Interview with Caprice Hokstad

What inspired you to write this story?

AOL used to have a huge free-form roleplaying forum. That's where I caught the "bug" to write. It completely amazed me that anyone outside the group I actually played with were reading my posts and told me they looked forward to what I would come up with next. When the forum dissolved and all my story-weaving partners went their separate ways, I found I missed the creative outlet. If no one would write with me, I was going to have to write by myself.

It lost something without the interaction, but there's also more control when you do it alone. No more crazy twists that forced my characters into weirdness that didn't go anywhere, or went in a direction I didn't like. I also didn't have to wait on anyone else in order to advance the plot. My novel's hero was based on a roleplay character created by a brilliant writer named Rhoderick C. Hayes (Duke Vahn was adapted with his permission and blessing).

At first, the story was just kind of a way for me to extend the fun I'd had in the forum that died, and it was only going to be a novella shared with a few friends. But the more I wrote, the more it mushroomed until the idea became a trilogy and the story (in my opinion) blossomed into novel quality.

Who is your favorite character and why?

Hermione Granger. I see a lot of myself in her. Yes, I'm the nerd who would read ahead in the textbooks and read stuff that wasn't assigned, just for fun. And yes, I did, on occasion, find myself reading a big unabridged dictionary for hours on end. I'm not as likely to break rules as Hermione is though. I was always too goody-two-shoes for that. But I'm way too boring to make any kind of decent fiction character.

Oh, wait. You meant you want me to name which of my own characters is my favorite? You realize this is like asking a mother to say which of her children is her favorite. Didn't the story of Jacob and Joseph teach you nothing? At the risk of condemning my beloved child off to slavery in Egypt, I'd probably say Duke Vahn. Chivalrous. Handsome. Kind. Devoted father. What's not to like? But as I said above, I can't take full credit for Vahn.

How have your personal faith and beliefs influenced your story?

I think my faith shows in the themes. Jesus said the greatest in God's Kingdom would be the servant of all. My heroine is a servant. She's not especially beautiful or physically strong or even especially intelligent by our standards. There are a few other Christian themes running throughout, but I don't try to hit readers over the head with them. They're there if you look, but the story appeals to people of all faiths, or so I have been told by Wiccans and agnostics as well as Christians.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Accepting that some of my natural tendencies weren't best for the story. I originally wrote "The Duke's Handmaid" in totally omniscient point of view. After attending a writer's conference and hearing over and over that I could never sell it the way it was written, I finally broke down and rewrote the entire book. Now I didn't go so far as to make it what the commercial market prefers (Deep Limited) because I write very cinematically. My descriptions are written like a camera which can see everything, even things the POV character might not see. But I cut the head-hopping and limit the thoughts to one character at a time. Maybe someday someone will convince me that dropping the Cinematic POV for description is "better" but so far, I'm not convinced.

What was easiest?

Anything related to writing fiction is infinitely easier than anything related to promoting. Writes. Rewrites. Critiques. More rewrites. All of that is easy as far as I am concerned. But ask me to fill out an interview such as this and I am a fish out of water. I also don't particularly like writing query letters, synopses, proposals, or anything like that. Yes, I know all this promo stuff is a necessary evil, but it's still evil.

What's next for you?

I've just finished the sequel to "The Duke's Handmaid". The second book of the trilogy is called "Nor Iron Bars a Cage". It's a much longer book. My cover artist just finished and I'm letting my fans chime in on their favorite of the different color combinations for the front cover (
http://members.aol.com/hokstads/covers/ ). I am hoping to release "Nor Iron Bars a Cage" around September 15. I'm also working on a long-neglected study guide for "The Duke's Handmaid", a project I started a while back, but had to put on a back burner in order to focus on getting the second book done. Eventually, I'll be starting work on the third book in the trilogy, but with my less-academically inclined daughter in high school now, I may not have much time for writing. (I am homeschooling her)

CFRB Presents: The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad

Keedrina is a young peasant maiden who lives on the outskirts of a prosperous seaport town until marauders kill her family and burn her farmhouse. She reports the tragedy to Duke Vahn, who champions her cause, apprehending the outlaws and meting out justice. Orphaned and homeless, Keedrina envies the slaves who live in fine homes with luxuries she has never had. The duke offers her a position as his indentured servant. With very little left to live on and intrigued with the handsome young noble, Keedrina accepts. Can the simple farmgirl find a home among the refined servants in the duke's house? Not if the prejudiced and conniving duchess has her way!

Infinite Space, Infinite God Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Here's the schedule of the ISIG virtual book tour. Some folks have gotten excited and posted early. Please leave a comment; bloggers are getting a prize for most comments, and anyone who comments gets a chance to win either a copy of our Christian SF eBook, Leaps of Faith, or a gift certificate at Twilight Times Books.

