Azure Dwarf's Horde of SciFi & Fantasy

Winners Of the 8 eBook Giveaway

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the Three Winners of
The Fantastic Fantasy GiveAway
Indigo
Jen W.
What the Cat Read

Thank you to Seventh Star Press for providing the eBook prizes!

Winners Of the 8 eBook Giveaway

2012-01-29T05:56:00.000-08:00

Oops, I just got home and am too tired to post the winners. Look for the winners tomorrow.
My apologies and this is not me!
Honest!
But it could have been me last week so that is why the winners won't be posted until tomorrow.

Bill

Chasing Dragons:Vengeance by Barbara Farquharson Scott

2012-01-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

The hope of Dragon protectors are gone from the works along with the dragons. A dismal future of capricious tyranny shackles the known world. Only the dragons and their riders have the courage and fortitude to challenge the evil that abounds but they are all dead, or are they?

Jenabel and her family dominate the story that starts with Deagon dealing with his legacy. Deagon’s only companion is an amusing ghost who with a magic book makes Deagon question his own sanity. I particularly enjoyed Jenabel’s interaction with her brothers, Oliver and Seth. Ms. Scott either closely researched sibling interaction or has an extended family as the family interaction oozed authenticity.

I think the story line and plot could be a bit more polished but as the first book in the series, it is quite good. It wraps up in a logical and satisfying manner and yet teases you with future books to complete the quest.

I recommend it.

Body of work of Barbara Farquharson Scott

Web Site: http://www.barbarafarquharsonscott.com/

Dome City Blues by Jeff Edwards

2012-01-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

John Edwards generally writes military fiction. Dome City Blues is his first entry into science fiction. In a ruined earth people of the population lives in Domes to protect themselves from the environment that they have ruined. A grieving former private detective rediscovers his life.

My only hope is that Jeff Edwards continues to write science fiction. I consider this a stellar first effort. His character, David Stalin, was developed as an eminently likable human being with demonstratable flaws. His hopes and fears were realistic and generated an empathetic read.

Edwards did an excellent job or training dystopian future dominated by corporations. When David left the domes you could almost feel the itch in your throat and burning your eyes from the polluted atmosphere.

The plot was intricate and complex without being confusing. Edwards did a great job in masking the true villain and keeping your interest until the end of the story. There's plenty of action and in some cases depraved morality but the protagonist demonstrates positive morals and ethics.

I certainly hope this won't be the last science fiction we see from Jeff Edwards because I are truly enjoyed it.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of Jeff Edwards

Web Site:http://navythriller.com/books

Although this site seems to only have his Navy thriller books on it.

An Interview with Steven Shrewsbury On eBooks

2012-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you Steven for taking the time to respond to my questions and thank you for your willingness to provide your stories as prizes for my Fantastic Fantasy Giveaway.

1. Has the advent of eBooks impacted what you write and the way you write
it?

A: No. The story is what counts. I still tell 'em like they come to me. Some
mght think shorter tales are better for eBooks, but each yarn is an enitity
unto itself, but it a short story, novella or a novel.

2. Can we expect a follow up novel on Gorias La Gaul?

A: Yes. OVERKILL is a prequel to THRALL where we see Gorias far from the
location of THRALL and knee deep in pirates, royal dealings and murders
committed with dragonfire.

3. Do you have any New Years resolutions in regards to your writing?

A: I need to write more and focus on promotion. There are several projects
in mind and others that I'm hammering out to completion, plus overdrafts on
books.

Enter the Fantastic Fantasy GiveAway of all EIGHT new Seventh Star Singles to three winners, their choice of kindle or nook/ipad. All entries must be submitted in the next 10 days, Jan 18, 2012 to Jan 28th 2012. Winners will be announced Jan 29th. Happy Reading!

Just added 2 more singles to the prize package, stories from Michael West "Goodnight" and For the River is Wide and the Gods are Hungry". Both are horror genre from his Harmony Indiana world as featured in Cinema of Shadows, so there's a total of 8 in the prize package from 3 different authors.

Seventh Star Singles are short stories set in the worlds that the author's novels with Seventh Star Press are set within. For example, Steven Shrewsbury's Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul short stories are set in Gorias La Gaul's world as revealed in Thrall (and upcoming novel titles). They are stand alone tales, but offer rich content and more background for fans of the Gorias novels. In addition to Steven Shrewsbury's collection, the line includes collections from Stephen Zimmer's worlds in the Fires in Eden and Rising Dawn Sagas.

Steven L. Shrewsbury's Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul-more adventures of the rising Sword and Sorcery icon, Gorias La Gaul!

Author and Finisher of Our Flesh

The first short story in the Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul collection from Steven L. Shrewsbury, Author and Finisher of Our Flesh takes the reader on a perilous Sword and Sorcery adventure in the ancient world alongside Gorias La Gaul. When vessels sent to a farming colony fail to return, and rumors of dark powers being involved begin to swirl, an aging general cleverly secures the help of the centuries-old legendary warrior Gorias to investigate.

In a world where ancient gods still walk, and unnameable horrors lurk at every turn, Gorias must face challenges of many kinds; some on the inside, and others from without.

Insurmountable

A short story in the Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul collection, Insurmountable tells an action-packed tale of the centuries-old warrior Gorias La Gaul. Setting out to take care of one last task for his father, Gorias travels to a monastery set high in the mountains where he makes a horrific discovery.

For the reader that loves the Sword and Sorcery genre, this exciting short story series from Seventh Star Press builds upon the legacy of the heroic Gorias La Gaul, first introduced in the novel thrall.

Stephen Zimmer's Annals of the Rising Dawn-Adventures set within the world found in the Rising Dawn Saga!

Temples Rising

In this short story from the Annals of the Rising Dawn collection, the reader ventures back into an ancient world when demonic entities and humans have bred a race of monstrous creatures. In league with Fallen Avatars that have taken on flesh and blood, the Raven Queen is preeminent among the human rulers involved with the building of a great temple site in Albion.

Cuchulainn, the son of a Fallen Avatar and a human, has rebelled against his origins and sets out to help Cormac and other human warriors as they seek to strike a heavy blow against the coalescing Powers seeking dominion over all humanity.

Stephen Zimmer's Chronicles of Ave-Adventures set in the world of Ave, the world that serves as the primary setting for the Fires in Eden Series!

Into Glory Ride

In this short story from the Chronicles of Ave collection, you are invited into Trogen lands. A brave young warrior of the Sea Wolf clan, Marragesh, sights the approach of an Elven raid while on a scouting foray along the cliffs of the northern coast.

Long under the shadow of the Elves, the Trogens have quietly been preparing a new development to aid in the defense of their lands. As the Elven fleet nears their land, brimming with sky steeds and warriors, a momentous choice must be made that has major implications for the Trogen clans.

Land of Shadow

In this short story from the Chronicles of Ave collection, the reader is invited to take an adventure into the Shadowlands. When a band of hardened Avanoran mercenaries take up an offer to search out a favorable site for a fortress, they are well aware of the warnings about the Shadowlands. Even a large, armed group of warriors is not safe, however, as the knight Godfrey finds out during a harrowing journey

Lion Heart

In this short story from the Chronicles of Ave collection, the reader is invited to explore the lands of the Amazu and meet Sigananda, one of their greatest, legendary warriors. In this story, Sigananda is shown as a young man, just coming of age. When powerful Wizards threaten the Amazu people, Sigananda is sent on a journey that will test his resolve and courage. At ease against opponents of flesh and blood, he must contend with powers that transcend the laws of the physical world.

The Dwarves Are Coming, The Dwarves Are Coming!

2012-01-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

Seventh Star Press editions have released Books 1 and 2 of the Brotherhood of Dwarves Series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves and Red Sky at Dawn. The 2 covers, interior illustrations, and a new pre-order deal that bundles a softcover copy with an eBook are

included in the press release.
http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/press_releases.html

Fantastic Fantasy GiveAway

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a GiveAway of all six new Seventh Star Singles to three winners, their choice of kindle or nook/ipad. All entries must be submitted in the next 10 days, Jan 18, 2012 to Jan 28th 2012. Winners will be announced Jan 29th. Happy Reading!

Just added 2 more singles to the prize package, stories from Michael West "Goodnight" and For the River is Wide and the Gods are Hungry". Both are horror genre from his Harmony Indiana world as featured in Cinema of Shadows, so there's a total of 8 in the prize package from 3 different authors.

Steven L. Shrewsbury's Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul-more adventures of the rising Sword and Sorcery icon, Gorias La Gaul!

Author and Finisher of Our Flesh

In a world where ancient gods still walk, and unnameable horrors lurk at every turn, Gorias must face challenges of many kinds; some on the inside, and others from without.

Insurmountable

Stephen Zimmer's Annals of the Rising Dawn-Adventures set within the world found in the Rising Dawn Saga!

Temples Rising

Stephen Zimmer's Chronicles of Ave-Adventures set in the world of Ave, the world that serves as the primary setting for the Fires in Eden Series!

Into Glory Ride

Land of Shadow

Lion Heart

Angelkiller by H. David Blalock

2012-01-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

This is a story of good versus evil. Angels and Demons so to speak are the main characters in this story. However they aren't the traditional Angels and Demons. It is the Army versus the enemy, but again not the traditional Army or the traditional enemy.

Jonah Mason is described by some as an Angel killer. And reality of the story Angels are the enemy, the minions of evil. Jonah may not be immortal but he did fight for the Roman Empire. He and his army self find themselves in combat against one of the enemy.

In this story there is a transition from the normal combat of the of the enemy and the Army to a more virtual reality type of combat. In the story virtual is more reality and can prove deadly in combat with the enemy.

I enjoyed the premise and the characterizations. I think there could have been more back story provided better understanding of the plot.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of H. David Blalock

Web Site: http://www.thrankeep.com/

The Fall of Dorkun by D. A. Adams

2012-01-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is the third installment of the Brotherhood of Dwarves series. The main storyline in this segment is the return of Roskin to home. There are many side stories in the segment as well. Frankly, I think that books one and two should be read prior to reading this.

I found the book very hard to follow. It was one of those stories that might have been far more entertaining if you understood what was going on. There was just entirely too much back story missing. The characters were somewhat superficial, but I suspect that that was mainly due to not knowing their back story.

I liked the book but I think I would've liked it a lot if I had read the previous two books.

Body of work of D. A. Adams

Web Site: http://daadams.com/

This is the sixth installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the sixth and final installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.

Darlene of Manitoba Canada has won the 5th copy of the
The Lens and The Looker.
Congratulations Darlene!

Enter today, one more copy to be given away!

The Lens and the Looker and The Bronze and the Brimstone. In addition I have interviewed Lory. I enjoyed his books and I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he is making history palatable to young people. Lory and I have emailed back and forth and he has been kind enough to allow me to “plumb the depths” of how he created his World of History Camp. Please note that I have no financial relationship with Lory, nor do I reap any benefits from posting his back story. I am making these posts because as a reader and an author I find the novel building process interesting and informative and I hope you will too. Plus you have the opportunity to garner a FREE book. (more on that later)

The World of History Camp and Time Travel

Lory questions the origins of his own ideas. From my perspective unless you are a total Luddite hermit; you will be influenced by things in your environment. How we translate those perceptions into our own reality is the defining aspect of humanity. In Lory’s case he translates some perceptions into his World of History Camp. Time travel is a slick way to truly impress readers as to the importance of history. The adage of walking a mile in another’s moccasin takes on serious implications if you are forced to live in those same moccasins. This wraps up the back story of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp.

After finishing the first drafts of The Lens And The Looker, I realized this was not such a new idea in science fiction. While watching a rerun of the 1951 movie The Day The Earth Stood Still, I saw how the race of aliens in the film, represented by the character, Klaatu, had recognized his race’s inability to control itself and gave control of their long-term well being to a race of “robots”, such as the one in the movie, named Gort. I can’t honestly say if I reinvented the idea or subconsciously adopted the concept from watching the movie as a child. I suspect the latter, but it really doesn’t matter. Orson Scott Card does a similar thing in his new series Pathfinder, but in a very different and wonderful way.

A last thought on this theme; we can’t really blame humankind for being aggressive and individually greedy. Any creature that has had to fight its way out of the primeval ooze and survive by consuming others and protecting its offspring by destroying and consuming other creature’s family units over billions of years cannot be expected to change its instincts quickly, if ever. Was it a mistake by nature to give us human’s an intelligence that would cause it to outstrip our biology and not be regulated by the immediate environment? Was it a divine plan (or joke on the creator’s part) that gave humans the ability to destroy ourselves and much of the planet’s life forms much quicker than the evolutionary forces that usually bring down species? At this point, we can’t know.

