It is the Dawning of the A to Z Challenge!

Are you ready for tomorrow? Have you got all your posts written and scheduled? If you still haven't thought of a theme you can find a few ideas HERE. 

Remember, it's NEVER too late!

If you haven't signed up there's still time. Click HERE and take the plunge!

Help turn 2014 into the BIGGEST, BESTEST A to Z Challenge of all time!

Themes for the A to Z Challenge

I'm out of pocket for the next few days. I should be back by Thursday.

In the mean time, we are fast approaching April Madness, inotherwords... 

sign up HERE for the A to Z Challenge! 

Really, there's still time to schedule posts. Haven't got a theme? How about one of these?

The A to Z of silly kid questions: Why is aardvark spelled with double AA? 

of hobbies: B is for Baton twirling.

of phobias: C is for Chionophobia, the fear of snow. And who wouldn't be after this winter?

of little known facts: D is for Donkey's kill more people annually than plane crashes.

of strange (and real) book titles: E is for Electricity in Gynecology.

of strange song titles: F is for The Funky Judge by Bull and the Matadors (1968).

of comedy movies: G is for Gasoline Gus (1921).

of fruit and vegetables: H is for Horseradish.

of action verbs: J is for judged.

of phrasal verbs (verbs using more than one word): K is for keel over. (Which I will as soon as I finish this list of themes!)

of lists: L is for laundry lists.

of classical music: M is for Mozart .

of Christmas words: N is for nativity

of countries: O is for Oman.

of words of love: P is for passion.

of plants: Q is for quaking aspen.

of gem stones: R is for ruby.

of cooking recipes: S is for salmon with sweet and sour rub.

of Harry Potter: T is for Tofty, a member of the Wizarding Examinations Authority.

of Greek gods and heroes: U is for Ulysses.

of animals: V is for vampire bat.

of dinosaurs: W is for wannanosaurus.

of fish: X-ray tetra.

of jobs: Y is for Youth Engagement through Science (YES) Program.

of dog breeds: Z is for zuchon.

So there you have it, 26 possible themes for the A to Z challenge! Are you ready to go? Got your theme? Got your posts scheduled? Or are you waiting for the last minute?

Stephen Tremp's Escalation Blog Tour!

Today it's all about Stephen Tremp and the Escalation Blog Tour!

Stephen Tremp: is the author of the Breakthrough series. Together, Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation follow the lives of the unlikely participants from innocence to a coming of age through sacrifice, betrayal, passion, lust, unconditional love, and hope. Escalation will appeal to fans of modern-day science fiction, action, horror, and even romance.

And now... Heeeeeere's Stephen with info on how to use humor in your writing.

Humor: It’s a great way to bring balance to a story, especially one with action and suspense. I use humor to give the reader a break from the action, or to help bridge down time between two main events. Often, the humor comes in the form of snarky dialogue rather than a physical scene, such as someone slipping on a banana peel. Which isn’t really funny as they could really get hurt.

Example: In Escalation there is a very tense scene where two main characters cross over to another Earth in a parallel dimension that is similar to but not identical to our Earth. Yes, through a wormhole.

A professor of physics who befriended them is their only hope to get back. But he has his reservations and has a large caliber hand cannon pointed at them. I needed to break the tension with humor relevant to my theme of science and science fiction:

          The door to the laboratory started to open with a slight creek. Van Koevering slid     the gun into the back of his belt. Bennie lowered his hands. Elisa entered with coffee and snacks on a tray.

          “Okay, everyone, she said with a motherly smile. “You’ll have to try some of my      homemade universal oatmeal and raisin cookies. They’re, ah … they’re out of this world.”

          “Oh … ha. Ha. That’s very funny, honey. But what you don’t understand. Our           guests really are from another dimension. I ... I believe them. These two young brave people,” he said, presenting them with delight, a tear dropping from his right eye, “they represent proof to all my hard work.”

Bad Gas Humor: Okay, I’m a guy. And guys think combining bad gas and inconveniencing other people pretty is pretty darn funny. Here is my attempt at such humor from my second book Opening after Chase Manhattan forced down two McDonalds Sausage McMuffins with Egg and a large Coke in a rush while waiting to board his plane:

          “Chase could feel his breakfast trying to make its way back up his esophagus. He let out an inadvertent silent belch. An elderly lady sitting next to him sniffed the air, wrinkled her nose, and moved to another section.”

