P.C. Zick's Blog, page 25
June 12, 2015
Amazon’s Logical TOC and Author Review Rules
Here’s an excellent piece for all Indie Authors.
Originally posted on I’ve posted about reviews and inserting a table of contents into your eBooks before, but I wanted to discuss them again, with special emphasis on Amazon KDP rules.
First, just a quick word about the table of contents. I’m editing a non-fiction book that I want a proper NCX table of contents for, that shows up in the little Go To menu itself, so I’ve been exploring Amazon’s guidelines. I wasn’t aware before that fiction had to have a logical table of contents, but it is now actually a requirement, and authors are starting to get notices from them to put them in their eBooks if they haven’t already. The HTML table of contents that we did here previously is Strongly Recommended by Amazon as well, but the Logical one is a requirement. This table of contents according to Amazon “Lets the reader easily find parts, sections, and chapters of…
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June 10, 2015
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – MARY SMITH
I’m very excited about introducing you to this week’s author, Mary Smith. Her debut novel, No More Mulberries, continues to garner praise for its portrayal of marriage and life in Afghanistan. She’s created a novel of distinction about intimacy and adaptation, while offering up historical perspective on the Afghan culture.
Welcome to Author Wednesday, Mary. It’s lovely of you to spend time with me today. I’m always curious to learn about other authors. You’ve done a variety of writing in the past, but is there a form of written expression you’d like to try?
I’ve written fiction, memoir, news stories, magazine features, and poetry – and now I’m trying my hand at a short stage play. It is interesting to try different things, but maybe I need to focus on fiction for a while and get another novel out there.
I understand. The past two or three years, I’ve stopped dabbling and concentrated on my novels. But I’m still drawn to other forms. Let’s talk about No More Mulberries. What’s your one sentence pitch for it?
Set in Afghanistan, No More Mulberries is the story of Scottish-born Miriam and her Afghan husband, Dr Iqbal — a story of cross-cultural differences, past loves, loss, and, ultimately, love.
It’s the next book on my TBR list, and I can’t wait to be captivated by the story. Did you publish No More Mulberries traditionally or did you self-publish?
The paperback is published by an unusual company called FeedARead which received funding from the Arts Council in the UK to publish a certain number of books. It pays the author a slightly higher royalty rate but doesn’t do any promotion. The author retains all rights, so I was able to self-publish No More Mulberries as an eBook. It’s the eBook which makes money for me, and I would certainly choose to self-publish again.
It sounds as if you found the perfect marriage between traditional and self publishing. What is the message you hoped to convey in No More Mulberries?
I spent several years working in Afghanistan during the years between the Soviets leaving and the rise of the Taliban, and I got a bit fed up of the Western media reports and the books written by men, which all seemed to focus on the war and dismissed women as being irrelevant. I hope people who read No More Mulberries come away understanding the women of Afghanistan, despite the hardships in their lives, are not downtrodden victims but strong women who want the best for their families – as we all do. I also hope readers feel that whatever differences there may be in geography, religion, culture, humanity is the same everywhere.
I commend you for addressing this issue through fiction. What is the best thing someone could say about No More Mulberries?
“I loved it!” Actually, someone called Frenchie posted a review on Amazon (UK) which delighted me because she so obviously ‘got’ the book. “It is simply a life story, a love story, a vision to change a little part of the world, and a need for closure … A simple but oh so beautiful story that will stay with me for a very, very long time.” It is too long a review to post in full here but this is the link if anyone wants to check it out: http://amzn.to/1Q8Os4S.
It’s a satisfying experience when someone gets the essence of my writing, so I understand how this review pleased you. How did you come up with the idea for this novel?
I was exploring a ‘what if’ question. When I was living in Pakistan someone said mixed marriages never work – just as I was about to go to a party to celebrate twenty-five years of marriage between a German woman and Pakistani man. The comment stayed with me. What if a British woman married an Afghan man, and they lived in Afghanistan – what problems would they encounter and could a marriage survive? I gave my couple a few extra complications such as the loss of her previous husband, his first love, and cultural differences. I wanted to write a good, page-turning story, which could also open a window to show life in rural Afghanistan for ordinary people, especially women.
What type of research did you do in the writing of this book?
