Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Blogger Book Fair--Jeff W. Horton

Today I'm featuring Jeff W. Horton on my blog.



Jeff Horton was born in North Dakota, the youngest son of a career Air Force master sergeant. A voracious reader growing up, he read the Bible, and stories by many popular authors including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Jeff Horton's novel, THE GREAT COLLAPSE-SURVIVORS OF THE PULSE, a story about the coming of the pulse and the end of civilization, was published in 2010. THE DARK AGE-SURVIVORS OF THE PULSE, the sequel to The Great Collapse, was published in 2011, as was THE LAST PROPHET, a fictitious story about the life of John March, one of the witnesses sent by God to warn humanity about the antichrist, and the end of days. Released on September 1, 2012, THE WAY OF NACOR:TALES OF EDEN is a tale about four children, who find themselves lost and stranded on a strange alien planet and struggle to find a way home. Jeff Horton's fifth novel, entitled CYBERSP@CE, is a techno-thriller, in which the world is brought to the brink of nuclear war after a string of deadly cyber warfare attacks against the United States.
When he's not penning his next novel, he enjoys reading, going to church, and spending time with his family. Jeff Horton is a member of the North Carolina Writers Network.
For more information visit www.hortonlibrary.com or his Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeff.Horton.



After years of state-sponsored cyber attacks originating from outside the United States, cyber warfare analyst Nick Reynolds is appointed to lead a new U.S. Cyber Command task force. His team is charged with protecting the country's military and civilian infrastructure, and restoring the United States to a position of technological leadership in cyber warfare.

When a cyber attack results in the deaths of over 100,000 Americans, Nick has to find who is responsible, protect the United States from an even more destructive cyber warfare attack.

Cybersp@ce is an intense, techno-thriller with Sci-Fi action, and a lesson about the relationship between trust, and fear.

Find Cybersp@ce on Goodreads:

Find Cybersp@ce on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Cybersp-ce-Jeff-W-Horton/dp/1938961579/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361692228&sr=1-1&keywords=Cybersp%40ce

The Way of Nacor: Tales of Eden

The journey begins!

The journey begins just after the father of four children, Christian Seekers, is killed in a violent storm, leaving the children and their mother all alone.,

One day while visiting their grandfather, the children stumble across a mysterious portal, which transports the children to a strange, alien world called Zantura. In order to get home, the children will have to face and overcome seven deadly trials, find a mystical object called the Relic of Nacor, and face off against a powerful, evil being named Sarin, who has enslaved or murdered most of the inhabitants of Zantura.

Find The Way of Nacor: Tales of Eden on Goodreads:

Find The Way of Nacor: Tales of Eden on Amazon:


The Last Prophet

Imagine learning that you had been ordained by God to become one of the last two witnesses mentioned in the book of Revelation at the end of days. Suppose it was you that would stand face to face with the antichrist, call down plagues, and warn humanity to turn from following the beast, and to announce the approaching return of Jesus Christ.

The Last Prophet, written in the first person from the point of view of John March, tells the story of an ordinary man who discovers that he is about to lead an extraordinary life.  He will face supernatural enemies and his own inherent fears and weaknesses on his journey to becoming, The Last Prophet.


Find The Last Prophet on Goodreads:

Find The Last Prophet on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Prophet-Jeff-W-Horton/dp/1937085031/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318051078&sr=1-1

The Dark Age

In the year 2025, the greatest civilizations to ever exist on Planet Earth were wiped out in a moment by the unlikely combination of a powerful electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and massive solar flare, which permanently renders advanced technology across the planet useless.

Now fast forward five-hundred years and you'll find yourself in The Dark Age, which is set in a world where humanity survives by the sword, the bow, and the arrow, while secretly hoping that a legend about the Great Oracle is true and that civilization will one day return to the Earth. The Dark Age is a story about good versus evil, about self-discovery, perseverance, and self-sacrifice, all in an effort to save the world from a fate worse than death.