Time Travel:

At the beginning of The Lens and the Looker, humans in the 24th-century can’t time travel. They can in the 31st-century and History Camp counselors from that future come back and kidnap spoiled “hardcase” troublemakers from the 24th-century. They then take these kids back in time to where there is no social safety net and abandon them. That’s when the dystopian-like fun and adventure starts.

So, as a writer whose stories depend on time travel, do I actually believe it’s? Actually, I don’t, not in the way it’s used by me or most speculative fiction authors. Am I suggesting that in the foreseeable future it’s possible? Gosh, I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter.

So, why do I use time travel? Well, it’s a great literary device that allows characters from different times to be thrown into the same arena of life to compare notes and to knock heads – and the more outrageous the situation, the better. You see, for me, the art and fun of writing is to make the impossible seem real and truly plausible, to craft words in a way that the reader will want to suspend disbelief.

One last thought about time travel and the one thing I am certain about. We shouldn’t hold our breath about it coming soon enough to help fix and save the world. We’re on our own for that.

Lory Kaufman has spent a lot of time developing plausibility and originality in his world. I think to successfully craft a series or even a good novel you need to see the world in which it exists. I believe authors who ply their craft in the genres of science fiction and fantasy are more creative than those who plod along in the mundane real world. Good speculative fiction demands the creation of a new entertaining reality.
Kudos to Lory Kaufman for taking the time to craft his stories, for letting us post his back story and writing stories that make history more exciting and palatable to those resistant to learning from it.

The FINAL FREE book for each section of Lory Kaufman’s back story will be given away this month. Did I mention it is a FREE book?
How do you qualify for a FREE book?
Fine Print
Simply read the post and fill out the form below. Each entry will be assigned a number and those numbers will be input into a random number generator to choose the winner. I will email the winner. The winner’s address will be sent to Lory Kaufman who will be sending out the autographed books. If you have a specific name or nickname you wish the autograph to mention, please submit it with the form. Each winner will be announced at the posting of the next segment of Lory Kaufman’s back story. No purchases necessary and your email address will not be given to anyone else.
The winner of this month’s book will be announced next month on Feb.9th. As an additional incentive for those of you who are actually reading the entire post, if you comment on any of my blog posts throughout the month I will input an additional entry to the contest.

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Arms-Commander by L.E. Modesitt, jr

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you have read any of my reviews you have to be aware that I am fond of strong female protagonists. I’m guessing that is the case with L.E. Modesitt as well. This story is taken from the pages of the Recluce saga. The country of Lornth discovers that being a neighbor of Westwind can be a mixed blessing.

I don’t know if this is just another excellent novel by Mr. Modesitt or a political commentary on the many nations of the real world that offer women less than full citizenship or respect. If it is a political commentary then those despots and chauvinists might want to read it and find a sense of dreadful foreboding from the experience.

Once again I am in awe of Modesitt’s skill. He provokes both interest and emotion. His stories philosophize while surrounding you with action and adventure. If you are threatened by strong women, do not read this book. It will make you cry!

I highly recommend.

Body of work of L.E. Modesitt</a>

Site: http://www.lemodesittjr.com/

Green by Jay Lake

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

I made a promise I would read Green after I read Endurance. Well as I said about Endurance, this is one of those butt kicking female protagonist stories I enjoy so much. Green is a god ridden sell sword seemingly bent on self destruction. The book Green explains how the character Green ended up in Copper Downs defying and defiling gods.

This book also stands alone quite well. However I strongly urge you to read Endurance which is an excellent follow up to Green. This also was an excellent action adventure fantasy with a terrific understory. This book explains why Green is hell bent on stopping child slavery and the abuse of women.

In one light this is a coming of age story for a strong willed rebel and on the other it is a story of single minded mayhem. Kalimpura and the Lily Blades are also introduced and defined in this book. Once again, Lake’s lavish descriptions portray, with shattering clarity, a early Calcutta type of city that you almost feel the flying elbows and cutpurses jostling you. The characters were very colorful and varied.

After reading my second Jay Lake book I am convinced that Lake will be a force to contend with in the fantasy field for years to come.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of Jay Lake

Web Site: http://www.jlake.com/2010/08/14/writing-endurance-is-a-wrap/

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

2012-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is the third book of the Rain Wilds Chronicles. If you have not read the Live Ship Traders Trilogy I strongly recommend you read it. It isn’t necessary to read it first but I think it helps. This book chronicles a journey of epic efforts to get the dragons to their ancient homeland.

I’m never sure where to start talking about one of Robin Hobb’s books. Not many author’s make me tongue tied. She so vividly portrays the Rain Wilds that you feel like you have been there. There was also a sense of coming home in that there was a familiarity with her style and her setting.

The emotional interplay is well written and sometimes borderline overwhelming. Admittedly I get over involved when I am reading. I am such a sucker for the bonds of friendship and the portrayal of love as well as loving a good adventure story. These are not stereotype dragons but they are still dragonesque!

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Robin Hobb

Body of work of Megan Lindholm

Web Site: http://robinhobb.com/

Public Book Shelves An Interesting Concept

2011-12-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

Public bookshelves are an interesting concept. The link is to the article in the San Francisco Chronicle. I have noticed in the local Perkins and sometimes in the local grocery store, shelves that are available to leave books for others to read. Years and years ago, I set up a book swap in a store I owned with hopes of encouraging reading. This was in the late 70s. It never took off, now things like Book Crossing seem to do well. Frankly anything that gets people to read is probably worth trying.

Particularly if they are reading books I have written. LOL go to www. bentrim.info for links to my books. ( I couldn't help myself.)

2011-12-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

Coming in January
Fantasy GiveAway from Seventh Star Press
and
Azure Dwarf
Check Back for Details

Scholar by L.E. Modesitt, jr

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the terrific Recluce series, the Imager series debuts a new world of similar interest. Imagers, must like mages in the Recluce series seem both powerful and powerless. This book deals with an Imager who, in self defense, has masked his skills and lives his life as a simple scholar, who really is not that simple.

Modesitt has a distinct style that permeates his books. I enjoy the self depreciating nature of his protagonists and their normalcy in dealing with extraordinary talents. Quaeryt is a likeable character from the get go. The scenarios are well set and the descriptions of both people and scenery are accomplished with the aplomb I have come to expect from Modesitt.

As in most of his books there is a fair amount of philosophizing on human behavior, almost a miniature sociological treatise. He sometimes borders on the pandemic but never reaches the point of distraction from the plot nor does he deter from the excitement.

This is the fourth book in the Imager Portfolio but it stands alone well. That being said, I plan on getting the three previous as this is another well done series by a surprisingly prolific author.

I highly recommend.

Body of work of L.E. Modesitt</a>

Site: http://www.lemodesittjr.com/

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

May Your Holiday Be Out of This World!

Merry Christmas!

Cobra Alliance by Timothy Zahn; Book 3 of the Cobra War Series

2011-12-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

Once again the augmented human warriors called Cobras are thrust into the fray. This book details the defense of their home worlds, “gifted” to them due to humanities inability to live comfortably with these formidable warriors.

I loved the first Cobra trilogy and this is a logical continuation after a long and impatiently waiting hiatus. Cobra’s are just too cool for words. What is most fascinating to me is that from the first book Cobra, published in 1985, until now the strides made in real military technology make the Cobra far more realistic than they were in 1985. Nanotechnology has progressed dramatically since 1985. Therefore the plausibility factor has increased dramatically.

The book has the typical plot twists and actions that Mr. Zahn is known for and I love every breath taking moment. If you were in an interplanetary war you would definitely want the Cobras on your side.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Timothy Zahn

Web site: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Timothy-Zahn/432874

The Demon Queen and The Locksmith by Spencer Baum

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Three teens slurp up an unlikely concoction and change the world, saving it from the Demon Queen.

Premise wise, this was one of the more bizarre books I have read. I read it on my beloved Droid which certainly had no impact on the story or plot. Kevin is an unlikely protagonist who finds new companions and the three go where most imaginations would never travel. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book, it was just skewed from almost anything else I have read. Kind of like a naturalist Brothers Grimm, dark fairytale urban fantasy, if that makes any sense. Give it a try, it should expand your horizons.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Spencer Baum=

Web site: http://www.spencerbaum.net/

Coming in January--Fantasy Free For All

2011-12-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Preview of coming attractions:
Six of Seventh Star Press Singleswill be given to three winners in January in Kindle or Nook/iPad format. Keep checking back for details.

Grantville Gazette VI edited by Eric Flint

2011-12-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is another anthology that follows up the book 1632. A wealth of short stories that are loosely connected to the premise of a chunk of current time real-estate transported back to 1632.

I’ve read four of these anthologies so far, some how I missed the fifth which I will have to track down. Generally I don’t read anthologies since I am more of a red meat kind of reader and I find anthologies and collections more like appetizers. However I have happily made an exception with the Grantville Gazette. Considering the 25 story total, I can only tell you that they are worth reading.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Eric Flint

Web site: http://www.ericflint.net/

Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans by Robert Louis Smith

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a fantasy taking place in an alternative world where magic works, a bit reminiscent of Lion, Wardrobe, Lord of the Rings but still unique.

Elliot is bullied due to his perceived physical differences and his diffident behavior. He finds himself swirled into a different place forced to stand up for both himself and others.

Dr. Smith does a nice job portraying a rather normal kid thrust into some terrifying situations. He doesn’t portray a cardboard hero stepping up and making an instantaneous transformation into a stalwart swashbuckler. Both Elliot and his Gimlet pals meet some terrifying and colorful characters in their journeys. None of the characters are omnipotent, even the bad guys, mistakes are made by all. This provides a smidgen of realism that often is lacking in fantasies.

In some ways this is a fantastical coming of age story and in others just an entertaining read.

I enjoyed it.

Body of work of Robert Louis Smith

Web site: http://www.antiquitaslost.com/robert-louis-smith.php

December Winner Lory Kaufman's The Lens and the Looker is Julie from Columbus Ohio

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Julie from Columbus Ohio is the winner of this month's copy of The Lens and the Looker, Lory Kaufman's great YA novel. I've mentioned before how I like the way Lory has tied History into his work. He has done it in a very palatable manner. I'm sure Julie will enjoy the book.

Thank you Lory for so generously sharing your books and thank you Julie for your persistence in entering my GiveAways. I feel good you have finally won a book!

Don't forget there are still two more copies to be given away, make sure you read the review or interview and enter!

Bill

Winner of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of The Shamalans

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

C.E. from Fayetteville Georgia is the Winner of a Copy of
Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans.

Thank you to all who participated!

Gaia Wars Author Interview

2011-12-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of The Gaia Wars eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle Fire, Amazon gift cards up to $100 in amount, 5 autographed copies of the book, and 5 autographed copies of its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 9th, so you don’t miss out.

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase your copy of The Gaia Wars for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes

Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!

BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

...And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of The Gaia Wars or its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: Looking for a YA read that's full of adventure & intrigue? Check out The Gaia Wars. Reduced to just 99 cents http://ow.ly/7ywpZ #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see The Gaia Wars book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs. Three chances to win! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see The Gaia Wars book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Win a Kindle Fire or a $100 Amazon gift card, simply by leaving a comment on Kenneth’s most recent blog post. How easy is that? Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

Let's get to know Kenneth better through a rousing Q&A...

Where did you find the inspiration for this novel?

The idea began with an article I read about The Gaia Hypothesis. This hypothesis, proposed by NASA scientist James Lovelock, says, in brief: “all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth make up a single, self-regulating entity.” In other words, the Earth itself is a living thing. A vast, “super-organism.”

I love this idea! And when I first read about it I wondered how it might be woven into a novel. In my imagination, and in conversations with friends, I took the Gaia Hypothesis one step further. “What if Gaia (the Earth) is not simply alive,” I asked, “but also sentient?” It occurred to me that a lot of so-called primitive cultures believed this very thing. Understood it in their bones.

Then I was backpacking with my son Eli (age 9 at the time). After a few days in the wilderness, feeling more connected to the land, perhaps, I started to tell Eli the story of The Gaia Wars. He loved it. It took me about a year to write the book and refine it.

Warren Wilkes is quite the unexpected hero. Tell us about him. Is he someone you’ve met before, or is he completely fictional?

