You Can't Handle the Proof...

Because it's mine!

 Winter Storm Rocky couldn't stop this book from showing up yesterday. Already the Red Pen of Doom has come forth to mercilessly slay any final typos or comma faults it finds.

As exciting as it is to see something I've worked on for such a long time finally take shape, I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I looked at the first page of Chapter One. It looks so plain compared to the templates Joel Friedlander just released (where were they a couple of weeks ago when I really needed them?)

Before I approve the proof, I'm going to try playing around with the chapter headings some more. I should be able to add some white space without changing the page count. If I can get the drop cap working properly, it would be nice to get that back in as well.

How much attention do you pay to the layout of your paper books? Does it matter to you, or you can't see the page for the words? What elements, if any, do you notice?

Inviting Myself Over to Your Blog....

We're currently between BRoP interviews; the next one starts on Wednesday on Terri's blog. In the meantime, while I wait for the proof of Twinned Universes to arrive, I'm working on publicity for the book. I have a Blurb Blitz tour set up through Goddess Fish for April:

More details will be posted about this tour later. I'm giving away a prize pack of items relating to the book to a random commenter during the tour and will post the links to enter as they go live.

In addition to the tour, I'm setting up guest posts and interviews on other blogs. I have a list of people and sites I want to approach or have already scheduled something, but there's room for more. Anyone interested in hosting me, either for an interview or guest post? I'd be happy to reciprocate. I promise to clean up afterward too. ;) Please comment below or e-mail me (sandraATsandraulbrichDOTcom) for more details.

Twinned Universes Cover Reveal!

I wasn't planning to share the cover for Twinned Universes until next week, but how can I wait that long?

The cover was photographed and designed by Meghan Derico of Derico Photography. She also prepared the cover for Lyon's Legacy, and she did a great job of branding the books to show they're in the same series.

Once I've reviewed and approved the proof for the paperback, I'll format the e-books. There's a very good chance the books will be ready for publication before the "official" release date of 3/17/13. In the meantime, you can find Twinned Universes on Goodreads.

Science of the Week, 2/22/13

If you like robotics and bionics, you'll find plenty to read about this week, along with various other science articles:

Researchers build Quad HD TV chip

Molecules assemble in water, hint at origin of life

Potential benefits of inertial fusion energy justify continued R&D

Researchers develop tool for reading the minds of mice

Researchers build robotic bat wing

I hear that! New life-like ears made from 3-D printing

Planet Mercury may have harbored an ancient magma ocean

Harvesting quantum dots: turning waste heat into electricity on the nano scale

The quest for a better bionic hand

And don't forget about Google Glass. Do you think it's a good idea, or will it remove us even more from the world around us?

Back on the Blog Chain: Old Story, New Genre

Margie has a special challenge for us this round:

Pick a book or story and imagine it in a new genre. For example, what would Oliver Twist be like if it was a sci-fi novel. Would Fagin have been a robot? Do you prefer you[r] new creation or the original?

The speculative element is so important to science fiction and fantasy that it defines the genres; any story where you can remove the speculative element without significantly changing the story isn't SF or fantasy. So, naturally, I have to try it. I'm going to translate Anne McCaffery's Dragonflight into a Western. (The link is to a plot summary in case you're not familiar with the book.) Bear in mind I haven't read many Westerns....

Rancher's daughter Lisa is the last surviving heir to the Ruatha Ranch; the rest of her family was killed by the infamous outlaw Fox several years ago. Lisa survived by disguising herself as an old cook. She hopes her awful cooking will drive all the other ranchhands and Fox's henchmen away so she can reclaim the ranch.

After Fox is killed in a shootout by bounty hunter Fair, Fair convinces Lisa to give up her ranch to Fox's son so she can become a bounty hunter herself--if she can tame a golden mare. She does, and as her mare mates with Fair's stallion, so does Lisa with Fair.

So far, so good. But how to deal with Thread and time-traveling dragons? I would replace Thread with another natural nemesis, like wolves. No wolves have been seen in these parts in years, and while the bounty hunters know how to hunt them, there are too few of them. Lisa, who has special tracking skills, finds a group of bounty hunters hiding in the mountains and persuades them that they're needed. They come forth to vanquish the wolves.

Would I read this story? Probably not; Westerns aren't my genre of choice. I read fantasy and SF for a sense of wonder and to escape the ordinary. A Western might take me out of my ordinary world, but it wouldn't give me the sense of wonder I crave. I'll stick with McCaffery's version.

Kate was the first one to try this challenge, and Christine will take a turn tomorrow.

On an unrelated note, I received the cover for Twinned Universes last night and plan to reveal it next Tuesday, 2/26. Would anyone be interested in participating on their own blog? I'd be happy to reciprocate by hosting an interview, cover reveal, or guest post.

Blog Ring of Power: P.T. Dilloway

P.T. Dilloway has been following and commenting on my blog for quite a while, so I wanted to give him a chance to showcase his Scarlet Knight series. But first, let's get to know him a little better:

When and why did you begin writing?

The first real creative writing I did was back in third grade.  We were supposed to keep a journal, but I couldn’t think of any interesting real world thoughts to put in there, so I began to write a serialized story that involved toys my brother and I played with.  I don’t think any of it survives today.

When did you first consider yourself a professional writer?

I really don’t consider myself a “professional” writer yet.  To do that you need to make enough money where writing is all you do.  Until I get a six-figure advance with a movie deal I’ll probably never be able to make writing a full-time career, just a lucrative hobby.

What books have most influenced your life?

In elementary school the most influential books were probably the Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander, starting with The Book of Three.  I loved those so much I even tried to write a sequel one time!  Some kids started with Narnia or nowadays with Harry Potter, but I started with those Prydain books.  They really had everything you needed:  action, mystery, adventure, and even romance. 

In high school it was more the works of Timothy Zahn, starting with his Star Wars novels, which were new in the early 90s.  Those were really some of the first “grown-up” type novels I’d read on my own.  Like the Prydain books, I think Zahn does a good job at blending elements together to make for a more well-rounded story.

After college I got into more literary novels, especially the books of John Irving.  The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp especially had an effect on me.  I’ve read each one numerous times and have purchased multiple copies of them.

What genre do you write?


I don’t really stick to one genre.  I started out writing mostly sci-fi and then moved on to more literary fiction.  I’ve mixed in some other genres, including a series of YA books.  Lately I’ve done more urban fantasy and thrillers.  There are some genres I haven’t tried like a real hard-core romance or erotica or of course picture books since I can’t draw.

What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?

That’s hard to say.  I don’t really have a favorite genre.  I’m not sure about “themes” either because I know someone who had a very stringent definition for themes that I could probably never satisfy.  I do tend not to write about normal, mainstream people.  Most of my lead characters are the outsider types, who are isolated by a physical defect or psychological trauma or something else.  Pretty much any lead character in my books could spend quite a lot of money on therapy, but I think that’s what makes for more interesting characters.

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

When I was little I wanted to be a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, but sadly I think that time has passed.

P.T.'s Contact Information:

Blog:  

Facebook page:  

Goodreads author page:  

Twitter:  

Amazon:  

Smashwords:  

Is your book in print, ebook or both?  My books Where You Belong and The Carnival Papers are available in print.  The rest are ebooks only for now.

Edited to Add:

P.T.'s interview continues this week on the following blogs:

The Writing Life--Dean--Tuesday
The Creative Process--Terri--Wednesday
About Your Current Work--Theresa--Thursday
Words of Wisdom--Emily--Friday

Science of the Week, 2/15/13

I have a couple of quick announcements before I post the science links. First, I have a post up today at the Scene 13 blog. It features a couple of excerpts from Twinned Universes, so if you'd like a sneak peek, please check it out. Also, don't forget this is the last day to download a free copy of my fantasy short story, "Letters to Psyche," from Amazon.

