

An author of multiple series, she has a slick platform and writers can learn from her.

Please help me welcome the ethereal,  MeiLin Miranda.

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Who is MeiLin?

MeiLin Miranda writes Victorianesque fantasy and science fiction from her 130-year-old house in Portland, Oregon. Her love of all things 19th century (except for the pesky parts like cholera, child labor, slavery and no rights for women) has consumed her since childhood, when she fell in a stack of Louisa May Alcott and never got up.

MeiLin has been a professional writer for most of the last 35 years, focusing on nonfiction until a cardiac arrest and near death experience in 2006 convinced her she’d better get moving if she meant to write fiction.

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Buy Links

Amazon US ~ UK ~ CA ~ DE ~ FR ~ ES ~ IT ~ JP ~ IN ~ BR ~ AU

Kobo Books | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Prince Temmin Antremont has been sheltered from assassins and women for eighteen years. Now at his father Harsin’s court, forces he can neither control nor understand pull at him from all sides. But none pull harder than the Lovers, the twin gods of love and sex. King Harsin believes an old prophecy: if Temmin joins the Lovers’ Temple the monarchy will end.

The gods are irresistible, and the King is implacable. With Teacher’s help, Temmin must decide which is more dangerous–defying his father or defying the gods. But does Teacher intend to continue the Antremonts’ rule, or end it?

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Inside MeiLin’s Mind

[eden] Welcome MeiLin! I’m so happy to have you here. Please tell readers your idea of perfect happiness.

[MeiLin] Health. Everything else is secondary. I’ve been struggling with illness for more than eleven years. Health is happiness; if you have it, treasure it.

[eden] As someone who has not always had mine, I could not agree with you more. 

What turns you on creatively? Music, especially if the lyricist is good (but not when I’m writing); reading; Wikipedia! That place is a trove of awesomeness.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? In writing, it used to be “swept”–people were always sweeping out of rooms. Now it seems they’re doing a lot of turning. My editor nearly killed herself because I used the word “then” too much. I have a list of crutch words and default actions for search and destroy missions.

In life, it rotates. Right now I seem to be using “nice” as an all-round response. “Hey! I won a million bucks!” (Excited voice) Nice!! “My boss is making me work overtime.” (Sarcastic voice) Nice. See? All-purpose. “Awesome” sometimes creeps into that rotation.

[eden] “Nice” and “Awesome” are two words I try to avoid too. 

What quality do you most admire in men and women? In both it’s the same: empathy. So many people have trouble recognizing the struggles and suffering of others.

What is your greatest regret? That I wasn’t brave enough to write fiction until my late forties. I chose a journalistic path because I was afraid of writing fiction but still wanted to write. It was for me a poor second.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My health. I’m working on it.

[eden] I hope doing what you love brings both happiness and health to you for many, many years, MeiLin.

What is your greatest fear? That I’ll die before I’m finished with my main series, or before my daughters are settled in the world.

Which living person do you most admire? Probably Neil Gaiman. He handles his fame very gracefully and is genuine in his contact with fans. He’s also a fucking amazing writer. J.K. Rowling is a close second for her generosity.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Acting. I sometimes regret not following my other great passion, voice acting.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? One of my sister’s spoiled rotten cats.

[eden] Another cat person! This is definitely the most common response from authors.  

What do you consider your greatest achievement? My two daughters, both up-and-coming comics creators and amazing, beautiful teenagers.

What trait do you most deplore in others? Willful ignorance, tied with lack of empathy. “Pull up the ladder, I’m saved.”

What is your greatest extravagance? Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume. *thud*

[eden] I had to look this up. Very cool.  

What is one thing you want to do before you die? Besides finishing my main series? I want to take my husband and daughters to Disneyland and do it up.

Who is your favorite writer/musician/film director? 

Writer: Anthony Trollope tied with Patrick O’Brian.

Musician: WAY too many to list, but let’s say…no, let’s not. Too many.

Film director: I love Wes Anderson. Judge me if you must. Also the Coen Brothers.

[eden] I love the Coen brothers! I saw their first film, Blood Simple, and have been a fan ever since.

What are some of your favorite curse words? I’m a traditionalist: fuck. Fuckity fuck fuck. Also bollocks.

Do you have a motto? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, that’s what we do we swim swim swim…

[eden] Swimming is good. Thanks MeiLin for sharing about yourself. It was a pleasure to learn more about you.

