The Qwillery

Please welcome K.A. Stewart to The Qwillery.



Everybody thinks that the great thing about writing fiction is that we can just make things up and it doesn’t matter if it’s real or not. So not true!

In order to make something fantastic truly believable, there must be a few grains of truth in there. The easiest way to suspend disbelief is to base it on something factual. And the easiest way to do that is to do research.

I don’t know a single author that doesn’t do a lot of research. Sometimes, the research is extensive. Historical authors are known for this. It takes a lot of work to make sure that everything in a historical novel is true to the time period. It can be something as small as figuring out just when the high heel was introduced into regular fashion, or something as large as knowing the exact geographical areas were covered by a key historical battle.

Sometimes, you do the research just for one sentence, one tiny factual thing that you want to have correct. Do Glocks have a safety? What is the melting temperature of silver? What plant is known to have magic-neutralizing properties? It may seem insignificant, but for a reader who knows the correct answer to any of those questions, getting it wrong can yank them right out of the story.

The internet makes research a breeze. Anything you can think of, you can type into a search engine and pull up a hundred different links to possible sources. However, there is a dark side of internet research, one that will suck a writer down into a black abyss from which they might never emerge.

And no, I’m not talking about typing that phrase into Google that you think sounds innocent, only to pull up sites that no amount of brain bleach can remedy. No, I’m talking about the hazard of too much research.

With a wealth of knowledge just a mouse click away, it is entirely too easy to become lost wandering the information highway. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to look up one tiny fact for one tiny sentence, only to find myself four hours later with more knowledge of the history of the yo-yo than is healthy and I haven’t written a single word!

Beware the black hole of internet research. You may set out aiming to look up how many bullets a certain magazine holds, but the next thing you know, you’re lost in the realm of low-sodium soup recipes, misspelled cat captions, and vintage clothing knock-offs. Time ceases to have meaning, and you may not realize you’ve forgotten to feed your pets until they start nibbling on your toes.

It is best, when researching, to use the buddy system. Let someone know that you’re going in, and arrange to have them check on you after a pre-determined time period. Often, even putting the research aside for a few moments to answer a Tweet or a text can free you from the hypnotic spell. Resist the urge to have your research buddy accompany you into the internet, as this usually only results in both of you becoming lost. Sadly, two people can become ensnared even easier than one.

If you don’t have a research buddy available, try setting an alarm for yourself, perhaps on your cell phone. Or, order a pizza shortly before you begin. When you have to leave the computer to pay the pizza guy, you stand a better chance of extracting yourself from the research fog.

Research is a fun and fascinating activity, but it should only practiced with all safety precautions taken. By following the few simple suggestions above, we will all live to write another day.


About K.A.'s Books

Jesse James Dawson 1
(ROC, July 6. 2010)
When it comes to demons, always read the find print.

Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate) until one day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon, Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death

Jesse lived to free his brother-and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders


Jesse James Dawson 2
(ROC, July 5, 2011)
Jesse James Dawson's vacation is interrupted by a pack of hell-spawned creatures. To save friends, family and himself, Jesse will have to put his trust in his most dangerous enemy-his personal demon.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders
















About K.A. Stewart

K.A. Stewart has a BA in English with an emphasis in Literature from William Jewell College. She lives in Missouri with her husband, daughter, one cat, and one small furry demon that thinks it's a cat.


K.A.'s Links:

Blogs:
On Literary Intent
The League of Reluctant Adults (group)

Twitter





The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of A Shot in the Dark (Jesse James Dawson 2) from The Qwillery.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Friday, July 15, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

Ah, cover art. Two words certain to leave a debut author torn between excitement (“ooh, can’t wait to see my novel as a Real Live Book!”) and nerves (“Oh god, what if I hate the cover?”). For those not in the know, authors – especially brand new ones – often have no say in the cover. If you talk to industry veterans, you’ll hear a host of horror stories. Most tales of woe involve marketing folks who ignore the actual content of the story in favor of slapping the latest, greatest art trope on the cover. (“Put a tattooed chick with a sword on it. Those are hot right now. What’s that you say? None of the characters have tattoos, let alone carry swords? Who cares – you want it to sell, right?”)

So I was both delighted and relieved when my editor at Night Shade Books emailed me the cover art they’d commissioned from artist David Palumbo. Not only was the art gorgeous, but it did a wonderful job portraying the spirit of my book.

I like to call The Whitefire Crossing an adventure fantasy. When writing it, I aimed for the adventurous feel and tight character focus of sword-and-sorcery, but with pitons and ice axes instead of swords. One of Whitefire’s two protagonists is a mountain climber, the other a mage; at the start of the book, the mage (Kiran) hires the mountain climber (Dev) to help him cross the treacherous Whitefire Mountains and sneak over the spell-warded border of a neighboring country. Neither Dev nor Kiran trust each other, and for good reason – they’re each playing a deeper game than the other realizes. Soon enough they’re hip deep in trouble, caught between dangerous enemies with the fate of their home city hanging in the balance.

Looking at the cover art, the “mountain adventure” part of The Whitefire Crossing comes through loud and clear. I could tell right off that David Palumbo had actually read the book (or some portion thereof – though as it turns out, he read the whole thing). Not only are the mountains perfect: steep, snowy and rugged – which I’m thrilled about, since as a climber myself, mountains are important to me! – but so are the little details. The charm dangling from Dev’s wrist; the rope connecting the two men; the believably warm clothing; the tree turning black from Kiran’s touch because he’s stealing its life energy to supplement his own – all of that is just right.

Speaking of Kiran and the tree: the original version of the art didn’t have the red glow on the tree, just the blackened bark.


The original version was more true to the book; here’s a description of Kiran sucking life from a tree, as told from Dev’s perspective:

He didn’t say a word, just went straight for the nearest tree and grabbed a branch like it was a lifeline. I don’t know what I’d expected. A flash like a mage ward would give, or a sound, or something – but there was nothing like that. His head fell back, his eyes closed, and the look on his face made my skin crawl. I’d seen that same slack-jawed pleasure in lionclaw addicts when they swallowed a dose.

The needles of the tree withered to brown, then curled and blackened as if burned.

But while the blackened-bark art was both beautiful and accurate, I worried it was a little too subtle. I thought it might be good to clearly indicate to potential readers that the book had a strong magical element, and wasn’t historical fantasy. With the support of my agent, I brought it up with my editor. The editor agreed; so David added the red glow to the tree, to play up the magical element. I’m very happy with the result – I figure it’s more important for a cover to give the right feel for a book than be perfectly accurate.

Which brings me to character depictions: I think I’ve figured out why so many recent fantasy covers feature people in hoods or with their backs to the viewer. It’s so the publisher doesn’t have to worry the author will freak out over how the artist drew the character’s face. After all, it’s pretty hard to match whatever image the author’s been carrying around in their head for so long.

On my cover, Kiran’s face is showing, and he came out a bit more Asian than I’d imagined him. (In the book, he’s described as having black hair and high cheekbones, but blue eyes and fair skin). I don’t mind, though, because again I think it gives the right feel – most of the characters in Whitefire are meant to be either non-white or a mélange of races. Dev, for instance, is described as brown-skinned, dark-haired and green-eyed; I’ve always pictured him as a male, somewhat darker-skinned version of the green-eyed Afghan girl in that famous National Geographic picture. (See http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text) With Dev’s face hidden, I definitely prefer Kiran not to look like a fantasy-standard white boy.

I feel pretty darn lucky to have gotten such a great cover for my first novel. I’m hoping David Palumbo will do the art again for Whitefire’s sequel, The Tainted City (forthcoming in 2012). Regardless, I think I’m in great hands with Night Shade!


About The Whitefire Crossing

The Whitefire Crossing
The Shattered Sigil 1
(Night Shade Books, August 9, 2011)
Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He's in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it's easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel--where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark--into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution--and he'll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.

Yet the young mage is not the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other--or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel.

Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders


About Courtney

Courtney Schafer grew up reading Diana Wynne Jones and Patricia McKillip and her love of fantasy has only grown with age. Her debut fantasy novel The Whitefire Crossing will release this August from Night Shade Books. When not writing, Courtney figure skates, climbs 14,000 foot peaks, squeezes through Utah slot canyons, and skis way too fast through trees. To support her adrenaline-fueled hobbies and writing habit, she received a degree in electrical engineering from Caltech and now works in the aerospace industry. Visit her at http://www.courtneyschafer.com/.


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win an ARC of The Whitefire Crossing from Courtney!

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3)  Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

Please welcome Virginia Kantra to The Qwillery.

Summer Loving




“Summer lovin’ had me a blast. Summer lovin’, happened so fast...Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but uh-oh, those summer nights.”

Okay, my new release Forgotten Sea isn’t really based on the musical Grease.

But there’s something about summer at the beach—the crash of the waves, the caress of the sun, the tang of salt and the lure of a hot romance—that definitely provided inspiration for the Children of the Sea series. Who hasn't necked on a blanket on the sand or dreamed of strolling hand in hand along the water's edge?

There are folk tales up and down the British coast about the selkie, shape-shifters who take the form of seals in the ocean and cast off their pelts—get naked—to come ashore as beautiful men and women who have sex with humans. Which is a fabulous fantasy if you are a lonely sailor and a pretty unarguable explanation if you are an unmarried village maiden who can’t possibly name, say, the married butcher as the father of your baby.

It was that juxtaposition, that tension between land and sea, between the contemporary, pragmatic, mortal world we know and the timeless, sensual, magical world of the merfolk, that provided the inspiration for the Children of the Sea. Set off the coast of Maine, these books were inspired by the mystery and magic, the power and passion of the ocean. They’re based on the Celtic legends of the selkie and the finfolk,
immortal creatures of the sea living apart from humankind but able to shape-shift into seductive human form.

The tension is even higher in Forgotten Sea because for the first time the children of air are players in the story. Fallen angel Lara Rho is a Seeker—one called to rescue other lost children of air before they’re hunted down by the demonic children of fire. She thinks she’s found her latest charge in sailor Justin Miller. But Justin is no angel. He’s no ordinary mortal, either. He remembers nothing of his life before the day he was plucked from a shipwreck seven years ago. Lara’s fierce attraction to Justin and her determination to do the right thing pits her against her own kind and puts them one step ahead of the pursuing demons.

As Lara and Justin flee up the coast, they must work together to discover his true identity...before what they don't know kills them both. Their romance is fast and yes, it’s hot. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Of course, the other wonderful thing about the books is that I not only get to read at the beach. I get to “research” there! What settings—real or imagined—work for you? Where are you going this summer? The sea? The mountains? What books are you taking along?

Looking forward to your comments! I’ll be giving away a copy of Forgotten Sea to somebody.


About the Children of the Sea Series

Children of the Sea 1
(Berkley, July 1, 2008)
First in the new The Children of the Sea series— from the USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR.

Margred is a Selkie—a legendary being of the sea, able to shapeshift into seductive human form. And she has found a human she desires...

Burned out from the big city, Caleb Hunter becomes police chief on the peaceful Maine island of World’s End. Then he meets a woman who’s everything he’s ever dreamed of…

Their passion is undeniable, irresistible—and it may change the fate of humankind.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders




Children of the Sea 2
(Berkley, August 5, 2008)
When the last available bachelor on World’s End island marries someone else, working mom Regina Barrone realizes that the love she yearns for isn’t just going to appear by magic... Dylan Hunter has returned to land for his brother’s wedding, but he is troubled. Years ago, he chose his life as a selkie—an immortal being of the sea—over the fragile and treacherous emotions of humanity... But Neither Regina nor Dylan foresee the future, where only love can save them—and the world.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders








Sea Lord
Children of the Sea 3
(Berkley, May 5, 2009)
He was born of the sea...

Selkie prince Conn ap Llyr denies his deeply sensual nature to rule over the immortal Children of the Sea. But when the Children of Fire threaten the Selkies' Sanctuary, Conn must obey his haunting visions-and seek a woman thousands of miles away...

She was born on land...

Schoolteacher Lucy Hunter knows nothing about her Selkie heritage or the prophecy that drives Conn to find her. She is content with her life on the quiet Maine island of World's End. That is, until a proud, compelling stranger appears to challenge her assumptions and awaken her desires...

Their love will tear them between two worlds...

To combat Fire, Conn needs Lucy's magic-even if this means stealing her away to Sanctuary. As the demon threat grows, so does their passion, overcoming Lucy's fears and Conn's guarded heart. But soon they face a devastating choice. Will their love be enough to save them? Or will their destinies tear them apart?

Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders


Immortal Sea
Children of the Sea 4
(Berkley, September 7, 2010)
The New York Times bestselling author of Sea Lord takes to the waves again.

The island of World's End sets the stage for a dramatic reunion between Morgan of the finfolk and a woman he met years ago-a woman with a startling secret.



Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders












Children of the Sea 5
(Berkley, June 7, 2011)
Fallen angel Lara Rho is desperate to prove herself a seeker by rescuing the restless sailor Justin Miller. He's no angel, but she is irresistibly drawn to him-and is soon drawn into an adventure of danger and discovery.



Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders















The Children of the Sea Prequels

"Sea Crossing"
(Berkley, March 4, 2008)
WHEN IT COMES TO SHAPESHIFTING PARANORMAL ROMANCE, WHO CAN RESIST...

New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight, USA Today bestselling author Lora Leigh, and national bestselling authors Alyssa Day and Virginia Kantra?

Whether transforming under a blue moon or prowling the streets, the shifters come alive to fulfill the wildest of fantasies in this seductive anthology by four masters of paranormal romance.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders




"Shifting Sea"
(Berkley, August 3, 2010)
Bring these four authors together and it's sure to ignite a spark...

Angela Knight pairs a vampire warrior and his seductive captor in a battle against demonic predators.

Nalini Singh returns to the world of her Psy-Changeling series as a woman in lethal danger finds an unlikely protector-and lover.

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in her story of a wounded soldier rescued by an enigmatic young woman.

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series about a woman who strikes a provocative-and terrifying-bargain for freedom.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders


About Virginia


New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the author of more than twenty books and  winner of two National Readers' Choice Awards.  This year, she is a double nominee for Romance Writers of America RITA award in Paranormal Romance (Immortal Sea) and Novella (“Shifting Sea” in the anthology Burning Up).

For excerpts and more, visit her website.

Virginia's Links

Website
Facebook





The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a copy of Forgotten Sea (Children of the Sea 5) from Virginia and, in honor of Virginia's RITA nominations, a copy of Immortal Sea (Children of the Sea 4) and a copy of Burning Up from The Qwillery. So the winning commenter will get 3 books!

How:  Leave a comment answering any or all of Virginia's questions:

What settings—real or imagined—work for you? Where are you going this summer? The sea? The mountains? What books are you taking along?

Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), and Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook and Twitter mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Friday, June 17, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

The Qwillery is the 6th stop on the #Dark Tour By Erin Kellison and Laurie London. Erin and Laurie are celebrating the releases of new e-novellas: Shadow Touch by Erin and Hidden by Blood by Laurie. Let's listen in as their heroines have coffee.



Coffee with Heroines of #DarkTour

Welcome to #DarkTour, and a big thank you to Sally for hosting us. Laurie London and I have got great prizes to give away— Shadow Bound (book 1 in my Shadow series), Bonded by Blood (book 1 in Laurie’s Sweetblood series), and a bonus book, Ascension, by author Caris Roane. We’ll also be adding bookmarks and romance trading cards to the package. Good, yes? Enter to win by answering the question below.

Today we are spotlighting the heroines of the Shadow and Sweetblood series. To start, Brenna, the heroine of Hidden by Blood, has met up with Ellie, from Shadow Touch, for a coffee and a get-to-know you chat to prepare for #DarkTour.

Brenna tries to keep her gaze on Ellie, but can’t help looking over at Ellie’s nude, disembodied shadow, who is glaring at her. “So,” Brenna asks smiling, “uhh…what’s up with the shadow?”

Ellie glances at her dark self, who is curled on a seat at another table, clearly distrustful of Brenna. Ellie hopes Brenna doesn’t notice that her shadow is on edge, ready to attack, if necessary.

Ellie smiles back, shrugging. “She senses that something is unusual about you, but since I’m split in two, I can’t exactly point any fingers, can I?” Ellie laughs nervously. “My shadow is my deep self, kinda like a Freudian id. Passions and instinct control her. And she’s getting stronger every day.”

Brenna leans forward, sympathetic. “That must be very…”

“… embarrassing?” Ellie interrupts. It’s so much more than that, but impossible to explain to a stranger. Instead, Ellie quips, “You should see her around attractive men. And if she senses I’m in danger…”

Her shadow hisses at Brenna.

“…then she will defend me,” Ellie finishes. “It’s happened before. No one knows, not even me, what she’s capable of.”

“I’m capable of anything,” her shadow says, gaze never leaving Brenna.

Ellie closes her eyes for patience. “I don’t mean that to sound threatening, it’s just…she obviously can tell that you are dangerous in your own right.”

Brenna smiles. “I suppose I am. But you have nothing to worry about.”

Ellie knows Brenna’s telling the truth, because her shadow settles back on her seat, though her glare is just as fierce. “Anyway, I’m determined to put an end to it,” Ellis says, “which is why I’m going to Segue. And I’m not leaving there until someone helps me.”

“What’s Segue?” Brenna asks.

Ellie picks up her coffee mug. Takes a sip. “It’s a paranormal research center. There’s a scientist there, Dr. Cameron Kalamos, who is investigating the unusual properties of shadows. He’s finally agreed to see me, though I’m pretty sure he’s not prepared for the likes of her.” Ellie darts a glance over at her dark self. “I think she’s only accompanying me because Dr. Kalamos is pretty cute.”

“Hot,” her shadow corrects.

Ellie sighs. “Yeah, okay. He’s hot. Anyway, enough about me. …

Brenna tears open a sugar packet, pours it slowly into her mug. “No, really, I don’t mind.”

“You...you don’t?” Ellie’s eyes go wide. “I figured she...we would totally freak you out.”

“Hardly. It’s refreshing, actually.” Brenna smiles as she stirs her latte. “I can totally relate to having a dark nature.”

“Seriously?”

“You’re not the only one with issues, Ellie. As a vampire, my dark nature is a part of me. I struggle with it daily. The urges, the compulsions.” Brenna glances at the shadow who looks ready to spring again. No doubt because the V word has been dropped. “Most of the time I manage pretty well. Working in the medical field like I do, you have to. But it’s especially difficult with one particular man. And yeah, he’s hot.”

“How do you manage?” Ellie glances over at her naked self. “I find it so...overwhelming at times.”

“I’m not saying it’s easy. If it was, no one would want to tell our stories.” Brenna sighs. “In my case, I try to avoid situations where I know I’m going to have...trouble.”

Brenna tenses, expecting some sort of reaction from the shadow, but the dark figure has just noticed the tatted up barista behind the counter.

“So, tell me about this guy,” Ellie prompts.

Brenna takes a sip of her latte and stares at her new friend over the rim. “Finn McKentry is a former Army Ranger who runs his own helicopter business. You know, sight-seeing, corporate outings, that sort of thing. He’s brash, bold, daring with just the faintest touch of a Scottish accent.”

“Mmmm, he does sound hot. So what’s the problem?”

Brenna sighs. “For one thing, he’s a human. But not only that, he’s also a sweetblood. It’s a rare blood type that’s extremely addictive to vampires. One taste and I won’t be able to stop. My dark nature will take over and I’ll kill him. Drain him of his blood and his energies.”

