Raven Oak's Blog, page 70
January 15, 2015
Book Cover Throwback: Magician Master
To follow up last week’s Magician Apprentice, this week’s Book Cover Throwback: Magician Master, also by Raymond E. Feist. Both books were bound together originally as one book titled simply Magician, which I owned after I read them separately. (I also wrote about this in my Flashback Friday here.)
What I Love about this Cover: It’s electrifying! 
Puns aside, Pug looks like he means business. And the electricity around him is a nice contrast to the blue sky.
What I Don’t Love about this Cover:...
January 12, 2015
Monday Night Gaming: Ticket to Ride
This week’s Monday Night Gaming: Ticket to Ride (Base Game).
Image copyright Days of Wonder
This is one of those games that is loads of fun and fairly flexible for all level of players. It has a decent amount of strategy and luck, yet maintains a casual gaming atmosphere to it along the lines of Catan or Clue. The game is one that can be learned in under 15 minutes. The strategy used will change as the game progresses and often based upon decisions by other players. Once you feel you’ve played...
January 10, 2015
Scrivener Saturday: Meta-Data
This week’s Scrivener Saturday: Meta-Data.
Last week, we covered Keywords, which can be used to help track POV, setting, characters, etc. Scrivener Meta-Datacan do the same thing, just a bit differently. I prefer Meta-Data for certain things and keywords for others. For example, I use keywords to track which characters are in a scene as well as information about the scene, but I use meta-data to track multiples.
Using meta-data is great for:
tracking stories with multiple POVtracking stories wit...January 9, 2015
Flashback Friday: Andre Norton
For this week’s Flashback Friday post, I’m honored to have author, Veronica Scott, here for a guest post on how Andre Norton‘s works influenced her as a writer.
Thanks for having me as your guest today!
The earliest influence on my writing was Andre Norton. Her books were favorites of my science-fiction loving Dad and he gave me Catseye at around age seven or thereabouts. He figured cats, outer space, archaeology – why wouldn’t I love it? And I did…
I read every book of hers that I could find, i...
January 8, 2015
Book Cover Throwback: Magician Apprentice
This week’s Book Cover Throwback: Magician Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist. This is the cover I first read this novel in, and it’s one of my favorites! (I also wrote about this in my Flashback Friday here.)
What I Love about this Cover: The fantasy elements of the cover scream fantasy, right down to the wizard with a dragon, the bad weather outside, and a young hero in search of help.
What I Don’t Love about this Cover: Orange? On a wizard? Really? Ugh.
Click here to view other Book Cover Throwba...
January 7, 2015
Book Reading & Signing Event!
WHO: You!
WHAT: A reading from my new epic fantasy, Amaskan’s Blood, along with a short reading from my upcoming sci-fi, Class-M Exile. Afterward, I’ll sign copies of Amaskan’s Blood. Copies will be available for purchase at the event.
WHEN: Saturday, February 21st from 8-10 PM.
WHERE: Wayward Coffeehouse @ 6417 Roosevelt Way NE #104 Seattle, WA 98115 (Click address for a map or check their website for details www.waywardcoffee.com)
WHY: Like you need an excuse to geek out about SF/F, fandom, and...
The Evolution of Women in Space Opera
Today’s stop in my blog hopping is on sci-fi author, Michelle Murrain’s page for a look at the Evolution of Women in Space Opera.
This is a subject worthy of many dissertations! Limited to a short article online, I’m looking at where we’ve been and where we’re going in the world of sci-fi, specifically space opera.
Space opera is full of adventure, often slapstick humor, and rampant sexism. So how do we change that?
The post The Evolution of Women in Space Opera appeared...
January 6, 2015
When Words Fail a Writer
I’ve got a guest post today over on Wannabe Pride called “When Words Fail a Writer.” The article addresses my thoughts on how I became a writer. I hope you’ll head over to Wannabe Pride and enjoy the read.
What made you enjoy writing and/or reading?
The post When Words Fail a Writer appeared first on Raven Oak.
January 5, 2015
Monday Night Gaming: Arkham Horror
This week’s Monday Night Gaming: Arkham Horror.
My husband’s character, Monterey Jack, is about to die.
For my birthday, my husband got me Arkham Horror, which not only comes highly recommended in the land of tabletop gaming, but he knew I’d love it because it’s based on H. P. Lovecraft‘s Cthulhu Mythos.
Keep in mind, this review is based off my first play through. I suspect that my rating and thoughts will change as I play it more and with more players.
# of Players: 1-8*
*The game says 1-8 playe...Scene & Sequel
The amazing folks over at Writers helping Writers have me over there for a guest post on using Scene and Sequel to write better fiction, control pacing, and ensure that every scene matters. Please check it out and leave a comment or three.
And if you writers out there haven’t checked out Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi‘s books, The Emotion Thesaurus, The Positive Trait Thesaurus, and The Negative Trait Thesaurus, you should. They are three of the most helpful writing tools I know.
Click the...