My son and his friends are all pretty outdoorsy kids. They’ve backpacked and skied and kayaked and climbed since they were really little, so Warren (a sort of feral, wilderness boy) is probably a composite of the kids I see every day.

This story’s setting is incredibly vivid. How did the Cascade Mountains influence your writing? Do you believe you could have told the same story in a different setting, or would it have been missing something otherwise?

North Cascades National Park is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I go there often. It’s easy to find inspiration in the ancient forests and high-alpine meadows of that region. I’ve also been heavily influenced by Olympic National Park, and by wild areas in Alaska, where I spent much of my childhood. The landscapes in the book contain elements of all of those places.

The Mendari aliens and their organic droids, the Fabrinels, mix-up the story in a way nothing else could have (not even the irksome Mr. Finley). How did you go about creating these other races and defining their culture and behavior?

The Mendari are fantastically advanced, technologically, but suffer from a civilization-wide melancholy. They have every device and contraption imaginable, but in the process of acquiring all this stuff, they’ve nearly destroyed their lovely planet and suffocated their own wild souls. They venture to Earth out of desperation, and with newfound humility, hoping to regain the wisdom they lost millennia ago. The Mendari race is basically the Human race in a few hundred years—if we don’t get our act together in terms of taking care of our planet.

Gaia, or Onatah, is the living embodiment of the Earth Mother. Without giving anything away, tell the readers how she fits into the story.

Gaia, the Earth Mother, represents the wild soul of the planet. She’s the wellspring of all life; the source of the DNA that animates everything from bacteria to redwood trees to homo sapiens. But we humans have reached the point where we think maybe we don’t need to be connected to this wild soul any longer. We see ourselves as separate from the natural world. I think this kind of hubris is a huge mistake, and that’s reflected in the story.

How much research did you have to do in order to learn about the Denelai people’s folklore and nature rituals? How did you find this information?

I love to learn about Native American culture, modern and ancient, and have read a lot about what North America was like prior to European contact. I’m steeped in that history, but the Denelai culture is entirely a product of my imagination—not based on any one people or tribe.

Your cast of characters has very interesting names—ones I suspect were not chosen arbitrarily. Please tell us how you came up with the names for Ina, Mirra, Uhlgoth, and the others.

I greatly admire the name-inventing abilities of authors such as Philip Pullman, J.K. Rowling, Ursula K. LeGuin and (of course) J.R.R. Tolkien. I worked really hard to come up with names that fit the various characters in The Gaia Wars.

You leave The Gaia Wars off on a very big cliff-hanger. What made you decide to take this gutsy literary move—channeling Warren, are you?

The Gaia Wars ends at what felt to me like a natural stopping point (or at least a “pausing” point)--A slight break in the action before all hell breaks loose in Battle for Cascadia.

Battle for Cascadia picks up where the first book leaves off. What can we expect from the sequel? Are there any major ways in which the style or plot line is different than The Gaia Wars?

Battle for Cascadia is a direct and immediate continuation of The Gaia Wars. Many of the storylines begun in Gaia draw to a conclusion in Battle—but not all of them! There are a lot of mysteries left to unravel in those rugged North Cascade canyons.

You’re going to give us more Warren Wilkes, right?! Please tell us you’re planning a third book in the series, and if you can, give us some clues about what happens next.

Absolutely! Warren and company find themselves in a very dangerous place and in very perilous circumstances at the conclusion of Battle. There’s a whole lot of story left to tell.

This is the fifth installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the fifth installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.
The Lens and the Looker and The Bronze and the Brimstone. In addition I have interviewed Lory. I enjoyed his books and I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he is making history palatable to young people. Lory and I have emailed back and forth and he has been kind enough to allow me to “plumb the depths” of how he created his World of History Camp. Please note that I have no financial relationship with Lory, nor do I reap any benefits from posting his back story. I am making these posts because as a reader and an author I find the novel building process interesting and informative and I hope you will too. Plus you have the opportunity to garner a FREE book. (more on that later)

The World Of History Camp and AI

How far are we from artificial intelligence? I have an ap on my DroidX called SoundHound. If I hear a song and my aging mind can’t remember the title, group or the lyrics; all I have to do is start the ap, let my phone listen and it will tell me the artist’s name, the album title and ask if I would like the lyrics. I know that isn’t AI but I also know 5 years ago it wasn’t available. I keep a list of 3500 books on my phone because I really get annoyed when I inadvertently buy the same book multiple times. In other words, I really depend on/love my phone. How far away is true AI?

Artificial Intelligences (A.I.):

Some who have read The Lens And The Looker have asked, “Why did you give every human on the planet a companion artificial intelligence from birth?”

For me, the A.I.’s are a visual metaphor symbolizing that humans seem not to be able to work together without some faction undermining things. “What does this have to do with artificial intelligences?” you ask. Well, as I already mentioned, by the end of the 21st-century, I have humans on the brink of extinction. Plagues and bacterial infections are threatening calamity and some population centers are already collapsing. But, at the same time, human technology is also successfully creating synthetic intellects, superior to humans in many ways. (Given where we are with computer technology now, I don’t think this is actually out of the realm of possibility.)

So, as opposed to some dystopian literature, where A.I.s rebel against humans, I have chosen another road. In History Camp stories, artificial intelligences become the savior of humans, though not as benignly as one might think.

I’ve done it like this. Each person’s A.I. is with them from before birth. At first it acts as nanny to the baby and toddler, and a helper to the parents. Then the artificial intelligence takes on the role of tutor when the person becomes a youth, then adolescent, watching out for that individual and monitoring his or her progress. This role changes as the human grows into adulthood. Like a loving aunt or uncle today, the A.I. changes into a life-long friend and confidant. By constant and gentle vigilance, A.I.s allow humans to find their own path in life, as long as their actions don’t put at risk the long-term safety of society or that of the other life forms on the planet.

So, I guess the A.I.s are both the “philosopher kings” and the “protector class” of human kind. Humans have ceded ultimate control to the A.I.s. They are a benevolent police force, making sure that small factions of people can’t sabotage society’s long-term survival for their personal or tribal purposes, which, when I think of it, seems to be a big recurring theme in human history.

Another very important fact to understand about this situation is that the A.I.s do very little of the actual work for humans. It’s not like “The Jetsons” or some cheesy SF movies, where people walk around in identical plastic suits and use mass produced products. In the world of History Camp, individual craftsmanship and self- sufficiency is the new way of things. The A.I.s purpose is not to provide for humans, but to protect, love and nourish them. And the protection is mostly from ourselves and our natures.

Remember there will be a giveaway for each and every post. That’s a FREE book for each section of Lory Kaufman’s back story. Did I mention it is a FREE book?
How do you qualify for a FREE book?
Fine Print
Simply read the post and fill out the form below. Each entry will be assigned a number and those numbers will be input into a random number generator to choose the winner. I will email the winner. The winner’s address will be sent to Lory Kaufman who will be sending out the autographed books. If you have a specific name or nickname you wish the autograph to mention, please submit it with the form. Each winner will be announced at the posting of the next segment of Lory Kaufman’s back story. No purchases necessary and your email address will not be given to anyone else.
The next post will be Jan 9, 2012! when the winner of this month’s book will be announced. As an additional incentive for those of you who are actually reading the entire post, if you comment on any of my blog posts throughout the month I will input an additional entry to the contest.

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The Gaia Wars Guest Post

2011-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase your copy of The Gaia Wars for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes

Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!

BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

...And I can win too!

The Featured Events include:

Remember, it’s all about the books!

Now please enjoy this guest post from the author...

HOW A NASA SCIENTIST’S THEORY INSPIRED A PARANORMAL THRILLER

THE GAIA WARS is fiction, but it was inspired—at least in part—by The Gaia Hypothesis. This hypothesis, proposed by NASA scientist James Lovelock, states that the Earth—the entire Earth—is a living thing. A vast, “super-organism.”

I read an article about Lovelock’s theory a few years back and thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard.

The Earth is alive. Think about it. If Lovelock’s correct, the Earth isn’t simply a chunk of interstellar rock hosting a collection of random ecosystems; it’s a cohesive entity. An organism. A being. I daydreamed about this idea, mulled it over; wondered how it might be incorporated into a novel. And in my imagination, I took the theory to the next level: What if the Earth is not simply alive, I asked, but also sentient?

I did some reading, and discovered that a lot of so-called primitive cultures believed this very thing. Understood it in their bones. Our ancestors were in tune with the planet in ways that we’ve forgotten. They could feel her heartbeat. Interpret her rhythms. They created Earth Goddesses to worship and celebrate.

Gaia (pron. guy-uh) is one of the principal deities of the Greek Pantheon. Other cultures used other names: the Tibetan people called the deity Chomolungma—Goddess Mother of the World. The Sumerians knew her as Ninhursaga. To Mesoamerican peoples she was Tlazolteotl.

A fictitious Pacific Northwest culture called the Denelai is at the center of THE GAIA WARS. As readers learn, the ancient Denelai people believed in the Earth goddess so profoundly that she would sometimes appear to them in human form.

At the start of the novel, troubled 13-year-old Warren Wilkes unearths a treasure deep in the Cascade Mountains while fleeing the law, learns about the Denelai and Gaia’s periodic visits, and finds that on one such occasion in 1550 AD, the tribe was attacked and the Earth Goddess wounded. The Indians were slaughtered and Gaia lost her memory and vanished into the wild.

As Warren soon discovers, Gaia is still alive and still trapped in human form. What’s more, the beast that attacked the Indian village 500 years earlier is on it’s way back with an army bred specifically to capture Gaia, unlock her secrets, and seize control of the planet. Warren must fight or see his whole world destroyed.

Readers seem to like the idea of a paranormal thriller with a thinking, feeling Earth at its heart. The feedback has been tremendous. Humbling. Yesterday (November 24, Thanksgiving Day) THE GAIA WARS rose to #17 on Amazon’s list of Top 100 Best Sellers in Children’s Action & Adventure. The Second Book of The Gaia Wars, BATTLE FOR CASCADIA, (just released) is also doing well. A huge thank you to all the wonderful readers giving these books a try!

Interview with the author of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans

2011-12-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

See Giveaway at the end.

Interview Questions

with Robert Louis Smith M.D., MSc,
Author of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans

1. Why did you write this book? What initiated this particular burst of creativity?

I have been interested in creative writing from a very young age. Unlike most physicians, I have always been somewhat of a "left brain" person, and my favorite courses in high school and college were English and the language arts rather than science. As long as I can remember, I have aspired to write a novel that could be appreciated by others. My decision to sit down and start writing was really motivated by two different circumstances. On the one hand, I read the works of some authors (Hemingway and Dickens come to mind) and marvel at their skill for the craft. On these occasions, I find myself wishing I could find it within me to write something as powerful, or beautiful as they have done -- scenes that tells us something important or thought-provoking. This is akin to a painter looking at the works of Michelangelo or Da Vinci and wishing he could create something as beautiful. On the other hand, I have consumed countless books over the years, many of them bestsellers, where I have gotten to the end and thought: I could do better than that! In addition to these factors, I also find writing to be a wonderful escape from the stresses of daily life.

2. Does your story line develop organically or is it a gestalt before you begin?

Both. When I sit down to write, I have a vague impression of the major plot elements and a general idea of how the story might turn out. I also tend to flesh out the characters fairly well in my own notes so I have a good feel for them. But other than this, I don't do any real outlining. I find this helps the pace and suspense of the book quite a lot. I also tend to write the chapters chronologically, rather than focusing on separate subplots then pasting it all together at the end. When writing in this fashion, I can get a good sense of when something exciting needs to happen, or when it is time to give the reader a break from the action, or when I should switch to a different character's POV. Very few creative writing instructors will say this, but I think doing extensive outlining really takes something away from the flow of the book, and can make things too mechanical -- like the author is trying too hard to stick something in there where it doesn't necessarily belong. Another advantage of letting the story develop organically is that you, as the author, often don't know what exactly is coming next until you create that next perfect scene in your mind -- the one that will have just the right amount of tension, and will flow so well from the last. When the author isn't sure what is coming next, the reader won't know either. This is a good thing.

3. What reasons led you to choose an illustrated novel format ?

I am a fan of old fashioned illustrated novels, like Treasure Island, or 20,000 leagues under the sea. I read many of these types of books in my early reading years and always felt that the illustrations added a lot of fun to the story. Though illustrated fiction novels were quite common 100 years ago, you rarely see them these days. With the full page, highly detailed illustrations in Antiquitas Lost (and they are wonderful!), I was hoping to capture the feel of some of these older, classic books that I loved as a child.

4. Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

My favorite character in Antiquitas Lost is the beast named Hooks. He has a checkered past and at first the reader is not sure whether or not he can be trusted. But as we get to know him, we learn that he is loyal, powerful, and helpful in the role of protector. He saves our protagonist, Elliott, on several occasions. He is also frequently childlike in his affections and is generally a likable fellow.

5. What do you like the most about writing?

Writing can be difficult at times, and it is definitely a task to be approached with discipline. However, creating a story -- particularly a fantasy story -- is a wonderful escape from the humdrum of daily life. It is gratifying to develop a scene in your mind and then transcribe it onto paper in a way that communicates your vision to others such that it is enjoyable to them. Completing a novel is also quite satisfying. Finding that others have enjoyed the story you created is the most satisfying of all.

6. Where do your new story ideas come from?

A good creative writing instructor would tell you that ideas for a great story or scene can come from anywhere. Family drama, stressful interactions with others, or even tidbits from the news all have the potential to blossom into an interesting story. The television show Law and Order ran for 20 seasons by simply considering the human drama that might arise from contemporary true crime stories ("ripped from the headlines!"). Another example comes from Michael Crichton, who ingeniously capitalized on news about emerging DNA technologies by wondering what might happen if modern science could find a way to clone dinosaurs from DNA samples preserved in amber. This was a great idea that arose by combining a kernel of information about genetic engineering with an interesting factoid about dino DNA -- and then considering the outrageous possibilities. The key is to find a topic or story of interest and then ask yourself "what if . . . ". For Antiquitas Lost, I set out with the intention of creating a fantasy genre novel, so there were many decisions to be made. The ideas for the flora and fauna of my fantasy world (Pangrelor) came mostly from Earth's Pleistocene era, which is suitably foreign to the modern reader and has also always fascinated me. I populated the world with creatures that I liked reading about as a child: Bigfoot creatures, gargoyles, Atlanteans, Neanderthals, etc. In creating the Salax creatures, I wanted to develop a viscerally terrifying monster that was different than anything that had been done in other fantasy novels. Many of the Salax characteristics, and some of their appearance, was modeled after sharks (though the Salax are strictly forest dwellers). These are just a few examples, but ideas for great fiction can be found anywhere. All you have to do is put your imagination to work.

7. What advice has helped the most in your writing?

For people who want to learn to write creatively, there are endless resources. If you do a search on amazon for "how-to" books on writing, you will find a mind-boggling number of books. I have read many of these. Much of the advice is good, and I think the aspect of these books that is most helpful is the technical stuff. However, once you have a feel for the basics of writing mechanics, the usefulness of these books, at least in my opinion, is finished. I think much of the advice beyond the basics of scene mechanics, dialogue, and that sort of thing, is ultimately not that useful. It is important to remember that YOU are the one creating your story, and the end product should sound good to your own ear. If you get bogged down in the seemingly infinite number of "rules" of writing, your novel will likely come out mechanical and awkward, or sound as if you are trying too hard. The best book I have read about writing was Stephen King's book called On Writing. He discusses many of these issues at length, and I agree with his summation, which basically says to learn the rules, be aware of the rules, then try to forget about them and write your story. Another great resource is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Dave King and Renni Browne.

8. This seems to be your first book, do you have something new in the works?

Indeed, Antiquitas Lost is my first novel, and the responses I have received since it has been published have been quite gratifying. There are many adventures in store for Elliott, Hooks, and the gang. I am well into writing the second installment.

9. Who is your favorite author and why?

There are many authors I enjoy, and for a variety of different reasons. I have never fallen in love with a Hemingway novel, but have always been extremely impressed with his technical ability for the craft. On the other hand, there are aspects of Tolkien's writing style that I don't like, though his novels are among my favorites. So to me there are different ways to be a skilled writer, and my favorite authors are those that combine great (or even adequate) technical skill with stories best suited to my particular imagination. My favorite author since childhood has always been Stephen King. I used to believe he was under-appreciated, but I think few would deny that he has risen to a high level of recognition and merit at this point in his career. Technically speaking, he has mastered the art of character development, and his ability to create great prose has really been apparent in his last several novels. He has always had a gift for creating great stories.

10. What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

I believe discipline is the key to becoming a writer. You must carve out a writing schedule and then stick doggedly to it. Often, you will not like your initial draft, and you must fight the impulse to get frustrated and stop. You can always circle back and work on the mechanics of a weak bit of prose, but reworking a draft is much easier (for me at least) than creating text out of whole cloth. Also, there will be times when the neurons are firing just right, and everything flows easily from your mind to the page. This is quite satisfying when it happens. The key to all of this is to sit down and do the work. You will never experience the joy of creating the perfect scene, or writing that popular novel, if all you do is sit around and stew about it.

Author Bio
Robert Louis Smith, author of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans, has numerous degrees, including psychology (B.A.), applied microbiology (B.S.), anaerobic microbiology (M.Sc.), and a Medical Doctorate (M.D.). He serves as an interventional cardiologist at the Oklahoma Heart Institute. He is married and the father of two young children. He began writing Antiquitas Lost in 2003 while studying at Tulane University in New Orleans.

For more information please visit http://www.antiquitaslost.com, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Many thanks to Dr. Smith for his time and his answers.

Win A Copy by entering here or on the Interview with the Author that will be posted here on December 6th. The Contest runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 10 and shipping has been restricted to the U.S. or Canada.

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The Gaia Wars Contest

2011-12-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Purchase your copy of The Gaia Wars for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes

Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!

BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

...And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About The Gaia Wars: DEADLY SECRETS have been buried in the Cascade mountain wilderness for centuries. Hidden. Out of sight and out of mind. Until today… Warren Wilkes, age 13, doesn’t like what a greedy housing developer has done to his peaceful mountain community, so he vandalizes the developer’s property, flees into the wild, and stumbles upon an ancient human skeleton revealed by torrential rain. More than old bones have been exposed, however, and the curious artifact Warren finds makes him question his own identity, and his connection to an ancient terror. A terror destined to rise again and annihilate all that Warren loves. He must fight or see his whole world destroyed. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About Battle for Cascadia: When Warren Wilkes, age 13, stumbles upon a mysterious relic deep in the Cascade Mountains, wonder reigns. Brimming with secrets and sentient energy, the relic leads Warren to a fantastic chamber, and to shocking revelations about his identity. Now wonder has turned to dread. A forgotten terror—a demon that knows Warren better than he knows himself—has risen again and is assembling an army; gathering power with a singularly evil goal in mind: to capture and enslave the wild spirit of the Earth itself. As war erupts and the planet slips into chaos, Warren embraces his destiny and finds help where he least expects it. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Kenneth G. Bennett is the author of the Young Adult novels The Gaia Wars and Battle for Cascadia (the second book of The Gaia Wars), as well as the forthcoming Exodus 2018, a paranormal thriller set in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. A wilderness enthusiast who loves backpacking, skiing and kayaking, Ken enjoys novels that explore the relationship between humans and the wild. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and son. Visit him on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Now please enjoy this sneak peek of The Gaia Wars...

Chapter 3

The ground climbed steadily and Warren slowed but didn’t stop. He knew how to pace himself, and ran lightly over the soft earth, weaving between the pines.

A plan formed in Warren’s mind. He would make for Pipestone Canyon, roughly two miles distant. He and his uncle had hiked, skied and snowshoed there dozens of times, and he knew it well. Perhaps he could hide among the canyon’s crags, cliffs and massive boulders. Perhaps.

Warren topped a low ridge, entered a clearing, and heard the sudden rush of brawling Nine Mile Creek, two hundred yards ahead. Born in the snowy Cascades, the sparkling stream clattered across the meadow. It was roughly fifteen feet wide here, but shallow, gravel-bottomed and easy to cross.

Now that he was out of the trees, Warren heard other sounds, too: the unmistakable baying of dogs, surprisingly close, and the low, steady whine of ATVs. The Finleys were after him, all right, and they were getting closer.

For the first time, Warren felt truly afraid. He remembered the rage on Mr. Finley’s face. Who could guess what the big brute might do? Or maybe Finley Sr. would simply turn a blind eye as Finley Jr. pulverized him. Junior was a good thirty pounds heavier than Warren, after all.

Wild thoughts flooded Warren’s mind. Maybe the Finleys would tie him up and drag him behind their ATVs, or let their dogs tear him to pieces. He couldn’t guess, and he didn’t want to find out.

Warren had an idea. Instead of running straight across the creek, he would run in it for a while. His shoes and socks would get soaked, but perhaps the ploy would confuse the dogs—at least temporarily. It was a trick he’d read about in numerous adventure stories. Maybe it would help.

He leapt into the clear, frigid water. It was only about a foot deep here, where it crossed the flat, open meadow, but shockingly cold. He sprinted upstream.

Though June meant summer in other parts of the country, it was still early spring here in the higher elevations of the Clement Valley. It had snowed heavily all winter, and the meadows only recently had become snow-free. It had just rained, too, so everything had a fresh, new quality and the air was crisp and clean. Wildflowers carpeted the creek banks.

Warren splashed on—the gravel stream bottom giving a bit under each sloshing footfall. He saw now that the snowmelt and recent rain had caused the clay soil of the stream’s banks to fracture. Here and there great slabs of creek edge had fallen into the water. In some spots, sections of bank teetered, like new islands breaking apart from the mainland after a catastrophic quake. Ahead, the creek jogged sharply to the right.

Warren scanned the meadow. In another hundred feet or so, he’d climb out of the water and run uphill, toward Pipestone Canyon. He sprinted, following the sharp bend in the stream.

That’s when he saw the skeleton.

It was a human skeleton, no doubt about that, lying face up on the soft earth. Warren could see at once what had happened: the skeleton had been buried in the reddish-brown clay of the bank, but a section of creek edge had fractured and fallen away, freeing the skeleton from its tomb. It lay there in broad daylight, as neatly and cleanly as if it had just rolled out of a crypt. Warren stepped forward cautiously and gazed at the remains in silent wonder.

He would have forgotten about the Finleys, his prank and everything else—only now that he’d stopped moving he heard the dogs and whining ATVs once more. Even over the joyful clatter of the creek, the sounds were unmistakable. The Finleys were coming through the forest, within a minute or two of the meadow.

Warren stared at the skeleton. He’d been to enough museums and read enough books to know that it was very old. The bones were light brown and smooth, like aged ivory. It occurred to Warren they might even be fossilized.

The skull, arm and leg bones were large, and the hips narrow, so he guessed he was looking at the remains of a man. The lower jawbone was missing, as were the bones of the right foot. Otherwise, the skeleton appeared intact. Warren leaned closer to the skull, but the empty eye sockets gazing skyward gave him a queer feeling.

He took one last look and …

There was something protruding from the dirt, near the skeleton’s right hip. Warren peered closely.

The “something,” whatever it was, was encrusted with soft clay. It blended with the surrounding soil, and was nearly invisible.

Warren gently traced the object with his fingers, pried some of the clay away, and understood. It was a pouch: leather, bound at the top with a fragment of cord.

Warren teased more soil from the object, marveling that the leather was still supple and intact. Even the design on the face of the pouch—a fine red spiral—had somehow been preserved inside the clay tomb of the creek bank.

Carefully, painstakingly, Warren lifted the pouch free from the soil, loosened the cord, and spilled the contents out.

The first artifact to tumble onto the creek bank—into the sunlight—was a stone spear point. It was about five inches long, brownish-yellow and lovingly crafted. It was still razor sharp, by the look of it.

The spear point made Warren gasp. But the object that thudded onto the bank after it stopped his heart.

It was a heavy, flat medallion of gleaming, hammered gold, inset with sparkling blue gems.

Dazzlingly beautiful, the medallion (medallion was the first word that came to Warren’s mind) could easily have been the centerpiece of a great king’s crown, or of a royal necklace. The object had seven equal sides.

A heptagon, Warren thought. It was a term he’d learned in last semester’s math.

Warren’s hand shook as he traced the perimeter of the heptagon with one finger. The object was about four inches across, and twice as thick as the old silver dollars in his uncle’s coin collection.

In the center of the heptagon was set a perfect circle of highly polished obsidian. The dazzling blue gems—there were seven of them, as well—were embedded in the gold and placed evenly about the obsidian circle. Warren turned the medallion over and saw that the back consisted of gleaming, hammered gold only.

