M.R. Graham's Blog, page 21

So, tell me how this sounds…

There is a mystery in Pleasantville! Jason Morgan, the milkman, has disappeared and left all the milk on the side of the road. Why would Jason leave in such a hurry? Ten-year-olds Matthew Baker and Crystal Hill are on the case, but more people are going missing, and Matthew and Crystal both have their own strange secrets. Can they work together to find Jason and the others in time, or are their friends gone for good?

That’s right, I’m polishing up a short children’s mystery my grandmother and I wrote when I was ten. (More accurately, Gran wrote it, and I contributed several of the characters and some of the plot’s bones. To be perfectly honest, it may or may not be based on a play-pretend game I forced her into as a very small child. I was Crystal. Gran was Crystal’s bluestocking Aunt Amanda. The chair in the corner was Matthew.)

The book is called The Milk Wagon Mystery, and I hope it will end up being Volume 1 of a Pleasantville Detectives series. I’m meaning to have it out quite soon, since it was written years ago and all I really had to do was retype it.

Anyway, I’d like some feedback on the blurb above. Does it sound children’s-mystery-ish?

20 things somebody actually googled (blog challenge!)

Just for fun, in no particular order (except backwards, because it suits me), here are the twenty strangest search terms that have brought someone to my site:

20. Zombie Apocalypse Ideas

Now, I thought this was a little odd, but I did do one silly post about the zombie apocalypse. The really strange thing is that this is the search term that has resulted in the most views. Like, more than any other search term that has ever brought anyone to this blog. There were a number of variations on this, such as “Zombie Apocalypse Is Coming,” “Good Zombie Apocalypse” (what?), “Christmas Zombie Aplocalips” (no kidding…), “Apokylypz” (no…), and “zombee pocky lips” (don’t want to know).

19. Velvetbrownfox

I’ve gotten four views on four different dates from this search term. I have no idea what this refers to. I’m assuming it must be a thing, right?

18. подсолнухи картинки

Are search engines alphabet-specific? Google Translate tells me that this person wanted pictures of sunflowers, and I did indeed post pictures of sunflowers once, but I did not label them in Cyrillic.

17. the man sitting the feel of loneliness images

Really not sure.

16. peeing on bushes and weeds

Still not really sure.

15. dalek no trespassing

Swiper, no swiping!

14. grass fight texas

Everything in Texas is extremely aggressive. You should see those dandelions.

13. big spiders and a big cobweb

Halloween, I’m guessing?

12. texas Revolting

I’m tempted to run this through Google Image Search.

11. cranky political judges

I’m guessing ‘cranky’ was what brought them here. I don’t recall ever having mentioned politics or judges. Still, the mental image is nice.

10. is there a word that means “to suck the life out of everything”?

If there is, it’s probably German.

9. fart jelly gelly beans

Either a misinformed Harry Potter reference, or… No, I can’t think of anything else.

8. vampire poland homes

Best real estate service ever.

7. Comments made by blue bell ice cream drivers

Are they known for their pithy wit?

6. Boat or mountains?

I have no idea.

5. Morrigan puns

Ancient and complicated triple-goddesses lend themselves to quaint humor.

4. How to get children to internalize values

Smells like social engineering.

3. trippy sunflowers

Duuuuuuuuuuude.

2. Mexican dragons

Is that a thing? I know most cultures have some dragon-like creature in their mythology, but I’ve lived within driving distance of Mexico all my life and have never heard of a Mexican dragon.

1. i don’t words

It’s okay. Neither do I.

 

Your turn, bloggers. I challenge you to go through your search terms and list off all the weird ones!

Postponing publication

I’m shoving The Medium back, and I’m not sure by how much. My early, extremely optimistic estimate was that I would have it out by 31 October, but I’m now thinking December. It just isn’t ready, and it needs a little bit more time. I was reluctant to push it back at all, because I know I could spend the rest of my life tweaking away, and there comes a point at which you just have to step back and let your project go, but I really feel that this one could benefit from one more intensive and exhaustive tweak.

Going hunting for…

… the undead.

I started work on these some time ago, and just got around to finishing them. They’re hand-carved, stained and aged, and the grips are wrapped in waxed cotton thread. I hope to have quite a few more of them ready by the time AggieCon rolls around, assuming I can get a table again. Unfortunately, these are too big for the box I had been keeping my kit in. Needs a longer box, I suppose. Or shorter stakes.

Anyway, if I fail to acquire an AggieCon table or have leftovers, they’ll likely be showing up on Etsy.

Happy hunting!

(In my head, Daniel is in an absolute snit. He thinks I have far too much fun.)

SM Boyce of the Grimoire Saga has new covers!

Fantasy & paranormal novelist S. M. Boyce is releasing brand new covers for her YA Fantasy series, the Grimoire Saga. And man, are they visually stunning. Take a look!