LEARN MORE ABOUT INFINITE SPACE, INFINITE GOD ON ITS AUGUST BOOK TOUR:

1: www.doylebooks.com (summary) www.kaleidosouls.info, Day 1 (summary)

2: www.kaleidosouls.info, Day 2 (interview)

3: www.thewritingjungle.blogspot.com (interview)

4: www.freewebs.com/mary-andrews (interview)

5: http://writeurthoughts.blogspot.com (interview)

6: www.catholicfiction.net (interview) (interview)

7: http://timewithtannia.tripod.com/ (interview) www.writeandwhine.blogspot.com/ (interview)

8: http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/artisticblogger.shtml
http://www.shoutlife.com/jillelizabethnelson
http://www.myspace.com/jillelizabethnelson (interview)

9: http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/ (interview)

10: http://cmwforum.blogspot.com (review)

11: www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com(interview)

12: www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com (interview)

13: www.lostgenreguild.com (review) http://gloriaoren.blogspot.com (interview)

14: http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/dragons-of-the-pyramid-book-reviews.html (review)

15: http://beverlyjean.livejournal.com (interview) www.virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com (trailer)

16: http://cfvici.blogspot.com/ (review) http://catharsys.wordpress.com/ (interview) http://cdrippe.wordpress.com (summary)

17: http://www.annmargaretlewis.com/ (interview)

18: 12 Noon: Live Chat: http://jolinsdell.tripod.com
http://blog.myspace.com/grace1979

19: http://blog.myspace.com/grace1979 (review)
7:00-9:00 PM: www.writerschatroom.com (Live Chat)

20: www.marilynmeredith.blogspot.com (interview)

21: www.snoringscholar.blogspot.com (review)

22: http://solshine7.blogspot.com (review and interview) http://scifijournalist.blogspot.com (review and interview)

23: www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com (interview)

24: www.authoralley.blogspot.com (interview) http://www.karenee.blogspot.com/(interview) www.disturbingreviews.blogspot.com (interview)

25: www.thebookpedler.wordpress.com (interview) http://worldsapage.blogspot.com/ (interview)

26: www.livejournal.com/~paulinebjones (interview)

27: http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com (guest blogger) http://aspiringauthor.blogspot.com/ (interview) www.disturbingreviews.blogspot.com (interview)

28: http://www.myspace.com/happywriter (guest blogger) http://zyphe.blogspot.com (review) http://360.yahoo.com/raeshylle (review)

29: 12 Noon: Live Chat "Infinite Space, Infinite God and the Infinite Possibilities of Book Marketing" http://www.virginiajennings.zoomshare.com/5.html
http://writetype.blogspot.com (guest blogger)

30: www.noveljourney.blogspot.com (interview)

31: http://afrankreview.blogspot.com/ (review)

Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Dear friends: My computer just went comatose or dead--not sure which--taking a wonderful interview and summary of Cheryl's book with it. When--if--I can get the information back, I'll post it here, but in the meantime, I present you this review From Booklist:

Originally published in Canada in 2003 (but never distributed in the U.S.), this moving story features Sarah Richardson, whose family moves from the Montana countryside to Vancouver Island just as she's about to enter sixth grade. Sarah soon finds that island life suits her perfectly--thanks, especially, to her new best friend, Goldie, whose Native American heritage Sarah finds fascinating, especially the wisdom passed to the girls from Goldie's grandmother, Nana. Sarah is also intrigued to learn that her marine-biologist father shares a passion with her new Indian friends: killer whales, which the natives revere and her father studies. Life isn't all native spirituality, however, as Sarah must confront a family tragedy that will change her life forever. Though overly melodramatic in places, Tardif's story has that perennially crowd-pleasing combination of sweet and sad that so often propels popular commercial fiction, especially coming-of-age stories. Tardif, already a big hit in Canada, may soon be a name to reckon with south of the border. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Interview with Marion Webb-DeSoto

How long have you been writing?

I've always held a strong interest in writing and, as a child and teenager, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity of composing essays and written work for school. At the age of 10, I won an essay competition that was offered to certain schools. We had to write about the home we would love to live in and, apparently, what I wrote was very descriptive and believable. At the age of 14, my aspirations of becoming a teacher turned to an interest in pursuing a career in journalism. However, my parents were against this change of direction and I was persuaded by them and the principal of my school to abandon the idea. Then, as a working adult and, eventually, a wife and mother, there was no time available for creative writing. The only outlet offered to me for documenting the written word was in writing theses and reports.

In 1998 I developed a neurological illness that forced me to take early retirement from work and I was suddenly presented with many hours of free time. After recovering, I turned my attention to my long-term desire to write, and my first manuscript was completed toward the end of 2000. Since then I have written four more books and am presently working on another one.

Why the different angle on angels?

Samael's Fall is placed in the Fantasy genre because for many the notion of angels is pure fantasy. To present them as fictional characters will, hopefully, give the non-believers the opportunity to become acquainted with them without the usual trappings of religion and New Age beliefs. My own experiences with the angelic realms have been quite startling and I wanted to share some of these insights with others.

What do you mean by "blending of fantasy with esoteric teachings"? Are these esoteric teachings you've read or are you attempting to teach something in your book?

Some of the incidents within the book can be seen as traditional teachings, e.g. the first archangel's fall from grace and banishment from the higher realms; the War of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness. Other occurrences in the story are a retelling of information that I've received during my years of metaphysical work. My intention is not to teach others about these revelations; it is just a sharing within the book of a different point-of-view. However, if Samael's Fall is to be viewed as a teaching tool, I suppose it does emphasize how duality exists and is played out in the eternal battle of goodness versus evil.

What was your favorite thing about writing this book?