I lived in Afghanistan for several years, working for a health organisation and kept a diary throughout that time. Although the characters and their story are fictional, a number of incidents are based on events I experienced or witnessed. However, that’s not to say I didn’t need to do any research, especially when making any political, historical, or religious references. It was important for me to make sure they were correct. I read widely, but also found Afghan friends were happy to help and emails would often fly across the ether.
That’s important and something that isn’t often realized about the writing of fiction. Even though we imagine the plot and characters, the context where they exist must be accurate. Without giving us a spoiler, tell us a little bit about your favorite scene in this book.
Never mind a scene, I have a favorite chapter! Chapter Four. It actually changed the book entirely. Up until then the story was told from Miriam’s point of view, and I was worried Iqbal was coming over as a less than sympathetic character. Chapter Four is in his voice, and suddenly I understood a lot more about him than when I started writing. I – and I hope readers – could see that he, and not only Miriam, is carrying around a lot of baggage from his past.
What else do you want readers to know about No More Mulberries?
It’s my first novel, but I’ve started on another. I also have a non-fiction book, Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni: Real Stories of Afghan Women, which tells about part of the time I was working in Afghanistan.
Thank you for stopping by today, Mary. I hope you’ll come back when the new book is published.
About Mary Smith: Writer, freelance journalist, and poet Mary Smith lives in beautiful South West Scotland. Although she has always written, whether it was childish short stories, very bad angst-ridden poetry as a teenager, diaries or funding reports, she never really believed she could write for publication. And so she did lots of other things instead including fundraising for Oxfam, and later working in Pakistan and Afghanistan for leprosy programs. While in Afghanistan, she established a low-key mother and child care program, providing skills and knowledge to women health volunteers. Those experiences inform much of her writing. Her debut novel, No More Mulberries is set in Afghanistan, and she has also written Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni: Real Stories of Afghan Women, a narrative non-fiction account about her time in Afghanistan, which offers an authentic insight into how ordinary Afghan women and their families live their lives.
Links to books and social media sites:
Facebook address: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000934032543
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marysmithwriter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5239367.Mary_Smith
Website: www.marysmith.co.uk
http://enovelauthorsatwork.com/mary-smith/
Blogs:
http://novelpointsofview.blogspot.co.uk/
https://marysmith57.wordpress.com/2014/07/
June 3, 2015
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – STELLA EROMONSERE-AJANAKU
I welcome romance writer Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku to Author Wednesday today.
When were you first able to call yourself a “writer” or “author?”
My writing took an active turn in 2010 when I first published Flirty & Feisty Romance first novel titled; Loitering Shadows. I love to write and romance is my No. 1 passion. At the start of 2010, I ditched full time work for more than a year. In between undertaking school runs and enchanting my husband, I had free time to pursue my interest. So I wrote a personal story embellished with frills of fiction. At least half of the story was true. The reader must try to sort out the truth from fiction. Loitering Shadows was my first attempt at self-publishing and the book cover spots my husband and me. My upcoming title, Forbidden Dance is Flirty & Feisty Romance ninth novel.
What’s the best thing said about one of your books by a reviewer?
A reviewer left this remark about Kiss My Lips (Holiday Series #2) “Uhm…Stella got me sighing each time Lorna and Logan made love. Each experience is new and intense. I love Logan for proving his love in so many ways. An example is convincing Mr. Marie to give her away at the altar. That is priceless. I look forward to a possible romance between Rochelle and Dominic. She is so determined to get a good man. I love Aunt Nneka even more. She is a rare gem. Logan shines through in Kiss My Lips proving his love over and over. I might as well confess I am in love with him. Lol. And a baby to seal their love…awww”.
Tell me a little bit about your new release, Forbidden Dance. When will it be released and what’s the pitch for the book?
Forbidden Dance will be released on July 15. Here’s the pitch: A married woman wants to embrace a new admirer in pursuit of a lifetime of happiness, but what will it cost her?
Sounds intriguing. What is the best thing someone could say about this book?
It would be sweet for a reader to say Forbidden Dance gave them hope to hold onto their marriage no matter how lonely or dark the road becomes.
How did you come up with the idea?
