Science of the Week, 9/30/16

It's hard to believe September is over, isn't it?

Here are some of the most interesting science news articles I read this week:

Plant-made antimicrobial peptide targets dental plaque and gum tissues

Nurses do research too, and here's why it matters

Cities of the future

Pinpointing a brain circuit that can keep fears at bay

UCLA researchers design wearable microscope

Making progress toward gene therapy for cystic fibrosis

Got kidney stones? Ride a roller coaster

Quantum computing a step closer to reality (contains Star Wars reference)

Secure passwords can be sent through your body, instead of air

Research resolves a debate over "killer electrons" in space

Have a good weekend, and I'll see you on Monday!

Books2Read and Universal Book Links

Draft2Digital now has a partner site called Books2Read, which is dedicated to helping readers find indie books they'll like. One of the features they offer are universal book links listing all the online distributors for a particular eBook. Instead of having to list separate links for Amazon, Kobo, B&N, Apple, and others, I now need only one link to sell them all. That will make keeping my website updated and hyperlinking in my eBooks much easier. Authors can even include affiliate links in these universal book links so they can make extra money from these sales. Too bad Illinois won't let me use them.

Books2Read also allows readers to select their favorite store; I think it's supposed to send you to it automatically. You can also get notifications when your favorite authors release new books. (Amazon does this too, though maybe I need to add more authors to this service.) All in all, this website promises to be useful for both authors and readers. If you publish through D2D, you're already set up with an account and universal book links you can edit (you may need to add Amazon links manually).

Does this sound like a site you'll use? Do you plan to use it as an author, a reader, or both? Please let me know in the comments.

Fifth Season Available for Pre-Order!

Fifth Season, Book Four of The Season Avatars, is coming November 28th, just in time for Cyber Monday (unless it's ready sooner), for $3.99. You can order the eBook through this universal buy link, which will take you to your favorite store. The Amazon, Apple, and Kobo links are live as of yesterday afternoon; hopefully Barnes and Noble will soon go live as well.

I've tweaked the blurb slightly, so here's the new version:

Ysabel became the Goddess of Fall’s Avatar to care for animals, but her kind heart may prove fatal to her loved ones.

When a pair of strange animals, part bird and part lizard, invade the country of Challen during a magical weather storm, Ysabel must learn if they’re ordinary creatures or if they’re connected to Salth, the Season Avatars’ sworn enemy. However, the clawfeet are resistant to her magic.

After tragedy strikes the Avatars, Ysabel comes up with a desperate plan to allow all twelve of them to face Salth together as required by the Four Gods and Goddesses of Challen. Jealousy, however, tears an ally from the Avatars during their most vulnerable time as even more beasts rise against them. If Ysabel cannot control the strange animals and use justice as well as mercy, she will not only lose her position as Avatar but the people she loves.

Science of the Week, 9/23/16

Here are some of the most interesting science news articles I read this week:

Closing in on high-temperature superconductivity

A first-ever study to train cats and their people for better health

UCLA researchers use stem cells to grow 3-D lung-in-a-dish

Computing the ocean's true colors

Earthquakes, Marsquakes, and the possibility of life

Microbes help plants survive in severe drought

Pacific Ocean's response to greenhouse gases could extend California drought for centuries

Scientists triple known types of viruses in world's oceans

Have a good weekend, and see you Monday!












 

Fifth Season--Cover Reveal with Special Guest Commentary

With today being the official last day of summer, it seems like a good time to welcome fall with a cover reveal for Fifth Season, Book Four of the Season Avatars. Each book in the series has a different point-of-view character, and in this book, it's the turn of Ysabel, the Fall Avatar. As with the other books in this series, Maria Zannini of Book Cover Diva did the cover. Thanks, Maria, for taking my ideas and combining them so quickly into a cover! This is the eBook version; I'm not done with layout for the print book yet, so she'll complete the back later. Enough suspense-building; here's the cover:

Since there's a T-rex skull on the cover, I had to bring in some special guests to get their opinion on the cover. If you know me on Facebook, you may have seen pictures of my son's stuffed animals: Stan (the T-rex), Rex (the Apatosaurus, who's named for Captain Rex from Star Wars: The Clone Wars), and Oscar (the orca). We bring them with us on trips so they can share funny lines and photos. Here's what they had to say about Maria's latest cover:

Stan: I'm in the book! I'm in Mom's book!
Rex: Uh, Stan, that's some other T-rex.
Oscar: A dead T-rex, Stan.
Stan: I don't care! It's me! (tries covering ears and fails)
Rex: Anyway, Mom wanted us to point out that this is her first cover to feature a brown-skinned woman.
Oscar: You mean, woman of color. Ysabel belongs to two different ethnic groups and has brown skin.
Rex: Isn't that what I said?
Oscar (ignoring him): But the most important part of the cover is the black-and-white cat she's holding. Ysabel obviously has fine taste in color combinations--
Stan: BUY THAT BOOK! BUY ALL OF MOM'S BOOKS!
Rex and Oscar: STAN! CALM DOWN!

