Phil Giunta

My Balticon Schedule

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:25:57 GMT

FRIDAY – 24 MAY
COVER TRENDS – 11PM / Chase Room -What are the latest trends in science fiction, fantasy and horror covers? How are the new media changing the rules? What’s next? Moderator: Walt Boyes / Panelists: Jean Marie Ward; Phil Giunta

SATURDAY – 25 MAY
CRAZY 8 PRESS PRESENTS – 10AM / Parlor 1041 - We will launch ReDeus: Beyond Borders! Bob Greenberger will also discuss what's to come from the prolific writers at Crazy 8 Press!

PLOTTERS vs. PANTSERS – 9PM / Parlor 1041 - Do you plan your stories in advance with an outline or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? A round table discussion of writers will discuss their methods. Moderator: Phil Giunta / Panelists: D. H. Aire, Martin Berman-Gorvine, Charles E. Gannon, Paula S. Jordan, Justin R. Macumber, T. C. McCarthy

SUNDAY – 26 MAY
WRITING, SELLING, PUBLISHING HUMOROUS SF/F – 9AM / Salon C - Panelists discuss how writing humor differs from "straight stuff", both in the writing process and in the submission/marketing process. Moderator: Alex Shvartsman / Panelists: Sarah Pinsker, Stephanie Burke, Phil Giunta

NOBODY BECAME SOMEBODY AND TOOK OVER! – 10AM / Salon D - So, for the first 5 chapters this one character was clearly minor background noise. Now you're starting to see the character in light of other characters behaviors and the turns the story is taking, and you're not so sure… Suddenly you're seeing the whole story through this minor character! Now what? Panelists discuss this literary quirk. Moderator: TBA / Panelists: Brenda Clough, Kat Otis, Phil Giunta, Jeff Young

FIREBRINGER PRESS PRESENTS – 2PM / Salon B - Steve Wilson and I will chat about our upcoming projects to be released under the Firebringer banner.

AUTOGRAPH SESSION – 4PM / Hallway

READING – 9PM / Location TBA

MONDAY – 27 MAY
WHY GOOD WRITING MATTERS – 11AM / Belmont - We seem flooded with not just vanity-press crap these days but professional crap, e.g. the works of Dan Brown, some of which is very successful indeed. So, why should anyone bother to learn to write well? Why should anyone bother to seek out well-written reading material when there is plenty of junk food for the mind available? Moderator: Leona Wisoker / Panelists: Michael D'Ambrosio, Phil Giunta

Justice Department Accuses Apple of Leading eBook Price Fixing

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:26:59 GMT

The New York Times posted an article yesterday indicating that the Justice Department has obtained some rather damning emails from Apple that places them in the center seat of a conspiracy to fix the price of eBooks along with almost all of the major NY publishers. YIKES!

About This Writing Stuff...

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:15:06 GMT

This week, David Pogue of the NY Times examines Tor's experiment with eBook piracy. David Gaughran and Jami Gold address scam publishing services such as Author Solutions. On the craft of writing, Writers Digest offers "how-to's" for adding suspense and tension in your novel while James Scott Bell uses a 50's noir novel to provide examples for making your story a page-turner. Kristen Lamb discusses showing your characters' true colors and August Wainwright passes along tips from Ernest Hemingway.

And as we approach the release of ReDeus: Beyond Borders, series co-creator and editor Bob Greenberger and cover artist Lorraine Scheleter chat up their contributions.

The E-Book Piracy Debate, Revisited by David Pogue

5 Ways to Make Your Novel More Suspenseful by Hallie Ephron

How to Create Tension Through Misdirection by William Noble

Lorraine Schleter Envisions Beyond Borders via Bob Greenberger/Crazy 8 Press

Bob Greenberger Walks with the Gods Beyond Borders by Bob Greenberger

The Author Exploitation Business by David Gaughran

Is This the New Breed of Vanity Publishers? by Jami Gold

Social Media for Writers: A Kool-Aid Drinking Cult? by Jody Hedlund

Quitting the Day Job by Keri English

Would You Rather? An Exercise for Creating Max Conflict in Fiction by Kristen Lamb

How to Write Better Prose According to Ernest Hemingway by August Wainwright

11 Ways to Make a Novel a Page Turner by James Scott Bell

Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part Two

Sat, 11 May 2013 02:27:21 GMT

The conclusion of my interview with award-winning writer, Danielle Ackley-McPhail!

Leaping from Fantasy to Military SF, you’ve also contributed to the anthology series, Defending the Future, edited by your husband Mike McPhail. Had you written Military SF previously? Did you initially find it challenging to move across genres?