Readers, please say “hi” to MeiLin and be sure to connect with her. 

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Connect to Meilin

Website | Facebook | Twitter: @meilinmiranda 

Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

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Filed under: Author & Artist Interviews

Help make WINTER IN THE CITY a reality via @kickstarter and @rbwood

I’m no fan of winter in the city, but I am a fan of R.B. Wood’s project called: Winter in the City - a collection of urban fantasy tales.

It’s never easy to spearhead a project with multiple writers. It requires time, commitment, and talent. Richard and his team have all this. What they need help with is funding, and that’s how you can help.

Richard is running a Kickstarter campaign, and it’s in the final 10 days! This is the crucial time to grab attention for the cause and help it achieve its goal of $15,000.

I’m very proud to back this campaign because I know Richard has supported many writers, especially with his Word Count Podcast.

I urge you to check out the campaign and donate if you can. If not, donate a few seconds and share it via your networks. Spreading the word will connect the campaign to someone who can make a difference. 

Hit the graphic and see the excellent perks you can receive for your donation via Kickstarter!

Connect to Winter in the City

Website | Facebook | Twitter @CityWinter

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Filed under: Author Promotions

WIN 2 tickets for Toronto screening of AWAITING ATWOOD by @BethofBamNorth

Per a previous post, Awaiting Atwood, a film I had the pleasure to be involved with is screening in Toronto, Monday, November 18, 7 PM at the Carlton.

Filmmaker Beth Mairs of BAM North Productions is generously offering TWO FREE TICKETS to readers of my blog! (Tickets are available for sale at the theatre 2 hours before the screening).

To win, answer this question in the comments. Make sure you include a valid email address.

Which one of Margaret Atwood’s books was published in 1969, coinciding with the rise of the women’s movement in North America?

a) The Edible Woman

b) The Handmaid’s Tale

c) The Year of the Flood

~ I will draw for the winner by Nov. 18th, NOON and advise on how to pick up the tickets. ~

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Check out the trailer. I have a tiny part in this film playing the Junior Cop.

Connect to BAM North Productions

Website | Facebook | Twitter: @BethofBAMNorth

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Filed under: Author Promotions, Important Announcements

Get Inside the Mind of author Timothy Bryant Smith (@NeutrinoDreams)

In reading my friend, Tim Smith’s interview, I discovered some juicy titbits (You read that right, titbits, I say). He’s usually one of those quiet men who weaves in and out of social networks, but when he speaks, I want to know about it.

And so will you.

He’s funny, intelligent, and a little depraved, but that’s what makes him special.

Please welcome fellow author from the Allegories of the Tarot anthology, Timothy Bryant Smith, and be prepared to laugh your tits off.

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Who is Mr. Smith?

Cruising through the 4th decade of his life, Timothy Bryant Smith resides in a small town in North Carolina with his wife Shannon and two dogs, Kona & Pepperoni.

Raised in both Fairbanks, Alaska and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Timothy has lived and traveled around the United States looking for new questions to ask from the answers he uncovers each day.

His first published short story, “Transformation” is included in the anthology, Allegories of the Tarot released in the fall of 2013, and he is actively working on his first novel as well as other projects.

Timothy maintains his recently re-launched writer’s blog called Neutrino Dreams. You can LIKE him on Facebook  or follow his posts on Twitter.

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And of course, read Tim’s brilliant story “Transformation“ based on the Tarot card: Death, available at Amazon, and touring all of November through the networks!

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Inside Timothy’s Mind

[eden] Welcome Tim! I’m so happy to finally have you here all to myself! Please tell the readers what turns you on creatively.

[Tim] I like inventive confrontation which uses subversive art to force institutional change.  If it’s a clever “go fuck yourself” aimed square in the eye of an oppressive culture or institution then I am all about that shit.  Some of my greatest influences, creatively anyway, were considered subversive or obscene for doing nothing more than pointing out that—as both a culture and individuals—we were capable of doing more (or not doing enough).  That it was time to move on and let go of old thinking and accept the new thought, the unspoken, and the taboo.  These are my heroes.  And they’re not just artists; they’re philosophers, scientists, religious figures, politicians, activists… they’re basically anyone who spits in the face of what society’s institutions  say is “acceptable” or “normal”.  That really gets my juices flowing.  Fuck acceptable and the people who cling so desperately to it.  Offend and be offended!  I applaud any person who puts it all out there and says to these groups (and their hypocritical, self-serving definitions of what is acceptable) to go suck a big fat cock.

