Heidi Ruby Miller's Blog, page 60
November 6, 2011
Many Genres One Craft: Finalist for USA Best Books 2011 Awards
I am very happy to announce that the writing guide I co-edited with
Michael A. Arnzen
,
Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction
, was an
Award-Winning Finalist in the Business: Writing and Publishing category of The USA Best Books 2011 Awards
, sponsored by
USA Book News
.Many Genres, One Craft ( Headline Books, Inc. ) gathers the voices of today's top genre writers and writing instructors affiliated with Seton Hill University's acclaimed MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction .
--
"Speaking from experience, I can tell you there isn't a muse and if there is, she's already dating someone else." If there isn't a muse, as you'll read in this invaluable book for writers, MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT is surely the next best thing. No matter what you want to learn--from choosing the point of view for a scene, from getting the most out of a critique group to fine-tuning your final draft, from approaching a literary agent to promoting your published book in print or electronically or both--it's all there. The contributors know their stuff, and what they're teaching applies to writing at any age. MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT covers all the bases superbly, including issues I haven't seen addressed anywhere else in today's rapidly shifting publishing landscape.
--Renni Browne, co-author of SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS
November 3, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: John Edward Lawson
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
[image error]
John Edward Lawson
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
2. Tell me about your travels.
Some years I do too much traveling around the country for publicity and feel a bit like Jack from Fight Club; you can go to every metropolitan area in the nation but end up just seeing airports and hotels. But I have been lucky enough to get in some recreational travel outside the USA. I think Costa Rica might be the most beautiful place on Earth. Going to the Monteverde cloud forests, standing at the top of the mountain where you can see the Pacific on your left and the Caribbean on your right…just awesome. Canada is for sure the most civil and friendly place around. Toronto is my favorite city, or at least it was when the exchange rate was better! England is great, too, and not just London. Hanging out with fog-obscured skater punks in the Roman structures of Bath is fun.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
I have heard it said that we should bring a little art to what we do, and bring a little of what we do to our art. I believe that to be true in that building our creative expression in all areas really seems to help with advancing the writing process. So, I enjoy gardening although I'm not very good at it. I've been cooking family meals daily for fifteen years, with emphasis on cuisine from around the world…Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and so forth, but I also do a lot of American. Sometimes I fantasize about cooking in a restaurant. I'm also a certified audio engineer and had a small recording studio for a while. It was good money, but writing just felt so much more important in the larger scheme of things. I've always been a gifted visual artist and as a kid my artwork got on local TV all the time. Most importantly I can wiggle my eyebrows independently of each other, nonstop, for an indefinite amount of time.
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
Pretty much any scene that is the final scene in my writing sequence, because I seem to have a psychological block against finishing stories. Often I write the opener, the end, the outline…and everything in-between is so exciting I just cannot stop. Plus, I tend to fall in love with the characters, and their pain or joy. Walking away from them is too difficult, which is why so many of the characters have cameos in later works.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
9. Food you could eat everyday.
Butternut squash soup from Animal Kingdom's Boma restaurant. And I just scored the recipe. Booyah. If I go missing just direct the police to my kitchen. I am not even playing with you. But the most dear form of sustenance for me is the sense of wonder in myself and others; it is this which renders me a writing/reading addict. I don't just need it daily. It's more like hourly, at least.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
Yes, which is depressing as I'm unable to put my body to use lately! Fortunately two of my new books just went to the printer, and I've met a few of my dozen anthology deadlines, so I can get back to it a bit. People assume that--due to my height--I play basketball, but actually I'm an exercise junky. I used to exercise three hours a day, but gradually I've allowed that to be whittled away by "life." One thing I've always advocated for authors is to engage in some form of daily exercise routine to combat the sedentary nature of our work. Particularly the thighs. Having tight thighs constricts blood vessels in your legs, returning blood from your lower half more quickly allowing improved alertness. Alertness = thinking, thinking = writing. And recently I was lucky enough to go rock climbing in the Adirondacks…it's something I look forward to doing more of.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
I was cartoon abstinent for many years. What changed that trend was becoming a father. I tend to live a somewhat monastic life, but seeing the latest cartoons with my son helps keep me plugged into pop culture. As to whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know, but it sure is entertaining. In my opinion Avatar is one of the best shows to ever hit television. The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is pretty great also; we're impatiently awaiting the next season. Currently we're doing a Phineas and Ferb marathon. The Popeye and Donald Duck cartoons of the 40s and 50s rock hard as well. Re-runs are a psychological necessity for the youngins because, as they say, ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.
John Edward Lawson has published eight books and over five hundred works in anthologies, magazines, and literary journals worldwide. He is a Bram Stoker Award finalist and a winner of the Fiction International Emerging Writers Competition; other nominations include the Pushcart Prize, two for the Rhysling, and two for the Dwarf Stars Award. As a freelance editor he has worked for Raw Dog Screaming Press, Double Dragon Publishing, and National Lampoon among others, has edited seven anthologies, and served as editor-in-chief for The Dream People. He lives near Washington, DC with his wife and son. Spy on him at http://www.johnlawson.org .
To purchase John's books, follow these links:
- http://www.amazon.com/Discouraging-at-Best-ebook/dp/B001JAFXSO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320230025&sr=8-2
- http://www.amazon.com/Last-Burn-Hell-Directors-Cut/dp/1933293268/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/Troublesome-Amputee-John-Edward-Lawson/dp/1933293152/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3
[image error]
John Edward Lawson
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
2. Tell me about your travels.
Some years I do too much traveling around the country for publicity and feel a bit like Jack from Fight Club; you can go to every metropolitan area in the nation but end up just seeing airports and hotels. But I have been lucky enough to get in some recreational travel outside the USA. I think Costa Rica might be the most beautiful place on Earth. Going to the Monteverde cloud forests, standing at the top of the mountain where you can see the Pacific on your left and the Caribbean on your right…just awesome. Canada is for sure the most civil and friendly place around. Toronto is my favorite city, or at least it was when the exchange rate was better! England is great, too, and not just London. Hanging out with fog-obscured skater punks in the Roman structures of Bath is fun.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
4. What else can you do besides write?
I have heard it said that we should bring a little art to what we do, and bring a little of what we do to our art. I believe that to be true in that building our creative expression in all areas really seems to help with advancing the writing process. So, I enjoy gardening although I'm not very good at it. I've been cooking family meals daily for fifteen years, with emphasis on cuisine from around the world…Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, and so forth, but I also do a lot of American. Sometimes I fantasize about cooking in a restaurant. I'm also a certified audio engineer and had a small recording studio for a while. It was good money, but writing just felt so much more important in the larger scheme of things. I've always been a gifted visual artist and as a kid my artwork got on local TV all the time. Most importantly I can wiggle my eyebrows independently of each other, nonstop, for an indefinite amount of time.
