Feb
6
2012
By Karen J. Rohr (170)
As of Sunday, February 5, 2012
© Copyright 2012 Rockdale Citizen
Conyers resident Ginger Wages, who writes under the pen name of Virginia Chandler, recently published, "The Last Dragon of the North," she co-wrote with her brother Tony Wages, known as author Tony Chandler.
After reading the novel “Jurassic Park,” and going to see the movie, Ginger Wages and her brother Tony Wages, discussed the idea of writing a book involving a tyrannosaurus rex.
Being fans of science fiction/fantasy, the siblings changed the dinosaur into a dragon and pit the fierce creature against the other most powerful predator on earth — humans.
“We figured, if you could write a believable book about dinosaurs, you could write a believable book about dragons, without magic or wizards,” said Wages.
Over the following months, their book, “The Last Dragon of the North” (then called “Red Dragon, Green Dragon”) took shape — only to lie dormant for almost two decades.
Now, thanks to the development of e-books, “The Last Dragon” has reawakened and is available for the public to enjoy.
Double Dragon Publishing released the book in November, both in electronic form and paperback.
Wages, who writes under the pen name Virginia Chandler, said her brother, known as the author Tony Chandler, had published three books already with Double Dragon and the company requested more. Tony submitted “The Last Dragon of the North” he and his sister had written so many years ago.
“I got very lucky,” said Ginger Wages of the book’s publication.
The story is a fantasy only in so far as it involves dragons, said Wages. There is no magic or wizardy incorporated into the tale, she said, and the dragon-versus-man plot is similar to any other beast-against-man story.
The book is set in fifth century England where dragons are a problem because as predators they kill livestock and humans. To keep the beasts at bay, there are hunters whose specialty is killing the dragons.
One such dragon hunter is a young British man. In his travels, he comes across a band of Norse dragon hunters who are pursuing a Green dragon, a species thought to be extinct. The quest is too much for the young dragon hunter to resist and he joins the Norse group on their adventure.
“We didn’t make it like a movie, but it’s pretty much a roller coaster ride,” Wages said. “We set it up in the first few chapters and then it takes off.”
Wages and her brother wrote the story together, each taking turns crafting chapters. Their styles proved so similar that sometimes Wages had trouble remembering which chapters she had written.
The brother and sister team tried to get the book published but earned only rejection slips. The novel sat on a computer disc for 20 years until Double Dragon requested another book from Tony Wages.
After additional editing, Double Dragon accepted the story and so far sales are progressing, said Wages, with “The Last Dragon of the North” earning the No. 3 spot on www.fictionwise.com, an e-book site, during the holidays.
The book is marketed mostly through Facebook and a blog, new endeavors for the 47-year-old Wages. While social media doesn’t necessarily increase sales, she said, it does provide an author with exposure not possible back in 1992 when she and her brother first wrote the book.
“It’s really quite astounding how that works,” Wages said.
Wages grew up the daughter of a military father, moving frequently but finally settling in the Atlanta area in 1979. The youngest of three children, Wages said her older brother exposed her to writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Edgar Rice Burroughs.
“He had good taste and I got introduced to the classics at a young age,” she said.
Wages, who received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Georgia, worked for 10 years as a technical writer before becoming an English teacher at Heritage High School in 2005. She left her teaching job last year to write full-time.
A Conyers resident, Wages is working on another book, a prose sequel to “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” an Arthurian story which dates back to the 12th century. The book is set to be published in November by Double Dragon.
“Writing, for me, has always been a therapeutic outlet; that’s probably why I’ve stuck with it,” Wages said.Writing an entire novel is “daunting,” she said, and even when a person has the discipline for such a project, he must be ready to edit it several times.
“It’s a birthing process. It takes a while and you have to be patient,” she said.
“The Last Dragon of the North” may be purchased as an e-book or paperback online at www.double-dragon-ebooks.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, www.fictionwise.com, www.goodreads.com or www.apple.com.
To learn more about author Virginia Chandler, visit http://virginiachandler.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/chandlerdragons.
Jan
26
2012
By Stefan Vucak
Everybody is getting excited these days about head hopping in writing, and everybody is telling you how that kills a story. Perhaps, and then perhaps not. For inexperienced writers, it can be a trap, but if you know what you are doing, it can enhance your writing, making it more vibrant and rich. I am not going to dwell too much on this, as there are endless articles you can pick up that trash this topic to death. But I thought a summary would be good.