 

Lichgates (Grimoire Saga #1)

Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre

—————-

Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things—Ourea.

Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea’s royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict—a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

Grab your FREE copy

Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Buy the Paperback

Kobo | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Add to Goodreads | Watch the Trailer

 

Treason (Grimoire Saga #2)

Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into Ourea and found the Grimoire: a powerful artifact filled with secrets. To protect the one person she has left, she strikes a deal that goes against everything she believes in. But things don’t go as planned.

Braeden Drakonin can no longer run from who—and what—he is. He has to face the facts. He’s a prince. He’s a murderer. He’s a wanted man. And after a betrayal that leaves him heartbroken, he’s out for blood.

To survive, both Kara and Braeden must become the evil each has grown to hate.

Grab Your Copy

Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Buy the Paperback

Kobo | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Add to Goodreads

Heritage (Grimoire Saga #3)

Available Fall 2013

In 2013, the saga continues with Heritage. Kara is forced to face a past she never knew existed, and Braeden must prove his loyalty to the brother who still wants him dead. (Set to release in Fall 2013.)

Bookmark Now

Add to Goodreads

Illusion (Grimoire Saga #4)

Available Fall 2014

In 2014, the Grimoire Saga ends with Illusion. Blood is spilled. Love is tested. Loyalty fades. Peace will come at a hefty cost. And in the final moments of the war, both Braeden and Kara must make a heartbreaking sacrifice to win. (Set to release in Fall 2014.)

Bookmark Now

Add to Goodreads

Sweet Materialism

I admit that I like stuff. I wouldn’t say that I’m trapped by my possessions, or anything  - at least not more so than anyone else. Still, I do consider myself a materialist.

A materialist is not a consumerist, though. I don’t like having stuff just for the sake of having stuff. In fact, I really like getting rid of stuff. I love going through old things and finding stuff I can throw out, donate, or list on eBay. The little clean spot that stuff leaves behind is something I treasure. I like having nice stuff. Just a few things, but of good quality. Things that last forever. (A lot of my wardrobe is thrift-store chic. It’s amazing what sorts of nice things people get rid of, and how handy friends with sewing machines are.)

I spent this past weekend neck-deep in a storage unit, going through stuff that got lost in my last move. Some of it was stuff I had actually forgotten about completely; it went straight into the donation pile, because honestly, if I never missed it, I didn’t need it in the first place.

Some of it, though, I was completely thrilled to have back, like my writing box and my other deerstalker. The writing box contains my dip pens, inks, wax, and seals – and yes, I do use them. In fact, I used to use them quite often, before the storage unit ate them. They’re high quality, foolproof, and quite inexpensive to use if you know how to make your own ink.

But the heart of materialism isn’t the stuff itself so much as the feel of the stuff. I love my dip pens because of the feel of them. Write by candlelight for bonus points. I feel more creative when I dip a brass nib into a pot of burgundy ink. I have no substantive evidence that my writing is any better with a dip pen than it is with a ballpoint, but I feel like it is, and I’m usually happier with finished pieces that started with a dip than those that started with a click.

That’s my general attitude toward life. Why settle for function when one can also have form? (Cost permitting, of course.) More importantly, why follow the form that’s popular when it’s not the form that feels right? I have plenty of jeans-and-baggy-tee-shirt days, but sometimes I have an Argyll-and-Oxfords-day, because I need to step back in time a ways. They say you should dress for the job you want. Can I help it if I want to be JRR Tolkien? I’ve been accused of living a never-ending game of dress-up, but when it’s been a rough week, and writer’s block is gnawing on me, and I desperately need to feel like an author, tweed and nice pens are my placebo.

And now I’m curious about other people’s stuff. What sort of things build the atmosphere you like most?

Review – The Kentauride (Martin Landry)

The Kentauride

Martin Landry

ASIN: B00CLDQ92W

396 pages

Goodreads

From Goodreads: “Tanita woke up in an abandoned factory to the sound of gunfire, nude, with a terrible hangover. And that was the high point of her day…

Set in the modern world, this first of three volumes follows Tanita the Kentauride as she tries to understand who she is, what she is, and more importantly, how can she deal with the fact that she’s falling in love with a human boy? Who are the voices in her mind, claiming to be angels, and what do they want from her? Running for her life, fighting xenophobia and ignorance, can she unlock the secret of her past before it’s too late?

Contains absolutely no vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts or extra-terrestrial beings, but if you’ve ever dreamt of actually meeting a centaur, this book will surely appeal to you.”

The Premise:

Tanita wakes up, as the description indicates, in an abandoned factory, with a severe sedative hangover, sporadic memories, voices in her head, and her lower body grafted to a horse’s neck. She has been kidnapped and genetically altered for the purpose of, eventually, being an attraction in a theme park, but the project has gone awry, and she has been abandoned to die. Fortunately, she is discovered by a teenager, Mark, and his little brother, David, before she can starve to death. They do all they can to make her comfortable until the unidentified villains return, and they are forced to move her to a friend’s horse farm to hide. General romance ensues between Mark and Tanita while the villains continue to search for her. It’s not until about the last 20% of the book that the villains catch up to them, and the romance gives way to violence, chases, tragedy, and drama.

