tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37894303177223837602024-03-20T08:12:32.145-07:00Author Ryan Schneider's BlogRead Something GOOD!Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-85948467494999951002022-08-01T13:08:00.000-07:002022-08-01T13:08:08.537-07:00Exciting New Time Travel Series from Roy Huff @realroyhuff<b>Today's post is a follow-up conversation with Roy Huff, author of the Everville and Seven Rules of Time Travel series.</b><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkwkKJ-CofSJ_CYkURyGzJDQNql3xuo5qIhLH2cE13PqDq5slauA-K6H2Xaf6xnX3Hg1VrAJRyYP_m3kJAIL5xSp9qH1BCdBmc91SBJKvoTTTCyFHU51MOuER8sZosh9qQZ9WM3kB65FHztgqJH5e8sokKxVGJJR8N94EKxkff6p9-4CDCYkYsQxEiA/s600/authorimage.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkwkKJ-CofSJ_CYkURyGzJDQNql3xuo5qIhLH2cE13PqDq5slauA-K6H2Xaf6xnX3Hg1VrAJRyYP_m3kJAIL5xSp9qH1BCdBmc91SBJKvoTTTCyFHU51MOuER8sZosh9qQZ9WM3kB65FHztgqJH5e8sokKxVGJJR8N94EKxkff6p9-4CDCYkYsQxEiA/s320/authorimage.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div><b>So, Roy, it's been an...interesting past couple of years. What's new with you?<br /></b><br />It has been interesting. Two more books in the Seven Rules of Time Travel series, an audiobook deal<br />with Podium audio, and a whole host of challenges, but a lot to be thankful for. <br /><br /><b>That's exciting stuff!<br /></b><br /><b>I'm sure people would love to hear more about the books. Would you care to elaborate on the Seven Rules series? How many books there are to date, how many you're planning, and what it's about?<br /><br />And then tell us more about how the Podium audiobook deal came about.</b><br /><br />Currently there are three books in the series. I will likely do two to four more, but it has the potential to go for much longer. <br /><br /></div><div>The story itself centers around a character, Quinn Black, who discovers he can travel through and loop time. That ability confronts him with a host of challenges and opportunities which he explores. Later books in the series reveal more about his power and even more conflict. It makes one think, what would you do if you had the power to loop time?<br /><br />The Podium deal came out of the success of book #1 in the series. I received other offers as well, but was honored when Podium approached me about the series and signed shortly thereafter. </div><div><br /></div><div>Book #3, Time Travel Tribulations is currently available for preorder on Audible, and will be live on August 9th. It's narrated by Chris Ciulla, who's worked on projects in both the Star Trek and Aliens universes. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first two books in the series are narrated by Christopher Lane who narrated for Michael Crichton, Philip K. Dick, Dean Koontz, and numerous other New York Times bestsellers. <br /><br /><b>That's so cool! Bravo and congratulations.<br /><br />Here is more info on Roy's new books:<br /></b><br /><b>Book #1 - Seven Rules of Time Travel</b><br /><br />What if you could rewrite the past?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4byGtGcun29mhP4ExM-WJx0EiIdqC2lvB_7JJ5VokFzWlTuMbCZxWjslM_LmprpDiU-B9tZBxmidQ2vq_sUcTl4c-EeEJKMsgsjTKM1PULblEQGeVvdjnoUIZnGem-dDoqwDDHhIgxMUEInKXukwWCbndadHYmtCF48xdZ0smIH8J61uLeMtPSPkqZQ/s825/Seven%20Rules%20Of%20Time%20Trave%20final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4byGtGcun29mhP4ExM-WJx0EiIdqC2lvB_7JJ5VokFzWlTuMbCZxWjslM_LmprpDiU-B9tZBxmidQ2vq_sUcTl4c-EeEJKMsgsjTKM1PULblEQGeVvdjnoUIZnGem-dDoqwDDHhIgxMUEInKXukwWCbndadHYmtCF48xdZ0smIH8J61uLeMtPSPkqZQ/s320/Seven%20Rules%20Of%20Time%20Trave%20final.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CJH85M3/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>BUY NOW</b></span></a></div><div>Quinn Black is having the worst day ever . . . over and over again. The same car blocking his driveway, the same horrific accident he witnesses, the same cop that keeps preventing him from saving his boss from dying in it, and the same memory of a girl from his past that gets sharper each time.<br /><br />Then he realizes he has the power to travel through time and change the future. With infinite opportunities to alter the past, the possibilities are endless. Could he prevent terrorist attacks? Natural disasters? The deaths of friends? Or even go back in time and say the right thing to the girl who haunts his dreams?<br /><br />Unfortunately, the rules of time travel are more complicated than he imagined, and before long, Quinn is thrust into the greatest race in human history. His actions can either save the world or destroy it. And now the man who can turn back the clock is running out of time.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CJH85M3/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>BUY NOW</b></span></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Book #2 The Trouble with Time Travel</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDiog1lLzZNY5J1j9DaY-nDdMB6c0CGyINqyVgMmiYo2ZLsyf0eJYb8YLHk4IKyei_mcoPKZMx3ljfH_yvKUTw-sOidKcW-1xdNI5ZdQsc0W_pslbjEQaAszSUEJiIvSrszs6dW6JOL9yIvqlakeDCF7EjrWbsXq7ruMTbOd1QEhDMtil0a1o0j93yA/s2500/The%20Trouble%20With%20Time%20Travel%20-%20eBook%20small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDiog1lLzZNY5J1j9DaY-nDdMB6c0CGyINqyVgMmiYo2ZLsyf0eJYb8YLHk4IKyei_mcoPKZMx3ljfH_yvKUTw-sOidKcW-1xdNI5ZdQsc0W_pslbjEQaAszSUEJiIvSrszs6dW6JOL9yIvqlakeDCF7EjrWbsXq7ruMTbOd1QEhDMtil0a1o0j93yA/s320/The%20Trouble%20With%20Time%20Travel%20-%20eBook%20small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08H8TKXXN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>BUY NOW</b></span></a></div><br />In the four years since he traveled through time to save the world, Quinn Black has settled happily into life as a new space race billionaire, despite the fact he’s no longer able to travel or loop time.<br /><br />But before long, things start to go horribly wrong. The system he created to save the planet mysteriously begins to malfunction. His team receives a cryptic message, and he’s hurled back into the past once again . . . but with a twist. Now, instead of trying to go back in time, he’s desperate to travel in the other direction and get back to the future.<br /><br />As he joins forces with a young Dr. Green to help him find his way back to 2025, Quinn discovers a sinister plot, one so complex that Quinn may not be able to unravel it. Now Quinn must change the course of history once again. . . or risk erasing his own.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08H8TKXXN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">BUY NOW</span></a></b></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Book #3 - Time Travel Tribulations<br /></b><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9FK-DqlHRlG8p5SqBjXg0htISjqbXXff3t3ORU9nM9sDl7ia3w5Jv2CRV9HPPukWRgykngtAJVD-uk4WquVydWZY7pYx5QRNIALj7esJfs53GWg3OJH4rpQH3gIZxqvSnWZsR06ao4Ptxe0APjbI8e_lGKLkKn9OIfQ-F8X6mQj7SK28AqL3Tscw4g/s2500/Time%20Travel%20Tribulations%20-%20eBook%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9FK-DqlHRlG8p5SqBjXg0htISjqbXXff3t3ORU9nM9sDl7ia3w5Jv2CRV9HPPukWRgykngtAJVD-uk4WquVydWZY7pYx5QRNIALj7esJfs53GWg3OJH4rpQH3gIZxqvSnWZsR06ao4Ptxe0APjbI8e_lGKLkKn9OIfQ-F8X6mQj7SK28AqL3Tscw4g/s320/Time%20Travel%20Tribulations%20-%20eBook%20Small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B39M86KW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">BUY NOW</span></a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>When something knocks Quinn Black and his team through an anomaly, he finds himself on a crash course with what appears to be an uninhabited planet. With an object of mysterious origin orbiting the system and his crew under attack from an unknown source, one thing is clear: they are not supposed to be there.<br /><br />Unfortunately, that’s just the beginning of their problems. Thrust into time loops and a seemingly parallel world where dinosaurs roam, someone is deliberately sabotaging them. But who would want to send them there, and why? And can they stay alive long enough to find their way back home?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZq1NHEpU8VB-5lOQN7JkqsVIBdgFpEYvjNMyV0qlEDnjmCx5Pqeg1xyyy-WrtAhbfOjLkKJ1rlMuKsFiQSI0C4UTcSsjstYQAcnEslRy_lKaEg_hwnTlaBipZfVAXP1oXNS8A3O3xIepIFsrkvb4Yf8JJ_ATPScZLJSGlM75MT5-lPtbe5vDu0s7ztg/s2435/Seven%20Rules%20Of%20Time%20Travel%20-%20Boxset%203D%20cropped2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2435" data-original-width="2199" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZq1NHEpU8VB-5lOQN7JkqsVIBdgFpEYvjNMyV0qlEDnjmCx5Pqeg1xyyy-WrtAhbfOjLkKJ1rlMuKsFiQSI0C4UTcSsjstYQAcnEslRy_lKaEg_hwnTlaBipZfVAXP1oXNS8A3O3xIepIFsrkvb4Yf8JJ_ATPScZLJSGlM75MT5-lPtbe5vDu0s7ztg/s320/Seven%20Rules%20Of%20Time%20Travel%20-%20Boxset%203D%20cropped2.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6RVXTQY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">BUY NOW</span></a></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Sounds exciting! If you're a lover of time travel stories like me, click the link below to grab your copies now!</b></div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roy-Huff/e/B00BCX199A/"><b>http://www.amazon.com/Roy-Huff/e/B00BCX199A/</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">*I receive <u>no</u> monetary or financial compensation when you purchase any of the above titles. </span></div>Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-78134900070099784952020-05-21T10:44:00.001-07:002020-05-21T10:44:06.331-07:00Catching Up With Writer Roy Huff @realroyhuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s75Z7fPFsF0/Xsac56vO0QI/AAAAAAAAaBk/pNB71QZEw6cuYAKGTABtjGpHzk3bi_kHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Optimized-IMG_9931rtfoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s75Z7fPFsF0/Xsac56vO0QI/AAAAAAAAaBk/pNB71QZEw6cuYAKGTABtjGpHzk3bi_kHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Optimized-IMG_9931rtfoto.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been some time since we've had a chance to chat with prolific writer Roy Huff. He's been very busy and has brilliant new work available as well as on the way. So we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to catch up.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome back, Roy. Please tell us what you've been up to.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I have several projects
I've been working on for the last three years. Two rough drafts are complete,
and I'm working on a third project, a space opera. I've revamped my website,
including offering a free short. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I'm also working on
completing the audiobooks for the last two books in the Everville series. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">So
during the next nine months, I expect to release three new books and five
audiobooks, two of them for books already released.</span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;">I had taken a detour from
fiction after publishing my first nonfiction book, so it's nice to get back to
it. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Before the lockdown, I
spent breaks traveling to Europe and Asia, and I plan to get back to it, once
the 14-day quarantine in Hawaii, where I live, is removed.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I had a trip to Milan for
Spring Break that was canceled. I will get back there. I travel to Japan a lot,
my wife and daughter being Japanese, so I will get back there again soon.
The only question is when. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Moving forward. I'm
planning on pushing the space opera book into a series, and I think the time
travel book has the potential for a series as well. We shall have to see.</span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow, that's great, really a lot of productivity. Talk a bit about your daily schedule and how and when you make time for writing, whether it be crafting new prose or doing what it takes to create the audiobooks you mentioned. A lot of people have things they want to do yet find themselves stuck in a perpetual state of wanting to rather than being in the preferred state of actually doing. So please share a bit about how you personally overcome this.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Effective
use of daily time is something I wrote extensively about in my non-fiction
book, <i>Think Smart Not Hard</i>. </span><span style="color: #222222;">I have an early morning routine that starts usually around 4 AM,
and I complete my number one and two tasks usually before 6:30 AM. This
was something I gravitated towards out of necessity after a divorce five years
ago. I needed to be on top of my game and set a good example for my
daughter. I needed the energy, and the mental fortitude. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Five years ago, I gave up drinking, and began to get in the
habit of daily at home workouts, usually less than ten minutes. I also gave up
fast food because of the high calorie density, and lost 44 pounds in 44 weeks
once I did. I've kept most of it off, only putting 15 pounds back on as
muscle. I also sleep earlier. Generally, I sleep by 9 </span>PM so I can get at least seven hours of sleep. This provides me
more focus and energy, so regardless of what I do for the remainder of the day,
I've pushed ahead with my plan. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as audiobooks. I waited for the last two books in the
Everville series because of a contract I had with my agent, but that's
since expired. I've decided I'd rather, at least at the moment, push forward
independently for the series. So my process for audiobooks is simply a general
audition on ACX/Audible with split royalties to avoid up-front cost. I've
experimented with several marketing strategies, and have a general idea on what
can work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I've also focused on improving my writing craft. The more you know,
the more you realize what you don't know. </span>I've taken a varied approach, but the general rule is I simply
write more frequently and read more frequently. I read more in my genre,
and I also read books on writing. So my three key strategies are to
systemize, improve, and publish. I haven't published nearly as much as I'd
like in the last three years since my last book, so it's time to get more out
there and publish with more regularity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I think one way to "do" instead of "want to do" is to take baby
steps, but take them consistently. Develop habits by removing as much
resistance as possible. Commit to one push-up a day for three months. Commit to
writing one sentence a day for three months. Commit to writing a daily
journal for one minute for three months. Anchor </span>the habits to an existing routine, and then gradually increase
the commitment once you've developed the habits. Forgiving yourself is
also essential. So it's a combination of developing a growth mindset, effective
habits, and iteration that helps the most. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm by no means perfect and frequently screw up my routine. But
forgiving myself when I do is essential to banishing shame and embracing
possibility. I've always considered myself an optimist, so that helps. But it
can sometimes blind me to what needs to be done, so seeking out mentors and
those who've walked the path before helps highlight blind spots. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">That's
all very good, cogent, practical advice. And your candor is much appreciated. I
used to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to train before going to work but I wouldn't get
home from work until 7pm or so and by 8pm I was fried and stressed out about
going to bed on time. I began pounding a Bang energy drink each morning to help
me wake up early, but by Thursday for Friday night, I was exhausted and my
inner five-year-old would come to the surface and take me on a whirlwind eating
binge. And with less sleep but continued quantities of intense training
and daily activities, I found myself catching colds regularly. So I ultimately
stopped getting up quite so early. Thankfully, we're no longer involved in the
daily commute thing so I can use those two extra hours per day for other
things.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>You mentioned your agent and finding a mentor. Talk a
little about your experience with the traditional publishing route, finding an
agent, and your general thoughts on the state of the publishing industry
today, both indie and legacy.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Regarding
traditional publishing, it has its place. But I like the flexibility of doing
things on my own, primarily because </span>of swiftness and control. Authors are also expected now to do
the bulk of the marketing even if traditionally published. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are still benefits. I think seeking legitimacy and
other people's approval is a big part of going the traditional route. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But being an independent thinker, I've always thought obsessing
about what other people think is no way to live. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize authors should think about their readers, but
typically, engaging authors are most like their readers in terms of interest,
so I think it's less of an issue than most people realize. That said, both
routes can provide value, but focusing on the traditional route was what
delayed my initial foray in the writing world in the first place because I
found it so daunting. 100% of zero is still zero. So I think for many
people, it might be a good way to get started. You can't get feedback unless you
write something. And if something is keeping you from writing, it might be time
to think about ways to get around those obstacles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both industries will continue to evolve and adapt. And as
authors, we must be willing to do the same. As an independent author, one
has the flexibility to adapt quickly. And while you may lack the resources of
the larger outfits, agility in a fast-changing marketplace is at a
premium. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That said, quality is important. But you have to give yourself
permission to fail and permission to write badly if you're going to accomplish
much in the writing world. The key thing is to learn from constructive feedback,
failure, and allow yourself to move on. Developing a plan and a system, or at
least having someone develop it for you, can work wonders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Regarding the quality issue, you're spot-on. The marketplace
is now flooded with books because the previous barriers to entry have been
taken down due to the ease of self-publishing today. Talk about your
quality control process. Do you have an editor you like and work with on
each new project? Do you have a cover designer? Do you employ beta readers,
perhaps such as through an online platform like </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://betareader.io&source=gmail&ust=1590160733513000&usg=AFQjCNFYN67u734iKgK2g7XShkLjNx925A" href="http://betareader.io/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1155cc;">betareader.io</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">?</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I use
Damonza.com for my covers. A quality cover is essential. I think in many cases
it's actually more important than </span>the book. I use both beta readers and numerous editors. You
can't have too many eyes on a project, but you should also give yourself a
deadline, otherwise, procrastination through perfection will sabotage you.
Finding quality editors is a struggle. But you can use multiple editors to focus
on specific areas and still spend much less than a traditional editor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There will always be a few things that are missed (which can
later be corrected), but I think having a minimum of two editors,
preferably three, works the best. I generally wait to get feedback on structure
until I finish my first draft, and then I can make major changes. After the
"final" draft is done, I generally have several to dozens of beta
readers look through it before the final draft is published. I used to get my
Beta Readers through Goodreads, and I still visit there occasionally, but
I have a network now that can begin once I'm ready. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">That's
a good segue to your books. You mentioned that the box set of Everville is now
available, the audiobooks, the new space opera short, and the new book.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Give us a rundown of the space opera and the
forthcoming book.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Currently,
only the audiobooks for Everville books 1 & 2 are available, but audiobooks
3 and 4 should be available in about 6-8 </span>weeks. The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088NQQMK7/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">boxed set</span></a> is now available on Amazon, and
I also have a free Space Opera short available on my <a href="https://www.royhuff.net/salvationship" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">website</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz5ax39HJHo/XsaoANa38HI/AAAAAAAAaB4/Lt_ZUxsCaLknz15oy9AJpNnsh2AOb84mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Roy2626262626262626a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz5ax39HJHo/XsaoANa38HI/AAAAAAAAaB4/Lt_ZUxsCaLknz15oy9AJpNnsh2AOb84mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Roy2626262626262626a.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next two books will be released over the summer. The first,
Time Traveler: The Loop Back, will be published in late June. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The as-of-yet untitled space opera will be released in late July
or early August. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The audiobooks for both will be released roughly six weeks
later. I have more down the pike as well, but those projects and dates are
subject to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Time Traveler: The Loop Back, you'll have an interesting
take on time travel. I don't want to give too much away, but it combines
elements you may have seen in Quantum Leap and Doctor Who, without getting into
specifics. The Space Opera book will use time dilation as a focal point of the
plot. You'll have to wait until the blurb is published for more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's a great outro. And a lot of great writing from which to choose. Bravo, Roy, on your productivity.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be sure to <a href="https://www.royhuff.net/salvationship" target="_blank">visit Roy's website</a> to purchase your copy today!</span></b></div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-83331266086025837242020-01-24T14:57:00.000-08:002020-01-24T14:57:26.265-08:00Brand New Book!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIl3kgQLOzg/Xit1qSiqGdI/AAAAAAAAZhc/EpcgUu7MPeYSYb1R6EUijPW28xzb9C3uACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/GLDOW%2BFleece%2BBlanket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1210" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QIl3kgQLOzg/Xit1qSiqGdI/AAAAAAAAZhc/EpcgUu7MPeYSYb1R6EUijPW28xzb9C3uACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/GLDOW%2BFleece%2BBlanket.png" width="241" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Set in Israel in the 1970s, this heartwarming tale follows the incredible adventures of seven-year-old Taliya and her family. From meatballs and mango trees to surprisingly durable flutes and neighborhood bullies, Taliya proves that every challenge is an opportunity to shine. And in so doing, she reminds us to laugh, to bless, to love, and to cherish life. Inspired by miraculous true events, it's a wholesome and delightful story the entire family can enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2sZ2YNS" style="color: #351c75; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Available now on Amazon!</a></span>Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-81635296319168998042019-08-14T14:57:00.000-07:002019-08-14T14:57:45.603-07:00Seven Questions with Writer Michael Gunter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Seven Questions</b></div>
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<b>Writer</b></div>
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<b>Michael Gunter</b></div>
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<b>author of</b></div>
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<i><b>An Untamed Life:</b></i></div>
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<i><b>an Introduction</b></i></div>
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<i><b>to the Difficult and Dangerous</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Way of Christ</b></i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3V75shs2Hg/XUx8DhGCUmI/AAAAAAAAXtI/FOnSO0rannAVN5O7QMGxXVUXCdn9dqIJQCEwYBhgL/s1600/UNTAMED%2BCOVER%2B-FRONT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1055" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3V75shs2Hg/XUx8DhGCUmI/AAAAAAAAXtI/FOnSO0rannAVN5O7QMGxXVUXCdn9dqIJQCEwYBhgL/s320/UNTAMED%2BCOVER%2B-FRONT.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Today's Author Spotlight features Michael Gunter.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LNd2gEkReI/XVRp_3L-hCI/AAAAAAAAXwU/ixELTbQxqN0CUjnuic3DLU5D4TretP44QCLcBGAs/s1600/MG%2B-%2BB%2Band%2BW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LNd2gEkReI/XVRp_3L-hCI/AAAAAAAAXwU/ixELTbQxqN0CUjnuic3DLU5D4TretP44QCLcBGAs/s320/MG%2B-%2BB%2Band%2BW.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is an independent writer. He is a graduate of Charleston Southern University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He published his first book on the Christian life, A Life Not Wasted, with Gazelle Press in 2005. He is a songwriter, electric guitarist, and author of six novels.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> first spoke with Michael in 2012 for his novel <i>Blackwell</i>. And then again in 2013 for his novel <i>Defying Gravity</i>. We're thrilled to have him back once more to discuss his new book, a work of nonfiction, <i>The Untamed</i>.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">1. Tell us about your new book <i>The Untamed</i>, what
it's about, and how it came into fruition.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The Untamed</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">
is first and foremost about Jesus Christ and the kind of life He expects of
those who follow Him, but it isn't a rehash of old Sunday School lessons and
tips about Christian Living. You could say it's the side of Jesus seldom
mentioned in Christian conversations. It's the Jesus who makes people nervous
and says things people don't like to hear. There's a quote by Dorothy Sayers
that inspired the title: "The people who hanged Christ never, to do them
justice, accused Him of being a bore--on the contrary, they thought Him too dynamic
to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering
personality and surround Him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have efficiently
pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified Him 'meek and mild' and
recommended Him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old
ladies." In a word, Jesus was (and is) Untamed and I believe He
wants us to follow Him into an Untamed kind of life and produce in us
the character to match. That's the kind of Jesus I want to know and follow...even
though He frightens me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It was not my intention to
publish this book at first. I wrote it in an attempt to find the answer to a
question that began to haunt me in 2016: What if there's more to the Christian
life than we think? When I returned to the familiar words of Christ and His
apostles with that question in mind, I found myself shaken to my core and
rethinking the way I viewed God, Jesus and my own life. In July of 2018, I
resigned from my career as an associate pastor for spiritual reasons I
could not fully explain. I took a job at a grocery store and dedicated myself
to reading God's Word and any book recommended to me by the people I trusted
with my situation. Writing did bring clarity, but it also confirmed my
suspicions that my earlier view of Christ was incomplete and lopsided. After
more than 30 years as a Christian, a more complete and accurate image of Christ
had emerged. When I shared the first draft of <i>The Untamed</i> with a few friends - just to let them know what I
was going through - I was surprised by their encouragement to publish it. To be
honest, I'm still a little nervous about this; not about whether people will
like it, but about what comes next as I actually try to follow
my Untamed Lord in this Untamed life. I'm in it now.
