Deby Fredericks's Blog, page 60

Queen Titania’s Court — Honey and Salt, by David Perlmutter

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Of course, when I arrived, they had to block my way, and demand to know who I was, and all that. I told them, and they laughed at me. I’m used to this. Nobody thinks an underweight female Dalmatian puppy wearing a monogrammed white T shirt is much of a threat. That is, until I start up my counterattack.

I growled very loudly at them, and they stopped.

“I was invited,” I said. “By your liege.”

They seemed confused.

“You know….Queen Titania. The woman who pays your salaries. The woman who owns this whole place, and is giving this shindig. The woman who could kill you if she so desires if you disobey her. That is, if I don’t do it MYSELF first!”

As I spat out the last sentence, I gave them a flash of my able-to-bite-through-anything-at-all fangs, and they finally got it. I was allowed to pass, and granted my audience with the Queen…

Character Questions

Is there something you are willing to die for?

I am prepared to lay down my life in practically any situation I am in, but most particularly those in which those of friends and allies are threatened. That is a burden anyone in my job must be prepared to accept if they choose to take this on.

Are there any fantastic beasts where you live?

Where I live, i.e. the community where I’m based as my secret identity, I’m the only “fantastic beast” I know of. However, in combat with some and through friendship with others, I know for certain that this is not the case elsewhere.

What is your magical weapon of choice?

It’s hard picking just one, but I would say my ability to hypnotize others, and have them act upon my commands. When my other powers fail me- and they have, sometimes — I can rely on that. Even my fellow heroine-friends are vulnerable to it, and they are, for the most part, nearly as indestructible as I am, so that’s saying something.

Author Questions

If you lived in the world of your book, who would you be?

The person the story is being told or dictated to, especially if it’s a first person narrative. In other words, a scribe, a copyist or an oral historian.

Are your books self-published or traditionally published, and why did you choose that route into print?

Both. Traditional for my non-fiction books, and largely, self-publishing for my fiction, since I haven’t had much success yet selling it in book form. The fact that I’ve made more money from my traditional book sales so far indicates that I haven’t succeeded in getting people interested in my fiction yet.

Is there a fantasy trope that you would like to NEVER see again?

I would like to see romance writers stop writing pseudo-speculative fiction narratives. Romance should just be an element of speculative fiction and not the raison d’etre.

Honey and Salt

Bravery comes in all forms: fighting bullies and fighting your own demons.
Honey and Salt is a superhero novella that will draw you in the just fight of a few super heroines. The story is packed with action and humor. Their quest against evil superheroes and against their own weaknesses is refreshing. You can identify with them and embrace their battles. Rousing fantasy action with amazing young girls ready to fight for justice and for the oppressed.

If you enjoy a good action with an unusual plot, then this is the book for you.

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David Perlmutter is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His published works include the non-fiction books America ‘Toons In: A History Of Television Animation (McFarland and Co.) and The Encyclopedia Of American Animated Television Shows (Rowman and Littlefield); as well as a number of speculative fiction collections and novellas. His short stories can be read on Curious Fictions at Curious Fictions/David Perlmutter, and at Medium. com. He can be reached on Facebook at DavidPerlmutterCanadianhistoryspecficwriter, Twitter at @DKPLJW1, and Tumblr at The Musings of David Perlmutter (yesdavidperlmutterfan), and can be supported at Patreon at www.patreon.com/davidperlmutter22 and at Ko-Fi at www.ko-fi.com/davidperlmutter.

Queen Titania’s Court — Through the Veil, by Adrienne Dellwo

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Unsure what to expect inside the ball, Dedra pulls up the hood of the pink robe denoting her as an adherent of the Ahweian Order of Spirit. She takes a deep breath and slips inside, where she takes in the scene. She’s certain she’ll be asked to play something on the violin–she always is–but she wants to get her bearings before anyone sees her and makes a request. As she sizes up the revelers and their mood, she thinks of what piece of music would suit them best and pictures how the colorful tones would interact with the costumes and decor. After a few minutes of lurking around the edges, she feels comfortable enough to lower her hood, straighten her spine, and move forward to greet her hostess.