Culture Clash: Then at the very end of Escalation there is culture clash, such as Susan Anderson introducing her new husband (spoiler alert!) Chase to her friends:

          Before Chase could rebut Susan’s claims, he heard a plethora of female screeches inside. About a dozen pair of feet charged toward the door.

          Chase braced himself for the worst. He thought of turning and making a break for it. The Marine Room Tavern was only six blocks away. It was all downhill, too. He could be there in two minutes.

          Too late. They were sucked into the living room by a giant tangle of arms and hands. A half dozen women embraced Susan. About the same number manhandled Chase and escorted him to the living room.

So this is how I use humor in my books. Other than that, I try not to get a laugh at someone getting hurt. Like slipping on a banana peel.

Stop by Stephen’sBlog for more information on the Breakthrough series and other really cool stuff, like the 2014 Celestial Event Calendar. You’ll be surprised at what you can see with an average telescope or a good set of binoculars.

Look for The Adventures of Chase Manhattan HERE  

If you think this post is worthy, please give it a Tweet or a Facebook share. Thanks!

The Captain's Coincidence

Even though she hasn't asked, even though she doesn't *do* book blog tours, I'm giving my blogging buddy, Anne Gallagher, a shout out.

The Captain's Coincidence in the latest in her Regency romance series.

You can get it HERE.

About the book:
Decorated war hero, Captain Richard Gaines has given up his commission in the Royal Navy. He stalks the docks at night seeking relief from the nightmares of Trafalgar. One night, he happens upon a woman who captures his attention, and his heart. In a series of random coincidences, Richard is compelled toward Mrs. Wood, just as circumstantial evidence suggests that Mr. Wood may be a seditionist. 

Returning to England after a decade away, Amanda Wood is on a mission to save herself and her daughter from the prison of her marriage. Meeting the Captain seems heaven sent when he reveals an acquaintance with her only friend and brings an invitation for a visit – and a chance to escape. Her joy is short-lived when her husband insists on going with her. 

The situation takes a grievous turn when Amanda’s husband kidnaps their daughter. Richard must save her, but to do that he must engage the enemy at sea. And it appears Amanda’s husband may be a nefarious pirate. With limited armaments and a damaged vessel, Richard knows he has only one chance to rescue the little girl. 

When the battle is over, to the victor, go the spoils. Yet, Richard must overcome his tormented past, in order to begin a future with the woman he loves. However, Amanda holds a secret that could destroy that very same future.

***

Today Anansi and I are delighted to be visiting at Meradeth Houston's blog Write Stuff. I hope you'll stop by for a visit! I have contributed to her collection of Sary stories.


And, just in case you hadn't heard, I have reach the auspicious moment of being able to say that Anansi and Company is now available in a print version! It's about time.

EVERYone is reading Anansi!

You can get YOUR copy, HERE!

Alternatives for Could/Should

Alternatives is a recurring post in which I give synonyms for an over used word. Click on the tab above for a "complete" list of over used words.

Today's words are:

Could is considered the past tense of can. Not too many synonyms are available. From what I've been able to garner, there really isn't anything better to use. Just be aware and be judicious. Too many “could haves” can get old. Just like too many “as ifs.”

as it may be

can be, conceivable, conceivably, credible

feasible

imaginably, it could be

managed to, might be

obtainable

perchance, perhaps

succeeded in

was able to, weather permitting

Should is another word that doesn't have many synonyms. It “should” also be used judiciously.

be expedient, be forced, be in for, be necessary, be obliged

cannot do otherwise, cannot be helped

had best, had better, have got to, have to

might, must

need (to), needs must

ought (to)

shall,

used to

will

***

Anansi is still hanging around! Today he and I are visiting Lynn Kelley's website.

Stop on by, I'm sure Lynn has plenty of room for all of us.






Are you a coulda/shoulda kind of person? Or are you one of those "let's git her done" people?