He lifted the object slowly, reverently. It fit neatly in the palm of his hand and was so bright that it flashed in the warm morning light. It was beautiful. It was mesmerizing. It was …

Warren heard sudden, frenzied barking from the forest below and jumped to his feet. How had they scaled the hill so fast? How long had he been kneeling beside the skeleton? With a leap up the bank, he was off once more, bounding across the meadow and toward the sheltering forest beyond.

Warren had run perhaps fifteen feet when he realized he’d left the spear point with the skeleton. No time to retrieve it now. By the sound of it, the Finleys’ dogs would burst into the clearing at any moment. He had to make it to the trees—had to disappear into the forest—if he was to have any hope of escaping.

Save Some Money, Help A Kid.

2011-12-03T12:56:00.001-08:00

Win-Win Christmas Gift

Whit Gentry wrote an excellent psycho thriller. I reviewed it on Pick of the Literate. This fall Whit’s grandson died suddenly. As a grandparent I can not imagine the pain that ensued from that sad event.

Whit has put his book on Smashwords.com which is a website that presents Ebook formats that can be downloaded to all ebook readers, PCs, laptops, and Ipads. Smashwords is a user friendly web-site, they will not be contacting you to buy items. He put the price of his book in ebook format at $0.99 (less than a dollar).

Whatever sales yield between now and Christmas will be donated to St Jude in the name of his grandson Cager Neal Gentry. He will post the money order that he will send to St Jude's for all to see what was achieved.

If you're interested, this will take you to the purchase page -- www.smashwords.com/books/view/109205

I am posting this wherever I can to promote both Whit’s excellent book but also to help honor the memory of his grandson.

Whit is one of the good guys which proves that adage that sometimes bad things happen to good people. Rather than bitterness he is trying to help other families and their children through his donation to St. Judes.

It’s less than a buck, do what you can!

Please pass this along if you are so moved. I certainly was.

Bill

GiveAway of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a giveaway of Robert Louis Smith M.D., MSc, Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans.

Antiquitas Lost

The Last of the Shamalans

Antiquitas Lost tells the story of a boy named Elliott, a lonesome kid with deformities on his hands and feet who is uprooted from his home after his mother falls gravely ill. When they move to New Orleans so his grandfather can help care for her, Elliott learns that the old man's eighteenth century mansion hides an ancient secret. While checking out some eerie paintings and strange relics in the basement, Elliott strays through an ancient passage into a tumultuous parallel world, full of bizarre creatures and warring races. He has stumbled into Pangrelor, the most ancient of all worlds and "mother to all the stars in the sky." As he learns to navigate his new surroundings, he discovers wondrous abilities he never dreamed he possessed, and an abiding connection to the primitive, alien world that will forever change him. But he must proceed carefully. For he soon learns that his actions in the ancient world will impact the upcoming battle for Harwelden, Pangrelor's greatest civilization, and will also resonate all the way back to New Orleans, perhaps deciding whether his own mother lives or dies.

Win A Copy by entering here or on the Interview with the Author that will be posted here on December 6th. The Contest runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 10 and shipping has been restricted to the U.S. or Canada.

Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover

2011-11-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

This is book four of the Black Sun’s Daughter series. It reads well as a stand alone but I suspect, like me, you are going to find the previous books to read because you enjoy this one. Jayne Heller faces her internal demon and comes to terms with herself and her men in a tale fraught with emotional and physical peril.

This is an urban fantasy of the demonic bent. It portrays Jayne Heller ridden by her desires, fears and possibly more. A cabal of priests plays a huge part in Jayne’s personal redemption. The story is a continuation so you are a bit clueless as to some of the relationships referred to in the book. I think a little back story would allow the book to be more enjoyable particularly if you aren’t motivated to go buy the rest of the series. I will be reading them all.

There is plenty of interpersonal relationships, action and drama to satisfy the most discerning reader of this genre. My thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the series to read, I am enjoying it.

Prior to reading the book, I was unaware that M.L. N. Hanover and Daniel Abraham were one and the same. I enjoyed his book Dragon’s Path.

I recommend it.

Body of work of M.L.N. Hanover

Web Site: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/abrahamdaniel.html

Win a copy of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans

2011-11-29T17:33:00.000-08:00

Starting December 3rd

Win a copy of Antiquitas Lost: The Last of the Shamalans a rollicking fantasy. Authored by Robert Louis Smith M.D., MSc by entering at Azure Dwarf on December 3rd or on the Interview with the Author that will be posted at Azure Dwarf on December 6th. The Contest runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 10 and shipping has been restricted to the U.S. or Canada.

Endurance by Jay Lake

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of those butt kicking female protagonist stories I enjoy so much. Green is a god ridden sell sword seemingly bent on self destruction.

This book stood alone quite well. I do want to read Green now though, the precursor to this book. This was an excellent action adventure fantasy with a terrific understory. Green is hell bent on stopping child slavery and the abuse of women.

She finds her self immersed in god activities and her complete distain for any kind of humble attitude is fun to read. Kicking butt and taking names is her normal game plan. The characters were very colorful and varied. The scene set by Copper Downs was extremely well crafted. You could almost smell the sewers and the cinnamon.

I have not read a Jay Lake book before but I will be now.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of Jay Lake

Web Site: http://www.jlake.com/2010/08/14/writing-endurance-is-a-wrap/

Black Sun's Daughter Contest Winner

2011-11-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to
Mary of East Stroudsburg, PA

Is the Winner of the full set of this
FANTASTIC URBAN FANTASY &

AMAZING FEMALE PROTAGONIST.

M.L.N. Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughter Series GIVEAWAY!

Her first three books with her 4^th book Killing Rites that debuts November 29^th. The Winner gets Vicious Grace, Unclean Spirits, Darker Angels and Killing Rites the week of it’s debut.

Thank you to all of you who participated! Check in next week for my next giveaway.(Hint it is a fantasy this time.) Thanks to random.org for use of their random number generator.

The Paranormal Turkey Tour

2011-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, Thanksgiving. Nothing says the holidays like sitting around a fully decked out dining room table with mouthwatering temptations waiting to be gobbled up. Everyone waits anxiously for the big reveal… the turkey!

Lovingly prepared since early that morning, the turkey is brought out in a covered, silver serving platter. Aunt Edith smacks little Tommy's hand as he attempts to steal a candied yam dripping with marshmallow. The collective breath is held as the silver cover is removed… revealing… a zombie turkey!

What—what? That's right folks, this year, we are celebrating this American holiday paranormal style. And what says paranormal holiday better than a walking, talking zombie turkey?

This zombie turkey brings you important tidings of great prizes that shall be for all people… who participate and win of course.

November 25-27 you could win up to $200 in prizes!

Three days. Four YA paranormal books. Five chances to win!

And who are these crazy paranormal authors? Check them out. It's like the Nightmare Before Christmas, Thanksgiving style!

Emlyn Chand, author of Farsighted

"Psychic or not, you'll never see the end for this one coming! Emlyn Chand is pioneering 'the next big thing' for YA." ~ Emily Reese, author of Second Death

Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider.

Monster Mash: Emlyn says… I. AM. WEREWOLF! And why's that you ask? First off, my name (Chand) literally means moon in Sanskrit. Next, werewolves are super cool--we can blend in with common folk, and then out of nowhere, kapow! I'm a werewolf, and I sure am hungry. Lastly, Team Jacob 100%. Now excuse me while I cock back my head and howl at my namesake.

Patti Larsen, author of Family Magic

"Patti Larsen is truly gifted because I read Family Magic cover to cover and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment!" ~ from Goodreads review

Sixteen-year-old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord, but she just wants to be ordinary. When her coven comes under attack, Syd must face the fact only her power can save her family's magic.

Monster Mash: Patti says… I am a witch. Naturally. I weave spells with my words, cast incantations from my keyboard, mix up the very best potions in my cauldron of documents. You want to stay on my good side. Trust me. Unless you enjoy waking up as something... unnatural.

Kimberly Kinrade, author of Forbidden Mind

"Forbidden Mind is a thrilling, dark and deeply romantic read that had me sitting on the edge of my seat and eagerly awaiting the next installment." ~Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews

Paranormal teens with unimaginable powers. An evil organization with deep secrets. When Sam, a girl who reads minds, meets a boy who controls minds, she discovers her future isn't what she thought. Together they must escape and free the others… or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love.

Monster Mash: Kimberly says… I may look like a demon, but I'm actually a succubus. Enchanting and seductive, I weave stories that will fuel your passions and make you fall in love. But be warned… once you fall under the spell of my words, your world will never be the same.

John Corwin, author of The Next Thing I Knew

Corwin does a phenomenal job of including humor throughout this novel. This book was like . . . Ghost (the movie) meets The Host (by Stephanie Meyer) meets MIB (Men In Black the movie). ~Maryann, Chapter by Chapter

The afterlife is the last thing on Lucy’s mind until she and every other human on the planet drop dead and find themselves in the hereafter. Lucy drags her social life back from the grave and enlists her friends to figure out the rules of the afterlife and, more importantly, to discover who or what killed everyone and why anyone would do such a mean thing.

Monster Mash: John says… I am a ninja. After all, vampires are simply ninjas with fangs. They can hide in plain sight, right in your living room. Jump out and scare the wits out of you. Drop a smoke bomb and poof! All you’re left with is stinky smoke in your house and soiled underclothes.

The Prizes

Four $25 Book Entries: For each of the four books in the contest, you can enter to win $25 (up to $100 in giveaways!) Simply buy a copy of the book (each is priced at just 99 cents for this special promotion) and email the proof of purchase for that book OR submit the first sentence of the fifth chapter for that book to ParanormalTurkey@gmail.com. Winners will be chosen randomly. Each person can submit one entry per book. Here are the links for each book:

Farsighted by Emlyn Chand : http://ow.ly/7tqhx

Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade: http://amzn.to/rKraMo

The Next Thing I Knew by John Corwin: http://amzn.to/tSlj8A

Family Magic by Patti Larsen : http://goo.gl/r2Bsm

And... if you buy all FOUR books, you are entered to win the Grand Prize!

The Grand Prize

One randomly selected reader who enters to win all four book prizes (Family Magic, Farsighted, Forbidden Mind and The Next Thing I Knew) will win the grand prize of $100.

So go on now and pick up a copy of these fantastic paranormal reads before the zombie turkey eats you!

What? Still around? Then enjoy these fun book trailers and Paranormal Turkey Tour trailer. (Then go buy the books.) Also, leave a comment and help your favorite blog host win a $50 prize!

Notes:

All winners will be chosen randomly using random.org.

Amazon links are provided, but books purchased through any online vendor will qualify with proof of purchase.

Best Looking Blog Site October

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Along with my Cool Headers, I've added Dearhearts.com as one of the best looking blogs I have ever seen. I found this one in October 2011.

Fantasy Classics: Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun--A Guest Post

2011-11-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

If you’re an avid reader of fantasy books with nothing new read, I highly recommend reading Gene Wolfe’s masterpiece tetralogy, The Book of the New Sun. Published from 1980 to 1983, Gene Wolfe the books chronicle the life of Severian, beginning with his youth raised by a guild of torturers in a post-apocalyptic depiction of a world called “Urth.” In four relatively short volumes (each about 200 pages), Gene Wolfe manages to unveil a rich story filled a dizzingly diverse cast of characters; aliens disguised as humans, giant sea creatures, cyborgs, and otherworldly animals among others populate the books. Even for the experienced fantasy reader, this series will offer new dimensions to the genre that will leave you begging for more.

Dense and complexly written, but an ultimately satisfying read

The four books in the series (Shadow of the Torturer, Claw of the Conciliator, Sword of the Lictor, and Citadel of the Autarch) are written in a first-person narrative style from the trained torturer Severian’s point of view. Severian recalls the events of the books from a point in the distant future, prefacing his tale with the claim that he has a perfect memory and can thus recall events from years ago without difficulty. Throughout the books he ruminates on past events with a linguistic complexity that may initially turn off readers, but give it time; The Book of the New Sun gradually yields deeply rewarding insight as the story progresses.

What to expect

The Book of the New Sun challenges the reader to stop and consider every aspect of its far-reaching and ambitious story. The books differ from many fantasy series in that the action is slow building and subtle; there are few instances of epic face paced battles or dramatic showdowns between rival characters. But the story’s restraint is perhaps its biggest asset. Pieces of the story are woven together with such slow and steady intricacy, and when disparate storylines finally emerge and clash the effect is nothing short of breathtaking.

There are other narrative styles at play in the series in addition to Severian’s first-hand recounting of his story. There are stories within stories such as entire chapters dedicated to a character telling a tale from their perspective or, in the case of one chapter, the rehearsing of a play between characters. Seemingly insignificant characters appear and disappear only to remerge much later suddenly to contribute a stunningly profound dimension to the story.