Find The Dark Age on Goodreads:

Find The Dark Age on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Age-Survivors-Pulse/dp/193708504X/ref=pd_sim_b1

The Great Collapse-Description

The Great Collapse is an apocalyptic novel set in the not-too-distant future. When a powerful electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and a massive solar flare bathe the Earth in energy, the result is the permanent loss of modern technology across the planet. Survivors learn how to survive and then to thrive in their new reality.

As I did research for my first novel, The Great Collapse, and my second novel, The Dark Age, I was astonished to learn how vulnerable our national infrastructure and our civilization itself are to powerful electromagnetic pulses and solar flares. In 2008 a report requested by Congress and was completed by the EMP Commission. It confirmed that the threat of a single nuclear warhead detonated high in the atmosphere somewhere around Kansas was real, and that it could potentially take out the United States' national power grid.


Find The Great Collapse on Goodreads:

Find The Great Collapse on Amazon:

 

Monday, July 22, 2013

It's a Blogger Book Fair, with a Sale and a Giveaway!

Although there's a break in the Blog Ring of Power schedule for me this week, it works out perfectly for the Blogger Book Fair, organized by Kayla Curry. Writers and bloggers are coming together this week to promote their work. You can learn more about this event here.

This week, I'll be featuring Jeff W. Horton, Louise Blankenship, and Nicole Zoltack on my blog and making guest appearances on theirs. Stop by every day to learn more!

As part of the Blogger Book Fair, I'll be promoting my works Lyon's Legacy, Twinned Universes (both science fiction), and my fantasy short story "Letters to Psyche." I've updated Lyon's Legacy with bonus scenes from "The Mommy Clone" and Twinned Universes. (Currently the bonus material is only available through Amazon, but I'll update the Smashwords and B&N versions as soon as I can.) This week only, it'll be available for 99 cents on Amazon. I didn't make the cutoff for listing Lyon's Legacy in the BBF list, so please help me spread the word! I'll also be giving away an eBook of Twinned Universes this week; please enter through the Rafflecopter embedded in this post. I plan to post an excerpt from "Letters to Psyche" and may do another giveaway for that one; I'm still deciding on the details for that one. All of these works are eligible for the Reader's Choice Award. You can vote on your favorites here.  I'd really love your support!

Anyway, enjoy the book fair this week, and please help spread the word! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Back on the Blog Chain: How Do You Spend Your Summer?

After a late start, Christine came up with a topic for this round of the blog chain:

How do you spend your summer? Catching up on writing projects, taking time off of writing? Getting inspired? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, I'm definitely not taking a break from writing. I have several projects in the works, but the one I'm focusing on now is a prequel to my upcoming fantasy series. (I've discussed it here before as the Season Lords series, but I'm now leaning toward Season Avatars as the series name.) It's a novella that sets up the countries of Challen and Selath, where the series takes place. With luck, the muse, and lots of writing time, I'll have the first draft done by the end of the month. (Unless, of course, I just jinxed myself.) I'm making progress with Catalyst in the Crucible as well, though I still need to work out some issues. Plus there are several other short stories I want to work on too, though I don't know if I'll meet my original goal of publishing six new stories this year.

As much as I might like to, I don't spend all summer parked in front of my laptop. It seems we have something to do every weekend: birthday parties for my son's friends, weddings, other parties and showers, and even my high school reunion next month. (My husband skipped his.) My husband and I had not just one, but two date nights last month. (We attended a Sting concert and Second City at the Opera.) Last weekend, the three of us drove up to Madison, Wisconsin for a much-needed mini-vacation. We have more trips planned to museums and Tall Ships in Chicago in the next few weeks. No wonder I wound up writing in the car on the way to Madison; how else will I get it all done?

Summer's lease will have all too short a date with everything going on. I hope you enjoy your own summer. And be warned: if there's no topic pre-selected for the next Blog Chain, I'm going to pick my own.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Copper Girl Blog Tour and Giveaway

Today I'm hosting sister Scene 13 member Jennifer Allis Provost on her blog tour for Copper Girl.



Back cover matter:

Sara had always been careful.

She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.

Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.

Rafflecopter link:


Author bio:

Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, a parrot (maroon bellied conure, to be exact), two cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.


Friend me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jennallis
Follow me on Twitter: @parthalan
http://jenniferallisprovost.com/
http://jenniferallisprovost.blogspot.com/

 
CHAPTER ONE, Part I

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

My office, like most modern offices, cranked the air conditioning down to Arctic proportions during the summer months. Consequently, we workers arrived in the morning dressed in sandals and sleeveless tops, donned heavy sweaters upon reaching our desks, and ended up shivering by noon. Ironically, when our workday ended we were hit by a wall of oppressive heat the moment we stepped outside the main doors. No, this wasn’t a flawed system in the slightest.

That day, I wasn’t having it. I had the grand idea of spending my lunch hour outside, away from the icy wind stiffening my fingers and chilling my neck. After I unwound myself from the afghan I kept in my desk (and only used in the summer months), I gathered up my lunch and my phone and headed out for an impromptu picnic in my car.

What I hadn’t considered was that the office runs the air conditioning so cold because it was, well, hot outside. Very hot, in fact. So hot that the cheese was melting in my sandwich and the lettuce looked like something that had washed ashore months, maybe even years, ago. I was parked in the shade and had taken down my car’s convertible top, but I still couldn’t manage to get comfortable. I’d already shed my sandals and cardigan, which left me wearing my sundress and…

Dare I?

I glanced around the parking lot of Real Estate Evaluation Services, the ‘go-to firm for all your commercial real estate needs’, according to the brochures. No one, human or drone, was taking a noontime stroll, and, by virtue of my being on the far side of the lot, no cars were near mine. Most of my coworkers didn’t even have cars, so the lot was rarely more than half-full. What was more, from where I sat, I couldn’t even see the office.

I dared.

I took a deep breath and channeled my inner wild woman, then leaned the seat back and slipped off my panties. Removing that small bit of cotton made an incredible difference, and the heat became somewhat bearable. Enjoyable, even. Was that a breeze?

Ignoring my decrepit sandwich, I fully reclined the seat, set the alarm on my phone, and closed my eyes. A nap. Now that would make today bearable.

***
Suddenly, he is there.

Here.

Kissing me, holding me.

I know I'm dreaming, because he's perfect. His lips are soft but insistent, his hands gentle. I glide my fingers across his back, feeling thick cords of muscle, before sinking my fingers into his hair. It’s superfine, like cobwebs, and when I crack an eyelid, I learn that it’s silver. Not gray or white, but the elegant hue of antique candlesticks and fine flatware. Cool.

I squeeze my eyes shut again, not wanting the dream to end any sooner than it has to. He kisses me once more, and I can’t help melting against him. His hand travels up my leg, up past my hip… shit! No panties!

I try twisting away, but he already knows. I feel his mouth stretch into a smile, and he moves to nuzzle my neck. "What’s your name?" he murmurs.

"Sara," I reply. "Yours?"

"Micah." By now, his hands have traveled to my waist, and he slides one around to stroke the small of my back. "Why did you summon me, Sara?"

"I didn’t," I protest. "I don’t know how." I would say more, but he nibbles a trail from my neck to my shoulder, and pushes my dress to the side. As for me, I let him.

Micah raises his head, and I get a good look at him for the first time. His eyes are large and dark gray, like thunderheads, his features chiseled into warm caramel skin, and his unruly mop of silver hair seems to float around his head. He wears an odd, buff-colored leather shirt, made all the odder in this heat, and matching leather pants and boots. Boots?

"You did summon me," he insists. "My Sara, you must tell me why."

"Does it matter?" I ask. I pull him back to me, kissing him with all the passion I’ve never felt with anyone during my waking hours. Micah kisses me back, fingers deftly unbuttoning my dress while his other hand rubs my lower back. I’ve never felt so free, so alive as I do in Micah’s embrace, and I have no intention of rushing this. None at all.



Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Talk About It Tuesday

Normally, on the third Tuesday of the month (hard to believe it's already mid-July, isn't it?), I discuss the latest Blog Chain topic. However, as of 9:20 CDT on Monday, no topic has been posted. Apparently our topic picker (I don't want to feel like I'm putting her on the spot) either forgot about it or got too busy. If we do get a topic, I may have to wait until Thursday to discuss it.