I had a bit of a hard time categorizing this book, which made it hard to evaluate. It’s not really what I usually read. The centaur angle made me think it was fantasy, and it seems to have been submitted on Amazon as fantasy, but I’d be more inclined to call it science fiction or science fantasy. I had also assumed that the main problem to be overcome would be Tanita’s amnesia, but I finally concluded that it was actually a romance novel for men, and I’ll review it accordingly.

The Good:

It’s a smashing idea. I know that my personal geek circles periodically turn our conversation toward the possibility of science making our fandoms come true. For the Trekkies among us, it’s already happening; we’ve gotten our automatic doors, flip phones, touch screens, rudimentary holograms, learning computers, and the very real potential for commercial space flight. The fantasy geeks have had a tougher time of it, and I was very interested in Landry’s exploration of the problems that could cause. Technology is powerful, and thus dangerous, when coupled with businessmen of slippery morals.

I was especially drawn to the characters of Sam and Chloe, respectively the owner of the horse ranch on which Tanita is hidden, and Mark’s older sister. Sam is a kind, sensible old man, and the only character who ever evinces confidence that Tanita is capable of taking care of herself. Chloe is probably the strongest character in the book, in terms of depth of personality, and gets to provide all the exposition for Landry’s evidently very well-researched science.

The Bad:

I got the impression that The Kentauride was written for an exclusively male audience. A distracting amount of attention is paid to the fact that the theme park people altered Tanita to fit their personal standards of beauty, which includes DD breasts. In fact, a roughly equal amount of attention is paid to the breasts and to the sudden acquisition of a horse body, which struck me as unlikely, since one is at least natural, if not the norm, and the other is bizarre. Obviously, I cannot speak for the internal monologue of other women, but I rarely think about my own breasts unless they are in pain, and am irritated rather than flattered when other people stare at them.

Tanita’s character is rather blank, which is understandable if she’s essentially had her mind wiped and is, practically, only about a week old. Landry mentioned in his afterword that he had originally intended her to be a background character, and that Mark and Chloe were intended to be in the forefront. I think that would have made for an easier read, since Tanita’s only real identity is in her relationship toward Mark.

I also had to take issue with some of the character’s motivations, especially the repeated (three or four times, as I recall) statement that “whatever he told her to do, she would listen,” in reference to Mark. At one point, she refuses to accept a weapon with which to defend herself, because Mark disapproves.

Additionally, the main descriptors used from Mark’s point of view to indicate that Tanita is attractive are “childlike” and “too cute to take seriously.”

The villains, who are mostly African American, speak in an extremely exaggerated Ebonics-esque dialect that was uncomfortable to read on several levels.

 

In Conclusion: 

I found the plot rather interesting, and was eager to continue reading all the way through. To judge by other Amazon reviews, the book has a good reception among male readers, but I have yet to see female feedback. I would recommend this book on its merits: sound concept, good research, no loose plot ends that I saw, decent pacing. I would also caution the reader about the gender and racial stereotypes, instant romance, and some slightly distracting quick-shifts between the multiple viewpoints in the story.

I would also mention some extremely explicit sex that I wasn’t expecting, though that could be a positive or a negative, depending on the reader.

Spelling Trauma: An Anecdote of Frustration

Reblogged from Reading in the Borderlands:

This summer, students in READ 6313 Literacy Development and Language Study were asked to contribute a post to this blog.

By M.R. Graham

Young writers go through a period during which they want to use words they do not know how to spell. They cope by inventing a spelling, just like very small children invent or mispronounce words. The standard teacher response to these attempts seems to be not praise for an expanding vocabulary, but criticism for nonstandard spelling.

Read more… 519 more words

I’d like to change my answer…

I commented in a tag post a few months ago that I was having an extremely hard time finding a visual match for Daniel in my creepy e-stalker dream cast, and I listed off a number of individuals who sort of fit the bill, though all of them more in terms of acting ability than appearance.

But I have found a solution.

I just need to clone Peter Cushing.

5 Reasons Why NASA is Awesome (and still really necessary)

Reblogged from Three Chic Geeks:

55 years ago, NASA was born. In that time, technology has taken absolutely inconceivable leaps and bounds. In honor of all it has done and all it will continue to do, here are our top 5 reasons for loving NASA so very much.

Read more… 293 more words

Like most kids, I grew up wanting to be an astronaut. Unlike most kids, I had a pretty fair idea of what astronauts are actually doing these days. Basically, they're making Star Trek a reality. And yes, they really ought to keep doing just that.