Zena Shapter's Blog, page 17
March 25, 2017
How @CatSparx Signs Books
What kind of books does Cat Sparks write?
Speculative and climate change fiction.
Tell me more!
Cat Sparks is a multi-award-winning Australian author, editor and artist whose former employment has included: media monitor, political and archaeological photographer, graphic designer, Fiction Editor of Cosmos Magazine and Manager of Agog! Press. She’s currently finishing a PhD in climate change fiction. Her short story collection The Bride Price was published in 2013. Her debut novel, Lotus Blue, will be published by Skyhorse in March, 2017.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
Blog: catsparks.net
Twitter: @Catsparx
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 24, 2017
How @PamelaHartBooks Signs Books
What kind of books does Pamela Hart write?
Historical fiction and romance; also fantasy and children’s books as Pamela Freeman.
Tell me more!
Pamela Hart is an award-winning historical novelist who is published by Hachette Australia and Piatkus UK. Her most recent book is A Letter from Italy, set in 1917. As Pamela Freeman, she also writes fantasy novels and children’s books, including historical non-fiction. Pamela has published over 30 books and won numerous awards, including the NSW Premier’s History Prize for her novel The Black Dress.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 23, 2017
Lots of books are here!
Lots of books arrived this week! My print copy of the Sci Phi Journal collection arrived, which I can’t wait to read cover to cover. It includes my story ‘Let the Tempest Hold Me Down‘, which was published in this Hugo-nominated journal last year.
My story tells the tale of Tek, who has long believed in leading a different life. When tragedy strikes close to home, he’s more determined than ever to prove himself. Only hindsight will reveal how devastating his actions will be…
Tek was beautifully illustrated by the amazing Daniel Beaudin for the journal itself:
Tek’s journey begins thus:
When I glide into the yellows of our forest glen, I cannot hear the other steam spirits as I should. There are no deep fatherly voices calling to their sons, no wide-grown blades whipping the wind as fathers and sons fly together and chase microbes to eat. Blade axis rods should trill as they spin through the tubular bodies of old and young alike. Yet only the lighter flight and chatter of my cousins drift down from the thick steam above, and an unusual stink twists through the humid wisps around me – of hot blood and damp leaves. Why can I not hear any fathers? Did my cousins wait until I had to feed, then strike? I hesitate to look down, already sensing a carpet of dead steam spirits will lie beneath me among the tree roots…
To read more you simply contribute $4 via Patreon, which goes towards all the authors, or you can buy the print book I’m holding above for about $10.99. It includes 32 stories, articles and reviews.
All these books arrived too, because ‘The Time of the Jade Spider’ is here!!
These are books I publish and print to raise money for The Kids’ Cancer Project, because the thought of kids in pain makes me too sad to bear and The Kids’ Cancer Project is doing everything it can to stop childhood cancer. The launch for this particular book is tomorrow at 4pm in Manly Library, Sydney. If you can come along I’d love to see you, as would the other authors who wrote ‘The Time of the Jade Spider’ with me, all from my Northern Beaches Writers’ Group. Together we created a fantastic time-slip fantasy for middle-grade readers (8-14yrs), about Fin and Abi:
Fourteen-year-old Fingal O’Grady is convicted of theft and transported to Australia in the 1820s. Almost two centuries later, fourteen-year-old would-be beautician Abigail Harrington finds a mysterious spider amulet and their two worlds collide. When both children are kidnapped they realise they’re in possession of an object with enormous power. The Peacock Spider of Tien Shan leads them on an exciting and dangerous journey where nothing is what it seems. Will Fin ever find his place in time?
Sound good? It should – the story won the 2016 Open WABIAD Competition! Paul MacDonald of The Children’s Bookshop at Beecroft said its “narrative was a page-turner! The story flowed seamlessly and the characterisation was fantastic. A good old fashioned time slip story! Perfect for middle grade readers”. Here are the launch details:
If of course you can’t make the launch, do consider buying a copy to support this very worthwhile charity: ‘The Time of the Jade Spider’ is available for order right now via the major online retail bookstores like Amazon, Booktopia and Book Depository. In fact you’ll find other books for sale on there also in support of The Kids’ Cancer Project: ‘Scribbles in the Dark’, ‘A Dolphin for Naia’, and ‘Rider & the Hummingbird’. Why not buy them all? He he… 
How @Nicole_R_Murphy Signs Books
What kind of books does Nicole Murphy write?
Speculative fiction, romance and erotica.
Tell me more!
Nicole Murphy fell in love with speculative fiction and romance at the same time – reading Lord of the Rings as a little girl. Since then, she has written in both sets of genres (and has even combined them). As Nicole Murphy she writes speculative fiction and as Elizabeth Dunk, she writes contemporary romance and erotica. Her 11th book ‘The Making of Henri Higgins’ is being released 5 March by Escape Publishing.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
You can catch up with Nicole at elizabethdunkwriter.wordpress.com/
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 22, 2017
How @JoanneAnderton Signs Books
What kind of books does Joanne Anderton write?