Character Questions

Are there any fantastic beasts where you live?

Yes, there’s one that shows up periodically in the dimension I visit (and where I hope to live out the rest of my life). It’s a bird called a chirikin. It looks kind of like a sparrow, but multi-colored like a tropical bird. In that dimension, which is called Ahwey, music is visible. It’s used for healing and all kinds of things. For everyone except chirikin, the visible aspect of music is like smoke, but the chirikin can perch on it as if it’s solid. They’ll even slide down it sometimes. It’s really amazing to see.
They’re not really from Ahwey–they just visit–but no one knows for sure where they come from. It’s super rare and special to see one. They seem to be attracted to people who can travel, so I get to see them a lot more than most people. My friends and I have even named three of them who tend to hang around me.

Tell us about the main religion or spirituality of your society

The spirituality in Ahwey is all about universal music. That’s the music that heals the body and soul, nourishes flowers and crops, and connects Ahweians to the fabric of the universe itself. All music in Ahwey is visible, but you can tell universal music from regular music by the depth of its colors and the strength of its vibration. Every evening, all the citizens play sunset music as a tribute to the universe. Each home has a room called a locus that’s open to the sky, so you can see the musical tones streaming out across the city, filling the sky. It’s spectacular.

On festival days, sacred songs and chants are performed at the Oolosian temple. The most talented musicians play, and for some traditional chants, everyone joins in and it creates the most magnificent whirling mass of color and sound you can imagine. The Order of Spirit stays in tune with universal music through almost constant song. Those at the higher levels, the Virtuosi, can interpret universal music. The highest of all, the Prima Virtuosa, holds a seat on the governing council so she can offer spiritual guidance to the leaders. Many of the Virtuosi and the Order’s lower adherents are trained in healing song and work closely with the Order of Healing to restore the patterns of those who are sick or injured. The Orders of Spirit and Healing are the highest regarded because of their ties to universal music.

Author Questions

How much do you plan ahead of time, vs. following the story where it leads?

I use a mix of planning and flying by the seat of my pants. I start with a really loose “plot outline” that’s so unstructured I hesitate to even call it an outline. Sometimes I’ll have bullet points that I want to hit at key points; sometimes it’s stream-of-consciousness notes that ramble all over the place.
I generally start knowing the beginning, the main plot points, and how I think it’ll end. The plot points usually don’t come about how I expect them to, and the climax tends to take on a life of its own, regardless of my plans.
I used to plan a lot less, but my superhero books (Hero Academy and Plague) are part of a shared world called the Just Cause Universe. Because the main author of that series needs to approve a pitch before a book is started, I had to start fleshing things out more at the beginning. I like having a better idea where things will go, but I do stay in tune with the evolving story and follow it where it wants to go. I think that’s important–no matter how well you think you know a world, a character, a plot before you start working, you get to know it better as you write. Sometimes, an idea you had just doesn’t fit anymore. Other times, the setting or characters themselves may present an opportunity you hadn’t expected. Staying open to that, I believe, helps a story grow more organically, which pulls everything together and makes it a more unified whole.

If you lived in the world of your book, who would you be?

I would be Ahlaya, the Prima Virtuosa of the Order of Spirit. She’s the one person considered equal to the secular ruler, the Grand Maestra, and she uses that power to quietly rebel against what she believes is a misapplication of law and power by the Grand Maestra and the council. She gives help and sanctuary to those who need it and works against injustice. She’s kind and frivolous and often silly, but there’s a method to her madness and a lot of wisdom behind everything she does.

Traveler Hunted

Dedra has a secret. She can escape this world—and her unhappy life—by slipping through the veil between worlds to visit Ahwey, where music is visible and underlays every aspect of life. As a violin prodigy and traveler, she’s accorded a high status; she’s in love (even if he doesn’t know it); she’s happiest there and dreams of staying in that world forever.