This was my first attempt at writing a novel and I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the words flowed, particularly as it was not a short story. With each of my non-fiction books I always spent time detailing an outline for the manuscript that pinpointed the number of chapters and what each would contain. This did not happen with this book. The words that tell the tale of how the Devil came to be seemed to almost write themselves, as though the characters were dictating the storyline. I didn't experience any 'writer's block' or uncertainty about what to tell the reader. By the time I had finished the manuscript I realized I love writing a story even more than documenting facts.

In addition, I was very fortunate to find a talented artist, Fanitsa Petrou, who created the illustration and cover design for the novel. Her artwork is very inspiring. She has just completed a striking illustration for the cover of my next book to be published.

What's next for you?

Samael's Fall is the first book of The Angelic Chronicles trilogy and I recently completed the second book of this series entitled Abbadon. While that one is moving through the publishing process, I am writing my fourth non-fiction book which looks at the use of the mineral kingdom within metaphysics. Its working title is Crystal Companions. Once that manuscript is finished, I shall begin writing the last book of the trilogy about the angelic realms. Then I hope to work on a book about The Bach Remedies which are amazing flower essences for promoting wellness. After that, who knows?

Samael's Fall: The Angelic Chronicles by Marion Webb-De Sisto

A stirring account of how and why the first and most radiant archangel fell from grace and became the Devil. This is a story of angels and demons, love and hate, goodness and evil. An angelic tale of long, long ago that predates Creation and even the beginning of time. Religion has taught us that the archangels and angels are extremely wise and have faultless purity. However, this is not the author's controversial portrayal of them. These heavenly beings possess a child-like quality; they make mistakes and use poor judgment. Several also display a whole range of emotions and motivations, from being supremely good to unrighteously evil. Could it be their initial frailty was the opening gambit for the duality of the human race? This book is the first of The Angelic Chronicles trilogy. It is a blending of fantasy with esoteric teachings.

This book can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.xlibris.com and http://marionwebb-desito.com

Interview with Larry Moniz

What inspired you to write Self-Promotion for Authors?

I was a journalist and publicist for 35 years before becoming disabled by breathing problems. When I decided to pursue book writing as a new career direction, I joined several different forums. While working on my first mystery novel, INSIDE STORY: Murder in the Pinelands, I was bothered that so many newbie book authors had no real clue about how to market themselves. Many were and are devoting massive amounts of time in unproductive efforts--unproductive in that they are one-on-one efforts between themselves and prospective buyers. I've done the math and it's physically impossible for a new author to sell sufficient books to earn a living or even have a nominal bestseller with such promotional methods.

Having handled publicity for several authors and publishing houses, including nearly half a decade as PR agency counsel for Harlequin Books, as well as having been a journalist on the receiving end of promotion techniques by other professional book industry publicists, I felt I had some meaningful insights to share. However, it was another writer friend, Lea Schizas, founder of the annual Muse Online Conference who provided me with that final spark. After her first conference she suggested via e-mail that I do a brochure on how to self-promote a book. At that point I realized a brochure just couldn't properly cover the topic.

I also realized that I didn't want to set myself up as the sole authority on how to promote oneself. That's really what it's all about. Novels typically have a shelf life of only two or three months in most bookstores. An author must promote their name rather than a particular title.

I started encountering some other authors who had invaluable information to impart, but it was not reaching newbie authors in a cohesive fashion. There would be a forum comment here or there, a website posting of tips in another location. Essentially new authors were in a hit/miss situation. Additionally, there is a massive amount of misinformation being advanced as gospel by people who have never worked as publicists nor, in some cases, even had writing published.
The result was Self-Promotion for Authors, which is a compilation of my experiences and those of eleven other published authors, some quite well known, like Tim Bete; J.A. Konrath; Jonathan Maberry, 2007 winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel; Publisher Karen L. Syed; Robert J. Sawyer, Best Novel Hugo and Nebula Award Winner and Robert W. Walker. Their consenting to be included greatly enhanced the knowledge base contained in my book.


What’s your experience with promotions as a publicist?

I have 15 years experience as a senior public relations executive and wrote the first public relations program for Coleco's Cabbage Patch Kids. That publicity campaign subsequently won the Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. The Silver Anvil is recognized as the most prestigious award in public relations.

My public relations skills are augmented by being an experienced journalist and winner of 12-business writing awards (including seven first places) for articles in 2000 through 2003 competitions.

I also have 20-years experience as a skilled radio, daily and weekly newspaper publisher, editor and reporter for major media outlets in New Jersey, New England and Europe.

What’s your experience with promotions as an author?

An author who fails to promote sufficiently will fail to sell enough books to earn a living, and will short-circuit their opportunity to be picked up by a publisher for a second or third book. To be successful an author needs to spend 20 percent of their time writing and 80 percent promoting.

What will folks find in your book they won’t find in other marketing books?

Perspective and a professional viewpoint based on 35-years successful experience in the media.

What’s next for you?

Currently I'm reworking, enlarging and updating a manuscript I originally drafted in 1996 entitled ESCAPE INTO HISTORY: Declared Rebellion. It's about two former special operatives who travel back in time to foil a Tory plot to prevent the Declaration of Independence from being written. I'm also beginning work on the second INSIDE STORY book. The first will be available in November from Swimming Kangaroo Books. I also have about a half dozen other novel concepts just waiting to be penned.