Gene Wolfe as a master of the genre

Gene Wolfe is well known in the fantasy world for crafting masterful stories at since he began publishing his work decades ago. His works have received rewards and accolades from fantasy and literary institutions the world over. The Book of the New Sun alone won a World Fantasy Award, a Nebula reward, and multiple Locus Awards. If you’re more interested in fantasy short fiction, check out one of Gene Wolfe’s many short story collections.

In short, Gene Wolfe is a treasure to the fantasy community— I encourage any reader with a slight interest in the genre to delve into his work. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with what you discover.

Contract for attached picture: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

This is a guest post, I look at the links before I post them to insure they aren't offensive.(my subjective decision).

Angelkiller by H. David Blalock

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Seventh Star Press Proudly Announces New Four Book Urban Fantasy Series From Michael West

2011-11-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce Legacy of the Gods, an exciting new urban fantasy series from Michael West that begins with Poseidon's Children. Four titles are scheduled in the series. The award-winning horror author's foray into urban fantasy is his second series with Seventh Star Press, joining his Harmony Indiana novels in a schedule that will see two books a year released from the prolific author.
Poseidon's Children has already received high praise from Maurice Broaddus, whose series, The Knights of Breton Court, has been making big waves in the urban fantasy world. As Maurice commented, “Poseidon’s Children is some of Michael West’s best writing and storytelling!”

As with all Seventh Star Press novels, the books will feature interior artwork, with covers and illustrations being done by acclaimed fantasy/horror artist Matthew Perry. His artwork appears in other Seventh Star Press releases from Jackie Gamber, H.David Blalock, Stephen Shrewsbury, and Stephen Zimmer.

"This has been an epic story that I have been passionate about for a long time, an idea that would not let go of my brain, it just kept growing, and growing, demanding that I start writing it all down,” Michael said in regards to the upcoming series. “I've talked about wanting to do this series for years, and my faithful readers kept asking me, 'When are you going to do that? When is it coming out?' Well, I'm happy to say that the answer is now, and I am so pleased that Seventh Star Press has given me the opportunity to finally make this dark, horrific, fantastical dream a reality."

In Poseidon's Children, man no longer worships the old gods; forgotten and forsaken, they have become nothing more than myth and legend. But all that is about to change. After the ruins of a vast, ancient civilization are discovered on the ocean floor, Coast Guard officers find a series of derelict ships drifting in the current--high-priced yachts and leaking fishing boats, all ransacked, splattered in blood, their crews missing and presumed dead.

And that's just the beginning.

Vacationing artist Larry Neuhaus has just witnessed a gruesome shark attack, a young couple torn apart right before his eyes ... at least, he thinks it was a shark. And when one of these victims turns out to be the only son of Roger Hays, the most powerful man in the country, things go from bad to worse. Now, to stop the carnage,Larry and his new-found friends must work together to unravel a mystery as old as time, and face an enemy as dark as the ocean depths.

Michael West is a fast rising force in the speculative fiction world. His work includes novels such as The Wide Game (Graveside Tales), Cinema of Shadows (Seventh Star Press) and a single author collection, Skull Full of Kisses (Graveside Tales). He also has an array of short fiction published, spanning many magazines and anthologies, including appearances in Shroud Magazine, and the Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest.

Amanda DeBord will be handling editing duties on Poseidon's Children and the other three Legacy of the Gods titles.

"Seventh Star Press is simply amazing to work with,” Michael commented. “They know good fiction, put out hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions of the highest quality, and they support their authors and releases more than any other publisher in the business. I could not be happier to be working with them on my Harmony, Indiana books and now the Legacy series."

The projected release date window for Poseidon's Children is March of 2012, with versions released in limited hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats, such Kindle, iPad, the Nook, and Sony/Sony compatible eBook reading devices. The second novel is slated for spring of 2013, with other titles to follow on an annual basis.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's site, www.bymichaelwest.com

The Paranormal Turkey Tour--Coming November 25th

2011-11-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

Ashes of a Black Frost by Chris Evans

2011-11-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

One of the things I like about Chris Evans is his wonderful titles. This title is evocative of many things and ties so tightly to the story line that it is astoundingly descriptive. This is the culmination of a terrific trilogy. (I just love alliteration.) I highly recommend that you read both The Light of Burning Shadows and Darkness Formed in Fire before reading this final running battle. The Iron Elves are resurrected in several ways in the ultimate confrontation with the Shadow Monarch.

There is more to these books than just entertainment. The evolution of personality and the maturation of goals are just a few of the delightful nuggets of philosophy strewn through out the book and the series.

As I said in one of my previous reviews, the Iron Elves are once more the sharp point of the human empires bayonet. I don’t think there is a single character that isn’t transformed in some way by the intricate plot of this book. There are surprises a’plenty awaiting you! Evans does magical and marvelous characterizations though out the book. Ymit, Major Swift Dragon, Jir and Visyna are just a few of the extraordinary colorful and passionate players in this behemoth battle of wills and nature. In some ways it is just a very exciting rendition of the often confusing and confounding identification of the difference of good, evil and the vast gray area in between.

I enjoyed the book, loved the trilogy and highly recommend all three of the books!

Body of work of Chris Evans</a>

Web site: http://chrisevansauthor.com/

The Shattered Vine by Laura Anne Gilman

2011-11-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Jerzy, the apprentice Vineart, accepts the changes the magic has made in him and realizes the needs his friends have met.

The rogue Vineart makes his move to control the known world. His despicable brand of magic has successfully created chaos in his major foes. Jerzy and his small band are the only obstacle in his insidious way.

Strange bedfellows perhaps best describe this third book in a marvelous trilogy. Ms. Gilman has portrayed a very stratified society where everyone knows their place and contentedly remains in that place. This final book shows that no matter how it turns out, society’s stratification and stagnation is going to end.

Jerzy struggles with his growing power and fights the lure of maniacal magic. In spite of the way things have always been, he also has the dawning awareness that companions and their accompanying loyalty not only improve his chances for success but alleviate his loneliness.

The series wraps up in a very satisfying manner with the loose ends tied off and the main characters reunited. I was more than impressed with how Ms. Gilman grew the character of Jerzy and how she so thoroughly crafted a way of life centered around vineyards, grapes and magic. I have, on occasion, found a magical Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio none of which have imbued me with a more than temporary euphoria. They certainly didn’t fuel the imaginative creativity of a society based on the grape.

I strongly recommend the book and I highly recommend the entire series!

My review of Flesh & Fire.

My review of The Weight of Stone look down two posts.

Body of work of Laura Anne Gilman

Web Site: http://www.lauraannegilman.net/

Veterans Day! Thank You!

2011-11-11T06:32:00.000-08:00

M.L.N. Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughter Series GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

FANTASTIC URBAN FANTASY

AMAZING FEMALE PROTAGONIST

M.L.N. Hanover’s Black Sun’s Daughter Series GIVEAWAY!

Her first three books with her 4^th book Killing Rites that debuts November 29^th. The Winner will get Vicious grace, Unclean Spirits, Darker Angels and Killing Rites the week of it’s debut.

I will be giving away one full set of four books on BLACK FRIDAY, the perfect day for something free!

This is a terrific Urban Fantasy that is a must read.

You have the opportunity to read it the entire series in order for FREE!

This is a very simple giveaway.

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This is the fourth installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to

Anne of Ontario who has won a copy of Lory Kaufman's World of History Camp's The Lens and the Looker! See the simple entry at the bottom of this post.

This is the fourth installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.
The Lens and the Looker and The Bronze and the Brimstone. In addition I have interviewed Lory. I enjoyed his books and I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he is making history palatable to young people. Lory and I have emailed back and forth and he has been kind enough to allow me to “plumb the depths” of how he created his World of History Camp. Please note that I have no financial relationship with Lory, nor do I reap any benefits from posting his back story. I am making these posts because as a reader and an author I find the novel building process interesting and informative and I hope you will too. Plus you have the opportunity to garner a FREE book. (more on that later)

The World of History Camp Population Is Fictional?

Think about this, the posts about The World of History Camp are explaining a fictional world and society, by definition it is made up!

“Alright already, Lory,” you’re saying. “Get to the part where you tell us why you had your committee of elders pick 300 million as the number of people that should be on the planet.” Okay, here’s how I came to that very specific number . . .

I made it up.

No, no, no! Don’t go away! Don’t click the website shut! Please?

Okay, thanks for staying with me. Let me explain.

The 300 million figure in some ways seems high, in relation to humans historical numbers on the planet (the one million figure for 100,000 years before agriculture), and low compared to human, historical memories, (seven billion in only 10,000 years, and growing) but suffice it to say, the fictitious 22nd-century elders factored in that if humans could use technology to keep humans quality of life style high, but also have as the criteria for technology that it must be designed to make a small footprint on the Earth’s ecology, then a much higher number of humans could survive. The reality is, the number could be five hundred million or it could be two million. After all, this is just a fiction. But, hey, I’d love to hear from people what they think our human numbers should be – – and why.

This is a short post but it was the most logical spot for a break. Feel free to make comments, I am sure Lory is following these posts and he is serious about soliciting opinions.

Remember there will be a giveaway for each and every post. That’s a FREE book for each section of Lory Kaufman’s back story. Did I mention it is a FREE book?
How do you qualify for a FREE book?
Fine Print

Simply read the post and fill out the form below. Each entry will be assigned a number and those numbers will be input into a random number generator to choose the winner. I will email the winner. The winner’s address will be sent to Lory Kaufman who will be sending out the autographed books. If you have a specific name or nickname you wish the autograph to mention, please submit it with the form. Each winner will be announced at the posting of the next segment of Lory Kaufman’s back story. No purchases necessary and your email address will not be given to anyone else.
The next post will be December 9th when the winner of this month’s book will be announced. As an additional incentive for those of you who are actually reading the entire post, if you comment on any of my blog posts throughout the month I will input an additional entry to the contest.

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Weight of Stone by Laura Anne Gilman

2011-11-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

Jerzy, the apprentice vineart is back with friends combating the mysterious attacks on the Vin lands.

The Vin Lands are plagued by a mystery. Unknown magic stalks the land hidden in chance occurrences. Vineart Malech takes an apprentice, Jerzy, who shows surprising adeptness. The book changes focuses on how Vineart Malech and his apprentice Jerzy approach the strange occurrences in their land to focusing on Jerzy and his three unlikely friends. Jerzy’s experience as a slave makes it difficult for him to accept the concept of a friend, let alone the reality.

A Vineart, a Princeling, a merchant and a want to be warrior are an unlikely group to oppose the disasters stalking their lives. The Washers, who are suppose to provide balance to the world see Jerzy and his friends as a threat.

The book has an intricate plot, likeable characters, a despicable villain and a wealth of character actors to fill out the plot. I really love this series and am currently reading the final book of the trilogy.

I strongly recommend the book and being half way through the final book of the trilogy, I highly recommend the entire series!

Body of work of Laura Anne Gilman

Web Site: http://www.lauraannegilman.net/

Chris Evans Video On the Iron Elves

2011-11-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Eyes to See by Joseph Nassise

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Urban fantasy at it’s best, this book will make you pause the next time you hear a bump in the night.

Nassise has created a bold new protagonist in Jeremiah Hunt. Hunt is on an emotional quest which forces him to interact with Whisper and Scream. Whisper and Scream are ghosts. In addition his crusty emotional shell is attacked by Denise a witch.

Hunt’s quest is impacted by that actions of a supernatural serial killer and a time capsule of occult nature. The action is outstanding as are the characterizations. You can feel Jeremiah’s pain and frustration, Nassise does that good of a job.

I hesitate to mention Jim Butcher because the premise is just vaguely similar but the addictive quality of the story is far more so. I am pleased to see that this book is quantified as number one in a series. I, for one, am a new committed fan and will hopefully be reading and reviewing more of this prolific urban fantasy author’s work.

I really enjoyed this book.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Joseph Nassise

Web site: http://josephnassise.com//

D.A. Adam's The Fall of Dorkhun, Book Three of the Brotherhood of Dwarves Series

2011-11-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Seventh Star Press proudly announces The Fall of Dorkhun, Book Three of the Brotherhood of Dwarves series by D.A. Adams.