But then, she starts a chain reaction that damages the fabric of the universe and puts both worlds in danger. Will her talents and wits be enough to stop the strings of reality from unraveling?

The Author



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Adrienne Dellwo has a BA in Journalism & Communications from the University of Oregon and worked as a TV news producer, newspaper reporter, magazine columnist, blogger, and freelance medical writer before pursuing her life-long dream of becoming a fiction author. Her primary genres are superhero, urban fantasy, and horror. She’s also an independent filmmaker, playwright, singer, and actress.

A life-long Northwesterner, Adrienne lives in Washington state with her husband/creative partner, two teenagers who double as film cast and crew, and a really spoiled cat. She’s a self-professed geek, drinks far too much tea, and frequently changes her hair color.

Queen Titania’s Court — Toxic Influence, by Voss Foster

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Fancy suits and big crowds and lots of elites. Not my idea of a good time on any side of that triangle, but it wasn’t exactly the first time I’d found myself somewhere I wanted to be. All in all, I’d take a fancy dress party to infiltrating a nest full of harpies. Still had the scars from that one. I approached the entrance and did my best tough guy act to keep anyone from bothering me as long as possible, and I made a beeline straight for the bar. Anything this fancy? They were paying for the drinks and I was happy to lighten their pockets up for them.

Character Questions

Is there something you are willing to die for?

Well I’m an OPA agent. Office of Preternatural Affairs. Protecting country and populace against the threats that the rest of everyone doesn’t want to have to deal with. When was the last time you went toe-to-toe with a sorcerer ready to bleed you out? How about a dragon? Yeah, I didn’t take this job thinking I might never die in the course of a job.

Would you rather sneak into a dragon’s den or attend a demonic parliament?

Definitely demons. They get a bad rap. The whole claws and horns thing’s a little creepy. I’ll admit my own biases. But I work with a demon every day. Bark is way worse than their bite, in my opinion. Not that dragons are all bad. But I’ve got a Glock and they can eat me. I’m not that stupid.

If you encounter a dragon, what should you do?

Dragons again, huh? Well if they’re after you, run like hell and hope that works. If it doesn’t, hope like hell you’ve got someone with magic on the way. Maybe a lesser dragon you could take on hand to hand or with a normal gun, but I wouldn’t want to dance that dance if I didn’t have to. Lucky me, that’s what they give me a paycheck to do is dance that dance. If I don’t have a choice in the matter? Aim for the eyes.

Author Questions

How much do you plan ahead of time, vs. following the story where it leads?

I’m a big-time plotter. I like to have my entire roadmap laid out. But just like when you go on a road trip with me, I sometimes take a little detour, do something, and then swing back onto the track. While I enjoy writing off the cuff, from a sheer work and efficiency standpoint, I have to do a lot less work overall if I plan out before I write the first word.

Is there a fantasy trope that you would like to NEVER see again?

There are some general tropes I’d like to see gotten rid of, but specific to fantasy, if we could possibly never have an “I’m going to stop taking my anxiety/depression/etc meds” plotline in fantasy again, I would be so down for that. It’s super lazy and cliché to have “the drugs are blocking you from the magic.” And it’s also frankly quite harmful and stigmatizing. People use those medications to be able to live their actual lives and function. They don’t rob you of magic. They keep you from offing yourself. Give me a character who finally gets help, and because they’re finally able to breathe for a second, the magic reveals itself. Or just give me a magical world where sometimes people have to take SSRIs because they just need a little hand.

Do you have a personal motto or tag line?

For writing in particular, I have “Nobody else is going to do the work for you.” But in the larger life sense, I’ve always resonated quite strongly with a quote from, of all people, Marianne Williamson. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” I, and most other people, have opinions on her at this point, but that quote, often mis-attributed to Nelson Mandela, was one of those rare things that simply stopped me dead the first time I saw it. I have big issues connected to success. We don’t need to go into my personal psychology, here, but I always found that this quote could speak to me in a deep, halting way that lets me change my thinking and my actions, at least for a while.