So what is Point of View? Most of today’s fiction is written in limited third-person. Pure third-person is when the entire work is narrated from one character’s viewpoint: ‘he did’, ‘she did’. Short stories are often written in first-person: ‘I did’. But if the writer is good, he would use the third-person. Beginning authors often use the first-person approach to tackle their first book or two, as the technique is easy to apply and the author can get on with telling the story. Call it a writer’s training wheels.
Limited third-person is when all characters are referred to by a personal pronoun (she, he, they) and each scene is told from one character’s viewpoint. The purists would tell you that you must not shift points of view within a scene or paragraph, but do it by creating a new scene either with a scene or chapter break. Most of the time, that is sound advice. But those same purists would lead you to believe that this is a grammatical rule that cannot be broken, whereas in fact, it is merely a convention that has grown over the years – one that many famous published authors ignore … to some extent.
I’m not going to talk about the omniscient third-person, where the unseen narrator knows what all the characters are thinking. This is getting too close to what is referred to as head hopping. Look it up if you are interested.
The reason an author wants to shift his Point of View is obvious: to let the reader know what each of his main characters are thinking. It provides clarification and understanding of character behaviour and motive, and brings density and a rich texture to writing. Unless the author is really skilled, it is difficult to describe every character’s feelings, moods, and behaviour from a single character’s viewpoint. The reader can miss out on a lot not knowing who did what to whom and who got paid.
This is where we come to the sinful part – head hopping. A reader identifies with a character the author introduces at start of a chapter or scene, and expects to stay with that character until the scene or chapter changes. Head hopping is where the author jumps from one character to another within the same paragraph or scene without first alerting the reader that he is now dealing with a different character’s point of view. That can be disconcerting, confusing the reader, making him wonder what is going on. The key words here are ‘without first alerting’! Remember those purists? Encountering a head hopping paragraph or scene would make them see red, and most of the time I wouldn’t blame them.
Okay, so how do you handle a shifting point of view? In any story, it is sometimes necessary to change a point of view from one character to another in order to maintain smooth continuity and enhance tension or drama, or simply provide an explanation for what is going on. To achieve that shift by introducing a scene break, as the purists demand, can be awkward and just as jarring to the reader as head hopping. What you need to do is make a smooth transition from one character to another by clearly identifying the new character to whom the point of view has shifted, and not returning to the previous character again within that scene! That way, you will carry the reader, leaving him satisfied and understanding what is happening. In other words, shift your point of view once and leave it at that. Doing it more than once, unless done skilfully, can come close to being head hopping.
If you are going to shift your point of view, it must be done for a purpose! Most editors will allow POV shifts in your writing without having a scene or chapter break, but you have to execute it well or the editor will tell you about it!
Don’t head hop!
Jan
24
2012
HLH Communications
capturing the suspense of creative living
Release The Dragons!
For Immediate Release
The American Obsession With Dragons Proves Profitable For Indie Authors: Tony Chandler and Virginia Chandler
Sometimes we carefully plan the release of creative work around other similar events hoping for the best. And, there are other times that we make no strategic effort and the proverbial “planets” just align. In the case of Tony Chandler and Virginia Chandler, a brother-sister team of indie authors from Georgia, the latter appears to be happening. After over ten years of lingering as a nothing more than a computer file, The Last Dragon of the North, their co-written e-book, was finally released in November of 2011 by indie publisher Double Dragon. Little did the authors realize that, at the same time, America’s love-affair with all things fantasy had reached an all-time high.
According to speculation, this love-affair began unexpectedly after the successful release of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland in 2010. Ever since both movie and television producers have been clamoring to satisfy the American audience’s seemingly insatiable thirst for all-things fantasy; including, wizards, knights, magic and, of course, dragons. The genre seems to be coming from everywhere. HBO has “Game of Thrones.” ABC has “Once Upon a Time.” And, NBC has “Grimm.”
And, fortunately for the Chandlers, the public’s interest isn’t limited to just visual media. The same phenomenon is happening with books. Consider the unending success of the J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight, and Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Series Whether the subject matter is witches, vampires, or dragons, Americans can’t seem to get enough.