“His energies?” Ellie scowls. “I don’t understand.”

Brenna looks at the shadow who is now rubbing a hand suggestively over her hips as she stares at the barista. Wow, that would be hard to deal with day in and day out. Okay, she’d better be quick about this.

“Give me your hand.”

Ellie tentatively reaches out across the table. Brenna grabs her hand and a jolt of energy shoots up her arm before she lets go. “Did you feel that?”

Ellie looks at her palm, shakes her head.

“Many humans don’t,” Brenna explains. “Because vampires can’t get energy from ultra-violet light like you do, we need to absorb it through physical contact. Often, you’ll just feel tired afterwards. Like you didn’t sleep well. Or, as is the case for many people in the Northwest, you’ll feel as if you’re suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder and need sunlight.”

Ellie nods then waits a moment before asking, “So, what...ah...happened to the guy?”

Brenna stares into her cup. The heart design the barista had made in the foam is gone. All that is left is a stirred up mess.

“I broke up with him and told my dark self, never again.”


About the e-Novellas and Authors

Hidden By Blood
A Sweetblood e-Novella
(June 1, 2011)
Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, two vampire coalitions battle for supremacy—Guardians who safeguard humanity and Darkbloods, rogues who will stop at nothing to satisfy their craving for the sweetest of human blood.

Now, former Army Ranger Finn McKentry finds himself imprisoned as a blood slave, forced to submit to an enemy more powerful than any he's encountered before. Only Brenna Stewart, the woman he'd loved and lost, can set him free—but the secret she harbors might lead them down the most dangerous path of all…


Amazon : B&N



About Laurie

A graduate of Western Washington University with a BA in Business Administration and a former tester/programmer for a Fortune 500 company, Laurie London now writes from her home near Seattle where she lives with her husband and two children.

When not writing, she can be found running, reading, or riding and showing her horse. Someday she hopes to qualify for the Quarter Horse World Show – that is, if her horse doesn’t get hurt again.

You can find Laurie online here:

Website:  http://www.laurielondonbooks.com/
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/LaurieLondonAuthor
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/LaurieBLondon


Shadow Touch
A Shadow e-Novella
(June 1, 2011)
Magic
It is bleeding into our world, bringing with it banshees, wraiths, fae from the twisting forests of Twilight. But Elllie's problem is a very different kind of phenomenon. . .

Shadow
It ought to be attached to her; instead it has a life of its own. And her dark mirror image is a wild thing, willfully seducing the very man Ellie hoped could help.

Science
Cam has devoted his career to exploring the boundaries between this world and the Hereafter. But nothing could prepare him for the mischief and mayhem of a soul split in two.

Surrender
Who will give in first: the man struggling to unite two halves of one fascinating female; the shadow fighting for freedom to experience the thrill of every emotion; or the woman who is about to discover her own deepest desires?

Amazon : B&N


About Erin

Erin Kellison is the author of the Shadow Series, which includes Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall, as well as the upcoming Shadowman (Sept 2011), and the e-novella Shadow Touch (June 2011). Stories have always been a central part of Erin's life. She attempted her first book in sixth grade, a dark fantasy adventure, and she still has those early hand-written chapters. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English Language and Literature and went on for a masters in Cultural Anthropology, focusing on oral storytelling. When she had children, nothing scared her anymore, so her focus shifted to writing fiction.

You can find Erin online here:

Website: http://www.erinkellison.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErinKellison
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ekellison


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win Shadow Bound (book 1 in Erin's Shadow series), Bonded by Blood (book 1 in Laurie’s Sweetblood series), and a bonus book, Ascension, by author Caris Roane. Erin and Laurie will also be adding bookmarks and romance trading cards to the package.


How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

There are a total of 3 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), and Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook or Twitter. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Thursday, June  16, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

Please welcome Steve Hockensmith to The Qwillery.


     Hi. I’m Steve. I’m a writer. Not a particularly prolific one, but I do O.K. Over the last decade, I’ve written seven novels and a couple dozen short stories. That’s nothing when compared to someone like, say, Isaac Asimov, who wrote a Foundation novel every morning before breakfast and could crank out a non-fiction book about astrophysics while waiting in line at the DMV. Still, I’ve pulled more than half a million words out of thin air and shaped them into stories, and that’s something I’m extremely proud of.

     But recently a journalist rained on my little “Hooray for Me!” parade. He didn’t mean to. He was simply asking a question.

     “When do you think you’ll write something original?”

     Quoth Scooby-Doo: “Ruh?”

     The guy wasn’t trying to be insulting. At least, I don’t think he was. He sounded nice enough over the phone, but maybe on the other end of the line he was grinning maniacally and stabbing knitting needles into a voodoo doll with my face. He may as well have been, actually, because ouch. That hurt.

     A little context: He and I were discussing Dreadfully Ever After, my sequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. We’d also spent some time talking about the prequel, Dawn of the Dreadfuls, as well as my Holmes on the Range mystery series, which follows a pair of cowboy brothers who set out to become detectives using the methods of their hero, Sherlock Holmes. All my novels, we noted, are spinoffs from previously existing works. Which is why I was asked when I’d get off my literary duff and create something of my own.

     The question took me off guard, so my reply went more or less like this: “Well, gee, hmm, gosh, I’ve written lots of short stories that were, like, you know, totally original.”

     This was not the right response, but you know how it goes. The perfect come-back always pops into your head five minutes after some jerk tells you your haircut makes you look like _________. (I don’t know what your hair’s like, so I’ll let you insert your own appropriately insulting reference. In my case, it would be “Beaker.”)

     Here’s what I should have said: “Everything I’ve done is original.”

     And that’s not just b.s. or ego or a hack’s rationalization. Ask my therapist if you don’t believe me. I really mean it!

     Yes, my Pride and Prejudice and Zombies books take place in a world initially created and populated by other writers. Yes, my Holmes on the Range stories were inspired by a beloved character who’d been around more than a century before my heroes happened along. But here’s the thing: My books and stories are my books and stories. I’ve never tried to imitate anyone else’s style. And even though I’ve borrowed characters and concepts, I’ve always looked at them through my own eyes.

     That’s why you’ll find a lot more attention paid to servants and soldiers and ninjas and the not-so-glamorous members of the Bennet family in my PPZ books, for instance. I find such folks interesting, so I gave them a shot at the spotlight they might never have had with other writers. You’ll see something similar in my mysteries. They’re not about Sherlock Holmes. They’re about two young, down-on-their-luck Americans and their reaction to the idea of Sherlock Holmes. Big difference.

     To me, both approaches are a lot more “original” than...oh, let’s not go there. Suffice it to say, there are books on the bestseller lists that are about as original as what you get out of a Xerox machine.