You know…I am convinced that my muse is schizophrenic. I did not have a problem hopping genres because I’ve always read both and I’ve also been an active gamer in my husband’s Alliance Archives Martial Role-Playing system. Since many of his play-testers were former military, it gave me a lot of insight into military science fiction well before I even tried my hand at it. Movies help, as does living with a former military personnel. Besides, it’s been said that technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic…which means I have a LOT of room to play with J

In the end, really, my stories are character-driven, so it doesn’t matter the setting so much as those I populate it with. The tech or the magic supports the characters I’ve come to love. Now true, the scenarios are very distinctly different, but I don’t really find it difficult to shift gears. I love the wonder and magic of words and playing with concepts I then have to sell the reader on.
Ironically enough, I have a better success rate with my science fiction than I do my fantasy. I’ve [knocks on wood] sold every single piece of sci fi I’ve ever finished. I would likely be a wealthy woman if I could say the same thing about my fantasy ;)

I understand that there is a second book pending in your Legends of a New Age series called Eternal Flame. What can you tell us about the series? Do you have a release date for book two?

Remember what I said about turning expectations on their ear? Well, we are putting our own spin on the traditional legends. See, everyone “knows” that dragons are drawn to virgins or gems or…whatever your cultural legends tell you, but they don’t say why. In Dragon’s Lure, the first book in the series we put our own spin on the “why”. Eternal Flame is along the same lines, but we are looking at Phoenixes and other eternal flame creatures. It’s been back-shelved a while due to health issues I had in 2011, but as soon as we are done with Bad-Ass Faeries: It’s Elemental, this one’s being dusted off. It probably won’t release until late 2014, though.

What can readers expect from you next?

Well, Dark Quest just released The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, so that’s good for some immediate gratification J Here’s the blurb:

The Hunt Is On!
When strength becomes weakness…
And hope becomes doubt…
As the past collides with the future…hard…
Can Suzanne—Wild Hunt biker chick and one-time member of the fae High Court—stand strong as her world falls apart? She survived an assault by redcaps, an all-out battle with the High King’s armies, and her first encounter with roller derby… but how will she fare against her inner demons? Caught in the midst of a transformation she scarcely realizes and does not understand, her hard-won convictions are tested as never before.
Suzanne is left with only one question—what if those convictions are wrong?
The truth could mean the difference between saving her sanity and losing her soul…
_____________________________
In the more distant future I’m told I have to start working on The High King’s Fool, the sequel to Redcaps’ Queen. Also I have to put together my solo Fantasy collection: On Darkness and Light. Beyond that, I’m working on a Daire’s Devils novel in my predominant military sf universe, and an unconventional vampire novel that is currently unnamed. I could keep going…but who knows how long it will take me to get that much done.

What does Danielle Ackley-McPhail do when she isn’t writing?

Groan! This entry could be longer than all the others put together. Let’s just say, oversleeping isn’t one of those things.
I typeset and do promotional work for Dark Quest Books, I sew and make costume horns, I work for a medical publisher for my day job, and I torment my husband endlessly. Whenever I’m not doing any of those, I read or play Words with Friends or Scramble with Friends.

Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part One

Sat, 11 May 2013 01:11:06 GMT

One the more favorable aspects of being the writer liaison for a convention is the chance to network with writers both new and experienced. At Farpoint this past February, the convention doubled its usual number of writer guests and among them was award-winner Danielle Ackley-McPhail.

As she states in her bio, Danielle has worked both sides of the publishing industry for over eighteen years. Her published works include four urban fantasy novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court and The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale. She is also the author of the non-fiction writers guide, The Literary Handyman and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Dragon’s Lure, and In An Iron Cage. Her work is included in numerous other anthologies and collections. Danielle is a member of the New Jersey Authors Network and Broad Universe, a writer’s organization focusing on promoting the works of women authors in the speculative genres.

To say that Danielle is busy would be an understatement, but I'm thrilled that she took the time to chat with me about her career.

First, where can we find you online?

I’m all over the place, but here are my official sites.

Website and/or blog www.sidhenadaire.com, http://lit_handyman.livejournal.com, http://damcphail.livejournal.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/DMcPhail
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/danielle.ackleymcphail
Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-Ackley-McPhail/e/B002GZVZPQ/
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/989939.Danielle_Ackley_McPhail

What conventions do you typically attend throughout the year?

There is some variation, but my regular conventions are Mysticon (Roanoke, VA), Lunacon (Rye Brook, NY), Ravencon (Richmond, VA), The Maryland Faerie Festival (Darlington, MD), Balticon (Hunt Valley, MD), Capclave (Rockville, MD), Philcon (Cherry Hill, NJ), and Darkover (Timonium, MD). I do other random conventions as the opportunity arises, and I also do a lot of one-day or local events. Book Fairs and stuff like that. The two big ones I do are the Collingswood Book Festival and the Baltimore Book Festival. I’m hoping to return to Farpoint (Timonium, MD), which I attended for the first time this year, and I’m looking for a few new events to fill in gaps in my schedule. I’m also hoping Confluence (Pittsburgh, PA) returns next year. This year’s event had to be cancelled due to problems with the hotel being sold.