Toxic Influence (Office of Preternatural Affairs #1)

Dashiel Rourke was never supposed to join the Office of Preternatural Affairs. He was nothing but a low-rung counterterrorism agent. A cog in the greater FBI machine. But when the poison gas attacks plaguing New York City turn out to be a little more magical than anyone expected…well, desperate times. And once he gets a lungful of that poison, it becomes personal.

Now he’s suited up with a magical sidearm, a seven-foot troll for a partner, and a whole lot of questions with not that many answers to go around. One thing he does know? Whoever or whatever is behind this mess, he’s not going to stop until he can take them down. Even if that means hanging out with elves and hags for a little while.

But Dash and the rest of the OPA don’t know just how deep this goes…or how deadly the endgame is. If you like high-stakes FBI drama and higher-stakes magic, check out Toxic Influence today.

The Author



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Voss Foster lives in the middle of the Eastern Washington desert, where he writes science fiction and fantasy from inside a single-wide trailer. He is the author of the Evenstad Media Presents series, as well as the Office of Preternatural Affairs series. His short work is available from a variety of publications, including Vox.com, Flame Tree Publishing’s Heroic Fantasy Anthology, and the bestselling Alternative Truths Anthology. When he can be pried away from his keyboard, he can be found cooking, belly dancing, singing, and cuddling dogs, though rarely all at the same time. More information can be found at http://vossfoster.blogspot.com

Queen Titania’s Court: Shrouded Sky, by Sanan Kolva

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Lyan drew a deep breath and straightened, fighting back a surge of anxiety as he tucked a wisp of red hair back into his braid. He wished that Cailean had been invited as well. The human lord could have offered Lyan advice on how to act properly in a court, and at a ball. Unfortunately, the invitation had come to Lyan alone, and while he might not be versed in court protocol, he knew better than to bring an uninvited extra. He’d dressed in his best, but a glance at the people around him left him feeling horribly under-dressed. His only jewelry was an ear cuff of delicate silver wires that curled up the length of his left ear. Silver embroidery glittered on his forest green tunic, paired with black pants and a pair of short black boots. Steeling himself, he strode to the gate to present his invitation.

Character Questions

What is your role in the world of your book?
I am the astrologer of my home, Heartshrine Village. I read the fortunes of my fellow villagers at their request, and in turn, they ensure that I have food, clothing, and other necessities. I am also a scholar—the study of the stars naturally led me to the study of other subjects.

In your world, which has the most lasting impact – a wish or a curse?
A curse. A wish has no real power—I’ve certainly never heard of any being, mortal or divine, that grants wishes freely. A curse, however, can be laid by someone blessed by their god with power. The strength and effects of the curse depend on how much power the god has granted their servant.

Is there a fantasy trope that you would like to NEVER see again?
If I had my way, I’d never face the trope of “a former enemy becomes an ally to defeat some greater threat.” There are certain enemies who I never want to see again, much less be forced to ally with.

Author Questions

How much to you plan ahead of time, vs. following the story where it leads?
I generally start with a vague idea and an opening scene, then follow that to see where it leads me. However, I have also learned that if I do not have a clear idea of the overall story by the time I am about fifty pages in (often less), there’s a good chance that the story is not going to go anywhere. At least, not now.

Are your books self-published or traditionally published, and why did you choose that route into print?
At present, my books are self-published. The Chosen of the Spears series was originally being published by a small press. However, I had some challenges with that press, and we agreed to part ways, so now I am releasing them myself. I already had some experience with self-publishing with Winterlight, the first book of my steampunk-style fantasy series.

Do you belong to a critique group or other writing organization?
I am currently a part of two local groups that focus primarily on writing, and one that focuses on critiques. I’m not currently a member of any larger writing organizations.

Shrouded Sky

To fight a mad god.