“Fantasy has always been around through folklore, mythology and fairytales. It’s inherently creative. It asks the question: What would happen if? And, then it answers it,” notes Tony Chandler, who began his writing career in the Science Fiction genre.
And that is exactly the question that Virginia and Tony asked when they first created, The Last Dragon of the North back in the 1993. As the story goes, one evening, they were watching Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993) and, almost simultaneously, contemplated, “What if the dinosaurs were dragons?” Not magical talking dragons. Not vindictive, humanized beasts. No. What if these dragons were real creatures, cold-blooded predators like the T-Rex or that velociraptor of Jurassic Park?
“We didn’t want to create a fluffy dragon that turns good or an evil dragon that hunts our hero. It’s not even a dragon that puts damsels in towers. We did not want a fairy tale. We wanted our dragons to be real with the temperament of a great white shark,” adds Virginia Chandler, a former English teacher and Arthurian scholar.
And that is what you’ll get with The Last Dragon of the North. It is set in the gritty darkness of the 9th century – a time when dragons were hunted-beasts and heroes were made of steel. It recounts the story of a man’s personal journey to find and kill the last dragon on earth. With careful attention to historical detail, the Chandler’s set their epic novel in a world that one might find in classic tales like Beowulf or Sigurd. But, unlike these stories of old, the The Last Dragon of the North moves fast with the thrills of any modern fantasy big-screen adventure.
With the continued growth in the popularity of fantasy entertainment, the Chandlers are optimistic about the success of their book. They have already garnered positive attention from multiple New York Times Best Selling authors; including, Piers Anthony who called the book, “One rousing dragon-fighting story…”
“Our timing was an accident but it’s been amazing. And, every time I turn around another company seems to be getting on-board. Shortly after we released our book, Elder Scrolls “Skyrim” which is, like our book, all about Dragon hunting,” adds Virginia Chandler.
Even Hasbro’s subsidiary, Wizards of the Coast, has decided to update and re-release the epic game “Dungeons and Dragons” after a very long hiatus of poor sales. And, Hollywood is set to release almost 50 fantasy genre films in 2012; including, New Line Cinema’s The Hobbit and Universal’s Snow White and the Huntsman. With all this hype seeping into every level of entertainment, it appears that dragons, wizards and epic sword play will continue to seize the imaginations of Americans at least into 2012; ironically, itself, the Chinese year of the dragon.
# # #
About:
The Last Dragon of the North is available direct from the publisher or most on line resellers in all eBook platforms; including, the Kindle, Nook, and Sony Reader. It is also available in paperback form via Amazon, the publisher or ordered directly through local book stores.
For more information on The Last Dragon of the North, visit its Facebook fanpage or the authors’ Twitter account: @chandlerbooks.
For more information on Tony Chandler, visit his website.
For more information on Virginia Chandler, visit her website at or her Facebook fanpage.
Jan
23
2012
1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a 30-word or less tagline:
Water Harvest / SFF
A lunar warlord and his wizard-like accomplices overthrow the preeminent planetary Rule, intending to seize control of the Harvest of atmospheric moisture. New alliances form as old ones fail.
2. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
My original intent was for it to be a work of hard science fiction, based on an issue that would be plausible no matter where it was plunked down in the universe; that being brutal competition over so precious and finite a resource as water. While that remains the theme of the novel, some unexpected characters turned up and so thoroughly entertained me that I allowed the story to take a more fantastic track than was its founding premise.
3. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
Oh my, that’s difficult, as I have an attachment to so many. One possibility would be Hacch, but I won’t elaborate and spoil the surprise. There’s also a competition between the protagonist and his sidekick, Dirc Cutter—the latter of whom is prone to tomfoolery—but I suppose I’ll settle on the main character. One of the things I like most about Cairn is that though he is morally strong, he becomes so deeply embittered that he fears he’s lost his soul to a desire for revenge at any cost.
4. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
If we’re speaking of ‘least favorite’ in terms of being the most vile, I’d probably have to give the nod to the mage Gezladorn over the warlord Teigor Valiir. On the other hand, if we’re speaking of who is most evil by virtue of weakness of character, that would probably be Tai, the prince of House Tyrgon, who is essentially a sociopath too easily molded into a proxy by Gezladorn. A clue might be that the chapter in which he is introduced is titled ‘Kinslayer’.
5. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?
The book is still new on the market, and so I could probably better answer that question if I’d spoken to more folk who’d read it. What comes to mind now is that I might try to further simplify the characters’ and places’ names, because one reader did ask me what drug I was using when I made them up 
.
In all honesty, though, I don’t think thay are particularly cumbersome. I do admit, though, that the first draft was a purple tongue-twister—even I had trouble remembering who was who before I cleaned it up!
6. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
At the outset I was having difficulty outlining the entire thing to my satisfaction, and I finally just took what I had and started writing, without knowing how everything would fall into place. Though there were admittedly some blank days, that strategy actually worked well for me and in some cases it was almost like reading a novel when surprising events and/or characters made themselves known. Most days I’d end with a long walk, during which I’d furiously brainstorm how the next scene would play out. Sometimes I’d get up in the middle of the night to jot down a thought before it was lost to dreams. Water Harvest doesn’t leave you wanting for a resolution, though there is a loose sequel and I had fun inserting some foreshadowing to pave the way for it. I wonder who will pick up on those tips? The clue at the end is fairly obvious, I believe, whereas the earlier hint is not so much so.
7. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?
I used to fly gyrocopters (there’s a picture in the “What About Eric?” page on my website), but in more recent years I’ve been satisfied with my life-long obsession with motorcycling. I’m no competition for Jay Leno, but I own four bikes now and my lifetime total is 49 (I’m shooting for 100, but don’t tell Sue). I still write software and coach motorcycle safety classes. My current woodworking hobby is turning on a lathe, but in the past I’ve built furniture and several electric guitars (I play the guitar, but I’m not especially good at it). I’m in the early stages of making a mess on the potter’s wheel.
8. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
My email is writer@ericdiehl.com, and my website is www.ericdiehl.com). It was the first website I created, and I’ve since just added to it from time to time. It’s kinda funky and I could make it look more “professional” but for some reason I like it and so am leaving it be for now.
9. What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m finishing up the next-generation sequel to Water Harvest, which will likely be titled “Guild of the Viizar”. I’m also seriously considering self-publishing (on Kindle) a collection of short stories I’ve written over the years (a mix of Horror/SFF), and I am still thinking about where I’ll go with my next novel.
10. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?
If you’re at all like me, just sitting down and starting to write helps a lot, as I tend to think more intently while at the keyboard. I’ve read that some authors do a complete outline first, but I believe I’ve read of more who do not and to a greater or lesser extent just go along for the ride. It’s also helpful to read plenty of books about the art of writing (in so doing I saw the error of my early efforts—‘popping heads’ POV, purple-prose, too much back-story, etc.). Also, do a LOT of editing. I’ve spent considerably more time editing than I have with the first draft (if I ever want to really beat myself up, I’ll someday go back and read that first draft—ARRRGGHHH)
11. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Just that I’ve really enjoyed my efforts. When I started writing I knew that being published was a long shot, but you’ll never know if you don’t give it a try.
Jan
17
2012
(Posted by Toni V. Sweeney who wishes she knew how to post a jpg of the cover, too.)
My new novel Sinner is my own take on the legend of Phaedra. This story’s been around a long time, since 428 BC, in fact, when Euripides first introduced the myth in his play Hippolytos Kalyptomenos (Hippolytus Veiled), and novelists, movies, and television have capitalized on it ever since. The story of a young wife who falls for her stepson and eventually causes her husband to murder him wasn’t well-received by audiences of the time. The ancient Greeks apparently thought Euripides’ Phaedra a shameless hussy,who openly attempts to seduce Hippolytus. Taking his critics to heart, the playwright rewrote the myth and presented it again as Hippolytos Stephanophoros (Hippolytus who wears a crown), portraying Phaedra this time as a modest wife who fights her attraction for Hippolytus, though to the same tragic ending. It’s been a good soap opera standby ever since, other writers, such as Seneca the Younger fashioning their version of the play, and giving it an even more complex psychological treatment of the characters. So you see, contrary to popular belief, the theme–young wife…older husband…younger man…wasn’t thought up by the writers of One Live to Live.