This is why I don't put the boys in charge of book promotion, though how can I go wrong with an endorsement from them? Anyway, pre-orders should be ready by next week; more information and buy links will be posted soon, so keep reading this blog.

From Summer to Fall

Thursday is supposed to be the first day of fall, but the extended forecast in my area calls for temperatures in the 80s that day. Even though we went apple picking this weekend, and I've already broken out the ankle boots, the weather still calls for T-shirts, not sweaters (unless I'm at work, in which case the heating/cooling system calls for the addition of a cardigan and a fleece). It seems as if summer doesn't want to cede pride of place to fall.

In the world of my Season Avatars, the seasons do fight with each other at equinoxes and solstices. These special days are called "soltranses," and the Season Avatars for the old and new seasons battle each other with staffs at the Temple in Wistica. Here's a few paragraphs of Jenna, Summer Avatar, and Ysabel, the Fall Avatar, preparing for the fall soltrans in my upcoming novel Fifth Season:

Jenna hadn’t participated in the summer solstice soltrans, but she handled the fighting sticks with confidence, weighing each one in her hands. The oak staffs, padded on both ends, probably still responded to her magic. Ysabel wished her animal magic was more useful for this ceremony. However, as she tested her own fighting stick, memories of previous duels returned. She advanced into the stone-paved area of the courtyard and lunged at an imaginary enemy a few times.

“Thank the Four we remember these skills.” Jenna combined blocks and stabs as she moved into position opposite Ysabel. “I didn’t get much chance to practice with fighting sticks when I was growing up. There were always too many chores to do. How about you?”

Ysabel shook her head, mindful of saving her breath.

“Of course,” Jenna continued cheerfully as she struck a blow directly on Ysabel, driving her backward, “being a farmer’s daughter does mean I know my way around tools. Especially wooden ones.”

“Freeze it, Jenna.” Ysabel attempted her own thrust, but Jenna blocked it with surprising strength. “You have to lose in the end.”

“Yes, but we have to put on a show first, don’t we?”

Neither of them spoke as they focused on the fight. Jenna continued to press her with three attacks for every one of Ysabel’s. Several of them got through her defenses, and Ysabel reminded herself to ask Gwen for healing before the bruises became obvious. Gradually, as she continued to handle the fighting stick, memories came back to her of previous sparring sessions in this same courtyard. The sun warmed her and released the scent of stubborn roses still clinging to their bushes. The weight of the fighting stick felt more familiar in her hands, and moves and different combinations of moves appeared in her mind. As each one appeared, she tried it out. Jenna countered each move easily, but fewer of her own attacks landed on Ysabel. Once Ysabel even drove Jenna back a couple of paces. When Jenna stepped on a loose cobblestone and struggled for balance, Ysabel instinctively pressed her attack, striking her in the shoulder before tapping her on the head.

Jenna let her fighting stick drop. “Enough! I yield!”

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt. More information about Fifth Season will be coming soon.

Science of the Week, 9/16/16

Here are some of the most interesting science news articles I read this week:

Aussies develop new material to "revolutionize water proofing"

MIT tech can read a book through its closed cover

Researchers debunk "five-second rule": eating food off the floor isn't safe

Study find insecticide hurts queen bees' egg-laying abilities

Study: humans, chimps share cognitive connection

Scientists film bacteria's maneuvers as they become impervious to drugs

World's most powerful X-ray takes a "sledgehammer" to molecules

Killing superbugs with star-shaped polymers, not antibiotics

Research aims to show how plastic surgery will really look


Have a good weekend, everyone, and see you Monday!

Blog or Story Block: Which is Worse?

I had some trouble deciding on a topic for today's posts. Although I did come up with several subjects, I rejected each of them for different reasons. Finally, I realized I was suffering from a blog block, so I decided to write about that.

For me, blog block and story block are caused by two separate issues. Blog block often happens when I don't have a subject for a post. Once I come up with one, I can generally outline the main points in my head before I write. The block/slow writing I'm going through for Summon the Seasons is different in that I know where I'm going with the story, but I don't always have the specifics of how I want to get there. It may be hard picking the right words for a specific line, or my idea for the immediate scene may change to something other that what I had originally intended. Little time and lack of sleep don't help either. I need more energy or brainpower to write fiction than I do for nonfiction.

If you blog, do you ever suffer from blog block? How do you think it compares to story block? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

A 19th Century Book in a 21st Century Head

First of all, can anyone name the song that this blog title references? I remember hearing it on the radio, though I admit I had to Google the lyrics to come up with the title myself.