Monsters stalk the paths and clouds hide the sky every night. Now Lyan, astrologer of Heartshrine Village, must leave his familiar forest and home to seek an ancient, powerful weapon: Equinox, Spear of the Stars. In the right hands, Equinox and its brother Solstice are powerful weapons against the forces of the Mad God, Murdo. In the wrong hands, they could free Murdo from centuries of imprisonment and release him upon the world once more.

In the company of the traditional enemies of his people, Lyan must solve an ancient riddle and find the hidden Shrine of Equinox to protect the Spear from the Mad God. A cunning monster stalks them, and assassins lurk in shadows. As Murdo’s forces draw close and suspicion festers within their group, Lyan and his companions must forge an uneasy truce and rely on each other. And even if they find Equinox, someone must conquer its trials to claim it, or they may never leave.

Available as an e-book or in print.

The Author



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Sanan Kolva is a technical editor by day, and writer of epic and steampunk fantasy the rest of the time. She is the author of The Chosen of the Spears series and The Silverline Chronicles. Her short fiction appears in a number of anthologies. When not writing, she enjoys baking and decorating cakes, as well as appeasing her feline overlords. She can be found at https://sanankolva.com.

Queen Titania’s Court — War of Nytefall: Lost, by Charles E. Yallowitz

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Lost studies the magnificent palace with crimson eyes as she approaches. The half-elven vampire’s short silver hair is neatly brushed, and she is swathed in an enormous ball gown. The ungainly skirt nearly conceals the fact that she is barefoot and telekinetically hovering at times. A reanimated bunny peers over her shoulder. Lost speaks to it in a painfully polite voice. “We must be on our best behavior, Bunny.”

Character Questions

Are there any fantastic beasts where you live?

Only if you’re not from here. We have vampires, dragons, fairies, elves, orcs, mermaids, griffins, goblins, undead, gods, humans, dwarves, halflings… Mom says I shouldn’t list everything we have in Windemere. To us, these are fairly common beasts, so we only get surprised by them if they’re trying to eat us. For a tourist, I can see how they would be fantastical. I’d be the same way if I visited another world. All in the nose of the beholder.

If you encounter a dragon, what should you do?

That really depends on what species. A Weapon Dragon is always mean, so best to run, fight, or shake your finger at it until it leaves in shame. I assure you that the third option is bound to work one day. The natural dragons are friendlier as long as you aren’t a threat and they’re not jerks. I met a Kelynmire Dragon who was really nice even though he smelled like sour gas, but one day I got in a fight with a Sirynian Dragon. She didn’t like how I chipped a little off her icy wings to cool my drink. What was the question again?

What is your magical weapon of choice?

I’m glad you asked because being able to protect yourself is very important. Danger lurks around every window. The shadows watch your every move and not only because my friend Mab has that power. As a Dawn Fang vampire, I’m very strong and I have powers that make weapons fairly unnecessary. Still, you never known, so I have my bunny. His name is Bunny for obvious reasons. He can eat anything and flies almost as fast as a griffin. My little pet has the sharpest of teeth and can blast through objects if he builds up enough speed. Bunny has saved my life many times and I pay him in tomatoes.

Author Questions

Who would be your ideal reader?

I know many authors try to narrow down an age range for ideal readers, but I’ve had trouble doing that. My books are definitely difficult reads for kids under 12 unless they are advanced and mature readers. So, I focus my aim more on what a person is looking for when they pick up a book. My goal is to give people a sense of escape from reality and help them relax. If you haven’t read a fantasy book before and want to give it a try then I think my books would be a nice fit. They have a lot of magic and action, but they are very character driven, which can appeal to those who have never tried the genre before. I guess my rambling boils down to writing for the casual, escapist reader.

How much do you plan ahead of time?

I create character biographies to get a general idea of what my main heroes and villains look like and how they act. It focuses on appearance, relations to other characters, weaponry, history, and where I want them to go in the story. Personality is one line that is fairly vague. I make outlines that are broken into chapter sections, which have the basic purpose and goal. Key items, spells, locations, and events are fleshed out to before I start writing. Sometimes, I treat all of this as my real first draft because I edit it all at least once like a real book. Then, I settle in for writing and see what sticks and what gets tossed away. Outlines tend to be adjusted as I go and I always have to rewrite the one for the next book since I set up the whole series early on. This is fine because I see my planning as a skeleton and the writing is me adding the organs to my creation.