What attracts you to the Urban Fantasy genre?

I have always loved things that are reality one step to the left. I could write about the most mundane things and find some unexpected twist to make it magical. I love to let my imagination out to play. Sometimes it doesn’t wait for an invitation! I can’t complain, though…often when the muse grabs the bit is when things get truly amazing. Those stories tend to be my performance pieces. They are always a bit surreal, but they have a voice of their own that resonates with the reader (or listener). For those who want examples of what to look for, some of those stories are: A Legacy of Stars (A Legacy of Stars, Dark Quest Books 2012), "Ruby Red" (Of Darkness and Light, Dark Quest Books 2014), and "Consigned to the Sea" (Sails and Sorcery, Fantasist Enterprises, 2007)

On the flipside, I also enjoy deconstructing myths and legends…thinking of plausible situations that could have led to those beliefs. This has given me an understanding of how to construct my own legends, which is always a handy thing for an author!

You recently released Today’s Promise, the third book in your Eternal Cycle series. Could you provide a blurb about the series and also tell us what inspired it?

Today’s Promise (Book Three in the Eternal Cycle Series)
Love...Life...Liberty...
Never before had Kara O'Keefe had cause to doubt in any of these,
and yet she was now called to defend all three or lose them for all time.
Though the Battle of the Knock was counted a victory, the war--as they say--was not won. Carman's Children have resurface after millennia and have reunited against their common foe once more. These adversaries from the ancient history of the Tuatha de Danaan have one goal: dominate all.
Kara and the Sidhe Fianna must find a way to end this threat forever
or find themselves and all humanity shackled to the will of evil demigods.
As this journey of self discovery comes to an end, will Kara find herself
and retain her freedom, or will all be lost for eternity?

I used to work with a number of great authors on a writer’s site hosted on AOL. When we weren’t “working” we would head to a chatroom and just talk. My supervisor was one of those in this group and he had plenty of stories of various odd jobs he’d held over the years, including pawnbroker. Now his chosen writing style is very dark so knowing his writing personality and hearing about the pawnbroker position, my mind just went running with the concept of what would happen if you pawned something that was actually linked to your soul? How would the ruthless take advantage of that? That kernel morphed into a benevolent pawnbroker seeking to safeguard such things. At first that was all it was. A character portrait about a girl giving up more than the cherished heirloom she thought she was pawning. It was popular enough when I posted excerpts that I just kept going. That led to research into Irish mythology, which expanded the story even more as I encountered random bits of legend that dovetailed perfectly into the story.

Definitely love the title, Bad-Ass Faeries! How did the anthology series come about and are there future installments planned?

This series is our attempt to de-Disneyfy the faerie. Basically the concept came out of a chance encounter with an artist and a failed author event. I met Ruth Lampi at Albacon, where she showed me her sketches for warrior faeries. They were just pencil drawings, many of them on lined paper, but they were really good. I ended up commissioning Ruth to work on a number of projects with me. We had a local event at a friend’s store and the timing was bad. It conflicted with some other event going on and not many people showed up. We sat there for most of the day entertaining each other. During the conversation the question came up of how we met. That topic lead to speculating about the sad state of faeries in fiction, which lead to an anthology proposal of tough faeries that were more in line with the actual legends. From that, Bad-Ass Faeries was born!

Currently there are three anthologies (Bad-Ass Faeries, Just Plain Bad, and In All Their Glory) and three novels (The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, and James Chambers’ Three Chords of Chaos) based on the Bad-Ass Faeries concept. We are currently working on the fourth anthology, It’s Elemental. It should be out sometime in 2014. We are also planning which authors to tap for the A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale novella series. The concept behind that is a series of novellas or novels based on story universes that appeared in the anthologies. Basically, we’ve taken a look at what stories resonate with readers and reviewers and expand on them.

Continue to Part Two...

A Cover Gorgeous Enough for the Gods!

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:56:57 GMT

As one of the contributing authors to the second anthology in the ReDeus series, I was sent an image of the full cover spread this morning and I must say, it is chock full of awesomeness! Art by Lorraine Schleter. Layout by ReDeus co-creator and editor, Aaron Rosenberg.

ReDeus: Beyond Borders will launch at BaltiCon 47 over Memorial Day weekend in Hunt Valley, MD and then will become available in trade paperback and ebook the last week in May.