Here are some interesting news articles from ScienceBlog this week:

Explosive breakthrough in molecular recognition

 Computerized "Rosetta Stone" reconstructs ancient languages

Neuroprosthesis gives rats the ability to "touch" infrared light 
(this one has a lot of potential for SF stories)

Dogs spot the dog

Newly identified protein blocks HIV, other deadly viruses

Artificial atoms allow for magnetic resonance on individual cells


That's it for this week. Enjoy the weekend, and I'll be back Monday with a special BRoP interview.

#Shortstory #LetterstoPsyche #Free on #Kindle!

I don't normally use so many hashtags, especially in a blog post title, but this is important news, important enough to justify a double-post day. (My Indie Life post is below.) To celebrate Valentine's Day, my fantasy short story "Letters to Psyche" will be free on Amazon today, tomorrow, and Friday! Here's the link and the description:

When the Greek god Cupid visits Verona, he foresees no problems uniting the Montague and Capulet families. But when Elisabeth Capulet and Giovanni Montague's love ends in tragedy, Elisabeth places a powerful curse not on just the families, but Cupid himself. Unable to visit his wife Psyche, he sends her letters detailing his efforts to undo the curse. Can the two of them save another generation of lovers, or will Cupid and Psyche be forever parted?

Please download it and help spread the word! Thanks!

Indie Life: The Second Time Around

The Indelibles recently started a monthly feature called Indie Life, running the second Wednesday of every month. Even though I'm already part of a blog ring, a blog chain, and a group blog, I couldn't resist adding this feature too. After all, "being indie doesn't have to mean going it alone."

If you've been following this blog for a while, then you may know that I self-published my first novella, Lyon's Legacy, back in October 2011. Since then, I've also self-published four short stories while I revised Twinned Universes, the sequel to Lyon's Legacy.  I'm currently in the final stages of preparing Twinned Universes for release next month. Here are some things I'm doing differently the second time around:

Announcing a release date in advance. Last time, I didn't know how long it would take me to format the story and publish it, so I didn't pick a date in advance. Now that I (in theory) know what I'm doing, I decided to pick a date. Since my main character is pure Irish, as is the man he's cloned from, I decided to go with Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, and see if I can get a little "luck of the Irish." Turns out that's a Sunday, but I since may need to do some last-minute adjustments before hitting the "Publish" buttons, that should work out for me. At this point, I don't know if I'll be rushing to make that deadline or waiting impatiently for the date.

Formatting for CreateSpace first.  I first published Lyon's Legacy in eBook format; I didn't know about CreateSpace at the time and didn't get a paper version of my book out until 2012. Now I'm formatting the paper book before I work on the eBook version. Both versions should be available by the release date.  I figure if I want to tweak wording to avoid widows and orphans in the paper version, then I should do that first and base the eBook on the paper book. I wish I could say formatting for CreateSpace was easier this time, but it still took me over a week to get an "issue-less" PDF. Alternating headers are so much simpler to manage without page numbers, which work better in the footer. I'll do the eBooks after I review the paper proof. What's your biggest issue with formatting, either for eBook or paper?

Adding the book to Goodreads in advance. I knew indie authors could add books when they're out, and I knew publishers could schedule book that aren't out yet, but I didn't know indie author could add unpublished books too. Once I had an IBSN for the paper version of Twinned Universes, I used that to add the book to Goodreads. I'll add other things, like the cover and eBook editions, when they're available. In the meantime, people can already add the book to their shelves.

Organizing a blog tour in advance. With my first book, I waited until it was out before asking people to interview me or review it. This time, I've already contacted a blog tour organizer, and soon I'll e-mail some bloggers who already said they would be willing to host me.



For other bloggers discussing the Indie Life, check out the linky:

Blog Ring of Power--Juli D. Revezzo

Happy Monday! (If there is such a thing.) This week, the Blog Ring of Power is interviewing BroadUniverse member Juli D. Revezzo. The interview kicks off right here and continues as shown below:

Part 2 @ Dean - Tuesday, February 12th
Part 3 @ Terri - Wednesday, February 13th
Part 4 @ Teresa - Thursday, February 14th
Part 5 @ Emily - Friday, February 15th

For now, let's learn more about Juli.

When and why did you begin writing?