Anyway, since I have an open spot on the blog, let's see if there are any writing/publishing topics people want to discuss. Want to talk about Random Penguin Publishing, or JK Rowling's newest book? Do you have questions about self-publishing or writing craft? Please post them below, and I'll answer your comments as my schedule permits.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Blog Ring of Power: Anne E. Johnson

Welcome back to the Blog Ring of Power! Today we have with us Anne E. Johnson, author of Green Light Delivery and her latest, Blue Diamond Delivery. The interview starts here, so let's get to know her a little better:

When and why did you begin writing?
My father is a journalist, so I thought of writing as a normal thing to do. I’ve been writing my whole life, whether in academic articles, non-fiction books for kids, or music journalism. However, my fiction writing is a whole different matter (one that baffles my journalist father, who can’t imagine writing fiction---although he is proud that I do!). I did write a few short stories as a kid, but it wasn’t until decades later that I realized I wanted to work seriously to become a professional writer of fiction. It’s been one of the greatest decisions of my life.

When did you first consider yourself a professional writer?

My first paid writing job was in the mid-1990s for the Rosen Publishing Group. They hired me to “pad” another author’s series about the peoples of East Africa. I did hundreds of hours of research, and it was quite interesting, but my name didn’t appear on the books. Soon, though, Rosen hired me to write seven books of my own. The first time I was paid for my fiction was the $2 I received from Spaceports & Spidersilk for my story “Airsick Over Planet Ekka.”

What books have most influenced your life?

My favorite author is Anthony Burgess. Although he did write some novels that might be considered science fiction (A Clockwork Orange, The Wanting Seed, The End of the World News), my favorite works by him are the Enderby novels, about a writer struggling to deal with his writing and the world that doesn’t understand him. In terms of science fiction novels, my favorite authors include Douglas Adams, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Robert A. Heinlein.

What genre do you write?

I write science fiction and historical fiction. I haven’t tried to write both together, but that might be an interesting experiment at some point!


What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?

One of the reasons I write sci-fi is to counteract the ever-growing obsession with dystopia. Science fiction need not be dystopic. It need not be terrifying. It need not spell the doom of our species, our planet, or any other species or planet. Whether I’m writing funny or serious science fiction, I work from the premise that there are always some bad people, but the decent people outnumber them.

Look for more of Anne's interview on the following blogs:

Part Two (The Writing Life)--Vicki Lemp Weavil--7/16
Part Three (The Writing Process)--Terri Bruce--7/17
Part Four (About Your Current Work)--Theresa Fendley--7/18
Part Five (Words of Wisdom)--Emily LaBonte--7/19

You can find Anne at the following links:




You can purchase her new book at the following links:


Amazon:
BN:


Science Fiction and Scene 13

Just a reminder that I'm at the Scene 13 blog today to talk about science fiction and summer reading. You can find the link here. And don't forget to scroll down this page to see the first part of Anne E. Johnson's interview!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Indie Life--Zen and the Art of Website Maintenance

It's time again for another edition of the Indie Life, hosted by the Indelibles.

I tend to talk about writing business for these posts, and today is no exception. My focus today is author websites. I've known for a long time that it's important to have an author website, so sometime in the mid-nineties I bought sandraulbrich.com. I did my own website design, and boy, does it show. I haven't updated the site in several years. (Priorities change when you have a young child.) I think I used Frontpage or something similar to design the site, but I don't even have the program anymore.  Given that I publish my work as Sandra Ulbrich Almazan, and given that I don't even have my books on my current website, something has to be done. Fortunately, there are at least two easy ways for an author to set up a website.

One way is to go through a service like wix.com. Wix provides free websites (with better features if you pay for an upgrade, naturally) with customizable templates. (Squarespace offers a similar service, but I think they're a little more expensive than wix.) I recently set up a new website with them at sandraulbrichalmazan.com; please check it out if you have the time. (I hope you think it's better than the old site!) I'm still playing around with features, but so far this is a lot easier to use than Frontpage. Wix provides a shopping cart for your website with one of the upgrades, something I may consider doing if/when it makes sense to sell books directly through my website. For now, I get most of my sales through Amazon, so I'll hold off on using the shopping cart until I have more of a fan base.