Beyond Borders will be a 450-page collection of short stories that continues the theme of the first book, Divine Tales, which premiered in August 2012. What if the mythological gods from every culture on Earth returned today? How would they deal with human advancements in technology--cars, planes, computers, smartphones? How would humans deal with pantheons that once again demand our worship? Which of them will be beneficent toward us...and which will not?

Returning authors include Lawrence M. Schoen, Scott Pearson, Steve Wilson, Dave Galanter, Phil Giunta, William Leisner, and Allyn Gibson. Joining for the first time are Kelly Meding, Janna Silverstein, David McDonald, Steve Lyons, and Lorraine Anderson. Series creators Robert Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg and Paul Kupperberg will once again have stories in the book as well.

About This Writing Stuff...

Sun, 05 May 2013 00:20:56 GMT

This week, great attention is being paid to James Patterson as a result of his ad in the NYT and Publisher's Weekly expressing his concern over the future of books. Jami Gold delves into better storytelling while Veronica Sicoe explains alternate character arcs. From Writer Unboxed, we get advice about writing short fiction, beginnings and endings, anxiety, and self-publishing. Speaking of self-publishing, Ted Heller relates his negative experience with the process while Joel Friedlander offers four strategies for savvy self-pubbers. Jody Hedlund wonders if free eBooks draw new readers and advises writers against hurrying toward publication.

Three more of my fellow ReDeus authors chat up their stories for the upcoming second volume in the anthology series, Beyond Borders!

The Future is No Fun: Self-Publishing is the Worst by Ted Heller

Authors Sue Author Solutions via Indie Reader

James Patterson: Prototypical Indie Author by Linda Messina

Konrath on Patterson by Joe Konrath

Three Tips for Better Storytelling and Why is Storytelling Ability So Important? by Jami Gold

Do Free eBooks Really Hook New Readers? and Why Writers Shouldn't Rush into Publication by Jody Hedlund

The Three Types of Character Arc: Change, Growth and Fall by Veronica Sicoe

What Novelists Should Know About Short Fiction by Suzannah Windsor Freeman

Beginning and Ending by Donald Maass

The New Era of Self-Publishing by Allison Winn Scotch

Let's Talk About Anxiety and the Creative Process by Dan Blank

The 4 Best Strategies for Savvy Self-Publishers by Joel Friedlander

Kelly Meding Dives Beyond Borders while Jenna Silverstein Faces History Beyond Borders and Steven Lyons Sees Spirits Beyond Borders!

Two Wonderful Reviews!!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:30:38 GMT

The Haunted Bookcase blog on WordPress has reviewed both of my novels consecutively and I couldn't be more pleased with their comments!

Check out the review for By Your Side and Testing the Prisoner!

My Convention Schedule

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:01:12 GMT

As warmer weather approaches, just wanted to post a list of the summer cons at which I've been invited as a writer guest. Come on out and say hello!

Balticon 47: May 24-27, 2013. Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, MD. Guests include SF writer Joe Haldeman, artist and production designer Rick Sternbach and about a hundred writers, artists, and musicians. For my third year as a writer guest, I will be joining Robert Greenberger and Steven H. Wilson as we launch the second volume in the ReDeus series, Beyond Borders!

Wizard World Philly: May 30 - June 2. Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. Guests include Adam Baldwin, John Barrowman, Brandon Routh, Shawn and Aaron Ashmore, Steve Guttenberg, Lauren Holly, Stan Lee, William Shatner, Ray Park, Lou Ferrigno, Summer Glau, Henry Winkler, Charisma Carpenter and more. Arist and writer guests include Dave Bullock, Jim Calafiore, Howard Chaykin and many more. I will be sharing a table with artist Laura Inglis who created the wonderfully eerie cover images for By Your Side and the second edition of Testing the Prisoner.

Shore Leave 35: August 2-4. Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, MD. Guests include William Shatner, Amanda Tapping, Julie Caitlin-Brown. Writer guests include David Weber, Peter David, Kathleen David, Lorraine Anderson, Greg Cox, Ann Crispin, Dave Galanter, Donna Galanti, Robert Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg, Michael Jan Friedman, Glenn Hauman, Phil Giunta, Steven H. Wilson, Allyn Gibson, William Leisner, Lawrence Schoen, Kelly Meding and many more!

Chiller Theatre Convention

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:47:46 GMT

Just wanted to share some pics of a few cool celebs I just met today at Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey. First up was the legendary David Warner (Time After Time, The Omen, Time Bandits, TRON, various Star Trek roles).

Then I got the business from Back to the Future's Mr. Strickland, James Tolkan. He wasted no time in reminding me what a "slacker" I am. :)

Finally, the lovely Debbie Gibson, 80s pop-star-turned-actress. Everyone was friendly and easy going. It was yet another truly wonderful convention experience.

About This Writing Stuff...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:01:06 GMT

This week, there is much ado about self-publishing from James Scott Bell, David Gaughran and Digital Book World. Barry Eisler discusses at length the publishing options available to authors today. Writer Unboxed offers wonderful advice on everything from how not to start your novel to dealing with burnout to knowing when your work is worth fighting for--and that fine line between truth and TMI.

Two of my fellow ReDeus authors chat up their divine stories for the upcoming release of ReDeus: Beyond Borders. That and more from Kristen Lamb, Jody Hedlund and Indie Reader. Enjoy!

The Battle of the Book Pubbing Platforms by Indie Reader

Lazy Literary Agents In Self-Publishing Money Grab via Argo Navis and Self-Publishing Grabs Huge Market Share from Traditional Publishers by David Gaughran

Are Libraries Offering Enough Self-Published Ebooks? by Beth Bacon

Eisler on Digital Denial via Joe Konrath

What Makes a Reader Pick Up a Book by a Debut Author? by Jody Hedlund

Little Darlings and Why They Must Die...for REAL by Kristen Lamb

How to Make Money Self-Publishing Fiction by James Scott Bell

Boundaries and Burnout by Barbara O'Neal

Knowing if Your Manuscript is Worth Fighting For by Heather Reid

Must We Tell All? by Carleen Brice

What NOT To Do When Beginning Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino

Scott Pearson Takes His Templar Knight Beyond Borders and William Leisner Celebrates America Beyond Borders via Crazy 8 Press

About This Writing Stuff...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:19:21 GMT

After two weeks of spring cleaning and yard work, it's nice to be posting another edition of About This Writing Stuff... Here and now, Authors Guild president Scott Turow comes under fire (again) for his comments regarding Amazon's procurement of Goodreads and his article in the NY Times. It's all here in one place, folks. Meanwhile, Rob Hart wants to eliminate cliches from your writing and Jami Gold talks character flaws. SF writer Veronica Sicoe faces the future, good and bad. Sophie Masson looks for a good title while fellow ReDeus author Lorraine Anderson chats up her story in the upcoming ReDeus: Beyond Borders!

How to Use Character Flaws to Develop a Plot and The Thin Line Between Character Strengths and Flaws by Jami Gold

Top 10 Storytelling Cliches Writers Need to Stop Using by Rob W. Hart

This is How Modern Monopolies Can Be Built by The Authors Guild

The Slow Death of the American Author by Scott Turow

A List of Things Scott Turow Doesn't Care About by David Gaughran

Scott Turow and The Politics of Cowardice by Barry Eisler via Joe Konrath

B&N Rebrands PubIt! as Nook Press by Laura Hazard Owen

New Publisher Authors Trust: Themselves by Leslie Kaufman

Utopia & Dystopia: The Many Faces of the Future by Veronica Sicoe

Finding a Good Title by Sophie Masson

Lorraine Anderson Wants to Tell a Joke Beyond Borders via Crazy 8 Press

Authors Chat Up ReDeus: Beyond Borders on Crazy 8 Press Blog

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 23:39:49 GMT

Every Monday and Friday, the Crazy 8 Press blog features a post from one of the writer of ReDeus: Beyond Borders. I was fortunate to go first back on April 1 (how appropriate!), followed by:

David McDonald goes Down Under and Beyond Borders

Steven H. Wilson goes Beyond Borders to Worship Odin

Lawrence M. Schoen Talks the First Crossover Beyond Borders

More to come in the weeks ahead, leading up to the launch of ReDeus: Beyond Borders at Balticon 47!

A Successful Goodreads Giveaway!

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:55:36 GMT

The Goodreads Giveaway for By Your Side ended early this morning with an astounding 1,078 entries! It was remarkable to me at least. Congratulations to the five winners! I hope you enjoy the book!

About This Writing Stuff...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:26:02 GMT

This week, CJ Lyons (via Jane Friedman) discusses the value of KDP Select while Nichole Bernier makes a case for the paperback. It's a numbers game as Neil Gaiman offers 8 simple rules to write by, Tom Pawlik (via Chuck Sambuchino) cooks up 9 ingredients for character development, Jami Gold has three tips for beta readers and Kristen Lamb describes the three phases to becoming a master author. Gabriela Pereira thinks you should do more than kill your darlings. From the land down under, David McDonald chats up his story for our volume two of our shared anthology, ReDeus: Beyond Borders. All that and more...enjoy!