Are your books self-published or traditionally published? Why?

I am entirely self-published through Amazon. The reason is because I spent 10 years trying to get published traditionally. It was disheartening to get ignored, form letter rejections, or told that I needed to get a fan following before I could get published. That last one was the confusing response that had me consider self-publishing. I was becoming a stay-at-home parent to help my special needs son, so I thought it was a great time to try for the dream on my own terms. These days, it’s much harder to get any attention for my books without spending a lot of money, but I still think it was the right choice. I prefer to have all this control even though I’m much more of an author than a businessman. As one friend put it, I’m great at creating stories, but I mentally turn off when I need to sell myself.

War of Nytefall: Lost

As the Vampire Civil War of Windemere rages on in the shadows, a mysterious girl appears to deliver mayhem to both sides.

Rumors of old-world vampires disappearing and mortals being attacked by an army of humanoid monsters have reached Clyde’s ears. Still learning how to rule the city of Nytefall as a strong, but fair leader instead of a vicious warlord, the former thief assumes he has rogue agents on his hands. Instead, his people stumble upon Lost, a teenage Dawn Fang looking for her father and aided by a decrepit bunny that might be an animated corpse. Bounding from one side of the Vampire Civil War to another, this carefree girl will turn out to be more trouble than she looks as all of the demons of her past emerge to get what they have been promised. Yet, her chaotic actions are nothing compared to the secret of her creation, which will change the very fabric of the Dawn Fangs’ world.

It is time for the womb-born to be revealed.

The Author



[image error]Author Charles Yallowitz

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.

Queen Titania’s Court : Introduction

[image error]A magical book event.

There was a crystal pool, still as the dawn, and beside it a magnificent willow tree screened the water. Some breeze, or perhaps an unseen hand, swept aside the trailing branches and revealed a glimmering track between arched boughs.

No?

Mayhap it was a desolate moor. A rugged path led you to a hilltop crowned with ancient stones. Standing tall, they drank in the moonlight. But in the spaces between you glimpsed a glittering cavalcade of fairy knights and ladies.

Stubborn mortal.

Was it, then, a rusty door, barely visible in the shadows of a fetid alleyway? Did the piercing rays reflected from the apex of an obelisk serve as your beacon? Perhaps you crept through a cavern dire, lured by distant music?

No matter, no matter.

Surely some vision has drawn you here, and now you cannot stray. For you have been summoned out of your mortal life. What wonders shall you see, at Queen Titania’s Court!

All during the month of June, I’m casting a spotlight on another fantasy author. They’ll share a bit about their books and answer a few entertaining questions. I hope you’ll all help us out by sharing the news and inviting your friends to my blog.

Here is the schedule for the month.







6/3/20: War of Nytefall, by Charles E. Yallowitz6/6/20: Shrouded Sky, by Sanan Kolva6/10/20: Toxic Influence, by Voss Foster6/13/20: Traveler Hunted, by Adrienne Dellwo6/17/20: Honey and Salt, by David Perlmutter6/20/20: Exchange Student, by Alden Loveshade6/24/20: Dragon’s Fall, Rise of the Scarlet Order, by David Lee Summers6/27/20: The grand ball and finale.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my web site, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

Places, Everyone!

I’ve received all the entries I’m going to get for Queen Titania’s Court, which total five. I hoped for wider participation, but this gives me enough to fill my usual Wednesdays and Saturdays schedule. I’m really excited to have these five, who are all my personal friends, take part in the series.

There are some matters of balance, though. I noticed that a few of the characters were entering the ball nervous or intimidated, so I made sure to space those out with the more confident personalities. As I threatened earlier, one of my own characters will also be making an appearance. There are a couple of other posts to set up, including one for the beginning with a table of contents, and one for the ending where I plan to have a fun crowd scene showing all the visitors enjoying the ball.