When? Oh, gosh. I started writing poetry in grade school but I didn’t graduate to stories until my teens? Why? Because in my family, there’s always a story! Hehe. We never just say “I went to the store” there’s always some long twisty line that ends up at the store. :) So it just seemed natural to start writing them down.

What books have most influenced your life?

Michael Moorcock’s Elric series was the one that got me into Fantasy fiction. It also got me dreaming of being a writer one day. Melanie Rawn’s Exiles series is the series that kicked me  to sit down and actually try it.

What genre do you write?

Supernatural fantasy but I also tend to write traditional fantasy and a little romance.

What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?

Anything with a fantasy angle is always a favorite. I’ve tried to write without something fantastic in the mix, I really have, ;) but it never works out. Something weird always creeps in!

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

I think I’d like to be a librarian.

Juli D. Revezzo is a Florida girl, with a love of fantasy, science fiction, and Arthurian legend, so much so she gained a B.A. in English and American Literature. She loves writing stories with fantastical elements whether it be a full-on fantasy, or a story set in this world–slightly askew. She has been published in short form in Eternal Haunted Summer,  Dark Things II: Cat Crimes (a charity anthology for cat related charities), Luna Station Quarterly, The Scribing Ibis: An Anthology of Pagan Fiction in Honor of Thoth, and Twisted Dreams Magazine. She recently released her debut novel, The Artist’s Inheritance.
She also has an article and book review or two out there.But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour.

Juli's Social Links

webpage 
Amazon:
Smashwords
 Facebook
Goodreads
Google+:
LibraryThing
Manic Readers:
Shelfari:
Twitter:

Trouble only a witch can solve...

Settling into a new home, Caitlin notices changes coming over her husband. When nightmares deepen and ghosts begin lurking--Caitlin knows something's not right, and not just her newfound precognitive abilities. It's the damned chair her husband's carving, she's sure. Could it be just what it seems: a mundane piece of furniture? If so, why is it attracting dark forces--the forces she suspects drove Trevor's siblings to insanity and suicide?

Armed with a handful of allies--a coven of helpful witches--she must proceed with caution against the hellish forces besieging her family. If she fails, she may lose forever the one thing she cares about most: her beloved Trevor.

The Artist’s Inheritance (Antique Magic, Book One) is available in both ebook and Print, from Amazon and Createspace as well as Smashwords and Barnes and Noble. The connecting story Caitlin’s Book of Shadows is currently available in eformat at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Buy Links:


Amazon:
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords:

and for Caitlin's Book of Shadows on Amazon

 

Science of the Week, 2/8/13

I've spent most of my writing time this week formatting the CreateSpace version of Twinned Universes. Not my idea of fun, I can tell you. At least tonight my husband and I get to attend a concert.

Anyway, this week I'm determined to get back to the traditional ScienceBlog links:

When the cell's two genomes collide

Enigmatic "Ribbon" of Energy Explained

Researchers cure Type 1 Diabetes in Dogs

Does probability come from quantum physics?

E-cigarettes could help reduce smoking

Is it magic? Defying the laws of Mendelian inheritance

I hope you enjoy them. Have a good weekend, and I'll be back on Monday!

Back on the Blog Chain: The Balancing Act

In this round of the blog chain, Lisa would like to know how we manage everything in our lives:

The balancing act. How do you balance your writing time with everything else in your life--including, kids, job, book promotion? 

I feel like I need to laugh for a few moments:



Sorry, Lisa, but I'm struggling with that question just like everyone else. I have a full-time job and one child, who is plenty. Sometimes I feel like I have four full-time jobs: my day job, my son, the house, and my writing. I'm not so much balancing them all as I am running back and forth, keeping any one of them from tipping over into catastrophe. This doesn't leave me time for anything else, which is why there's very little personal news on the blog these days.

The key to keeping up, if not actually staying balanced, is setting priorities. For example, with housework, I consider cooking fresh, healthy dinners for my family a priority, followed by keeping up with the laundry. As much as it annoys me to live in a messy house, sometimes I have to let cleaning slide--at least until it gets to the point where I can't stand it anymore. I keep up with writing by making it a priority in my life and by being disciplined. That means I have to give up other things, like watching TV at night or socializing on my lunch hour. I use those times to write instead. Planning ahead--such as preparing blog posts in advance--also helps.