So that the background, and here’s my version:
Aric kan Ingan is young, spoiled, and the designated heir to an empire and a galaxy. Raised since the age of twelve to be Prince of all he surveys, he is twenty when the story opens and about to get the shock of his young Royal life when his uncle, the Margrave— who has fought marriage all his life and cut more than a swath through the women of his planet—returns with a bride from an ambassadorial trip to a planet which has been in quarantine for nearly two thousand years. The planet is Earth, the bride is a young Terran named Elizabeth Sheffield. Suddenly, Aric is not only no longer the heir; he’s now fourth in the line of ascendancy, after his uncle, his new aunt, and their child. Quite a let down!
Swearing revenge, Aric rebuffs Elizabeth’s overtures of friendship, childishly embarrassing her at every opportunity, continually pointing out her differences, and Elizabeth returns his scorn with a hatred equal to his own. Although Aric isn’t aware of it, there are others in the kingdom who agree with him that a Terran has no business on the throne of Arcanis, and insurrection foments in secret rooms of the Empire.
And then, as will often happen when two individuals dislike each other so fiercely, Fate steps in with its usual perversity, and Aric and Elizabeth–discovering they are too similar in their personalities as well as their hatreds–fall in love. With their passion comes the breaking of a king’s heart, as well as the beginnings of the toppling of an empire.
Sinner is a cautionary tale. The story of a prince who falls in love with the wrong woman and pays the price for that crime, it is the first of a series called The Kan Ingan Archives. (The kan Ingans apparently had no shame in recording their deeds and mis-deeds for posterity!) Sinner is a continuation of The Chronicles of Riven the Heretic, tracing the story of one of Riven’s descendants—Aric—and his journey from Prince to Exile to Prince again. It was originally published under the title Blood Sin but now is being released by Double Dragon Publishing under its new title, with the other books in the series (never before published) to follow.
(To see the trailer within the blog, go to http://karennacolcroft.com/?p=1691)
BUY LINK: http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-55404-917-2
Dec
18
2011
Reprinted from Donna Galanti’s blog
I was lucky to meet Michael at my first Writer’s Conference, The Write Stuff. We also attend the monthly Philly Liars Club Writer’s Coffeehouse led by author Jonathan Maberry. Visit him at: www.michaelaventrella.com
You are a successful writer, an attorney and game inventor. How do you balance all three successfully?
I like to keep busy. Unfortunately because I always have so many projects, I never seem to be able to give 100% to any of them 100% of the time. But that’s a choice I make.
Do they influence each other at all?
I think everything in one’s life influences everything else.
As an attorney, I have to think logically and be very organized. When I am writing, my plot lines tend to be similar—I plan everything out in advance and always know how it’s going to end. Because all of my stories have twist endings and surprises, I must think them through very clearly, plant the clues carefully, and then make sure there are no loopholes or mistakes along the way.
The game I run (www.AllianceLARP.com) is a live action fantasy medieval game with chapters all over the US and Canada. I’ve written plots for the game for years, and this has absolutely influenced my writing. The first two novels (ARCH ENEMIES and THE AXES OF EVIL) take place in the world of this game. I don’t use the rules of the game, but I definitely use the setting, as it has been in place for almost twenty years now and is quite organized and complex.
I know you are thrilled about your new short story collection. Tell us about it!
TALES OF FORTANNIS is a new anthology series I am editing. The first book in the series is A BARD’S EYE VIEW. These stories take place in the world of my novels. It was very interesting to see how other authors played with the world! I’m very pleased with the result and really enjoy the stories I accepted.
I have a story in there which features the characters from my novels, too.
There will be future editions, so any writers out there: Contact me!
Novel or short story? Which do you prefer to write?
I like novels. As I said, my stories have twists and surprises, and I feel that if I don’t have that, it’s a let down for my readers. That is much harder to do in a short story.
At the same time, it’s very nice to get a short story written and done in a fraction of the time it takes to do a novel.
And, as I’ve blogged about, short stories are a great way for a writer to be noticed. Someone who buys an anthology or magazine for some other reason may check out your story and then decide to learn about what else you’ve written.
But novels are fun because you can move at your own pace and do a lot more character development. In the end, the stories are all about the people, after all.
Have you found one or the other easier to get published?
I’ve received a fair share of rejection letters for both! But that’s normal for writers.
