Heidi Ruby Miller's Blog, page 58
December 9, 2011
SFFS: Snippet from AMBASADORA #2
SFFS Snippet
AMBASADORA
This little scene begins one of my favorite parts from my SF Romance novel Ambasadora because we'll see how much Sean cares for Sara, even though he knows she was sent to kill him. Ambasadora is available in print and e-book:
The lights of her intra-tat bounced around in erratic pulses in a frightening way that wasn't alluring like when he first touched her hand. Tonight they were a physical sign of whatever horror she was experiencing.
He brushed her damp hair back with his fingers and whispered words of reassurance, knowing this could be the biggest mistake of his life. She had been sent here to flush out a fragger operative, that much he knew. Right now she and the Embassy thought David was their man—he didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be insulted. If that's what her Embassy intel was saying, then it might be easier to bring down this government than he thought.
"Sean." She reached out to the empty space beside her.
He put his hand over hers. "I'm here."
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
AMBASADORA
This little scene begins one of my favorite parts from my SF Romance novel Ambasadora because we'll see how much Sean cares for Sara, even though he knows she was sent to kill him. Ambasadora is available in print and e-book:
The lights of her intra-tat bounced around in erratic pulses in a frightening way that wasn't alluring like when he first touched her hand. Tonight they were a physical sign of whatever horror she was experiencing.
He brushed her damp hair back with his fingers and whispered words of reassurance, knowing this could be the biggest mistake of his life. She had been sent here to flush out a fragger operative, that much he knew. Right now she and the Embassy thought David was their man—he didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be insulted. If that's what her Embassy intel was saying, then it might be easier to bring down this government than he thought.
"Sean." She reached out to the empty space beside her.
He put his hand over hers. "I'm here."
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
SFFS Snippet
AMBASADORA
This little scene begins ...
SFFS Snippet
AMBASADORA
This little scene begins one of my favorite parts from my SF Romance novel Ambasadora because we'll see how much Sean cares for Sara, even though he knows she was sent to kill him. Ambasadora is available in print and e-book:
The lights of her intra-tat bounced around in erratic pulses in a frightening way that wasn't alluring like when he first touched her hand. Tonight they were a physical sign of whatever horror she was experiencing.
He brushed her damp hair back with his fingers and whispered words of reassurance, knowing this could be the biggest mistake of his life. She had been sent here to flush out a fragger operative, that much he knew. Right now she and the Embassy thought David was their man—he didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be insulted. If that's what her Embassy intel was saying, then it might be easier to bring down this government than he thought.
"Sean." She reached out to the empty space beside her.
He put his hand over hers. "I'm here."
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
AMBASADORA
This little scene begins one of my favorite parts from my SF Romance novel Ambasadora because we'll see how much Sean cares for Sara, even though he knows she was sent to kill him. Ambasadora is available in print and e-book:
The lights of her intra-tat bounced around in erratic pulses in a frightening way that wasn't alluring like when he first touched her hand. Tonight they were a physical sign of whatever horror she was experiencing.
He brushed her damp hair back with his fingers and whispered words of reassurance, knowing this could be the biggest mistake of his life. She had been sent here to flush out a fragger operative, that much he knew. Right now she and the Embassy thought David was their man—he didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be insulted. If that's what her Embassy intel was saying, then it might be easier to bring down this government than he thought.
"Sean." She reached out to the empty space beside her.
He put his hand over hers. "I'm here."
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Karen Toz
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Karen Toz
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That is such a hard question because I really love all of my characters. Of course I love Nate, but I think Nate's mom is my favorite. She tries so hard to cook and sew be the perfect mother and housewife, stumbling every step of the way. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a little bit of me in her.
2. Tell me about your travels.
I don't travel very much anymore, but I was very fortunate to be able to travel a lot when I was younger. In high school, my parents took me to Israel on vacation. That was amazing. In college, I participated in a study abroad program. I lived in London for three months. I travelled all over England, visited Scotland, Ireland, Amsterdam, and Italy. Later I spent a week in Paris. I've also been to Jamaica, and many beautiful places in Canada, as well as here in the United States. There is a lot to see in our own backyards – sometimes it is just fun to play tourist in your own city.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee definitely! Back in August when Hurricane Irene was approaching, most people were making sure they had enough water on hand. I was making sure I had enough coffee. I brewed and filled several thermal carafes full. Priorities people!
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
9. Food you could eat everyday?
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I've really mellowed out ... I used to be an alternative rock DJ back in college. I listened to what was called "industrial" – Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, - - sort of punk meets grunge I guess. What ever you want to call it – it was loud. No more. These days, I seem to gravitate toward calmer music – At the moment, Adele is at the top of my list.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
They definitely take me for a ride. I have a very broad idea of what the story will be about, but for the most part, I let the characters take control. Every now and again I have to gently nudge them in the right direction. But for the most part, they behave. I love when a moment comes along and everything clicks. I think you miss that if you are working off an outline.
13. Celebrity crush?
It's no secret I have a thing for John Cusack. Ever since "Say Anything..." in the 80s and it's still going strong. I still expect to see him outside my window one day holding up a boom box that's playing "In Your Eyes." Yes - my husband is aware of my obsession.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Karen Toz is giving away an e-copy of NATE ROCKS THE WORLD to one lucky reader!
Just comment on this post and include your email. And if you Tweet the follwing, you'll get an extra entry:
@karentoz @heidirubymiller Meet author Karen Toz on Heidi's Pick Six and enter to win her book! http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com/2... - The link will automatically be shortened in the Tweet.
Giveaway closes on December 24, 2011.
Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Orange, Connecticut and graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Finance. She also attended the University of Richmond, where she studied law and business, receiving both a JD and an MBA. Karen has spent the last several years working as a tax accountant, writing in numbers. She recently discovered a passion for writing with words. In June 2011, Karen published her first children's novel Nate Rocks the World . She is currently working on the second book in the Nate Rocks series to be published in 2012.
Karen is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Association of Independent Authors (AIA), and the Independent Author Network (IAN). Karen enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband and three children.
Karen Toz
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That is such a hard question because I really love all of my characters. Of course I love Nate, but I think Nate's mom is my favorite. She tries so hard to cook and sew be the perfect mother and housewife, stumbling every step of the way. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a little bit of me in her.
2. Tell me about your travels.
I don't travel very much anymore, but I was very fortunate to be able to travel a lot when I was younger. In high school, my parents took me to Israel on vacation. That was amazing. In college, I participated in a study abroad program. I lived in London for three months. I travelled all over England, visited Scotland, Ireland, Amsterdam, and Italy. Later I spent a week in Paris. I've also been to Jamaica, and many beautiful places in Canada, as well as here in the United States. There is a lot to see in our own backyards – sometimes it is just fun to play tourist in your own city.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee definitely! Back in August when Hurricane Irene was approaching, most people were making sure they had enough water on hand. I was making sure I had enough coffee. I brewed and filled several thermal carafes full. Priorities people!