There's no going back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">2. Regarding that taming and paring, what do you think
was the reason (or reasons) behind doing so? Why has the Lion of Judah been
relegated to house-cat status?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">That happened a long time
ago, so I can only speculate on the initial motivation. Based on my own
experience and observation, I think it comes down to what we want out of God.
We want a Savior, but not so much a Lord. We want a God who will get us out of
trouble, but not One who intends to change us. We want a God who comes when we
call Him--a God who will comfort and entertain us--but is content to stay out
in the yard most of the day. We like the idea of Christ as Servant much more
than Christ as Master and King. We could get into how the church wants to
present Christ in an appealing, non-threatening way in order to attract people
to Him, but it's still a reflection of the kind of God we want and what we want
Him to do for us. If you get right down to it, we want a God we can manage and
will work for us. We don't want a God who might ask us to sell all our
possessions or do something dangerous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">3. Interesting. Kind of like when you resigned from
your post at the church after ten years. What was everyone’s reaction to that?
What did they say when you went to work at the grocery store? What was YOUR
reaction to that?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My resignation occurred
during a tumultuous time in the life of that church. Five staff members left in
four month's time. I don't know how many church members left, but the number
was significant. Reactions to my resignation varied. Those who knew me best
understood what I was going through spiritually. I am still close with some of
them. Most just thought I was part of the exodus. All in all, it felt a lot
like a break-up. There was confusion, hurt feelings, even some anger. I am sure
some felt like I had abandoned them. Working at the grocery store created some
awkward encounters. Hardly a day passed that I did not see someone from the
church. They would approach me, ask how I was doing (like I'd been given some
bad news), and then neither of us would know what to say. I imagine many of
them thought I'd lost my mind or maybe my faith. I put on my best face, but I
too felt like something was wrong with me. I'd wandered into the wilderness. I
was lost. I was letting my family down. I never doubted my decision, but I
still felt like I was off course. It's been a tough year, but it enabled me to
go...or maybe it forced me into the place I needed to be to write <i>The Untamed</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">4. How did the writing process begin? Was there a
premise you wanted to explore? Or a question you hoped to answer? In writing
fiction, there is often a scene or a character with which to start. How did you
start <i>The Untamed</i>?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The untamed as a concept was
in my mind long before I knew what to call it. Growing up in Alaska and Nevada,
I've always had an affinity for bigness, grandeur and majesty. I've always been
attracted to things that exist outside the normal routines of everyday
life...beyond the managed systems of the civilized world. I have been sensitive
to that for as long as I can remember. The word <i>untamed</i> first
appeared in my writing about a decade ago when a character in one of my novels
used it to describe what he felt as he gazed out at the vastness of the high
desert plains of central Wyoming. The moment I saw it written, I knew it was
the word I had been searching for to refer to that feeling and sense of longing
I had always known. Once I had the word, it didn't take long for me to start
using it in my thoughts about God. I should point out that <i>untamed</i> is
not the same as <i>wild</i>. The untamed God cannot be manipulated or
controlled. He lives and moves and acts according to His own will. However, He
is not unruly or reckless. Even Christ, in all of His untamed glory, was
careful to declare His submission to the will of His Father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">You could say the writing
process for <i>The Untamed</i> began in my childhood. Those first
sensations of it were planted when I looked in wonder at that Alaskan
wilderness. With maturity of faith and the development of my writing, the
concept emerged in novel form. Then my resignation from my church position last
year acted as the catalyst to bring it fully into view. The premise of <i>The Untamed</i> is this Untamed God who
manifested Himself in the Untamed Person of Christ in order to call His people
to follow Him into an Untamed Life. That's what I wanted to explore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">5. What, if any, were your literary influences prior
to and while writing <i>The Untamed</i>? What type of research did you find
yourself engaged in?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I read a lot of non-fiction
in the last year; mostly books on Christian spirituality. The books that are
most relevant to <i>The Untamed</i> are <i>The School of Christ</i> by
T. Austin-Sparks and <i>The Imitation of Christ</i> by Thomas A'
Kempis. Add to that list Dorothy Sayers's <i>Letter to a Diminished
Church </i>and selected passages from C. S. Lewis. I also read a lot of
the Bible. Other than that, I didn't do any research beyond pulling from my own
experience in the church and reflecting on the words of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">6. Through everything that's happened in the past
year, the changes, the reading, the reflection, the soul searching, the
writing... what have you learned?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I've learned that God does
not exist for me, but I exist for Him. I know that should be obvious to every
follower of Christ, but I really get it now. I am no longer a Christian for
what I get out of it - salvation, peace, joy, fellowship, the promise of
heaven. I belong to God and serve at His good pleasure. That shift in
perspective changes everything. It means I no longer expect God to reveal
Himself a certain way or act the way I want Him to. It means I stop complaining
when I don't get my way. It means I accept discomfort and inconvenience as par
for the course. I'm still working on the proper attitude towards suffering. It
means an increase in my risk tolerance. It means I relinquish ownership of
time, money, relationships, plans for the future. Now, I am not saying I have
all this down yet. Old habits die hard. But a year into it, I see change. I'm
involved in a few things now that I would’ve declined a year ago simply because
they would have made me uncomfortable or infringed upon my schedule. You could
say I'm walking a very different path. This brings up another lesson: If you're
going to write something like this, you’d better be ready to back it up. I've
been challenged more than once to prove that I really believe what I wrote.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">7. What do you hope to accomplish with this book and
who is the target audience?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It is my hope and prayer
that <i>The Untamed</i> provokes some deep soul-searching. I want to
challenge the Christian pop-culture and encourage a more accurate view of God,
Jesus and the Christian Life. I want my readers to take seriously all of Jesus'
words - His difficult words as well as His comforting words. And then I want
them to actually adjust their lives to the call of Christ to follow Him no
matter where He leads them. You'll notice that I've subtitled the book
"An <u>Introduction</u> to....." This book is certainly not
the final word on the subject. I'm only a year into the untamed myself. I
expect there will be a lot more written about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My target audience for this
book is the person who has been a Christian for awhile and senses something
isn't quite right. Maybe they haven't been "#blessed" and wonder if
something might be wrong with them. Maybe they've seen through the Christian
cliches and easy church answers and are starting to feel like an outsider in
their own church. Maybe they've taken notice of those passages of Scripture
that warn about trials and suffering and wonder why American Christianity is so
easy and safe. Or maybe they've experienced real hardship and wonder why God
hasn't done something about it. I wonder about how a new believer might
read <i>The Untamed</i>. Hopefully some will read it and let me know.
Perhaps that will result in another book. We'll see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">When is the book available and where can people find
it?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b>
<i>The Untamed</i> is <a href="https://amzn.to/2H99IMV" target="_blank">available now on Amazon</a> and our website www.untamedgroup.com.<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you, Michael, for sharing your newest work!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Be sure to <a href="https://amzn.to/2H99IMV" target="_blank">pick up your copy of <i>The Untamed</i> today</a>.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>To read Michael's two previous interviews, click <a href="https://authorryanschneider.blogspot.com/2012/09/10-questions-with-writer-michael-e.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for <i>Blackwell</i> and <a href="https://authorryanschneider.blogspot.com/2013/07/10-follow-up-questions-with-writer.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for <i>Defying Gravity</i>.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-69232195952715279712019-06-05T08:47:00.000-07:002019-06-05T08:47:22.562-07:00What's this??? Could it be...<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What's this??? Could it be proof copies of the new book which arrived yesterday??? This one is VERY special. Stay tuned! </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/authors?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#authors</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/books?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#books</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WritingCommunity?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#WritingCommunity</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amwriting?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#amwriting</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amwritingfiction?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#amwritingfiction</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/novels?src=hash" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #660099; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 27px; letter-spacing: 0.27px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#novels</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Td0fojnNjlg/XPfj1_080eI/AAAAAAAAW-s/Lh83F4hEdKYfFO87X96CrjgDvfaiDijDwCLcBGAs/s1600/GLDOWProofs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Td0fojnNjlg/XPfj1_080eI/AAAAAAAAW-s/Lh83F4hEdKYfFO87X96CrjgDvfaiDijDwCLcBGAs/s320/GLDOWProofs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-46278802046380941742019-05-31T09:35:00.000-07:002019-05-31T09:35:32.413-07:0010 Questions with Thriller Writer C.W. Lemoine (@CWLemoine)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Author Spotlight</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>features</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Thriller Writer</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">C.W. Lemoine</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Author of</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fini Flight</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Zw2vVUgDVY/XO7umo5EE1I/AAAAAAAAW7o/NEME5oPjyAAPg1_4VH_XBdqvs-1WygVXwCLcBGAs/s1600/Finiflight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Zw2vVUgDVY/XO7umo5EE1I/AAAAAAAAW7o/NEME5oPjyAAPg1_4VH_XBdqvs-1WygVXwCLcBGAs/s320/Finiflight.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
C.W. Lemoine is the author of the military/espionage thriller novels <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/spectre-rising/">SPECTRE RISING</a>, <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/avoid-negotiate-kill/">AVOID. NEGOTIATE. KILL.</a>, <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/archangel-fallen/">ARCHANGEL FALLEN,</a> <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/executive-reaction/">EXECUTIVE REACTION</a>,<a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/brick-by-brick/"> </a><a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/brick-by-brick/">BRICK BY BRICK</a>, <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/stand-against-evil/">STAND AGAINST EVIL </a> , <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/absolute-vengeance/">ABSOLUTE VENGEANCE</a>, <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/the-helios-conspiracy/">THE HELIOS CONSPIRACY</a>, <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/i-am-the-sheepdog/">I AM THE SHEEPDOG</a> and <a href="https://www.cwlemoine.com/fini-flight/">FINI FLIGHT. </a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
A Louisiana native, Lemoine is a graduate of the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University in New Orleans. After graduating college, Lemoine joined the Air Force Reserve where he flew the F-16 and accumulated one thousand hours including a combat tour in Iraq.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-7aM58FfHA/XO7u-Kom8XI/AAAAAAAAW7w/hiXfMREavegx3xv7Hzx5Ply9SzypZvb7QCLcBGAs/s1600/CWLemoine%2BAuthor%2BPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="367" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-7aM58FfHA/XO7u-Kom8XI/AAAAAAAAW7w/hiXfMREavegx3xv7Hzx5Ply9SzypZvb7QCLcBGAs/s320/CWLemoine%2BAuthor%2BPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Lemoine later transferred to the Navy Reserve where he flew F/A-18A+ Hornets for four years. He currently flies for a legacy U.S. airline and is a POST-1 certified reserve deputy sheriff.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>1.How did you get
into writing and why do you write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It started as a coping mechanism after my mom passed away
when I was twelve years old. That turned into a novella that I thought would
make me the youngest author in the history of ever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Turns out, there’s a lot more that goes into it than just
emailing it to the first agent I could find. When the agent rejected me, I
figured that was the end of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Years later, my fiancée started writing and I decided to
pick up the keyboard once more. I wrote five chapters and then shelved it as
life took over until I transferred to the Navy Reserve and moved to New
Orleans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a bit of down time, so I started writing again. With the encouragement of my good friend, Dr.
Doug Narby, I kept going. Eventually
that became SPECTRE RISING, which kicked off the SPECTRE SERIES.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sent out hundreds of queries to agents, but never could
get any to bite. I went the self-publishing route and never looked back. Ten novels later, and it’s been an amazing
journey.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>2.What do you like
best (or least) about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My favorite part of writing is the feedback. I enjoy
interacting with fans and discussing characters and storylines. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hate editing, picking the title, and writing the blurb on
the back. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>3.What is your
writing process? IE do you outline? Do you stick to a daily word or page count,
write 7 days a week, etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I usually have a vague outline in my mind, but I like to say
the characters write the story. I often have no idea where it’s going until I
start writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I usually shoot for 1-2k words per day – writing whenever I
can.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>4.Who are some other
writers you read and admire, regardless of whether they are commercially “successful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The late Vince Flynn was a great writer. I loved his writing
style and the story of how he became a writer is inspiring. His death was a
tragic loss to the literary world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>5.Should the question
mark in the above question be inside or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My editor and I go back and forth about this, but the
correct answer is inside. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>6.What’s your stance
on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Agnostic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>7.What is your book FINI
FLIGHTabout and how did it come to fruition?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FINI FLIGHT is my latest novel. It’s my tenth book and the
eighth in the SPECTRE SERIES. It was an
idea that I had as an adversary pilot in the military. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the current drama in North Korea, I tried to make it as
“ripped from the headlines” as I could imagine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>8.What’s your current
writing project?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m taking a break right now, but my next project will be
the third book in the Alex Shepherd Series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>9.What book(s) are
you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sadly, none at the moment. With my various jobs (cop,
fighter pilot, airline pilot, author, vlogger), I find very little time to sit
down and read.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>10.Who or what
inspires your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life and experiencing new things. I’m fortunate to have had
the experiences I’ve had in the military, law enforcement, and aviation. I like to write about what I know and apply
my experiences to “what if” scenarios based on real world current events.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They say the truth is often stranger than fiction, so I try
to do my best to bridge that gap.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Finally, is there
anything you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your
published stories, buy your book, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FINI FLIGHT is now available in print and eBook. It’s book 8 in the SPECTRE SERIES, but can be
read as a standalone novel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://books2read.com/FINI-FLIGHT">https://books2read.com/FINI-FLIGHT</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Readers can check out my weekly vlog MONDAYS WITH MOVER
every Monday on YouTube. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/cwlemoine/">https://www.youtube.com/cwlemoine/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks for having me on your blog. I appreciate the
opportunity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You're welcome, C.W. Keep up the great work. Fellow pilots such as myself always enjoy reading stories in which aviation is prominently featured.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Be sure to check out C.W.'s website and subscribe to his YouTube channel for fun and interesting content on writing, aviation, Corvettes, and more.</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Follow C.W. on social media:</b></div>
Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/CWLemoine/">twitter.com/CWLemoine/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/CWLemoine/">facebook.com/CWLemoine/</a><br />
Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/CWLemoine/">Instagram.com/CWLemoine/</a><br />
YouTube: <a href="http://youtube.com/CWLemoine/">youtube.com/CWLemoine/</a>Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-53565590947696244212019-05-07T13:16:00.001-07:002019-05-07T13:16:43.934-07:0010 Questions with Author Sandra Glosser (@baccibone1)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Author Spotlight</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">features</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Sandra Glosser</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">author of</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My Name is Bacci Bogie: Frequent Flyer Extraordinaire</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sandra Glosser has enjoyed a 30-year career as an international motivational speaker/trainer with expertise in law enforcement training. When she moved to Aspen, Colorado, she wrote a newspaper column and then penned a book about a local police officer who moved to the community as an undercover agent. She also enjoyed a fourteen-year experience as a host for her local television show. Writing became a hobby as she pursued her speaking career traveling across the country with her magnificent 'jet pet' Bacci Bogie.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mw1vngivJUg/XNG5m4SUAXI/AAAAAAAAWyM/D7NI4ML98L8BXl60APL9lUvlT5WL0g72gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Sandra%2BGlosser%2Band%2BBocci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="801" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mw1vngivJUg/XNG5m4SUAXI/AAAAAAAAWyM/D7NI4ML98L8BXl60APL9lUvlT5WL0g72gCEwYBhgL/s320/Sandra%2BGlosser%2Band%2BBocci.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandra & Bacci</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">1.How did you get into writing
and why do you write?</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">One might say with a sense of humor, “from the ground up.” My
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">first </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">writing gig was with the Dallas Morning News as an obituary writer.
I had met one of their reporters in a journalism class. He suggested it
would be a great place to get my feet wet. I had a chance inbetween obits
to write some color stories and rather enjoyed it. My ambition was to
write a television sports show for women; however, got off track when I decided
to move to Aspen, Colorado. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I proposed to one of the local newspapers a weekly column and
enjoyed that for three years. During that time, I heard about an Aspen
cop who came to the community as an undercover and thought this might be a
springboard for a novel. And, I pursued it and wrote a 500-page novel
called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Penguin</i>. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">2.What do you like best (or
least) about writing?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Writing is a great way for me to spend unstructured time. I
feel connected when I write. What I dislike are the rewrites.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">3.What is your writing process?
IE do you outline? Do you stick to a daily word or page count, write 7 days a
week, etc? </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Actually, I am most drawn to write about things that I know about
and the words come easy. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">4.Who are some other writers
you read and admire, regardless of whether they are commercially “successful?”</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Hemingway, Eckert Tolle, Rollo May. I enjoy several writers
who also speak. Hmm, wonder why as I enjoyed a 30-year career as a public
speaker/trainer.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">5. Should the question mark in
the above question be inside or outside the quotes?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">You got me on that one. I think inside but I’m not
positive. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">6. What’s your stance on the
Oxford Comma?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Don’t really like it.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">7.What is your book
about and how did it come to fruition?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><i>My Name Is Bacci Bogie: Frequent Flyer
Extraordinaire </i>is</span><span style="color: black;"> based on travels
with my ‘jet pet’. Bacci, a four-pound, adorable Maltese dog, traveled over
500,000 air miles with me and had an extremely exciting life. His antics
made him the center of attention wherever he went. The book is focused
on his experiences as my companion and I wrote it from his point of view and in
his voice. A real challenge for me to think and react like a dog. It was
a natural that I would write about it as I lived it.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcznyKR8v9c/XNG6B1zgpFI/AAAAAAAAWyU/RbCeyB7JU1AB9JeQpR0PgSger8YWiL5jgCEwYBhgL/s1600/i283163839614498009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcznyKR8v9c/XNG6B1zgpFI/AAAAAAAAWyU/RbCeyB7JU1AB9JeQpR0PgSger8YWiL5jgCEwYBhgL/s320/i283163839614498009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">8.What’s your current writing
project?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I’ve just published this book and have 20 short stories locked
away just waiting for my attention.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"> 9.What book(s) are you
currently reading?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I’ve been too focused on this book.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10.Who or what inspires
your writing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">My life has inspired my writing and the way I have lived it.