How did you get your idea for your first fantasy book “Arch Enemies”?
It was loosely based off an event I wrote for my game. Very, very, loosely. Since I have been writing in this world for years, it wasn’t that difficult to fill in the blanks.
At the core, the story is kind of a twist on the traditional fantasy plot. You know the one—the prophecy about the special kid who will grow up to be the hero because he has powers no one else has yadda yadda yadda. I started off with the thought: What if they got the wrong guy? And the plot grew from that.
How long did it take to write?
Well, it’s hard to say, because I have a real job and other things in my life. I didn’t punch a time clock or anything…
How did the sequel come about?
ARCH ENEMIES ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. The main story in ARCH ENEMIES was completed, and as Terin (the main character) said to himself “Whew! I’m glad that’s over with. Now life can be calm again” something happens on the very last page, followed by the comment: “Next: THE AXES OF EVIL.”
Honestly, I had the title before I had the story all worked out, but I knew I wanted to do it.
In AXES, everyone is convinced that the hero from the first novel really is the one from the prophecy and now everyone comes to him with their prophecies, expecting him to solve them. He’s faced with three contradicting ones, as well as an impossible order from his Duke. Of course, he finds a way to solve the problem, being the clever lad he is…
This is another thing that I believe separates my fantasy from a lot of others. Terin is just a normal guy. He has no special powers or abilities. Instead of winning by beating the bad guy with a sword until he dies, Terin wins by being clever and figuring out complicated ways to solve the problem. (Not to say there aren’t battles and danger!)
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
I was absolutely clueless about how to sell a book. After I finished ARCH ENEMIES, I sent it off to publishers and agents convinced they’d love it as much as I did. I got a lot of rejection letters.
So I went back and re-read it and realized that it deserved to be rejected. It’s hard to look at your own work objectively, but I saw that although the story and characters were good, the writing itself needed improvement.
I went back and rewrote it, being very particular. By then I had already burned my bridges, so I went to the next level (independent publishers) and started at the top with Double Dragon, which is the largest independent science fiction and fantasy publisher out there. They accepted it!
I’m quite proud, actually, that my first novel was published at all. Apparently, many writers never get their first books published.
You’ve had quite the list of successful authors interviewed on your blog. How did you manage that?
Connections!
Since the first book came out, I have educated myself in how the publishing industry works. I’ve attended writers’ conferences, appeared at conventions, participated in on-line conversations, and have done my best to meet other successful writers.
I’ve friended authors on Facebook whose work I liked and emailed them to ask if I can do an interview, and quite often they say yes. And sometimes people contact me with connections (which is how I was able to interview rock star Tommy James about his new book).
As someone wrote recently, there are three steps to success: Hard work, talent, and meeting the right people and not pissing them off.
What project are you working on now?
I just finished my new novel, BLOODSUCKERS. It’s about a vampire who runs for President. It takes place in the real world current day, where everyone knows there are no such things as vampires. A reporter discovers the secret and is framed for the attempted assassination of the candidate and must go into hiding. The only way he can prove his innocence is to prove that vampires do indeed exist. It’s a fast moving, action-packed thriller with lots of humor and plot twists (hey, come on – it’s a Ventrella novel, what did you expect?)
What is your biggest writing challenge?
Finding enough time to write!
How has social media changed your world as a writer?
Social media is the only way to promote yourself these days. All writers need to learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, blogs and the internet. The hard part is not promoting yourself so heavily that people get tired of hearing from you.
What one marketing tip would you share with a new author?Learn social media, go to writer’s conferences, join writing groups, and learn how to be a pleasant person who others can work with. The days of the brooding author sitting at home Salinger-like are over.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Jonathan Maberry. Not because my writing is similar to his, but because I have taken courses from him, attend his writer’s meetings, and have sought him out for advice often. The man knows his business!
Any thoughts on traditional vs. e-publishing?
I have no control over either! I just want people to read my books; I don’t care how they do so.
What upcoming events can we meet up in person?
I am a regular at SF conventions here on the east coast. You can get my schedule (as well as find a link for my blog and links for my books) on my web page.
Nov
16
2011
This review was posted on Tony-Paul de Vissage’s website A SPLASH OF SCARLET on
July 29 2011
(I don’t think this has been posted here yet.)