5. Who are you reading right now?
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
Pretty much any scene that is the final scene in my writing sequence, because I seem to have a psychological block against finishing stories. Often I write the opener, the end, the outline…and everything in-between is so exciting I just cannot stop. Plus, I tend to fall in love with the characters, and their pain or joy. Walking away from them is too difficult, which is why so many of the characters have cameos in later works.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
9. Food you could eat everyday.
Butternut squash soup from Animal Kingdom's Boma restaurant. And I just scored the recipe. Booyah. If I go missing just direct the police to my kitchen. I am not even playing with you. But the most dear form of sustenance for me is the sense of wonder in myself and others; it is this which renders me a writing/reading addict. I don't just need it daily. It's more like hourly, at least.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
Yes, which is depressing as I'm unable to put my body to use lately! Fortunately two of my new books just went to the printer, and I've met a few of my dozen anthology deadlines, so I can get back to it a bit. People assume that--due to my height--I play basketball, but actually I'm an exercise junky. I used to exercise three hours a day, but gradually I've allowed that to be whittled away by "life." One thing I've always advocated for authors is to engage in some form of daily exercise routine to combat the sedentary nature of our work. Particularly the thighs. Having tight thighs constricts blood vessels in your legs, returning blood from your lower half more quickly allowing improved alertness. Alertness = thinking, thinking = writing. And recently I was lucky enough to go rock climbing in the Adirondacks…it's something I look forward to doing more of.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
I was cartoon abstinent for many years. What changed that trend was becoming a father. I tend to live a somewhat monastic life, but seeing the latest cartoons with my son helps keep me plugged into pop culture. As to whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know, but it sure is entertaining. In my opinion Avatar is one of the best shows to ever hit television. The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is pretty great also; we're impatiently awaiting the next season. Currently we're doing a Phineas and Ferb marathon. The Popeye and Donald Duck cartoons of the 40s and 50s rock hard as well. Re-runs are a psychological necessity for the youngins because, as they say, ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.
John Edward Lawson has published eight books and over five hundred works in anthologies, magazines, and literary journals worldwide. He is a Bram Stoker Award finalist and a winner of the Fiction International Emerging Writers Competition; other nominations include the Pushcart Prize, two for the Rhysling, and two for the Dwarf Stars Award. As a freelance editor he has worked for Raw Dog Screaming Press, Double Dragon Publishing, and National Lampoon among others, has edited seven anthologies, and served as editor-in-chief for The Dream People. He lives near Washington, DC with his wife and son. Spy on him at http://www.johnlawson.org .
To purchase John's books, follow these links:
- http://www.amazon.com/Discouraging-at-Best-ebook/dp/B001JAFXSO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320230025&sr=8-2
- http://www.amazon.com/Last-Burn-Hell-Directors-Cut/dp/1933293268/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/Troublesome-Amputee-John-Edward-Lawson/dp/1933293152/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3
November 1, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Jack Wallen
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
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Jack Wallen
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's such a tough one...but I have to go with Shero. Why? Shero stands for everything that SHOULD be right in the world. Shero is a transgendered superhero that not only has to concern himself with fighting crime, he also has the court of public opinion to take on. The first book (the second one should be out in the first couple of months of 2012) allows the reader to see how the scorn of ignorance can be so painful and how a very brave and proud man can overcome. Shero tells a very good story and does it looking fabulously.
2. Tell me about your travels.
Can I talk about the travels in my head? They are much more exciting? The majority of my travels were done during my career as an actor. I never left North America but I've toured throughout the country and had a wonderful time. My single most favorite place I've lived was Boulder Colorado. It's magical.
I do long to travel to Australia and Japan. Sigh. Maybe someday.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Soda. It's my only vice. Sad but true.
4. What else can you do besides write?
This question would best be answered by listing out the careers I've had:
Actor
College Professor
Hair stylist
Bike mechanic
Technical writer
Computer engineer
Digital artist
Radio host
On top of that I race mountain bikes and cyclocross.
5. Who are you reading right now?
I am currently reading two of my favorite indie authors:
Shea MacLeod: Kissed by Darkness
Heather Marie Adkins: The Temple
Both are incredible!
6. Pop culture or academia?
Oh good gravy these are tough. But in this instance I'd have to say academia. Why? If I answered "pop culture" people might assume me a fan of reality TV or Hollywood rumor blogs. Gasp! Okay, truth be told, I'm a fan of them both. How can I not be? I toss pop culture references around in my books like glitter at a Victoria's Secret runway show. What I like best – however – is watching pop culture filled with academia. Big Bang Theory fills that void for me quite well, thank you very much.
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
The hardest scene I ever wrote was the last scene in Die Zombie Die. Why? It was the last book in the I Zombie trilogy and I really didn't want to let those characters go. Outside of that – having Shero break a heel of one of his Manolo Blahniks is pretty rough. Okay, seriously – there's a scene in Die Zombie Die where Professor Danielle Joy Michaels is hit with the reality of what she has done to mankind. The moment knocks her to her knees as she is overcome with guilt and grief. I cried when I wrote that scene. It hurt. It was necessary.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
Everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. One of the most important classes I had in grad school (Purdue University Professional Actor Training Program) was a movement class. That class helped me to realize that artistic inspiration can come from anything, anywhere, at any time. If I had, however, to pin down one source of inspiration it would have to be music. I constantly have music playing in my life and I allow it to deeply effect and move me. Whenever I am in need of inspiration, the right music can fill me with so much.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
I'm a vegetarian and when the apocalypse hits, I will most likely be subsisting on Morningstar Farms veggie burgers. Oh, you were looking for something a little more romantic. Thai. I love Thai food.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
I am passionate about cycling. I race mountain bikes and cyclocross. Cycling is my therapy.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
Emotional music. Right now, at this moment, I am really into the band Red. Some of their music is so powerful it will drop you do your knees and steal your breath. Listen to Watch You Crawl or Pieces and NOT be moved and I will claim you have no heart. My all time favorite piece of music is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. Tragic beauty that piece.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
I used to have to do a full-blown outline. But when I wrote the I Zombie trilogy I knew chaos had to reign supreme, so I took away the safety net. Now … I find I'm a much better writer when I allow my imagination to just take me on a ride.
13. Celebrity crush.
Anna Torv from Fringe and Alyson Hannigan who will always be TV's Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Clive Barker is my idol. My goal is to eventually be compare to the brilliance of that man. Not so much in genre, but in grace and lyrical style. The man could write the phone book and it would be beautiful.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
For the longest time I was a screaming anime junky. If I still had the time, I would be watching. Now? I still love cartoons, but they tend to be more of the Family Guy type. I don't want to grow up. Ever. You cannot make me go to bed! I won't do it! I'll bite you! Oh fine...I'll grow up a little.
Jack Wallen has a goal -- to become the Zombie King. He won't do that by dining on the brains of helpless victims. Instead he will write and write until his fingers and mind are nothing but meat for the beasts. During that time Jack will produce works of zombie fiction that are both enjoyable and cringe-worthy.
Of course, being of the insane writer clan, Jack isn't just happy with the penning of zombie fiction. Oh no, the nightmare does not end there. Like the late, great Freddy Mercury, Jack wants it all -- so, he will continue writing his Fringe Killer series as well as his joyous celebration of all things diverse -- Shero.