Another option for authors is to skip the website altogether and use a blog as their main web presence. Like Wix, Blogger and Wordpress both have customizable templates for layout and design, and since you can add separate pages to your blog, you can make it function like a website with pages for a bio, books, and so on.

If blogs and websites are so similar, is it worth having both? In my opinion, a website is more permanent than a blog, so it makes a better Internet base. On the other hand, a blog may be easier to maintain and keep updated. I have my blog feeding onto a page of my new website to combine them. Perhaps later on I'll try exporting this blog to the website so everything is in one place.

How about you? Do you have a website, a blog, or both? Where are they hosted? Do you have any blog or website maintenance tips you'd like to share with your fellow indies?


Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Interview with Maria Zannini, Book Cover Diva

Have you ever wanted to learn more about book cover design but didn't know whom to ask? Today I have an interview with Maria Zannini, cover designer. Welcome, Maria!

Please tell us about yourself.

Sometimes I think I’m a crow reincarnated into a human body. Most everything fascinates me and I squirrel away tidbits of information and experiences. Who knows when someone will need the lowdown on which publishers have the best editors—or a recipe for emu jerky? My brain is like a super warehouse of information. Alas, the key doesn’t always work.

But there’s also a normal side to me too. I’m a university-trained graphic artist and have worked in the corporate world for over 245 years (that’s in dog years). Most recently, I was an art director before retiring to the country.

How did you get into cover design?

It happened all backwards. When I decided to self-publish The Devil to Pay I designed my own cover. After its reveal, I had a surge of requests, and I was totally unprepared for the interest.

At the time, I declined all requests. I was a writer after all, and I didn’t want to start a new vocation. But something strange happened along the way. Friends started asking for help with their covers and ads. I would fix things for them or offer suggestions.

It was my husband who noticed how happy I was when I was creating a new design. He asked me why I didn’t do this fulltime. And I thought—why not? Life is short and I want to do things that mean something to me. That’s when Book Cover Diva was born.

Please tell us how you created your latest cover.


My modus operandi is the same for all books.

For The French Gambit by Maureen Betita, I read the book’s blurb very carefully and picked out a couple of elements that seemed pivotal to the story.

I liked how the author mentioned that Miranda, the protagonist would go to any length to protect her family. I saw her as a strong, confident woman thrust into a deadly game with high stakes. The chess board and skull reflects both the gambit in the title and the cost if she failed. The pirate flag is a separate branding element that we’re using on all her books in this series.

Branding is something very few authors consider, but it’s highly recommended especially if you write series. Basically, you want something that will subliminally connect your books to one another in the reader’s mind. 

For Giacomo Giammatteo, we set his name in the same font and banner he uses for all his books. For his web site, NoMistakes.org, we incorporated a pencil eraser, erasing “Mistakes”, and reinforcing the context of his nonfiction series for No Mistakes Career Books.













Do you design covers for a wide variety of genres, or just a few? What draws you to these genres?

I’ve designed covers for everything from nonfiction to genre. Once I get a feel for what the book is about, my brain goes into overdrive and I’m clicking away, trying different ideas until I find the ONE. 

I love that eureka moment. I was especially proud of James Garcia Jr.’s cover, Seeing Ghosts because the concept hit me immediately when I read his blurb.  It was that powerful.

It evolved into a very complex cover with many layers, but it totally worked. It came out exactly as I visualized it.

Do you have any favorite color palettes you draw on for your covers?

I let the book dictate the color palette. I know which colors work well together and that’s where I concentrate my efforts.


What differences or problems do you encounter with designing eBook covers as opposed to paperback/hardcover books? Have you ever had to change a cover design to accommodate a different format?

Ebook covers need to be readable even at postage stamp size. What might look good in print could look like a smudge in an ebook catalog.

I’ve never had to change a design, but I did modify the typography on one book so it would stand out more in the digital version.

How many projects do you work on at once?