Amazon KDP Select: Is it Worthwhile for Authors? by CJ Lyons via Jane Friedman

The Point of the Paperback by Nichole Bernier

Neil Gaiman's 8 Rules of Writings by Maria Popova

The 9 Ingredients of Character Development by Tom Pawlik via Chuck Sambuchino

Book Experts Weigh-In on the Publishing Industry's Revolution by The Washington Post

David McDonald Goes Down Under and Beyond Borders by David McDonald via Crazy 8 Press

Indie Bookstore Sales of Kobo Ebooks Dwarf Google; Still Small by Jeremy Greenfield

Dealing with Bad Reviews by Joe Konrath

Three Tips for Being a Better Beta Reader by Jami Gold

Three Phases of Becoming a Master Author by Kristen Lamb

Killing Your Darlings is Not Enough by Gabriela Pereira

Five Things I Wish I'd Known Before Publishing a Book by Sarah Pekkanen

Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:47:56 GMT

Laura Inglis and I will be guests and sharing a table at Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia this summer. Laura created the cover art for my second novel By Your Side as well as the new cover for my first novel, Testing the Prisoner. Hope to see you there!

Book Review: Wrong Side of Dead by Kelly Meding

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:59:16 GMT

The fourth and most recent volume in Meding's Dreg City series takes everything that she had built in the first three books, shakes it up, flips it and drops it on its head. Following her escape from torture at the hands of crazed scientist Walter Thackery, Evangeline "Evy" Stone returns to find an alliance forged between humans, vampires, and Therians (shape-shifters that change from animal to human form) united against a common foe, Thackery.

The devious geneticist is determined to find a cure for the infection in humans caused by vampire saliva. Years before, Thackery's wife and son had been attacked and bitten by half-human vampires (known as "Halfies"). When he was unable to find a cure for the raging, murderous insanity that consumes Halfie victims, Thackery had been forced to kill his family.   Now, his obsession for finding the antidote has driven him far beyond the bounds of compassion and medical ethics and into ruthless barbarism. After a fruitless attempt to find it through sadistic experimentation on Evy Stone, whose uncanny ability to spontaneously heal was thought to be the answer, Thackery turns his attention along a new path of research...

The adventure begins when Boot Camp, a brutal military-style academy for training human Hunters, is attacked and destroyed by monstrous genetically-altered creatures created by Thackery himself. Evy Stone had been trained there as well as dozens of other Hunters who, upon graduation, are grouped in teams of three known as Triads and assigned to a Handler. The Handler is responsible for sending his or her Triad on missions throughout the city, typically to kill non-human creatures of the night when they get out of line.

This untested and dubious alliance of humans and non-humans makes its headquarters in an abandoned shopping mall, now retrofitted with a war room, crew quarters, infirmary, holding cells, cafeteria and gymnasium. A magic spell surrounds the area, subtly dissuading passersby from paying the slightest attention. The facility is dubbed "The Watchtower."   No sooner does this new order set up shop than seven Therians are reported missing from their homes, thought to be kidnapped by agents working for Thackery.

To make matters worse, in a recent incursion with Halfies on a bus, one of their own Hunters, Felix, fell victim to their bite and has himself become one of them. He had managed to escape and is now at large. Due to the danger they pose to society, Halfies are hunted with extreme prejudice and killed on sight.   Yet when Evy and her Therian allies corner Felix on the rooftop of a nightclub, they are surprised to find that he is rational, cogent and rather...well...sane.   Rather than kill him, they capture and imprison Felix at the Watchtower for questioning where he admits to working with Thackery and that the scientist has found a drug that inhibits the madness caused by Halfie saliva.   Unfortunately, before Felix can answer any further questions, a bomb implanted inside his body by Thackery detonates.

Although only Felix is killed, the bomb releases an airborne toxin that infects the pure-breed vampires living and working in the Watchtower.   Worse, it is discovered that Thackery has employed not just one, but a pack of werewolves known as Lupa, long thought to be exterminated by the other Therians centuries ago.   While on a mission, Evy and her Handler-turned-lover Wyatt Truman are attacked by one of the Lupa and Wyatt is bitten. It is not long before his body and mind are ravaged by the poison from the werewolf's saliva and the Watchtower's CMO is forced to induce coma to stabilize him.

With the odds now stacked against them, will the alliance be able to track down Thackery and the missing Therians before his new line of research leaves yet another trail of bodies in its wake? And what of Wyatt? Will he be cured of the poison that is turning man into beast, or will Evy lose him forever?

And is there an even deeper conspiracy at work? One that calls into question the very founding of the Triads, Boot Camp and the Hunters?

Like the other books in the series, Wrong Side of Dead is a quick, action-packed read that ties up a few loose ends in the previous books without actually resolving all of them—and introduces two or three more. Clues and hints, cleverly sprinkled throughout the series, bear fruit here and are clear evidence of thorough world-building and plotting.   Word has it that although Bantam Dell has canceled the Dreg City series, Meding will self-publish the fifth installment. As of this writing, I have not heard of a release date.