For his inspiration to begin reading and writing, Jack thanks the ever-incredible Clive Barker for penning in a genre with words of grace and horror.
Find out more about Jack Wallen and buy his books:
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/I-Zombie-ebook/dp/B004LGTRX0
[image error]
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/I-Zombie-I/Jack-Wallen/e/9781452404363
[image error]
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/36790
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/I-Zombie-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461134137
- http://www.amazon.com/My-Zombie-ebook/dp/B005RNN6EW
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/My-Zombie-My/Jack-Wallen/e/2940013340701
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/64309
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NPBSME
[image error]
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Blade-Away/Jack-Wallen/e/2940012551863
[image error]
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34698
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Away-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461082218
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/Gothica-Fringe-Killer-ebook/dp/B002OL1Y3A
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Gothica/Jack-Wallen/e/2940012527219
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/35382
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/Gothica-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461163633
- http://www.amazon.com/Shero-ebook/dp/B001J000RI
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shero/Jack-Wallen/e/2940011906169
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33118
Get Jack'd: http://www.monkeypantz.net
Twitter: jlwallen
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jlwallen
Zombie Radio: http://www.zombieradio.org
[image error]
[image error]
Jack Wallen
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's such a tough one...but I have to go with Shero. Why? Shero stands for everything that SHOULD be right in the world. Shero is a transgendered superhero that not only has to concern himself with fighting crime, he also has the court of public opinion to take on. The first book (the second one should be out in the first couple of months of 2012) allows the reader to see how the scorn of ignorance can be so painful and how a very brave and proud man can overcome. Shero tells a very good story and does it looking fabulously.
2. Tell me about your travels.
Can I talk about the travels in my head? They are much more exciting? The majority of my travels were done during my career as an actor. I never left North America but I've toured throughout the country and had a wonderful time. My single most favorite place I've lived was Boulder Colorado. It's magical.
I do long to travel to Australia and Japan. Sigh. Maybe someday.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Soda. It's my only vice. Sad but true.
4. What else can you do besides write?
This question would best be answered by listing out the careers I've had:
Actor
College Professor
Hair stylist
Bike mechanic
Technical writer
Computer engineer
Digital artist
Radio host
On top of that I race mountain bikes and cyclocross.
5. Who are you reading right now?
I am currently reading two of my favorite indie authors:
Shea MacLeod: Kissed by Darkness
Heather Marie Adkins: The Temple
Both are incredible!
6. Pop culture or academia?
Oh good gravy these are tough. But in this instance I'd have to say academia. Why? If I answered "pop culture" people might assume me a fan of reality TV or Hollywood rumor blogs. Gasp! Okay, truth be told, I'm a fan of them both. How can I not be? I toss pop culture references around in my books like glitter at a Victoria's Secret runway show. What I like best – however – is watching pop culture filled with academia. Big Bang Theory fills that void for me quite well, thank you very much.
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
The hardest scene I ever wrote was the last scene in Die Zombie Die. Why? It was the last book in the I Zombie trilogy and I really didn't want to let those characters go. Outside of that – having Shero break a heel of one of his Manolo Blahniks is pretty rough. Okay, seriously – there's a scene in Die Zombie Die where Professor Danielle Joy Michaels is hit with the reality of what she has done to mankind. The moment knocks her to her knees as she is overcome with guilt and grief. I cried when I wrote that scene. It hurt. It was necessary.
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
Everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. One of the most important classes I had in grad school (Purdue University Professional Actor Training Program) was a movement class. That class helped me to realize that artistic inspiration can come from anything, anywhere, at any time. If I had, however, to pin down one source of inspiration it would have to be music. I constantly have music playing in my life and I allow it to deeply effect and move me. Whenever I am in need of inspiration, the right music can fill me with so much.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
I'm a vegetarian and when the apocalypse hits, I will most likely be subsisting on Morningstar Farms veggie burgers. Oh, you were looking for something a little more romantic. Thai. I love Thai food.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
I am passionate about cycling. I race mountain bikes and cyclocross. Cycling is my therapy.
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
Emotional music. Right now, at this moment, I am really into the band Red. Some of their music is so powerful it will drop you do your knees and steal your breath. Listen to Watch You Crawl or Pieces and NOT be moved and I will claim you have no heart. My all time favorite piece of music is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. Tragic beauty that piece.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
I used to have to do a full-blown outline. But when I wrote the I Zombie trilogy I knew chaos had to reign supreme, so I took away the safety net. Now … I find I'm a much better writer when I allow my imagination to just take me on a ride.
13. Celebrity crush.
Anna Torv from Fringe and Alyson Hannigan who will always be TV's Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
Clive Barker is my idol. My goal is to eventually be compare to the brilliance of that man. Not so much in genre, but in grace and lyrical style. The man could write the phone book and it would be beautiful.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
For the longest time I was a screaming anime junky. If I still had the time, I would be watching. Now? I still love cartoons, but they tend to be more of the Family Guy type. I don't want to grow up. Ever. You cannot make me go to bed! I won't do it! I'll bite you! Oh fine...I'll grow up a little.
Jack Wallen has a goal -- to become the Zombie King. He won't do that by dining on the brains of helpless victims. Instead he will write and write until his fingers and mind are nothing but meat for the beasts. During that time Jack will produce works of zombie fiction that are both enjoyable and cringe-worthy.
Of course, being of the insane writer clan, Jack isn't just happy with the penning of zombie fiction. Oh no, the nightmare does not end there. Like the late, great Freddy Mercury, Jack wants it all -- so, he will continue writing his Fringe Killer series as well as his joyous celebration of all things diverse -- Shero.
For his inspiration to begin reading and writing, Jack thanks the ever-incredible Clive Barker for penning in a genre with words of grace and horror.
Find out more about Jack Wallen and buy his books:
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/I-Zombie-ebook/dp/B004LGTRX0
[image error]
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/I-Zombie-I/Jack-Wallen/e/9781452404363
[image error]
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/36790
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/I-Zombie-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461134137
- http://www.amazon.com/My-Zombie-ebook/dp/B005RNN6EW
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/My-Zombie-My/Jack-Wallen/e/2940013340701
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/64309
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002NPBSME
[image error]
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Blade-Away/Jack-Wallen/e/2940012551863
[image error]
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34698
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Away-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461082218
[image error]
- http://www.amazon.com/Gothica-Fringe-Killer-ebook/dp/B002OL1Y3A
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Gothica/Jack-Wallen/e/2940012527219
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/35382
(Paperback) - http://www.amazon.com/Gothica-Jack-Wallen/dp/1461163633
- http://www.amazon.com/Shero-ebook/dp/B001J000RI
- http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shero/Jack-Wallen/e/2940011906169
- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33118
Get Jack'd: http://www.monkeypantz.net
Twitter: jlwallen
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jlwallen
Zombie Radio: http://www.zombieradio.org
[image error]
October 31, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: M. A. Leslie
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Amy and Mike Leslie (M. A. Leslie)
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
A - Charlie from Liberty, not because of his role in the first Liberty, but in the process of writing a second story containing him, he is really coming to life for me. It is almost like I can see him. Not that all of the other characters in our books aren't special, but he is kind of taking a life of his own.