My 30-year career as a motivational speaker specializing in law enforcement
groups, has given me much material for many more books. I also enjoyed a
14-year run as the hostess for my own television show on a local Aspen TV
station.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">Finally, is there anything
you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your published
stories, buy your book, etc.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">My book is available on Amazon. Choose Books, put my name,
Sandra Glosser, in search and magic happens. If you are a dog lover, you
can’t help but fall in love with Bacci and his story. Everyone who has
given me feedback, says the same. He is also inspirational in nature,
clever and funny. You can get a sense of him even before you read the
book by visiting </span><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.baccibogie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.baccibogie.com</span></a></span><span style="color: black;">. </span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you, Sandra! It's a delightful book everyone is sure to enjoy.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Be sure to purchase a copy of <i>My Name is Bacci Bogi: Frequent Flyer Extraordinaire</i> today!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-17719736668776863712019-04-24T14:43:00.000-07:002019-04-24T14:43:53.062-07:0010 Questions with Author Steve Bivans (@stevebivans)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xBAEoZce2kk/XL80BPBt_NI/AAAAAAAAWtQ/4DwO6MV5PmU88crL8V4HD4pDhmLT3zKRgCLcBGAs/s1600/Stevebivans_Ebook%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xBAEoZce2kk/XL80BPBt_NI/AAAAAAAAWtQ/4DwO6MV5PmU88crL8V4HD4pDhmLT3zKRgCLcBGAs/s320/Stevebivans_Ebook%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Author Spotlight</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">features</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Steve Bivans</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Author of</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Anno Draconis</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Steve Bivans is the author of <i>Vikings, War, and the Fall of the Carolingians</i>; <i>Be a Hobbit, Save the Earth</i>; <i>The End of Fear Itself</i>, and the <i>Viking saga, Anno Draconis: Dawn of the Dragon</i>. He is a trained historian of the Viking Age. He lives in St. Paul, MN where he smokes meat, drinks bourbon, and throws axes at things.</span><br />
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<b>1.How did you get into writing and why do you write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Short answer? I don’t remember, lol. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Long one? I suppose I’ve always been a decent storyteller
(translation: accomplished liar). As far as actual writing, I spent years in
college and graduate school writing hundreds of pages of academic stuff. I
studied medieval history at the University of Minnesota until around 2011. My
focus was Viking military history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>2.What do you like best (or least) about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I love brainstorming ideas. This is true for both
non-fiction, which is what I began writing/publishing, and for my historical
fiction series: <i>Anno Draconis. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I love writing the first draft, especially fiction. Once I
get on a roll, it comes pouring out, or at least it does on most days. Some
days just suck of course and I sit there banging away F-bombs and curses at the
muses, or just line after line of “All work and no play…” lol <o:p></o:p></div>
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I hate those days. And I hate the first stages of editing,
when there are huge holes to fill in the story and I have to switch between the
creative side of my brain and my logical/editor side. Sucks ass. I really
struggle with that part. I always get through it, somehow, but I never remember
the damned recipe.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.What is your writing process? IE do you outline? Do you
stick to a daily word or page count, write 7 days a week, etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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When I write—and I should write 7 days a week, but don’t—I
write every day for a minimum of one hour. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m a firm believer in writing very fast. This comes from
several influences, not the least, Stephen King, who says he writes fast to
outrun his Demons of Doubt. I set a timer for one hour, click ‘go’ and I’m off
to the races.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My non-fiction was definitely outlined. But I learned during
my first book, <i>Be a Hobbit, Save the Earth</i>, that one should never <i>marry</i>
their outlines. It is strictly a <i>one night stand</i> kind of thing. Because
they never work out until the end, when you don’t need them anymore. Then you
divorce them and move on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I sat down to write my first novel, <i>Anno Draconis</i>,
I struggled with this for some time. After failing to write anything by
plotting, I brainstormed ideas about the Arc, the Characters, the Setting, and
then I chose a Scene, sat down, and started writing, like mad. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I let the characters decide <i>how</i> to get to those very
few points where I’d like for them to go. But they don’t always go there, or
they choose an entirely different path than I thought they would. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And other characters emerge from the darkness and the
woodwork to join the chorus. “Where the hell did THAT dude come from?” I’ve
wondered aloud, more than once. It’s really quite magical. Not sure how it
works. But it does, if I’m willing to trust the story and not be afraid to let
go of the control. It’s kind of Zen and Dao, actually.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4.Who are some other writers you read and admire, regardless
of whether they are commercially “successful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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When it comes to fiction, three of the greats: Tolkien for
his imagination and for his Hobbits. I’m a hobbit at heart, if a Dwarf in
temper. I love beer, food, and mostly just sitting around talking and hanging
out, as opposed to going on adventures. But when I’m pissed off, my first
instinct is to smash things with an axe, like Gimli. I’m also very good at
throwing them and hitting what I aim for. Just a warning, lol.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve always loved Mark Twain for his characters, dialogue,
storytelling, and definitely for his wit. Sharpest wit in history I think. In
one line, he could eviscerate large swaths of society.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stephen King for all of it. Might be cliche, but the man can
write a f**kin story. I’m a huge fan of what I call his “Flagg” stories: <i>The
Stand, The Dark Tower, Eye of the Dragon</i>. My favorite evil character of all
time: Randall Flagg/Man in Black. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5.Should the question mark in the above question be inside
or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Who f**kin’ cares? lol. That’s my editor’s job. Her name is
Patience. Yeah, I know, how appropriate, right? But it’s true; that’s her name.
I sleep with her. It’s convenient, and she makes amazing scrambled eggs, among
other amazing things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6.What’s your stance on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I’m a huge fan. I’m a huge fan of commas, in general, even
when, they aren’t useful. My editor-partner-Patience is not. We argue about it
every damned time. I win. Mostly. At least on that one point. I usually lose
all other arguments with her. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.What is your book <i>Anno Draconis: Dawn of the Dragon</i>
about and how did it come to fruition?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBAEoZce2kk/XL80BPBt_NI/AAAAAAAAWtU/zNeeuThQIyMsqFdfM8YKdRCoFo1uRjASQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Stevebivans_Ebook%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBAEoZce2kk/XL80BPBt_NI/AAAAAAAAWtU/zNeeuThQIyMsqFdfM8YKdRCoFo1uRjASQCEwYBhgL/s200/Stevebivans_Ebook%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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As I mentioned, I studied Viking history in grad school. A
couple years ago I decided to publish my master’s thesis, a translation of the <i>Annals
of St. Vaast</i>, published by me, with my introduction, under the title of <i>Vikings,
War, and the Fall of the </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Carolingians</i>.
It’s an English translation of a Frankish Ninth Century text in Latin. Yeah,
sounds boring as hell, and some people certainly agreed with that sentiment,
hence the lower than average ranking on the book, but I did it anyway. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And it just kind of took off! Like I sold 300 copies in the
first month! Then the next month, 1200! Then 700! <o:p></o:p></div>
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So I was surprised and flabbergasted and left wondering,
“What the hell just happened?” and “How the hell do I replicate it?”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had contemplated writing an historical fiction book on the
Vikings for some time, so the time seemed right to do it. I sat down,
brainstormed on the idea for a while, too long probably, then actually started
writing. <i>Anno </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Draconis</i> (In the
Year of the Dragon), came out of the fire of creativity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Most of it was written in about two months.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story of <i>Anno Draconis</i> follows the destructive
path of a young viking warrior, Sigurd Hrolfsson, as he leads his men into
Francia (now France) along with the Viking Great Army, who are intent upon
sacking Paris, again. This is in 885 A.D., forty years after the semi-mythical
Ragnar burned the place. Fans of the show on the History Channel will be
familiar with the setting. The history in <i>Draconis, </i>however, is much
better. The historical setting comes from my dissertation work on the Siege of
Paris of 885. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story combines real history with elements of magical
realism, since the people of the time really believed in magic, demons,
monsters. But I use it very subtly. It’s barely there, but just enough to add
some mystery, I hope. Also, there is murder, and a mystery or two, though it’s
not really a murder mystery. Mostly it’s about the quest for vengeance, the
power of language to shape reality, and the destructiveness of war. It’s very
bloody. I don’t pull punches on the violence. Pun intended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As for the history part of it, I adhere to a strict
philosophy. I like to say that I will not break the bones of history (the facts
in other words), to write the flesh of fiction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I might have my characters go <i>around</i> the facts, or an
event, but I will not change them to suit my story. There’s simply too much
space in-between all facts and events in history where we as authors can run
rampant. And I do. But I don’t break the bones. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I might hack some bones to pieces, burn others, and leave
the dead and dying in heaps. The bones of my characters. But not the bones of
history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>8.What’s your current writing project?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I am in the early stages of editing part two of <i>Anno
Draconis</i>, which is entitled <i>Reign of Wolves</i>. The story of Sigurd
continues, and the plot thickens, to be cliche. I’m enjoying it so far. The
story, not the editing. I’ll have it out sometime this summer. I also have a
couple chapters written for part three: <i>City of Light, Kingdom of Serpents</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>9.What book(s) are you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Not really reading anything right now. I don’t, as a rule,
read a lot of fiction. I have in the past, and probably will again. I have a
long list of things from fellow writers on Twitter, #writingcommunity. Not sure
when I’ll read them all. Luckily the stack is in my Kindle and not on my floor.
Editor-partner-Patience is very happy about that, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10.Who or what inspires your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Who the hell knows? lol. I suppose I’m a bit of a
philosopher? Overthinker, or Tick Tocker is what I call myself as it sounds
less pretentious. I have brainspin a lot. I spend a lot of time asking really
huge questions: “What IS real? Why are we here? Why does the world seem so
f**ked up? What can one person do about it? What’s at the bottom of it?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I told my editor-partner-Patience the other day that what I
really am is a Thinker. I have things to say and writing is ONE way to say
them. I say them other ways, too, but I like writing. You get to fix what you
say before other people read it. Unlike when I speak. It just comes out, and
then I have to apologize. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My first two books, <i>Be a Hobbit, Save the Earth, </i>and <i>The
End of Fear Itself</i>, were attempts to answer some of those burning questions
in a non-fiction format. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Anno Draconis</i> is a way to explore them in the flow of
a story. I did not, however, have an agenda for it, nor do I. Those themes just
seem to show up, I think, because they are universal questions that all humans
have. Hell, maybe our dogs, cows, and chickens ask them too? I’m fairly
confident they do. My cats, however, do not. They already know the answers. But
they ain’t talkin’.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, is there
anything you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your
published stories, buy your book, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You can find me pretty much everywhere, under my name. And
yeah, it was arbitrarily assigned to me at birth. I haven’t bothered to change
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have a website under my name. I’m on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Goodreads, and probably some other places I signed up for and
forgot. All of them under my name.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Facebook I have discussion groups for all my books.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My ebooks, currently, are exclusively on Amazon. You can
find me on there, here:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Hyperlink0"><a href="http://author.to/SteveBivans"><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">author.to/SteveBivans</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">is my author page.</span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">My books:</span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Anno
Draconis: Dawn of the Dragon:</i> </span><span class="Hyperlink0"><a href="http://mybook.to/Draconis1"><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">mybook.to/Draconis1</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">Be a Hobbit</span></i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">:</span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span class="Hyperlink0"><a href="http://mybook.to/BeaHobbit"><i><span lang="IT" style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">mybook.to/BeaHobbit</span></i></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"><i>End of Fear Itself: </i></span><span class="Hyperlink0"><a href="http://mybook.to/EndOfFearItself"><i><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">mybook.to/EndOfFearItself</span></i></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Vikings, War, and the Fall of the Carolingians:</i>
</span><span class="Hyperlink0"><a href="http://mybook.to/VikingsWar"><i><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 14pt;">mybook.to/VikingsWar</span></i></a></span></span><span style="background: white; color: #184c6c; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p> <b>Thanks, Steve. You're amassing an impressive body of work with stories backed by and infused with an equally-impressive knowledge of history. </b></o:p><b>Be sure to visit with us again when <i>Reign of Wolves</i> is ready.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Please visit Steve's website to learn more, and grab a copy of <i>Anno Draconis</i> today!</b></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-27851972589207362852019-04-15T14:56:00.000-07:002019-04-15T14:56:53.689-07:0010 Questions with multi-genre author Kathy Steinemann (@KathySteinemann)<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">This</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Author Spotlight</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">features</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kathy Steinemann</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">author of</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Writer's Lexicon</i></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDabcfEuu0E/XLTrm_fVwUI/AAAAAAAAWpc/Rv1Q7N5w3k8ag-EVltXh1QSTudbqAPr4ACLcBGAs/s1600/kathy-450x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xDabcfEuu0E/XLTrm_fVwUI/AAAAAAAAWpc/Rv1Q7N5w3k8ag-EVltXh1QSTudbqAPr4ACLcBGAs/s200/kathy-450x450.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Today I’m interviewing Kathy Steinemann. Kathy is a multi-genre
author who has loved words for as long as she can remember—“especially when the
words are frightening or futuristic or funny.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her career has taken varying directions, including positions
as editor of a small-town paper, computer-network administrator, and webmaster.
She has also worked on projects in commercial art and cartooning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/books-lexicon/">Writer’s Lexicon</a></i>
series and award-winning blog have inspired many writers, who have left
comments such as:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Thank you for the amazingness of these books. I can’t wait
for the next one.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I read and use them religiously to expand my vocabulary and
phrases, deepen my descriptions, and learn how to improve every single day.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“My rating standard is 1 to 5 stars. But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Writer’s Lexicon</i> … is a 10-star
read.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“… thank you SO much for publishing the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Writer’s Lexicons</i>! You have made me see writing in a new light …”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“As someone who reads a lot of books about how to write
books, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Writer’s Lexicon</i> may be
one of the most in depth I’ve ever read.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I am amazed at the wealth of material contained in this
blog. Thank you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Your posts are invaluable!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Your website is like no other!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Thanks so much for your invaluable posts, Kathy. I can’t
tell you how many times I’ve referred to your lists to help me portray
character expression.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now to the question-and-answer portion of the interview:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. How did you get
into writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I started writing as a child. At eleven years of age, I won
a writing contest. Decades later I can still remember the opening lines of my
entry: “Calling all cars, calling all cars.” It was about the weed police—the
dandelion kind, not the MJ variety. [Kathy winks.]<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. What do you like
best about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Writing offers an escape from the world, and it’s better
than dreaming, because I can share my dreams with others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. What is your
writing process? IE do you outline? Do you stick to a daily word or page count,
write 7 days a week, etc.?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Although my husband would call me uber-organized, I’m a
pantser who doesn’t adhere to a strict regimen. Sometimes I need a break from
writing, especially when it requires intensive research.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Who are some other
writers you read and admire, regardless of whether they are commercially “successful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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An author I discovered recently is Marc Remus. He writes YA
fiction and designs his own covers. Marc is talented and personable. I’m also a
fan of Ray Bradbury, Pearl S. Buck, Diana Gabaldon, Lois Lowry, and Fredric
Brown.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I could go on for pages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5. Should the
question mark in the above question be inside or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Punctuation rules vary a bit for American and British
English, but I would put the question mark outside the quotes. Ditto for
semicolons, colons, and exclamation points. Periods and commas would precede
the quotation mark. Then there are quotes within quotes … but I don’t think
your readers want an extensive grammar lesson, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>If so, they can (and should) buy your books!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6. What’s your stance
on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can wrench it from my frozen fists when I die. Too many
sentences can be misinterpreted because of a missing serial comma; and if a
writer follows the Oxford convention some of the time but not consistently,
readers don’t know what to expect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ooh, I used a semicolon. Sorry, Kurt Vonnegut. Or maybe I’m
not sorry. Everyone forgets the second part of your semicolon prohibition: “And
there, I’ve just used a semicolon, which at the outset I told you never to use.
It is to make a point that I did it. The point is: Rules only take us so far,
even good rules.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7. What is your book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Writer’s Lexicon: Descriptions, Overused
Words, and Taboos</i> about and how did it come to fruition?</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HNQlrJ1IeFg/XLTrG3VVtpI/AAAAAAAAWpY/Vij68BES-qUwbakWka-QE13TEmQ0LR64ACEwYBhgL/s1600/cover-vol1-400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HNQlrJ1IeFg/XLTrG3VVtpI/AAAAAAAAWpY/Vij68BES-qUwbakWka-QE13TEmQ0LR64ACEwYBhgL/s200/cover-vol1-400x600.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F5jjvmK1fA/XLTtjs5pQUI/AAAAAAAAWps/yX5uEtfTWggtDeHw6UzEZh4HSmQgQG40wCEwYBhgL/s1600/cover-vol2-400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1F5jjvmK1fA/XLTtjs5pQUI/AAAAAAAAWps/yX5uEtfTWggtDeHw6UzEZh4HSmQgQG40wCEwYBhgL/s200/cover-vol2-400x600.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As an editor and critiquer, I often encounter annoying
quirks, redundancies, and repetitions. I wrote a series of blog posts based on
them. Several of my followers asked me to include them in a book. In March,
2017, the first volume was published.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A year later, I released its sequel, <i>The Writer’s Lexicon Volume II: More Descriptions, Overused Words, and
Taboos.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>8. What’s your
current writing project?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m working on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Writer’s Body Lexicon,</i> which will include ways for writers to incorporate
the body in their narrative: emotion beats, adjectives, similes and metaphors,
colors, scents, shapes, verbs, nouns, props, et al.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9. What book(s) are
you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Magora</i> YA fantasy
series by Marc Remus.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10. Who or what
inspires your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everything and everyone: I’m constantly jotting down ideas
on sticky notes or texting them to myself. Whenever I have time, I transfer the
ideas to a burgeoning file on my computer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, is there
anything you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your
published stories, buy your book, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can read about my published books and stories on my <a href="https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/about-the-author/">website's
"About" page</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><br /></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Advice for the discouraged writer:</u> Don’t give up.
Take an occasional break (without feeling guilty) but hold onto your dreams. Today’s
words are tomorrow’s legacy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And if you need help, <a href="https://kathysteinemann.com/">visit
my website</a> or <a href="https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/books-lexicon/">try
my books</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You’ll also find me at the following sites:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/kathysteinemann">Amazon</a>
– <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Kathy%22Steinemann%22">Barnes&Noble</a>
– <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/home/search/?keywords=kathy%20steinemann">Chapters</a>
– <a href="https://facebook.com/KathySteinemann.Author">Facebook</a> – <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6437600.Kathy_Steinemann">Goodreads</a>
– <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/search?Query=%22kathy%20steinemann%22&ac=1&fcsearchfield=Author">Kobo</a>
– <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/KathySteinemann/">Pinterest</a> – <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/steinemann">Smashwords</a> – <a href="https://twitter.com/KathySteinemann">Twitter</a> – <a href="https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/kathy-steinemann">Walmart</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks, Ryan, for inviting me to interact with your blog
followers!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uh-oh, an <a href="https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/exclamations/">exclamation point</a>.