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
9. Food you could eat everyday?
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I've really mellowed out ... I used to be an alternative rock DJ back in college. I listened to what was called "industrial" – Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, - - sort of punk meets grunge I guess. What ever you want to call it – it was loud. No more. These days, I seem to gravitate toward calmer music – At the moment, Adele is at the top of my list.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
They definitely take me for a ride. I have a very broad idea of what the story will be about, but for the most part, I let the characters take control. Every now and again I have to gently nudge them in the right direction. But for the most part, they behave. I love when a moment comes along and everything clicks. I think you miss that if you are working off an outline.
13. Celebrity crush?
It's no secret I have a thing for John Cusack. Ever since "Say Anything..." in the 80s and it's still going strong. I still expect to see him outside my window one day holding up a boom box that's playing "In Your Eyes." Yes - my husband is aware of my obsession.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Karen Toz is giving away an e-copy of NATE ROCKS THE WORLD to one lucky reader! Just comment on this post and include your email. And if you Tweet the follwing, you'll get an extra entry:
@karentoz @heidirubymiller Meet author Karen Toz on Heidi's Pick Six and enter to win her book! http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com/2... - The link will automatically be shortened in the Tweet.
Giveaway closes on December 24, 2011.
Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Orange, Connecticut and graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Finance. She also attended the University of Richmond, where she studied law and business, receiving both a JD and an MBA. Karen has spent the last several years working as a tax accountant, writing in numbers. She recently discovered a passion for writing with words. In June 2011, Karen published her first children's novel Nate Rocks the World . She is currently working on the second book in the Nate Rocks series to be published in 2012.
Karen is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Association of Independent Authors (AIA), and the Independent Author Network (IAN). Karen enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband and three children.
December 8, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: J. D. Stroube
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
J.D. Stroube
1. Which of your characters are your favorite?
This is a difficult question to answer, but one of my favorites. I've read other authors' answers to this question and many of them relate their characters to close friends and family, but in my case... I view them as a part of me. Each character is developed with a piece of my personality and filled with aspects of my loved ones. At some point during the writing process, I stop looking at them as characters and begin to view them as equals. Each character has aspects I favor in them, but choosing a specific character would be like choosing which of my toes is my favorite. :)
I have written approximately 12 novels, but I have only published the first. So, in the case of Caged in Darkness... Izzy's quirky personality and her ability to liven up any situation has a way of brightening my day. Willow's loyalty and responsibility makes me feel for her because she is always worried about everyone else, but even in her darkness hour... she never takes time for herself. Ash is my ideal male on one end of the spectrum and Liam is my ideal male on the opposite side. Maye is the supporting guardian, who I can't help but love. If I get down to the root of my preference, it would be Savannah. I took such care in my creation of her. She's strong and steadfast. Her worry that she is tainted, but her constant need to be worthy of the amazing people in her life, is inspiring. To take a child raised in evil and place them in a whole new world is baffling, but Savannah embraces the change and recognizes it as a gift. I admire her courage, faith, and morals. Savannah would have to be my favorite. Although, it may surprise everyone to find that I also really like Griffin.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else do you do besides write?
I am a psychology major, which means that classes take up a lot of my time. However, I also own a business called "Dreamscape Covers", which is dedicated to providing affordable book covers to self published authors. I run a graphic donation program that allows artists to give away their graphics for free, if an author is struggling financially or has another reason to qualify. I also do monthly contests for authors to win a free book cover that I have designed. I place pre-mades on my website that are available for purchase and I take on commissions. I recently finished an ad campaign and website creation.
In addition to all of this, I created a group on Goodreads called "Book Haven", which is a haven for authors, readers, publishers, reviewers, etc. I co-moderate another group specifically dedicated to authors. I have taken on a mentor ship for some authors who have reached and asked for my help, which includes advice, editing, formatting, etc. I suppose I look at it as taking them under my wing and trying to help in any way possible.
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
Every scene is a challenge. However, the most difficult scene I have ever written is in my fantasy series that has yet to be released. Magic comes naturally to me, but describing a battle scene with actual weapons was beyond difficult!
8. Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I have lucid dreams, which often give me ideas for books. Sometimes my inspiration comes from a single word that a person says. It is as though the words trigger a domino effect that leads me to an entire plot. Television, music, dancing, and books are classic ways to pull at my creativity chain when I have writers block. I never know when or where inspiration will strike, but it happens constantly. My senses are aware of everything going on around me and my brain recognizes signs that are processed to create a seed that begins an idea for a whole new book.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What type of music speaks to you?
My parents raised me around oldies music, so it tends to lighten me up. It makes me feel happy. However, I love any music that starts delicately and builds with passion. I love Evanescence, Sara Bareilles, Annie Lennox, Janet Devlin, Michael Buble, Lonestar, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, and many, many, more.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
It depends on the book. I have a fantasy series that I literally spent a year researching before I began the outline. Otherwise, I do a vague outline. If my outline is too detailed I lose my creativity and sound like a robot, but no outline makes it difficult to direct the plot. I look at the plot as my reminder that I have a new scene to reach, but it is merely a hand to hold through the writing process and it often changes as I write.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
J.D. Stroube is a debut author, who is coming out with her first novel on August 1st. Caged will be her first series. J.D. will be coming out with three more series and a stand alone novel within the next year and a half.
She is a psychology major, who attends Roosevelt University and intends to open her own practice in the future. She lives in Naperville with her husband and is extremely close to her family. She began telling people stories when she was three years old. Although, those stories mostly consisted of scribbles on the back of menus. She began writing short stories at age six and her first novel at 12, which was a horror story that was accidentally tossed with the trash.
SYNOPSIS of
Caged in Darkness
A witch raised in a cage of darkness...
Savannah Cross was born into a life of isolation and abuse. As a child, she witnessed her parents perform acts of malevolent evil, and now feels permanently tainted by their dark deeds.
When a coven discovers a tear stricken child, wounded on their elders lawn, they offer her a sanctuary she has never known. Savannah spends the next several years shattered, continuously looking over her shoulder, waiting for the darkness to claim her.
On her 16th birthday, Savannah's life takes a drastic turn. She is consumed by overwhelming power that forever alters her emotionally and physically.
She must choose between two loves; the one who taught her to smile or the darkly seductive stranger who tempts her towards another path. Savannah must decide between the coven that was her haven and another one vying for her initiation. Just as Savannah begins to grasp what fate has in store for her, an evil looms over her loved ones; coming to claim an unbreakable debt.
How will she choose and survive the greatest evil she has ever witnessed... long enough to have a choice to make?
IDEA BEHIND Caged in Darkness
My whole life I have been a dreamer. I would stay awake at night and daydream about other worlds and what it would be like to live in them. When I am asleep, I tend to have lucid dreams, which are complete plots to a book. I often write these dreams down, as ideas for future book. I have a dream journal designated for this purpose. Sometimes I find my ideas, while watching a show or reading a book. The idea for "Caged in Darkness" came to me, while browsing the Goodreads website for a new book. I had a strong urge to read a book about witches, but most of the books I came across did not satisfy my craving. Instead, I wrote down a plot for the kind of book I wished I could find. I then incorporated some other unique aspects to it and created a recipe for what I believe is an amazing series!