M- Libbi from our book Liberty. I know that Libbi is a girl and for that reason we are very different, but there are many similarities to her upbringing that are similar to my own. She is feisty like my wife and has seen more than any person of her age should have. I respect her and feel like I can see through her eyes sometimes.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
A – If I could insert an IV of coffee in my arm and walk around all day, I would be the happiest person alive. Please just add the French vanilla creamer.
M – I am going to have to go with coffee too. I don't know how people can write without it. There aren't enough hours in the day to get writing done and most of it is done at night for us. Therefore, we need our coffee.
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
A – Currently I am reading two books. I am reading New York to Dallas by JD Robb and Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson. One I am reading for myself and the other I am reading for my son. He likes me to pre-read his books so we can talk about them.
M – Right now I am reading Urban Mythos by Jay Eckert. A fellow self published author from New Jersey. It is an extremely interesting YA fantasy book that I have been meaning to read for some time.
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspiration to write?
A – Believe it or not, but most of my thoughts for stories come while I am driving. There has been more than one story hatched as I drove and Mike wrote as fast as he could to keep up. Then of course there is the fact that most of our stories are based upon dreams that I have had, even the scary ones.
M – I find the inspiration to write from Amy. Writing is something that I have always loved to do, but until we put our thoughts and writing together, I never finished anything. Amy is my muse, without her, I wouldn't be able to write.
9. Food you could eat every day?
A – Pasta.
M – Pasta. Any shape with any sauce.
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 – I am more of a run with it kind of girl. I let the ideas flow from my mind and the order isn't really all that important until the end.
M – I am an outliner. I need structure, without the structure, I am unable to finish anything. I usually let Amy run with it and I do my best to follow and put it in outline form.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
M.A. Leslie isn't just one person, but the pen name is made up of two people. Mike and Amy Leslie, a married writing team from Southern New Jersey. There, we raise our children, work, and write by the beach in Cape May County.
Find M. A. Leslie online at these links:
- http://www.amazon.com/M.A.-Leslie/e/B004SCHBTE
- www.maleslie1.blogspot.com
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717954
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Amy and Mike Leslie (M. A. Leslie)
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
A - Charlie from Liberty, not because of his role in the first Liberty, but in the process of writing a second story containing him, he is really coming to life for me. It is almost like I can see him. Not that all of the other characters in our books aren't special, but he is kind of taking a life of his own.
M- Libbi from our book Liberty. I know that Libbi is a girl and for that reason we are very different, but there are many similarities to her upbringing that are similar to my own. She is feisty like my wife and has seen more than any person of her age should have. I respect her and feel like I can see through her eyes sometimes.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
A – If I could insert an IV of coffee in my arm and walk around all day, I would be the happiest person alive. Please just add the French vanilla creamer.
M – I am going to have to go with coffee too. I don't know how people can write without it. There aren't enough hours in the day to get writing done and most of it is done at night for us. Therefore, we need our coffee.
4. What else can you do besides write?
5. Who are you reading right now?
A – Currently I am reading two books. I am reading New York to Dallas by JD Robb and Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson. One I am reading for myself and the other I am reading for my son. He likes me to pre-read his books so we can talk about them.
M – Right now I am reading Urban Mythos by Jay Eckert. A fellow self published author from New Jersey. It is an extremely interesting YA fantasy book that I have been meaning to read for some time.
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspiration to write?
A – Believe it or not, but most of my thoughts for stories come while I am driving. There has been more than one story hatched as I drove and Mike wrote as fast as he could to keep up. Then of course there is the fact that most of our stories are based upon dreams that I have had, even the scary ones.
M – I find the inspiration to write from Amy. Writing is something that I have always loved to do, but until we put our thoughts and writing together, I never finished anything. Amy is my muse, without her, I wouldn't be able to write.
9. Food you could eat every day?
A – Pasta.
M – Pasta. Any shape with any sauce.
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 – I am more of a run with it kind of girl. I let the ideas flow from my mind and the order isn't really all that important until the end.
M – I am an outliner. I need structure, without the structure, I am unable to finish anything. I usually let Amy run with it and I do my best to follow and put it in outline form.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
M.A. Leslie isn't just one person, but the pen name is made up of two people. Mike and Amy Leslie, a married writing team from Southern New Jersey. There, we raise our children, work, and write by the beach in Cape May County.
Find M. A. Leslie online at these links:
- http://www.amazon.com/M.A.-Leslie/e/B004SCHBTE
- www.maleslie1.blogspot.com
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4717954
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October 27, 2011
BLOG HOP: Jeremy Bates' Halloween Hop
Blog Hops
Join me and other bloggers this Halloween weekend for Jeremy Bates' Halloween Hop!
I'll be giving away one signed copy of Ambasadora (US only) and two e-copies (internationally).
Just leave a comment here and Tweet:
Check out #Ambasadora by @heidirubymiller - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZR9WOY
Or post to your Facebook page , but provide the link in your comment here so I can find you!
[image error] [image error]
Happy Halloween!!
Join me and other bloggers this Halloween weekend for Jeremy Bates' Halloween Hop!
I'll be giving away one signed copy of Ambasadora (US only) and two e-copies (internationally).
Just leave a comment here and Tweet:
Check out #Ambasadora by @heidirubymiller - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZR9WOY
Or post to your Facebook page , but provide the link in your comment here so I can find you!
[image error] [image error]
Happy Halloween!!
October 26, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Gary Vanucci
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Gary Vanucci
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I don't really have a favorite on my own, though I do enjoy writing the goblin Barguth especially. All of my main characters have very unique personalities and motivations that set them apart and make them special. That is enjoyable for me as a writer. Most of the time, I put myself in the place of them and then have at it! From a character standpoint, I think that you need to have strong characters that people care about or else you will lose your audience quickly.
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?
Right now I am reading Erik Scott De Bie's Downshadow and George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones. What can I say, I enjoy fantasy!
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I am inspired by reading novels, watching good television and comics I read growing up. I really think that exposing myself to comics and role-playing games at an early age opens your mind to a wild imagination. I have that and I would not trade it for anything. You know how some people say: 'think outside the box'? I live there.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I listen to rock mostly or alternative if I am in the mood. I listen to Godsmack, Metallica, Candlebox and The Gracious Few for the most part. I dig the 80's metal as I was a singer in a band in the late 80's, too. Sometimes I find myself listening to soundtracks like the Game of Thrones soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi, whose work really needs to be up for an Emmy. I also enjoy the soundtracks from the television show Scrubs. And on a few occasions, I can be caught listening to some Frank Sinatra or Billy Joel.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
The first book I did with a very basic outline. I had a story I had written years ago and used those notes as the catalyst. I expanded on the notes as the story went along detailing only the most basic of details from points A to B. The second novel I am working on, I did a more detailed outline of what I wanted in each chapter…this seems to work out more smoothly!