Overall, it has been an enjoyable saga thus far. As far as protagonists go, Evy Stone is at times amazing and other times infuriating and unreasonable. However, like any good hero, she undergoes an obvious change from hard-ass killer—who actually enjoys her job—to rape and murder victim only to be resurrected in a new body and slowly transform into a woman still more than capable of handling herself, but also of expressing love and kindness in a life that has precious little of either.    As the review states in the cover image below, Meding is a real storyteller who knows how to move the story along, write dynamic action scenes and develop strong, memorable characters.

Chatting up "Root for the Undergods" on the Crazy 8 Press blog!

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:43:19 GMT

Today on the Crazy 8 Press blog, I chat briefly about "Root for the Undergods", my short story to be included in ReDeus: Beyond Borders, to be released in late May and launched at Balticon 47.

Click here to check out the article.

Goodreads Joins the Amazon Family

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 02:43:40 GMT

Goodreads announced today that it is merging with Amazon.

Check out the blog post and press release.

The Gods are Back...Again!

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:40:02 GMT

I am excited to report that I have been invited back to work with award-winning writers Bob Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg and Paul Kupperberg on their short story series, ReDeus. My latest short story, “Root for the Undergods", will be published in ReDeus: Beyond Borders, the second volume in the fantasy series.

ReDeus chronicles the return of the world’s mythological gods in the 21^stcentury, beginning with a grand re-entrance at the 2012 summer Olympics.   Needless to say, humanity has changed significantly over the many centuries and life certainly becomes interesting as the gods attempt to reclaim their old domains…and worshippers.

In "Root for the Undergods", the year is 2022 and the gods of the Gaul empire have spent the last 10 years hiding in a castle in Luxembourg, forgotten by humanity and overshadowed by the more powerful pantheons, especially the Romans.   How do these demoralized, depressed, dispirited deities deal with their dilemma? They call superstar motivational speaker, Orlando Start! However, the return of the gods has ruined Orlando's business and his life. Everyone has abandoned him, including his wife. Orlando finds himself eventually homeless and on the verge of suicide, when he receives a job offer that he simply cannot refuse.   In helping these ancient beings redefine themselves in this new age and step out onto the world stage, can Orlando find new purpose in his own life?

The series began with ReDeus: Divine Tales, which premiered at Shore Leave last August.   Beyond Borders will debut at Balticon 47 in late May from Crazy 8 Press.   Check out the fantastic cover art below from Lorraine Schleter!

Testing the Prisoner get a new look!

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:11:43 GMT

My first paranormal mystery novel, Testing the Prisoner, will soon have a fantastic new cover thanks to Laura Inglis (artist) and Chris Winner (layout). Laura and Chris also created the cover to my second novel, By Your Side. Since both are paranormal tales and include a cross-over character, I wanted a cover that held a similar artistic style. My deepest appreciation to a fantastic publisher, Steven H. Wilson of Firebringer Press for agreeing to a new cover!

The cover is already on Goodreads and Smashwords. Hopefully, it will hit Amazon and B&N soon.

Book Review: Another Kind of Dead by Kelly Meding

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:19:25 GMT

The third installment of the Dreg City series follows a simpler storyline and tighter cast of characters than the first two volumes.   The book opens with a scene of closure as Evangeline "Evy" Stone, Wyatt Truman, and Leo Forrester pay their final respects to Leo's son at a local cemetary. Alex had been the roomate of Chalice Frost in whose body Evy had awakened after returning from the dead in book one. Unfortunately, the ever-loyal Alex involved himself in Evy's life as a bounty hunter of the city's non-human inhabitants. For his trouble, Alex had ended up a "Halfie" (human/vampire hybrid), forcing Evy to kill him.

After the funeral, Leo moves on with his life, but not before private detective James Reilly shows up asking questions about things he should know nothing about. However, he speaks only to Leo and Wyatt (Evy's manager-turned-lover) because Evy herself is carrying a crystal of invisibility. Evy is considered a fatality of a warehouse fire set by her fellow bounty hunter. In other words, Evy Stone is dead--again.

After Wyatt dismisses the private investigator, Leo leaves the city to move on with this life but not before Wyatt and Evy are shaken by a minor tremor. The fact that Leo does not feel it indicates that it was not an earthquake, but something meant only for those who are Gifted with special abilities.

Back at their apartment, a man known as Jaron arrives mortally wounded. Jaron is a human host who is occasionally possessed (voluntarily or not) by a member of the Fey, a group of fairies and sprites that live far beneath the Earth's surface near the "Break", the source of all magic. The Fey appear in our world strictly in the form of their avatars (hosts).