Learn more about Larry and his books at www.LarryMoniz.org

Self-Promotion For Authors by Larry Moniz

Self-Promotion for Authors is a step-by-step guide to promoting your next book in a professional manner. Written by Larry Moniz, an award-winning publicist whose clients included Coleco’s Cabbage Patch Kids (for which the agency won a Silver Anvil Award, the highest accolade in public relations) Harlequin Romances, Shorewood Fine Art Books and several authors.

The electronic book, now available in PDF format on CD, details the how-to steps for preparing and sending out press releases, arranging media tours, setting up collateral events and such traditional items as bookstore appearances and signings. After August 1, the retail price will be $45. Special introductory price: $35. Shipping is included.

Circle of Friends, Book Four: Mike by L. Diane Wolfe

Past mistakes can never be forgiven...

Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself. When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?

Interview with Sandy Lender

Sandy is finishing up a virtual book tour, which began in May! today, she tells VirtualBookTourdeNet about her tour as well as her book. Check out her website for all the details about her, he stops and her book!

Some folks along the Choices Meant for Gods online book tour have asked if any of the characters in the novel make it autobiographical in any way. One of your answers is that you've placed your main character Chariss in similar situations to your childhood. Could you explain that for visitors to my site?

I moved a lot as a child (18 times before I got to college), so I realized, once I got to the marketing stage for CMFG, that I'd put Chariss through that same sort of upheaval all of her life. She and her wizard guardian have been on the run from benefactor to benefactor for sixteen years while this insane sorcerer has been chasing them with the intent to kill her.

And then a friend of mine from college contacted me through Nigel's blog recently (Nigel manages the site "Nigel Presents Sandy Lender" at http://sandylender.blogspot.com), and told me that he guessed I was either divorced or going through a divorce because of some comments in the novel. So I figure Chariss's stellar attitude toward marriage and longterm commitments, which kinda takes her beau by surprise in chapter 22, gives away my cynical view on all that. But, for all the tidbits of frustration I let Nigel, and the reader, feel from Chariss there, I think I make up for it when she gets through her arc and...well...I'll let folks read the story.

You had a guest blog early on in your online book tour in which you described your pitch session for Choices Meant for Gods. Could you recap that for my visitors and tell us why you opted for that means of approaching the publishing industry?

My pitch session was a riot! I actually had it a week earlier than I thought I was supposed to so I was totally unprepared and went into it with about three hours of sleep (this was before I was conditioned to function normally on three-hours-of-sleep-a-night, by the way) because I'd been up most of the night before typing the proposal, complete with treatment and synopsis. Color me nervous. Then the session itself, which was with the publisher himself (I'd given up on agents by that point because a year of rejection letters is a ridiculous thing to put yourself through - don't do it), took place in a large, busy room, about 8 to 10 feet from an elevator as people were returning from a lunch break. Read: crazy high traffic. I don't remember right now how many times we got interrupted, but people knew Bob was a publisher, so they wanted to walk up and talk to him...and they did. One lovely gal, whom I still adore, walked up to talk to me. So it was bizarre, but it went well, and Bob accepted my book. A couple weeks after that "fateful day" (typed with all the airy breathiness you can imagine into it), I got my contract attached to an e-mail. I was ecstatic.

Now, the reason I went that particular route to get my foot in the book publishing industry door is because no agents were interested in representing a magazine editor in the fantasy realm. How could a journalist possibly write something creative?

How long did it take for Choices Meant for Gods to get released once it was under contract?

About 13 months. I got the contract in February of 2006 and Choices Meant for Gods was released - my lifelong dream came true - in March of 2007. This is nothing compared to some of the waits I've heard of authors enduring. I consider myself fortunate to have been on the short-end of the "interminable wait" timeframe.

Tell us about your tour.
I've been doing this for almost two months now. I've been appearing at peoples' blog sites, websites, chat rooms, in their online newsletters, and in their online yahoo groups promoting Choices Meant for Gods...and that two-month segment of my life is about to come to a close. It's been absolutely exhausting to keep track of all the details and keep everything in order, but it's been thrilling, too. I've met some amazing and energizing people along the way. On Saturday, July 21, I end the tour with a bang. I'll be announcing the winner of my contest from http://choicesmeantforgods.wordpress.com and I'll be guest blogging at a variety of sites. It'll be a bit of a party-online, if you will. I'm just really looking forward to having a good time with some of these new friends I've made. And that's a cool thing for me as a new author.

Choices Meant for Gods by Sandy Lender

Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? And will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

Choices Meant for Gods is the story of a young lady who's been on the run from a madman all her life. When she finally chooses to stand and fight, she discovers she's wrapped in centuries of prophecy that demand she protect the very gods themselves. The epic fantasy novel is now available from ArcheBooks Publishing. You can get information about the novel as well as grammar and writing tips from author Sandy Lender at her main blog at www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com.

Angelos by Robina Williams

Title: Angelos
Author: Robina Williams
ISBN: 1-933353-60-0
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Retail Price: U.S. $16.95
Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Distributor: Midpoint Trade Books
Publication Date: May 15, 2006
Available on Amazon.com
Author's Website: www.robinawilliams.com
Summary of Angelos:

Quant, the cat, is back!

The Minotaur is a quiet home-loving creature. So he's not too happy when a falling rock in the lower reaches of his labyrinth bounces off his head, giving him a splitting headache and flinging him through time and space. He's relieved to find his horns haven't been broken, but where in Zeus's name has he landed up?