QUOTES
The day I first came to Meadow Falls is little more than a dream, though that little girl plagues me everyday. I still hear her crying out, and my skull fractures as pain is inflicted on her. She remained frozen in an eternal chamber of torture, and I did not know how to help her escape. Though, I would never escape her. She would follow me around for the rest of my life; a ghost waiting in the wings for me to acknowledge her. Her soft trailing fingers would continue to attempt a connection that I refused to allow; that I couldn't allow if I wanted to survive. That ghostly girl was weak and insecure, while I needed to be strong and confident.
"What you are or where you came from is not important. It is who you are and the choices you make, that determine who you will become. If you can look inward and be satisfied, the opinions of others should melt away."
"All that is left to bring you pain, are the memories. If you face those, you'll be free. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding from yourself; always afraid that your memories will incapacitate you, and they will if you continue to bury them."
"No one has freewill until they are an adult, and by then the choices that were made for them, have already set them on a course that gives limited freedom in the choices to be made."
Caged in Darkness is available in paperback through Amazon. It's also available in ebook format through B&N, Amazon, Smashwords, etc.
Find J.D. online at these links:
WEBSITE: www.jdstroube.weebly.com
WEBSITE: www.dreamscapecovers.com
- http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/JD-Stroube/186338091413684
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4846190.J_D_Stroube
J.D. Stroube
1. Which of your characters are your favorite?
This is a difficult question to answer, but one of my favorites. I've read other authors' answers to this question and many of them relate their characters to close friends and family, but in my case... I view them as a part of me. Each character is developed with a piece of my personality and filled with aspects of my loved ones. At some point during the writing process, I stop looking at them as characters and begin to view them as equals. Each character has aspects I favor in them, but choosing a specific character would be like choosing which of my toes is my favorite. :)
I have written approximately 12 novels, but I have only published the first. So, in the case of Caged in Darkness... Izzy's quirky personality and her ability to liven up any situation has a way of brightening my day. Willow's loyalty and responsibility makes me feel for her because she is always worried about everyone else, but even in her darkness hour... she never takes time for herself. Ash is my ideal male on one end of the spectrum and Liam is my ideal male on the opposite side. Maye is the supporting guardian, who I can't help but love. If I get down to the root of my preference, it would be Savannah. I took such care in my creation of her. She's strong and steadfast. Her worry that she is tainted, but her constant need to be worthy of the amazing people in her life, is inspiring. To take a child raised in evil and place them in a whole new world is baffling, but Savannah embraces the change and recognizes it as a gift. I admire her courage, faith, and morals. Savannah would have to be my favorite. Although, it may surprise everyone to find that I also really like Griffin.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else do you do besides write?
I am a psychology major, which means that classes take up a lot of my time. However, I also own a business called "Dreamscape Covers", which is dedicated to providing affordable book covers to self published authors. I run a graphic donation program that allows artists to give away their graphics for free, if an author is struggling financially or has another reason to qualify. I also do monthly contests for authors to win a free book cover that I have designed. I place pre-mades on my website that are available for purchase and I take on commissions. I recently finished an ad campaign and website creation.
In addition to all of this, I created a group on Goodreads called "Book Haven", which is a haven for authors, readers, publishers, reviewers, etc. I co-moderate another group specifically dedicated to authors. I have taken on a mentor ship for some authors who have reached and asked for my help, which includes advice, editing, formatting, etc. I suppose I look at it as taking them under my wing and trying to help in any way possible.
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
Every scene is a challenge. However, the most difficult scene I have ever written is in my fantasy series that has yet to be released. Magic comes naturally to me, but describing a battle scene with actual weapons was beyond difficult!
8. Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I have lucid dreams, which often give me ideas for books. Sometimes my inspiration comes from a single word that a person says. It is as though the words trigger a domino effect that leads me to an entire plot. Television, music, dancing, and books are classic ways to pull at my creativity chain when I have writers block. I never know when or where inspiration will strike, but it happens constantly. My senses are aware of everything going on around me and my brain recognizes signs that are processed to create a seed that begins an idea for a whole new book.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What type of music speaks to you?
My parents raised me around oldies music, so it tends to lighten me up. It makes me feel happy. However, I love any music that starts delicately and builds with passion. I love Evanescence, Sara Bareilles, Annie Lennox, Janet Devlin, Michael Buble, Lonestar, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, and many, many, more.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
It depends on the book. I have a fantasy series that I literally spent a year researching before I began the outline. Otherwise, I do a vague outline. If my outline is too detailed I lose my creativity and sound like a robot, but no outline makes it difficult to direct the plot. I look at the plot as my reminder that I have a new scene to reach, but it is merely a hand to hold through the writing process and it often changes as I write.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
J.D. Stroube is a debut author, who is coming out with her first novel on August 1st. Caged will be her first series. J.D. will be coming out with three more series and a stand alone novel within the next year and a half.
She is a psychology major, who attends Roosevelt University and intends to open her own practice in the future. She lives in Naperville with her husband and is extremely close to her family. She began telling people stories when she was three years old. Although, those stories mostly consisted of scribbles on the back of menus. She began writing short stories at age six and her first novel at 12, which was a horror story that was accidentally tossed with the trash.
SYNOPSIS of
Caged in Darkness
A witch raised in a cage of darkness...
Savannah Cross was born into a life of isolation and abuse. As a child, she witnessed her parents perform acts of malevolent evil, and now feels permanently tainted by their dark deeds.
When a coven discovers a tear stricken child, wounded on their elders lawn, they offer her a sanctuary she has never known. Savannah spends the next several years shattered, continuously looking over her shoulder, waiting for the darkness to claim her.
On her 16th birthday, Savannah's life takes a drastic turn. She is consumed by overwhelming power that forever alters her emotionally and physically.
She must choose between two loves; the one who taught her to smile or the darkly seductive stranger who tempts her towards another path. Savannah must decide between the coven that was her haven and another one vying for her initiation. Just as Savannah begins to grasp what fate has in store for her, an evil looms over her loved ones; coming to claim an unbreakable debt.
How will she choose and survive the greatest evil she has ever witnessed... long enough to have a choice to make?
IDEA BEHIND Caged in Darkness
My whole life I have been a dreamer. I would stay awake at night and daydream about other worlds and what it would be like to live in them. When I am asleep, I tend to have lucid dreams, which are complete plots to a book. I often write these dreams down, as ideas for future book. I have a dream journal designated for this purpose. Sometimes I find my ideas, while watching a show or reading a book. The idea for "Caged in Darkness" came to me, while browsing the Goodreads website for a new book. I had a strong urge to read a book about witches, but most of the books I came across did not satisfy my craving. Instead, I wrote down a plot for the kind of book I wished I could find. I then incorporated some other unique aspects to it and created a recipe for what I believe is an amazing series!