Anyway, this weekend I finished reading Adam Bede by George Eliot (pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans). If you're not familiar with this novel, it was published in 1859 and is considered a classic of 19th century British literature. Most of the book is set in a small English town and revolves around the relationships of four people: the titular Adam Bede, a carpenter; a local squire named Arthur Donnithorne and is Adam's old friend; Hetty Sorrel, a pretty but vain seventeen-year old whom both men are attracted to; and Dinah Morris, a Methodist preacher who is Hetty's cousin. Although the book has received lots of praise since its publication, I found it hard to get into because in many ways it's different from the more recent books I normally read. I'm not even sure a traditional publisher would accept it today. Here are some of the things that I noticed about this book:

1. Sentences tend to be longer and more complex than in modern books.
2. Compared to modern books, the pace is slow. Much space is devoted to description, daily life (which is actually a feature that draws praise from critics) and to characters who don't impact the main plot--or do much of anything.
3. Dialect is spelled out, which sometimes means it's difficult to decipher.
4. Head-hopping in a single scene is common.
5. Authorial/narrator asides are common and are frequently used to "preach" at the reader.

These writing practices can work under the right circumstances, but for me and my modern tastes, they weren't that interesting. There was also a lot of overt and covert sexism and classism in the book, which is to be expected given the era it was written in. I did care enough about the characters to push my way through that book, plus I wanted to finish it so it would count for my reading challenge.

I do think this book shows how much fiction has changed in over 150 years. Will my books be read 150 years from now? Probably not. It does make me wonder how storytelling will change. I don't think our species will ever give up stories, but the mode of storytelling may be through immersive technology or something else we haven't thought of yet. The past and present stories that future generations find valuable will be translated into new forms. Let's see if this book makes the cut.

Science of the Week, 9/9/16

Here are some of the most interesting science news articles I read this week:

Can the woolly mammoth be brought back from the dead?

A strange thing happened in the stratosphere

Early-onset spring models may indicate "nightmare" for ag

Stanford engineers develop a plastic clothing material that cools the skin

Malaria, once a scourge in Bhutan, is nearing elimination

Twin study helps unravel the genetic blueprint of the human brain

Nutrient pollution is changing sounds in the sea

Antibacterial ingredients in indoor dust could contribute to antibiotic resistance





 

IWSG--Fighting for Writing

It doesn't seem like September yet, does it? Nearly a full week has already passed, so it's time for an Insecure Writer's Support Group post. This month's hosts are shown below:

C. Lee McKenzie
Rachel Pattison
 Elizabeth Seckman
 Stephanie Faris
 Lori L MacLaughlin
Elsie Amata!

 This month, we've been asked the following question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

If you're a parent (especially if you're the default parent, the one who keeps track of all of your child's activities, schoolwork, and
friends), and if you have a day job, then you know you can't just passively wait for a block of time to magically open up for your novel. There will always be something else that has to be done, or something more tempting leisure activity. You have to fight for your right to write. That means you actively create blocks of time for writing, even if that means adjusting your priorities and making sacrifices.

It's actually easier for me to find writing time during the week, since I get a lunch break. Some days it's a full hour; other days I only take a half hour so I can leave early for my son's after-school activities. Either way, I bring my netbook and write, along with catching up with e-mail and Facebook. Depending on Alex's schedule, I may be able to write in the early evening (for example, if it's tae-kwon-do night, I write and watch, while if it's archery, then I participate). Otherwise, I have to wait until after Alex goes to bed (since I'm the parent who reads to him or helps him practice tae-kwon-do).

Weekend schedules are more erratic. If I'm catching up on housework or doing errands, I might not get time during the day to write. If we're going somewhere, I may bring my netbook in the car and try to write while my husband drives. It's often very difficult to read the screen with the glare, but still, it's an opportunity to get down words. (Unless my netbook isn't charged properly, like it was on Monday. At least I was able to read instead.)

Do you have to give up other activities to create writing time? Well, sure. I don't watch TV (I admit it's unavoidable sometimes if my family is watching something and I need to get something down downstairs, but if I lived by myself, I wouldn't need the set.) My house is a disaster area, although I do manage to cook and get the laundry done. And I suppose I should end this blog post if I want to get any writing done tonight. If you've got time to spare, leave a comment!

Science of the Week, 9/2/16

Here are some of the most interesting science news articles I read this week:

Ranavirus study finds "super spreaders" of disease

Activity tracker uses heart rate to personalize amount of exercise needed to prevent death

Shifts in the microbiome impact tissue repair and regeneration

Chew on this: how we believe our meat was raised can influence how it tastes

iPads as effective as sedatives for children before operations

The world's largest 3D printed object

Researchers discover machines can learn by simply observing

Dogs understand both vocabulary and intonation of human speech

Proxima b: could life exist on Earth-like planet in the solar system next door?

How to plan a happy neighborhood















Have a good weekend, everyone, and if you celebrate Labor Day, enjoy the extended weekend! I'm not sure yet if I'll have a post for Monday, but I'll definitely have one for Wednesday.