Anyway, I would say more, but I have one book to format and a draft to work on. For more on balancing one's priorities, check out what Kate said yesterday and what Christine will add tomorrow.

Blog Ring of Power--Catherine McLean

Today's BRoP interview is with Broad Universe member Catherine McLean. You can find the previous parts of her interview here:

Part 1 - Wednesday January 30th--Terri Bruce
Part 2 - Thursday, January 31st --T.W. Fendley
Part 3 - Friday, February 1st --Emily LaBonte


Part 5 , the final part of the interview, will appear, Tuesday, Feburary 5th, on Dean C. Rich's blog.

You can probably guess that today I'm hosting Part 4, About Your Current Work. Let's go straight to the interview:

Tell us about your new book–what is it about–and when it is out?
Where can people purchase it?

     I had two books published in 2012. The first was Karma and Mayhem,
which is about a warlock-lawman with two souls, an ex-peacekeeper woman
who is mayhem personified, and a caldron of witches, demons, angels, and
murder done to obtain invincibility. This paranormal-fantasy-romance was
released as an eBook by Soul Mate Publishing.
     I like Tienan, the warlock-lawman-hero of the story. He's a stoic
personality who believes love is more frightening than death. Janay, the
heroine and ex-peacekeeper down on her luck, and who fights demons,
believes love is more powerful than death.
     As to Jewels of the Sky, a fantasy/sci-fi adventure (no romance),
it was released as both an eBook and a paperback. It's available at
Amazon.com exclusively until late February, 2013. It's about Indians in
outer space and has a Mayan connection.

Is there anything new, unusual, or interesting about your book? How
is it different from other books on the same subject?

     The unusual and interesting aspect is that in Karma and Mayhem,
Tienan is a Zantharian, a human hybrid who's birthright soul is a
"veed"—an energy symbiote that gives him extraordinary powers—seemingly
magical powers.
     For Darq, the heroine of Jewels of the Sky, she's a Wysotti Indian,
an unpredictable starfighter pilot who always puts duty first. For what
Darq's ancestors did to the Mayan, god has cursed all Wysotti, and now
that curse is coming to fruition. But one voice entreats god to
reconsider the demise of the Wysotti at the hands of an alien fleet. God
decides to test Darq, who has many of her forefather's traits. And so
survival or extinction rests with one woman's choice—Darq's.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

     For both books, it was the opening. I have lost track of how many
times I rewrote both openings. The trouble with Karma and Mayhem's
opening was the prologue. I had to keep it as short as possible and
still get in the most vital information, which could not be foretold in
the book any other way because the revelation of who the second soul was
could not be revealed to Tienan until Chapter 22. But without that
opening information, the reader would be clueless why certain things
happened before Chapter 22.
     For Jewels of the Sky, the original draft was written at a time
before I knew about hook openings and the power of POV-Viewpoint, so
hitting on a good balance of introducing Darq, the heroine, and her
Wysotti world proved challenging (okay, frustrating). However, the
morning I wrote the "painted toes" paragraph, the opening flowed.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

     For Karma and Mayhem, it was the kiss of comfort scene between
Janay and Tienan. This emotional scene takes place in Tienan's home
office where Janay reveals her terror of killing someone with a veed
because she cannot tell the difference between veeds and demons.
     For Jewels of the Sky, it was the scene where Darq and Tokoray (a
Na-ka-ta, an automaton with artificial intelligence) confessed being
branded undesirables. After Darq explained how she was accused of
murdering Na-ka-tas and Tokoray explained how he had been branded a
pilot's jinx, Darq utters my all-time favorite line: "I won't murder you
if you don't jinx me."

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in this
book?

     For both books: no. This is because using my project bible, I get
the characters and story plot ironed out long before I write the tale.
Secondly, by the time I go to write the story, I know the characters so
well that they stay true to themselves. And, lastly, despite reading the
manuscripts dozens of times during the editing and publication process,
the stories were never boring.