Now that I have my “table of contents,” if you will, I can start putting the actual posts together. I hope you’re all as excited as I am for a magical month of June!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my web site, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

No More Plugging Away

I’m relieved to tell you that I’m no longer plodding through Prisoners of the Wailing Tower. At last, the story has begun to drag me along with it, instead of the other way around!

My typical writing week is Sunday to Thursday. On Friday evenings we have a regular gaming group. Saturdays I keep free to run around with my husband, and we usually watch anime or a movie on Saturday nights.

So far this week, I’ve got almost 4,000 words in on Prisoners. I finished a long sequence of Alemin coming face to face with the revenant of the Larder. Now I need to switch gears and do a sequence with Lorrah, who is on her way to try and rescue Alemin.

Lorrah just found out that her mean older sister is in charge of the Larder. I got about 450 words for her yesterday (Thursday), but she was all distraught about facing her sister. It was going slowly, and after I called it for that day I realized her response was simply too juvenile. Three quarters of the way in, Lorrah needs to be more forceful and ready to defend herself.

So while I’m on my writing weekend, I’ll consider alternative approaches. Most likely I’ll use much of the same dialogue that I have, but express it with different actions. If it continues going slowly, I can spend more time thinking about their past relationship. Parts of my time need to be focused on setting up blog posts for Queen Titania’s Court, anyway.

I hope you’re all keeping safe, and that you’re able to get some writing done, too.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my web site, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

Book Events, Lost

One of the sales-oriented goals that I established at the beginning of 2020 was to attend 6 book events over the course of the year. As an independent author, I’m always looking for ways to publicize my books, after all.

Book events can be as simple as a couple of hours at a table in a store, chatting up customers. Or they can be as elaborate as science fiction conventions that run across a full weekend. I always have a good time meeting people and (hopefully) turning them into my fans.

This year, there’s an obvious barrier between me and my plans — pandemic closures. There’s really nothing I can do about it, and I don’t plan to moan about it (much). What I do want to mention is that there’s another aspect to book events besides the author’s fun and/or profit.

The organizers of these events are suffering, too. They work for months to get everything set up. It’s painful to see all that effort wasted. For example, this coming weekend I was supposed to attend a science fiction convention in Missoula, MT. That’s now been delayed by a year.

It can also be financially painful. Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while may recall that I’m on an SF convention organizing committee myself. I do programming, as my sneaky way of keeping in touch with all the writers around my area. So far, three genre conventions have been cancelled locally. Do we really thing we’re going to be the exception?

Our dates for 2020 are in October. It looks likely that the state will be allowing large gatherings again by then. The question is whether average fans will feel safe enough to attend a convention. That’s where the financial pain comes in.

Our event has a contract with a hotel. If there is a stay-at-home order in effect, the hotel will allow us to cancel the convention, or delay it by a year, with no fault to either side. But if the state is “open for business” they will expect us to hold our event and pay them everything we owe. Even if our instinct tells us attendance is going to fall and leave us in dire condition, we are still obligated.

I’m not blaming the hotel, either. They must have had a tremendous number of cancellations, and it’s natural that they don’t want to let go of any possible revenue. So I’m not going to moan about that, either (much).

It’s just one of the trials of a writer’s life.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my web site, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.

Happy Book Birthday!

[image error]The Ice Witch of Fang Marsh

Yes, it’s the “book birthday” for The Ice Witch of Fang Marsh. Usually my pre-orders don’t release on a blog day, but this time I got lucky. So this is where I beg — uh, ask nicely for all of you to help me spread the news.

If you know anyone who’s being ordered to stay home and just doesn’t know what to do with themself any more…

If you know anyone who’s interested in fresh takes on fantasy…

If you know anyone who just loves to read…

Then please tell them about my book!

Thanks, you’re all so amazing!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my web site, Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter.