Nugget #42 -- Re-Writing

Without re-writing, I'd never be published. 

Not only that, I'd probably be black-listed, 

de-friended, and relegated to Myspace only.

Getting Carried Away with (and by) Ray Dean

Ray Dean's newest book, Carried Away, is hot off the presses (well, digitally speaking), and it seemed like a perfect time to interview this wonderful author.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

Inspired by the Suffrajitsu (http://suffrajitsu.com) trilogy, Carried Away features several principal characters from the graphic novels, including Persephone Wright and Flossie Le Mar, as well as introducing a new protagonist, Tressa Boniface. Tressa's journey from timid maid to confident suffragette is marked by sometimes violent class and gender conflicts, new friendships and cases of mistaken identity, weaving in and out of the world of haute couture fashion circa 1913.

I am extremely proud to be a part of our group, adding stories into the this 'world.' We're not only continuing the stories of the characters from the graphic novels, but adding in some of our own as well. There are so many interesting events in the history of suffrage, the possibilities are endless.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I like to think about what goes 'wrong' and how things change because of those challenges. If one avenue is blocked, what happens to the characters because of it? What choices do they have to make? If something goes wrong, can the character overcome the problem?

Otherwise, I think I cover a little bit of everything across the board. Either I have a muse with multiple personalities, or I have a crazy little group of them in my head. I'm not sure which idea is more appealing... or frightening.

What would be your dream project?

Anything and everything? I love a challenge... I'd like to work with some of my friends on different projects. The collaboration of ideas and good friends would be my idea of a lot of fun.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Throughout most of my college years I was working on a series of novels in the Fantasy genre. I had paper after paper of handwritten notes. I had some files in my Brother Word Processor (yes, I had one of those things with only two lines visible on the screen). And when I shared a desktop with my husband, I typed all of the notes into a file on that computer. And then he reformatted it while I was at work one day. I hadn't backed it up to anything and I didn't have the paper notes anymore. All that work... gone. So if I could 'do it better' it would mean that I'd actually have those pages back.

What inspires you to write?

To get the voices in my head to shush enough to let me sleep. Not joking. It's a pain sometimes, but what would be worse is silence. So, I'll suffer through it and hope the voice's will take a number and wait their turn.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Always a tough question. I know so many wonderful authors that influence me in many ways. Some challenge me to be better by questioning excuses I may come up with. Some influence my creativity by helping me to brainstorm. But, if I go back into my memories. I'd say that Laura Ingalls Wilder had aninfluence on me. I felt like the words in her books were like a conversation with a friend. The kind of conversation that friends have curled up on a sofa at a sleep over. I felt 'home' in her stories. Just like Louisa May Alcott. Little Women was the first book I stayed up all night to read. I could not say goodbye to them until the last page was read. While more modern authors have taught me lessons, I believe that those early experiences had the biggest influences on me.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

More art than science for me. Art is subjective. Go into an art museum or see an art installation and asking a group what they 'see' what they 'feel.' You'll get a bunch of different answers. Science is driven by measurable results. You're not going to get that in writing. You can put in the same effort into two stories... cover the same 'topics,' map out the plot the same way... but you cannot guarantee a result or reaction. And I think that's part of the fun! And part of the anxiety and fear of it as well.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

I have several stories coming up in various anthologies.

“The Sound of Her Fury” will appear in a Steampunk Anthology, ‘Gears, Gadgets, and Steam: Tinkered Tales Vol 1′ with Harren Press “Jerry Rigg: In Need of a Fix” will appear in Capes & Clockwork II with Dark Oak Press. “Washed Pure, Washed Clean” will appear in Book One of The City Anthology with MV Media. “By Its Cover” will appear in the Romance Anthology for Witty Bard Publishing.

And, I'm working on my next story for the world of "Suffrajitsu."

Looking for more of Ray Dean on the 'net?
http://www.raydean.net
https://www.facebook.com/RayDeanAuthor
http://www.amazon.com/Foreworld-Saga-Carried-Novella-Suffrajitsu-ebook/dp/B00UB7VQNM/  

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #316 -- Strong Female Characters (revisited)

How do you write a strong female character?

For me, a strong female character is a woman who has embraced most, if not all, of the things that make her, well, herself. She is multi-layered, filled with emotional searching, psychological depths, and sexual power (but not necessarily overly sexualized as a character trait). She owns both her failures and her successes. She isn't afraid to exercise all the things that make her who she is. She may possess quiet strength, or she may be a smart-ass quipper who holds her own with the boys (so to speak). She isn't defined by the man (or woman) in her life, nor by the fashions she wears.

She is unapologetically herself.

Now, all that said, in a story she shouldn't necessarily start off fully strong in that sense defined above, because, well, getting her there is what storytelling is for.

(Let it be said too that this same definition can apply to writing strong male characters.)

AWARD WINNING AUTHOR BRINGS UNIQUE TAKE ON PULP ADVENTURE AND INTRIGUE TO PRO SE SINGLE SHOT SIGNATURE IMPRINT -- FROM THE PEN OF BOBBY NASH DEBUTS!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For years, award winning author Bobby Nash has defined action and adventure with his own unique style of storytelling. Now Nash brings both his talent and imagination to his own digital short story creator’s imprint as a part of Pro Se Productions’ Pro Se Single Shot Signature line -- From the Pen of Bobby Nash!

“When we developed the Pro Se Single Shot Signature concept,” says Tommy Hancock, “we invited every author involved for a variety of reasons. Bobby Nash was invited for one reason only -- because he fit every criterion we were looking for. Known as one of the best and most consistent writers in New Pulp and Genre Fiction, Bobby has tackled multiple genres and has that ability to maintain his own particular voice in any genre and still make each tale different and exciting. Even though Bobby got to choose whether he wanted a series or the creator’s imprint within the Signature line, the From The Pen Of… concept fits Bobby’s diverse storytelling ideally.”

Nash’s Signature imprint debuts with Freelancer: The Traveler Sanction. When trouble rears its ugly head and you’ve no one left to turn to, call in a specialist. It’s time to call in The Freelancer. When the Secretary of Defense’s daughter is kidnapped, the Freelancer is called in to rescue her, but is there something more sinister afoot and will this mysterious heroine figure it out in time?

From the Pen of Bobby Nash -- Freelancer: The Traveler Sanction features fantastic cover art and logo design by Jeff Hayes and digital formatting by Russ Anderson. The first short story in Nash’s creator imprint is now available for Kindle and for most other digital formats for only 99 cents.

For interviews with the author or more information on the Pro Se Single Shots Signatures, contact Morgan McKay, Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

Airship 27 Gets Vampy with The Shadow of Her Smile

Airship 27 Productions presents a vampire thriller by new pulp writer Jack Beddows.

“The Shadow of Her Smile is an old fashion erotic thriller,” declared Airship 27 Production’s Manager Ron Fortier.  “It has all the moody atmosphere of those old classic horror novels long since forgotten.  While reading it for the first time, I kept envisioning the black and white Universal classic, Dracula’s Daughter.  The female vampire Beddows has envisioned here is a deadly beauty no reader will soon forget.”

It is 1914, on the eve of the Great War, young 19 yr old Abraham Helmsworth, the only son of a royal British family, is about to embark on what he believes to be a noble adventure.  He has enlisted in the army as a commissioned officer and is soon to sail for France with his troops.  He has also become engaged to the lovely Agatha Fenton, his childhood sweetheart who has promised to wait for his return to marry.

Then, a few days before shipping out, Abraham attends a musical show and meets Lucilla Deauville, a stunning beauty who instantly mesmerizes him.  He has never been so attracted to a woman in such a visceral way.  Weeks later, he encounters her again but this time on a bloody battlefield.  With this encounter he learns the dark secret she hides in the shadow of her smile.  It is a secret that will lead him through the gates of a living hell from which there is no escape.

All art of The Shadow of Her Smile is provided by Adam Shaw from his stunning cover to the nine creepy black and white interiors with book design by Airship 27 Art Director Rob Davis.

Available now at Amazon in both hard copy & Kindle.

[Link] Killing Even More Sacred Cows of Publishing: #1… Novels Must Be A Certain Length

by Dean Wesley Smith
Here we go… Book three in this series.

Book one was KILLING THE TOP TEN SACRED COWS OF PUBLISHING.

Book two was KILLING THE TOP TEN SACRED COWS OF INDIE PUBLISHING.

Both books are available everywhere in electronic, paper, and soon audio.

What I call a “Sacred Cow” is basically a myth spread around publishing like the truth. Myths such as “rewriting must be done for every story.” Myths such as “you need an agent to sell a book,” or “sell a book to a different country.” And so on.

You can either buy the first two books to get all twenty of the Sacred Cows, or just click on the tab above and read them here in their original blog posts for free.

For the first chapter, the first Sacred Cow in this new book, I’d like to take a stick and beat to death the silliness coming from all directions that novels must be a certain length. Usually I hear that a novel can’t be real unless it’s between 80,000 and 110,000 words.

Hogwash. And just a slight knowledge of history will cut the head off this silly myth.

So here we go once again into book three full of Sacred Cows of Publishing.

There sure are a lot of myths about publishing.

Continue reading: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/killing-even-more-sacred-cows-of-publishing-1-novels-must-be-a-certain-length/#sthash.1NhEgBnb.dpuf

Workspace -- A Visual Roundtable Experience

Thanks to the ever thoughtful Andrea Judy, this week we're doing something different for the roundtable. No questions. None. Instead, we're going to do a visual roundtable and look at the workspaces of some of mine and your favorite authors.

Let the games begin.

Armand Rosamilia

 Ellie Raine

 J.H. Glaze

 

 Nikki Nelson-Hicks

 

 Pamela Turner

 

 Percival Constantine

 

 Erwin K. Roberts

 

 Robert Krog

 

 Terri Smiles

  

 Lance Stahlberg

Gordon Dymowski

Bobby Nash

The bonus pic showing Bobby hard at "work"

And of course, mine... the local Starbucks.

 

Nugget #41 -- Generic Setting

Unless it is an intentional choice on my part, if a 

setting feels generic, I know I've failed as a writer.

Walter Bosley: Living' the Pulp Life

Walter Bosley isn't just a writer of pulp mystery. He's someone who actually lives a life of pulp mystery. He's worked with the FBI and currently works as a private investigator -- when he's not writing, that is. In short, Walter Bosley knows his stuff.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

The Devil's Mill is a novelization of a screenplay I wrote about ten years ago. It's a pulpy tale of two young women who are running off together. The story is set in 1954 so their lesbian relationship and society at that time force their hand. A classic dark and stormy night finds them wrecking their car and holing up for the night in an abandoned mill. Unfortunately, there is a police manhunt for the killer of a local woman earlier that evening and the girls are not alone in the mill.

The story was originally a contemporary tale but my buddy Mickey Williamson, with whom I've written and made films with since college and who is credited with me on this novel for other contributions he made to the screenplay as well, suggested I set the novel in a more conservative era and that really was the trick in turning the modern noir into a 50s pulp novel. Setting it in 1954 was the perfect touch. I had a lot of fun with this one.

The Devil's Mill has been made into a film in Canada, though it's based on the original script story and is more of an adaptation. It's due for release on cable there and then DVD some time this year.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

There are a few the recur in my work.

Man and The Gods. Not so much Man against God as the enlightenment of man through his own exploration of the supernatural as forced by a situation. I like protagonists who use alchemy and hermetic sciences like a tool to "Git her done"

Man vs Woman. My favorite protagonists tend to be jaded and cynical about women. They're pretty much misogynistic men of action who are attracted to women sexually but have no other need nor use for them in their lives. It's important to know that these characters have been driven to this by bad experiences with women in their pasts so naturally that particular woman who caused the rift pops up in the story to show how rotten she actually is yet I'll very often have one of these guys going through hell and high water to save a female character to whom he feels sympathy or compassion.

Esoteric Transhumanism or the Alchemical Hermaphrodite. I have written published six novels so far and four of them feature transgender women in prominent roles. Authors Scott D DeHart and Joseph Farrell were the first to recognize that I'm doing something alchemical with these stories and characters. They are devices but they are not fetishes in my stories. Their dual nature represents a doorway into another realm. Ancient cultures view them this way, also. In my stories, the tansgender male to female character usually causes the protagonist to discover and journey to other dimensions to solve a personal issue. It's a perfect device for mystical pulp thrillers.

What would be your dream project?

Usually for me it's to see my works turned into films. An anthology TV series would be even better.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

I would revise my novel I Will See You In Time, which is based upon my nonfiction work, to reflect a discovery I made after I wrote it. Actually, as I wrote that, the idea on how I could do it just came to me,

I'm actually pretty satisfied with the others I've done as they are. Wouldn't change a thing.

What inspires you to write?

What inspires me to write:  Fame and riches, right? After that, the admiration of readers. Seriously. I love good reviews and especially when readers contact me personally to tell me how much they loved my novel.

What inspires what I write: I'm usually alone, probably driving somewhere, definitely listening to music, and a visual scenario or image comes to me. The story pours into my head after that and most often because of whatever music I'm listening to. So I guess you'd call that a trance state. Other than that, I'm motivated by a desire to immerse myself into a particular genre or style, as in the case of my pulps. The desire to make some readers uncomfortable is a big motivation for me, also. That's often where the transgender characters come into play, too. I must admit, I am also motivated by the degree to which I think I might be pissing off some people. My favorite targets are religious obsessives, American women, so called 'alpha' males (I'm a former federal agent and a military veteran myself), to name a few. All this factors into what moves me to write.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Not in any order: Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Irving, Ray Bradbury, early Stephen King, Talbot Mundy, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Louis Lamour, Ben Hecht, Quentin Tarantino, Herman Mankiewicz, Robert E Howard, Lovecraft, Poe, and I'm sure I'm leaving someone out but those are the big ones off hand.

Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?

Writing is an art that uses science, mostly psychology. It comes from the mind, it is crafted in the mind before it reaches the page, it is processed in the mind by the reader, it deals with what's happening in the mind of the characters and any touchstones between the story and the reader are nestled in the mind. Any lingering effect is on the mind of the reader. Writing can work out a problem the writer is having, thus serving as psychoanalyst. So, it's psychology, if any science is involved in the process and experience of reading it.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

My next pulp is You Will Be Mine, another of my mystical pulp thrillers featuring a man of esoteric science and a transgender character in peril. It's different enough from House of Ka and Green Ghost yet I consider these an unofficial trilogy or series. Also, I'm bringing back my e-mag Lost Continent Library for an issue in May of this year and I'm real excited about that. It will feature some short fiction as well as other good stuff for fans of classic and pulp adventure. The first run was in 2008-2009 and people have asked me to do it again.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #315 -- Nostalgia Filter

How much does a sense of nostalgia influence (or inspire, 

and is there a difference) your current body of work?

I'll admit that I'm a nostalgia-filtered person. I can't help it. And it's getting even stronger the older I get. I get nostalgic about my MeMe's house. I get nostalgic about the easy-reader, illustrated classic paperbacks I grew up reading. I get nostalgic about my Childcraft Encyclopedia set (plus the first few years of annuals) I devoured during my childhood. I get nostalgic about things like my Aunt Sarah's salt and pepper shakers that she gave Lisa and me as a wedding present.

And yes, I also get nostalgic about the things that influenced me as a writer.

In short. I'm a sap. Plain and simple.

But if I'm doing my job right as a writer, I'm trying to keep that nostalgia to mere inspiration and not actually influence on my work. A case in point: Reading C.S. Lewis made me want to be a writer. But my first stories were so influenced by Lewis that they are clearly not my stories. They're me trying to be him.

The same could go for all this pulp work I'm doing currently but for me having to constantly reset my nostalgia filter while I create. It would be way too easy to just write these characters the way I envision them in my memories, but that's not fair to my readers, nor is it fair to the characters and concepts. Things grow. Things change. Things mature.

So, yes, I want to write stories that feel like something familiar, but not merely something familiar. I want my stories to go beyond that and say something new, something memorable, something intrinsic to the reader.

[Link] Fiction Writers: How to Find Your Ideal Reader

by Joel Friedlander

In my last post, I covered how to find your ideal reader for nonfiction authors. For nonfiction, your ideal reader is identified by what problem he’s trying to solve. Fiction, on the other hand, is trickier. You’re trying to discover your reader based on how he finds new novels he enjoys.

You could say his “problem” is finding books that satisfy his particular tastes, especially when he doesn’t have anything new to read – all his favorite authors are between books, he’s read all their offerings, and now he’s forced to search for something else to feed the craving. If you’re a hard core fiction fan, you know just how real this craving can be!

Before you can identify who your audience is, you need to know what you are offering. To do this, answer the following questions...

Continue reading: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2015/02/fiction-writers-how-to-find-your-ideal-reader/

THE FINAL BATTLE COMES DOWN TO ‘BLOOD AND BONE!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘THE PULPTRESS VS. THE BONE QUEEN’ BY ANDREA JUDY DEBUTS!

Two of the most popular characters from Pro Se Productions return to clash one final time in the cutting edge publisher’s latest digest novel release. Author Andrea Judy’s final chapter in this battle of good and evil debuts in print and digital format- The Pulptress vs. the Bone Queen: Blood and Bone!

“Being the creator of The Pulptress,” Tommy Hancock, Editor in Chief and Partner in Pro Se Productions says, “I am honored that so many people enjoy her adventures. What was even better for me, though, was that Andrea Judy, when she wrote her story for the first Pulptress collection, found something in the character worth creating a suitable enemy for her. And man, did she ever with The Bone Queen. Equally tragic and horrific, The Bone Queen has everything a good Pulp villain needs and Andrea delivers all of it with a two fisted, yet concise style all her own. The Pulptress Vs the Bone Queen: Blood and Bone is not only a fitting close to the battle between these two characters, it’s also a fantastically told tale that is part quest for vengeance and part redemption story. And all fantastic.”

The Pulptress- Raised from birth by the world’s greatest heroes- and some of its villains as well – to be the greatest Champion for Justice and Right ever known.

The Bone Queen- Once an idealistic priestess to a Death Goddess, now the depraved embodiment of Death and twisted Resurrection, walking the Earth in search of unbelievable power.
These two women walk very different paths, paths that crossed explosively. But as they clash one final time, the Pulptress and the Bone Queen have something in common, the one thing that may kill them both- They thirst for vengeance!

Author Andrea Judy, creator of The Bone Queen, returns to the world of The Pulptress for a third time to bring to a close one of the most hardly fought and horrific duels New Pulp has ever seen- The Pulptress Vs The Bone Queen: Blood and Bone! And in this battle, no one may get out alive.

"I'm excited,” says Judy, “to share the amazing story of the Pulptress battling it out with the Bone Queen. It's been an amazing opportunity to have the Bone Queen grow into a villain truly wicked and worthy to go toe to toe with the Pulptress. I'm proud to let these two amazing women kick butt in the New Pulp world."

The Pulptress Vs the Bone Queen: Blood and Bone features stunning art work by Jeffrey Hayes, the Pulptress logo design by Sean Ali, and all other logo work by Hayes. The print version formatted by Forrest Bryant is now available for $9.00 via Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/kl9x93o and at Pro Se’s own store at http://tinyurl.com/q8uhrjn. It is also available as an eBook formatted by Russ Anderson for the Kindle at http://tinyurl.com/ppl9equ and for most formats at http://tinyurl.com/pac9tcl for only $2.99.

For more information on this title, interviews with the author, or digital copies for review, contact Morgan McKay, Pro Se’s Director of Corporate Operations, at directorofcorporateoperations@prose-press.com.

For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.

[Link] 5 Sites to Promote Your Book on a Shoestring Budget

by Elise Abram

When it comes to promoting your book, you have to spend money to make money.

How many of you have been told that?

The first time I heard it, my heart filled with desolation. I live in the real world where disposable income is as rare as the unicorn–in other words, it doesn’t exist. What chance do I have of being successful with my marketing endeavours without the coin to back it?

The answer is: I don’t know. My book is relatively new (just over a month old at the time of my writing this) and it’s really too soon to tell. Nevertheless, I thought I’d share some of the places I’ve found online that allow me to advertise my book for free. Here are the 5 sites that top my list so far.

Continue reading: http://indiewritersupport.com/profiles/blogs/5-sites-to-promote-your-book-on-a-shoestring-budget

Do Your Read & Write Faves Connect?

This week's roundtable is a short, and hopefully simple one, the answers to which have been nagging at my brain for some time.
What is your favorite genre to read? To write? If they're not the same, why is that?

Robert Krog: My favorite genre to read is sometimes history/archaeology, and sometimes fantasy and sometimes, well, you get the picture.  When I look at my bookshelves, I see that I own about an equal amount of history as I do fiction of whatever genre.  These days, I probably read slightly more fantasy than anything else, but I've probably read more history, over all.  I don't have a favorite genre, though.  I move as easily through one as through another, with the exception of romance and erotica, which I do not enjoy, though I have nothing against a love story. 

When I sit down to write a story, it is usually fantasy that jumps out from my fingers first, so that may be a subconscious admission that I like to write fantasy more than anything else.  I certainly fall into that mode most readily. Still, the story that came to me fastest and was written most cleanly in the shortest amount of time was a piece of science fiction.  Furthermore, I limit myself to no genre and have written the gamut from literary fiction to steampunk. 

Why do I think of fantasy first?  Fantasy was what I read most when I was young, and that seems to have formed me.  Also, I spent many hours each week running around outside pretending with my siblings and friends that we were knights and wizards, elves and dwarves and such.  That is probably why.  There is also the fact that fantasy, as much as or more than, any other genre, allows the writer and reader to explore themes that they might not otherwise explore.  The distance fantasy affords is of inestimable worth. We can, through fantasy, symbolically explore questions. The exercise of imagination that fantasy affords is equally useful.  And fantasy is a natural extension of the sorts of stories told in every culture from the dawn of history on.  What is mythology but an attempt to understand the world through fantastic storytelling?  Then, too, fantasy touches us to the heart just as much any other type of well-written literature, engages our sense of wonder, and provides the reader with entertainment that can be edifying or merely escapist.