Brother Jerome, pottering around in the friary shed, is suddenly hurled through red-hot air into a maze of corridors, all of which seem to lead him to a room containing human bones. Where is he now? Terrified, and desperate to be rescued before he's eaten by a monster, he yells for Quant.

When the quantum cat turns up, he's short-tempered with Jerome, telling him there's no monster, and anyway what does he mean by 'now'? Time, as he shows the friar, is a somewhat fluid concept.

Meantime, the friary's new Guardian, Fr. Aidan, is also journeying—through his dark night of the soul, and wondering if he will ever see the light again.



Two storylines united at the end of the book by Quant, the Lord’s seraphic envoy—the angelos of the title.

CFRB Presents: True Light by Terri Blackstock

The darkness deepens in a world without power. But, daring to defend a young outcast, one family strikes a light.
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, the Brannings face a choice. Will they hoard their possessions to survive—or trust God to provide as they offer their resources to others?

Number one bestselling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if series in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts—and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.

Now eight months into a global blackout, the residents of Oak Hollow are coping with the deep winter nights. But the struggle to survive can bring out the worst in a person—or a community.

A teenager has been shot and the suspect sits in jail. As the son of a convicted murderer, Mark Green already has one strike against him. Now he faces the wrath of all Oak Hollow—except for one person. Deni Branning has known Mark since high school and is convinced he is no killer.

When Mark finds himself at large with a host of other prisoners released upon the unsuspecting community, Deni and her family attempt to help him find the person who really pulled the trigger. But clearing Mark’s reputation is only part of his battle. Protecting the neighbors who ostracized him is just as difficult.

And forgiving them may be the hardest part of all.

Learn more at www.cfrblog.blogspot.com.

Interview with Heather Ingemar

Where did you get the idea for such a unique twist on an old tale?

I don't want to say I had an 'idea' for it because Lear kind of came to me rather than me seeking him out. One day, in August '06, I just had this vivid image of this dark-haired man with grey eyes walking into his apartment late at night. He had a gun and was a cop, and somehow, I knew he was different. So I sat down at my computer and started writing. Next thing I knew, he was a vampyre--though not in the tradional sense, he had a girlfriend, there was this thing with a mad scientist, and wham! It was all there. I think I wrote it all in about three days. A lot of my fiction is like that. I don't write until the character comes to me and essentially says, "Hey! Lady! I've got a story for you!"

Are you a vampire fan yourself? If so, what are your favorite shows/movies/books?

Definitely! Although it's rather funny--I still have not read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (don't tell my Brit. Lit. professor!). So, I guess I should say: yes, I'm a vampire fan, but with the caveat that they aren't nasty. I like my monsters to defy the concept of "monster." You'll find that a lot in my fiction. Nothing is quite how you'd expect it.
Anyhow, my favorite vampire media. I am a fan of the Underworld movies and of course, "Nosferatu," although it's got to be the 1800 vintage black-and-white film. As far as T.V. goes, the few episodes I saw of Buffy were good. Ironically, I haven't read much vampire literature, although I really liked "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer and "Covenant with the Vampire" by Jeanne Kalogridis. I read a poem in Brit. Lit. class called "Cristabel," I forget who by. The vampire lady in that one was nasty, but I was rather fond of the poem because the vampiress wasn't at all like the more traditional concept of a vampire. She didn't suck blood (at least, it wasn't mentioned), and she was more akin to a snake with hypnotic powers than a bat or something. Rather unusual.

This is short fiction? Tell us how the eBook differs then from a more conventional novel:

Yes, "Darkness Cornered" is a short story. As for how the ebook differs from a more conventional novel, well, for starters, the format. There's a big difference between paper and a computer screen. Secondly, you can purchase it online and read it right away--instead of having to wait for two weeks while it's in the mail. In my opinion, the short story really excells in the digital medium. The demands on a reader's time are less, not to mention, people who don't want to invest the time and effort into reading a novel tend to be more willing to pick up a short. The ebook medium also allows for greater expression of creativity. For example, in my experience, print magazines are are looking for a certain kind of fiction and they only have so many pages to display it in. In the ebook medium, however, there aren't the space constraints. The author has a bit more leeway with length. It isn't so crucial that it be over so many words, or under. There's breathing room. And with breathing room, creativity blossoms.

Why keep it short? Is there more story you’d like to develop later?

Keeping "Darkness Cornered" short was an editing call I made early on. A couple weeks after I'd written the story, I started filling in the backstory. I started where Lear met Kai and began writing up to the time when he enters his apartment. Halfway through, I got bogged down. There was too much, it was interfering with the sharpness of the part I'd already written. So I decided to start cutting. Then I realized that there was a lot of good info on the V-mutation that wasn't in the story I'd written. I made the call. Cut what I can of the slog, and keep the necessary info for inclusion in the short. It was tough, but that's what I did.
Looking back over it, I think, "you know? There are parts that could have been fleshed out a little better." Then again, who can't not look back over their work and continue to see room for improvement? They say hindsight it 20-20....
As for further development of the story later, I don't know. Certainly not with Lear, but Kai is still out there. She's got a whole life to pick back up again. She's starting over. If she wants her story told, I'll know. As for right now, no more development is planned.

What’s next?