Forbidden Dance was borne out of my concern for the increasing number of marriages hitting the rocks. As an optimist and a die-hard romance lover, one beautiful spring morning, about six weeks ago, I sat staring out of my bedroom window, and Alero’s story drifted into my thoughts. Soon, her hopeless marriage filled my waking moments, and I wondered if there would be light at the end of the tunnel. The speed with which she drove out of her husband’s home, not on a whim, but after too many setbacks, left me open-mouthed. After that, the story took on a few twists.
Who is the antagonist in your book? Did you enjoy creating this character?
Zane Abdul, a tall, handsome car dealer of Moroccan descent, is a romantic, who is willing to protect his love. He resides in Casablanca, loves to wear his baseball hat facing backwards and enjoys sensual dance steps. Zane snaps up Alero (heroine) from the minute he sets his sexy eyes on her. There is one snag. Alero is married.
I enjoyed creating Zane because he gives Kyle (Alero’s husband – hero) a good run for his money. This is the first male antagonist I have fallen in love with.
Love to love a bad boy, right? That’s funny. If a movie was made about your success as a writer, who would play you?
Lovely question. There is a woman who comes readily to mind. Her name is Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde, a Nollywood actress. I think she would play me so well, domestically and professionally. Omotola is an epitome of a successful, hardworking African woman.
Just like you! Thank you so much for stopping by today, Stella. I wish you success with your new release.
About Stella: Stella loves writing romance novels that are as intriguing and flirty as they are entertaining. Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels are a wide range of toe-curling, skin-tingling romance books with compelling characters who have heart and soul.
The stories are dotted with unexpected twists and turns and conflicts. The stories are set in fascinating Africa, enticing Europe and enchanting America. The witty dialogue between the characters keeps you thoroughly entertained.
If you want to cuddle up and relax, grab a copy, travel with the characters and sail away to Pleasure Island. The stories cure boredom and relieve stress.
In 2010, Stella created Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels. There are seven published contemporary and one historical romance title in the basket. In her leisure time, Stella goes swimming, reads romance novels, goes to the Cinema with her family, and watches TV.
Links
May 31, 2015
E Novel Author Giveaway
An exceptional group of writers and a great giveaway – happy Sunday!
Originally posted on Chicklit Sisters:
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May 29, 2015
The Right to Free Speech vs. the Right to Not be Offended
A very well written piece on free speech and what it entails.
Originally posted on a day in the life of patootie:
The Right to Free Speech vs. the Right to Not be Offended
First… The right to free speech is a constitution right. The right to not be offended does not exist. There are limits to free speech such as lies (yelling “fire” when there is none), derogatory statements about race or gender (which can be construed as hate speech), using obscenities on the radio and tv, and a few more you can look up yourself.
Being an author, a blogger, and an artist, I’m strongly attached to this issue. There is an important discussion going on in this country regarding our right to free speech, and many organizations are circling the wagons, but there seems to be some major confusion between “recognizing bad taste” and “being deeply offended.” There was recently an incident of a satirist being accused of sexual harassment over a college newspaper article published on April Fool’s…
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May 27, 2015
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – FRANCIS GUENETTE
Today I welcome back Francis Guenette, author of the Crater Lake series. She’s recently published Chasing Down the Night, the third book in the series. I loved each of the previous novels, Disappearing in Plain Sight and The Light Never Lies. I’m very pleased to turn over the reins of Author Wednesday to her capable hands.
Writing a Series of Stand Alone Novels
By Francis Guenette
Beware of the person of one book – Thomas Aquinas
I doubt Aquinas had authors of book series in mind when he penned these words but I seem to have derived my raison d’entre from this thought – at least when it comes to writing.
Many thanks to P.C. for inviting me to appear on her wonderful blog. My guest post will delve into a sticky issue. How stand-alone must each book in an ongoing series be?
First off, let us clear up one point. There is a distinct difference between books in a series and serialized books. Each book in a series must be somewhat stand-alone. The storylines introduced should be resolved by the last page – at least resolved enough so that if the author never again laid fingers to the keyboard to continue, all would be well. Not to say fans wouldn’t be sad but such is life.
Not so with a serial. These books can leave a reader dangling over the verge of a veritable cliff and the authors congratulate themselves on a job well done. The message is clear – buy the next book if you want to know what is going to happen as the train barrels down the track towards beautiful Mary tied to the tracks.
I suppose the most important part of this distinction is that readers know what they’re getting into before they start reading.