Ralph Angelo, Jr.: For me, the genre's are essentially the same. action packed Sci-Fi/ Epic fantasy. The same stuff I like to read I like to write. I usually get inspired by what I read at times and new ideas start to flow. My favorite stories to write occur out of the real world. They are in deep space or worlds filled with powerful beings be they magical or scientific in origin.

Kristofer Upjohn: I like writing horror, both non-fiction about horror and fiction. "horror" is a broad term here since some of my fiction isn't strictly horror based on content but rather in terms of darkness or bleakness. I also write stream-of-consciousness slash surrealist stuff. I like to read fantasy, comic books, noir/crime, a little horror (mostly Anne Rice and Brian Lumley) and some sci-fi. I've often pondered why I write one thing and read another and have yet to arrive at a satisfactory answer. Reading and writing are two different activities and I guess what pleases me to read is different from what I find fun to write (and what I'm good at writing).

Marian Allen: NOT simple! ~sigh~ If I HAD to choose ONE genre to read to the exclusion of all others, I suppose it would have to be fantasy, if fantasy could be sufficiently broad to cover magic realism, literary fantasy, urban fantasy, and science fantasy as well as the more traditional forms. And that would be the genre I would choose to write, too, given a broad enough interpretation of the term.

Armand Rosamilia: I write a few different genres but mostly horror and zombie fiction, although I have dabbled in contemporary fiction, thrillers, erotica, and even romance under a pen name... but I usually only read nonfiction books. I love biographies and memoirs. I can't remember the last time I read a horror book, and it has to do with me not wanting to inadvertently bleeding in other author's ideas into my stories, I guess...

Richard Lee Byers: My answer to both "What do you like to read?" and "What do you like to write?" is that it varies according to my mood. Lately, I've been reading a lot of Lovecraftian horror and writing it as well. I will say that although I've written and likely will continue to write more swords-wizards-and-castles fantasy than anything else and love the sub-genre, I don't read nearly as much of that as I used to. I think that's partly because I'm so familiar with the beats and tropes that it's hard to surprise me and partly because if I'm writing a particular type of fiction, reading it in my leisure time isn't always pleasurable. I want something different. My final thought is that I may have reached the point where I don't look for particular genres so much as particular authors. If, for example, Joe R. Lansdale writes something, it doesn't matter if it's horror, crime, or whatever. I'm interested.

Andrea Judy: I love writing action adventure dark types of stories. While I also love reading horror and action adventure, I really enjoy reading romance. I love these because the happily ever after is soothing, the stories are fun, and it gives me an uplifted feeling after I've read them.

Lee Houston Jr.: I mainly read science fiction, fantasy (and despite the commercial applications, these are two separate genres), mysteries, and superheroes. I have written short stories in all four genres, but as far as books are concerned, I've combined science fiction and mysteries to create Hugh Monn, Private Detective and the Alpha series is my contribution to superhero novels. For whatever reason(s), I've yet to write a fantasy novel, or do something in science fiction or mysteries independent of the other genre book wise.

H. David Blalock: Speculative fiction. Both.

Selah Janel: My favorite genre to write is probably cross-genre, because I have a terrible time choosing just one, and I feel like a lot of elements in different genres line up well and play off each other in interesting ways. I also feel that, for me, the genre I write in depends on the actual story idea, and often times a fusion, if done well, is the best course of action for me. I love dark fantasy, love horror elements, but I couldn't give up folklore or fairy tale elements, and a lot of my leanings are firmly rooted in fantasy. I have a healthy respect of literary fiction and try to bring at least some of that to the table, and I don't mind romantic elements...So I guess my favorite genre to write is: yes.

I actually read more nonfiction than I do fiction, depending on the day. I love learning, and I like gleaning things that may help my own writing. That being said, in genre fiction I tend to read a lot of dark fantasy and a lot of comics and manga, but I also delve into cozy mysteries and chick lit/romance, too - it actually depends on the time of year: I have a definite dark mode and a definite fluffy mode. I think authors need to read everything - or if not everything, they absolutely cannot only read the genre(s) they write in. That may keep the focus on your genre(s), but it also really keeps a small circle of things you could be influenced by. Because I tend to embrace everything when I write, I suppose I have no trouble embracing everything when I read.

Stephanie Osborn: I have several fave genres: SF, fantasy, mystery, science. And those are pretty much what I also write.