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
I'd like to say that George R.R. Martin and R. A. Salvatore are the most influential to me. I have read a ton of Forgotten Realms novels as well as George's Wildcards series from the early eighties. He edited them mostly.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Gary Vanucci was born in Pennsylvania in 1968. He enjoys writing, reading, music, art, anything at all that promotes creativity and activities that push the mind beyond conventional thinking. He has spent time as an amateur singer/songwriter and has spent multiple decades creating role-playing scenarios and playing games amongst various genres. Years of reading graphic novels, comic books, fantasy/science fiction novels and the like has led him to discover his true passion—writing!
His education includes a Bachelor's of Science in the field of Information Technology and an Associates of Arts in the field of Graphic Design.
Favorite Quotes: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle.
PURCHASE Covenant of the Faceless Knights :
Authorhouse: http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000465859
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Covenant-Faceless-Knights-Beginnings-ebook/dp/B005FLPVYO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1311380163&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/covenant-of-the-faceless-knights-gary-f-vanucci/1104302135?ean=9781463417321&itm=1&usri=covenant%2bof%2bthe%2bfaceless%2bknights
Follow Gary:
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- http://twitter.com/AshenclawRealm
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Covenant-of-the-Faceless-Knights/215704991808213
- http://eyeonashenclaw.blogspot.com
SYNOPSIS of Covenant of the Faceless Knights
When a dangerous artifact goes missing from a temple, the elderly high priest in charge eventually comes to the conclusion that he needs help. He requests aid in the form of a one-time apprentice, Garius, who is now an Inquisitor representing the Order of the Faceless Knights. After a series of interviews, Garius sets out on his quest aided by Rose, a rogue among rogues, by the battle-hungry Saeunn, and by a naïve elf named Elec, who reluctantly agrees to accompany them at the behest of the persuasive Inquisitor. The eclectic group then sets out to recover the artifact before it falls into the hands of the lich who once held it. Such is the Covenant of the Faceless Knights!
EXCERPT
The orc bore down on him quickly and was only within a few arms lengths. He could see the beast's teeth and drool spray from its mouth as it uttered some foul orc-speak. Elec waited calmly with his weapons drawn, but had not revealed them from beneath his cloak. As the orc reached his position, Elec nimbly dove down and to his left to avoid the brunt of the charge, all the while keeping his foot outstretched enough to trip the orc. The momentum of the beast's charge took it headlong into the mountainside, sliding on the slippery slush a bit and smashing its helmet down around its eyes, looking a bit worse for wear.
Within a second, Elec was back to his feet, spinning hard and plunging his sword into the back of the creature, placing all of his body weight into the strike. He pierced flesh, but the blade stopped on something, most likely a rib, and therefore was not the killing blow he had hoped for. He cursed his luck, thinking the strike to be well placed. His frustration nearly cost him.
The rest of the excerpt and one more can be found here:
http://www.ashenclaw.com/index.php/book-excerpts
Gary Vanucci
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I don't really have a favorite on my own, though I do enjoy writing the goblin Barguth especially. All of my main characters have very unique personalities and motivations that set them apart and make them special. That is enjoyable for me as a writer. Most of the time, I put myself in the place of them and then have at it! From a character standpoint, I think that you need to have strong characters that people care about or else you will lose your audience quickly.
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?
Right now I am reading Erik Scott De Bie's Downshadow and George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones. What can I say, I enjoy fantasy!
6. Pop culture or academia?
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
I am inspired by reading novels, watching good television and comics I read growing up. I really think that exposing myself to comics and role-playing games at an early age opens your mind to a wild imagination. I have that and I would not trade it for anything. You know how some people say: 'think outside the box'? I live there.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
I listen to rock mostly or alternative if I am in the mood. I listen to Godsmack, Metallica, Candlebox and The Gracious Few for the most part. I dig the 80's metal as I was a singer in a band in the late 80's, too. Sometimes I find myself listening to soundtracks like the Game of Thrones soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi, whose work really needs to be up for an Emmy. I also enjoy the soundtracks from the television show Scrubs. And on a few occasions, I can be caught listening to some Frank Sinatra or Billy Joel.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
The first book I did with a very basic outline. I had a story I had written years ago and used those notes as the catalyst. I expanded on the notes as the story went along detailing only the most basic of details from points A to B. The second novel I am working on, I did a more detailed outline of what I wanted in each chapter…this seems to work out more smoothly!
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
I'd like to say that George R.R. Martin and R. A. Salvatore are the most influential to me. I have read a ton of Forgotten Realms novels as well as George's Wildcards series from the early eighties. He edited them mostly.
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Gary Vanucci was born in Pennsylvania in 1968. He enjoys writing, reading, music, art, anything at all that promotes creativity and activities that push the mind beyond conventional thinking. He has spent time as an amateur singer/songwriter and has spent multiple decades creating role-playing scenarios and playing games amongst various genres. Years of reading graphic novels, comic books, fantasy/science fiction novels and the like has led him to discover his true passion—writing!
His education includes a Bachelor's of Science in the field of Information Technology and an Associates of Arts in the field of Graphic Design.
Favorite Quotes: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle.
PURCHASE Covenant of the Faceless Knights :
Authorhouse: http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000465859
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Covenant-Faceless-Knights-Beginnings-ebook/dp/B005FLPVYO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1311380163&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/covenant-of-the-faceless-knights-gary-f-vanucci/1104302135?ean=9781463417321&itm=1&usri=covenant%2bof%2bthe%2bfaceless%2bknights
Follow Gary:
[image error]
- http://twitter.com/AshenclawRealm
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Covenant-of-the-Faceless-Knights/215704991808213
- http://eyeonashenclaw.blogspot.com
SYNOPSIS of Covenant of the Faceless Knights
When a dangerous artifact goes missing from a temple, the elderly high priest in charge eventually comes to the conclusion that he needs help. He requests aid in the form of a one-time apprentice, Garius, who is now an Inquisitor representing the Order of the Faceless Knights. After a series of interviews, Garius sets out on his quest aided by Rose, a rogue among rogues, by the battle-hungry Saeunn, and by a naïve elf named Elec, who reluctantly agrees to accompany them at the behest of the persuasive Inquisitor. The eclectic group then sets out to recover the artifact before it falls into the hands of the lich who once held it. Such is the Covenant of the Faceless Knights!
EXCERPT
The orc bore down on him quickly and was only within a few arms lengths. He could see the beast's teeth and drool spray from its mouth as it uttered some foul orc-speak. Elec waited calmly with his weapons drawn, but had not revealed them from beneath his cloak. As the orc reached his position, Elec nimbly dove down and to his left to avoid the brunt of the charge, all the while keeping his foot outstretched enough to trip the orc. The momentum of the beast's charge took it headlong into the mountainside, sliding on the slippery slush a bit and smashing its helmet down around its eyes, looking a bit worse for wear.