Jaron's final words warn of betrayal. No sooner does he die than his killer arrives--a half-goblin/half-human out for blood. After a vicious brawl, Evy and Wyatt manage to subdue the creature and learn that he was sent by one Walter Thackery.  Thackery is a scientist that had also been the silent partner of Tovin, the maniacal elf who had been experimenting with hybrid creatures in book one.

As the story unfolds, our heroes come to find that Thackery's wife and son had been attacked by Halfies years before. Thackery had raced to find the antidote to the parasite in vampire saliva, but was unsuccessful. As a result, he had been forced to kill them. Now, the scientist will do whatever it takes to continue his research and find a cure--and no one will stand in his way.

Unfortunately for Evy, her ability to spontaneously heal makes her the perfect test subject for Thackery's "study" (read: torture).   When Thackery kidnaps one of Evy's friends and demands an exchange, Evy puts her life on the line yet again. Will she survive Thackery's hidden lab of horrors? Will Thackery find the antidote and if not, what further horrors will the lunatic scientist unleash on the city?

Like the previous volumes, Another Kind of Dead was a quick and enjoyable read. Meding should be applauded for her consistency in both her characters and voice. Again, though, I have to chuckle at how often her characters "flinch" when being told off by Evy.  That has actually become a noticeable--and somewhat unnatural--trend. At times, some of the characters abruptly change mood or tone or react in ways that do not quite ring true for the situation, but I chalk that up to Meding's style.   Next up, the fourth and final entry in the series (for now), Wrong Side of Dead.

By Your Side is Available on Amazon!

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 01:44:38 GMT

I am pleased to report that By Your Side is now available in paperback on Amazon with the Kindle edition soon to follow!

BY YOUR SIDE Makes its "International Debut"

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:40:04 GMT

One of my co-workers, Noreen, brought her copy of By Your Side to Belgium! Here she is in the Grand Platz (Grand Place) in Brussels. Thank you for helping with my book's "international debut", Noreen! :-)

About This Writing Stuff...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:08:03 GMT

Since it appears that I will have no time at all in March to record the audio verison of By Your Side, this blog will return to a semi-regular schedule. Albeit, this week, I'm presenting a slightly thinner edition of About This Writing Stuff as I'm promoting the new book and prepping for a minor home renovation project kicking off on Thursday.

I certainly didn't want to miss out on all the Hydra hysteria this week! Seems that Scalzi and the SFWA want to decapitate this multi-headed serpent. Seriously, aside from being the terrible creature of myth, wasn't Hydra the terrorist organization led by Red Skull in Captain America? For that reason alone, I'd run away from a publishing company so named.

As always, we have articles on craft from Donald Maass and my favorite ginger SF blogger, Veronica Sicoe. Also, my publisher has set up a giveaway for By Your Side on Goodreads through April 8. Exciting!

Rich Relationships by Donald Maass

A Contract from Alibi by John Scalzi

Note to SF/F Writers: Random House's Hydra Imprint has Appallingly Bad Contract Terms by John Scalzi

New Writers, eBook Publishers and the Power to Negotiate by John Scalzi

A Warning about British Indie Publisher Autharium on The Passive Voice

Hydra is Appropriately Named by Bob Mayer

SFWA Fires Back at Hydra With Strongly Worded Letter by Digital Book Wire

Villains - Do You Keep or Kill Them? and The Hero's Journey - My Pros and Cons by Veronica Sicoe

Goodreads Giveaway for By Your Side ends April 8!

Phil Giunta

My Balticon Schedule

Justice Department Accuses Apple of Leading eBook Price Fixing

About This Writing Stuff...

Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part Two

Author Interview: Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Part One

A Cover Gorgeous Enough for the Gods!

About This Writing Stuff...

Two Wonderful Reviews!!

My Convention Schedule

Chiller Theatre Convention

About This Writing Stuff...

About This Writing Stuff...

Authors Chat Up ReDeus: Beyond Borders on Crazy 8 Press Blog

A Successful Goodreads Giveaway!

About This Writing Stuff...

Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia

Book Review: Wrong Side of Dead by Kelly Meding

Chatting up "Root for the Undergods" on the Crazy 8 Press blog!

Today on the Crazy 8 Press blog, I chat briefly about "Root for the Undergods", my short story to be included in ReDeus: Beyond Borders, to be released in late May and launched at Balticon 47.Click here to check out the article.

Goodreads Joins the Amazon Family

The Gods are Back...Again!

Testing the Prisoner get a new look!

Book Review: Another Kind of Dead by Kelly Meding

By Your Side is Available on Amazon!

BY YOUR SIDE Makes its "International Debut"

About This Writing Stuff...

Today on the Crazy 8 Press blog, I chat briefly about "Root for the Undergods", my short story to be included in ReDeus: Beyond Borders, to be released in late May and launched at Balticon 47.

Click here to check out the article.