One at a time. I’m very focused and when I work on a project, I give it my full attention. If I have several jobs at once, I might start looking for graphics for the next job while waiting for a yea or nay from the client of the first job. But usually most clients send me word immediately so splitting my time rarely happens.

What advice do you have for authors who are looking for a cover designer or want to design their own covers?

 Keep a little folder of covers that you like. And talk to other authors. Happy authors are always glad to tell you about their cover artist. They’re also glad to tell you when they’re not happy. That’s important too. The chemistry between author and artist is just as critical as execution.


Back to you, readers: Do you have any questions about cover design or branding? How do you feel about indie covers as opposed to the Big 4 covers?

Book Cover Diva
Because everyone judges a book by its cover. 








Maria Zannini is an artist, author, and dog lover living in the middle of nowhere. Visit her at her personal blog, her frugal living blog, Back to Basics, or at Book Cover Diva.

Monday, July 08, 2013

Introducing New BRoP Member Vicki Lemp Weavil

I'm sure all bloggers know how real life can wreak havoc with a blogging schedule. Our Blog Ring of Power member Dean Rich needs to take some time off from BRoP. Fortunately, we have a new member joining us. Her name is Vicki Lemp Weavil. She is a speculative fiction author from North Carolina. Her YA Fantasy, CROWN OF ICE, will be published by Month9Books in Fall 2014. She also writes Adult and YA Science Fiction. Vicki was gracious enough to agree to a mini-interview with me:

What is your favorite book/author?

Oh, this is the toughest question in the world! I love so many different books and authors, I can never pick just one. So let's focus on speculative fiction, perhaps?

For that, I have to say the LITTLE, BIG by John Crowley is one of my favorite books. It changed the way I thought about fairies, fairy tales, and the whole genre of speculative fiction. It is so poetic, so true, so rich and deep, I discover new ideas and inspiration every time I read it. It's just brilliant and Crowley is a genius. (His other books bear this out).

What's one thing you'd like to accomplish with your writing?

I would like to build a dedicated group of readers that truly long for my next book. I don't have to be famous, or write bestsellers, but I do want to write books that readers sincerely love and cherish.

What's one thing about you that someone couldn't guess by looking at you?


I used to sing quite a bit, and when I was younger I could hit an F above high C. (That's "Queen of the Night" territory!)


You can find Vicki online at the following sites:

Website/blog: http://vickilempweavil.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiLWeavil

Tumblr: http://vickilweavil.tumblr.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7091425.Vicki_Lemp_Weavil

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/vickilweavil/

Please help me welcome Vicki to BRoP! Our normal interview schedule will resume next week with an interview with Anne E. Johnson.

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Smashwords Sale and Twinned Universes Audiobook Release!

I'm posting a little late today, but I hope my news makes up for that.

I'm participating in the semi-annual Smashwords sale. Both Lyon's Legacy and Twinned Universes are 50% off with the code SSW50 from now through the end of the month. Here are the links:

Lyon's Legacy
(normally $2.99, $1.50 with coupon)

Twinned Universes
(normally $4.99, $2.50 with coupon)

Also, the audiobook version of Twinned Universes is now available at Amazon for $17.46. Here's the direct link. I don't have the links for audible.com or iTunes yet, but I'll post them when they're available.

Thanks for supporting my work, and I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to spread the word about the Smashword coupons, and don't forget to check out the other books enrolled in the sale.


Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Back on the Blog Chain: Reading without Guilt

For this round of the Blog Chain, Demitria asks us:

What are your guilty pleasure books/genres?

to which I plead Not Guilty, by reason of I Feel No Guilt For Reading.
 
(Unless I'm accused of reading too much--but that's another issue.)

Sing it for me, George!



Guilt implies that there are some books not worth reading--or books that are bad to read. Admittedly, books are going to differ in quality. Some might be very strong in some areas, such as voice or worldbuilding, and weaker in plot or character. Some might be well-written all-around. And some may turn me off before I finish reading the first chapter. Even critically acclaimed books may not resonate with me. (Sometimes I can see why they might be praised for one thing but feel they're lacking elsewhere.) But since I have so many books and samples on my Kindle, and since I can (and do) download new free/cheap books every day, there's no reason for me to spend time reading a book I don't enjoy on some level. If I decide I don't want to continue reading a book, I delete it and move on to something else. I currently have over 440 items in my Kindle's To Read collection; why waste time on a mediocre (to me) or distasteful book when I can find something else that suits me better? On the other hand, if the story appeals to me strongly enough, I may continue reading even if there are craft issues--though I've done too much manuscript critiquing to shut the critic up when I'm reading.  Then again, how else will I improve my craft?