     So the next time anyone says “When do you think you’ll write something original?” (and I hope it isn’t soon) I’ll have a retort ready, for once. Two retorts, in fact. I could say, “Why don’t you ask [INSERT MEGA-SELLING BRAND-NAME AUTHOR] that question?” Or I could say, “qwillery.blogspot.com, May 20, 2011. Look it up, buttercup.”


About Steve's Books

Holmes on the Range Mysteries Series

Holmes on the Range
Holmes on the Range 1
(Minotaur Books, February 2007, TP)
1893 is a tough year in Montana, and any job is a good job. When brothers Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer sign on as ranch hands at a secretive ranch, they’re not expecting much more than hard work, bad pay, and a few free moments to enjoy their favorite pastime: reading stories about Sherlock Holmes.

When another hand turns up dead, Old Red sees the perfect opportunity to employ his Holmes-inspired “deducifyin’” skills and sets out to solve the case. Big Red, like it or not (and mostly he does not), is along for the wild ride in this clever, compelling, and completely one-of-a-kind mystery.





On the Wrong Track
Holmes on the Range 2
(Minotaur Books, January 2008, TP)
It might be 1893 and the modern world may in full-swing, but cowboy Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer is an old-fashioned kind of guy: he prefers a long trail ride even when a train could get him where he’s going in one-tenth the time. His brother Otto (“Big Red”), on the other hand, wouldn't mind climbing down from his horse and onto a train once in a while if it'll give his saddle-sore rear end a rest. So when it's Old Red who insists they sign on to protect the luxurious Pacific Express, despite a generations-old Amlingmeyer family distrust of the farm-stealin', cattle-killin', money-grubbin' railroads, Big Red is flummoxed. But Old Red, tired of the cowpoke life, wants to take a stab at professional ‘detectifying’ just like his hero, Sherlock Holmes and guard jobs for the railroad are the only ones on offer.

So it is that Big Red and Old Red find themselves trapped on a thousand tons of steam-driven steel, summiting the Sierras en route to San Francisco with a crafty gang of outlaws somewhere around the next bend, a baggage car jam-packed with deadly secrets, and a vicious killer hidden somewhere amongst the colorful passengers.

On the Wrong Track, Old Red and Big Red’s much anticipated return, is filled with all of the wit, flavor, humor, and suspense that made Hockensmith’s debut, Holmes on the Range, so beloved by critics and fans alike.
 
 
The Black Dove
Holmes on the Range 3
(Minotaur Books, May 2009, TP)
In the summer of 1893, Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer and his brother Otto (a.k.a. “Big Red”) find themselves down and out in San Francisco. Though cowpokes by training, the brothers are devotees of the late, great Sherlock Holmes and his trademark method of “deducifying.” But when they set out to land jobs as professional detectives, they land themselves in hot water, instead.
 
First their friend Dr. Chan mysteriously takes a potshot at them, fatally wounding Big Red’s new hat. Then a secretive young woman from their past pops up and convinces them that Chan’s in trouble -- and they’re just the men to get him out of it. Unfortunately, they’re too late: By the time they track Chan down again, he’s dead. The police call it a suicide. Old Red calls that a lie. When he and his brother set out to prove it, they put themselves on a collision course with shady S.F.P.D. cops, brutal Barbary Coast hoodlums and the deadly Chinatown tongs.
 
Before long, all sides are in a race to uncover the secret that could rock the city. And their only clue to what’s actually going on is the enigmatic, exotic and extremely difficult to find “Black Dove.”
 
 
The Crack in the Lens
Holmes on the Range 4
(Minotaur Books, January 2011, TP)
 
 
World's Greatest Sleuth
Holmes on the Range 5
(Minotaur Books, January 2011, HC)





The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a copy of World's Greatest Sleuth (Holmes on the Range 5) generously provided by Steve and a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls provided by The Qwillery.

How:   Leave a comment answering the following question:

Please welcome author Barbara Ashford to The Qwillery.


A funny thing happened on the way to this blog. Sally (Qwill) and I discovered a theatre connection. She had attended shows at the Southbury Playhouse. I had performed there.

Spellcast – my new contemporary fantasy – is filled with such unexpected connections. The surprising friendships that spring up during a summer stock season. The sense of community that shapes a theatre company that lives and works together. And most of all, the magic that connects a group of strangers and transforms them into a family.

In writing Spellcast, I wanted to capture the magic of theatre for readers: the joy of stepping out of the everyday world into the imaginary one onstage; the sudden tension as the house lights dim; the excitement of knowing that – in live theatre – anything can happen.

But I also wanted to go one step further and throw some otherworldly magic into the mix. What better place than a theatre to combine the two? And to explore what one character in Spellcast calls “the impossible possibilities” of life?

I never intended to cannibalize my life for the book. I was just going to sprinkle in a few memories to add “flavor.” Like the rundown boarding house that our cast nicknamed “Anatevka” after the village in Fiddler on the Roof. The mottled black-and-gray backdrop that we likened to the Shroud of Turin. And the bats that occasionally swooped through the old barn, drawing gasps from the audience and completely stealing focus from those of us onstage.

Before I knew it, I was pouring my life into the protagonist’s. Maggie grows up in Wilmington, Delaware; so did I. She loses her job at a telephone helpline; I worked at one while I was writing for the musical theatre. She falls in love during her season in summer stock; I met my husband there.

Sometimes, I had to remind myself that I was writing a novel, not an autobiography. That helped me keep Maggie Graham and Barbara Ashford separate. But we share a lot of qualities, including a deep love for the magic of theatre.

In Spellcast, Maggie encounters plenty of magic – both theatrical and otherworldly – and discovers more than her share of “impossible possibilities.” I hope readers will enjoy discovering them with her and exploring the magical world of the Crossroads Theatre. And I hope you’ll drop by http://www.barbaraashford.com/ where you can see some photos from my days as an actress, read an excerpt from Spellcast, and get a sneak peek at the sequel coming out next spring.

Thanks for visiting! And thanks, Sally, for inviting me to share my experiences in writing Spellcast.


About Barbara's Books

Spellcast
(May 3, 2011)
Maggie Graham is having a very bad day. First, she loses her job. Then her bathroom ceiling collapses. Hoping a weekend getaway will restore her spirits, she drives to Vermont – and winds up auditioning for the Crossroads Theatre.

Director Rowan Mackenzie is even odder than the misfits who comprise the company. What kind of director casts people in the roles they need? And never leaves the grounds of the theatre? And possesses the power to transform a train wreck of a show into something...magical?

