Sable Aradia's Blog, page 52

Single- and Double-Action Revolvers

I love Lindybeige’s channel; he’s got a lot of practical how-tos and whys for writers of adventure stories and historical fiction. Here’s a practical guide to revolvers, thoroughly dispelling a lot of spaghetti western myths. I’ll just put in that in the Wyrd West, a lot of legendary old firearms have been modified by gnomes or simply work better by magic. (Yeah, it’s a cheat, but the stories are fun, so I make no apologies!)

Last Chance to Get the Wyrd West at Introductory Sale Prices!

To celebrate the publication of Wyrd West Chronicles #5, “The Reaping,” on the Winter Solstice, I’ve decided to extend my introductory prices on the Wyrd West stories until it comes out.  So right now, you can get the first three Wyrd West stories for $4 total.

I’m also putting #4, “Way of the Gun,” on sale for $1.99 until the 20th of December; which means you could get the first four for only $6!  (If it hasn’t processed by the time you read this, just come back to the link later; Amazon is having some issues this morning.)

After that, I’m raising my prices to be more consistent with Amazon shorts; which means they’re going up to $2.99 each; except for “Showdown,” which will remain at 99 cents permanently.

And don’t miss “The Reaping,” which you can pre-order NOW for only 99 cents!  That’s just $7 for the whole series so far, if you get it before the Winter Solstice!

Get it while it’s hot!

Your NaNo Loss Could be a Long-Term Win

By Angeline Trevena

I met Angeline recently online as part of a group of dystopian writers.  Her series, The Paper Duchess, just saw its last book published last month.  I really identify with this article.  My first NaNo project was the start of the Toy Soldier Saga, and I’m currently revising it at request of a publisher to whom I sent a query.  It’s a big task!  But yes, a good idea never dies.  Not if you don’t let it.

So here we are in November, and a whole load of overly optimistic (or overly crazy) writers around the world are heads down writing like mad for NaNoWriMo. Chances are you know lots of people doing it, but if you don’t know what it is, National Novel Writing Month challenges you to write a 50k word novel in just 30 days. Yes, you have to be a little bit crazy to try it.

I’ve been that crazy six times already. But I’ve only hit that magical 50k three times (since having children, I’ve not managed to come anywhere close!)

As many people as you know doing NaNoWriMo, you’ll probably know just as many who decry it as a joke. An event that promotes terrible writing (by encouraging quantity of words over quality). And they’re right. It is more than likely that your NaNo novel will be terrible. As all first drafts usually are (especially when written in a caffeine-fuelled blur of just 30 days). But what does that matter? Your first draft never sees the light of day.

Read the full article at Angeline Trevena’s blog.

Fortunate Mortality

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North Korean EMP Attack Would Kill 90% of U.S.

A new congressional report contends that a North Korean electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack on the U.S. would ultimately wipe out 90 percent of the population.

To date, most discussion concerning the North Korean threat has been on whether the rogue state can accurately hit U.S. cities with its ICBMs. But in an EMP attack, such accuracy is not necessary because the pulse radius would be so large, says Peter Vincent Pry, who recently testified about the EMP threat before a congressional Homeland Security subcommittee. His conclusions are that such an EMP attack would wreak havoc across the whole of the continental U.S.

Read the full article at MSN News.

The Deadly Evolution of Nuclear Weapons

Want some nightmares? Watch this. Then cry into your pillow for a while.

Strong Women in Science Fiction: Book List

Ok, it’s not just books. It is, however, just science fiction so far as I can tell. I knew if I opened it up to fantasy as well, it would become unmanageable, so I may follow up with a second list if there is interest.  As it is, I’ve got over 60 names on the list! As someone commented, it might have been shorter to come up with a list of books that didn’t have strong female main characters.

One of the top suggestions for strong women in SF, this is a classic read for anyone.  The point was to come up with a list of women who aren’t in search of a husband, who are self-rescuing princesses, damsels that can’t be bothered to be distressed.

Read the full article at Cedar Writes.

#SpecWomenChat Podcast & Live YouTube Show!

It’s happening!

For the past couple of months I’ve been talking about it, and it’s finally going to be a thing! The #SpecWomenChat Podcast will be happening LIVE on my YouTube channel on December 2 or 3 (exact date and time TBA).  In this monthly show, a panel of both indie and traditionally-published women speculative fiction authors will discuss issues about all things fantasy, science fiction, and issues of interest to women in the field.  Some of us you’ll have heard of, others will be new discoveries for many, but all of us are SFF authors.

Our first panel topic will be “Women in Speculative Fiction,” where we will discuss what inspired the hashtag, and what issues specifically face women in the SFF field.  Our first panelists will be:

 

[image error]Photos from the World Fantasy Convention 2011 in San Diego, CA

F&SF writer Cat Rambo lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. Her short story collection, EYES LIKE SKY AND COAL AND MOONLIGHT, was a 2010 Endeavor Award finalist. A third collection, NEAR + FAR, appeared in 2012 from Hydra House. She has been shortlisted for an Endeavour Award, Locus Award, World Fantasy Award and most recently the Nebula Award. Her debut novel, BEASTS OF TABAT, appeared in 2015 from WordFire Press, the same year she co-edited AD ASTRA: THE SFWA 50TH ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK. In 2016, forthcoming books include HEARTS OF TABAT (novel) and NEITHER HERE NOR THERE (collection). She is the current President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).  If you would like to sign up to receive stories from her each month, check out her Patreon campaign at http://www.patreon.com/catrambo

[image error] Laura J. Mixon is a chemical and environmental engineer better known as a science fiction writer. She writes about the impact of technology and environmental changes on personal identity and social structures. Her work has been the focus of academic studies on the intersection of technology, feminism, and gender. She has also experimented with interactive storytelling, in collaboration with renowned game designer Chris Crawford. She is married to SF writer Steven Gould (Jumper), with whom she collaborated on the novel Greenwar. In 2011, she began publishing under the pen name Morgan J. Locke. Under that name, she is one of the writers for the group blog Eat Our Brains.  (Hugo Award Winner for Best Fan Writer 2015).

[image error] Nancy Jane Moore is the author of the science fiction novel, The Weave; the novellas Changeling and Ardent Forest; and the collections Conscientious Inconsistencies, Flashes of Illumination, and Walking Contradiction and Other Futures. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies and in magazines ranging from Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet to the National Law Journal.  A native Texan, Moore lives for many years in Washington, DC, and now makes her home with her sweetheart in Oakland, CA.   She has studied martial arts since 1979 and holds a fourth degree black belt in Aikido.

[image error] Katie Phillips (Karis Waters), who created the hashtag, is a globe-trotting missionary journalist and travel photographer, who’s secretly a homebody, fiction writer and book nerd. She travels the world creating short documentary videos on Operation: Mobilization ministry projects. In her spare time, she writes sci-fi and action-adventure novels and is an editor for Crosshair Press.  She’s a Kansas girl transplanted to northern England, despite disliking both rain and milk in her tea.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to be speaking with these formidable and amazing women!  Come and meet them!

Want to support #SpecWomenChat? Join our Patreon!

Mr. Midshipman Sunfall in On the Horizon Boxed Set!

The Toy Soldier Saga

I have exciting news!  “Mr. Midshipman Sunfall,” which was the first part of “A Few Good Elves,” will be published in the On the Horizon: Simple Worlds of Speculative Adventure Boxed Set on May 1, 2018!

From the description:

A collection of 22 Fantasy and Science Fiction full novels from an international cast of bestselling authors. This action-packed boxset features strong-willed individuals in unusual and exciting settings. Encounter queens, witches, wizards, werewolves, shifters, angels, dragons, or shadowy nemeses. Stories are character driven and set in worlds with low or no technology. You will follow their journeys to discover magical worlds, encounter dystopian lands, space stations, and galaxies they never dreamed of before their adventures. Join us On the Horizon for these deadly and dangerous quests filled with thrilling action and adventure!

Contributors:

Aiki Flinthart

Avril Sabine

Brendan Smith

Carina Merritt

Charis Joy Jackson

Connor Sassmannshausen

Diane Morrison

Donna Maree Hanson

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Indirect Characterization

Fleshing out characters with believable human qualities is an art. Indirect characterization is writing that paints in character detail by showing rather than telling. Rather than only tell readers about characters’ personalities and values, you can reveal them subtly through dialogue, actions and appearances. Read these tips and examples from books:

Read the full article at NowNovel.com.