Within a second, Elec was back to his feet, spinning hard and plunging his sword into the back of the creature, placing all of his body weight into the strike. He pierced flesh, but the blade stopped on something, most likely a rib, and therefore was not the killing blow he had hoped for. He cursed his luck, thinking the strike to be well placed. His frustration nearly cost him.
The rest of the excerpt and one more can be found here:
http://www.ashenclaw.com/index.php/book-excerpts
October 25, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Sabrina Benulis
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Sabrina Benulis
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
This is a very difficult question, but if I could choose only one, then my favorite character from my novel ARCHON is Angela, my main protagonist. I love all of my characters, but Angela's vulnerability and growing integrity have really stuck with me and the more that I see what she is destined to become, the more excited I get. Angela is a very real person. She has a lot of flaws, and comes from a past that has been extremely unforgiving and harsh, but that past has also molded her into someone who is so honest and straightforward with herself that she ends up making a stark contrast to the other characters, who only know how to hide their true selves behind a proverbial mask. I wanted to write Angela as a person who you would want in your corner, that you could see yourself being friends with, but who also grows and grows from someone who doesn't make the best choices, to someone very admirable.
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?
I'm a pop culture kind of girl, and I like to stay on top of trends in movies, music, and novels. But I do think academia is important for analyzing those trends and exmaining where we are taking them, and what that might mean for entertainment in the future.
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
My inspirations to write come from a million different sources, but I love anime and manga, and I can really see the influence it has had on the way I write and what kind of stories excite me. But anything can give me an awesome idea, and I find myself watching movies I love, listening to popular music, and even flipping through artbooks for that one image, or sentence, or scene that will get my creative juices flowing.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
I could eat birthday cake every day. Vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. My literal slice of heaven on earth.
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?
I have a pretty balanced mix going where I outline half the book and let the other half sort itself out as I write. The truth is, it's very important to know what your end goal for your characters and story happens to be, but it's the route you take there that can develop so many twists and turns, the process eventually surprises even the author. Some characters are easy to work with for me--they follow the plan I've laid out almost exactly. But some prove to take on a life of their own, and that can be where the real magic of storytelling happens. I always think it's more fun to be surprised, even when, as the the author, it should be very hard to surprise you.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
I think anyone who shoos cartoons aside as being just for children is really missing out on something special. Animation allows you to play with and present a story in a way that no other medium does. And one style of animation can be very different from another. Japanese anime is a great example of what animation can do when it's matched to an amazingly imaginative, and often deep or mature, story-line. I think it's rather sad that in America, cartoons are for children and very few other people, and that there is very little room for creativity outside of comedic animation like The Simpsons or Family Guy. Perhaps that will change in the future as more varities of entertainment get more exposure through the internet.
Sabrina Benulis
's debut novel
Archon
, the first installment in The Books of Raziel trilogy, comes out December 27, 2011 from Harper Voyager. In 2007, Sabrina graduated from Seton Hill University with a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction , where an early version of her book was also her graduating thesis. She married soon afterwards, and she and her husband currently live in northeastern Pennsylvania with a spoiled cockatiel and a lot of rural wildlife. Sabrina is hard at work on the next novel in the series, but when she isn't writing, catch her watching anime, playing video games, or getting some much needed sleep.
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Benulis/171453932941688
Sabrina Benulis
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
This is a very difficult question, but if I could choose only one, then my favorite character from my novel ARCHON is Angela, my main protagonist. I love all of my characters, but Angela's vulnerability and growing integrity have really stuck with me and the more that I see what she is destined to become, the more excited I get. Angela is a very real person. She has a lot of flaws, and comes from a past that has been extremely unforgiving and harsh, but that past has also molded her into someone who is so honest and straightforward with herself that she ends up making a stark contrast to the other characters, who only know how to hide their true selves behind a proverbial mask. I wanted to write Angela as a person who you would want in your corner, that you could see yourself being friends with, but who also grows and grows from someone who doesn't make the best choices, to someone very admirable.
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?
I'm a pop culture kind of girl, and I like to stay on top of trends in movies, music, and novels. But I do think academia is important for analyzing those trends and exmaining where we are taking them, and what that might mean for entertainment in the future.
7. What is the toughest scene you ever wrote?
8. Where do you find your inspirations to write?
My inspirations to write come from a million different sources, but I love anime and manga, and I can really see the influence it has had on the way I write and what kind of stories excite me. But anything can give me an awesome idea, and I find myself watching movies I love, listening to popular music, and even flipping through artbooks for that one image, or sentence, or scene that will get my creative juices flowing.
9. Food you could eat everyday.
I could eat birthday cake every day. Vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. My literal slice of heaven on earth.
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?
I have a pretty balanced mix going where I outline half the book and let the other half sort itself out as I write. The truth is, it's very important to know what your end goal for your characters and story happens to be, but it's the route you take there that can develop so many twists and turns, the process eventually surprises even the author. Some characters are easy to work with for me--they follow the plan I've laid out almost exactly. But some prove to take on a life of their own, and that can be where the real magic of storytelling happens. I always think it's more fun to be surprised, even when, as the the author, it should be very hard to surprise you.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
I think anyone who shoos cartoons aside as being just for children is really missing out on something special. Animation allows you to play with and present a story in a way that no other medium does. And one style of animation can be very different from another. Japanese anime is a great example of what animation can do when it's matched to an amazingly imaginative, and often deep or mature, story-line. I think it's rather sad that in America, cartoons are for children and very few other people, and that there is very little room for creativity outside of comedic animation like The Simpsons or Family Guy. Perhaps that will change in the future as more varities of entertainment get more exposure through the internet.
Sabrina Benulis
's debut novel
Archon
, the first installment in The Books of Raziel trilogy, comes out December 27, 2011 from Harper Voyager. In 2007, Sabrina graduated from Seton Hill University with a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction , where an early version of her book was also her graduating thesis. She married soon afterwards, and she and her husband currently live in northeastern Pennsylvania with a spoiled cockatiel and a lot of rural wildlife. Sabrina is hard at work on the next novel in the series, but when she isn't writing, catch her watching anime, playing video games, or getting some much needed sleep.
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Benulis/171453932941688
October 19, 2011
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Tracy Falbe
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I write epics that have many characters, so it is hard for me to pick just one because I'm rather fond of several of them. Even so I am tremendously in love with Amar from my recent release Rys Rising: Book I. He's supposed to be the bad guy but my husband insists Amar is the hero, but regardless of those opinions, he is definitely a great way for a teenage princess to get back at daddy. He's a notorious killer and does not care if he lives or dies. This does not mean that he acts without purpose. He is the devoted servant of the rys Onja, whose magic supports his warlordism. Amar quickly earns the name among the peasants of dro-shalum, which means curse demon. Women are attracted to his burgeoning power, but he ignores them until of course he meets the right lady. I like so many things about Amar. He's audacious, daring, sneaky, provocative, and literally gets away with murder. He offers an interesting look at a life unhitched from normal social constraints about right and wrong. I would never want to be like Amar, but experiencing his power is exciting.