Nugget #40 -- Just like children...

Percival Constantine: A Lot of Art Goes In

Percival Constantine say in his online bio: "Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, I grew up on a fairly consistent diet of superhero comics, action movies, video games, and TV shows. At the age of ten, I first began writing and I’ve never really stopped."

And he's gotten really, really good at it. But you don't have to take my word for it. Let's talk to him about it.

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

At the moment, I’m in the middle of the release schedule for season one of Vanguard. It’s a superhero serial featuring a world in which a small percentage of Earth’s population mysteriously acquired superhuman powers. Due to the potential threats the powers of these specials could pose, the President secretly forms a response team to deal with any rogue elements. The first season consists of five episode, each one a self-contained story with a different threat all leading up to the fifth episode. There’s also a special Episode #0 which as a prequel to the series and it’s available for free to subscribers of my mailing list.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

That’s a good question. Thinking back to the things I’ve written, I think there’s a lot of stuff in there about redemption or escaping the past.

What would be your dream project?

Writing the X-Men for Marvel Comics. I grew up with the X-Men, my very first piece of writing was X-Men fanfiction, so that would be a childhood dream come true for me.

If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?

Chasing The Dragon, my second book. There are a lot of things I would change with that. For one, I’d go back and rewrite it so it’s in third person instead of second person perspective. Two, I would probably completely throw out the second half. Three, I think I’d use it as the beginning of a serial. And four, I would definitely redesign the cover. I’ve actually already unpublished this book because these are things I’m contemplating doing at some point in the future.

What inspires you to write?

I write because I like making stuff up. If you’re talking about what inspires my ideas, that can be just about anything.

What writers have influenced your style and technique?

Elmore Leonard is a definite influence on my technique and to a lesser extent, so is Kurt Vonnegut. Other major influences are comic book writers like Chris Claremont, Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid and Grant Morrison, or screenwriters like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.

Where would you rank writing on the “Is it an art or is it a science” continuum? Why?

I’d say it falls somewhere in the middle. There is a lot of art that goes into writing, but it has more to do with characterization, description, word choice, and story execution. But there are a lot of technical aspects that go into it as well, such as grammar, spelling, sentence and paragraph construction at one level and on a larger level, story structure. Whether a writer thinks about it, I’d say they’re being influenced by story structure on some level, be it consciously or subconsciously. We’ve all been bombarded with so many stories pretty much since birth that it’d be impossible for us to not internalize some kind of story structure, and that structure is a technical aspect to writing.

Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?

Absolutely! This is a big release year for me and I’m shooting for monthly releases. All five episodes of the first season of Vanguard will be available by May. June will see the release of my third Myth Hunter book, Curse of the Necronomicon. And if all goes well, July will be the release of the third Infernum book, Gentleman Rogue. The third Luther Cross story for Pro Se Press, Bloodlust, will also be somewhere in there. I’ve also got some stories in the queue at both Pro Se and Airship 27, but I’ll leave Tommy and Ron to make those announcements.

I’m still working out what I’ll release in the second half of 2015. In the meantime, readers can head over to PercivalConstantine.com to keep up with my plans.

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now #314 -- The State of the Comics Address

What do you think about what's currently going in comic books with all the 

crossovers and reboots and multiple books featuring the same characters?

As much as it's easy to bag on the crazy reboots and stuff going on in comic book publishing today, it's important to remember that many of the best comic book stories ever told are being published right now.

For every overblown crossover, there's a perfectly pitched book for lovers of nostalgia.

For every "been there done that" plot, there's a curve ball that surprises readers and renews their faith in the medium's ability to be relevant as more than mere nostalgia.

For every self-indulgent adolescent male fantasy, there's an gripping story about the power to be heroic in reality.

It's important to never forget that because the freedom that today's comics offers to creators can be overwhelming and send some scurrying back to the "safety" the past and the familiar.
But it can also send some stepping boldly into the future and the untried and unknown.

SHERLOCK HOLMES CONSULTING DETECTIVE Vol 7 available now from Airship 27!

Airship 27 Productions, a leading publisher of New Pulp fiction is thrilled to announced the release of the seventh volume in its bestselling mystery series, “Sherlock Holmes – Consulting.”

A thick fog envelopes the streets of London and nefarious agents set about their evil plots and schemes.  Murder most foul rears its ugly head and baffling mysterious confound the good men of Scotland Yard until they’ve no recourse by to call upon the greatest Consulting Detective of them all, Sherlock Holmes of 221 B Baker Street.