The challenge, unfortunately, is this requires a person not only capable of the complete abandonment of inhibition and enormous personal courage, but they must also be genuinely brilliant in their art and the truth their art expresses.  Yes, there is power in the profane.  Yes, there is enlightenment in the creative defiance of what society deems acceptable.  But for me, it must be original and elegant in its confrontation; presented with acumen, wrapped in the seemingly vulgar, and using a medium that no one thought could ever be used as a medium.  Being shocking for the sake of being shocking, to entice attention, to titillate money out of the pockets of the unimaginative, etc. doesn’t really do it for me—any passé opportunist can do that.  Unfortunately, this is exactly what passes as art these days.  That’s the difference between, say, classic rock and pop rock.  Classic rock endures because of its impact on the generation that spawned it and the institutions upon which it effected change, whereas pop (popular) rock is simply what sells.  The same is true for nearly every medium, from the written word to even news media.  I would rather create art that endures than a novelty which sells.  And if I am going to create enduring art, I would rather it endures because it redefined and radicalized what people simply accepted rather than questioned.

[eden] Fabulous rant Tim, you had me at “…go suck a big fat cock.” I’m almost afraid to ask my next question  

Do you have a definition for perfect happiness? TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND TO HEAR THE LAMENTATIONS OF THE WOMEN!  Ok, maybe that is over stating it a bit (and quite possibly plagiarism).  I prefer to think of perfect happiness as that moment when everything in my mind synchs up with what is going on in the world around me.  It’s that moment when I consciously make a connection between who I am and what I know the world to be at that particular moment.  Sometimes it is a subtle nudge, other times it is a, “Holy shit, that’s awesome!” kinda thing, but nearly every time I am unsure if it is a coincidence or providence.  It may be sitting in frustration trying to solve the last clue to a crossword puzzle asking for a four-letter word for clever that ends in a “y”, then looking up at the television to see Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner on the television screen.  Other times, it’s a stolen moment on the way to work when I am thinking of my wife’s eyes, then the song we danced to on our wedding day is the next song to start playing on the radio.  I love it when that happens.  It makes me feel like my life is on course and executing exactly as the Universe needs it to be.  I am a big subscriber to the concepts of both synchronicity and pantheism.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Tough one.  I couldn’t tell you.  My staff would probably tell you it’s, “Communicate!”.  I say that one a lot at the restaurant.  I am a firm believer in constant communication with the people you are trying to accomplish something with—even to the point of being annoying or repetitive.  Of course, my wife would probably tell you it’s, “It’s called a fucking turn indicator you fucking cocktard!”  I use that one a lot, too.

[eden] Ha! Bad drivers where you come from?

What quality do you most admire in a man? Hard to come up with just one quality.  I would say a healthy mixture of observant humor, dedication, humility, passion, philanthropy, confidence, sportsmanship, jocularity, and a lovely singing voice.

And in a woman? Again, can’t narrow it down to a single quality.  I’d have to say a mixture of compassion, patience, willingness, wonderment, commitment, and self-assuredness.  Oh!  And tits.  I love tits.  Yeah.  Forget all that other stuff.  I am going to go with tits on this one.  Small, big, round, flat…  I don’t really care.  I like tits.  Did I say that I like tits?  …tits.  Tits, titties, breasts, dirty pillows, nipple-mounted globular fun bags, cleavage canyons, bulbous boobies, mammary mountains, shoulder boulders.  Tits.

[eden] Tim, I sense some hesitation from you … are you SURE about tits?

Do you have any regrets? Other than my answer to the previous question, I’d probably say my lack of formal education.  I never graduated high school or sought higher education.  I have never known the experience of achieving accreditation or attaining a degree.  I don’t really need it, I know that now, but it’s always bothered me that I never tried.  I suppose I could, at some point in my middle or old age be that guy that goes back to school for the G.E.D. or is awarded an honorary degree for some amazing achievement in my life, but I regret never having the patience in my youth to see my education through to institutional recognition.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I am rather emotionally, uh… explosive—those who know me would say spectacularly so.  I don’t really censor myself well and I have a terrible time reeling it in when I need to let it out.  And not just the bad emotions, the good ones as well.  I love and hate equally, deeply, and with volatile intent.  I over-commit myself and can’t pull back when I need to blow.  What makes this worse is I know I am doing it as it happens.  Sometimes, I just get tired of holding it in and once I let loose I have no desire or ability to hold back.  I will make you uncomfortable when expressing my love for you and scare the shit out of you when I am upset with you.