Contact information for Catherine E. McLean:

WEBSITE FOR READERS:
WEBSITE FOR WRITERS:
KARMA AND MAYHEM:
(And available at other eBook outlets)
KARMA AND MAYHEM BLOG:
JEWELS OF THE SKY: www.Amazon.com (Available as eBook and paperback)
JEWELS OF THE SKY BLOG:
Goodreads author page:

Formats available:

KARMA AND MAYHEM: Only as an eBook
JEWELS OF THE SKY: As an eBook and a paperback


Twitter: 
Linked-In:
Pinterest:

Friday Science Videos

I've been so busy this week I haven't had a chance to read through all the Science Blog articles I marked, so instead I thought I'd try something a little different. How about some science videos? For fun, I'll take a trip down Memory Lane with some Schoolhouse Rock:





What do you think? Should I post more videos, the science news links, or a mixture of both?

Letters to Psyche Now Available for Kindle!

Cupid and Psyche and Romeo and Juliet. Sounds like quite a complicated love story, doesn't it? I don't remember what first inspired me to weave Cupid into the Montagues' and Capulets' family histories, since I wrote the first draft of this story about a decade ago. I submitted the story, then called "Antidote for a Family Feud," to a couple of publications. While I got some praise from the editors, they ultimately rejected it, and I set it aside and worked on other projects. Finally, last year, I figured out a fresh approach to the story: Cupid writing letters to his wife while he stays on Earth. Why doesn't he return home? Well, here's the blurb:

When the Greek god Cupid visits Verona, he foresees no problems uniting the Montague and Capulet families. But when Elisabeth Capulet and Giovanni Montague's love ends in tragedy, Elisabeth places a powerful curse not on just the families, but Cupid himself. Unable to visit his wife Psyche, he sends her letters detailing his efforts to undo the curse. Can the two of them save another generation of lovers, or will Cupid and Psyche be forever parted?

Currently "Letters to Psyche" is only available on Amazon, though I do plan to remove it from the Select program after three months. In the meantime, hmmm, isn't there a love-themed holiday coming up in the near future?

Blog Ring of Power--Gail Z. Martin

Two weeks ago, Gail Z. Martin wrote a special guest post for my blog. She's back today to tell us about her current work, Ice Forged, for a Blog Ring of Power interview. You can find the first three parts of the interview here:

Terri--About You
Theresa--The Writing Life
Emily--The Creative Process

Dean will conclude the interview tomorrow with Gail's Words of Wisdom.



Tell us about your new book—what is it about—and when it is out? Where can people purchase it?

Ice Forged comes out from Orbit Books on January 8.  It will be available in stores and online booksellers worldwide and also on Kindle, Kobo and Nook.

Here’s the story: Condemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine “Mick” McFadden has spent the last six years in Velant, a penal colony in the frigid northern wastelands of Edgeland. Harsh military discipline and the oppressive magic of the governor’s mages keep a fragile peace as colonists struggle against a hostile environment. But the supply ships from Dondareth have stopped coming, boding ill for the kingdom that banished the colonists.

Now, McFadden and the people of Velant decide their fate. They can remain in their icy prison, removed from the devastation of the outside world, but facing a subsistence-level existence, or they can return to the ruins of the kingdom that they once called home. Either way, destruction lies ahead…

Is there anything new, unusual, or interesting about your book? How is it different from other books on the same subject?

There are a lot of post-apocalyptic books based in modern or post-modern times, but not a lot in a medieval setting, which was something that intrigued me.  I also wanted to play with the idea of a society that depended on magic the way we depend on the power grid, and then take that magic away as part of a devastating war.  Then I asked, “What if the only person who might be able to restore the magic was a convict who had been exiled to the end of the world?”

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

I think the hardest part of any book is the first chapter.  Once you get going, I find that the book becomes easier, but getting past those first blank screens is the tough spot!

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

As difficult as the beginning of a new book is, I think that with Ice Forged I particularly like the first couple of chapters, since I’m pleased with the way it introduces readers to the characters and the situation.