There’s a secret at the Crossroads, and Maggie is determined to uncover it. She never imagines she’ll discover secrets about her past that will change her life – and Rowan’s – forever.


Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders

WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING

“There's a vast but little known overlap between fans of fantasy and fans of musical theater, and Barbara Ashford hits the sweet spot on both with SPELLCAST. It's warm, humorous, emotional, heartfelt, and full of magic. Curse you, Barbara, for making me cry! And for getting ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ stuck in my head all week.” Carrie Vaughn, bestselling author of the Kitty Norville series

“Four stars” RT Book Reviews

“A recently unemployed woman finds herself signing up for summer stock in this charming fantasy novel. Maggie Graham is enchanted and bemused by the Crossroads Theatre in Vermont, from the quaint locale to…its mysteriously charming director, who has a magical knack for pulling great performances out of an inexperienced cast...It takes Maggie a while to really grasp just how magical it is. Readers will figure it out much sooner, but there’s enough mystery (not to mention romance) to keep readers interested in figuring out just exactly what is going on. Fans of musicals will have the most fun, since this theater specializes in musical comedy...A slightly bittersweet but appropriate conclusion left me wanting more, in fine theatrical tradition.” Locus

“(A) wonderful, whimsical, witty tale. The otherworldly elements subtly enhance Barbara Ashford’s tender look at a second chance at making dreams real.” Midwest Book Review

"The Tale that Wagged the Dog"
After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar
(March 1, 2011)

Science fiction and fantasy readers have long shown an affinity for a good "bar story". Now some of today's most inventive scriveners have decided to tell their own tall tales-from an alewife's attempt to transfer the gods' curse to Gilgamesh, to Odin's decision to introduce Vikings to the Ur-Bar, from the Holy Roman Emperor's barroom bargain, to a demon hunter who may just have met his match in the ultimate magic bar, to a bouncer who discovers you should never let anyone in after hours in a world terrorized by zombies.









Amazon : B&N : Book Depository : Borders


About Barbara

Barbara Ashford abandoned a career in educational administration to pursue a life in the theatre, working as an actress in summer stock and dinner theatre and later, as a lyricist and librettist. She’s written everything from cantatas to choral pieces, one-hour musicals for children to full-length ones for adults. Her musicals have been performed throughout the world, including such venues as the New York Musical Theatre Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival.

Barbara lives in New Rochelle, New York with her husband whom she met while performing in summer stock. Spellcast is her first contemporary fantasy and is inspired by her years as an actress.

Barbara's Links

Website

The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win a copy of Spellcast provided by Barbara.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:


Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Saturday, May 14, 2011****. Void where prohibited by law.

Please welcome author Scott Nicholson to The Qwillery.

Indie: A New Tradition

I think the “indie vs. traditional” story is about over for me.

It seems like I’ve been self-publishing so long that this now seems like tradition, and the other way was just a long-ago dream from a past life. It’s amazing for me to realize I have only been doing this for 15 months, which makes it roughly 10 percent of my writing career.

Don’t get me wrong—I was very honored and grateful to have been published by a major publisher. I learned a lot and I was treated fairly. But the system is stacked against most authors having a chance a success, even if that’s the only way the system could work for a publisher and distributor and bookstores.

I’ve written a lot of blog posts and articles about the changing environment and the advantages for readers and writers under the digital book system. To summarize, without all the intermediaries, writers earn more money and readers save more money. So it’s great for everyone except the people whose job it was to stand between readers and writers.

Those people did carry some value, and I’m not suggesting their skills were worthless or had no overhead, or that books are somehow “better” now. No, they are just cheaper and more plentiful. Making a paper book takes resources, and so does shipping it to a store. Books are great products. They are durable, handy, and attractive. But they aren’t a necessity—because they are a mere conveyance vehicle for the content, which is where the true value lies.

Personally, the new era is wonderful for me because I am living the only life I ever wanted, and I’ve fulfilled the only real goal I ever had—to be able to share my stories for a living. Whatever else happens on top of that is gravy, and I am excited about all the potential twists and turns ahead.

But even if you are a die-hard fan of paper books, you should be excited, too, because a lot of options are opening up. If you have the option of subsidizing your Kindle with ads and saving $25, what’s to stop a publisher from delivering an ad-supported paper book that cuts your cost in half? If you don’t want the ads, you can pay regular price.

With e-books, I see free, ad-supported books as an option within five years. Don’t want the ads? Again, you can pay extra to skip them. And there are plenty of scenarios in between.

Paper, plastic, pixels, it doesn’t matter a lot to me, because this feels like the Golden Age of Communication. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am!


A Couple of Scott's Books

Liquid Fear
When Roland Doyle wakes up with a dead woman in his motel room, the only clue is a mysterious vial of pills bearing the label “Take one every 4 hrs or else.”

Ten years before, six people were involved in a secret pharmaceutical trial that left one of them murdered and five unable to remember what happened. Now the experiment is continuing, as Dr. Sebastian Briggs concludes his research into fear response and post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s backed by a major drug company and an ambitious U.S. Senator, but he also has a personal stake in the outcome.

Only by taking the mysterious pills can the survivors stave off the creeping phobias, carnal impulses, and madness that threaten to consume them. But the pills have an unexpected side effect—the survivors start remembering the terrible acts they perpetrated a decade ago. They are lured back to the Monkey House, the remote facility where the original trials took place, and Briggs has made special preparations for their arrival.

Now they are trapped, they each have only one pill left, and cracks are forming in their civilized veneer.

After the pills are gone, there’s only one option left.

“Or else.”

October Girls
Five days until Halloween and all hell is about to break loose.

And it's all Crystal’s fault.

Momma warned her not to consort with the dead and tried to teach her the magic spells that would close the portal to the afterlife. But Crystal doesn't want to be a trailer-trash witch like Momma. She has dreams of going to community college and escaping the Appalachian town of Parson's Ford.

Her best friend Bone is only too happy to escape the afterlife and help Crystal break the rules. Bone died too young, and she’ll do whatever it takes to remain among the living.

Then a teen movie maker comes to Parson's Ford, and he has a very special project in mind: a horror movie starring a real ghost. The kids who watch his movies turn into brainwashed zombies. And to totally complicate matters, Crystal thinks he's kind of a hunk, and she's afraid her boyfriend Pettigrew only loves her because of Momma's magic spells.

Now it's Halloween, the night when the portal to the afterlife is widest, and somebody's been messing with Momma's potions. The fate of the world is in Crystal's hands, but she hasn't been paying attention to her lessons. And a mysterious figure in the afterlife is urging Bone to stay loyal to her own kind instead of to Crystal.

The movie is rolling, the creatures are stirring, and the brainwashed teenagers are ready to welcome a new star from the other side of the grave.