Short excerpt from Rys Rising: Book I featuring Amar:
Taking up the rope, Amar mounted the parapet above the window that he had entered mentally with Onja. A waning moon had just broken the horizon and dappled the scattered clouds with light. Stars glittered in the heavens, and the hills jutting above the dark fields were silvery and silent.
As Amar wrapped the rope about his torso and gripped it fiercely, he paused to take in the splendor of the night. It was good to see beauty and have it touch him. He needed this moment of blessing before he committed cold murder.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3.Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee every morning with a little sugar and milk in it, unless I happen to have some cream. I drink tea sometimes, usually black, but I definitely prefer coffee. I drink a glass of milk every day too.
4. What else can you do besides write?
For the last decade I have been teaching myself how to grow food and preserve it. I also cook. Currently I am in the process of developing my home into an urban homestead with the purpose of supplying my family with as much food as possible. I'm actually starting to get good at this although agriculture always involves setbacks and failures. I rarely buy any produce or meat from a grocery store. My garden, local farms, and farmers' markets meet many of my needs.
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.
Peanut butter has been my lifelong companion. I ate it every day growing up and I still love it and eat it regularly.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
Many kinds of music speak to me. There are many classical works like Vivaldi's Four Seasons that I find profoundly beautiful. I also enjoy symphonic soundtracks like those made for the Lord of the Rings films. Plus I love all kinds of classic rock like Jimi Hendrix. I also love Metallica whose music frequently inspires me. Other categories I like are grunge, rap, and Celtic. I choose what suits my mood. I often like to listen to music when I write but it can only be instrumental. It can't have any recognizable words or it will distract my mind from the words I'm composing.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
I do not outline my novels. I often know where I'm headed, but the initial composition of a first draft is a creative ride for me. I sometimes make very short notes and lists of things that need to happen in the next chapter, but these fall short of being actual outlines. Honestly the thought of outlining a whole novel sounds utterly stifling. I realize it works for some writers, but I can't function creatively with a rigid plan. As characters develop, they force things to happen that I did not originally foresee. Sometimes I don't even follow my notes. I just write and then look at my notes and realize I didn't do what they said. Writing a novel is like exploring a wilderness. I'm breaking a trail through my imagination. I have a destination in mind but I don't know the path until I walk it.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Tracy Falbe decided years ago that her dream of being a novelist had to be a priority.
To develop my writing skills, I earned a journalism degree at California State University, Chico in 2000. After graduation I held boring jobs to pay the bills and worked on writing my fantasy series The Rys Chronicles. In late 2005 I began publishing my novels and selling them online. Now that I've popped out a couple kids, I work from home and dedicate as much time as I can manage to writing my new series Rys Rising. When I'm not writing fantasy, I enjoy bicycling, growing food, reading, swimming, boating, and baking. Although I seem like a boring housewife, I'm always drawing swords in my daydreams and plotting the destruction of my enemies, so you can see why I need fantasy writing as an outlet. Some people play video games. I write novels.
I invite readers to try my fantasy fiction by downloading a free copy of Rys Rising: Book I from my website: http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/free-fantasy-ebook-rys-rising.html
Or sample and buy the novel for 99 cents at these popular retailers:
Smashwords : http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79722
Apple iBooks : http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rys-rising-book-i/id458569652?mt=11
Kindle : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FYSSSC
B&N Nook : http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rys-rising-tracy-falbe/1104808237
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1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I write epics that have many characters, so it is hard for me to pick just one because I'm rather fond of several of them. Even so I am tremendously in love with Amar from my recent release Rys Rising: Book I. He's supposed to be the bad guy but my husband insists Amar is the hero, but regardless of those opinions, he is definitely a great way for a teenage princess to get back at daddy. He's a notorious killer and does not care if he lives or dies. This does not mean that he acts without purpose. He is the devoted servant of the rys Onja, whose magic supports his warlordism. Amar quickly earns the name among the peasants of dro-shalum, which means curse demon. Women are attracted to his burgeoning power, but he ignores them until of course he meets the right lady. I like so many things about Amar. He's audacious, daring, sneaky, provocative, and literally gets away with murder. He offers an interesting look at a life unhitched from normal social constraints about right and wrong. I would never want to be like Amar, but experiencing his power is exciting.
Short excerpt from Rys Rising: Book I featuring Amar:
Taking up the rope, Amar mounted the parapet above the window that he had entered mentally with Onja. A waning moon had just broken the horizon and dappled the scattered clouds with light. Stars glittered in the heavens, and the hills jutting above the dark fields were silvery and silent.
As Amar wrapped the rope about his torso and gripped it fiercely, he paused to take in the splendor of the night. It was good to see beauty and have it touch him. He needed this moment of blessing before he committed cold murder.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3.Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee every morning with a little sugar and milk in it, unless I happen to have some cream. I drink tea sometimes, usually black, but I definitely prefer coffee. I drink a glass of milk every day too.
4. What else can you do besides write?
For the last decade I have been teaching myself how to grow food and preserve it. I also cook. Currently I am in the process of developing my home into an urban homestead with the purpose of supplying my family with as much food as possible. I'm actually starting to get good at this although agriculture always involves setbacks and failures. I rarely buy any produce or meat from a grocery store. My garden, local farms, and farmers' markets meet many of my needs.
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.
Peanut butter has been my lifelong companion. I ate it every day growing up and I still love it and eat it regularly.
10. Are you into sports or other physical activities?
11. What kind of music speaks to you?
Many kinds of music speak to me. There are many classical works like Vivaldi's Four Seasons that I find profoundly beautiful. I also enjoy symphonic soundtracks like those made for the Lord of the Rings films. Plus I love all kinds of classic rock like Jimi Hendrix. I also love Metallica whose music frequently inspires me. Other categories I like are grunge, rap, and Celtic. I choose what suits my mood. I often like to listen to music when I write but it can only be instrumental. It can't have any recognizable words or it will distract my mind from the words I'm composing.
12. Do you outline your stories or do they just take you along for the ride?
I do not outline my novels. I often know where I'm headed, but the initial composition of a first draft is a creative ride for me. I sometimes make very short notes and lists of things that need to happen in the next chapter, but these fall short of being actual outlines. Honestly the thought of outlining a whole novel sounds utterly stifling. I realize it works for some writers, but I can't function creatively with a rigid plan. As characters develop, they force things to happen that I did not originally foresee. Sometimes I don't even follow my notes. I just write and then look at my notes and realize I didn't do what they said. Writing a novel is like exploring a wilderness. I'm breaking a trail through my imagination. I have a destination in mind but I don't know the path until I walk it.
13. Celebrity crush.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Tracy Falbe decided years ago that her dream of being a novelist had to be a priority.