Mark Twain is tsk-tsking in his grave.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>You're most welcome, Kathy. Thank you for helping to make the world a more literate place and for helping writers everywhere hone their craft.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Be sure to check out Kathy's books at any of the links above. You'll be glad you did!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-76040674042304596402019-04-08T13:38:00.000-07:002019-04-08T13:38:16.857-07:00New Book Coming Soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jHX3HREQgBw/XKuxBrlFI0I/AAAAAAAAWnM/EYd1BGCB8P43YL7ahRaj1dfvHbmj0syJQCLcBGAs/s1600/comingsoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="474" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jHX3HREQgBw/XKuxBrlFI0I/AAAAAAAAWnM/EYd1BGCB8P43YL7ahRaj1dfvHbmj0syJQCLcBGAs/s320/comingsoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This one is very special.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned.Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-11139495111434818382018-04-05T13:37:00.000-07:002019-04-24T11:50:20.694-07:00Dropping F-bombs on Mars<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So here’s an interesting topic: profanity in art and
entertainment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AArGKUTVP2o/WsZuLpE7GuI/AAAAAAAAT80/hOPHBUINKuAR2N7RlDInPlVwZCo6ZfWVwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Profanity%2Bin%2BPop%2BCulture%2BTV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="900" height="254" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AArGKUTVP2o/WsZuLpE7GuI/AAAAAAAAT80/hOPHBUINKuAR2N7RlDInPlVwZCo6ZfWVwCEwYBhgL/s320/Profanity%2Bin%2BPop%2BCulture%2BTV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obviously, art and entertainment are subjective, so some
people will be fine with profanity while others will not be.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But is there a middle ground?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When is profanity acceptable or perhaps even appropriate in
a book, television show, or movie?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some people would say it never is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other people say as much as is needed to tell an authentic
story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other folk might say the more the better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surely it varies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OY6OqX5AkJM/WsZvj-birUI/AAAAAAAAT9I/ilry1UnUDVwSRZfPuK4sX1p3Vg2W2vlgACLcBGAs/s1600/Parental%2BAdvisory%2BWarning%2BLabel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OY6OqX5AkJM/WsZvj-birUI/AAAAAAAAT9I/ilry1UnUDVwSRZfPuK4sX1p3Vg2W2vlgACLcBGAs/s200/Parental%2BAdvisory%2BWarning%2BLabel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But is there an appropriate time and place for it? Perhaps
it’s a you-know-it-when-you-see-it kind of thing. An occasional swear word here
and there when used in context can underscore the emotional component of a
scene. And it is certainly often representative of “real life”. People use profanity
in their daily lives all the time, some more than others; young people probably
more; parents with small children trying to set a good example probably less.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But is there a standard everyone can agree upon?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Take for example the novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i> by Andy Weir. It was a publishing fairy tale: indie
writer pens sci-fi Mars-based technically brilliant survival epic, self-publishes
online, book finds an audience and takes off, gets adapted into a big-time
movie, and everyone is happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PdqSvgkjADI/WsZx1x5SnkI/AAAAAAAAT94/GYF96Yif_9QT1AoF3FpTClNRDpvbFOsqACLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BMartian%2BCover%2B3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1047" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PdqSvgkjADI/WsZx1x5SnkI/AAAAAAAAT94/GYF96Yif_9QT1AoF3FpTClNRDpvbFOsqACLcBGAs/s320/The%2BMartian%2BCover%2B3D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But are they?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some people were turned off by the extremely detailed and
technical scenes in the story. Long explanations about space flight, biology,
horticulture, chemistry, physics, etc. Yet, for others, these elements were
precisely what they adored about the story because it was the foundation of the
realism. Mr. Weir certainly did his research. He clearly loved the science and
engineering and he poured that love into the manuscript.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what of the profanity?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Was it necessary?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And before we go any further, please do not misunderstand: I
am by no means picking on Andy nor on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Martian</i>. He wrote a heckuva book. He knocked it out of the park. So my
intent is not to bash the author or his work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>
was what I was reading when I first conceived of this concept of wondering
about profanity in our writing. An f-bomb or s-bomb seems appropriate when
writing. But have you ever opened one of your works in Word, for example, and
done a search for “f#!k” or “s#!t”?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was shocked.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpPJnPLR_Dw/WsaAkcDB3kI/AAAAAAAAT_E/_iy1l-qz15sSFFUR3p5uTBHwa18WOfBfQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Profanity%2BBubble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="435" height="137" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpPJnPLR_Dw/WsaAkcDB3kI/AAAAAAAAT_E/_iy1l-qz15sSFFUR3p5uTBHwa18WOfBfQCEwYBhgL/s200/Profanity%2BBubble.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It hadn’t even occurred to me to
question it. But once I discovered that there were dozens and dozens of these
words, I began to wonder why I had written them in the first place. In the heat
of the moment, while crafting a scene, profanity can seem perfectly
appropriate. And perhaps it is. But taken as a whole when reading the entire
book, do we want our Dear Reader to think back, “Wow, that was a really good
book. But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boy oh boy</i> did it have far
too much profanity. Wtf?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Probably not. Unless perhaps the book is a treatise on the
etymological history of profanity throughout the ages. But even then I suspect
a savvy editor would encourage the use of placeholders or visual edits of some
kind, with asterisks placed strategically between first and last letters so
readers know which word is being referred to without having to read it 5000
times. You’d probably want to go wash your brain somehow afterwards.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason I bring all of this up is because of the opening
sentence in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, again, a disclaimer: I loved the book. Awesome job,
Andy! Like, holy crap for real, dude. It’s got more than 30,000 reviews on
Amazon and a 4.7-star average; so, it’s not merely my opinion: I think we can
collectively and safely say that the book is a success.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With that being said, the opening line of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i> is:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXfha5PQV-Q/WsZvweuJntI/AAAAAAAAT9M/kYcJ6yG6qckfSU-3i7f6LdSafPVJQ8mtwCLcBGAs/s1600/Ralphie%2BEating%2BLifeBoy%2BSoap.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="728" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXfha5PQV-Q/WsZvweuJntI/AAAAAAAAT9M/kYcJ6yG6qckfSU-3i7f6LdSafPVJQ8mtwCLcBGAs/s320/Ralphie%2BEating%2BLifeBoy%2BSoap.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m pretty much fucked.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, there it is. Right? A big fat f-word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right there</i>. Nowhere to run. Except
perhaps out of the book store or to another website, so to speak. Which would
be a shame because the story is awesome. So, is it undermined by dropping an
f-bomb in the opening sentence?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A common technique among writers, editors, agents, and other
folk in the literary world is the paragraph test. You read the opening
paragraph of a manuscript or a published novel and, based upon that paragraph,
you decide if you want to continue reading. Which is certain to influence your
buying decision.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An even more stringent technique is the sentence test. The
writer doesn’t get so much as an entire paragraph to entice their prospective
reader; their story succeeds or fails, is read or abandoned, is purchased or
put down, based solely upon its opening sentence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, do you want an f-bomb in that opening sentence?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps you’re the type of person/reader who would say,
“F**k yeah I want an f-bomb in my opening sentence. That’s ballsy!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And perhaps it is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I suspect such readers would be in the minority.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hMweMAv_A04/WsZ_5LGDUsI/AAAAAAAAT-8/BB5vJ_jr9MEJnDjTn4ziHOGqCtu6UpwOQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Feather%2BRiver%2BInn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="980" height="176" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hMweMAv_A04/WsZ_5LGDUsI/AAAAAAAAT-8/BB5vJ_jr9MEJnDjTn4ziHOGqCtu6UpwOQCEwYBhgL/s320/Feather%2BRiver%2BInn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Once during a writer’s workshop retreat I attended, a writer
put forward a short story titled “Beaten and F#!ked”. These were also the
opening three words of the story. It was about a woman who had been, well, you
get the idea. It was rough going. The reaction was mixed. Some attendees liked
it because it was raw and hardcore. Others, some of them the panelists (the
“professional” writers who took their craft seriously and who were being paid to
lend their expertise to the conference), stated outright that both the title
and the opening sentence were vulgar and offensive and that they would
absolutely not read such a piece.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The author of the story was perfectly fine with this
feedback, by the way. So it was not a matter of awareness (or lack of). Which
was also interesting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes I think people write about stuff because they
either know absolutely nothing about it, or because they know far too much
about it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I digress.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to the 2014 smash-hit <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are the opening lines:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I’m pretty much fucked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That’s my considered opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fucked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my
life, and it’s turned into a nightmare."</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, not only is there an f-bomb in the opening sentence,
there is another one four words later, just in case you missed the first one,
perhaps.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The question, then, is if these doozies are warranted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you put yourself in the place of Mark Watney, our
indefatigable protagonist, standing there actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">on</i> the surface of friggin <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mars</i>,
alone, abandoned, with no way to get home, and with no manner in which to be
rescued, thinking about what your Wikipedia page was going to say about you,
then yeah, an f-bomb is totally 150% appropriate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But we’re not on Mars with no ride home. We’re sitting there
reading a book. Do we want our eyes and sensibilities assaulted with the great
granddaddy of all epithets?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I dunno.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-clRbE72k0/WsZurfmCYAI/AAAAAAAAT84/4-V-wlS11ngb6FgrKTgpmBmSPDtURWurwCLcBGAs/s1600/Linguistic%2BLaziness.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="168" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-clRbE72k0/WsZurfmCYAI/AAAAAAAAT84/4-V-wlS11ngb6FgrKTgpmBmSPDtURWurwCLcBGAs/s320/Linguistic%2BLaziness.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me personally, I didn’t care for it. I think “screwed”
would have been a less brazen word choice, one which would have conveyed
sentiment sufficient to the situation without risking alienating the reader.
I’ve heard it said that profanity is linguistic laziness. Back in college, I
read in a textbook that there are more than 1 million words in the English
language (making it the largest language on earth). French is second-largest
with about 300,000 words. I don’t recall what textbook it was and I can’t be
bothered to go dig into the actual numbers because I’m busy doing this. But
feel free to search if you’re curious. The point is that with more than a
million words from which to choose, do we really need to go straight to the
F-word?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Andy Weir obviously chose to.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And like we said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Martian</i> has more than 30,000 reviews and a 4.7-star average, so it is
without a doubt a success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhZYHYF37XI/WsaGIxrN9vI/AAAAAAAAT_U/nyFlNYfeGOAdI_Y5plzSGhMy90J_XFdigCEwYBhgL/s1600/The%2BMartian%2BAmazon%2BReviews%2BPage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="667" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qhZYHYF37XI/WsaGIxrN9vI/AAAAAAAAT_U/nyFlNYfeGOAdI_Y5plzSGhMy90J_XFdigCEwYBhgL/s400/The%2BMartian%2BAmazon%2BReviews%2BPage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The author and screenwriter William Goldman once
said, “If it works, it’s right.” Given the large number of reviews received by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>, clearly the story works. So
it must be right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If we could somehow have Amazon email all 30,000 reviewers
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i> and say, “So, uh,
thanks for buying the book and everything and for leaving a review, we really
appreciate it. By the way, did the f-bomb in the opening sentence bother you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would like to know the answer to that question.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clearly it didn’t bother them enough to stop reading or to
choose not to leave a review. In perusing the 1-star reviews, the
most-prevalent criticism is the science, math, chemistry, etc., which some
readers found to be a snooze-fest. There is also mention of a Classroom Edition
of the book, one safe for children. So that’s good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what about the rest of us?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do we need the f-bomb, front and center, in the opening
sentence?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And what about the other expletives?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I kept a log while I was reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>. I tracked the four-letter words. I don’t know why.
I’ve never done so before. I’m not particularly averse to profanity when it’s
contextual.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what I found was kinda surprising.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The results are as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(and, again, this is no way a criticism of Andy or of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>; it’s more an exploration,
really)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
f**k = 39<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
s**t = 44<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
p**s = 3<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
G.D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>= 3<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
a-hole = 13<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
S.O.B. = 4<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
___________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
TOTAL = 106<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is that a lot?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Too much?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not enough?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would the book have sold more copies if only the classroom
edition were made available?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does the profanity have no impact at all?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s probably no way to know.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it begs the question: do we want and/or need four-letter
words in our entertainment? (Remember: entertainment is largely about escape.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-09vT_XoVcLw/WsZu6sJYZDI/AAAAAAAAT88/becP_v9Wm_U4jWuKsgR1-95OGZmqLLA3wCLcBGAs/s1600/Profanity%2BPolice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-09vT_XoVcLw/WsZu6sJYZDI/AAAAAAAAT88/becP_v9Wm_U4jWuKsgR1-95OGZmqLLA3wCLcBGAs/s320/Profanity%2BPolice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I suspect the answer is as subjective as the works
themselves and the genres in which they reside. We certainly don’t want to
delve into the sticky realm of censorship. Right? If a writer wants to write a
book where literally every sentence has at least one f-bomb in it, that is and
should be their choice. Right? Those who object to it won’t read it and won’t
buy it. So if we use free-market principles to decide what’s valid (morally,
artistically or otherwise) and a profanity-based book fails, we have our
answer. If it becomes a bestseller, we have an entirely different answer. Such
a tactic would likely be a mere gimmick. Unless of course it were underscored
by a great story and superb characterization. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In which case we would be right
back to where we are now with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Martian</i>:
is the profanity necessary?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or does the inherent artistic subjectivity render the
question unanswerable and therefore moot?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does profanity bother you?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qL6acitWSzQ/WsZ6nmeaPiI/AAAAAAAAT-Q/moPq0FfzaN4qKN9y-LA46ELxmF-M_MmUQCEwYBhgL/s1600/pottymouth%2Btoilet%2Bpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qL6acitWSzQ/WsZ6nmeaPiI/AAAAAAAAT-Q/moPq0FfzaN4qKN9y-LA46ELxmF-M_MmUQCEwYBhgL/s200/pottymouth%2Btoilet%2Bpaper.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If so, how much is required before you begin to notice it
and begin thinking, “Okay, enough with the potty mouth!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is it different if you’re reading a book versus watching a
movie?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is it different if you’re watching by yourself versus
watching with others?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is profanity akin to sex in a story?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a brief informal poll:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlgPCV1hjA/WsZwVLTxIDI/AAAAAAAAT9Y/ebkc3B5f3pwxFlc_LHAsYaMy0yJn0ZwfgCLcBGAs/s1600/Fifty%2BShades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1200" height="214" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EtlgPCV1hjA/WsZwVLTxIDI/AAAAAAAAT9Y/ebkc3B5f3pwxFlc_LHAsYaMy0yJn0ZwfgCLcBGAs/s320/Fifty%2BShades.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You prefer watching the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50
Shades</i> film adaptations:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A. Alone<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
B. With a spouse/significant other/etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
C. With friends<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
D. With your parents<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The inevitable and noteworthy lack of answer ‘D’ provides
insight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if we substitute profanity for sexual content, do the
responses shift?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does the quantity matter? What amount of four-letter words
would make you uncomfortable, embarrassed, or perturbed when watching with a
given audience?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fuolKlirF0/WsZ8auhs66I/AAAAAAAAT-c/PNSTfkKAq1cGskaCX4AcVxfmQHHGA_nRQCLcBGAs/s1600/Mr%2BEd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="900" height="172" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fuolKlirF0/WsZ8auhs66I/AAAAAAAAT-c/PNSTfkKAq1cGskaCX4AcVxfmQHHGA_nRQCLcBGAs/s320/Mr%2BEd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should we collectively consider taking a small step back in
time with regards to sex and profanity in our entertainment? Like in the 1950s? I don't recall Mr. Ed or Mr. Wilson or Mike Brady dropping any f-bombs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or should we plow ahead with balls-to-the-wall free-market
artistic anarchy?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should we be using terms like “balls-to-the-wall” in blog
posts?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should the collective cultural entertainment rating be a
resounding “G”? (Unless adults seek out material of other ratings, as they are
free to do within the bounds of the law, of course.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IVZvrQPnYvw/WsZwrO8_eSI/AAAAAAAAT9c/oiGYjU5MPxsNjKQBtYuz-txyVDaH3IOzACLcBGAs/s1600/Rated%2BG%2Bgreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IVZvrQPnYvw/WsZwrO8_eSI/AAAAAAAAT9c/oiGYjU5MPxsNjKQBtYuz-txyVDaH3IOzACLcBGAs/s320/Rated%2BG%2Bgreen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is the downward spiral of societal standards with regards to
sex, pornography, drugs, profanity, violence, etc. perfectly acceptable
because, hey, it’s only art?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or do we need to do some soul searching as a country, as a
culture, as a race? And perhaps embrace the more refined components of an open
but just society?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is this conversation evidence that such an inquiry is
needed?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqL0zAnvFoQ/WsZw_IMyZyI/AAAAAAAAT9o/wG-Joqnub2o-IGYFXnxDD2Ng3bChKHP4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Make%2Ba%2BUTurn.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="480" height="181" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqL0zAnvFoQ/WsZw_IMyZyI/AAAAAAAAT9o/wG-Joqnub2o-IGYFXnxDD2Ng3bChKHP4wCLcBGAs/s320/Make%2Ba%2BUTurn.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What would it take to activate our collective GPS and find a
different route?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is it even possible?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is there too much momentum already accumulated?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Art imitates life, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But life also imitates art.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most people would agree that they want world peace, economic
advantage, and a nice life for everyone on earth, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People who work in the entertainment industry, for example.
Such individuals have a large platform and often an equally-large voice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So why don’t they use it to create the art which will be
imitated in life in order to create the world they claim to want?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why continue to create “entertainment” and “art” which
programs darkness and depravity into the cultural consciousness? Is that not
the opposite of what they say they want?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c8R3N4JxuoQ/WsZ-Kuan8EI/AAAAAAAAT-o/q85IivyD8z4hiRgYdHsvso5NSC6XHWu3wCLcBGAs/s1600/Heart%2BEarth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c8R3N4JxuoQ/WsZ-Kuan8EI/AAAAAAAAT-o/q85IivyD8z4hiRgYdHsvso5NSC6XHWu3wCLcBGAs/s320/Heart%2BEarth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How about creating art and entertainment bestowed with
benevolence, virtue, light, hope, harmony, goodness, and love, all of which
represent the world we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WANT</i> to see,
have, and enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If we ever want to grow actual potatoes on Mars, similar to Mark Watney in <i>The Martian,</i> it’s
something we should think about.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-23836661301876100802018-03-31T13:55:00.000-07:002018-03-31T13:55:54.698-07:0010 Questions with Debut Writer Jamie Adams @JamieAdStories<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Im96gbqJU-g/Wr6tg8kTviI/AAAAAAAAT3o/aINFZpmucbYir0vnuq4AV77wdySBnknbACLcBGAs/s1600/image1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Im96gbqJU-g/Wr6tg8kTviI/AAAAAAAAT3o/aINFZpmucbYir0vnuq4AV77wdySBnknbACLcBGAs/s320/image1.PNG" width="180" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Short Dates</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a Collection</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">of</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Short Stories</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">by</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Jamie Adams</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This author spotlight features Uk-based writer Jamie Adams, author of the new short story collection <i>Short Dates</i>, available now on Amazon.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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Jamie is <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">a 40 year old teacher who is looking to find an outlet for his creativity through the medium of writing both short stories and Novellas.</span></div>
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<b>1.How did you get into writing and why do you write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I write because lots of interesting story snippets are whirling around in my head and I want to let them out. As a teacher I have taught English in school for many years and studied many genres along the way. I want to explore my own style and have some fun along the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>2.What do you like best (or least) about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I like the process of making a story up, or as I say, letting it out!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The hardest thing for me is writing endings so I keep them short and sweet, as for me, stories are all about the build up and twists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.What is your writing process? IE do you outline? Do you stick to a daily word or page count, write 7 days a week, etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I work four days a week and write on my day off. I also usually write for an hour or so every evening; usually more, as I often get carried away.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4.Who are some other writers you read and admire, regardless of whether they are commercially “successful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I adore the work of Joanne Harris, who wrote the best seller, ‘Chocolat’ and many other best sellers. I also like reading Roald Dahl’s work to the children and enjoy his adult books.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5.Should the question mark in the above question be inside or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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For me, the question mark should sit within inverted commas – although single or double inverted commas are a matter of choice. My preference is single ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6.What’s your stance on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I have no stance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.What is your book <i>Short Dates</i> about and how did it come to fruition?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I wanted to challenge myself to create a collection of stories loosely connected by the idea of dates or dating. Some stories relate to finding love and others reflect on different and often lost loves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>8.What’s your current writing project?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I am writing a Novella about three dads whose children go to the same school. They are trying to keep together difficult marriages when a dramatic occurrence drives a wedge between everyone and then binds them together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>9.What book(s) are you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I am reading a short story book called, ‘A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String,’ by Joanne Harris.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10.Who or what inspires your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I am inspired by the children I teach who spend a long time trying to improve their writing and make me want to do better myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally, is there anything you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your published stories, buy your book, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Twitter is <a href="https://twitter.com/JamieAdStories" target="_blank">@JamieAdStories</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Dates-Collection-Stories-ebook/dp/B07BJ4G1HV/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1522434405&sr=1-1&keywords=Jamie+adams">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Dates-Collection-Stories-ebook/dp/B07BJ4G1HV/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1522434405&sr=1-1&keywords=Jamie+adams</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks, Jamie!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Congratulations, once more, upon publishing your first literary work. It takes a lot of work and a lot of courage to do so. Please visit with us again when your novella is ready.</div>
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Be sure to grab a copy of Jamie's book from Amazon today!</div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-88938390784206452852018-03-28T13:08:00.001-07:002018-03-28T13:11:25.608-07:00What Makes a Good Book a Good Film?<br />
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What makes a book a candidate for a
good film?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Answer: it depends.</div>
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On many things.</div>
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Sometimes, it's the visuals; the story is quite cinematic, begging for a visual representation.</div>
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<i>Blade Runner</i> certainly comes to mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also, a thoroughly-visualized world (one perhaps not
recently seen) is important. Think <i>Harry Potter</i> (the novel manuscript of which,
you'll recall, was roundly rejected by all publishers for over a year; oops).<o:p></o:p></div>
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For other books, it's not about the visuals so much as it's
about the story, the theme, the message, whether it be serious, quirky, or
otherwise. Cohen Brothers films come to mind. You always know you're going to
get something wacky yet thought-provoking with them.</div>
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<i>No Country for Old Men</i>,
for example; which, interestingly, began as a screenplay, became a novel, and
then became a movie; so, there are no rules; like William Goldman said: If it
works, it's right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8jygJYj90Tw/Wrv0Nutp7BI/AAAAAAAAT2M/DxUorhoydIwgnv4K6S4hXYw5P7SSdgn9ACLcBGAs/s1600/no%2Bcountry%2Bfor%2Bold%2Bmen%2Bmovie%2Bposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8jygJYj90Tw/Wrv0Nutp7BI/AAAAAAAAT2M/DxUorhoydIwgnv4K6S4hXYw5P7SSdgn9ACLcBGAs/s200/no%2Bcountry%2Bfor%2Bold%2Bmen%2Bmovie%2Bposter.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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And, finally, it is very much that
unknown element which is an almost-mystical combination of cultural and
strategic business synchronicities. The process of a book being written,
edited, published, adapted, and the film version being produced, with the
thousands of people involved (along with a lot of financial investment) is such
a massive process, it's a wonder books are published and films are produced.</div>
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Yet, despite the significant resources required to do so, both are still art. And
art is subjective. That, I believe, is the majority of our answer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-66837729447033837812017-05-03T13:45:00.002-07:002017-05-03T13:45:27.818-07:0010 Questions with Writer, Speaker, & Futurist Kathleen Ann Goonan (@KathleenAnnGoonan)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W8YYzW7zvCw/WP9vFXWO_BI/AAAAAAAAPjg/WAqpaFG8OEose-k19-bLYTgzH6K7ZUibACLcB/s1600/Queen%2BCity%2BJazz%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W8YYzW7zvCw/WP9vFXWO_BI/AAAAAAAAPjg/WAqpaFG8OEose-k19-bLYTgzH6K7ZUibACLcB/s320/Queen%2BCity%2BJazz%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This Author Spotlight</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">features</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">author of</span></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">QUEEN CITY JAZZ</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kathleen
Ann Goonan is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, including her
groundbreaking Nanotech Quartet: <i>New York Times</i> Notable Book <i>Queen City Jazz, </i>Darrell Award winner <i>Mississippi Blues, </i>and Nebula Award
finalists <i>Crescent City Rhapsody </i>and <i>Light Music.</i> <i>In War
Times</i> won the John W. Campbell Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2007
and was the American Library Association’s Best SF Novel of 2007. Her most recent novel is <i>This Shared Dream.</i> She has
published over fifty stories in venues such as <i>Discover Magazine</i>, <i>Asimov’s,
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, </i>and numerous Best of Year
anthologies, some of which are collected in <i>Angels
and You Dogs</i>. Professor of the
Practice of Science Fiction Studies and Creative Writing at Georgia Tech
2010-2016, her most recent academic work appeared in <i>SFRA </i>Review and in <i>Intelligence
Unbound: The Future of Uploaded and
Machine Minds, </i>edited by Broderick and Blackwell and in <i>Sisters of Tomorrow: The First Women of Science Fiction</i> (Ed.