Crystal and Bone must overcome drama queens, coffin cuties, and mangled magic if they want to remain best friends forever--but at this rate, forever may not last much longer.


About Scott

Scott Nicholson’s new thriller Liquid Fear is a Kindle bestseller—on sale for 99 cents for a limited time at Amazon, BN.com, and Smashwords, and it can be preordered in paper at the book’s web page. Nicholson is author of 20 books, including Disintegration, The Skull Ring, Speed Dating with the Dead, and The Red Church. He’s also written the children’s books If I Were Your Monster and Duncan the Punkin.

Visit him at Haunted Computer or Twitter or Facebook or Goodreads.


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What: 

For US entrants: a signed paperback copy of Thank You for the Flowers, a collection of stories.

For International entrants: the e-book Flowers and a special surprise bonus e-book.


How:  Leave a comment answering one (1) of the following questions:


Please remember - if you don't answer one of the questions your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1)  Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2)  Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3)  Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address (US) or email address (world). Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

Please welcome author Mike Shevdon to The Qwillery:

I was asked by Sally (Qwill) how 'Feyre' - as in the Courts of the Feyre - was pronounced. The answer is easy; I pronounce it the same way as 'fair', but you can pronounce it any way you want. But why Feyre? Why not Fae or Fey or Faerie? That question requires a longer answer.

It's been an issue of some controversy - several reviewers have commented that having the Courts of the Feyre wasn't true to mythology or consistent with other writers who wrote about faerie, fey, or fae, creatures. It seems like an obviously made up word and for some people that jars. There is even one notable rant on the subject on the web, though I suspect that is prompted by other motives related to the website owner's own work.

So why invent a word when other words already exist?

The idea for the Courts of the Feyre was prompted by a question. What if the creatures of English folklore really existed? A question like this prompts other questions: Why can't we see them, why don't we read about them in the newspapers? The answer to that is simple - they have magic that conceals them, but that sparks its own questions: What kind of magic? How does it work? It also spawns more subtle issues - what happens when these creatures die? Where is the evolutionary trail, the fossil record?

Some authors spend a huge amount of time world-building before they begin to write their stories. I guess they need a full picture of their world before they begin, but that's not how I approached it. I began with the ideas spawned by the questions and the rest of the world is consequences.

We can't see these creatures because they have magic.
If they have magic, why don't they rule the world?
There are too few, though they live a long time.
Why aren't there more of them?
Because they're dying out.
Why are they dying out?
Politics.

There are a number of authors who use Celtic mythology in their stories, some in very innovative ways, and Celtic mythology has it's own stories and cycles, but that's not my background and not my heritage. I'm English - about as English as it gets. My family tree disappears into Anglo-Saxon, possibly Viking immigrants (bloody Danes, coming over here, stealing our jobs, what's the ninth century coming to?) - at least as far as anyone knows. So when I created my world I wanted an English, not a Celtic, mythos.

I also wanted a modern world - if possible our world - the one where we go to work, eat burgers, have iPods and mobile phones, where there are police and CCTV. Again, it went back to a question - what if English folk-lore had a basis in truth - not the literal truth, but stories based on a reality that was only partly visible in the first place? What if the source of those stories was still there?

If you read enough English folklore there are themes that emerge. Time is not constant. A man meets a group of people on the road and they invite him to a party. The party is under a hill, but he goes with them and enjoys a fine night of feasting and entertainment. The next day he emerges to discover that everyone thinks he's dead. His wife has re-married and his children don't recognise him. Years have passed.

Children are a recurring theme. A baby is switched for a child that looks the same, but its eyes are knowing in a way that speaks of something far older. A search for the real baby ensues. A deal is made, a bargain to retrieve what was lost. The fascination with children and the concept of deals and bargains are threaded all through English folklore. These themes feed into the answers:

Why the fascination with children?
Because they don't have many children of their own.
Why not?
Infertility has crept in and they are no longer able to reproduce.
Why are they infertile?
They breed slowly because they live a long time.
That wouldn't make them infertile, though, would it?
It would if they've been selectively breeding themselves.
Why would they do that?
To reinforce the magic, to bring out the traits that leads to power.

But if they were selectively breeding themselves, then that would imply governance, or at least a societal pressure to conform. Where would such a pressure come from? And how do you explain that these creatures are all different? There are hobs and goblins, boggarts and brownies, trolls and nixies. Surely this isn't one race of creatures, but many?

What if they're all the same creature in different forms?
How would they get to be different forms?
A small change in DNA, a specific mutation, will result in differences in appearance.
Wouldn't that even out in a population over time?
It would, unless that population deliberately segmented itself based on appearance.
Why would it do that?
Because the outward appearance is related to the power that goes with it. Different appearance, different abilities.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, so if you had the power to change the world according to your will, wouldn't you eventually destroy yourselves? Isn't that what magic is - the power to change your world to suit yourself? But if many people have that power then surely they will come into conflict? There will be war, and that will destroy everyone.

Perhaps there was war, but so long ago that no-one remembers. They only remember what came from it, a division, a mechanism for peace and if not harmony, then separation. A population divided on their ability to manifest particular sorts of power, bent on strengthening and fostering that power, to the exclusion of all else. Seven Courts, established to provide peace and justice, and to prevent war.

For the name of these courts I looked first at Fey and Fae, but these words have connotations of flightiness and unreliability. My courts were about justice and judgement, and they made life and death decisions, so fae wasn't quite the right word. The idea of justice and judgement led to the phrase, The Fair Folk, a term used to describe faerie creatures, but the Courts of the Fair didn't quite work for my purposes, because they weren't always fair. Sometimes they were pragmatically unfair, even brutally so.

So I went back to the Middle English word 'fayerye', derived from the Old French 'faerie'. Not a pure French word, but one that was notably English in style and spelling. After all, no English dictionary existed until A Table Alphabeticall in 1604, produced by Robert Cawdrey: "A table alphabeticall conteyning and teaching the true writing, and vnderstanding of hard vsuall English wordes, borrowed from the Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, or French, &c.

From 'feyerye' I derive the Courts of the Feyre, a very English interpretation of mythical folklore in a modern setting. It's anachronistic, in the way that a creature that lives for a very long time would be.

In this world the themes from folklore are all there; lost children, deals and bargains, hidden worlds and lost time, but these are interpreted against a modern backdrop where ancient history is just below the surface and secrets and mysteries are hidden under our noses.

And for those who feel I have taken a liberty with the English language by creating a new word for creatures that have been part of English folklore for a very long time, I would ask your indulgence and for you to bear in mind that for the majority of that time, the spelling of words has been somewhat variable, and my spelling may not be as original as it seems.