Are some genres "better" than others? Most of my fiction reading these days is in fantasy and science fiction, with some mystery and historical fiction mixed in. Speculative fiction doesn't appeal to everyone, but for me it has value. It doesn't just offer escape from the everyday world, but it allows us to look at our current world in new ways, explore new ideas, and think about the future. On the other hand, some genres don't appeal to me, but I can see how they might work for others. I don't want to label a genre as a "guilty" one because I feel this is a subjective judgment.

As for my own reading, I go back and forth between "light" and "serious" books, whether they're fiction or nonfiction, as the mood strikes me. I figure I have enough reading experience to judge for myself what I like; I don't need a publisher or critic to tell me what to read and what not to read. Reviews may give me some guidance, but in the end, it's between me and the book--and Goodreads. If you want to know what I've read so far this year, here's my list.

Reading is a valuable activity that takes us out of ourselves and puts us in the mind of someone else. It can teach empathy and broaden people's horizons. While we may disagree on what genres we like and which books are good (as opposed to which books are popular), in general, readers shouldn't feel ashamed for reading.

I'm between Kate and Christine in the Blog Chain, so please check out their responses to this question as well.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Blog Ring of Power: Michelle Hauck

Today on the Blog Ring of Power, I'm interviewing Michelle Hauck about her current work.

Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of Northern Indiana with her hubby and two teenagers. Two papillons help balance out the teenage drama. Besides working with special needs children by day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack. Her epic fantasy, Kindar’s Cure, is released from Divertir Publishing. A short story, Frost and Fog, will be released in a summer anthology from The Elephant’s Bookshelf Press.


You can find the rest of her interview here:

Part 1 (About You) @ Terri 
Part 2 (The Writing Life) @ Teresa 
Part 3 (The Creative Process) @ Emily

Part 5 (Words of Wisdom) @ Dean

But first let's learn about Kindar's Cure.

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

Kindar’s Cure is a story of a princess, shunned by her family and everyone else because she has a lung illness. Disease in this world means the gods find you unworthy. When her older sister is murdered, the blame goes straight at her. She sets off with a bumbling wizard to find a cure and nothing turns out as expected. It is available in paperback or e-book from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can also buy it from the Divertir website.


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

I would have to say that Kindar’s disease makes this different from the average epic fantasy. She has a lot of resentment because of her illness and it has made her a closed-off person.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

The hardest part was forcing myself to finish it. I really didn’t want to let go of the characters and have it end.

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

My favorite part of Kindar’s Cure is my main character, Kindar. The most fun part was writing the secondary character of Kindar’s nurse. Lindy is a woman with very set ideas. She says what she thinks and that often comes out as comic relief. I hear over and over that Lindy is the favorite character.

Did you learn anything from writing this book and what was it?

Kind of like my main character, I learned that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to.

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

Honestly, the only thing I would change is to add back in two small scenes I removed to make it a stand-alone ending. I think those scenes deserve to be there, even if the ending is not a clean cut. I hope to put them up on my blog for anyone interested.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to take help.

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

The cover art was a long search. Divertir let me choose the picture, but it was difficult to find one that fit. I wanted a model that really represented my main character. It isn’t easy to find a sickly-looking short girl in a lonely setting. Finally, I found a picture that was Kindar. I shared it with my publisher and just when they got ready to create the cover, the photo was removed from the site. I panicked! My publisher suggested other pictures but those models weren’t Kindar. I did a web search and found the photo on another site. That was probably my happiest moment of the whole process when we got the photo I wanted. 




Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.

A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.

With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.


Please let us know where your readers can stalk you:

Blog:
Facebook page:
Goodreads author page:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Michelle4Laughs

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

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