Brain to Books Cyber Convention (FAIRGROUNDS) discussion
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Shane Wilson - Magical Realism and General Fiction
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I am in North Carolina and will be in my booth as much as possible on all of the days of the Convention-- 8, 9, & 10 April 2016. I'll be around much more, but here are my "official" events.
Hey Shane...nice booth. Come visit mine at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... and Alice's at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Hopefully a few more join us...
Nice itinerary Shane! Educating the leaders of tomorrow huh? I hope they're smarter than the majority of young people I know...like the one that wanted to know if it takes 18 months for twins! At least she added right...
Ed wrote: "Nice itinerary Shane! Educating the leaders of tomorrow huh? I hope they're smarter than the majority of young people I know...like the one that wanted to know if it takes 18 months for twins! At l..."Ha! Yeah...I think that we'll be alright with this crew. I wouldn't trust them tomorrow...but I would trust them eventually.
Hey Shane...setting up the booth for Christian and Mark. Let me know when you would like to do your author interview with them.
Map Categories: #FantasyAuthors, learn how to set your own categories for your booth in the backstage area!
Hey folks! Welcome to the big shin-dig! I'll be in and out throughout the day today on account of my needing to get to work and teach a little college English. If you want, while I'm away, take a look around. But don't STEAL ANYTHING! This is the honor system here at the Cyber Con. I can't wait to pop back in and meet more of you.
To work!
Lunch time here! How is everyone's day going so far?
Good evening Shane. Listen, I know you're the Professor and I'm Gilligan, but I need those interview questions and a time you'll want to do them. LOL. They're in your message box.The Snow Leopard booth is not in the Fairgrounds. It's in the Side Events area.
Hey there, boys and girls! I just passed out. Been a week and all that. I'll get those answers to you, Ed. We can put those up sometime tomorrow, maybe.
I'm going to be here for the next little bit. Getting ready for my Facebook takeover in about an hour. Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Worries? Let's talk about it.
Cocktail hour! I promised a happy hour, and I guess it's better one hour late than never. Let's talk about it!
What are you guys reading these days? Anything you want to recommend?
My favorite book (besides anything Tolkien) is Gregory Maquire's The Life and Times of the Witch of the West...it's not frivolous at all like the musical it spawned. It's a dark, disturbing look at a very political Ozand starting cocktail hour now!
Alice wrote: "When did you realize that Magical Realism was what you wanted to write, Shane?"I think whenever I accidentally started writing it. I really can't say for sure when I knew it was going to come out that way, but the stories just keep being weird and magical. Haha.
My gut tells me it has something to do with graduate school. I studied a lot of that back then. Also, I grew up reading Goosebumps--not magical realism, but still weird stories, so I think I always had the capacity for the weird. :) And thanks for stopping by, Alice!
Ed wrote: "My favorite book (besides anything Tolkien is Gregory Maquire's The Life and Times of the Witch of the West...it's not frivolous at all like the musical it spawned. It's a dark, disturbing look at ..."I am mixing my drink as we speak! I LOVE Wickied. It's also one of my favorites. It feels like such a gritty and (for lack of a better word) "realistic" representation of that world.
What are we drinking Ed?
David wrote: "yes cocktail hour ill have a margarita lols"Perfect! Welcome to the party. Let's mix it up!
What have you read recently that has stuck with you in a big way, David?
Well, I'm no longer allowed much so I'm starting off with a very hearty Merlot...I get away with wine because it's good for your heart!
Ed: I hear that! Take care of that heart. haha!Alice: It just felt like the characters needed something bigger than reality to happen to them. Sometimes regular life isn't enough of a jolt to inspire real change. We need something a little bigger--a little magical.
David wrote: "lets see so many good books out ive read I like gena showalters The Long Kiss Goodnight Charlaine Harris Times Of The West was a good read"You're interested in some fantasy/ paranormal titles, right? I'm sitting on a panel discussion tomorrow about paranormal elements in novels. Hopefully you'll be able to come through and ask us some good questions. Find out more about those here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Happy to report that A YEAR SINCE THE RAIN made it through round one of the Cover Wars! Whoo Hoo! Voting is open now for round two! Keep the streak alive!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nMPz...
Alice wrote: "Shane wrote: "Ed: I hear that! Take care of that heart. haha!Alice: It just felt like the characters needed something bigger than reality to happen to them. Sometimes regular life isn't enough of..."