A series of novels can be loosely knit together or tightly woven. I see my books as falling close to the tightly woven side of things. Even so, I aim for stand-alone status. A good analogy would be to an ongoing TV series. Viewers coming in at season three or later will have to do a bit of guesswork but a well done TV show will provide enough backstory to keep all who watch in the loop.
Agreement on how much backstory is necessary is mixed.
After reading Chasing Down the Night, a reader said, “I didn’t have a clue who Tim and Marlene were.” Soon after these characters were mentioned, I included a line that went something like – no wonder Lisa-Marie loved boarding with them when she was in high school. A reader felt sidelined when Brigit comments that Izzy has a lovely daughter and Izzy thinks that she will let that comment slide. Going into book three without having read the second book in the series, Sophie’s parentage is left deliberately vague. This is true to who the characters are; that is the first imperative for the author. And this bit of tension results in a delicious eye-widening when the truth becomes obvious.
Wearing my reader hat, I have often jumped into a series partway through. I enjoy the guessing game tensions that ensue. My curiosity drives me to find out if my suspicions are right by buying and reading earlier volumes. Jamming my author hat on, I am profoundly thankful for reader feedback and take seriously the comments. The next time I’m back at Crater Lake writing book four, I may decide to add more clues.
To make sense of the third book in my series – Chasing Down the Night – is it necessary to have read the first two? No. My editor and I agree on one point – give only enough information to pique the reader’s interest but tell no more than is required to move this particular story forward. Is a finer understanding of the characters derived from reading all three books? Definitely.
I don’t guarantee that readers starting the Crater Lake Series after book one will enjoy an effortless read but the breadcrumbs laid out along the paths are there. I do promise a story worth the energy it takes to put the puzzle together.
About Francis: Francis Guenette has spent all of her life on the west coast of British Columbia. She lives with her husband and finds inspiration for writing in the beauty and drama of their off-grid, lakeshore cabin and garden. She has a graduate degree in Counselling Psychology. She has worked as an educator, trauma counsellor and researcher. Chasing Down the Night is her third novel in the Crater Lake Series.
Read other Author Wednesday features with Francis Guenette
My reviews
Purchase Links for Chasing Down the Night
May 20, 2015
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – ANDREW P. WESTON
Welcome to Author Wednesday. Today I welcome bestselling author Andrew P. Weston who’s here to talk about the creation of his very successful novel The IX, science fiction fantasy with mythology and alternative history thrown in the mix. It’s quite a journey for readers who love any genre of fiction. See for yourself. Here’s Andrew’s blurb about the book. 
Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists of Caledonia.
A U.S. cavalry company, engaged on a special mission, vital to the peace treaty proposed by Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln.
A twenty-first century Special Forces unit, desperate to prevent a nuclear catastrophe.
From vastly different backgrounds, these soldiers are united when they are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing. Thinking they may have been granted a reprieve, imagine their horror when they discover they have been transported to a failing planet on the far side of the galaxy, where they are given a simple ultimatum. Fight or die. Against all odds, this group of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe, only to discover the true cost of victory might exact a price they are unwilling to pay.
How far would you be willing to go to stay alive?
The IX. Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure.
How I cooked up the idea for…The IX
By Andrew P. Weston
The concept surrounding The IX came about following a lively and opinionated discussion during a veterans reunion dinner in the early part of 2013. Military history has always been a hobby of mine, and several ex-Royal Marine colleagues started chatting about the fate of the legendary lost 9th Legion of Rome.
It’s not until you begin to research the subject that you realize what a mighty edifice a legion was. More than five thousand strong, they were a self-sufficient micro-civilization on the march, capable of building an entire fortification at the end of every day’s journey in which to sleep soundly. And yet, the 9th Legion marched into the swirling mists of Northern Caledonia (Scotland) sometime between AD100 – 120 (Estimates vary, which is a mystery in itself) and were never seen again. How come?
That conversation stayed with me for several months until I happened to catch an old movie on TV, entitled, Millennium. In that film, time travelers visit the present day and steal passengers from doomed aircraft with the intention of repopulating a barren world of the future.
I am an avid science fiction fan, and the conversation from the reunion dinner immediately sprang to mind. Obviously, I began to imagine what if?
What if the 9th Legion were taken? Not just into our future…but somewhere and somewhen else entirely. What if their antagonists were also snatched away with them? A scenario like that would obviously create a cauldron of bubbling tension, especially if those adversaries were then forced to rely on each other in order to survive an even greater peril. Ouch!
I started to let those thoughts foment, and came up with a spicy twist. Would it be a good idea to include additional groups of refugees from other time periods, especially if they had to face the very real prospect of death all over again as well? (I know, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, doesn’t it?)
I chose a U.S. cavalry unit from around the time of the presidential elections of 1860. That period has always fascinated me. Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln was juggling growing pressure between state governors and congress regarding the issue of the Native American peoples. So, I invented a secret peace proposal between him and certain tribes from the Plains Cree nations. Of course, this ‘treaty’ would also be compounded by an ongoing internal conflict between the actual clans themselves, all of which would add to the simmering uncertainty.
Into the pot, I added a straightforward anti-terrorist Special Forces team from the near future. That was easy, because of my military experience.
It took a great deal of research and preparation, but I was very pleased with the resulting outline, as it provided a fresh approach to what many people had started to look on as a boring genre.
But of course, I couldn’t just leave it at that. Yes…I’d started off well by basing the plot around the fictional fate of an actual legion. But how could I add a sweetener, one that would bring things to the boil and ensure the reader could taste a hint of realism?
As many people appreciate, when books have a ring of truth about them – even Science Fiction and Fantasy stories – it gives your story a solid foundation. If it’s believable, people will be able to relate to what they’re reading. If they relate to it, you capture their attention. You suck them into your fabricated world and get them chewing things over for themselves. That’s exactly what I wanted. Yes, I had to stretch the imagination – make it a “stir-fried’ adventure – for want of an apt synonym, but nonetheless, I had to ensure the main ingredients were based in well researched ‘reality’.
With The IX, the 9th were a real Legion who existed and disappeared into the mists of Caledonia. The 5th cavalry company were based in a time of real civil unrest during American history. The Special Forces unit were based on real experiences from my life in the military. The fighting styles and methods of each faction involved are based on real elements and techniques. So yes, even though the IX is a science fiction novel, it’s as historical and as realistic as it can be.
And of course, the story hits you with the indulgence of a real moral dilemma too.
Sometimes, we face hurdles in life that seem overwhelming. Then something bigger and nastier comes along that makes you realize, wow, my problems seem so small and insignificant. In The IX, former enemies who hated each other with a vengeance are thrown into a situation where their choice is really simple.
Forget your former animosities, and pull together against a greater enemy…or you simply won’t survive.
Being a military veteran who has seen action in a number of theaters around the world, I’ve often pondered the notion. You know, what would I do in a situation like that? Would I really be able to put aside my feelings and concentrate on staying alive, especially if it was against a relentless, remorseless adversary who wanted all life snuffed out?
I’ve faced some pretty unpleasant people. Even so, the survivor in me answered the question without hesitation…Hell Yes!
As the tagline of The IX says, Fight or Die!
So, there you go. That’s how The IX came to be. I took a cup of imagination and stirred in three tablespoons of research. To that, I added a healthy dash of determination. The final sprinkling of magic is what rounded it off. A certain recipe for success.
People seem to like it, which makes all the hard work worthwhile.
About Andrew: Andrew P. Weston is a Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, Annette, and their growing family of rescue cats.
An astronomy and law graduate, he is a contracted writer of fiction and poetry. Creator of “The IX” – and the “Guardians” and “Cambion Journals” series, has also has the privilege of being a member of the British Science Fiction Association, and British Fantasy Society.
When not writing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and writes educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
Click below to find out more about Andrew P. Weston
May 19, 2015
Get Ready for Some Great Summer Reading!
14 Full-length Novels & Novellas
Available as a boxed set for a limited time – on sale now for only .99!
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A savings of more than 75% if the books were purchased separately
Summer is heating up with 14 traditional romances from USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors, brought to you by Book Boyfriends Cafe. Foreword by USA Today bestselling author, Leanne Banks.
Cora Rules by Mel Curtis, USA Today Bestselling Author. NBA coach Trent Parker is a stickler for the rules, until he meets Cora Rule, the biggest rulebreaker of the Rule clan.