 
About Mike's Books
 
Sixty-One Nails
Courts of the Feyre 1
(US - August 31, 2010)
There is a secret war raging beneath the streets of London. A dark magic will be unleashed by the Untained… unless a new hero can be found.
 
Neverwhere’s faster, smarter brother has arrived. The immense SIXTY-ONE NAILS follows Niall Petersen, from a suspected heart attack on the London Underground, into the hidden world of the Feyre, an uncanny place of legend that lurks just beyond the surface of everyday life. The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, have made their play for power, and unless Niall can recreate the ritual of the Sixty-One Nails, their dark dominion will enslave all of the Feyre, and all of humankind too.

FILE UNDER:
Urban Fantasy [Hidden War / Ancient Legend / Secret History / Deadly Duel]


The Road to Bedlam
Courts of the Feyre 2
(US - October 26, 2010)
There’s been an accident. It’s your daughter. These are the words no parent ever wants to hear.

Learning to cope with the loss of a child is only the beginning of the new challenges facing Niall Petersen. An old enemy has returned and Niall already knows it’s not a social call. As the new Warder of the Seven Courts he will be forced to choose between love and honour, duty and responsibility. Those choices will lead him to discover dark secrets at the core of the realm, where the people in power have their own designs.

FILE UNDER:
Urban Fantasy [Hidden War / Ancient Legend / Secret History / Deadly Duel]






About Mike

Photo courtesy of Mark Lewis Photography

Mike Shevdon lives in Bedfordshire, England with his wife and son, where he combines his various interests of writing, cookery and technology with the study of martial arts, particularly archery.

His blend of real history and folklore was launched on an unsuspecting world last year with his debut novel, Sixty-One Nails, published by Angry Robot Books. It interleaves forgotten legends and faerie tales with real history and ancient rituals that are still performed at the core of the realm to this day. A refreshingly different take on Urban Fantasy, The Courts of the Feyre is a series exploring humanity's relationship with the creatures that inspired the oldest of stories, weaving a modern faerie-tale into the fabric of reality. The sequel, The Road to Bedlam, was published in Autumn 2010, revealing more of the relationship between the everyday world and the secret world of magic and darkness beneath.

Mike's books are available in good bookshops around the world as well as online and as eBooks.


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:   One commenter will win Mass Market Paperback copies of Sixty-One Nails and The Road to Bedlam by Mike Shevdon.

How:   Leave a comment answering this question: What do you imagine lurks beneath the surface of your city or town? Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Friday, March 25, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.



All views in guest blogs are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this blog or blog owner.

Please welcome author Trent Jamieson to The Qwillery.

Death takes the Stage and Why that's a Good Thing.

The character of death has always lurked at the edge of fiction, occasionally taking centre stage. And, right now, there are a heap of novels being published featuring Death (or people working for Death, Psychopomps, Reapers, whatever you want to call them). Death is the new black.

And, having devoted the last few years to writing about Pomps, I can understand the appeal. In fact, I think it's a very good thing.

With Death you get a chance to really explore life, after all what places life in starker relief than death? Death’s inescapable we’re all heading there. And yet it's so easy to ignore the important stuff: a life well lived; a love well loved; being open to the opportunities to not just help yourself, but others, too.

These seem to me to be absolute imperatives. But just as there many approaches to the subject of death, there are at least as many approaches to living a good life.

When I started my Death Works books with Death Most Definite, that was one of things that I wanted to look at. Surely, if you work for Death you’d have everything else sorted?

Then, of course, I realised that sometimes this just wouldn’t hold true. All of us can forget the meaningful things, as though this life is never going to end. And, maybe if you work so closely to death (people dying, crossing over) you're even more susceptible to forgetting that you're going to die, too. After all, death is what happens to other people. Not you.

Which is exactly the thinking of my protagonist, Steven de Selby. He has pretty much everything, but he’s really taken it for granted. By yanking it away from him, I could explore just what happens to a character when they realise what they thought was important, isn’t really that important, after all.

The results are messy for poor Steve. But mess makes great story! Steve is fundamentally a good person who has lost his way. If the Death Works books are about anything they’re about him facing up to that, scrambling in the dark perhaps, but moving towards being a better person.

In book two, Managing Death, Steven has to deal with the fallout from the first book. He has to get his house, and his business in order, and he may not be up to the task. He's moved higher up the chain of command, and is greater risk of losing sight of everything that's important to him.

He can be a bit of an idiot. He makes a lot of mistakes. But his heart is in the right place, even if his head isn’t. Oh, and there’s something out to destroy the world, something so big that people are starting to ignore it, in the hope that it will go away.

If I’ve done my job properly these books should be funny, dark, a little scary, and possessed of a heart that beats with love and terror.

When Death is your job title you never know what tragedies the working day will bring. But the stakes are always high, and you forget that at your peril. Let’s hope Steve has a good memory.

 
Death Works Series 

Book 1
Steven de Selby has a hangover. Bright lights, loud noise, and lots of exercise are the last thing he wants. But that's exactly what he gets when someone starts shooting at him.

Steven is no stranger to death-Mr. D's his boss after all-but when a dead girl saves him from sharing her fate, he finds himself on the wrong end of the barrel. His job is to guide the restless dead to the underworld but now his clients are his own colleagues, friends, and family.

Mr. D's gone missing and with no one in charge, the dead start to rise, the living are hunted, and the whole city teeters on the brink of a regional apocalypse-unless Steven can shake his hangover, not fall for the dead girl, and find out what happened to his boss- that is, Death himself.


Book 2






About Trent

Trent Jamieson lives in Brisbane, Australia. A multiple Aurealis Award winner for short fiction, he has taught short story writing at the Qld University of Technology, and Clarion South. Death Most Definite, Book One of the Death Works Series was published by Orbit Books in September 2010. Book Two, Managing Death was released in Jan 2011, and Book Three The Business of Death is due for publication in September 2011. He has just sold a two book series of Steampunkish novels to Angry Robot Books, the first of which, Roil, is due for publication in September 2011.

September's going to be a busy month!

His webpage is at http://www.trentjamieson.com/

He also produces a series of ridiculous writing blogs called Trent's Book Corner.

Watch them at your peril here http://www.youtube.com/user/Trentonomicon


The Giveaway

What:  One commenter will win Mass Market Paperbacks of the first 2 Death Works books: Death Most Definite and Managing Death.

How:  Leave a comment telling The Qwillery what sort of supernatural or paranormal job you would like to have? Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you in case you are a winner. If The Qwillery can't contact you, you can't win!

Who & When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Friday, February 4, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.



*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*