When her Uncle Max dies unexpectedly, Skye finds herself his executor and heir to the dusty old house filled with even dustier and unusual relics—a two-headed calf, an assortment of items only an archaeologist could love—and a real sarcophagus complete with mummy. So, she gets a leave of absence from work and heads to the old homestead to get it ready to sell. Immediately, strange things start happening…Uncle Max’s lawyer introduces Skye to two men purportedly antiquities experts but they seem just a little too eager to get into the house and see what it holds…Skye swears she sees eyes staring back when she looks out the window…a beetle resembling an ancient Egyptian scarab scuttles across the floor…
Skye has walked into more than just a case of greedy antique dealers wanting to do someone out of rare relics, for the mummy case holds the mortal remains of Snefru, victim of an immortality-spell gone awry. Instead of saving the dying king from oblivion and giving him eternal life, the spell traps him in limbo where he’s remained for millennia, until Max Johnson buys his mummy and tries to decipher the hieroglyphs accompanying it. When Nef sees Skye, he feels something a wraith shouldn’t experience, an emotion he hasn’t sensed since the spell entrapped him. In her dreams, he transports her to his summer home in ancient Egypt; there he not only makes love to her, but also falls in love, making for an odd romantic situation.
Skye doesn’t understand the odd dreams she has of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who dazzles her with his charm and love-making, and when she discovers a secret chamber in Uncle Max’s library, holding not only the contents of Snefru’s tomb but sees the king himself materialize before her, she manages to take it in stride. She agrees to do whatever it takes to help Nef counteract the curse placed upon him, not understanding that this may involved the willing sacrifice of her own life, but there are others who want the same information for more nefarious reasons. And when they kidnap and terrorize Skye, it’s left to Nef to rescue her before she becomes an unwilling sacrifice to the gods of greed and murder, but he’s a ghost, with no real body, unable to even hold a club…
MY SOMEWHAT JAUNDICED OPINION: This is a delightful tale—I won’t use the word “cute” because that would be an insult. Skye is plucky, adventurous, and determined not to let anyone frightened her from the house or steal Uncle Max’s possessions. Snefru is royal and a bit disdainful, assured of his own power as a king but he and the girl from the 21st century quickly become comrades-in-arms against the killer trying to discover the knowledge to gain the spell of immortality. It’s just a step away from their becoming lovers, though it’s only in dreams since Nef’s noncorporeal throughout the story.
This is one “mummy” novel where the guy in the linen bandages isn’t the villain and it’s a refreshing change. The scene exhorting the curse is a dramatic one as the words being spoken are interspersed with what is happening within the burial chamber. Though a rather short novel at 118 pages, the humor, combined with romance and a little violence, make this an enjoyable read.
RATING: 4 STARS
Mummy’s the Word is available from Double Dragon Publications, http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com
This novel was supplied by the author and no remuneration was involved in the writing of this review.
Oct
30
2011
TALES OF FORTANNIS: A BARD’S EYE VIEW was published last year by Double Dragon, and features a number of excellent fantasy stories in the magical world of Fortannis. (You can read about the authors included here!) 
The sequel is being prepared now, and submissions are open for short stories of under 10,000 words.
Unpublished authors are encouraged to submit, but will still face the same standards for submissions as the published authors.
All stories should be double-spaced in word or rtf format with 12 point Times Roman font. There should be no spacing after the paragraphs. The first page must contain the name of the story, the word count, and your name, address, email, and phone number. Your cover letter should list any previous publications.
Keep in mind that although these are fantasy stories, you are not limited to telling tales of adventure, with knights fighting dragons and wizards casting powerful spells. The world is merely the setting for the stories.
The first book, while containing plenty of adventures, has much more. There is one story about someone trying to steal the recipe for his favorite pie. Another concerns three goblin children spying on the curious humans. A third involves a con artist trying to mislead a nobleman. The theme of the TALES OF FORTANNIS series is the fantasy world, not the type of story.
Proposals and inquiries must be emailed to michael.ventrella@gmail.com.