Wormhole Week Blogfest

2014 Second Annual National Wormhole Week Blogfest: 

Presented by Stephen Tremp and hosted by

Captain Ninja Alex Cavanaugh, and L. Diane Wolfe 

In this blogfest we are to name one thing where science advances mankind, and one where technology, with unforeseen consequences, will go too far and set mankind back. Example: De-Extinction, or bringing back extinction species through back breeding, genetic engineering, and cloning. Something where science takes a huge leap forward, but also backfires.  With all the breakthrough discoveries mankind is on the cusp of, are we playing God?

I think the work being done with DNA in discovering the causes and cures of genetic diseases is one of the greatest advancements in medicine that we are seeing happen in our lifetimes. It's a wonderful thing.

There are also things being done with genes that are quite interesting, like spider genes in goats. Their milk has a protein in it which, when processed, produces spider silk, the strongest fiber known to exist. If this kind of silk can be produced cheaply and plentifully its uses will be numerous.

However, I think there's a danger in taking genetic engineering too far, particularly in humans. Should we allow parents to pick and choose the genetic qualities they want in their children? How far should we let genetic manipulation go? The line between "good" and "dangerous" science seems hazy and gray to me. We could inadvertently create monsters if we aren't careful. 

This week just happens to coincide with the release of Stephen Tremp's new book and third in his series, ESCALATION.

Escalations Synopsis: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Albert Einstein I.

In Escalation, the final installment to Stephen Tremp’s Breakthrough Trilogy, a seemingly innocent discovery in Einstein-Rosen Bridges, or wormholes, becomes a Pandora’s Box—opening doors to other unexpected and unpredictable realities such as parallel universes, time/space travel, and an evil hitchhiker from another dimension.

Chase Manhattan has survived attempts on his life from numerous sources in his effort to destroy the technology. But he is far from safe. Now Chase and his comrades must not only break world renowned physicist Professor Nicholas Fischer out of prison a second time, but also smuggle him across hostile borders in Europe and the Middle East to prevent events threatening to spiral into World War III.

Congratulations, Stephen!

Click HERE to join and learn
all about the challenge!

As a member of M.J.'s AZTechs, I'm here to remind you about the A to Z Challenge.

We are just FOUR WEEKS away from April 1st. Have you got a theme? Do you have any of your posts scheduled? 

Come on people! JOIN THE FUN. Sign up and go insane with the rest of us.

Insecure Writer's Support Group

The brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh, the purpose of the Insecure Writer's Support Group is: to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting is the first Wednesday of every month.

You can sign up HERE.

***

My contribution this month is a quote of C. S. Lewis.

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

Write what you want, tell your own story, quit looking over someone else's shoulder. Look over your own fingers and write out your own arrangement of words. At some point you will find your own voice, your own story.

***

A special WILDFLOWER bouquet and THANK YOU

to EVERYONE who stopped by Monday and Tuesday with their Happy Blitz comments. I can't even begin to tell you what a wonderful feeling it was. I even got teary-eyed. 

Don't ever doubt the positive impact a blitz can have on a person. Be assured you're time, your words, are not wasted. I so wanted to thank each of you individually, to visit each of your blogs and comment back, but I couldn't... I tried, but I just couldn't say "Hi," back to all of you. And to DL Hammons who thought up the idea and made it all possible, HUGS to you. I'm humbled and honored.

Gilded by Christina Farley

I'm thrilled to announce that this Saturday the 1st

 Christina Farley's book, GILDED, was released to the world.

I watched this book unfold as Christina, one of my earliest followers, went through the whole process of writing, rewriting, submitting and now this... finally in print. 

I'm VERY excited for her.

Congratulations, Christina!

***

About the book:
Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting in to a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she's next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There's also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae's heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae's been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she's always been looking for.

Gilded: The Book Trailer

It's in stores everywhere! 
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

You can also find Christina on Facebook.

***

And here's what Anansi and I have been up to.





Natalie Aguirre over at Literary Rambles had an interview with Terry Johnson (author of Dogsled Dreams) and they were giving away Terry's latest book, Ice Dogs, and I won it!  I read Dogsled Dreams and really enjoyed it. So having this chance to read Ice Dogs is a thrill. Besides, the cover is just so beautiful.

Thanks Natalie and Terry!