What is your greatest fear? Spiders.  No doubt about it.  Spiders.  No seriously… goddamn godless evil bloodsucking antichrist-loving spiders.

[eden] Pussy, heh. And because I love spiders, here’s an itsy bitsy one for your dreams. 

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? A carpenter.  Math, visualization, creativity, engineering, patience, and the benefit of experience—these are a few of my favorite things.  I think carpentry encapsulates the best of the left and right brained professions.  I guess I like the idea of using art and science to create something that is utilitarian.

[eden] I love carpentry too, something about working with tools and wood that appeals to me.  

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Marrying my best friend.  My wife is everything to me.  I know that may sound cliché to some, but to me I could not be more sincere or honest.  Shannon gave me a reason to believe in who I am and what I am capable of accomplishing.  In turn, I hope that I have provided her with a trusted voice that assures her of who she is and supports her in what she has to offer this world.  She is a remarkable woman who is passionate and protective towards me… sometimes even to her detriment.  She possesses a ferocious heart, an infallible belief in what I am capable of accomplishing, and an insatiable desire for my penis… which is awesome by the way (her insatiable desire, not my penis, for those of you still reading).  Mostly, she keeps me honest and allows me to do the same for her.  There is forgiveness—despite our occasional, heinous fights.  There is trust—regardless of how batshit crazy a thing I ask of her to accommodate.  But most importantly, there is respect for who WE are—together as Timothy and Shannon—that supersedes anything we may be or want separately from one another.

[eden] Shannon is a doll, and this is a beautiful answer. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others? I absolutely cannot abide people who demean or knowingly deprive those who serve others.  It doesn’t matter if it’s teachers, food servers, soldiers, civil servants, retail workers, nurses, relief workers, etc..  Seriously… tip 20 % people.  Be conscious and courteous towards those who work to make your life better, safer, cleaner, healthier, more informed, and who go the extra mile to help you find what you’re looking for.  It’s what separates us from the animals… or at the very least Europeans.

[eden] Uh oh, now you’ve done it, all my European friends are going to send spiders to you in the mail. 

Lightning Round … Ready, set, go!

Which living person do you most admire? Blergh.  This is a impossible question to answer.  Pass…

What is your greatest extravagance? Beer.  I love beer almost as much as I love tits.

[eden] Quel surprise.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? At this moment in my life, I would have to say tits.

[eden] Tim, you need help.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? Learn to speak a second language, restore my Dodge Ram Truck to its former glory, and to complete my collection of vintage Kenner Star Wars action figures and playsets.

Who is your favorite writer/musician/film director? I have several influences across many mediums and philosophies.  Walt Whitman, Charles Darwin, Howard Zinn, Seth MacFarlane, Larry Flynt, Galileo, Howard Stern, Joseph Campbell, Martin Scorsese, George Carlin, Immanuel Kant, Andres Serrano, Edna St. Vincent Millay, George Romero, Stephen King, Ben Franklin, Malcolm X, Carl Jung, Asa Akira, Christ, Andy Kaufman, John Lennon among many others.

What are some of your favorite curse words? I like to use twat as both a prefix and suffix with many, many, many other words.

What is your motto? Be honest, do your best, and clean up after yourself.

[eden] Hahaha! I may have wet myself reading your interview. You’re a crazy man, Tim. Wonderful to have my name with yours in the same book and loved your story, “Transformation.”

Readers, please say “hi” to Tim, especially if you have … you know, tits.

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Connect to Timothy

Website | Facebook | Twitter: @neutrinodreams |  Goodreads

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Filed under: Author & Artist Interviews

For Remembrance Day ~ A Pittance of Time by @TerryKelly2

I’m taking a break from featuring harmonica this week.

Lest we forget – a very moving song and video by Canadian singer/songwriter, Terry Kelly.

~eden

Filed under: Musical Mondays

Get Inside the Mind of author J.H. Sked (@jhsked)

I love people with a sense of humor and J.H. (Janet) Sked certainly has one. In her words, her humor is “warped.” She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she’s extremely thoughtful and supportive.

Please welcome a fellow author from the Allegories of the Tarot anthology. I am very proud to have my story alongside hers.