QUOTES
The day I first came to Meadow Falls is little more than a dream, though that little girl plagues me everyday. I still hear her crying out, and my skull fractures as pain is inflicted on her. She remained frozen in an eternal chamber of torture, and I did not know how to help her escape. Though, I would never escape her. She would follow me around for the rest of my life; a ghost waiting in the wings for me to acknowledge her. Her soft trailing fingers would continue to attempt a connection that I refused to allow; that I couldn't allow if I wanted to survive. That ghostly girl was weak and insecure, while I needed to be strong and confident.
"What you are or where you came from is not important. It is who you are and the choices you make, that determine who you will become. If you can look inward and be satisfied, the opinions of others should melt away."
"All that is left to bring you pain, are the memories. If you face those, you'll be free. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding from yourself; always afraid that your memories will incapacitate you, and they will if you continue to bury them."
"No one has freewill until they are an adult, and by then the choices that were made for them, have already set them on a course that gives limited freedom in the choices to be made."
Caged in Darkness is available in paperback through Amazon. It's also available in ebook format through B&N, Amazon, Smashwords, etc.
Find J.D. online at these links:
WEBSITE: www.jdstroube.weebly.com
WEBSITE: www.dreamscapecovers.com
- http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/JD-Stroube/186338091413684
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4846190.J_D_Stroube
December 7, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Shawn Hopkins
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Shawn Hopkins
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Wow, that's a tough one. I think I relate to most of my characters in some way or another so it's hard to pick just one… I tend to like secondary characters more than the primary, maybe because we don't get to see them in the same revealing light and so there's more freedom to imagine what they are or are not. For some reason that I can't explain at all, I really like the character Paul in Progeny. I have no idea why. Maybe because Paul is my cousin's name and relate the two, maybe because he's the complete opposite of me, maybe because I sympathize with him, maybe because I want to be him on some boyish level, I don't know… He just intrigues me. In fact, he'll most likely be the main character in the sequel.
2. Tell me about your travels.
My travels... Let's see. I've been to Bermuda twice, and it is by far my favorite place on the planet. In fact, I love it so much that I had to write about it, my novel Progeny being set there. If I could move there, I would in a heartbeat. Both times I went were on cruises, so I would love to stay there much longer some day. My wife and I rented bicycles and rode from one end of the island to the other and it was incredible. The people there are the nicest, friendliest people I've ever seen. And not just to the tourists, but to each other as well. When elderly people stepped on to the bus, younger men and women jumped to their feet to offer their seat. Everyone waves to each other with huge white smiles. It was a far cry from what I'm used to here in Philly where it's almost polite to keep your eyes on your feet as you walk. I've also been to the Bahamas, Cancun, and Jamaica. I've been to Ireland twice, and that may be my second choice of where I'd like to live… It was beautiful, and I love the weather there. Other than those places, I've been to Mexico about four times to help build houses for the impoverished people there, and of course those were trips that were of the life-changing variety. But the one place that I really want to visit that I haven't been able to yet, is Washington state. Maybe someday. :)
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
My inspiration to write mostly comes from reading great authors. When I'm reading a great writer, I develop an itch that can only be scratched by writing. That's how I know a book is one of my favorites. If it makes me want to get to the chapter break so I can jump on my laptop and pound out a scene, then the book usually ends up on my shelf and is revisited for future times of needed inspiration. For example, Danielle Trussoni's Angelology was so inspirational as far as her writing style goes, that I read the first half of it twice before moving on to the end. At the time, I was working on Progeny (there's some similar themes there) and reading her made me want to write my own story. And Lee Child's writing was inspirational during the time span I wrote Even The Elect. So I'd have to say that who and what I read proves to be the greatest inspiration.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
I used to be very much into sports. I loved playing football, and until a few years ago, I was still playing some pretty intense tackle football with my friends. But as most of my friends get older, married, have kids, and tend to get out of shape or run out of time, those days have become a thing of the past. It's now a chore to try and get just a few guys together to do something physical. I played tennis the other day, and that was probably the first sport I've played in two years. I've been trying to run, but that's hard for me to stay consistent with, and I'm just now finally getting back into the gym. I used to spend hours a day in the gym, but after my daughter was born, that slipped away too. But now I'm back, baby! Hopefully. But yeah, I love sports. And, except for the last couple of years, I've always been a very athletic person.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
Since I've been writing, this has kind of evolved into different expressions of both. My first novel, Noahic, I just sat down and started writing. I loved writing it because I had no idea what was going to happen next. But afterwards, I wasn't too happy with it, so I crafted Progeny to be what that novel should have been. With Progeny, though, I was working off the central plotline of Noahic, so it was easier to outline, especially since there were things that I wanted to hit harder and tie up better. I had tons of information to try and get into Progeny, so that needed to be plotted in such a way that I wouldn't find myself writing chapters of only information. I needed to know what I wanted to say and how to spread it throughout the whole book, rather than force feeding it to the reader all at once.
My novel Even The Elect was also a story that took me along for the ride, but again, I wasn't completely happy with the end product. So The Solomon Key, which should be released in a couple weeks, is the second edition of that. So, I guess I like to write not knowing where things are heading, but in the end, I think it tends to work against me. What I'm finding that helps me now is a very basic outline (that is constantly changing as I write), having some sense of how I want things to wrap up, the information I want to use, and a specific evolution of at least some of the characters. Now before I start writing a scene, I try to imagine the whole thing in my mind, and then I examine it from different angles to make sure I'm not missing anything or compromising the story down the road, and then I sketch out a pretty crappy comic of the scene. Then I start writing… So I think it's a combination of both, but definitely now, working on my 5th novel, I'm much more in favor of outlining and planning than when I first started. It's not as fun, but it saves a lot of rewriting in the end.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Well this goes back to the other question, but I guess Lee Child, Dean Koontz, Steve Alten, Michael Chrichton, and David Morrell have been the most consistent influences on my writing over the years.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Shawn Hopkins currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters. He now is putting the final touches on his newest novel, a supernatural thriller titled, PROGENY. He is also working on a Christian sci-fi/fantasy allegorical tale and a non-fiction work on western Christianity. He holds a degree in theology as well as a degree in Biblical Studies and ministry training.
Find Shawn online at these links:
WEBSITE: - http://etenovel.com
INDEPENDENT AUTHOR NETWORK: - http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/shawn-hopkins.html
- http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-Hopkins/e/B005BKPPKY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1322679332&sr=8-3
- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/shawn-hopkins
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1391220.Shawn_Hopkins
- http://www.twitter.com/shawnahopkins
Shawn Hopkins
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Wow, that's a tough one. I think I relate to most of my characters in some way or another so it's hard to pick just one… I tend to like secondary characters more than the primary, maybe because we don't get to see them in the same revealing light and so there's more freedom to imagine what they are or are not. For some reason that I can't explain at all, I really like the character Paul in Progeny. I have no idea why. Maybe because Paul is my cousin's name and relate the two, maybe because he's the complete opposite of me, maybe because I sympathize with him, maybe because I want to be him on some boyish level, I don't know… He just intrigues me. In fact, he'll most likely be the main character in the sequel.
2. Tell me about your travels.
My travels... Let's see. I've been to Bermuda twice, and it is by far my favorite place on the planet. In fact, I love it so much that I had to write about it, my novel Progeny being set there. If I could move there, I would in a heartbeat. Both times I went were on cruises, so I would love to stay there much longer some day. My wife and I rented bicycles and rode from one end of the island to the other and it was incredible. The people there are the nicest, friendliest people I've ever seen. And not just to the tourists, but to each other as well. When elderly people stepped on to the bus, younger men and women jumped to their feet to offer their seat. Everyone waves to each other with huge white smiles. It was a far cry from what I'm used to here in Philly where it's almost polite to keep your eyes on your feet as you walk. I've also been to the Bahamas, Cancun, and Jamaica. I've been to Ireland twice, and that may be my second choice of where I'd like to live… It was beautiful, and I love the weather there. Other than those places, I've been to Mexico about four times to help build houses for the impoverished people there, and of course those were trips that were of the life-changing variety. But the one place that I really want to visit that I haven't been able to yet, is Washington state. Maybe someday. :)
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
My inspiration to write mostly comes from reading great authors. When I'm reading a great writer, I develop an itch that can only be scratched by writing. That's how I know a book is one of my favorites. If it makes me want to get to the chapter break so I can jump on my laptop and pound out a scene, then the book usually ends up on my shelf and is revisited for future times of needed inspiration. For example, Danielle Trussoni's Angelology was so inspirational as far as her writing style goes, that I read the first half of it twice before moving on to the end. At the time, I was working on Progeny (there's some similar themes there) and reading her made me want to write my own story. And Lee Child's writing was inspirational during the time span I wrote Even The Elect. So I'd have to say that who and what I read proves to be the greatest inspiration.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
I used to be very much into sports. I loved playing football, and until a few years ago, I was still playing some pretty intense tackle football with my friends. But as most of my friends get older, married, have kids, and tend to get out of shape or run out of time, those days have become a thing of the past. It's now a chore to try and get just a few guys together to do something physical. I played tennis the other day, and that was probably the first sport I've played in two years. I've been trying to run, but that's hard for me to stay consistent with, and I'm just now finally getting back into the gym. I used to spend hours a day in the gym, but after my daughter was born, that slipped away too. But now I'm back, baby! Hopefully. But yeah, I love sports. And, except for the last couple of years, I've always been a very athletic person.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
Since I've been writing, this has kind of evolved into different expressions of both. My first novel, Noahic, I just sat down and started writing. I loved writing it because I had no idea what was going to happen next. But afterwards, I wasn't too happy with it, so I crafted Progeny to be what that novel should have been. With Progeny, though, I was working off the central plotline of Noahic, so it was easier to outline, especially since there were things that I wanted to hit harder and tie up better. I had tons of information to try and get into Progeny, so that needed to be plotted in such a way that I wouldn't find myself writing chapters of only information. I needed to know what I wanted to say and how to spread it throughout the whole book, rather than force feeding it to the reader all at once.
My novel Even The Elect was also a story that took me along for the ride, but again, I wasn't completely happy with the end product. So The Solomon Key, which should be released in a couple weeks, is the second edition of that. So, I guess I like to write not knowing where things are heading, but in the end, I think it tends to work against me. What I'm finding that helps me now is a very basic outline (that is constantly changing as I write), having some sense of how I want things to wrap up, the information I want to use, and a specific evolution of at least some of the characters. Now before I start writing a scene, I try to imagine the whole thing in my mind, and then I examine it from different angles to make sure I'm not missing anything or compromising the story down the road, and then I sketch out a pretty crappy comic of the scene. Then I start writing… So I think it's a combination of both, but definitely now, working on my 5th novel, I'm much more in favor of outlining and planning than when I first started. It's not as fun, but it saves a lot of rewriting in the end.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Well this goes back to the other question, but I guess Lee Child, Dean Koontz, Steve Alten, Michael Chrichton, and David Morrell have been the most consistent influences on my writing over the years.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Shawn Hopkins currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters. He now is putting the final touches on his newest novel, a supernatural thriller titled, PROGENY. He is also working on a Christian sci-fi/fantasy allegorical tale and a non-fiction work on western Christianity. He holds a degree in theology as well as a degree in Biblical Studies and ministry training. Find Shawn online at these links:
WEBSITE: - http://etenovel.com
INDEPENDENT AUTHOR NETWORK: - http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/shawn-hopkins.html
- http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-Hopkins/e/B005BKPPKY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1322679332&sr=8-3
- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/shawn-hopkins
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1391220.Shawn_Hopkins
- http://www.twitter.com/shawnahopkins
December 6, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Lucinda Moebius
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Lucinda Moebius
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I am a very character driven author. It is hard for me to pick my favorite character because they all mean so much to me. In my first novel, Echoes of Savanna, I introduce my readers to Savanna Taylor. She is a young medical doctor who is thrown into the middle of a massive pandemic. I love Savanna's sense of purpose and drive. She is much stronger and determined than I could ever be. When I started this series it was going to be a stand-alone novel about Raven, Savanna's daughter. Raven is strong and impulsive, the complete polar opposite of her mother. Raven's Song follows this girl as she tries to live in a world torn apart by war. She has a strength and courage I respect and hope to emulate in my own life. The series follows this family through five generations and I'm sure I am going to love each character as their stories grow.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
I know how to solve a Rubik's cube. This is a skill I just recently acquired. I never considered myself much of a logical/analytical thinker so I am pretty pleased I was able to accomplish this feat. In all seriousness though, I actually teach English in addition to writing novels. They say those who can do and those who can't teach. I can actually do and I love to teach. There is nothing more rewarding in this world than seeing a student make connections with important concepts and ideas that will affect them for the rest of their lives. My writing is a great accomplishment, but my real rewards in life come from students who chase me down at Wal*mart, yelling my name and throwing their arms around me.
5. Who are you reading right now?
Huckleberry Fin, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird and a number of articles and books on Education. I just can't seem to read one book at a time. I can always tell who or what I am reading while I am writing. My own writing tends to pick up an undercurrent of the style of writing from the authors I am reading. Sometimes I will be struck by the author's word choice or sentence structure, or I like the way they write dialogue. Sometimes I'm frustrated by the way they write and I want to make it better. Either way I can see their influence in my writing. I'm a very eclectic reader. You never know what genre or author I am reading at any given time. I'm just as likely to read a classic piece of literature as I am a modern author. You rarely find me without a book in close proximity.
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
There are a few that brought me to tears. I don't want to tell you too many details because I would have to give you a spoiler alert. Let's just say my characters are very real to me. Since the premise of the series is based on The Hero's Journey you know the characters are going to be facing some pretty horrific trials and painful experiences.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I find my inspiration everywhere. As you can tell, I am a voracious reader. I have been since I was four years old. Books hold a sense of wonder and magic for me. As long as I can remember I have been a story-teller and I love sharing my work. Every experience I have in life finds its way into my writing. Needless to say, I relish life and everything it brings to me.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
A little of both. I know where my stories are headed and I know some of the events and sequences, but I like to let the stories speak to me. As I wrote Raven's Song I realized the plot wasn't lining up to fit the character's growth and learning. I had to completely switch scenes around and ended up making the middle of the novel the climax. It was an interesting juxtaposition and it forced me to think outside of the box. It's going to be interesting to see what happens in her son's story.
13. Celebrity crush.
Will Smith. Savanna's husband looks a lot like him. :) 'nough said.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
My family. I know most of you are looking for some amazing author or teacher or civil leader you can all connect with, but my family is the driving force behind everything I do. The characters in my stories reflect many of their personalities and the events in the novels are based on things that happened to certain family members. My mother taught me to read and I used to go steal books off her bookshelf. By the time I was ten I was reading books way beyond my maturity level. My brothers and sisters inspire me and drive me to better myself and give unconditional love to everyone around me. My husband supports me in everything I do and I wouldn't be able to write if it wasn't for him. Most importantly, the children in my life influence me to do great things. My stepson, nieces, nephews and the children of friends, who are as important to me as those who share my family name, show me how I should live my life.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Lucinda Moebius grew up in the mountains of Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Her mother taught her to read when she was four years old and since that time, books have been her constant companions. She has a Bachelors Degree in English Teaching, a Masters in Educational Leadership and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education. Lucinda supports her writing habit by teaching High School and College. She currently lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, stepson and their dog and cat. Lucinda is the author of Echoes of Savanna, a Haven Novel part of the Parent Generation and Raven's Song, a Haven novel part of the T1 Generation.
Find Lucinda online at http://www.lucindamoebius.com .
Echoes of Savanna
Every generation has its defining moments, events that change history and turn the course of lives. Forever will the children of that generation be defined by those moments.
Savanna Taylor is a medical doctor in 2036, the same year terrorists release a series of plagues and viruses into the world. She is a nineteen year old Brain Trust whose task it is to find a cure for the diseases and develop vaccines to prevent their further spread. The world is thrown in turmoil and Savanna needs to find a way to survive with her sanity and family intact. She needs to find a safe Haven for herself and for those she loves.
Can Savanna cope in a world in constant flux brought on by war and disease? Can she save the world and protect her loved ones or will she make the ultimate sacrifice? How will she be defined?
- http://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Savanna-Parent-Generation-ebook/dp/B003WMA4XQ/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322503066&sr=8-2-spell
Raven's Song (Coming Soon)
The next generation has come into its own. Raven, Savanna's impulsive, impetuous daughter has begun her own epic journey.
Raven was born in a time of turmoil and war. She decides her calling in life is to be a soldier. Sacrificing the shelter and security of Haven, Raven puts herself at risk to save others. She finds herself in perilous situations and thrust into the role of leadership despite her own misgivings. The Siren's Song of Haven is continuously singing to her. She could be safe, protected, sheltered and warm if she returned to Haven and its stone walls. But, is it her destiny to live in the walls of Haven, or is there another destiny in store for this child of Haven?
Lucinda Moebius
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I am a very character driven author. It is hard for me to pick my favorite character because they all mean so much to me. In my first novel, Echoes of Savanna, I introduce my readers to Savanna Taylor. She is a young medical doctor who is thrown into the middle of a massive pandemic. I love Savanna's sense of purpose and drive. She is much stronger and determined than I could ever be. When I started this series it was going to be a stand-alone novel about Raven, Savanna's daughter. Raven is strong and impulsive, the complete polar opposite of her mother. Raven's Song follows this girl as she tries to live in a world torn apart by war. She has a strength and courage I respect and hope to emulate in my own life. The series follows this family through five generations and I'm sure I am going to love each character as their stories grow.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
I know how to solve a Rubik's cube. This is a skill I just recently acquired. I never considered myself much of a logical/analytical thinker so I am pretty pleased I was able to accomplish this feat. In all seriousness though, I actually teach English in addition to writing novels. They say those who can do and those who can't teach. I can actually do and I love to teach. There is nothing more rewarding in this world than seeing a student make connections with important concepts and ideas that will affect them for the rest of their lives. My writing is a great accomplishment, but my real rewards in life come from students who chase me down at Wal*mart, yelling my name and throwing their arms around me.
5. Who are you reading right now?
Huckleberry Fin, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird and a number of articles and books on Education. I just can't seem to read one book at a time. I can always tell who or what I am reading while I am writing. My own writing tends to pick up an undercurrent of the style of writing from the authors I am reading. Sometimes I will be struck by the author's word choice or sentence structure, or I like the way they write dialogue. Sometimes I'm frustrated by the way they write and I want to make it better. Either way I can see their influence in my writing. I'm a very eclectic reader. You never know what genre or author I am reading at any given time. I'm just as likely to read a classic piece of literature as I am a modern author. You rarely find me without a book in close proximity.
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
There are a few that brought me to tears. I don't want to tell you too many details because I would have to give you a spoiler alert. Let's just say my characters are very real to me. Since the premise of the series is based on The Hero's Journey you know the characters are going to be facing some pretty horrific trials and painful experiences.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I find my inspiration everywhere. As you can tell, I am a voracious reader. I have been since I was four years old. Books hold a sense of wonder and magic for me. As long as I can remember I have been a story-teller and I love sharing my work. Every experience I have in life finds its way into my writing. Needless to say, I relish life and everything it brings to me.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
A little of both. I know where my stories are headed and I know some of the events and sequences, but I like to let the stories speak to me. As I wrote Raven's Song I realized the plot wasn't lining up to fit the character's growth and learning. I had to completely switch scenes around and ended up making the middle of the novel the climax. It was an interesting juxtaposition and it forced me to think outside of the box. It's going to be interesting to see what happens in her son's story.
13. Celebrity crush.
Will Smith. Savanna's husband looks a lot like him. :) 'nough said.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
My family. I know most of you are looking for some amazing author or teacher or civil leader you can all connect with, but my family is the driving force behind everything I do. The characters in my stories reflect many of their personalities and the events in the novels are based on things that happened to certain family members. My mother taught me to read and I used to go steal books off her bookshelf. By the time I was ten I was reading books way beyond my maturity level. My brothers and sisters inspire me and drive me to better myself and give unconditional love to everyone around me. My husband supports me in everything I do and I wouldn't be able to write if it wasn't for him. Most importantly, the children in my life influence me to do great things. My stepson, nieces, nephews and the children of friends, who are as important to me as those who share my family name, show me how I should live my life.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Lucinda Moebius grew up in the mountains of Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Her mother taught her to read when she was four years old and since that time, books have been her constant companions. She has a Bachelors Degree in English Teaching, a Masters in Educational Leadership and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education. Lucinda supports her writing habit by teaching High School and College. She currently lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, stepson and their dog and cat. Lucinda is the author of Echoes of Savanna, a Haven Novel part of the Parent Generation and Raven's Song, a Haven novel part of the T1 Generation.
Find Lucinda online at http://www.lucindamoebius.com .
Echoes of Savanna
Every generation has its defining moments, events that change history and turn the course of lives. Forever will the children of that generation be defined by those moments.
Savanna Taylor is a medical doctor in 2036, the same year terrorists release a series of plagues and viruses into the world. She is a nineteen year old Brain Trust whose task it is to find a cure for the diseases and develop vaccines to prevent their further spread. The world is thrown in turmoil and Savanna needs to find a way to survive with her sanity and family intact. She needs to find a safe Haven for herself and for those she loves.
Can Savanna cope in a world in constant flux brought on by war and disease? Can she save the world and protect her loved ones or will she make the ultimate sacrifice? How will she be defined?
- http://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Savanna-Parent-Generation-ebook/dp/B003WMA4XQ/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322503066&sr=8-2-spell
Raven's Song (Coming Soon)
The next generation has come into its own. Raven, Savanna's impulsive, impetuous daughter has begun her own epic journey.
Raven was born in a time of turmoil and war. She decides her calling in life is to be a soldier. Sacrificing the shelter and security of Haven, Raven puts herself at risk to save others. She finds herself in perilous situations and thrust into the role of leadership despite her own misgivings. The Siren's Song of Haven is continuously singing to her. She could be safe, protected, sheltered and warm if she returned to Haven and its stone walls. But, is it her destiny to live in the walls of Haven, or is there another destiny in store for this child of Haven?
December 2, 2011
SFFS: Snippet from AMBASADORA
SFFS Snippet
AMBASADORA
This is the beginning of my SF Romance novel Ambasadora , available in print and e-book:
"They're watching us again," Sara whispered against the smoothness of Chen's cheek. His soft bergamot scent mixed with her vodka-tinged breath.
A voyeur hovered six meters above them, narrowly missing the snaking track of blue lights suspended from the hippodrome's ceiling. A man from the balcony overhead reached out in a drunken swat for the voyeur, but came nowhere near the mass of cameras and directional microphones. His mates pulled him back with loud guffaws when he almost toppled over the railing.
Sara laughed, too, basking in the celebratory atmosphere. Hot pink swirls of light traveled along the floor and walls in complex patterns, painting the opulent furnishings and beautiful guests with dizzying, ephemeral artwork. The hypnotic beats pulsing through the speakers worked in time with the lighting, enhancing the dream-like quality of the evening. She found it hard to believe this cavernous playground, this entire stunning complex, was once part of an ancient worldship.
The voyeur descended closer, several of its cameras telescoped through the darkness to capture the couple from varied angles.
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
AMBASADORA
This is the beginning of my SF Romance novel Ambasadora , available in print and e-book:
"They're watching us again," Sara whispered against the smoothness of Chen's cheek. His soft bergamot scent mixed with her vodka-tinged breath.
A voyeur hovered six meters above them, narrowly missing the snaking track of blue lights suspended from the hippodrome's ceiling. A man from the balcony overhead reached out in a drunken swat for the voyeur, but came nowhere near the mass of cameras and directional microphones. His mates pulled him back with loud guffaws when he almost toppled over the railing.
Sara laughed, too, basking in the celebratory atmosphere. Hot pink swirls of light traveled along the floor and walls in complex patterns, painting the opulent furnishings and beautiful guests with dizzying, ephemeral artwork. The hypnotic beats pulsing through the speakers worked in time with the lighting, enhancing the dream-like quality of the evening. She found it hard to believe this cavernous playground, this entire stunning complex, was once part of an ancient worldship.
The voyeur descended closer, several of its cameras telescoped through the darkness to capture the couple from varied angles.
--
Find more snippets at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday .
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Kenneth Wayne
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Kenneth Wayne
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I started writing in the mid-1970s. I guess I was introduced to my favorite character when I wrote a slice-of-life novel that took place in an average town in the Pacific Northwest. It centered on the lives of a dozen or more characters. It was slightly patterned off of Anna Karenina in that it consisted of short chapters, each one focusing on the life of one of the five or six main characters and the novel advanced chronologically by rotating through the cycle of characters. As you can guess, it was massive, rambling and has yet to be edited or given much of an airing. Many writers, perhaps most, start with such a book as a way to find a voice.
From this novel emerged an everyman of sorts who I named Charles Journeyman. Since that early novel, Journeyman became my Chichikov (the protagonist in Gogol's Dead Souls): average in height, weight, looks, etc. Every novel I have written subsequently has a Charles Journeyman. Rather than being the same character, the Journeyman in each novel is similar but different; much like each exists in a parallel universe, ignorant of the others. Overall, since my first novel, I wrote two novels and a travelogue in the 1980s, one in the 1990s, and Clip in the first decade of the current century. Each novel contains a Charles Journeyman; although, the surface-level attributes and circumstances are different.
I found that using one character as the focus keeps my writing more manageable in both size and scope. In addition, I have settled into writing in first-person, past tense. I have found that has made it easier for me to ensure that I can continue to write my novels, while also handling my life as a father and the primary bread winner for my family.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
The one I have yet to write, I suppose.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I started writing around 17 or 18. Reading the short story, "ABEL SÁNCHEZ: UNA HISTORIA DE PASIÓN" by Miguel Unamuno made me realize the power in writing; how the writer was free to write what one found difficult to say in daily conversation. One of the novels that urged me to start writing novels was Malone Dies by Samuel Beckett. I really can't explain why. I guess it left me with the feeling that I did not want to face oblivion without having conveyed my take on existence.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I was born in the mid-50s and so I grew up to the sound of rock 'n' roll. A continual soundtrack of rock plays in the background of my daily activities: "Hey, hey, my, my. Rock 'n' Roll will never die."
12. Do you outline your stories of do they just take you along for the ride?
Most of my writing has developed from a core idea and very vague outline. Often these are based on ideas that come to me while commuting to and from work. About 2% of my writing is based on real events, I think. Shortly after I start writing, though, the characters and the events take over and I become a conduit through which the story unfounds - just a typist, I guess. My most recent novel, Clip, developed that way. I had a rather simple idea that quickly took and forced me to type it out. I had no idea where it would lead until the day I finished it. The other novel I have released as an ebook, An American Branch, adhered to a detailed outline. I knew where 95% of it was going before I began writing the first draft. Which was more effective? Don't ask me to choose between the children.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Vonnegut, Brautigan, Kafka, Bukowski, Camus, and Kerouac.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Kenneth Wayne was born and raised on the West Coast of the United States. He has spent the past couple of decades in Asia. Since the late 1970s he has written five novels, dozens of stories, a novel-length travelogue, and two ESL textbooks.
In the early part of 2011, he launched the Electronic Text and Literature Cloud (eTLC). You can use eTLC to discover the work of independent (indie) authors. The majority of writing on this cloud is available in a digitalized format, which provides indies a viable medium to distribute their work. Its focus is self-published material since it remains closer to the "vision" of the writer than work reshaped by publishers with "elusive" marketing goals.
His most recent book is Clip . Thirty words or less: Clip is about a man who spots himself in a sex video that has gone viral on the Internet and the effects this has on his life.