Yaszek and Sharp, Wesleyan 2016). A
novella, “The Tale of the Alcubierre Horse,” will appear in <i>Extrasolar </i>(PS Publishing) in 2017. Her web site is <a href="http://www.goonan.com/">www.goonan.com</a>. </span></span></div>
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<b>1.How did you get into writing and why do you write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I always intended to be a writer, but after some initial
success with poetry while in college, I had the somewhat belated realization
that I needed to make money (I graduated from Virginia Tech in 1975 with a
degree in English; MFA’s were not as ubiquitous then as they are now). I therefore took a master’s Montessori
training course so that I could have my own business, control my own time, and
begin my writing career in my copious free time. Because my school soon had a hundred
students, two locations, and many employees, and because I found that I loved
teaching preschoolers and managing a business, that time did not come for a
number of years. Maria Montessori was a
scientist and developed her method of teaching based on observation and
long-running experiments, during which she laid the foundation for our
understanding of how humans learn (now being corroborated by fMRI). Seeing how
effortlessly children can learn to read, write, and lay the concrete
foundations of math at a relatively young age, I had an epiphany about how
science works. This lead to my writing
science fiction, becoming keenly interested in science and technology ethical
issues, and, since 2010, teaching courses about the confluence of science,
technology, and culture in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication
at Georgia Tech as a Professor of the Practice, where I also teach Creative
Writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But to move the story back a bit, I awoke from the trance of
teaching when I was 33. A voice in a
dream said to me, “If you’re going to be a writer, you’d better get started.” Startled, I woke and took this advice to
heart. Better yet, I had an entire novel in mind. I wrote early in the morning, during lunch,
and on weekends and finished it in a year, a feat which still amazes me,
considering that it now takes me two or more years to complete a novel. I then started writing stories and sending
them out; within a year I was getting personal notes from Ellen Datlow and
Gardner Dozois suggesting that I workshop them.
Instead, I left my school, moved to Honolulu with my husband, and began
writing full time. I sold travel pieces
and mainstream fiction, but no SF. A
friend who had read my trunk novel recommended <i>Locus</i>, and there I saw a tiny ad for a six-week writer’s
workshop. I attended Clarion West in
1988, which gave my career an SF focus and a push in the right direction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think that persevering in a writing career is a fool’s
errand, but successful writers are overwhelmingly convinced of the necessity to
do so. Belief in one’s own vision can be
a curse or a blessing, but is most often a combination of the two. When it works, it is the most satisfying
thing to do that I can imagine, other than teaching a child to read.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>2.What do you like best (or least) about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually, writing a first draft puts me into a state of
agitation and irritation at how wretchedly the whole process is proceeding
until about 45 minutes in, and then it becomes easy. When I look up, hours have passed. Having been a professional writer for
twenty-five years, I do have confidence that a story will be wrought, which is helpful. Rewriting—rearranging, cutting, adding new
scenes, exploring and pointing up nuances—is the most important part of
writing, and the most satisfying. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.What is your writing process? IE do you outline? Do you
stick to a daily word or page count, write 7 days a week, etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I have done all of the above. It all depends on what I’m working on. I must say that I’ve never tried the daily
word count approach, but I generally write over a thousand words a day. I usually have a necessary scene in mind when
I sit down to write, and generally know how I’m going to go about it. If I finish a scene, I’m satisfied. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4.Who are some other writers you read and admire, regardless
of whether they are commercially “successful?” <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Reading is my drug, and I read omnivorously and catholically,
in and out of various genres (SF, mystery, thriller, literary, mainstream, past
and present writers). I admire
biographers such as Hermione Lee and David McCullough, historical writers such
as Max Hastings and Doris Kearns Goodwin, contemporary fiction writers such as
Karen Joy Fowler and Zadie Smith, and science writers such as Eric Kandel,
Freeman Dyson, E.O. Wilson, and a host of others. I’m particularly interested in the recent
spate of books about women in the jet propulsion industry and other sciences,
such as <i>Hidden Figures</i>, <i>Rocket Girl</i> (about Mary Sherman Morgan, who developed
Hydyne), <i>The Glass Universe, </i>and
women scientists in general, such as Lise Meitner, whose biography I taught as
part of one of my courses, and Maria Montessori. Lise Meitner became the model for Eliani
Hadntz, a character in <i>In War Times</i>
(Tor, 2007), my sixth novel, which was the American Library Association’s Best
SF Novel of the Year and a John W. Campbell Memorial Award winner; she is also
in <i>This Shared Dream</i> (Tor, 2011),
recently released as a mm paperback.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5.Should the question mark in the above question be inside
or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Either, depending on whether you are an academic or a
civilian.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6.What’s your stance on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I enjoy the flexibility of a neutrality in which either
usage is a style choice, not a heresy, in the writing of others or my own. I’m a word and language wonk, so the
controversy delighted me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.What is your book <i>Queen
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I had been writing stories and selling to professional
markets for a year or two after Clarion West 88 when QCJ emerged from a vision
I had of a city with giant flowers atop the buildings, which inferred giant
bees. Let us call them Bees, for they
have an important role in the book. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I knew that the city was Cincinnati, where I was born and
from whence my family moved when I was 8, to Honolulu. My memories gave the Flower-City of
Cincinnati a decidedly surrealistic slant.
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I was reading a lot of science and technology books at the
time, including Drexler’s <i>Engines of
Creation.</i> My husband, a physician,
often mused about fascinating new biological applications; these musings were
the foundation of how communications in the Flower Cities work. When the novel opens, many cities in North
America had long ago converted to this new biologically-based system after
radio communications failed. John Cramer, well-known physicist, suggested
one theory of how this might have happened, but during the course of the
Nanotech Quartet, which spans a century, several theories are in play. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The little town of Miamisburg, Ohio, first settled and
platted by my not-so-distant ancestors in 1801, where my father grew up and
where my grandparents had quite recently passed away, insisted on itself as the
emotional focus of what I thought was a short story, and then a novella, after
I tried setting it just outside of Cincinnati.
Once I moved the opening to a Shaker community near Miamisburg, it took
off. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My grandfather, Russell Goonan, was born in 1888, and knew
the Wright Brothers when they were just bicycle repairmen. He mentioned that there had once been a
Shaker community nearby, and said “They didn’t reproduce, so they eventually
died out.” Mother Ann and the utopian
Shaker experiment fascinated me, and religious belief became the reason that my
main characters are outsiders, part of a sect that fears the nano-biotech of
the Flower-City technology that emerged when radio communications ceased to
work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The most powerful underpinnings of QCJ are the American
arts—ragtime, jazz, fiction, poetry, comics, architecture and design—and
history. I called the processes
occurring in the city bionan, because communication is intricately modulated
and processed biologically. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Queen City Jazz</i>
was published by Tor in 1994, and was a <i>New
York Times </i>Notable Book; it was also featured in a Scientific American
piece about nanotech, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/shamans-of-small-2007-09/">Shamans
of Small</a>, along with the work of Greg Bear and Neal Stephenson and became
an important part of the conversation about the possibilities of
nanotechnology. Reviews in newspapers
all over the country led to frequent interviews about how Drexlerian
nanotechnology might play out, and my vision of that particular future played
out in my Nanotech Quartet, which includes <i>Mississippi
Blues</i> (Tor, 1998) as well as <i>Crescent
City Rhapsody </i>(2000) and <i>Light Music </i>(2002),
both Nebula Award Finalists and published by HarperCollins. By 2000, I was receiving frequent invitations
to speak at universities and several international literary festivals about the
future of nanotech. Nanotech has taken a
more conservative turn than many originally feared, but research and
speculation continue. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But basically, <i>Queen
City Jazz</i> is a story about a girl and her dog, death, life, and the power
of the arts. Oh, and also Giant
Bees. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m working on a novel set in the Florida Keys in the 1930’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Biographies of American presidents/American history and
political theory, books about WWI and WWII, several books about animal
consciousness as well as plant communication, and <i>Moonglow</i> by Michael Chabon<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10.Who or what inspires your writing? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The world, personal memory, history, and deadlines. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally, is there anything you’d care to add? Please also
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I love feedback, so don’t hesitate to write to me at <a href="mailto:kathleen@goonan.com">kathleen@goonan.com</a>. I have published about fifty short stories,
some of which are collected in <i>Angels And
You Dogs</i> (PS Publishing, 2011). You
can also read some stories online.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Discover Magazine first published “A Love Supreme,” and it
is available <a href="http://discovermagazine.com/2012/oct/20-a-love-supreme">here</a>
and at Lightspeed Magazine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tor.com has published <a href="http://www.tor.com/2014/02/12/where-do-we-come-from-what-are-we-where-are-we-going-kathleen-ann-goonan/">“Where
Did We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?”</a>, which is about genetic
engineering and animal rights, as well as <a href="http://www.tor.com/2014/07/20/a-short-history-of-the-twentieth-century-or-when-you-wish-upon-a-star/">“A
Short History of the Twentieth Century, or, When You Wish Upon A Star,”</a>
which is about rockets, rocket scientists, Disneyland, WWII, and a girl with a
Bowie knife. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My web page is <a href="http://www.goonan.com/">www.goonan.com</a>,
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in <i>The Washington Post</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Signed hardcovers of CRESCENT CITY RHAPSODY, LIGHT MUSIC, THE BONES OF TIME, IN WAR TIMES, and MISSISSIPPI BLUES are available via my web page at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html&source=gmail&ust=1493219974174000&usg=AFQjCNEo7CwMkfd4Xhe6IMb_Txm2q2b6-w" href="https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.goonan.com/<wbr></wbr>orderform.html</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">THE BONES OF TIME, my second novel (1996), was an Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist, and is available in </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bones-Time-Kathleen-Goonan-ebook/dp/B005IEOZUO/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1492977805&sr=1-10&keywords=Goonan" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">ebook format at Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Signed Hardcover at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html&source=gmail&ust=1493219974175000&usg=AFQjCNHE6chwl2U3q3iYRy4AxhyBNdeWjw" href="https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.goonan.com/<wbr></wbr>orderform.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">MISSISSIPPI BLUES, my third novel, is the second novel in my NANOTECH QUARTET, for which I was inducted into the Darrell Award Hall of Fame. Signed hardcover available at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html&source=gmail&ust=1493219974175000&usg=AFQjCNHE6chwl2U3q3iYRy4AxhyBNdeWjw" href="https://www.goonan.com/orderform.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.goonan.com/<wbr></wbr>orderform.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Memory Dog" was a Sturgeon Award runner-up. It is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Kathleen-Goonan-Novelette-Book-ebook/dp/B0057SMNEQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1492977805&sr=1-2&keywords=Goonan" target="_blank">available on Amazon</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Sundiver Day," a novelette ebook, is also <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sundiver-Day-Kathleen-Goonan-ebook/dp/B005KBQFZ8/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1492977805&sr=1-4&keywords=Goonan" target="_blank">available on Amazon</a>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1MRgFXKG2s/WP95YwzdY1I/AAAAAAAAPko/_GrZr0SXJe0GtC5aFxJ6XJtcL32i542yACLcB/s1600/The%2BString%2Bby%2BKathleen%2BAnn%2BGoonan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1MRgFXKG2s/WP95YwzdY1I/AAAAAAAAPko/_GrZr0SXJe0GtC5aFxJ6XJtcL32i542yACLcB/s320/The%2BString%2Bby%2BKathleen%2BAnn%2BGoonan.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The String" was a Nebula Award finalist. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/String-Kathleen-Goonan-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B0056UH4XA" target="_blank">Available at Amazon</a>.</span></span></div>
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<b>Thanks, Kathleen, for sharing your insights into writing and your career. You've given us a great deal of work to enjoy. Please visit with us again when your new novel is ready!</b></div>
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<b>Be sure to visit Kathleen's website <a href="http://www.goonan.com/">www.goonan.com</a> to learn more about her work and to order autographed copies!</b></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-88325687312282007822017-05-03T09:46:00.000-07:002017-05-03T12:10:11.507-07:00Kong: Skull Island (2017) Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love monster movies. <i>Kaiju</i> in Japanese. I recall seeing the <i>King Kong</i> remake as a kid, the one with Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. </div>
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Kong was awesome, the movie felt big and epic and totally believable. And it had the primal, sexual element embodied in the <i>Beauty and the Beast</i> alpha-male motif involving Kong and Lange.</div>
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I saw the 2005 remake starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrien Brody, and of course directed by Peter Jackson, who was hot off his Oscar wins for <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. </div>
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This version was good, too; the part when the guy is eaten head-first by that giant worm haunts me to this day (I should do a separate blog about this: movies in which people are eaten alive; no thanks!). The FX were of course excellent, the performances were fine, I liked Jack Black's zaniness as the a-hole responsible for Kong winding up in the city, where he meets his demise. But I don't recall much more than that. It was a bit of a surprise to see Brody in the action hero role. Likewise for his playing the lead in 2010's <i>Predators</i>. </div>
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He pulled it off quite well, actually. I think it's him endeavoring to play against type, with that "type" being the soft-spoken introspective tortured artist people came to expect after seeing him in <i>The Pianist</i>. Brody and Paul Rubens should do a movie together in which they play brothers. Perhaps a <i>Pee-Wee</i> reboot. </div>
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Or something actiony and against type for Rubens, akin to what he did in <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> after the whole sordid, completely blown out of proportion indecent exposure thing. </div>
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I think that would be cool. Don't they look as though they could be brothers?</div>
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The next monster movie I seem to recall is <i>Cloverfield</i>. </div>
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A lot of people hated it; I friggin' loved it. I recall seeing the movie poster at a movie theater and thinking there was something to it; it was intriguing; I didn't know why. But I knew I was going to see it. I deliberately avoided learning anything further about the film. And when I did see it, I was not disappointed. The first-person, found-footage genre/technique was losing steam by this point, given that <i>The Blair Witch Project</i> had come out in 1999 and <i>Cloverfield</i> debuted nine years later in 2008.</div>
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<i>Cloverfield</i> was awesome. Lizzy Kaplan and T.J. Miller were still mostly unknowns, and they stole the show! </div>
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So much so that if you look up <i>Cloverfield</i> on IMDB and check the cast listing, they appear ahead of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0951148/?ref_=tt_cl_t6">Odette Annable</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1221863/?ref_=tt_cl_t4">Michael Stahl-David</a>, and <i>they</i> were the stars, the co-leads, Rob & Beth! </div>
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We pretty much never even <i>see</i> T.J. Miller; we mostly hear him as he is the evening's cinematographer. Keep in mind, this was well before he was whacked in <i>Transformers - Age of Extinction</i> (2014). So, a lot happened for T.J. in the intervening six years.</div>
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On a side note, <i>Cloverfield II</i> sucked. Its actual title is <i>10 Cloverfield Lane</i>. </div>
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It's loosely related to the first film. John Goodman was awesome. But the film ultimately didn't work. It has competing elements and manages to be very good... until it shoots itself in the foot.</div>
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It's worth seeing but... But I digress. Although it is interesting that John Goodman is in that film as well as in <i>Kong: Skull Island</i>.</div>
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The next <i>kaiju</i> film I recall is <i>Pacific Rim</i>, which I thought was friggin awesome. (It was from this film that I learned the term <i>kaiju</i>.)</div>
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It was amazing. All the way around. (Imagine Kong vs. a <i>kaiju</i>! But let's not get ahead of ourselves.)</div>
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I would be remiss, however, if I neglected to mention that there is a sequel coming. <i>Pacific Rim: Uprising</i>.</div>
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The above image was tweeted by John Boyega, along with 3 words: I AM PENTECOST.</div>
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What does THAT mean? Is he Idris Elba (who was awesome!) as a young man? Is he Stacker Jr.?</div>
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<br />We shall wait and see!</div>
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It's currently in post production and is slated for early 2018, so it's only a year-long wait. Although I'm certain we'll get more info before then. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman are back, reprising their roles from the first film in which they nearly stole the show, along with Ron Pearlman as Hannibal Chau.</div>
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<i>Godzilla</i> was also surprisingly good. I'm referring to the 2014 edition; not the 1998 edition with Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno.</div>
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Which brings us back to <i>Kong: Skull Island</i> (for reasons which shall become clear shortly). I recall seeing the teaser trailer (as opposed to the full, final trailer) on TV and thinking, "Oh, lord, another King Kong reboot..." But I gave the trailer a chance and, after having seen it, I thought it might/could be good. </div>
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The visuals were excellent. It didn't hurt that Sam Jackson is in it. So I filed it away in the "I'll get around to it" category.</div>
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According to Wikipedia, the film was supposed to be released in November, 2016 but was moved to March 2017. Obviously the election was the reason. All the movies which came out during that time <i>bombed</i>. Everyone was focused on the election and politics so there was no space available in the collective unconscious for entertainment. It would be interesting to see what would have happened to all those flops had they, like <i>K:SK</i>, had their release dates pushed back.</div>
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At any rate, <i>K:SK</i> opened March 10, 2017 and the box office was quite good. To date it has been the top grosser for 2017 behind only the live-action <i>Beauty and the Beast.</i></div>
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There seems to be a theme here: women and beasts. Animalistic attraction. Alpha-male-ism.</div>
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<i>K:SK</i> director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (<i>Kings of Summer</i>; 2013) did a good job with the picture, as did the three credited, though separate, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island" target="_blank">screenwriters</a>:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(from Wikipedia)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The script saw a number of screenwriters attached before filming. Seeking the continuity between the King Kong and Godzilla worlds, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Borenstein" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Max Borenstein">Max Borenstein</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (writer of 2014's </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Godzilla</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">) wrote the first draft, while </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gatins" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="John Gatins">John Gatins</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> was hired to write the second draft.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-19" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[19]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Borenstein's initial influence was </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Now" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Apocalypse Now">Apocalypse Now</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, revealing, "What popped into my head for the paradigm of the movie was </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Apocalypse Now</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. That’s obviously a war movie, but I liked the idea of people moving upriver to face a misunderstood force that they think of as a villain, but ultimately they come to realize is much more complicated."</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-McKittrick_20-0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-McKittrick-20" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[20]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> In August 2015, it was revealed that </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Gilroy" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Dan Gilroy">Dan Gilroy</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> had also collaborated on the script with Borenstein and Gatins.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HawkinsCast_21-0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-HawkinsCast-21" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[21]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> On August 18, 2015, it was confirmed that </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Connolly" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Derek Connolly">Derek Connolly</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> was also doing script rewrites.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-22" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[22]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Borenstein worked a final pass on the screenplay before shooting began, and credited the screenplay to all of the writers, saying, "It was definitely collaborative in terms of what’s on the screen, though none of us worked together. There are pieces of my work in there as well as the work of the other two writers and John Gatins, who was credited for story. Everybody had a really good hand in it."</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-McKittrick_20-1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-McKittrick-20" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[20]</a></sup></div>
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From the get-go, <i>K:SK</i> has a stylized aesthetic. There's a compelling opening sequence which transitions into an impressive historical credit sequence featuring a lot of actual footage and audio from actual events. It lands us in 1973, during the U.S. pullout of the Vietnam War.<br />
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The first thing I noticed, besides how skinny John Goodman is (he lost 100 lbs by cutting out sugar, hiring a trainer, and working out six days per week), is that Richard Jenkins is in it, playing a Senator who is too busy for the tinfoil hat-antics of Goodman and his sidekick played by Corey Hawkins (<i>Straight Outta Compton</i>, <i>TWD</i>, <i>Iron Man III</i>). Hawkins manages to convince Jenkins that their expedition has merit, if for no other reason than because the USA needs to reconnoiter the island before the Soviets do.<br />
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Thus the adventure begins.<br />
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We find ourselves in Da Nang, Vietnam, at a U.S. Army air base. There are Hueys everywhere. Accompanied by the signature 60s sound of "Time Has Come Today" by The Chambers brothers.<br />
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That's another big thing you'll notice about <i>K:SK</i>; the music. The soundtrack is phenomenal.</div>
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The sound is big, the sets are big, the cinematography is big. It's certainly a nod to <i>Apocalypse Now</i>, which Francis Ford Coppola funded, at least in part, by taking a loan against his own house. That's commitment.</div>
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Fun fact: Nicholas Cage is Coppola's nephew. But Cage didn't want to trade on his uncle's name so he kept the fact on the down-low as he built his own career as an actor. If you haven't seen him in 1983's Shakespearean romantic comedy <i>Valley Girl</i>, you should.</div>
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If you're not familiar with the film, you're likely familiar with its soundtrack, particularly "I Melt With You" by post-punk/new wave band Modern English. It's one of the greatest songs of all time. For sure.</div>
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If you remember when this song and this movie came out, you're probably feeling a tad whimsical about now.</div>
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So let's get back to giant apes.</div>
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<i>Kong: Skull Island</i> is quite well done. It succeeds far more than it fails. It hits all the notes: zealous but kinda effin' stupid people on an unfamiliar island; hyjinks ensue involving all manner of bizarre creatures and some of those people having a fairly bad day.</div>
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I recommend it.</div>
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SPOILERS:</div>
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Remember the iconic imagery of Kong atop a skyscraper, swatting at airplanes? Great stuff, right? Well, they made certain to include such a scene in <i>K:SK</i>. And it's my only real fault with the film (other than the fact that Samuel L. Jackson's U.S. Army Colonel character is SO frickin blind that it's hard to swallow). Real helicopter pilots would not buzz around a giant ape waiting for it to knock them out of the sky. They would immediately fall back or climb up to a thousand feet, well out of range of Kong and his fists. (Remember the fists when you watch the movie!)</div>
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The only other element of the film which counts as a spoiler is one I shall not reveal. I shall not spoil it for you.</div>
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Unless you've seen the movie.</div>
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If you HAVE seen the movie, continue reading, so we can discuss it.</div>
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If you have NOT seen the movie, stop now, go see it, and come back and join the conversation.</div>
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Okay?</div>
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Don't let it be spoiled for you. Like the way I had <i>Eagle Eye</i> and <i>The Village</i> ruined for me. That still pisses me off. Have you seen <i>The Village</i>? If not, see it. If so, did you know the twist? M. Knight Shyamalon likes his twists (c.f. <i>The Sixth Sense</i>). Imagine sitting through <i>The Village</i> knowing the end already, the twist... It sucked!</div>
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So, if you haven't seen <i>Kong: Skull Island</i> . . . STOP READING. Say, "TTFN!"</div>
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Okay, briefly, I wanted to talk about the opening sequence of the film and how it ties in with the rest of the movie. Upon a second viewing, it all makes perfect sense. But, somehow, I had no idea who played the grown-up, stranded American P-51 pilot who crashed on the island. I guess I only saw the teaser trailer, and he isn't in it. Which was a wise move. Because it makes for a hilarious, exciting reveal. I read that Michael Keaton was originally going to play this role. It's SO much better the way it turned out. It was so awesome. I absolutely loved it. Along with the stunning visual imagery and the helicopter sequences, it was my favorite part of the whole film.</div>
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Also, did you sit through the entire credit sequence? If yes, cool; if not, do so. I noticed the end credits were like 8 minutes long, so I figured there had to be more coming. I was not disappointed.</div>
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Also noteworthy is the fact that a new universe has been created with this film. Kong is going to meet Godzilla. </div>
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(from Wikipedia)</div>
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Director <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Vogt-Roberts" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Jordan Vogt-Roberts">Jordan Vogt-Roberts</a> had expressed interest in doing a film about Marlow and Gunpei's time on the island, stating, "I keep joking that personally I'm more interested in doing a $30 million version of young [REDACTED] on the island. Just some weird, the odd-ball monster comedy with him and Gunpei. [<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Sic">sic</a></i>]"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-74" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[74]</a></sup></div>
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(They should SO do that!!!)<br />
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In May 2016, Warner Bros. announced that <i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i> would be released on May 29, 2020.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-75" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-75" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[75]</a></sup> In March 2017, Legendary assembled its "writers' room" to develop the MonsterVerse and story for <i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island#cite_note-76" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[76]</a></sup></div>
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We therefore have all manner of <i>kaiju</i> fun to look forward to. Dwayne Johnson has begun work on <i>Rampage</i>, so that should be fun.</div>
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May 29, 2020. Three years and 26 days from now as of this writing. Where do you see yourself in three years? </div>
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The mind boggles.</div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
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<br />Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-41693647353470077262017-04-21T06:46:00.001-07:002017-04-21T07:06:17.727-07:00@SFWA & #WriteStuff @StoryBundle are Now Available!The AI bundle is over!<br />
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Hopefully you grabbed your bundle.<br />
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But not to worry, as StoryBundle always has something amazing to offer.<br />
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Ergo, they have two bundles currently available.<br />
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The SFWA bundle, which is a collection of 12, yes <i>twelve</i>, great reads from professional science fiction writers, all of whom are esteemed members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. They've been around for more than half a century. And you must be a paid, working writer in order to be eligible for membership.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nBWzgIwIrU8/WPoOopBYOkI/AAAAAAAAPZA/lKFdh6N3RJ48JR4LBwbfTQ8da7qtX8HEwCLcB/s1600/SFWA%2BBundle%2BAll%2BCovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nBWzgIwIrU8/WPoOopBYOkI/AAAAAAAAPZA/lKFdh6N3RJ48JR4LBwbfTQ8da7qtX8HEwCLcB/s320/SFWA%2BBundle%2BAll%2BCovers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Grab it now, before it ends Wednesday May 3rd.</div>
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Next up is the WriteStuff bundle, a collection of 12 books on writing. Books about writers, by writers, for writers, and for aspiring writers. Because we all know that writing is a trade in which we are all apprentices and no one ever becomes a master. Was it Bradbury who said that???</div>
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The Write Stuff bundle is curated by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, author of <i>Goals & Dreams: Freelancer's Survival Guide.</i> The Write Stuff bundle expires Thursday May 11.</div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-84901926220987283072017-04-20T08:22:00.004-07:002017-04-20T08:22:45.793-07:00The #ArtificialIntelligence @Storybundle ENDS TODAY April 20 Midnight Eastern, 9 PM Pacific #SFWApro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXch4KyurGg/WPjR9f5KvJI/AAAAAAAAPX8/cRLR5_gtbaQbbtUYk7HZnJRNxSL_BQgqACLcB/s1600/All%2BCovers%2BSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXch4KyurGg/WPjR9f5KvJI/AAAAAAAAPX8/cRLR5_gtbaQbbtUYk7HZnJRNxSL_BQgqACLcB/s320/All%2BCovers%2BSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Artificial Intelligence Storybundle<br />Curated by Lisa Mason</strong></div>
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Artificial Intelligence—A.I. When computers become conscious. Self-aware. Genuinely as intelligent as human beings. Will A.I. benefit humanity? Or become our greatest enemy?</div>
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In the March, 2017 <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Scientific American</em>, Gary Marcus, a professor of neural science at New York University, joins futurist Ray Kerzweil, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and others in concluding that the Singularity—that moment when A.I. truly exists—has not yet arrived. Will not arrive until the future.</div>
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That hasn’t stopped science fiction writers from tackling difficult questions about A.I., speculating about the future, and asking what if? In the most entertaining way! You must check out these amazing books from authors—bestselling, award-winning, as well as popular indies—in the <a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a>.</div>
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In New York Times Bestselling <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams’</strong> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong>, an elite class holds dominion over a glittering interstellar culture with virtual reality, genetic engineering, faster-than-light travel, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">artificial intelligence</strong>, nanotechnology, telepathic links with computers, and more. But murder threatens to rip that world apart. In award-winning <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata’s</strong> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong>, a powerful, illicit device known as the Bohr Maker, a microscopic factory full of self-replicating machines programmed to transform a human host into a genius-level nanotech engineer. In <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nagata’s Limit of Vision</strong>, biotechnologists enhance their own cognitive abilities and the experiment goes terribly wrong. In Locus Hardcover Bestsellers <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong> follows telelinker Carly Quester as she confronts an A.I. therapist and finds herself entangled in the machinations of powerful A.I. sengines who want to destroy humanity. In <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired</strong>, editors <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>present stories about A.I. and the future by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, Jonathan Lethem, </strong>and twelve others. In <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong>, award-winning <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan’s</strong> teenage heroine Verity journeys to the technologically superior but dangerously insane “enlivened” city of Cincinnati. In <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses:</strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Avatars Dance</strong>, acclaimed <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura J. Mixon</strong> takes us to a dystopian Manhattan of the next century where Ruby and her Golem, six hundred pounds of vaguely human-shaped, remote-operated power, run into serious trouble. In <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong>, popular indie author <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong> takes us next to Los Angeles of 2047 where a roboticist famous for his books on the inner workings of artificially-intelligent beings finds himself on a blind date with a beautiful robopsychologist named Candy. Trouble! And award-winning editor <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</strong> offers thirteen stories by new bestselling authors addressing the Singularity and A.I. in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>.</div>
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As always at <a href="http://storybundle.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle.com</a>, you the reader name your price—whatever you feel the books are worth. You may designate a portion of the proceeds to go to a charity. For the <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AI Storybundle</strong>, that’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (“SFWA”). SFWA champions writers’ rights, sponsors the Nebula Award for excellence in science fiction, and promotes numerous literacy groups.</div>
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The basic bundle (minimum <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$ 5</strong> to purchase, more if you feel the books are worth more) includes:</div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>including stories by<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, Jonathan Lethem, </strong>and twelve others</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong></li>
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To complete your bundle, beat the bonus price of <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$15</strong> and you’ll receive another five amazing books:</div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles</strong> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Anthology</strong> edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta </strong>including stories by<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> David Simpson</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julie Czerneda</strong>, and eleven others</li>
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So there you have it! Download your own bundle with award-winning, best-selling, and indie speculations about A.I. and the far future. The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artificial Intelligence Storybundle</a> </strong>is both historic and unique, an excellent addition to your elibrary providing world-class reading right now, through the summer, and beyond.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">–Lisa Mason, Curator</strong></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is available <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">only from March 29 to April 20, 2017</strong> and only via <a href="http://storybundle.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle</a>. The bundle is easy to read on computers, smartphones, and tablets, as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub and .mobi) for all books.</div>
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When the bundle is gone, it’s gone. Download yours today!</div>
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It’s super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.</div>
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Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.</div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;">Get quality reads: We’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;">Pay what you want (minimum <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$ 5</strong>): <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You</em> decide how much these fantastic books are worth to you. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of thrilling titles.</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;">Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their list. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;">Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to charity. The A.I. Storybundle forwards your donations to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0em; vertical-align: baseline;">Receive bonus books to complete your bundle. When you beat our bonus price of <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">$ 15</strong>, you’re not just getting five books, you’re getting ten!</li>
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The <a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a> ENDS TODAY Thursday, April 20, 2017 midnight Eastern, 9 P.M. Pacific! Pay what you want for the core bundle, unlock the bonus books, donate to charity. Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams, The Bohr Maker by Linda Nagata, Arachne by Lisa Mason, Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology, edited by John Kessel and James Patrick Kelly with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, Jonathan Lethem, and others, Queen City Jazz by Kathleen Ann Goonan, Eye Candy by Ryan Schneider, Glass Houses by Laura J. Mixon, Cyberweb by Lisa Mason, Limit of Vision by Linda Nagata, and The A.I. Chronicles Anthology, edited by Samuel Peralta. Download yours TODAY at <a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a>! <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When it’s gone, it’s gone….</strong></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-27641239721438119602017-04-20T08:06:00.000-07:002017-04-20T08:06:59.602-07:0010 Questions with Hugo Award Winner Laura J. Mixon (@LauraJMG)<br />
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<b>This Author Spotlight</b></div>
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<b>LAURA J. MIXON</b></div>
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<b>author of</b></div>
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<b><i>Glass Houses</i></b></div>
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SF novelist and Hugo-winning blogger Laura J. Mixon wrote her first story for her own amusement at age eight. At age 11, she discovered science fiction in the local library and never looked back. Her popular SF thriller <i>Up Against It</i> came out from Tor Books (as M. J. Locke) in 2011 and is due for re-release soon as part of an upcoming trilogy. Set among the asteroids, it is the first book of <i>WAVE</i>, a series of novels <br />
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about savvy and desperate people (and other beings) living in a future, settled solar system.<br />
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Author of six novels and assorted shorter works, including the highly acclaimed cyberpunk trilogy <i>AVATARS DANCE</i> (<i>Glass Houses</i>, <i>Proxies</i>, and <i>Burning the Ice</i>).<br />
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She and fellow SF writer Steven Gould stabbed the cake/tied the knot at WeddingCon in early 1989. They have collaborated on one novel and two world-class daughters, now grown (who might even be spotted wandering the halls of certain cons and costuming events). They now live in New Mexico with their daughters.<br />
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She is an environmental engineer and served two years in Kenya in the Peace Corps. Her work is often associated with the cyberpunk movement, and has been the focus of academic studies on the intersection of technology, feminism, and gender. She is a graduate of the Clarion writing workshop and an instructor at the Viable Paradise genre writing workshop on Martha's Vineyard. She blogs occasionally at laurajmixon.com and feralsapient.com and tweets as @LauraJMG.<br />
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<b>1.How did you get
into writing and why do you write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I grew up in the late sixties and early seventies in a
neighborhood with a lot of kids, and my favorite game was <i>Pretend</i>. We were a roving pack of AR players, back when AR was all
in your head. We riffed off of Star Trek, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space,
and the Avengers (the British spies version with Diana Rigg, ohmigod) and The
Man /Girl from U.N.C.L.E, those creepy
Saturday matinees like The Twilight Zone and The Man with Xray Vision. We had
the best adventures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The one thing that really bugged me, though, was that I had
no control over the plot. The other kids all had their own ideas about what was
supposed to happen, and when I’d say, for instance, “Bang! You’re dead,” they’d
jump back up and say, “No, I’m not!” So
I started writing my stories down. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Little did I know what I was letting myself in for; my own
characters have even LESS desire to behave. Hah!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>2.What do you like
best (or least) about writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I think it’s the same thing that drew me to <i>Pretend </i>when I was a kid. That desire to
be transported into another world. To be surprised by the unexpected things
that happen to my characters, and how they respond. That sense of wonder and
delight you get when everything seems chaotic and out of control, and suddenly it
all clicks into place and you see that deeper pattern.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.What is your
writing process? IE do you outline? Do you stick to a daily word or page count,
write 7 days a week, etc?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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For the world building, I tend to put a lot of work into
research and design. For the characters and plot, I’m a mostly-pantser. I have
a few high points I know I want to hit, but the main pleasure I get from
writing comes from being surprised by what I discover as I write.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4.Who are some other
writers you read and admire, regardless of whether they are commercially “successful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Oh, my God, there are so many great writers out there! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The other writers in this bundle are all pretty awesome. My
husband Steve and I have always been fans of Lisa Mason, Linda Nagata, and
Walter Jon Williams, and now I’ve bought the AI Storybundle and am eager to
read yours and Kathleen Ann Goonan’s as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also had the pleasure of being on the Philip K. Dick jury a
couple of years ago, and discovered several writers I loved. I could go on and
on about all six of the books on the nominees list. We had a hard time
narrowing the list down to six. <a href="http://www.philipkdickaward.org/2015/01/index.html"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Here’s
the list.</span></a> You’re in for a treat!<o:p></o:p></div>
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You have to check out the winner, Meg Elison’s <i>The Book of the Unnamed Midwife</i>. And the
special citation winner, Jennifer Marie Brissett’s <i>Elysium</i>, blew my freakin mind. So much creativity in the
worldbuilding, characters I loved, and masterful control over her prose. Highly
recommended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also love Cory Doctorow’s stuff. His <i>Little Brother</i> series is magnificent. <i>For the Win</i> made me cry my eyes out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Martha Wells’s Raksura series is sooooo goooood. Anything by
Nalo Hopkinson.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Marko Kloos’s Frontlines series, and Curtis Chen’s <i>Waypoint Kangaroo</i>. Charlie Jane Anders’s <i>All the Birds in the Sky</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And Andrea Hairston’s fantasies! She has a new one out, <i>Wild Do Magic for Small Change</i>. Wonderful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5.Should the question
mark in the above question be inside or outside the quotes?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Outside, dammit! sayeth the engineer. The writer in me shrugs;
whatever—I’m in it for the fun and glory and adventure. Just be consistent with
that punctuation stuff and use it to tell a great story, and I’m yours.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6.What’s your stance
on the Oxford Comma?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Pro. I’ll fight you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.What is your book <i>Glass Houses</i> about and how did it come
to fruition?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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It was an out-take—a sort of side story—that emerged while I
was writing <i>Proxies</i>, my novel in the
same series. Ruby Kubick, a lesbian waldo operator who used her robotic drones
to avoid going outside or interacting with anyone in person, sprang to life in
my head, and she just wouldn’t go away. But her story didn’t fit inside the
other work, which was already too big. So I gave her her own story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ruby is a young woman in a future, drowned New York City,
about a century or so from now. She has direct brain interface tech, which she
uses to control a set of junkyard robots, and uses them to scrape out a living
doing salvage. On one operation during a storm, she discovers a wealthy man who
got stranded in a decrepit high-rise. She attempts to rescue him, and things go
badly awry from there…<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s a noir-ish mystery-adventure, and also a story about
Ruby, who has fallen for a woman who doesn’t love her back, working on how to
take control of her own fate, and get out of this trap she’s in, this sticky
web of life circumstances and choices she’s made whose consequences she couldn’t
have predicted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>8.What’s your current
writing project?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Thanks for asking! :D I have a few nifty projects I’m having
fun with.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My publisher and I want to do at least two more books in my
Wave series, along with a re-release of the first book, <i>Up Against It</i>. The series is about a middle-future, partially-settled
solar system, with rogue AI and humans of various sorts trying to survive. UAI
starts with a disaster that puts the asteroid colony at risk, and turns into a
political thriller. It’s sometimes compared to James S.A. Corey’s <i>The Expanse</i>, as their book and mine came
out about the same time and feature asteroids and rogue tech and races against
time… nyeh heh heh…<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m also nearly done with a near-future SF novel about the
space race to Mars, and a young woman who gets caught up in the events. It’s
called <i>Child Left Behind</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I read an early draft of the first few scenes back in 2013 at
SF in SF (SF in SF, if you haven’t heard of it, is a sort of
happy-hour—interviews and readings—style event hosted by Terry Bisson and
organized by Rina Weisman and Rick Kleffel. It is a BLAST, and if you’re ever
in the Bay area, definitely go). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://bookotron.com/agony/news/2013/01-28-13-podcast.htm"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Here’s
Rick’s write-up about our event</span></a> (my entry’s the
second one down), and if you want a taste of my work in progress (nearly done
now!), <a href="http://bookotron.com/agony/news/2013/01-28-13-podcast.htm"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">y</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">ou
can hear </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">me read </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">an
early version of the first </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">chapter </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">here.</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve also been working on a cool project in George R.R.