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Who is J.H. Sked?

Born in South Africa, currently living in London, UK. The author of the Basement Blues Detective Series (urban paranormal), Tales from the Crescent series (Epic Fantasy), contributor to The Lyndsey Roughton Anthology, and Allegories of the Tarot.

WolfSong is from the Tales from the Crescent series.

Buy from Amazon

Three species. One country. A vicious murder and a village of the dead. A soldier desperate for vengeance at any price.

Amber is sworn to uphold justice on the Crescent.

But as grief and rage drive her to the edge of insanity, she may no longer be capable of choosing between justice and personal vengeance – and may the gods help any being that stands in her way. If you plan to join this ride, bring your sword. Sanity is optional.

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Inside Janet’s Mind

[eden] Welcome Janet! I’m thrilled to have you here. Please tell the readers your idea of perfect happiness.

That varies a bit, but at the moment I’d say migraine-free, with a lot of time to write, and family and friends just around the corner. Financial stability would help as well; half the time I’m so broke I can’t pay attention. The cost of living has bent me over a chair without the benefit of KY. So I’ll summarise by saying writing full time and earning a decent living at it.

[eden] Ouch. No KY is a painful visual.  

What turns you on creatively? Everything. I play What If? a lot, and everything from overheard conversations to news headlines to strange stuff that happens to me is fodder for it. I’m never bored.

Do you overuse any words or phrases? Awesome. I’m trying to stop, but so many things really ARE awesome, you know?

[eden] I’ve cut that word out too. I’m making up my own words – you can have “fantabulicious.”

What do you most admire in a man? I’d have to say integrity. Tight buns, tattoos and a Harley may get my attention, but if you have the ethics of a rabid weasel you won’t keep it.

And in a woman? Once again, integrity. I’m not too concerned about whether it fits with the social norm, but if you are honest with yourself and others, and hold to your personal truth, I have to admire that.

[eden] Great answer.

Do you have any big regrets? Not realizing until I was twenty five or so that trying to change to fit in with the world made me a miserable little person.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Perfect teeth. I’ve lost count of the number of dentists I’ve bitten. I wouldn’t mind a few extra inches in height either.

What is your greatest fear? Hurting someone else by accident. I’m clumsy to the nth degree, which is fine when I’m the only one on the receiving end. Not so cool when some innocent bystander gets yanked into the mix. My first year in London, nobody told me you can get snow grippers, and my walk to work went : Wall. Streetlight. Wall. Postbox. Wall. Postman.

Luckily he had a sense of humor, since I ended up clutching his knees and almost pulling his trousers off. I may have been praying.

[eden] Oh my god, this is hilarious! I think the postman probably got the thrill of his life. 

Which living person do you most admire? Nelson Mandela. If he had been a different person, South Africa would have been knee-deep in blood. Instead of being bitter, he tried to make the country a better place. To a large extent, he succeeded.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Acting. I’m done a bit of amateur stuff and loved it. It’s close to writing for me; you step into another world and lose your everyday problems. For that short period of time, nothing else exists. It’s magic.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A very pampered cat.

[eden] Another cat person! 

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Apart from surviving, since the planet keeps trying to kill me? Pushing the publish button on my first book. I was terrified.

[eden] Congrats on that, it is huge!

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Bigotry. I don’t understand it, to be honest. I don’t particularly care about someone’s colour, religion, or sexual/gender orientation. I care about whether they’re a good person, and those things are incidental. We should celebrate our differences, not try to prune them off of our neighbours like unsightly flowers we don’t like the look of.

Do you have any great extravagances? Books. I buy on average three or four books a week. There are a couple of authors on my “Must Buy” list, and then there are the new ones I get to discover via kindle.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? I’d like to learn how to fly a light plane. (Bearing in mind how accident prone I am, this really may be the thing I do right before saying farewell to the world.)

[eden] I believe “wanting to do something” is a huge step, and the only thing you can control. I hope you get up there one day.

Who is your favorite writer/musician/film director? Oooh, decisions… This can change depending on my mood as well.

Writer – Stephen King. (Ilona Andrews come in a close second, though.)

Musician – Jeff Buckley. That voice was exquisite.

Film Director – mmm. Difficult one. Possibly Tarantino, for the sheer fun he has doing his work. It shows every time; the man has a blast.