Sep
24
2011
http://www.twolipsreviews.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6275&Itemid=36
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Title: Adventures of Sinbad
Author: Toni V. Sweeney
Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Futuristic/Sci-Fi
Publication date: June 24, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-55404-848-9
Pages: 136
Series: Adventures of Sinbad, Book 4
Heat Level: M/F – sex described in non-offensive terms, adultery, prostitution
Rating: 5 lips
Although he barely has the gray to prove it, Sinbad sh’en Singh is now kh’ta – the Pride Chief of Kurda – and a grandfather. The children he and his Terran wife Andrea have had, separately and together, are either grown or well on their way to adulthood. They’re the source of great pleasure and pride for their parents. And sometimes of great grief as well.
Nearly fifteen years have passed since Sin broke his promise to Andi and went back to illegal smuggling, using it as a way around his boredom while filling Felida’s coffers with profits. But when the Federation legalized his planet-wide venture, turning the one-time swashbuckler into a respectable Felidan businessman, all that remained of his old life was an old adversary who continued to strike at his ships and now his docking station. Unwilling to stand by and watch his people continue to die at the hands of the vile Tsan-Hsi, Sin finally takes him on in space, just the two of them in a ship-to-ship battle. Sin manages to exact revenge, but at a terrible cost. When his damaged ship crashes into the base of a mountain on Felida, he doesn’t walk away unscathed. Sin’s eldest son Adam must put his own dreams on the back burner and step up to help his father run his business and handle his responsibilities as kh’ta.
It has been a decade since Andi’s eldest son Cash ran off with Sin’s concubine Senset and then sent his newborn twins home for his mother and stepfather to raise when Senset wouldn’t. But they’ve heard a great deal about the notorious mercenary Cash has become. And now his little sister N’Sagar – Sin and Andi’s first-born – is finally old enough to marry Kas, her betrothed. But in marrying one man while loving another, she sets the stage for a catastrophe that will shame the sh’en Singh name and force her to leave Kurda and Felida in disgrace. One thing and one thing alone will bring her home. A beloved brother’s dying wish.
Sinbad’s Triumph by Toni V. Sweeney is the fourth installment to the ongoing Adventures of Sinbad series about Sinbad and Andrea sh’en Singh and their growing family. Ms. Sweeney does a credible job of reacquainting readers with family members from the previous books in chapter one of Sinbad’s Triumph, but for the most part, these books each pick up where the previous one left off, so they are not good standalone reads. To get to know the characters and to keep track of their relationships to each other, you’ll want to start off with book one, Sinbad’s Last Voyage, which is one of the best books I’ve ever read. This one doesn’t come in too far behind.
You’ll love these characters. You’ll laugh with them and cry for them, feeling their pain when tragedies befall them as they do all of us. You’ll still see flashes of the swashbuckling young pirate in Sin, who is now in his prime while Andi has hit middle-age. You’ll smile with every glimpse of her prevailing humor that is so much a part of her great strength. You’ll take every rewarding step with Sin as he triumphs over his tragedy, and you respect the way Andi deals with his physical challenges, never giving him any reason to feel that he is less of a man than he was before his crash.
Although Sin’s battle in space with Tsan-Hsi felt a bit rushed, this plot will have you glued to the pages, sometimes with tears streaming down your face to the point that you can barely read but can’t stop reading long enough to wipe away the tears. The ending won’t leave you with a smile on your face, yet at the same time, you’ll be anxious to read book five, Sinbad’s War, when it comes out to see how things will turn out for Kas and N’Sagar. I highly recommend this entire series.
Sep
10
2011
Vampires Ink is well-written and easy to read. It’s fast-moving and its depiction of Detroit vampire life appears innocuous—almost humdrum–on the surface while menace teems beneath. The vampires are made to seem pedestrian to the human eye, like the people next door, but still wary of humans finding out exactly what they are. Adrian is a delight—a slightly rebellious, horny, still-young vampire who’s wise enough to know when to obey the rules and when to just mangle them. Drake is his human image, a loner with an attitude, desperate for a friend even if that friend’s a vampire. The two, along with Jonathan make a triad of youngsters to be reckoned with. Their attempts to aid Eli and the others in thwarting Hayes make up a major part of the story.
This is an entertaining story, and the premise of a different type of vampire wanting to peacefully co-exist with humans and subdue those who want it otherwise is an interesting one. I was going to read only a few chapters to start out but ended up reading it in one sitting. This is the first in a trilogy. Can’t wait to read the others.
RATING: 5 stars