The Fall of Dorkhun is now available for pre-order in both limited edition hardcover and softcover versions, both of which include special packages of collectibles. The limited edition hardcover run of 75 signed and numbered copies marks the newest addition to a growing line of affordable, high quality hardcover editions published by Seventh Star Press. The limited edition hardcover features an exclusive illustration commission not found in any other version, as well as a special signature page and unique ISBN number.

The Fall of Dorkhun also marks the debut of Seventh Star Press' newest artist, Bonnie Wasson. Bonnie created the cover art and illustrations for The Fall of Dorkhun, as well as for the forthcoming reissues of book one and book two in the series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, and Red Skies at Dawn. She joins Matthew Perry in producing some of the finest quality presentations in the small press world, creating an exciting and fast-growing collection of speculative fiction artwork in the process.

Once again I am happy to post a press release from Seventh Star Press due to their strong support of the independent blogger.

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

All Treat and No Tricks


Click for More Treats

Click on this link to read about Lory Kaufman’s wonderful YA World of History Camp series. Fill out the simple form and hope your get the treat of a free copy of the first book of his series (obviously the best place to start)

The Lens And The Looker!

Blog Adventure has many more treats available, Click to see!

Happy Halloween!! May all your tricks be treats!

An Interview with The Darkness author, Crystal Connor

2011-10-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

1.) Why did you write this book? What initiated this particular burst of creativity?

I'm not sure I would call it a burst, its more like a slow steady burn. The Darkness started out as a short story that I kept going back to until eventfully it grew up to be not only a whole book, but the 1st book in a trilogy.

2.) Do you have a favorite character in the book and if so why?

Wow, no one has asked me that question and its a good one! I really like all the characters in the book even the extra's.

The only time that I ever had an issue with a character I've created was with a shorty story featured in the anthology called Strange Tales of Horror put out by NorGus Press called The Monster. The lead in that story really made me angry because she did all the wrong things and it cost her in the end.

3.) What do you like the most about writing?

I write fiction so for the most part I just get to make stuff up so I just have a blast in creating insane situations, strong power women and mega villains. I always cheer for the bad guy so creating villains of my own is pretty awesome!

4.)Where do your new story ideas come from?

Everywhere. It could be just a part of a overheard conversation, or something I read in a book or the things that are said to me. The more I write the more inspiration I get.

5.) What advice has helped the most in your writing?

That's an awesome question because so many people have so much to say and not all of it is nice, I think the best advice I've got was to 'just write' because there is no right or wrong way to tell a story

6.) This seems to be your first book, do you have something new in the works/is this the first book of a series?

Yes, The Darkness is book one in the Spectrum Trilogy, book 2 is in the reworking phase now and should be on the market in Dec, and I am currently working on two short stories that will go in my anthology "...And They All Lived Happily Ever After."

9.) Who is your favorite author and why?

No Answer

8.) What advice would you give for the want to be writer?

My advice would be you need to learn the difference between constructive criticism and when someone is just being mean, and to know when the constructive criticism is not useful to your story. You're not going to be able to please everyone and you shouldn't even try. Just have fun and write a really good story.

Thank you for the interview!

Fezariu’s Epiphany by David M. Brown

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a tale of sadness, sacrifice and misunderstanding.

Fezariu bases his life on incorrect assumptions. His misery and withdrawn behavior may be a metaphor for life’s misunderstandings. I found myself wanting to point in the direction of his redemption. He and his 3 Merelax Mercenaries’ companions discover truths about themselves as the fulfill the duties and obligations thrust upon them.

The settings of a declining metropolis, a prominent brothel, demoralizing battlefields and a loving warm bakery are crafted and described well. The only complaint I had with the book was the letters that Fezariu sent to Alycea taxed my 20/20 corrected vision to the limits. I found the font size and the script made the letters very difficult to read.

Jessamine is the saddest character in the book and her self sacrificing behavior is as misguided as it is laudable. You can almost smell the filth and corruption that permeates Clarendon, a true cesspool of a city. This is a story of how a boy grows into being a man and accepting his faults and redeeming his failures.

I recommend it.

Body of work of David M. Brown

Web site: http://elenchera.com/fezariusepiphany.html

Angelkiller by H. David Blalock

2011-10-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

Angelkiller introduces Jonah Mason, the oldest, and most experienced of the Angelkillers, an elite force in the Army of Light. They are fighting an ancient war, one in which the Darkness achieved a great triumph long ago that has had profound influence on the fabric of life as we know it. It is the simple answer as to why bad things happen to good people. The great battle may have been lost, but the war continues in a modern age, pitting Jonah against the Enemy in a way even he had never faced. A provocative mixture of the supernatural and technological, Angelkiller is a very special, thought-provoking tale, one that shines forth in the upper realms of urban fantasy literature.

Based out of the Memphis area, H. David Blalock has an impressive writing career of 35 years and counting that has achieved numerous publishing credits in print and online mediums. He is most known for his fantasy novel Ascendant (Sam's Dot Publishing), which was the basis for a twenty minute short film produced in 2010 that featured former WWE wrestler Al Snow. The sequel to Ascendant, Emperor (Sam's Dot Publishing), was released in March of 2011. David is also the founder of Imagicopter, an author-driven organization that creates an array of event opportunities for small press authors and artists, while also publishing the highly-regarded Imagyro magazine.

The limited edition hardcover and special softcover collectors packages include an assortment of collectible extras, such as a 14X20 art poster, bookmarks, a set of glossy art cards, an Angelkiller magnet, and a pair of Angelkiller buttons. They are scheduled to be shipped the first week of December, when the trade paperback will be made available everywhere, along with several eBook formats, including the Kindle, iPad, Nook, and Sony eReaders and other electronic reading devices.

Angelkiller was edited by Amanda DeBord. Book 2, Traitor Angel, and Book 3, Doom Angel, will be released over the course of 2012 and early 2013.

Those wanting to reserve one of the 75 limited edition hardcovers, or pre-order a softcover collectors package, should visit Seventh Star Press' online store at http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/books.html

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's site at www.thrankeep.com

Winner of Laura Anne Gilman’s The Shattered Vine

2011-10-25T07:09:00.000-07:00

Good Morning All,

Jennifer of Washington you have won this week’s copy of Laura Anne Gilman’s The Shattered Vine.

You will be getting your book directly from the publisher.

The rest of you thank you for entering.

Keep reading my blog, there will be more giveaways and hopefully interesting reviews.

Thank you for reading and Congratulations Jennifer!

Resonance by A.J. Scudiere

2011-10-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is a book that delves into the medical and social issues surrounding the reverse of the earth’s magnetic polarity.

This could be described as a medical mystery or science fiction. It incorporates facets of both genres. The two main characters, Jordon and Jillian are mismatched lovers in the making. Lots of sexual tension surrounds their relationship while both remain oblivious to the obvious.   They are CDC doctors tasked with discovering why some very strange deaths are occurring.

Their interaction with a self centered geologist, a biologist and some wranglers provide a wide variety of character interaction.   This was an intriguing mystery which did become a tad confusing in some places. I suspect if you like Robin Cook or Michael Crichton, you will like this book.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of A.J. Scudiere

Web Site: http://www.ajscudiere.com/

Winner of Chris Evan's Iron Elves Trilogy is Katrina from Virginia

2011-10-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

Katrina from VA!
Congratulations

This is a super GiveAway of Chris Evan’s Iron Elves Trilogy

One paperback of book 1, A Darkness Forged in Fire,

One paperback of book 2, The Light of Burning Shadows.

One hardback of book 3, Ashes of a Black Frost

October 17th to October 23, 2011

Go here to read my reviews:

Book 1, A Darkness Forged in Fire

Book 2, The Light of Burning Shadows

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Evans is the author of Ashes of a Black Frost, A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows in the Iron Elves series. He is a historian as well as an editor of military history and current affairs, including the highly successful Stackpole Military History series. Born in Canada, he now lives in New York City. He welcomes visitors to his website at www.ironelves.com.

The Darkness by Crystal Connor

2011-10-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

A science experiment interacts with the occult with bizarre consequences.

Adam is the child turned young man upon which this story revolves. Adam’s welfare and abilities challenge both science and witchcraft represented by his conflicted mothers.

Amoral behavior is characteristic of practically all the participants in this adventure. Any altruistic actions seems to morph into self serving indulgence. I found no likeable characters in the book. Intriguing, mystifying, overblown, satanic and selfish behavior is in abundance but likeable not so much. The book has an interesting and challenging premise with a satisfyingly intricate plot.

I was not overly thrilled with the cover and I think a more captivating cover would increase interest in the book. Twilight Zone fans will love this book.

I recommend it.

Body of work of Crystal Connor

Web site: none found

Hammer of Thor by S. Evan Townsend

2011-10-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

This book is an interesting alternative history of 1930’s to 1950’s leaved with magic users.

Joe Kader, not his real name as real names are prone to misuse, is an adept. He has control over various powers and those powers are enhanced by talismans. He is arrogant and thoughtless about lesser, those who have no magical abilities. Adepts seem to be above mundane law and among themselves might makes right. I enjoyed the way Townsend developed the character of Kader. He showed a progression in the character that was enjoyable to read.

The book covers a lot of ground and every bit is enjoyable. The characters are interesting and don’t smack of comic book origins. The mix of magic and technology was well done. The potential for a Jim Butcher type series is obvious.

A little more polish and I think Townsend will be a major force in this type of book.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of S. Evan Townsend

Web Site: http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com/sevantownsend.htm

Iron Elves Trilogy GiveAway To Celebrate Ashes Of a Black Frost Publication

2011-10-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

This is a super GiveAway of Chris Evan’s Iron Elves Trilogy

One paperback of book 1, A Darkness Forged in Fire,

One paperback of book 2, The Light of Burning Shadows.

One hardback of book 3, Ashes of a Black Frost

October 17th to October 23, 2011

Go here to read my reviews:

Book 1, A Darkness Forged in Fire

Book 2, The Light of Burning Shadows

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Enter here and gain more entries by reading each review and entering on the form on the review post.

Day By Day Armageddon Origin to Exile

2011-10-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

First I love omnibuses. Not the big red ones in London, the book type compilation of a series or combination of some stand alones. I like them because the save me money and I love them because they often include an entire series and I am one of those freaks of nature that hate starting a series until I own the whole thing.

This is an omnibus containing the original book, Day by Day Armageddon and the follow up, Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile.

These are Zombie genre books. They are presented as hand written entries in a journal of a survivor. The links go to my original reviews.

This book contains a short but again disturbing Zombie tale of twin survivors.

Look for the omnibus it will save you money and perhaps hook you on the Zombie genre.

Winner of Laura Anne Gilman’s Weight of Stone

2011-10-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Good Morning All,

Jacque of Illinois you have won this week’s copy of Laura Anne Gilman’s Weight of Stone.

You will be getting your book directly from the publisher.

The rest of you getting this email, thank you for entering. You are automatically entered into the contest for the third and final book if you have not won yet.

Keep reading my blog, there will be more giveaways and hopefully interesting reviews.

Thank you for reading and Congratulations Jacque!

Guardians in magic by Richard Blunt

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is obviously a first book in the series for young adults. Lucas Trent is a young man with a circle of friends. He and those friends discover they have magical abilities and with those abilities, serious responsibilities.

I like the character development that was done on the book. You get a good feel for who the people are and what their wants and desires are. The exhibit a lot naivety but that is certainly age-appropriate. The mysterious Angel gives an aura of illusion. The plot is not earthshaking but it does establish a good foundation for future stories.

Lucas is likable as the main protagonist and he exhibits what I would consider normal teenage behavior. Equally the team's willingness to tackle tasks that perhaps they shouldn't also is indicative of what I would consider normal teenage behavior. Overall while the book is not stellar is definitely worth reading and I do recommend. I also look forward to the sequel.

Body of work: Richard Blunt

website: http://www.lucastrent.com/

BTW: This is the first review I've done using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. So far so good but it was probably slower than typing it. I have much work to do on learning this new software package. Rest assured I will be doing a review of it for all of the rest of you blossoming authors out there.

cut

Guardians in magic by Richard Blunt

Body of work: Richard Blunt

website: http://www.lucastrent.com/

The Wizard and The Floating City by Christopher Rowley

2011-10-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

This book is set in the same world as Bazil Broketail. Bazil Broketail is the famous fighting dragon featured in an entire rollicking series. This book features a disposed Prince and his reluctant lover’s battle against despicable evil.

First I really enjoyed Christopher Rowley’s Bazil series. I did not think met the bar he established with that work. The book was entertaining but it wasn’t nearly as captivating as Bazil. Prince Evander and Princess Serena were not loveable characters, likeable but not loveable. The realm was richly populated with all manner of interesting peoples and critters. There was reference to Bazil and his ilk.