That's for sure. When I was writing the book, I would call people and say ridiculous things like "You'll never guess what Alan (the protagonist) did today." Like he's a real person! I sounded like a lunatic, and I probably am a lunatic in some ways. Haha
So what is the oddest thing any of you have written? I did a short on a genre mash-up. We had to write a fantasy story, but in Noir style. Think The Big Sleep starring Bilbo Baggins.I wrote a short from the viewpoint of the Scarecrow in the old movie when he meets Dorothy. Lets just say, anybody that read it will never watch that movie in the same light again.
Alice wrote: "Is it permissible to chase a cup of coffee with a margarita?"Not only permissible...advisable... ;)
Ed wrote: "So what is the oddest thing any of you have written? I did a short on a genre mash-up. We had to write a fantasy story, but in Noir style. Think The Big Sleep starring Bilbo Baggins.I wrote a shor..."
Hm...I wrote this flash fiction piece about a small town that made everyone ugly by stretching their faces as infants at the local daycare so that no one would be prettier than anyone else. It was similar in some ways to Vonnegut's story "Harrison Bergeron." The title of the story takes its name from the daycare where these things happened: "Picasso's Playground."
Alice wrote: "LOL David. I would guess so. I recently had a "Paradise" margarita a couple months back, when at a conference... it was delicious! I think it had pinacolada, coconut rum, mango, and banana somethin..."Without tequila in there somewhere, it's just a rum punch :P It does sound tasty though
Well I'm digging in to a little rum now, myself. So it IS all good. :)
Cocktail Hour is moving to the Brain to Book Cyber Convention Facebook group! Join me there?
I'm headed over to join the Day 1 Recap Show with Joe and company! Follow the link to play along!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIJ5A...
Good morning, everybody! Welcome to Day 2! Even though this is a cyber convention, I'm feeling like I've been to a physical convention. Up earlier than anticipated, getting ready for today's events.
I'm in love with #B2BCyCon.
What is everybody looking forward to today?
Good morning/mid-day/too frikkin' earlySo, got back from the mechanic (got soaked for an extra $50) in time to get all the links connected and get the cover and trailer set up.
I agree, the Con is much more physical than the name implies, but it's a great place to get your stuff out. Even though I'm not getting a lot of conversation in my booth, I can see my numbers climbing on my website so i know folks are running over.
This Con almost triples last year so I'm wonder what next year will bring. I worry for Angela.
Hey Shane...have you in SLP booth at 3PM. I'm posting the interviews now, so just head over at 3 if you want.
I have a panel at 3. But I'll do double duty. Technology!
I have a panel at 3. But I'll do double duty. Technology!
Unfortunately, I'm SO checked out. Life has overtaken my Sunday.
Hey guys...talk about checked out. The cat had me up and down all night, and this morning when I ran out to get stuff for her I forgot to take my BP med. Soooo, midway through all the running around, I'm getting dizzy. so a two hour thing took like 4 hours.Now I'm going to eat, set mama and her babies up and then try to sit on the comp a while. Be back soon...
Oh they're great...they made ME the wreck...lol
I wanted to start by telling you a little about me. I was born in Alabama and raised in Georgia, so I'm definitely a child of the southeastern United States whether I like it or not. And honestly, I feel both at-home and out-of-place all at the same time. I graduated from Valdosta State University in south Georgia with a Masters in English, and now I teach college English in North Carolina.
No matter the temperature outside, I am always drinking iced coffee when I walk into class. And I have a tendency to chase the day with a whiskey and a re-run of The Office or some other Netflix offering.
My debut novel, A Year Since the Rain is currently available from Snow Leopard Publishing. Additionally, I have published poetry in Tethered by Letters and the Stonepile Writers' Anthology, Volume III. I'm currently at work on a new novel as well as a collection of short stories based on the mythos of and set in the same town as A Year Since the Rain.
Let's Connect!
Read about A Year Since the Rain
Alan --a heart-broken and stubborn computer programmer--took much in his life for granted, including the vast supply of water in his town. But when the rains stop falling and the rivers dry up, he begins to realize how temporary it all can be. His life begins to unravel as, across town, a sinkhole threatens to swallow every bit of the place he has come to call home.
Taken on a journey of self-discovery by the magical women in his life, Alan is drawn into an unexpected affair and comes face-to-face with a Mystic who walks through his dreams. For Alan, dreams become a new reality, and reality erodes into something of a dream. As his town transforms into an arid wasteland that crumbles beneath his feet, Alan is compelled by the inevitable to strike out into the unknown or perish.