An American Branch was the rough draft of a novel that he wrote before Clip, but he spent the several months earlier this year rewriting it. Kenneth released it at the end of August. It's about how the consequences of our actions are different from what we anticipate because of our inability to perceive the ripple effects they have on our environment.
Buy his books here:
- http://www.amazon.com/Kenneth-Wayne/e/B004NQWNB6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
- http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kenwayne
Visit Kenneth online at these links:
WEBSITE: http://www.etlc.info
- http://www.facebook.com/amclip.wayne
- http://www.facebook.com/etlcloud
Kenneth Wayne
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I started writing in the mid-1970s. I guess I was introduced to my favorite character when I wrote a slice-of-life novel that took place in an average town in the Pacific Northwest. It centered on the lives of a dozen or more characters. It was slightly patterned off of Anna Karenina in that it consisted of short chapters, each one focusing on the life of one of the five or six main characters and the novel advanced chronologically by rotating through the cycle of characters. As you can guess, it was massive, rambling and has yet to be edited or given much of an airing. Many writers, perhaps most, start with such a book as a way to find a voice.
From this novel emerged an everyman of sorts who I named Charles Journeyman. Since that early novel, Journeyman became my Chichikov (the protagonist in Gogol's Dead Souls): average in height, weight, looks, etc. Every novel I have written subsequently has a Charles Journeyman. Rather than being the same character, the Journeyman in each novel is similar but different; much like each exists in a parallel universe, ignorant of the others. Overall, since my first novel, I wrote two novels and a travelogue in the 1980s, one in the 1990s, and Clip in the first decade of the current century. Each novel contains a Charles Journeyman; although, the surface-level attributes and circumstances are different.
I found that using one character as the focus keeps my writing more manageable in both size and scope. In addition, I have settled into writing in first-person, past tense. I have found that has made it easier for me to ensure that I can continue to write my novels, while also handling my life as a father and the primary bread winner for my family.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
The one I have yet to write, I suppose.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I started writing around 17 or 18. Reading the short story, "ABEL SÁNCHEZ: UNA HISTORIA DE PASIÓN" by Miguel Unamuno made me realize the power in writing; how the writer was free to write what one found difficult to say in daily conversation. One of the novels that urged me to start writing novels was Malone Dies by Samuel Beckett. I really can't explain why. I guess it left me with the feeling that I did not want to face oblivion without having conveyed my take on existence.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I was born in the mid-50s and so I grew up to the sound of rock 'n' roll. A continual soundtrack of rock plays in the background of my daily activities: "Hey, hey, my, my. Rock 'n' Roll will never die."
12. Do you outline your stories of do they just take you along for the ride?
Most of my writing has developed from a core idea and very vague outline. Often these are based on ideas that come to me while commuting to and from work. About 2% of my writing is based on real events, I think. Shortly after I start writing, though, the characters and the events take over and I become a conduit through which the story unfounds - just a typist, I guess. My most recent novel, Clip, developed that way. I had a rather simple idea that quickly took and forced me to type it out. I had no idea where it would lead until the day I finished it. The other novel I have released as an ebook, An American Branch, adhered to a detailed outline. I knew where 95% of it was going before I began writing the first draft. Which was more effective? Don't ask me to choose between the children.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Vonnegut, Brautigan, Kafka, Bukowski, Camus, and Kerouac.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Kenneth Wayne was born and raised on the West Coast of the United States. He has spent the past couple of decades in Asia. Since the late 1970s he has written five novels, dozens of stories, a novel-length travelogue, and two ESL textbooks.
In the early part of 2011, he launched the Electronic Text and Literature Cloud (eTLC). You can use eTLC to discover the work of independent (indie) authors. The majority of writing on this cloud is available in a digitalized format, which provides indies a viable medium to distribute their work. Its focus is self-published material since it remains closer to the "vision" of the writer than work reshaped by publishers with "elusive" marketing goals.
His most recent book is Clip . Thirty words or less: Clip is about a man who spots himself in a sex video that has gone viral on the Internet and the effects this has on his life.
An American Branch was the rough draft of a novel that he wrote before Clip, but he spent the several months earlier this year rewriting it. Kenneth released it at the end of August. It's about how the consequences of our actions are different from what we anticipate because of our inability to perceive the ripple effects they have on our environment.
Buy his books here:
- http://www.amazon.com/Kenneth-Wayne/e/B004NQWNB6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
- http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kenwayne
Visit Kenneth online at these links:
WEBSITE: http://www.etlc.info
- http://www.facebook.com/amclip.wayne
- http://www.facebook.com/etlcloud
Column: Heidi Ruby Miller's Geek Girl Underground
Columns
Heidi Ruby Miller's Geek Girl Underground
I just joined the team at Inveterate Media Junkies (IMJ) as a columnist!
Many thanks to Jose Melendez and Ian MacMillan for this wonderful opportunity. They discovered me on Twitter , you know. ;)
My column Heidi Ruby Miller's Geek Girl Underground debuts next week with some special guests from the SFR community. Until then, check out IMJ's other awesome columns and contributors , including NYT Bestselling author and fellow Pennwriter Jonathan Maberry and International Bestselling author Jon F. Merz .
Heidi Ruby Miller's Geek Girl Underground
I just joined the team at Inveterate Media Junkies (IMJ) as a columnist!
Many thanks to Jose Melendez and Ian MacMillan for this wonderful opportunity. They discovered me on Twitter , you know. ;)
My column Heidi Ruby Miller's Geek Girl Underground debuts next week with some special guests from the SFR community. Until then, check out IMJ's other awesome columns and contributors , including NYT Bestselling author and fellow Pennwriter Jonathan Maberry and International Bestselling author Jon F. Merz .
November 29, 2011
AUCTION: Signed Copy of Many Genres
Auctions
Bid on a Signed Hardcover of
MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT
We are offering a signed hardcover copy of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT in the huge fundraising auction to benefit writer and artist Terri Windling . There are so many awesome prizes to bid on from great writers in the industry like Cory Doctrow, Cherie Priest, Elizabeth Bear, Catherynne Valente, Holly Black, Tamora Pierce...and many, many more!
You can bid on items and find out more about Terri and the support she has been receiving from her fellow writers and artists at the Magick 4 Terri LiveJournal page. Just follow this link:
http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/32552.html
Bid on a Signed Hardcover of
MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT
We are offering a signed hardcover copy of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT in the huge fundraising auction to benefit writer and artist Terri Windling . There are so many awesome prizes to bid on from great writers in the industry like Cory Doctrow, Cherie Priest, Elizabeth Bear, Catherynne Valente, Holly Black, Tamora Pierce...and many, many more!
You can bid on items and find out more about Terri and the support she has been receiving from her fellow writers and artists at the Magick 4 Terri LiveJournal page. Just follow this link:
http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/32552.html
Heidi Ruby Miller's Blog
- Heidi Ruby Miller's profile
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Heidi Ruby Miller isn't a Goodreads Author
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