Aaah, what's next. I've got two upcoming works with Echelon Press (http://www.echelonpress.com/): a horror short story titled "A Slip of Wormwood" and a fantasy novella titled "Prophet's Choice." "Wormwood" was really a hoot to write, it's morbid and wonderfully twisted. "Prophet's Choice" was a story I'd started about three years ago that I couldn't leave alone. I slogged away on it as a novel for, well, about three years, and managed to finish it last Thanksgiving. It was horrible when I shelved it, terribly lack-luster. Then around February, I got to thinking about it again and pulled it out. I realized it needed a serious trim to give it the necessary shine. So I set about it. In short order I had the story I'd envisioned all along. Much happier about it, I polished it and sent it to my publisher. The rest, as they say, is history.
As for current projects, I'm working on a novella series tentatively titled "The Angels of Shadow." I refuse to divulge too many details until it's finished, but I will say that it's a rather odd love story. Kind of like "Beauty and the Beast," only not. (As if that didn't confuse you!) I'm also working on another horror short story and a fantasy short story that's been bugging me since December.
Other than that, it's just life on the farm.

Darkness Cornered by Heather S. Ingemar

Lear King is one of thousands in the latest chain of human evolution—vampyres. The V-mutation, as many call it, moved fast through the population and heightened certain natural traits such as photosensitivity, cell regeneration, and lower body core temperature until the people affected became like the supernatural creatures of ancient myths. And as with most developments in evolution, it becomes survival of the fittest: most of the "normals" died out.

Except for Kai Green, Lear's girlfriend. She's one of the last few "normals," and the light his life.

Then there's Dr. Maddox Corvan, the head of the Department of Scientific Research, who is certain that this V-mutation is a disease, and who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it. Even tracking down the remaining "normals" and performing macabre experiments upon them under the reputable guise of his station.

Dr. Corvan, frustrated after his last experiments go haywire, locates Kai, and pins her as his next victim. But there's just one problem.

Lear.

Can he save her before it's too late?

Interview with Cynthia MacKinnon

What gave you the idea for Light at the Edge of Darkness?

I can't claim any credit for the "idea" behind LatEoD. Daniel Weaver, who had just formed a critique group, suggested a short story project would be fun for the members. Although I wasn't part of Daniel's group, I did catch wind of the project, discussed some possibilities with he and Frank Creed about publication and then upped the ante a bit -- Daniel thought it constructive to tackle this project as good experience in submitting stories for publication. So, this group of writers sharpened their pencils and set to work writing short stories.

Because this was a critique group, as soon as stories were completed, the group turned their focus to critiquing. The result was some excellent examples of Biblical speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, cyberpunk, supernatural, dystopia, etc.). I still refer to the anthology as "Daniel's Project."

How did you find your contributors?

Once the anthology project was announced, most (if not all) members of the critique group were enthusiastic about participating. Then, members were encouraged to invite other writers with whose work they were familiar and the numbers swelled as people were invited from other Christian groups. The project was also announced at the site of "The Herscher Projects" which is a private group of speculative fiction writers chosen from Elfwood (the world's largest on-line sci-fi - fantasy community).

Once the stories were honed, they were submitted to me and using criterion-referenced evaluation, I chose the resulting selections. We had considered a "democratic" selection involving all the authors, and although we did this for fun, I made an executive decision -- there were too many variables to consider the democratic approach viable.

There was one exception to the above process as I wanted a headliner for the anthology. "Undeniable" a novella by Canadian horror writer A.P. Fuchs, was a comissioned work.

What was the most fun about putting the anthology together?
That's easy . . . having a job that entailed reading all the stories! I have to confess, prior to reading the submissions, I was not a fan of Christian nor speculative fiction--and certainly not horror. When I found myself immediately caught up in each of the "winning" stories, I knew I had found treasure! I never dreamed I'd be captivated by Biblical speculative fiction!

What was the toughest thing about putting the anthology together?

1. For three months I was just itching to read the stories, but couldn't. I purposely kept my distance from the critique rounds in order to view each story at its very best. I knew from experience that it is very easy to develop biases. For instance, I see an original draft that is very rough and then read it again as a submission and think, wow! has this ever improved. It would be so tempting to accept the story based on the effort put into improvements. The other side of the coin would be to read an original draft that holds real promise and come submission reading time, not pay as close attention to the story as I should.

2. The toughest part was making a final decision about each story and then having to inform each individual about my decision; many fine stories had to be turned down.

Why do you feel there's a need and a place for works like LatEoD?

To answer this I have to take a step back. The Christian community is, unfortunately, suspicious of this genre (as a matter of fact, much in the same way as alternative Christian music was viewed 15 years ago). The big CBA publishing houses are reluctant, to put it mildly, to take a chance on spec-fic, because they don't see a huge market for it. However, there is this huge untapped market of speculative fiction fans who are limited to reading secular works, many of which are anti-Christian by nature. What if they realized that literature existed that reflected their traditional values and was respectul of their Christian worldview?

Well, I didn't have to go very far in my research to hear the same thing over and over: I'd snap up a volume (or novel) of Biblical speculative fiction (stories) in a moment! but I can't find any. Yes, I realize that there exists some excellent work that fits this criteria, but one wouldn't know it by searching in a Christian book store! This, of course, presents a new problem: to make the availability of this genre known to the market. The whole raison d'etre of the Lost Genre Guild is to band artists together with the goal of promoting speculative fiction, making the market aware that the genre is available.

What's next?

Glad you asked! In the immediate future, look for the release of Flashpoint, by Frank Creed this fall and League of Superheroes by Stephen Rice this winter. Plus The Writers' Cafe Press has an ace up its sleeve, but ya'll are going to have to wait and see what it is!

Review: Light at the Edge of Darkness

Note: This is a re-run for the Light at the Edge of Darkness virtual book tour.

If you like exciting speculative fiction with a strong Christian message, pick up Light at the Edge of Darkness, an anthology of Christian speculative fiction edited by Cynthia MacKinnon. The 27 stories take the doctrine of Christian salvation from several different angles, yet all bear the same message: God is there for you if you seek and accept Him.
First, a word on the overall craftsmanship: Fantastic. These are well-written stories with strong plots, interesting characters, and vivid descriptions. (Some a little too vivid--don't read Weaver's stories or Fuchs' "Undeniable" before bed).
With 27 stories spanning horror, fantasy--both traditional and modern--and SF, as well as a few comedy pieces, there's something for everyone. I'm going to share a few of my favorites:

"Fumblebot's Task" by Deborah Cullins-Smith: Fumblebot, one of Satan's more ineffective minions, is given one last chance to prove himself: use Gretchen Hobson's superstitious fears to destroy her newly found faith in God. Cullins-Smith weaves a funny tale of (literally) hellish inter-office politics and miraculous near-misses as Fumblebot lives up to his name and, well, fumbles the task. The devil is in the details--or he should have been if he'd wanted it done right.

"Fair Balance" by S.M. Kirkland: Teenage rebellion becomes a fight for one sibling's soul. Kirkland drew me into the story from the beginning, but what I loved most about this story was that it did not take the easy ending.

"Allison" by Deborah Cullins-Smith: Get out the tissue for this poignant story about the fate of children lost in the womb and for the mothers who mourn them. I get teary just thinking about it, but I'm willing to bet many a mother will find comfort in her story.

"Small and Simple Things" by Alethea Knight: I loved the narrative voice in this tale as a grandmother tells her grandchild the story of their people and the amazing mutations that affected them when they colonized a new world. I would like to read more about this world where these Gifts--from sprouting wings to glowing--are first feared, then enjoyed, then depended on to survive in Panacea.

"Your Average Ordinary Alien" by Adam Graham: Another chuckler. I love the idea of a hard core SF fan being abducted by aliens and finding out they aren't so different from us after all. Kirk Skywalker (he changed his name) summed it up best: "I finally get to meet an alien and he tells me that you're just flying green WASPs."

"Soar on Wings" by Carizz Cruzem: What an imagination! Cruzem takes a look at life from the point of view of a fly--and makes it enjoyable, believable and fun! To add a Christian message attests to his genius. Write more!

"Edge of Water" by Karen McSpadden: Another writer who impressed me by not taking the "easy, ask Jesus" way out. When Clare discovers she's been slated to undergo human experimentation/torture, she decides suicide is the only way out. To prevent her from keeping her appointment at the euthanasia clinic, her husband must make an extreme sacrifice--and finds the strength to do so in the Body of Christ.

"Chairman" and "True Freedom" by Frank Creed: Biblical Cyberpunk. Not a genre you'd expect, but Creed has the skill to pull it off. In these two stories, machines find God--one in its human masters--with bizarre results--and one through the prayers of one of its human captives--with results he leaves you to guess at.

"At the Mountains of Lunacy" by Stephen L. Rice: What's a spec-fic anthology without at least one D&D parody? Rice is indeed the High Mage of the one-liners--or maybe for this anthology, he should be Paladin. I may not let my teenage son read it for fear that for months afterward, he'll start quoting lines and giggling hysterically. For those who can resist such temptation (or who revel in it), Rice's his adventure is fast-paced fun.

As a Catholic, I found several of the stories (even a few of my favs) rather "Fundamentalist" in their message, but that didn't stop me from appreciating the wonderful work and imagination put into these fantastic tales. Light at the Edge of Darkness is a good read for anyone and a must-read for those who are looking for solid Christian speculative fiction.

Light at the Edge of Darkness, edited by Cynthia MacKinnon

Biblical speculative fiction—a real mouthful to describe this lost genre. What is “Bib-spec-fic”? It is speculative fiction that is written from a Christian world view intended to inspire and entertain readers. In Light at the Edge of Darkness, several sub-genres of spec-fic are showcased including horror, science fiction, dystopia, fantasy, time travel, supernatural. The stories have been organized into subgenres with some versatile authors writing in more than one category. You will read the serious, the light, the parody, and the heart-stopping “fiction to scare the Jesus into you.”

When forced to the edge of darkness, there’s only one way back: embrace the Light.

. . . venture to futures where religious "Terrorists" smuggle frozen embryos to save lives and resist technologies designed to break their souls;
. . . explore dying alien worlds scouring the galaxies for hope;
. . . get abducted and discover the universe’s secrets or the trial of a lifetime.

Teetering on the edge, escape inbred captors through a haunted labyrinth,survive a house where nightmares walk, or settle in for a martyr's tribulation.

Join an epic quest through the ridiculous, cross swords with monsters, sneak a glimpse at heaven, and traverse the planes where angels and demons tread.