Martin’s Wild Cards universe, but am sworn to secrecy there, for now… I’ll let
you know when and if I can reveal the details!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>9.What book(s) are
you currently reading?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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One of the great perqs of being a writer is knowing other
writers—which means having access to works hot off the writer’s keyboard! I’ve
managed to snare an advance reading copy of <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/autonomous-annalee-newitz/1125323363?ean=9780765392077&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Core+Shopping+Books_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP75606"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Annalee
Newitz’s </span><i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Autonomous</span></i></a>, which
I’ve just started. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Up next is <a href="http://nalohopkinson.com/1/post/2017/01/finally-finished-blackheart-man.html"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Nalo
Hopkinson’s </span><i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">The
Blackheart Man</span></i></a>. I’d gotten to read snippets of it while
she was working on it, so I’m very excited to read the finished work!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10.Who or what
inspires your writing?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The people who came before. Ursula K. LeGuin and Samuel R.
Delany and Robert A Heinlein and Clifford D. Simak and C.L. Moore. Bradbury and
Asimov and Williamson and Butler. Tanith Lee and Mary Shelley and H. G. Wells
and so many others. Their stories helped me know how much bigger and weirder
and full of wonders the world was than I could ever have imagined, at a time
when I desperately needed to know that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The people coming up now. Newer writers, young and old,
emerging into the spotlight of readers’ attention—people of so many cultural
backgrounds and identities that have been under-represented in the past, beginning
to achieve recognition after being kept in the shadows for far too long.
Telling new stories. Showing us thrilling new ways to tell the old ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The people who will come after. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe the literature of the fantastic is not just
unbelievably cool and fun to read; it also plays a crucial role in helping
guide us in our efforts to curate a multi-cultural, sustainable future. An
ecologically healthy planet, a future welcoming and plentiful, with room for
all our hopes and dreams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So yeah. All that mushy “boldly-go-holding-hands” stuff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally, is there
anything you’d care to add? Please also include where people can read your
published stories, buy your book, etc.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Nope, all good! You can get copies of my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cyberpunk-Laura-J-Mixon-Science-Fiction/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%253A6401749011%252Cp_lbr_one_browse-bin%253ALaura%20J.%20Mixon"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Avatars Dance</span></a>
series, as well as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K1ERZO/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Up
Against It</span></a>, which I wrote as M. J. Locke, as e-books on
Amazon or iTunes or Barnes and Noble. I have a novelette about climate change, “True
North,” in <a href="http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/greenhouse/"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Albany AMT"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">Welcome
to the Greenhouse</span></a>, as M. J. Locke, and I’m on Twitter, mostly
ranting about fascists these days (mixed in with the occasional cool science
gif, photo, or link and book squee), as @LauraJMG. Stop by and say hey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Thank you, Laura, for all the info, links, and insight! Please visit again when <i>UAI, Child Left Behind, </i> and the GRRM top-secret project is/are ready! We'd love to learn more.</b></div>
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<b>Be sure to see Laura's <i>Glass Houses</i> in the <a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" target="_blank">Artificial Intelligence StoryBundle</a> if it's still available. Otherwise, visit her online and anywhere books are sold!</b></div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-10530794932704747562017-04-18T12:52:00.004-07:002017-04-18T12:52:51.516-07:00Check Out These Amazing Stories in The A.I. Chronicles edited by Samuel Peralta The Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! #SFWApro #artificialintelligence<div class="post-content" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #516064; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38.333em;">
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles (Future Chronicles Book 2) edited by Samuel Peralta</strong><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Synopses of Stories in the Anthology</strong></div>
<div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Syntax of Consciousness</strong> by Pavarti K. Tyler<br />With one small implanted device, you will experience complete sensory integration with all the information available on the global net. Say goodbye to VI Fees and holo-displays. It is now all available in the blink of an eye. Enter the next lottery wave to receive your free InGen Corp Jiminy Implant. “Jiminy: The little voice in the back of your head.”</div>
<div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Piece of Cake</strong> by Patrice Fitzgerald<br />Rule by A.I. is a fact of life for those under the thumb of the Federal United. There will be a certain amount of exercise every day. Citizens will be on time. Appropriate mates will be identified from amongst candidates with suitable genetic traits… and a proper weight will be maintained. But sometimes you’ve just got to go off the reservation.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Restore</strong> by Susan Kaye Quinn<br />What if Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics were replaced by a single emotion—unconditional love? Restorative Human Medical Care Unit 7435, sentience level fifty, wants to heal the human master it loves, but Unit 7435 finds there is a price to be paid for love… and for failing in its primary mission.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Narai</strong> by E.E. Giorgi<br />When artificial intelligence takes over the family practice where he works, Dr. Peter Sawyer struggles to accept his new role as a mere supervisor instead of a clinician. With the aid of psychotherapy, he slowly adjusts to his new routine, until the sudden death of an anorexic patient makes him question everything, even his own life.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Left Foot on a Blind Man</strong> by Julie E. Czerneda<br />Replacing failing body parts with non-biological equivalents isn’t new. Wooden legs and teeth have been found in corpses thousands of years old. What is? How smart they are. “Left Foot on a Blind Man” is a cautionary tale about making such replacements too smart for our own good.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sub-Human: Nash’s Equilibrium</strong> by David Simpson<br />Craig Emilson, a young doctor, is sucked into military service at the outbreak of World War III. Enlisting to become a Special Forces suborbital paratrooper, Craig is selected to take part in the most important mission in American military history—a sortie into enemy territory to eliminate the world’s first strong Artificial Intelligence.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Auto</strong> by Angela Cavanaugh<br />Auto was the most advanced A.I. ever created. But when he learned about his backups, he began to wonder what exactly the self in self-aware might mean. When he fears for his existence, he escapes into the internet. And an intelligence built to learn, combined with a nearly endless amount of information, is a dangerous combination.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eve’s Awakening</strong> by Logan Thomas Snyder<br />An overworked, under-appreciated technician seizes the opportunity presented by an FBI raid on his company to steal corporate property. What he discovers is like nothing he could have imagined—an artificial intelligence that may not even be the first of its kind in existence. Meanwhile, the A.I. known as Eve is concerned only with finding her “parents,” a quest that will alter the lives of everyone who comes into contact with her—for better or for worse.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maker</strong> by Sam Best<br />Decades after the birth and abandonment of artificial intelligence, a reclusive inventor comes face to face with an evolved form of his creation. The world as he knew it is changed as a direct result of his tinkering. Yet with the arrival of his creation, the inventor learns there is hope to correct his past mistakes, if he is brave enough to try…</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Vendetta</strong> by Chrystalla Thoma<br />Plagued by dreams of the distant sea, Imogen wakes up one morning to find a Controller asking questions—questions about the dreams she’s not supposed to have. Curious to know more, she eavesdrops on their conversation, and what she hears isn’t reassuring. It appears that her memory has been tampered with, that she has tech implanted in her body—that is, more tech than the average human—and even worse, she’s not even her parents’ daughter. The implanted tech, however, might be her most immediate problem. Under the Tech Directive, exceeding a certain percentage of tech in one’s body can mean on-the-spot termination. The only person Imogen can trust to share this information with is her friend, Edil. But Edil, with his scar and unexplained head injury, may be hiding secrets of his own—secrets not so different from the ones about to transform Imogen’s life.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Turing Cube</strong> by Alex Albrinck<br />Our lives are turning into a series of 0’s and 1’s, masses of data available to those with the technological know-how to access, assess, and exploit it. And while corporations and governments work to protect sensitive information, no digital information is ever truly safe. Jack Milton lost more than money to just such an exploit; he lost his pride. He’s decided to take matters into his own hands, root out the perpetrators, and bring them to justice, regardless of the personal and professional risks. But he may find that something more valuable than money can be lost.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Darkly Cries the Digital</strong> by A.K. Meek<br />In the Deep South, modern-day technology blends with eternal superstition for a family that suffers a tragic loss; the death of their ten-year old son. And now, driven by grief, unable to accept the whirlwind circumstance outside of his control, a business executive makes a fateful decision that severs what remains of his already-broken family.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The End</strong> by Peter Cawdron<br />With the death of his grandmother, Professor Joe Browne has had to face his own mortality. Joe doesn’t want to admit there’s an end coming, and yet he knows that just as he turns the final page in a book, one day death will bring his life to a close, or will it? Could life be uploaded into a computer? To answer that question, Professor Browne needs to first understand if a computer could ever develop an artificial intelligence of its own.</div>
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Created by award-winning author <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</strong>, and edited by some of the most-respected editors in the genre, <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Future Chronicles</em> is the #1 bestselling anthology series that brings together work from visionary new voices and from the grandmasters of modern speculative fiction. Visit Sam Peralta at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.samuelperalta.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.samuelperalta.com</a></strong></div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but only TWO MORE DAYS until <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura J. Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. Download yours today</strong> at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a>. When it’s gone, it’s gone!</strong></div>
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border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/literary-science-fiction/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Literary science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/michael-swanwick-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Michael Swanwick story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/pat-cadigan-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat Cadigan story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/queen-city-jazz/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/rewired-the-post-cyberpunk-anthology/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/ryan-schneider/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/samuel-peralta/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/science-fiction-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; 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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-15920974324670784052017-04-18T12:51:00.000-07:002017-04-18T12:51:21.517-07:00The A.I. Chronicles edited by Samuel Peralta is in the Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! Lisa Mason #SFWApro #artificialintelligence<div class="post-content" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #516064; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38.333em;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heudFgvTDDg/WPZt-etO6tI/AAAAAAAAPVw/In8Byto4ShQnFSFw5s8Nlap9a340P7XTgCLcB/s1600/The%2BAi%2BChronicles%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heudFgvTDDg/WPZt-etO6tI/AAAAAAAAPVw/In8Byto4ShQnFSFw5s8Nlap9a340P7XTgCLcB/s320/The%2BAi%2BChronicles%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles (Future Chronicles Book 2) edited by Samuel Peralta</strong></div>
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A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. Even today, machines that mimic human thinking surround us. As the intellectual feats of computing machines grow more and more astounding, will there be a day when their apparent intelligence approaches, or even surpasses, that of human beings? And what if these machines then become conscious, self-aware?</div>
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In this latest title in the acclaimed ‘Future Chronicles’ series of speculative fiction anthologies, thirteen authors confront the question of the Singularity: at and beyond that point of time when A.I. becomes more than simply a human construct. From first awareness to omniscience, these original short stories explore that territory where human intelligence comes face-to-face with what is either its greatest hope, or its greatest threat.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles</strong> features stories by bestselling author <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">David Simpson</strong> (the Post-Human series), Prix Aurora winner <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Julie Czerneda</strong> (In the Company of Others), plus eleven more of today’s top authors in speculative and science fiction.</div>
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“The best place to discover new SF authors, I think, is any of the anthologies coming from Samuel Peralta”<br />Hugh Howey, <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NY Times</em> bestselling author of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wool</em></div>
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“A powerful new voice in speculative fiction”<br />— Nick Webb, <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">USA Today</em> bestselling author of the <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Legacy Fleet</em> trilogy</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><u style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</u></strong><br />Creator and Series Editor of <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Future Chronicles</em><br />Samuel Peralta is a physicist, storyteller, and an accidental anthologist. He is the creator and series editor of the acclaimed <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Future Chronicles</em> series of speculative fiction anthologies, featuring over a score of internationally bestselling titles. His writing has been spotlighted in <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Best American Poetry</em>, selected for <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy</em>, and has won multiple awards.<br />In addition to his publishing projects, Samuel currently serves on the board of directors of several technology firms, having co-founded successful start-ups in software and semiconductors. He’s also supported and produced over a hundred independent films, one of which earned an official <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Golden Globe</em> nomination.<br />For more on his work and other titles in <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Future Chronicles</em> series, visit <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.samuelperalta.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">www.samuelperalta.com</em></a></strong></div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">only three more days until Thursday, April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. </strong>Download yours only at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a>. When it’s gone, it’s gone!</strong></div>
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border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cyberpunk</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/cyberpunk-classic/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberpunk Classic</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/cyberweb/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/ebooks-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ebooks</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/eye-candy/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/glass-houses/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/gwyneth-jones/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gwyneth Jones</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/james-patrick-kelly/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/john-kessell/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessell</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/jonathan-lethem-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jonathan Lethem story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/kathleen-ann-goonan/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/laura-j-mixon/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura J. Mixon</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/limit-of-vision/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/linda-nagata/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-fantasy-and-science-fiction-author/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-fantasy-and-science-fiction-author-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-official-website/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Official Website</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason on Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-urban-fantasy-author/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/pat-cadigan-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat Cadigan story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/rewired-the-post-cyberpunk-anthology/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/ryan-schneider/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/science-fiction-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">StoryBundle</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-curator/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle Curator</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-com-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle.com</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-a-i-chronicles/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-bohr-maker/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/walter-jon-williams/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</a></span></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-38018677022481719682017-04-17T09:50:00.000-07:002017-04-18T05:32:38.190-07:0010 Questions with Nebula Award Winner @LindaNagata<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wzjZTLZ4T1s/WPTb6nFQlbI/AAAAAAAAPUI/ky5gGYeNF8k-cuH5eZCMVcPniLvTzLYggCLcB/s1600/The%2BBohr%2BMaker%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wzjZTLZ4T1s/WPTb6nFQlbI/AAAAAAAAPUI/ky5gGYeNF8k-cuH5eZCMVcPniLvTzLYggCLcB/s320/The%2BBohr%2BMaker%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>This</b></div>
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<b>Author Spotlight</b></div>
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<b>features</b></div>
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<b>LINDA NAGATA</b></div>
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<b>author of</b></div>
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<i><b>The Bohr Maker</b></i></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<i><b>Limit of Vision</b></i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.72px;">Linda Nagata is a Nebula and Locus-award-winning writer, best known for her high-tech science fiction, including The Red trilogy, a series of near-future military thrillers. The first book in the trilogy, <i>The Red: First Light</i>, was a Nebula and John W. Campbell Memorial-award finalist, and named as a <i>Publishers Weekly</i> Best Book of 2015. Her newest novel is the very near-future thriller, <i>The Last Good Man</i>, due out in June 2017.</span><span style="line-height: 14.72px;">Linda has lived most of her life in Hawaii, where she’s been a writer, a mom, a programmer of database-driven websites, and an independent publisher. She lives with her husband in their long-time home on the island of Maui.</span> </span></div>
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<b>1.How did you get into writing and why do you write?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I was a science major in college, but in my last semester I
decided I’d rather be a writer. I remember feeling cocky and not at all
impressed with the quality of books I’d been reading, and I decided to address the issue by writing books of my own. I started right after I graduated—and needless to say, it took<i> quite a few years</i>
before I saw my first novel, <i>The Bohr
Maker</i>, in print. That novel is now part of the AI Storybundle!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why do I write? That’s a question I keep asking myself. <i>Why? Why do I do this to myself?</i>
Seriously, I think it’s a fascination with the creative process—to see
something complex and coherent come into existence, essentially out of nothing,
and then to hear from the readers who’ve enjoyed my work.</div>
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<b>2.What do you like best (or least) about writing?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I once tweeted a writer’s lament that went something like
this: “The hardest part of writing a novel is the part I happen to be working
on at the moment.” It was one of my most popular tweets among other writers. Personally,
I find the whole process a struggle, but there’s real satisfaction when I begin
to feel the work come together. The best part though is when the words flow,
rising up out of nowhere, and the story seems to write itself. That doesn’t
happen nearly often enough! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3.What is your writing process? IE do you outline? Do you
stick to a daily word or page count, write 7 days a week, etc?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m a terribly undisciplined writer. I don’t write every day.
I never have, though I try to write as often as I can. When I start a new
project I usually have just a vague idea of what I want to do. For example,
with my forthcoming novel, <i>The Last Good
Man</i>, I knew I wanted to do another military-themed book to follow up on the
Red trilogy, which I’d just finished. I decided it would involve a private
military company, and that the protagonist—in defiance of all marketing
wisdom—would be a middle-aged woman, a mother, and a warrior herself. So I had
a main character and I knew some of the themes I wanted to tackle. I just
needed a story...<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, I do outline. I spend a lot of time outlining, though I
treat it as a general roadmap, one that changes a lot along the way. Other
writers have told me they need to visualize the next scene before they write
it. I’m the opposite. I usually just have to sit down and write with no real
idea of what the scene is going to look like until I work with it for a while. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4.Who are some other writers you read and admire, regardless
of whether they are commercially “successful?”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I like to read a variety of books, both to keep up with the
market and to learn new ways to approach the craft. I’ve also become a huge
audiobook fan. One recent favorite is a debut novel, <i>Summit</i>, by Harry Farthing, a complex mountain-climbing adventure.
If you’re interested in the AI bundle, you’re probably interested in cutting-edge
science fiction, so two other debuts to look at are Yoon Ha Lee’s <i>Ninefox Gambit</i> and Ada Palmer’s <i>Too Like The Lightning</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>5.Should the question mark in the above question be inside
or outside the quotes?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Umm...I pay a copyeditor for a reason.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>6.What’s your stance on the Oxford Comma?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Always!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>7.What is your book <i>The
Bohr Maker</i> about and how did it come to fruition?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The Bohr Maker</i> was
inspired by the vision of nanotechnology described in K. Eric Drexler’s <i>Engines of Creation</i> and by my background
in biology. It takes place in a story world where advanced nanotech is the
norm—for both good and ill. As with our world today, technology—or at least the
ability to understand and manipulate it—is unevenly distributed and not all
laws make sense. When a stolen bit of highly advanced and illegal nanotech—the
eponymous Bohr Maker—escapes into the wild, it sets off a domino effect of
unforeseeable events in both Earthbound slums and in the glittering Celestial
Cities of space.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My second contribution to the bundle is <i>Limit of Vision</i>, a near-future tale of runaway
biotechnology<o:p></o:p></div>
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—fast-forward evolution set mostly in the Mekong Delta of a future
Vietnam.<br />
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<b>8.What’s your current writing project?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Right now I’m getting ready to publish my newest novel, <i>The Last Good Man</i>, a very near-future
military-themed thriller that will be released on June 20. Once that’s well on
its way, I’ll return to work on one of the three novels I started over the past
half year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>9.What book(s) are you currently reading?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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My current audiobook is Margaret Atwood’s <i>Oryx and Crake. </i>And I just finished
Alastair Reynolds’ <i>Revenger</i>, a
wonderfully creative story of life in the remnants of a Dyson swarm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>10.Who or what inspires your writing?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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More and more, it’s the real world that inspires me, the
incredible onslaught of new technologies and frightening politics. So much that
exists in the world today, or that is on the verge of existence, was seen as
science fiction just a few years ago. Robotics, big data, AI, oligarchs,
surveillance on and off line, smart phones—the future is here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Finally, is there anything you’d care to add? Please also
include where people can read your published stories, buy your book, etc.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kudos to Lisa Mason for putting together this StoryBundle.