To develop my writing skills, I earned a journalism degree at California State University, Chico in 2000. After graduation I held boring jobs to pay the bills and worked on writing my fantasy series The Rys Chronicles. In late 2005 I began publishing my novels and selling them online. Now that I've popped out a couple kids, I work from home and dedicate as much time as I can manage to writing my new series Rys Rising. When I'm not writing fantasy, I enjoy bicycling, growing food, reading, swimming, boating, and baking. Although I seem like a boring housewife, I'm always drawing swords in my daydreams and plotting the destruction of my enemies, so you can see why I need fantasy writing as an outlet. Some people play video games. I write novels.
I invite readers to try my fantasy fiction by downloading a free copy of Rys Rising: Book I from my website: http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/free-fantasy-ebook-rys-rising.html
Or sample and buy the novel for 99 cents at these popular retailers:
Smashwords : http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79722
Apple iBooks : http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rys-rising-book-i/id458569652?mt=11
Kindle : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FYSSSC
B&N Nook : http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rys-rising-tracy-falbe/1104808237
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October 17, 2011
Event: Western Maryland Small and Regional Press Festival 2011
Events
Here are some wonderful photos from the 2011 Western Maryland Small and Regional Press Festival , sponsored by Frostburg State University . Photos were taken by Michael A. Arznen .
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Michael A. Arnzen and Heidi Ruby Miller
Heidi Ruby Miller, Jason Jack Miller, and Cynthia McCloud of Headline Books, Inc.
Jason Jack Miller with The Devil and Preston Black
Cynthia McCloud of Headline Books, Inc.
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John Lawson and Jennifer Barnes of Raw Dog Screaming Press
Jason Jack Miller
John Lawson and Jennifer Barnes of Raw Dog Screaming Press
Heidi Ruby Miller and Jason Jack Miller
Here are some wonderful photos from the 2011 Western Maryland Small and Regional Press Festival , sponsored by Frostburg State University . Photos were taken by Michael A. Arznen .
[image error]
Michael A. Arnzen and Heidi Ruby Miller
Heidi Ruby Miller, Jason Jack Miller, and Cynthia McCloud of Headline Books, Inc.
Jason Jack Miller with The Devil and Preston Black
Cynthia McCloud of Headline Books, Inc.
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John Lawson and Jennifer Barnes of Raw Dog Screaming Press
Jason Jack Miller
John Lawson and Jennifer Barnes of Raw Dog Screaming Press
Heidi Ruby Miller and Jason Jack Miller
HEIDI'S PICK SIX: Jemiah Jefferson
HEIDI'S PICK SIX
Jemiah Jefferson
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I cannot choose. I really can't. Generally speaking, my favorite character is whoever I'm writing about at the moment. Currently, I am writing a novel with three protagonists, so whoever's point of view I'm concentrating on at any given time is my favorite.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee or tea WITH milk.
4. What else can you do besides write?
I'm a pretty good cook - I've been cooking since I was a little kid--though I do still sometimes make mistakes. Also I have a pleasing voice that to me seems tailor-made for being a jazz radio DJ; I've been meaning to put together a podcast to prove it, since there's no such thing as a paying job as a jazz terrestrial radio DJ. Also I don't know all that much about jazz, but I do love to talk about it, and I do love radio.
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?
Honestly, from the TV, from movies I've seen, from people I've talked to. A lot of it comes from TV and film; I've been studying narrative structure since I was a child, and it's always made a sort of innate sense to me. A lot of the time,getting angry at some form of the status quo makes me need to write something to counteract that, or to provide an opposing voice. That's what inspired me to write vampire novels, anyway.
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 don't decide to really devote myself to a project longer than a vignette unless I know how it ends, and something major that happens sort of in the middle--if there's not an arc of some kind, I don't work on it; I keep it in the back of my mind. At that point I can start outlining--and that's when I do most of my very free and creative work, just bounding along willy-nilly from point A to point B, writing down everything that comes to me in a sort of flow. When I actually start writing, I end up altering the outline as events show themselves to not really work; since I know how it ends, I never catch up with the outline, but the outline often doubles or triples in length over the course of writing the first draft. But during the outlining process, I just kind of kick back and type out what seems to come logically next. The characters are driving by that point.
13. Celebrity crush.
I have dozens. Literally. The biggest ones right now are Benedict Cumberbatch (how could I not crush on him? It's like he was designed and built from a kit specifically to appeal to me), Chiwetel Ejiofor (one of the most sublime faces ever) and Alex Kingston on the lady side. I've had it bad for Alex Kingston for years now. She's one of the reasons I don't mind getting older.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Jemiah Jefferson is the author of
Voice of the Blood
,
Wounds
,
Fiend
,
A Drop of Scarlet
, and
Mixtape for the Apocalypse
. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at
http://jemiahjefferson.wordpress.com
.
Jemiah Jefferson
1. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I cannot choose. I really can't. Generally speaking, my favorite character is whoever I'm writing about at the moment. Currently, I am writing a novel with three protagonists, so whoever's point of view I'm concentrating on at any given time is my favorite.
2. Tell me about your travels.
3. Coffee, tea, or milk?
Coffee or tea WITH milk.
4. What else can you do besides write?
I'm a pretty good cook - I've been cooking since I was a little kid--though I do still sometimes make mistakes. Also I have a pleasing voice that to me seems tailor-made for being a jazz radio DJ; I've been meaning to put together a podcast to prove it, since there's no such thing as a paying job as a jazz terrestrial radio DJ. Also I don't know all that much about jazz, but I do love to talk about it, and I do love radio.
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?
Honestly, from the TV, from movies I've seen, from people I've talked to. A lot of it comes from TV and film; I've been studying narrative structure since I was a child, and it's always made a sort of innate sense to me. A lot of the time,getting angry at some form of the status quo makes me need to write something to counteract that, or to provide an opposing voice. That's what inspired me to write vampire novels, anyway.
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 don't decide to really devote myself to a project longer than a vignette unless I know how it ends, and something major that happens sort of in the middle--if there's not an arc of some kind, I don't work on it; I keep it in the back of my mind. At that point I can start outlining--and that's when I do most of my very free and creative work, just bounding along willy-nilly from point A to point B, writing down everything that comes to me in a sort of flow. When I actually start writing, I end up altering the outline as events show themselves to not really work; since I know how it ends, I never catch up with the outline, but the outline often doubles or triples in length over the course of writing the first draft. But during the outlining process, I just kind of kick back and type out what seems to come logically next. The characters are driving by that point.
13. Celebrity crush.
I have dozens. Literally. The biggest ones right now are Benedict Cumberbatch (how could I not crush on him? It's like he was designed and built from a kit specifically to appeal to me), Chiwetel Ejiofor (one of the most sublime faces ever) and Alex Kingston on the lady side. I've had it bad for Alex Kingston for years now. She's one of the reasons I don't mind getting older.
14. Who are the biggest influences on your work?
15. Do you still watch cartoons?
Jemiah Jefferson is the author of
Voice of the Blood
,
Wounds
,
Fiend
,
A Drop of Scarlet
, and
Mixtape for the Apocalypse
. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at
http://jemiahjefferson.wordpress.com
.
Heidi Ruby Miller's Blog
- Heidi Ruby Miller's profile
- 280 followers
Heidi Ruby Miller isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
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