The evil protagonists were thoroughly evil with strange chinks in their power. There was a good segue into intolerance and acceptance of change in the Neild and Eleem relationship. The carpet’s personality was puzzling. Overall it was a quick and amusing read but do not look at it as a primo example of Rowley’s work. If you enjoy this book a little, you should really enjoy the Bazil Broketail series.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Christopher Rowley

Web site: http://www.christopherrowley.net/

Congratulation to Cameron of Pine Valley CA on Winning Flesh & Fire Book #1 In the Vineart War

2011-10-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cameron of Pine Valley CA

To the rest of you who were so kind to enter, I’m sorry you did not win a copy of the book this time.

My form puts your name into a spreadsheet. I take the number of your spreadsheet line and input all the numbers in a random number generator and it picks one number.

I do not delete your name so you will have 4 more chances to win.

If you come back and fill out the form again, it will give you another chance.

Thank you for reading my blog and check back often I have two other giveaways in October. The Lens and the Looker on Dwarf and Nettie Parker’s Backyard on Pick of the Literate.

Thank you again for reading and if you are into kids books, please check out my books at my website and Amazon, they have gotten good reviews.

Have a wonderful week!

Bill

Winner of the 2nd GiveAway of Lory Kaufman's The Lens and the Looker is Carol from South Africa

2011-10-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Carol of South Africa

To the rest of you who were so kind to enter, I’m sorry you did not win a copy of the book this time.

My form puts your name into a spreadsheet. I take the number of your spreadsheet line and input all the numbers in a random number generator and it picks one number.

I do not delete your name so you will have 4 more chances to win.

If you come back and fill out the form again, it will give you another chance.

Thank you for reading my blog and check back often I have two other giveaways in October. The Vineart War on Dwarf and Nettie Parker’s Backyard on Pick of the Literate.

Thank you again for reading and if you are into kids books, please check out my books at my website and Amazon, they have gotten good reviews.

Have a wonderful week!

Bill

This is the third installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.

2011-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is the third installment of Lory Kaufman’s World of History Camp Back Story.
The Lens and the Looker and The Bronze and the Brimstone. In addition I have interviewed Lory. I enjoyed his books and I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he is making history palatable to young people. Lory and I have emailed back and forth and he has been kind enough to allow me to “plumb the depths” of how he created his World of History Camp. Please note that I have no financial relationship with Lory, nor do I reap any benefits from posting his back story. I am making these posts because as a reader and an author I find the novel building process interesting and informative and I hope you will too. Plus you have the opportunity to garner a FREE book. (more on that later)

Population Explained: 300,000,000 is a huge number but is it?

So, why 300,000,000 was chosen as a sustainable population:

As I started to mention earlier, in my back story, I envisioned a planetary council of elders determining a target number of humans that could be sustained by the ecosystem of the planet for an indefinite amount of millennium. I had them choose 300,000,000. I saw this happened in the last years of the 21st-century and they choose as a target deadline for reaching it, the early 24th-century. They impose a one child per couple law, among other things.

The impetus for the drastic lowering were the many cataclysmic events in the latter half of the 21st-century; the rising of the oceans, droughts that starved millions, bacterial infections that wiped out billions and wars that cause Diasporas of whole populations. Refugees, like a diseased horde of locusts, limped from continent to continent, consuming, killing and dying. Wow, this short description outlines scores of great dystopian books that have been written since the middle of the twentieth-century, after the first atomic bombs were dropped and it was realized by many visionary writers that, finally, humans really did have the ability to really destroy the planet. Dystopian literature was born!

However, at the end of my imaginary 21st-century, (and with me being an eternal optimist) I have humans starting to rebuild the world successfully. And luckily, this time, humans have retained enough knowledge and wisdom to not repeat the mistakes of the past; not to burn our library of Alexandria, fall into religious fundamentalism or create a fascist state. Finally, in the scenario of the History Camp world, humans rise from the ashes more or less, as one group. Why that was able to happen is described under several of the headings that follow, but let me mention a few of the fundamental truths that became burned into the brains of all humans.

It was recognized that for humans to survive, we must allow other species to survive. It became a common currency of thought that there is a complex underpinning to nature, a balanced, complex web of life, where we support and sustain each other. For these millions of other species to survive, we must share planetary resources. To share planetary resources, our numbers must be lower.
The concept was accepted that humankind had outstripped its biology, that is, nature could no longer keep human’s numbers in check. For millions of years, before agriculture and medicine, a certain reproduction rate was needed to keep a stable population of the estimated 1,000,000 homo sapiens on the planet. After the invention of agriculture, and because of our unique human unique brain, infant mortality rate steadily decreased and the average human lifespan increased. The inevitable outcome, population growth. With this in mind, it was decided in the late 21st-century, that, since nature could no longer control population size, it was our responsibility to do it ourselves.
Besides agriculture and medicine, it was recognized that every invention humans created allowed its population to grow. Another accepted concept about inventions was that, during history, societal systems were always being tweaked to allow fewer and fewer people to control larger masses of industry and population. Some logical, future thinker then determined the following; the whole of human society must turn this reality on its head. Human kind must also burn into the front of its consciousness that the purpose of inventions must be to allow populations to remain small while helping to keep the individual’s quality of life high. This would not only allow the demands our biological selves made on the planet to remain small, but also allow us to expand the ability to express ourselves creatively or to just live our lives in peace.

None of these ideas are expressed explicitly in the narrative of my story. After all, this is supposed to be an exciting action story. However, all these machinations is what a writer has to do when world building a credible future society.

Now we have an idea of what defined the population of The World of History Camp but what defined that specific number of 300,000,000? Read next month's installment to find out.

Don't forget there will be a giveaway for each and every post. That’s a FREE book for each section of Lory Kaufman’s back story.   Did I mention it is a FREE book?
How do you qualify for a FREE book?
Fine Print

Simply read the post and fill out the form below. Each entry will be assigned a number and those numbers will be input into a random number generator to choose the winner. I will email the winner. The winner’s address will be sent to Lory Kaufman who will be sending out the autographed books.   If you have a specific name or nickname you wish the autograph to mention, please submit it with the form.   Each winner will be announced at the posting of the next segment of Lory Kaufman’s back story.   No purchases necessary and your email address will not be given to anyone else.
The next post will be November 9th when the winner of this month's book will be announced. .   As an additional incentive for those of you who are actually reading the entire post, if you comment on any of my blog posts throughout the month I will input an additional entry to the contest, please note in your comment your desire for the book.

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Spectres by Nate Kenyon

2011-10-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

A titanic clash of psionic powers as Ghost meet Spectres in this action packed story based on the StarCraft science-fiction real-time strategy game.

Nova Terra is a complex character who is beginning to question her allegiance to an empire of questionable value. Her own personal standards of loyalty conflict with her emotional turmoil and intellectual prowess. Combine this personal angst with enough action to satisfy the most demanding reader and you have a book that is sure to be a success.

This book is not just for StarCraft fans. I did play StarCraft and perhaps that impacted my perception of the book but I feel you can read and enjoy this book as a stand alone. You need not to have played or even heard of StarCraft to enjoy the book.

I recommend it.

Body of work of Nate Kenyon

Web Site: http://natekenyon.com/

Winner of the First GiveAway of Lory Kaufman's The Lens and the Looker is Meredith from Tampa,Fld

2011-10-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Meredith from Tampa,FL on winning the first copy of Lory Kaufman's The Lens and the Looker!

Keep coming back to see if you can win!

There will be 5 more copies of Lory's book to be given away!

Also check out the giveaway of the Vineart War Trilogy!

Warriors of the Edge by Katie Bridges

2011-10-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Reality and fantasy intermingle in the “Warriors of the Edge” game. Tarek Ortzen discovers things about himself, his family and the worlds he lives in by playing the game.

Ms. Bridges has adroitly extrapolated the future from the current level of interest and capabilities of modern role playing or immersive games. My grandson has intimate knowledge of WWII weapons, tactics and battles from playing his favorite game. Ms. Bridges future is merely a step or two beyond current technology. The difference is the blurring between gaming and realty. There is some concern by sensationalists that current gaming is desensitizing kids to violence and promoting bad behavior. Having observed a large pool of both young and older teens gaming at a local cyber-café over several years, as a former school counselor, I would have to disagree with the sensationalists. The gaming is often cathartic for some of these kids. The camaraderie developed during game play often carries over to “normal” behavior and provides a socialization experience for the participants. Ms. Bridges shows the development of friendship and group integration in her books plot.

The premise is unique and thought provoking. Multiple populations simultaneously occupying the same physical planet but skewed out of time so no physical interaction occurs is certainly thought provoking. There may be others besides the known humans who are utilizing the same Tone technology and competing for the same dimensions.

There are some disturbing things like “mute” that certainly are draconian and frightening. This is leavened with the friendship and growth of the characters. There are times where it becomes a tad confusing but preserver, it is worth it. As I understand it, this is the first book by Katie Bridges and one can hope there will be subsequent sequels.

I recommend it.

Body of work of Katie Bridges

Web Site: http://warriorsoftheedge.com/

A Giveaway of The Vineart War Trilogy by Laura Anne Gilman

2011-09-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

This is a great trilogy, Flesh and Fire; Weight of Stone and culminating with The Shattered Vine.

I will be giving away a copy of Flesh and Fire, the week of October 3rd

A copy of, Weight of Stone, will be given away the week of October 10th.

A copy of The Shattered Vine, will be given away the week of publication day, Oct. 18th!

This is a terrific trilogy that is a must read. Read my Flesh and Fire review to see why I gave it five dragons.

Now you have the opportunity to read it your self for FREE!

This is a very simple giveaway that is over.

The Hum and The Shiver by Alex Bledsoew

2011-09-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

This book features an insular clan of slightly askew folks whose talents for music dominate their lives. A mysterious clan that chooses to avoid society at large and has secrets that are never to be told.

Bronwyn Hyatt is a likeable rebel in this book. She tried to escape her fate and her family. Her unwillingness to accept authority resonated with me and I’m sure with many others. Her personal habits are meant to shock and yet if you flipped her gender her behavior would be lauded by many men.

The premise of the book is very thought provoking. This review is difficult because some of the more interesting factors would definitely be spoilers. If you enjoy Thomas Tryon and some of Stephen King’s less flamboyant books, you will enjoy this music prone mystery.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of Alex Bledsoe

Web Site: http://alexbledsoe.com/

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick: A Guest Post

2011-09-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

The science fiction genre owes so much to Philip K. Dick. More than just interesting settings and quirky plot juxtapositions (juxtaposed from today's society that is), Dick's novels explored sociological, political, and metaphysical themes. His work also tends to be a bit dark and dystopian, filled with monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments, and altered states of mind. His classic novel, A Scanner Darkly, deals with just about all of these things.

The plot of A Scanner Darkly is beautifully twisted. It follows two main characters. Bob Arctor is a drug dealer who uses a powerful psychoactive drug known as Substance D. Agent Fred is an undercover officer working with LAPD to bust a big-time dealer of Substance D, Bob Arctor.

Now, Substance D causes the two hemispheres of the brain to function independently and compete. And what you very quickly realize as you get into the novel is that Bob Arctor and Agent Fred are actually the same person. At first Bob/Fred realizes the bureaucratic mistake, but the twist is that, due to the effects of Substance D, Arctor and Fred don't realize that they're the same person.

Agent Fred studies Arctor through different surveillance channels. Arctor, through an imbalance of paranoia and the reality of the situation, fears that he is being spied on. All of this gives a very interesting and unsettling take on the nature of shifting identity and the destruction of the self through drug abuse.

Beyond explorations of self, the novel also examines the corruptive capabilities of law enforcement as well as the corruptive capabilities of modern pharmaceutical and rehabilitation facilities. This book is very much a commentary of the bleak drug-abuse culture as well as the poor responses to this culture enforced by law enforcement, the government, and business.

Much of the book is written in a very frank manner, similar to that of Hemmingway. Dick nails the drug-abuse culture on the head, probably because of his own close history with drug abuse. And there are also so very rare moments of extremely intense imagery: beautiful, unsettling, and always surreal.

About five years ago, the book was adapted into a film that was directed by Richard Linklater. The style of animation for this film is truly amazing and the plot and interpretation stays true to the novel as well. I recommend both works for anyone interested in a unique story with deep insight on drug culture and how our society responds to it.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

My thanks to Mariana for this guest post.