Surrender to Love by Raine English, USA Today Bestselling Author. When Tara Spencer agrees to spend the summer caring for her ailing grandmother, she has no idea how her life will be changed by the handsome stranger next door.
The Merry-Go-Round by Author Donna Fasano, USA Today Bestselling Author. When Lauren divorces her husband, her life quickly turns into a 3-ring circus. Will she step off the merry-go-round–or reach out and grab the brass ring?
Twist of Fate by Patti Forsythe, USA Today Bestselling author. Rebecca Perris is on a dangerous quest to find her sister, but when she meets Aaron al-Rashid again, it’s her heart that’s at risk.
Her French Count by Mona Risk, USA Today Bestselling Author. A Da Vinci Code in a French Chateau. The lovely American architect has turned his life upside down, but are his chateau and a missing statue worth endangering her life?
Love Me Forever by Ari Thatcher, USA Today Bestselling Author. Escaping to Maui to get over her divorce, Jen runs into her first love, who blew her off at the end of her vacation. Matt had given up hope of ever finding her again. Can he convince her to give him a second chance?
Playing the Rookie by Rachelle Ayala, National Bestselling Author. A rookie pitcher and a sports intern on the rebound connect to get over their exes. Will their fling turn into true love or destroy both of their careers?
Duke of Devonwood by Carly Carson, National Bestselling Author Sparks fly as Miranda plots to gain control of her inheritance from a modern day Duke who tries his best to resist her wiles. Can both of them win?
True North by Kelly Collins, National Bestselling Author. Alexa leaves Los Angeles with a scarred heart, a beat up car and a secret. She’s fleeing her hopelessness to find her future. Can a sexy stranger mend her heart and be her compass?
Fashion Victim by Suz deMello, best-selling, award-winning author: Hot isn’t a hot enough word to describe corporate raider Fletcher Wolf, but since he’s suing couturier Cara Fletcher for, oh, a gazillion dollars, she figures she shouldn’t hit on him…at least not too hard.
Season, Unforgettable by Keta Diablo, National Bestselling Author. He promised his mother he’d wrap up the Pine Bay project, and he would have if not for a nature lover who can’t be bought at any price. Now he’s fighting for the other side, fighting to recapture his abandoned dreams, and fighting to win her heart.
Most Likely to Turn up the Heat by Cheryl Harper. Sue Walker’s “no soldiers, no cops, no coworkers” policy doesn’t stand a chance against injured cop turned high school security guard Max Holt. His mission to return to Dallas and danger could be the deal breaker.
My Favorite What If by Lyssa Layne, National Bestselling Author. Jacob “Smitty” Smith and Sloan Talbott have both have been hurt. Neither is looking for love. Will one week in paradise be a fling to remember or could it possibly lead to something more?
Relay For Love by Susan Ann Wall, National Bestselling Author. A cancer survivor who celebrates in silence…a widow who remembers the man she lost…a fight back where two hearts battle to be together.
Facebook Party
Don’t miss out on the fabulous Facebook party on May 19!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/378702042312928/
May 15, 2015
#FREE FRIDAY
I’ve been running a “free” download campaign for my book of travel essays–both physical and personal–Odyssey to Myself this week.
Just wanted to let you know that today is the last day to download your FREE copy.
Click here to get your free copy today. Happy Friday!
May 13, 2015
AUTHOR WEDNESDAY – JANET MORRIS
Welcome to Author Wednesday and a guest post by Janet Morris, the author Tempus, a best-selling work of fantasy that has developed into much more than one work of fiction. Tempus even has its own Wikepedia page. Tempus is also a part of the box set, At Odds with Destiny. I’m pleased to have Janet here today to talk about how her dynasty with the Tempus character.
The Birth of Tempus
By Janet Morris
I started writing stories about my soon-to-be iconic character Tempus in a most unexpected way. At the World Science Fiction convention, I sat on a panel with editor of the Thieves’ World series, Robert L. Asprin. In front of a packed house, he leaned forward into his microphone and asked me to write for his new “shared word” series, “Thieves’ World.” Flustered and delighted, but having no idea what Thieves world might be about, I said yes.