Tell us about your book’s cover – where did the design come from and what was the design process like?

When you work with a big publisher, you have very little input on the cover, so you cross your fingers and pray.  I had a chance to see the cover once the art was drafted, but at that point, there really wasn’t anything that could have been changed.  Fortunately, I liked the cover art, which has been the case for all of my books.  I’ve been very lucky to have some amazing cover artists.  I do get a little more input on the back blurb and tag line, but again, I’m lucky to have a team of talented people at Orbit working on that so I can focus on writing.








Gail Z. Martin’s newest book, Ice Forged: Book One in the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), launched in January 2013.  Gail is also the author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series (Solaris Books) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (Orbit Books).  For more about Gail’s books and short stories, visit www.AscendantKingdoms.com. Be sure to “like” Gail’s Winter Kingdoms Facebook page, follow her on Twitter @GailZMartin, and join her for frequent discussions on Goodreads.
Read an excerpt from Ice Forged here:

Blog:
Amazon:
Other: Podcast

Science of the Week, 1/25/13

Here we are at the end of January already. When you're busy, time flies quickly.

Here are some of the most interesting articles from Science Blog this week:

Immune cells engineered in lab to resist HIV infection

"Quadruple helix" DNA found in human cells

Martian underground could contain clues to life's origins

Dung beetles use stars for orientation

Orangutans go ape for apps

DNA isn't just for proteins anymore; scientists are now able to encode Shakespeare's sonnets, audio, and scientific papers into the molecule. DNA is ideal for compact, long-lasting storage. You can find out more in this article.

I finished reading the February 2013 issue of Scientific American this week. Some of the most interesting articles are about high-speed battery-operated cars, concept brain cells, and anti-oxidants.

Finally, on a personal note, I took my son to a cryogenics demonstration at our library last night. I wasn't able to get pictures, but we watched a scientist from Fermilab dip things into liquid nitrogen. He shrank balloons, used a banana hammer and a rubber nail, and blew up a cardboard box. It's been cold this week, but fortunately not liquid-nitrogen cold.

Did your science teacher ever freeze things? If not, did you ever see a science demonstration?

Back on the Blog Chain--Writing Ch-Ch-Changes

This round, Amparo wants us to be like David Bowie: turn and face the strain--I mean, changes:

It's a new year, and some writers have taken it upon themselves to switch things up. *points at self* It might be the genres you write in or your revision process. It might be your main character's voice. What's one thing you've chosen to change in your writing this new year? Why do you wish to change it? If there's nothing you're going to change, why do you think it should remain as is?



As always, I post between Kate and Christine.

I've already discussed my writing goals for this year in a previous post, but I'll summarize them here: I have six projects that I want to publish in 2013. One is already out, two are close to ready, and three still have to be finished and revised. So my goals are results-oriented, not process-oriented like Amparo's. I don't deliberately set out to change my writing techniques, but I find that working on a variety of projects accomplishes it anyway. For example, some of my stories are short, while others are full-length novels. Some stories are in first-person, others in third. The settings range from medieval Verona to our future Earth and an alternative Earth. Every story presents a different challenge, so my writing has to change in response to that.

One thing I probably should change about my writing is using fewer semicolons. That's something my editor mentioned in the line edits for Twinned Universes. Shorter sentences do speed up the pace of fiction; however, there are still times when a leisurely pace is desired or when it's necessary to join two related thoughts. I have no plans to remove any semicolons from my blogging, not just because they're part of my personal style, but because they may also be good for you. According to this study, grammar complexity is linked with reduced risk of Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, that still doesn't motivate me to read Proust, Joyce, or Faulkner, even though the mental workout would be good for my brain.

There is one change that I discussed in my previous blog chain post: doing more outlining and world-building in advance instead of pantsing all the time. When you're writing a series, especially a science-fiction one with a new world, it's vital to be able to track what your world is like. I have to admit that lately I've been writing words in my story, not in my story bible, but that's supposed to be a good thing. Sometimes it's hard to find the balance between writing and accomplishing everything else that supports the writing.