Do yo have any favorite curse words? Fucktwit is a personal favorite, although I tend to roll with full phrases. Take a flying fuck at a rolling donut (reserved for politicians and other numpties).  Fuck me ‘til I cry (moments of sheer exasperation). Kiss my fluffy tattooed pagan ass. (I’m enjoying this way too much, by the way.) Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.  Try again, fucktard (usually involving myself and tech). I just got bitch-slapped by the stupid fairy.

[eden] These are some original ones!

Lastly, do you have a life motto? Usually? Life is wonder.  It really is; I’ve been very lucky in my life and I spend a lot of time looking around me and thinking “Wow.”  I hope I never lose that.

I have one I reserve for bad days: Noli illegitimi carborundum. It’s faux Latin for “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” I use it for pigeons, London transport, and the majority of politicians.

[eden] Ha! Love it, and I’ve heard that one before from another author I interviewed. You’ve been wonderful, Janet, thanks so much for dropping by.

Readers, please say “hi” to this lovely woman and learn more about her. 

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Connect to Janet

Blog | Facebook| Twitter: @jhsked

About.me  |  Amazon author page

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Filed under: Author & Artist Interviews

Author @RedTashBooks hosts me for an Allegories of the Tarot Interview

Red Tash, novelist and one of 21 other writers for the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology hosts me on her blog today as part of the month-long promotion, sponsored by the tireless Anne Chaconas of Badass Marketing.

Hop over and read the short interview HERE along with an excerpt from my story called “A Modern Affair” based on the card, The Lovers.

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Filed under: Eden's Guest Blogs & Interviews, Important Announcements, Writing Joint Ventures

Attend the Premiere Screenings of AWAITING ATWOOD ~ a film by @BethofBamNorth

Awaiting Atwood, a film I had the pleasure to be involved with is screening this month! Wheee!

The movie is directed by Beth Mairs of BAM North Productions, who stars in it with her wife, Betty Ann McPherson. I was honoured to donate my books as a perk for the successful Indiegogo campaign.

Two washed-up, middle-aged adventuresses are under the delusion literary icon Margaret Atwood has invited them to stay with her in downtown Toronto. Having nothing better to do for the summer, they turn this into a full-on adventure traveling by bike and canoe from Sudbury to land on Ms. Atwood’s front lawn. En route, they experience a series of misadventures, encountering themes and images from several of Atwood’s best-loved novels.

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Check out the film trailer. I have a tiny part in this film. Can you spot me?

Three Screenings in November!

WORLD PREMIERE in SUDBURY! ~ Thursday, Nov. 14th at 8pm at Vale Cavern, Science North. Margaret Atwood will be present! ~ Facebook event page

SUDBURY ~ Friday, Nov. 22nd at 7:30pm at (old) Rainbow Cinemas. Female Eye Film Festival in Sudbury Opening Night -  Tickets are $25 . ~ Facebook event page

TORONTO ~ Monday, Nov. 18th at 7pm Carlton Cinema. (on Margaret Atwood’s actual birthday!) Tickets are $10 with an after-party next door. ~ Facebook event page. I hope to see you there!

Connect to BAM North Productions

Website | Facebook | Twitter: @BethofBAMNorth

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Filed under: Author Promotions, Important Announcements

ANNETTA RIBKEN (@netta50) ~ The Chariot Interview and a FAB GIVEAWAY

Get to know Annetta Ribken, one of the 22 contributors to and editor of the recently-released Allegories of the Tarot Anthology (which is already trailblazing its way up the fantasy anthology charts on Amazon!). Annetta wrote her tale, Squashfest, based on The Chariot card. You can read an excerpt of her story below.

Get the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, and everywhere else e-books are sold.  Add the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

About Annetta

A professional editor of over eighty novels, Annetta Ribken has also been writing since a tender young age, when letters were chiseled on stone tablets. A precocious student, Annetta earned her Ph.D in the School of Hard Knocks, with honors, in the early Age of Disco. She lives and works just outside of St. Louis with her evil feline overlord, a rescued shelter cat named Athena.

Annetta has big plans to release the sequels to Athena’s Promise (Book One of the Aegean Trilogy) and The Trailer Park Tiara and the Goat Incident (a Sally Mae Riddley Adventure) in 2014. She is not too proud to bribe her muse with chocolate.

You can find out all about her at about.me/annettaribken including a link to her fiction on Amazon and all other fine online book stores.