“One of the reasons this series has done so well for us,” explains Airship 27 Productions’ co-founder and Managing Editor, Ron Fortier, “is that we offer readers no-frills, straight up mysteries done in the Conan Doyle style.  There are no fantasy elements in these adventures.  No Martian invaders, no vampires or other such nonsensical elements.  Simply old fashion puzzles that the Great Detective must solve with his brilliant intellect and powers of observations.  All, of course, narrated by his loyal friend, Dr. Watson.”

In this seventh volume of the series, Holmes and Watson, set out to solve four brand new cases, each a unique challenge unlike any they’ve encountered before.  From confronting the legendary Spring-Heel Jack to battling a fictional foe become real, Holmes and Watson will have to employ all their considerable talents to unravel these complex and insidious crimes.

Writers I.A. Watson, Aaron Smith, Alan J. Porter and Greg Hatcher have offered up a quartet of intriguing mysteries that will challenge even the most ardent readers as they attempt to match wits with Arthur Conan Doyle’s ageless hero, Sherlock Holmes!

The book features a wonderful painted cover by Michael Youngblood that pays tribute to the late British actor, Jeremy Brett, and twelve stunning black and white interior illustrations by award winning artist, Rob Davis.  It is a truly fitting addition to this critically successful series.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now at Amazon.com in hardcopy and soon on Kindle.

My Connooga Schedule!

Come to Chattanooga and see me! (And the rest of the fantastic authors and artists too, of course.)

Friday          
4:00 PM Writing Dialogue

Saturday          
10:00 AM Writing for Graphic Novels
5:00 PM Diversity in Fiction: What is it, How to do it, and Why
8:00 PM Plot or Die! Gameshow Panel with Authors

Sunday          
1:00 PM Writing For an Anthology

CON NOOGA is Chattanooga’s first and only Multi-Fandom (Multiple Genre) Convention covering everything from Celebrities, Artists, Authors, Film Makers, Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Anime, Comics, Paranormal, Haunting, Costuming, Concerts, Shows, Contests, Gaming, Console Gaming, Seminars, Workshops, Families, and Fun.  Not to mention the numerous DEALERS, and EXHIBITORS in our 75,000 Square Foot Exhibitor Hall.  Over 150+ Special Guests, dealers and fan groups help to make Con Nooga complete.  Enjoy 3 Days of Programming, Seminars, Workshops, Concerts, Acts, and Fun based upon numerous genres and fandom.  Encompassing both the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Con Nooga will invade the entire Chattanooga Choo Choo complex and over 75,000 square feet of space within the Chattanooga Convention Center.  Shuttles will run every 10 to 15 minutes from each location and the Free Chattanooga Electric Shuttle will also be available.  Or it is a mere 8 block walk from the Choo Choo to the Convention Center.

For more information, visit http://connooga.com/

Apex Announces Upside Down: Inverted Trops in Storytelling

Apex Publications
Contact: Lesley Conner, Editor
lesley@apexbookcompany.com

Announcing Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling
Anthology Slated for Fall/Winter 2015 Release

Apex Publications is pleased to announce the addition of a new anthology to its 2015 release schedule. Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling is an anthology of short stories and poems that will highlight the long-standing tradition of writers who identify tropes in science fiction, fantasy, and horror and twist them into something new and interesting.

Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling will include original contributions from Maurice Broaddus, Shanna Germain, Laura Anne Gilman, Sara Harvey, John Jacob Hornor, Rahul Kanakia, Haralambi Markov, Sunil Patel, Kat Richardson, Nisi Shawl, Lucien Soulban, Wrath James White, Alyssa Wong, and many others.

“I am excited to be working with two fantastic, smart, and gifted editors like Jaym Gates and Monica Valentinelli,” says Jason Sizemore, the publisher of Apex Book Company. “They should only enhance the Apex reputation as one of the genre's leading anthology publishers with the release of Upside Down.”

Edited by Jaym Gates (War Stories) and Monica Valentinelli (Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horrors), the anthology will debut in Fall/Winter 2015 in both digital and print. The anthology will be Gates’s second collection with Apex Book Company and Valentinelli’s first. A Kickstarter and open submissions period are also planned for this fall.

To find out more about Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling, be sure to watch for milestone-related updates from the editors on the Apex Book Company website at www.apexbookcompany.com.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the thrice Hugo Award-nominated Apex Magazine. The Apex catalog contains books by genre luminaries such as Damien Angelica Walters, Catherynne M. Valente, and Brian Keene.