One thing that supports writing is marketing, and I do plan to change my approach this year. As I've mentioned in previous post, I'm experimenting with loss leaders. I also plan to schedule a blog tour for Twinned Universes, even if that delays publication of the book a couple of weeks.

How about you? Are you trying something different with your writing? If so, what is it?

Blog Ring of Power Interview--Lori Sjoberg--and a Giveaway!

We're in the middle of a Blog Ring of Power interview with Lori Sjoberg. You can find the other parts of the interview here:

Part One--Terri--About You
Part Two--Theresa--The Writing Life
Part Three--Emily--The Creative Process
Part Five--Dean--Words of Wisdom

Please check out Terri's post for details on how to win a copy of Lori's latest book, Grave Intentions. The giveaway runs through this Wednesday. If you'd like to learn more about her book first, keep reading.

Tell us about your new book—what is it about—and when it is out? Where can people purchase it?  GRAVE INTENTIONS is the story of David Anderson, a damned soul given one final chance to earn his salvation by reaping the souls of the recently departed.  Sixty years on the job have left him burned out and emotionally dead.  But then he meets Sarah Griffith, a scientist and lifelong skeptic who doesn’t believe in anything paranormal, and things become…complicated.  It’s scheduled for release on January 3, 2013, and is available at most online retailers (amazon, B&N, etc.)

What was the hardest part of writing this book? 
My publisher asked me to rewrite one scene, a scene that I truly loved.  You have no idea how hard it was to cut that scene and replace it with another, but thankfully it all worked out in the end.  Sometimes, you really do have to kill your darlings.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
Isn’t that kind of like asking a mother which of her children is her favorite?  LOL.  I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I do love the chapter where everything Sarah thinks she knows gets turned on its head.  It was fun to explore her reaction to such a drastic change in the landscape of her reality. (I’m trying really hard not to spoil anything.)

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in this book?  
In the grand scheme of things, no.  I love the story the way it is. 

Tell us about your book’s cover – where did the design come from and what was the design process like? 
All credit (or blame if you don’t like it!) for my cover goes to my publisher’s art department.  My editor gave them some ideas as to what elements he wanted the cover to include, and they did the rest of the work.





Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida, Lori spent over a decade working in the fun-filled worlds of retail management, financial planning, and insurance. The writing bug bit a few years later. After completing her first manuscript, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at work, and the creative half writing paranormal romance. When she’s not doing either one of those, she’s usually spending time with her husband and children of the four-legged variety.


He’s handsome, reliable, and punctual—the perfect gentleman when you want him to be. But this dream man is Death’s best agent—and now he’s got more than his soul to lose…

 One act of mercy before dying was all it took to turn soldier David Anderson into a reaper—an immortal who guides souls-of-untimely-death into the afterlife. But the closer he gets to atoning for his mortal sin and finally escaping merciless Fate, the more he feels his own humanity slipping away for good. Until he encounters Sarah Griffith. This skeptical scientist can’t be influenced by his powers—even though she has an unsuspected talent for sensing the dead. And her honesty and irreverent sense of humor reignite his reason for living—and a passion he can’t afford to feel. Now Fate has summoned David to make a devastating last harvest. And he’ll break every hellishly-strict netherworld rule to save Sarah…and gamble on a choice even an immortal can’t win.

Website
Blog 
Facebook page
Goodreads author page
Amazon
Other

What format is your book(s) available in (print, e-book, audio book, etc.)?  e-book

Science of the Week, 1/18/12

It's been a busy week for me. I just got back tonight from a business trip, and I'm also reviewing the line edits for Twinned Universes. I started while I was on my trip, but unfortunately I didn't save my changes to a new file and wound up losing them. Now I have to start over. Consequently, I'm going to cut down on the science links tonight:

Do we really need deodorant?

Robofish Grace glides with the greatest of ease

NASA Beams Mona Lisa to Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at the Moon


Can docs, prevent, reverse disabilities in children born prematurely?

Mathematical breakthrough sets out rules for more effective teleportation

Major step toward an Alzheimer's vaccine

 That's it for now. Have a good weekend, and see you on Monday!