Mostly speculative fiction, though she enjoys playing around with the all genres under that umbrella. Mixing a little magic with her science makes her happy, and almost everything is improved by a pinch of horror.
Tell me more!
Joanne Anderton is an award-winning author of speculative fiction stories for anyone who likes their worlds a little different. She sprinkles a pinch of science fiction to spice up her fantasy, and thinks horror adds flavour to just about everything. Her science fiction/fantasy novels have been published by Angry Robot Books and Fablecroft Publishing. Her short story collection, The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories, was published by Fablecroft Publishing. She has won the Aurealis, Ditmar and Australian Shadows awards.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
Website: joanneanderton.com
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 21, 2017
How @AJSpedding Signs Books
What kind of books does Amanda J Spedding write?
Graphic novels, steampunk and apocalyptic horrors and speculative short stories.
Tell me more!
Amanda J Spedding is an editor, proofreader and award-winning author and comic writer whose stories have been published in local and international markets earning honourable mentions and recommended reads. She won the 2011 Australian Shadows Award (short fiction) for her steampunk-horror, ‘Shovel-Man Joe‘, and the 2015 Australian Shadows Award (written work in a graphic novel) for her comic, ‘The Road to Golgotha’. She is a freelance editor, and also the editor-in-chief for Cohesion Press. Between bouts of said editing, she is writing (and rewriting) her first novel – an apocalyptic horror. And short stories, oh how she loves her short stories. Amanda lives in Sydney with her sarcastically-gifted husband and two very cool kids. And cats. Of course she has cats.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
Her website is amandajspedding.com
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 20, 2017
How Jason Fischer Signs Books @JasonFischerio
What kind of books does Jason Fischer write?Mainly fantasy, the weird, and horror, with a dash of science fiction.
Tell me more!
Jason Fischer has won an Aurealis Award and the Writers of the Future Contest, and his writing has been included on multiple awards shortlists including the Ditmars and the Australian Shadows Awards. He is the author of dozens of short stories, with a novel, a collection, comics and computer game work also under his belt. He enjoys karaoke and loves puns more than life itself.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
His website is jasonfischer.com.au
What does his handwriting reveal?
Compare his swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
March 19, 2017
How @NansiKunze Signs Books
What kind of books does Nansi Kunze write?YA.
Tell me more!
Nansi Kunze grew up surrounded by books in Australia and the UK. After studying languages and ancient history at university, she spent several years teaching overseas-trained doctors how to pronounce rude words and teenagers how to mummify each other, while cultivating a taste for manga and video games in her spare time. She is the author of three Young Adult mystery novels: Mishaps, Dangerously Placed and Kill the Music. She also writes educational resources, and her primary school Sustainability series, World Makers, will be published by Hawker Brownlow Education in 2017. Nansi lives on a small farm overlooking the Victorian Alps with her husband and son, two cats and a thriving community of wild wombats.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
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March 18, 2017
How @Aleesah Darlison Signs Books
What kind of books does Aleesah Darlison write?Picture books, chapter books, junior fiction and middle grade. Contemporary fiction and fantasy.
Tell me more!
Aleesah Darlison is an award-winning Australian author who writes picture books, chapter books and novels. Her much-loved stories promote courage, understanding, anti-bullying, self-belief, teamwork and environmental themes. In 2015, she won the Environment Award for Children’s Literature (Non-Fiction) for her picture book, Our Class Tiger. She has won numerous other awards for her writing. Aleesah has written over thirty-five books including Awesome Animal Stories for Kids, the Netball Gems Series, the Unicorn Riders Series, the Totally Twins Series, Ash Rover: Keeper of the Phoenix, Little Good Wolf, Mama and Hug (koalas), Running from the Tiger and the Little Witch Series.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
Website: aleesahdarlison.com.
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
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March 17, 2017
How @DebKalin Signs Books
What kind of books does Deb Kalin write?Her work touches on the human heart, monsters, desperation and doggedness; her stories deliver richly conceived and compelling worlds peopled by deeply human characters.
Tell me more!
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Deborah Kalin is an award-winning writer of literary speculative fiction, author of the novella collection Cherry Crow Children and of The Binding novels (Shadow Queen & Shadow Bound). Cherry Crow Children won the Aurealis Award for Best Horror Novella and Best YA Short Story, and was shortlisted for two further Aurealis Awards, the Ditmar Awards, and the Australian Shadows Awards. She lives in Melbourne, subject to the whims of a four year old who thinks she’s a cat and a cat who thinks she’s a person. Both of them whinge, mostly about sleep and food. (The toddler wants less of each; the cat more. Both want more outside time.) Kalin herself hasn’t slept uninterrupted through the night since March 2012.
Where can I find out even more about this fabulous author?
What does her handwriting reveal?
Compare her swirls and slants to the letters and revelations here, then scroll to check out your next author!