After the panel, Bob Asprin explained what he wanted: a story of up to ten thousand words, set in Sanctuary, a town meant to be the armpit of fantasy, a town we writers would all shasre as the locale for our stories. Our characters would remain ours to do with as we pleased elsewhere, but the Sanctuary locale belonged to the story, and Bob would send me a backgrounder about the town and the unfortunate and corrupt people who lived there in some forgotten place and past. He said he wanted it dark; he wanted the characters to be thieves and murderers and witches and such, and the government to be unable to keep the peace. Tyhere was one volume of this shared anthology already published, and Bob said he’d send me a copy of the book to show me what others had done.
But by then I already knew what I wanted to write, and what characters I wanted to use. I had written a very short story about a mage-killer, Cime, and her target, Askelon, the last great archmage, and the place where he ruled. I asked if I could bring some pre-existing characters and places, and the editor gave me permission. I asked if I could write characters who were both heroic and anti-heroic, and the editor said yes. So I originally thought I’d expand my existing story, and reference my archmage’s world of Meridian, an island which only sometimes appeared in our world. Bob Asprin okayed this as well.
But by the time I arrived home, I had another story in mind: Tempus, my character, had come storming into my brain: Tempus the Riddler, Tempus the Black, Tempus the Obscure. Tempus would be analogous to Heraclitus of Ephesus, but be the man Heraclitus would have been if he’d done what he advised others to do. So from that assignment came Tempus at his nadir, once a general, now a mercenary fallen on hard times, alone in lawless Sanctuary with a mission from the capital to see if the feckless prince who ruled the town could ever make a king. Come would be his sister, and Askelon his nemesis, but first I had to introduce him in a way that would make the editor want not only that story, but more stories of Tempus and Cime and the wizard-ridden world they perceived.
So I wrote, “Vashanka’s Minion,” the first story in the Tempus epic; Bob loved its anti-heroic flavor, and asked me to do another, which was “A Man and his God,” in which two men kiss, a priest of the Storm God dies, and Tempus’ world forever changes as he inherits the Sacred Band.
Right there, when the Sacred Band begins, the story becomes historical fantasy, since our Sacred Band is modeled on the heroic but doomed Sacred Band of Thebes.
I loved writing the first Tempus stories; the characters obsessed me; once I connected Tempus to Heraclitus and fantasy Sanctuary to the real ancient past, I knew exactly what to do. I have never had more fun writing.
And evidently the readers had fun reading the Tempus stories, for the Thieves’ world series was a great success, selling more than a million copies, success enough that I could propose and sell a stand-alone Tempus book, to be a novelized anthology in which my earliest Tempus tales are seen by his young companion in war, Nikodemos. And in which (even better) I could publish my story about Cime the mage-killer and Askelon, lord of dreams who rules Meridian.
It was during this interval as I was preparing the novelized anthology, Tempus, that the shared-world Thieves’ World became a bestseller; then I also sold the to-be-written trilogy about Tempus and his Sacred Band, called the Beyond trilogy (Beyond Sanctuary, Beyond the Veil, Beyond Wizardwall) as hardcovers for Baen Books, as Science Fiction Book Club selections, and as Ace mass market paperbacks. Subsequently, I wrote three more Tempus novels for Baen, and then many years later assembled the final Thieves’ World Sacred Band tales, along with new stories written expressly for that volume, in a second novelized anthology, The Fish the Fighters and the Song-girl, and also, for Perseid Press, the epic Tempus novel, The Sacred Band.
For more than thirty years now, I have been writing about Tempus (and his sister-in-arms Cime, and the Sacred Band of Stepsons), and he has been living in my head much in the same way that Tempus is inhabited by Enlil, the Akkadian Storm God. But this book Tempus is the original, the earliest, and these are the tales that made Tempus famous — how it all began.
About Janet: Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 20 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. She has contributed short fiction to the shared universe fantasy series “Thieves World, (TM)” in which she created the Sacred Band of Stepsons, a mythical unit of ancient fighters modeled on the Sacred Band of Thebes. She created, orchestrated, and edited the Bangsian fantasy series Heroes in Hell, writing stories for the series as well as co-writing the related novel, The Little Helliad, with Chris Morris. Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.
Click below for links to more about Tempus and Janet Morris
Wikipedia page for Sacred Band of Stepsons series
At Odds With Destiny box set
Ten Authors and Ten Novels
including Tempus by Janet Morris and Native Lands by P.C. Zick
Great Summer Reading for only $.99 cents