Follow these tales and more to the edge of darkness, to the brink of despair, and bask in the Savior’s redeeming Light.

Note: This is a re-run for the Light at the Edge of Darkness virtual book tour. Cynthia is offering prizes to those who visit the hosptin blogs and post comments. Find out more at http://blog.lostgenreguild.com/

CFRB Presents: David Brollier

Tell us a little about yourself:

I'm happily married to Barbara Ann, yes that really is her name. We've been married for nearly 34 years and have 2 grown children, one daughter-in-law and one grandson who will be 2 this August. I'm a retired correctional officer, now a part-time library clerk and a licensed minister with Soar Like An Eagle Ministries. Oh yeah, I write a little too.

Actually I've been writing for a long time. In the late 70s I wrote a sci-fi trilogy that is not yet ready for submission. I've written tons of poetry, songs, articles, editorials, most of these have been posted on the web or, as in editorials, in our local paper. THE 3RD COVENANT is my first published novel.

Where did you get the idea for the Church of the Third Covenant, the cult which s murdering people in the "name of God"?

Well, let's start further back. In 1973 or 74, while living in Springield, MO. a priest was killed with a bayonet (and yes it was in a bowling alley). I never did like the way that case was concluded. The boyfriend was let off, the woman was given Murder in the 2nd Degree. So that's where the bayonet comes in.
Then, while working as a correctional officer I ran into an inmate who headed up his own church. That was the bases for The Church of the 3rd Covenant, although let me rush to say that neither this man, nor this church did the vile things mentioned in my novel. So in answer to your question the idea is a culmination of several things in my life, real things, which I fictionalized.

How much of yourself do you see in your main character?
When Nat is talking and almost forcing the Gospel on May, that's me. When he loses his temper, that's me too. When he learns to trust in God, even that's me to a point. I guess if I really knew kung fu and had lived in the Orient at one time Nat would be like a twin. As it is he's more like the image I would like to see of myself, not the one I have of myself. So even for me Nat is a role model.

Why write this story?

Again, to answer this question we need to travel back in time. In 1973 I created a character called "Nat Adams" which I hoped would be a Christian comic book hero. I even drew up a few comics. My art work leaves much to be desired and that idea was scrapped.

Then in 1980 or there abouts I started a collaborative work with Marc Burns. The name "Nat Adams" was again chosen as the hero. This time we began with his history and gave him a complete background. I can tell you where Nat grew up, what he was like and how he became who you find him to be in my present book.

That collaborative work was never completed as I moved away before that could take place. Marc still remains a close personal friend who has graciously allowed me to utilize all the ideas, descriptions and other work we put into the collaborative together without claiming any personal recognition. When I retired from corrections I had a lot of things going on in my head, but it was actually after reading some great mysteries by people like Jeffery Deaver and Harlan Coben that propelled me into writing a mystery of my own. I wrote it to have fun, to show people that Christianity can be fun as well as to show them the life of a Christian, warts and all. While there are many things I wished I'd have done differently, such as learn how to use the point-of view properly, I am still proud of this work. I'm proud because it marks a beginning. I've had one person suggest that I re-write it when I'm out from under my current contract. You know Karina, I think I'll leave it just the way it is, to remind me of how easily it is to make great mistakes and to help me to remember where I came from. Should I become a best-selling author, something I am aiming for, I want to be able to look back on this work and say, "Ugh! I can't believe that was me." And in that reflection be encouraging to new authors as they come to me with questions. I want to leave my book the way it is to keep me humble. Does that make sense to you?

What's next for you?

I'm currently working on another "Adams/Wish" novel. With the help of some others both here and on another group, not to mention the help of one of my co-workers at the library, I'm currently doing my 3rd re-write. I hope to be presenting it to publishers for consideration by mid-summer, or perhaps to an agent.

I'd like to also say that since reading LIGHT AT THE EDGE OF DARKNESS, compiled by Cynthia MacKinnon, I plan on both writing some Biblical speculative fiction of my own as well as inserting some of these elements into the future "Adams/Wish" novels. Exactly where I go, well, as always, that's up to the Lord.

One thing I'd like to say before we conclude here is that I believe with all my heart that the story I told in THE 3RD COVENANT is the one God gave me. It's a story about a believer's struggle with faith, a non-believer's struggle with their own beliefs and a love that truly does endure all things. The parts of this novel that people enjoy are those parts that God helped me write. The parts where there are errors or it may seem to get off track (or the POV makes things hard to follow), well, that's me. I take credit for the errors and give God the credit for what is not in error.

Thank you for this time Karina. It's been fun. Like most authors I could talk forever about my own writing. In fact I could talk forever about writing in general, so this has been a special treat for me.

CFRB Presents: 3rd Covenant by David Brollier

An ex-convict with an agenda and two of NYPD’s finest face off when Father Rierdon is found murdered in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Detectives Nat Adams, homicide, and May K. Wish, crime scene investigator from Manhattan South’s Crime Scene Unit, join forces to track a ruthless killer. Clues seem to point to one man, an ex-convict who has started his own church. As the body count piles up, the pressure is on to resolve the case quickly. Nat struggles, among the carnage, to live the life of a Christian, often failing. The chase is on, covering three states, but will they be able to resolve this case quickly enough? This question seems to mock them as they face a struggle against a religious cult that leaves behind a deadly bayonet as its calling card.