Just a few questions…

What intrigues you about this particular Tarot card? The Chariot is all about victory and overcoming obstacles due to hard work and self-discipline. I’m really in touch with that feeling. Funny enough, it was also the last card left after the other writers had their pick. Coincidence? You decide.

Why did you decide to get roped into this project? Since I started the whole thing , you can read how it all began here for the long version, but the short version is it’s a cool idea and it wouldn’t leave me alone.

Have you ever had dealings with the Tarot before? I have. Obviously, or this would be an anthology about something else. I’m fascinated by the images and the meanings behind the cards, although I feel like the Tarot is more about the human experience than anything occult. But how the cards fall? Could be Fate.

What other projects do you have planned? Yoiks. I’m a full-time freelance editor, so I usually always have something going on. In my spare time (snort) I’m working on finishing ATHENA’S CHAINS, the sequel to ATHENA’S PROMISE, and the second novella in the Adventures of Sally Mae Riddley series.

How did you decide what to write about? I have this chatty wench in my head and she never shuts up. You speak as if I had a choice. I started a different story, but Sally Mae was having NONE OF IT.

How literal did you want to get with your card? I didn’t want to be too literal, but again, Sally Mae had other plans. I think the story has subtleties which involve The Chariot which might be cleared up the more her overall story comes to light.

Is your story a part of something you’ve written about previously? Yes, indeedy. SQUASHFEST is part of the Sally Mae world, set just before the events in THE TRAILER PARK TIARA AND THE GOAT INCIDENT.

Would you like to have written about any other card? Which card? Why? I actually think it was the perfect card. I’d really like to write stories about all the cards, because there’s so much rich story fodder there. Eventually, I may do just that.

If you could have the power to divine the future, would you or would you not and why? The Tarot isn’t so much a divination of the future as much as it is a reflection of the human experience and a guide to what you might face. I actually believe the future is far from certain; there are too many variables which depend on the decisions of others. That being said, I further believe everything happens for a reason, and it’s up to you how you react. It’s all about CHOICE.

I think knowing what the future holds would be a burden and scary as hell.

An excerpt from Squashfest

She settled on one side of the table and me and Becky Jo flopped to a seat on the pillows. The woman’s eyes never left my face, which I found a bit disconcerting. Like she was studying a bug on a pin. She reached out toward a covered object and moved it away. “Not the crystal ball,” she said. Squinting her eyes, she pulled out a deck of old, worn cards and placed it in the center of the table. “No, for you it will be the cards.”

I shivered. Becky Jo sat all quiet-like, her hands clasped in her lap. I wondered what she was picking up from all this.

“But first,” the woman continued, “there must be payment.”

Oh, hellfire. I hope Becky Jo din’t spend her last dime on that butternut. “How much, ma’am?”

“Give me what you have in your pockets. Both of you. Because I can see you’re closely tied together.”

I warn’t too impressed by that, considering we’d come in hand-in-hand. She’s probably nothing but a big faker.

She tsked. “I assure you, I’m the real deal.”

I pert near swallowed my tongue.

Read the rest of Squashfest in the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology!

About Allegories of the Tarot

Once upon a time, there was an editor with a fascination for the Tarot. She was struck one day by a crazy idea. “Hey,” she said. “What if twenty-two writers each wrote a story about the twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot and were fashioned into an anthology?”

The idea would not leave her alone.

And thus, the Allegories of the Tarot was born.

Crowdfunded by a campaign on Indiegogo with the help and support of an amazing group of writers, twenty-two stories were crafted around the mysteries of the Tarot. The group includes a Pushcart Prize nominee, a Pulp Ark nominee, a former Bigfoot researcher, a journalist, an award-winning YA author, and a Rhysling Award winner. Professional writers, new talent, and a range of genres boggling the mind: Horror, Speculative Fiction, Bizarro Fiction, Erotica, Mystery, Humor, Paranormal, Epic Fantasy, Literary, Romance, and Historical Fantasy.

What has emerged is an outstanding collection of fiction, unique and mysterious. Stories that will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you think. Stories that make you feel the touch of the Universe.

Dare to step through the portal to shadowy realms and emotional journeys.

Get the book!

Allegories of the Tarot is available in e-book and paperback format on Amazon, Kobo, and in multiple e-book formats on Smashwords.

Don’t forget to add Allegories of the Tarot to your to-read shelf on Goodreads.

Connect with the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology on its website, Facebook, and Twitter.

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