If you need even more to read, you’ll find links to all my books at my website,
<a href="http://mythicisland.com/">MythicIsland.com</a>. Most are available in both print and ebook editions from the
major vendors. My most recent project, the Red trilogy, also has an audio edition.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Thanks, Linda. Congratulations on your writing success. Keep the books coming!</b></div>
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<b>Be sure to check out Linda's books. Grab the <a href="http://storybundle.com/ai" target="_blank">Artificial Intelligence StoryBundle i</a>f it's still available. You'll be glad you did. Otherwise, visit Linda's website </b><b><a href="http://mythicisland.com/">MythicIsland.com</a> to purchase these and any of her groundbreaking books.</b></div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-3398399650814882802017-04-17T07:48:00.001-07:002017-04-17T07:48:25.751-07:00Excerpt from Cyberweb by Lisa Mason in The Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! #LisaMason #SFWApro<div class="post-content" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #516064; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38.333em;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkDuU1I7s_4/WPTViTRnp6I/AAAAAAAAPT4/E-BUY2VqO-EHCmcaNMv6NdY_sOSRqmqaQCLcB/s1600/Cyberweb%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkDuU1I7s_4/WPTViTRnp6I/AAAAAAAAPT4/E-BUY2VqO-EHCmcaNMv6NdY_sOSRqmqaQCLcB/s320/Cyberweb%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb<br />1<br />Street Tough</strong></div>
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Carly Quester creeps through the crowd, winding her way around a hydroponic vegetable vendor whose brackish tomato tanks twitch with mottled olive crawdaddies. Her stomach rumbles at the sight of fresh food, but shellfish grilled in butter will have to wait for another day. A frumpy bank teller lingers in the gridlock, humming softly, waiting for the light at California Street to change.</div>
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<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yeah, that’s right. Don’t freakin’ move.</em></div>
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Green light, and traffic plunges forward half a block. Red light, and traffic halts. Steaming with frustration. Spewing noxious fumes.</div>
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With a cautious hop, the bank teller ventures off the curb, navigating the squat stack of its main housing between a pickup truck packed with surly locomotors and a bus of screaming schoolchildren. The bank teller pauses in the crosswalk, twiddling its secondary cables.</div>
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Carly pounces, seizing the bank teller’s monitor. She jams a credit disk into the teller’s download drive, punching her code on its astonished keypad, together with a bootleg file extension overriding Data Control’s order freezing her assets.</div>
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The bank teller struggles and beeps, staggering and swinging about.</div>
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Carly slaps the monitor’s faceplace, holds snub-nosed pliers to its main cable. “Spit it out, bot,” she mutters to its audio. “It’s my damn account. Eight grand or you’re chop-shop parts.”</div>
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The bank teller sputters but commences downloading credits onto Carly’s disk. One thousand, two thousand, three. Four thousand softbucks.</div>
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A synthy voice suddenly murmurs through the bank teller’s audio. “Hello, Quester space C colon fifty-three dash five point twenty-four paren AAA close paren. How are you today? We’ve got to talk.”</div>
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Carly slaps the monitor again. Flat of the hand, no fingerprints. Talk, right. The synthy voice, the voice of a sengine, is reciting her former telespace access code. Talk? Don’t even breathe.</div>
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The bank teller’s alarm system clicks on, wailing through the downtown din. The red Cancel-Trans light blinks furiously. Carly joggles the main cable with the pliers till the cable is nearly free of the port.</div>
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Five thousand, six thousand softbucks.</div>
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“Carly Quester!” rattles Pr. Spinner’s rusty synthy voice. The perimeter prober stands next to a Recycling Bin on the opposite side of California Street. Her owlish faceplace puckers, her graspers clack, her spinnerets click. The prober’s foot rollers scoot back and forth with anxiety. “By bot, it’s the heat!”</div>
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“She means scram, flesh-and-blood,” squeaks Saint Download standing beside Spinner, waving its multitude of armlets. Its gender-neutral faceplace clicks through a dozen ambiguity sequences. Saint Download is the ugliest little bot Carly has ever seen. The bot doesn’t think much of her, either.</div>
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Six and a quarter, six and a half. The bank teller stalls at six thousand five hundred softbucks. “Damn!” Carly pounds Eject but the disk won’t come free.</div>
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A team of copbots careen down Sansome Street, weaving in and out of the gridlock. Sirens shriek.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong> is the author of eight novels, including <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Summer of Love, A Time Travel </strong>(Bantam), a San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book and Philip K. Dick Award Finalist, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Gilded Age, A Time Travel </strong>(Bantam) a <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">New York Times</em> Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book, a collection of previously published fiction, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Strange Ladies: 7 Stories </strong>(Bast Books), and two dozen stories and novellas in magazines and anthologies worldwide. Mason’s Omni story, “<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tomorrow’s Child</strong>,” sold outright as a feature film to Universal Studios. Her first novel, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong>, debuted on the Locus Hardcover Bestseller List.<br />Visit her at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.lisamason.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason’s Official Website</a></strong> for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">adorable cat pictures</strong>, forthcoming projects, fine art and bespoke jewelry by San Francisco artist <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Robinson</strong>, worldwide <a class="skimlinks-unlinked" data-skim-creative="500005" data-skimwords-word="Amazon.com" href="https://amazon.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="">Amazon.com</a> links for Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, and Spain, and more!<br />And on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason’s Blog</a></strong>, on her <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LisaMasonFantasyAndScienceFictionAuthor" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook Author Page</a></strong>, on her <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lisa.mason.7393264" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook Profile Page</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Mason/e/B000APB41Y" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazon</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/186632.Lisa_Mason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodreads</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=58988652&trk=tab_pro" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LinkedIn</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://twitter.com/lisaSmason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a></strong> at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">@lisaSmason</strong>, at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisamason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Smashwords</a></strong>, at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lisa-mason/id4110629" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Apple</a>, </strong>at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?query=Lisa%20Mason&fcsearchfield=Author" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kobo</a>,</strong> and at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.sfwa.org/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America</a></strong>.</div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but only for five more days until <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. Download yours today</strong> only at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a></strong></div>
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Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-15133944155218005452017-04-15T15:32:00.003-07:002017-04-15T15:32:31.028-07:00Cyberweb by Lisa Mason is in the Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! Lisa Mason #SFWApro<div class="post-content" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #516064; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38.333em;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULe7Dc9RQr4/WPKfbUqPC5I/AAAAAAAAPTg/Ddg6cAfPLi8DK4JJ39VhNQ1LFWSS795EACLcB/s1600/Cyberweb%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULe7Dc9RQr4/WPKfbUqPC5I/AAAAAAAAPTg/Ddg6cAfPLi8DK4JJ39VhNQ1LFWSS795EACLcB/s320/Cyberweb%2BCover%2BFinal.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Breaking news! We’ve got a YouTube book trailer for the Artificial Intelligence Storybundle up at</strong> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://youtu.be/kgtCwt4cmUw" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://youtu.be/kgtCwt4cmUw</a></strong></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb by Lisa Mason</strong></div>
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Carly Quester was once a professional telelinker with a powerful and corrupt mediation firm. Now she lives as an outlaw among the underground in San Francisco, wanted by the authorities for dubious crimes against Data Control. But with a new assignment from a mysterious sengine—and the help of a standalone AI entity, Pr. Spinner—she seeks the fast-track back into public telespace and the Prime Time.</div>
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Her assignment, however, comes with sticky strings attached. For it has made Carly the target of a ruthless mercenary ultra, the love obsession of the young shaman of a savage urban tribe—and a possible pawn of the Silicon Supremacists plotting no less than the annihilation of humankind.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> is the sequel to Lisa Mason’s first novel, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne, </strong>and was published in hardcover by William Morrow, trade paperback by Eos, mass market paperback by AvoNova, and as an ebook by Bast Books.</div>
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“Mason’s endearing characters and their absorbing adventures will hook even the most jaded SF fan.”<br /><em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">–Booklist</em></div>
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“Lisa Mason stakes out, within the cyberpunk sub-genre, a territory all her own.”<br /><em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">–The San Francisco Chronicle</em></div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong> is the author of eight novels, including <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Summer of Love, A Time Travel</strong>, a San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book and Philip K. Dick Award Finalist, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Gilded Age, A Time Travel,</strong> a <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">New York Times</em> Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book, a collection of previously published fiction, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Strange Ladies: 7 Stories </strong>(Bast Books), and two dozen stories and novellas in magazines and anthologies worldwide. Mason’s Omni story, “<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tomorrow’s Child</strong>,” sold outright as a feature film to Universal Studios. Her first novel, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong>, debuted on the Locus Hardcover Bestseller List.<br />Visit her at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.lisamason.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason’s Official Website</a></strong> for books, ebooks, stories, and screenplays, reviews, interviews, and blogs, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">adorable cat pictures</strong>, forthcoming projects, fine art and bespoke jewelry by San Francisco artist <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Robinson</strong>, worldwide <a class="skimlinks-unlinked" data-skim-creative="500005" data-skimwords-word="Amazon.com" href="https://amazon.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="">Amazon.com</a> links for Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, and Spain, and more!<br />And on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason’s Blog</a></strong>, on her <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LisaMasonFantasyAndScienceFictionAuthor" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook Author Page</a></strong>, on her <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lisa.mason.7393264" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook Profile Page</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Mason/e/B000APB41Y" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazon</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/186632.Lisa_Mason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodreads</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=58988652&trk=tab_pro" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LinkedIn</a></strong>, on <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://twitter.com/lisaSmason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a></strong> at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">@lisaSmason</strong>, at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisamason" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Smashwords</a></strong>, at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lisa-mason/id4110629" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Apple</a>, </strong>at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?query=Lisa%20Mason&fcsearchfield=Author" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kobo</a>,</strong> and at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.sfwa.org/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America</a></strong>.</div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">only five more days until</strong> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. </strong>Download yours today only at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a></strong></div>
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border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/laura-j-mixon/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura J. Mixon</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/limit-of-vision/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/linda-nagata/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-fantasy-and-science-fiction-author/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-fantasy-and-science-fiction-author-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-official-website/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Official Website</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason on Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-screenwriter/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Screenwriter</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-urban-fantasy-author/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/literary-science-fiction/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Literary science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/pat-cadigan-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat Cadigan story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/queen-city-jazz/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/rewired-the-post-cyberpunk-anthology/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/ryan-schneider/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/samuel-peralta/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/science-fiction-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">StoryBundle</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-curator/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle Curator</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-com-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle.com</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-a-i-chronicles/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-bohr-maker/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/walter-jon-williams/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</a></span></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-85732969666488579912017-04-15T13:37:00.000-07:002017-04-15T13:37:09.916-07:00Excerpt from Limit of Vision by Linda Nagata in The Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! #SFWApro<div class="post-content" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #516064; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38.333em;">
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CHAPTER 1</div>
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The age had its own momentum. Virgil Copeland could sense it. Even here, now, as he waited anxiously for Gabrielle it tugged at him, whispering there was no going back.</div>
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He stood watch by the glass doors of the Waimanalo retreat center, willing Gabrielle’s car to appear at the end of the circular driveway. He imagined it gliding into sight around the bank of lush tropical foliage – heliconia and gardenias, ornamental ginger and potted orchids – their flowers bright in the muted light beneath heavy gray clouds.</div>
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But Gabrielle’s car did not appear. She didn’t call. All afternoon she had failed to respond to Virgil’s increasingly frantic messages. He couldn’t understand it. She had never been out of contact before.</div>
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Randall Panwar stopped his restless pacing, to join Virgil in his watch. “She should have been here hours ago. Something’s happened to her. It has to be.”</div>
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Virgil didn’t want to admit it. He touched his forehead, letting his fingertips slide across the tiny silicon shells of his implanted LOVs. They felt like glassy flecks of sand: hard and smooth and utterly illegal.</div>
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“Don’t do that,” Panwar said softly. “Don’t call attention to them.”</div>
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Virgil froze. Then he lowered his hand, forcing himself to breathe deeply, evenly. He had to keep control. With the LOVs enhancing his moods, it would be easy to slide into an irrational panic. Panwar was susceptible too. “You’re doing all right, aren’t you?” Virgil asked.</div>
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Panwar looked at him sharply, his eyes framed by the single narrow wrap-around lens of his farsights. Points of data glinted on the interactive screen.</div>
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Panwar had always been more volatile than either Virgil or Gabrielle, and yet he handled his LOVs best. The cascading mood swings that Virgil feared rarely troubled him. “I’m worried,” Panwar said. “But I’m not gone. You?”</div>
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“I’ll let you know.”</div>
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Panwar nodded. “I’ve got sedatives, if you need them.”</div>
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“I don’t.”</div>
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“I’ll try to message her again.”</div>
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He bowed his head, raising his hand to touch his farsights, as if he had to shade out the external world to see the display. He’d had the same odd mannerism since Virgil had met him – eight years ago now – when they’d been assigned to share a frosh dorm room, shoved together because they’d both graduated from technical high schools, and because they were both sixteen.</div>
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Panwar’s dark brown hair displayed a ruddy Irish tinge, courtesy of his mother. By contrast his luminous black eyes were a pure gift of his father: Ancient India in a glance. At six-three he was several inches taller than Virgil, with the lean, half-wasted build of a starving student out of some 19th century Russian novel. Not that he had ever wanted for money – his parents were both computer barons and all that he had ever lacked was time. Then again, it would take an infinite amount of time to satisfy his curiosities.</div>
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He looked up. A short, sharp shake of his head conveyed his lack of success. “Let’s drive by her place when we get out of here.” His own implanted LOVs glittered like tiny blue-green diamonds, scattered across his forehead, just beneath his hairline. Like Gabrielle, he passed them off as a subtle touch of fashionable glitter.</div>
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Virgil’s LOVs were hidden by the corded strands of his Egyptian-wrapped hair, and could be seen only when he pulled the tresses back into a ponytail. “Maybe she just fell asleep,” he muttered.</div>
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“Not Gabrielle.”</div>
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Virgil glanced across the lobby to the half-open door of the conference room where the droning voice of a presenter could be heard, describing in excruciating detail the numbers obtained in a recent experiment. It was the sixth project review to be laid before the senior staff of Equatorial Systems in a session that had already run three hours. The LOV project was up next, the seventh and last appeal to be laid before a brain-fried audience charged with recommending funding for the coming year.</div>
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Gabrielle always did the presenting. The execs loved her. She was a control freak who made you happy to follow along.</div>
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“Maybe she lost her farsights,” Virgil suggested without belief.</div>
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“She would have called us on a public link. Maybe she found a new boyfriend, got distracted.”</div>
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“That’s not it.”</div>
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It was Virgil’s private theory that in a world of six and a half billion people, only the hopelessly driven obsessive could out-hustle the masses of the sane – those who insisted on rounded lives, filled out with steady lovers, concerts, vacations, hobbies, pets, and even children. Sane people could not begin to compete with the crazies who lived and breathed their work, who fell asleep long after midnight with their farsights still on, only to waken at dawn and check results before coffee.</div>
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Gabrielle had never been one of the sane.</div>
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So why hadn’t she called?</div>
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Because something had stopped her. Something bad. Maybe a car accident? But if that was it, they should have heard by now.</div>
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Virgil’s gaze scanned the field of his own farsights, searching for Gabrielle’s icon, hoping to find it undiscovered on his screen.</div>
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Nothing.</div>
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Panwar was pacing again, back and forth before the lobby doors. Virgil said, “You’re going to have to do it.”</div>
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Panwar whirled on him. “God no. It’s 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon. Half the execs are asleep, and the other half want to get drunk. They emphatically do not want to listen to me.”</div>
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“We haven’t got a choice.”</div>
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“You could do it,” Panwar said. “You should do it. It’s your fault anyway Nash stuck us in this time slot. If you’d turned in the monthly report when it was due–”</div>
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“Remember my career day talk?”</div>
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Panwar winced. “Oh Christ. I forgot.” Then he added, “You always were a jackass. All right. I’ll give the presentation. But the instant Gabrielle walks through that door, she takes over at the podium.”</div>
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#</div>
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Virgil skulked in the conference room doorway, as much to make it awkward for anyone to leave early, as to hear what Panwar had to say. The LOV project always confused the new execs, stirring up uncomfortable questions like: What’s it for? Where’s it going? Have any market studies been done?</div>
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The project was the problem child in the EquaSys family, refusing to stay on a convenient track to market glory. It was Panwar’s job to make the execs love it anyway.</div>
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Or rather, it was Gabrielle’s job. Panwar was only subbing.</div>
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“…At the heart of the LOV project are the artificial neurons called asterids. Conceived as a medical device to stabilize patients with an unbalanced brain chemistry…”</div>
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Virgil scowled. Wasn’t Panwar’s passion supposed to illuminate his voice, or something? Why had this sounded so much better when they’d rehearsed it with Gabrielle?</div>
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“Test animals used in this phase of development began to exhibit enhanced intelligence as measured on behavioral tests, though never for long. The cells tended to reproduce as small tumors of intense activity. Within an average sixty days post-implantation, every test animal died as some vital, brain-regulated function ceased to work.”</div>
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Not that Panwar was a bad speaker. He was earnest and quick, and obviously fascinated by his subject, but he wasn’t Gabrielle. The rising murmur of whispered conversations among the execs could not be a good sign.</div>
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“The tumor problem was eliminated by making asterid reproduction dependent on two amino acids not normally found in nature. Nopaline is required for normal metabolism, while nopaline with octopine is needed before the asterids can reproduce.”</div>
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Virgil shook his head. Nopaline, octopine, what-a-pine? The nomenclature would have been music coming from Gabrielle’s mouth, but from Panwar it was just noise. Virgil glanced wistfully at the lobby door. Still no Gabrielle.</div>
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“In the third phase of development, the asterids were completely redesigned once again. No longer did they exist as single cells. Instead, a colony of asterids was housed within a transparent silicate shell, permitting easy optical communication. In effect, EquaSys had created the first artificial life form, a symbiotic species affectionately known as LOVs – an acronym for Limit of Vision, because in size LOVs are just at the boundary of what the human eye can easily see.”</div>
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A new species. To Virgil, the idea still had a magical ring. It was the lure that had drawn him into the project, but to the execs it was old news.</div>
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“When implanted on the scalps of test animals, the asterids within each shell formed an artificial nerve, able to reach through a micropore in the skull and past the tough triple layer of the meninges to touch the tissue of the brain. To the surprise of the development team, the LOV implants soon began to communicate with one another, and once again, long-term behavioral effects were observed in test animals. They became smarter, but this time without the development of tumors, or failures in vital functions.”</div>
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The momentum of discovery had taken over the project. Virgil had not been part of it then, but he still felt a stir of excitement.</div>
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“The original medical application was expanded, for it became apparent that the LOVs might be developed into an artificial or even an auxiliary brain.</div>
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“Then came the Van Nuys incident.”</div>
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EquaSys had not been involved in that debacle, but the company had been caught in the fallout, when the U.S. government agreed to a two year moratorium on the development of all artificial life forms. One of the witnesses in favor had been the original LOV project director. To Summer Goforth, Van Nuys was a wake-up call. She’d publicly renounced her work, and the work of everyone else involved in developing artificial life forms. Virgil had been brought on board to take Summer Goforth’s place.</div>
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“In a compromise settlement EquaSys agreed to abandon animal testing and to export the LOVs to a secure facility aboard the Hammer, the newest platform in low-earth-orbit. From such a venue, the LOVs could not possibly “escape into the environment,” as happened in Van Nuys.</div>
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The LOVs had been so easy to contain. That’s what made them safe.</div>
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“Since then our research has been limited to remote manipulation, but that could soon change. The two year moratorium will expire this June 30. At that time EquaSys will be free to exploit an unparalleled technology that could ultimately touch every aspect of our lives….”</div>
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All that and more, Virgil thought, for if the LOVs could be legally brought Earth-side, then no one need ever know about the LOVs the three of them had smuggled off the orbital during the moratorium period. He still could not quite believe they had done it, and yet… he could not imagine not doing it. Not anymore.</div>
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It had been worth the risk. Even if they were found out it had been worth it. The LOVs were a gift. Virgil could no longer imagine life without them.</div>
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The original studies suggested the LOVs could enhance the intelligence of test animals, but Virgil knew from personal experience that in humans the LOVs enhanced emotion. If he wanted to lift his confidence, his LOVs could make it real. If he sought to push his mind into a coolly analytical zone he need only focus and the LOVs would amplify his mood. Fearlessness, calm, or good cheer, the LOVs could augment each one. But best of all – priceless – were those hours when the LOVs were persuaded to plunge him into a creative fervor, where intuitive, electric thoughts cascaded into being, and time and hunger and deadlines and disappointments no longer mattered. With the LOVs, Virgil could place himself in that space by an act of will.</div>
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“All of our research to date,” Panwar said, concluding his historical summary, “has shown without doubt, that LOVs are perfectly safe.”</div>
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An icon winked into existence on the screen of Virgil’s farsights – but it was not from Gabrielle. He felt a stir of fear as he recognized the symbol used by EquaSys security. He forced himself to take a calming breath before he whispered, “Link.”</div>
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His farsights executed the command and the grim face of the security chief resolved within his screen. Beside it appeared a head-and-shoulder image of Dr. Nash Chou, the research director and Virgil’s immediate boss. Nash had hired Virgil to handle the LOV program. Now he turned around in his seat at the head of the conference table, a portly man in a neat business suit, his round face looking puzzled as he gazed back at Virgil.</div>
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“Dr. Chou,” the security chief said. “There’s been an incident in Dr. Copeland’s lab.”</div>
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Visit <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong> at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.mythicisland.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.mythicisland.com</a> </strong>for more about her award-winning books and stories.</div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but only for six more days until <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. </strong>Download yours today only at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a></strong></div>
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text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-fantasy-and-science-fiction-author-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Fantasy and Science Fiction Author On Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-official-website/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Official Website</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-on-facebook/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason on Facebook</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-screenwriter/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Screenwriter</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/lisa-mason-urban-fantasy-author/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason Urban Fantasy Author</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/literary-science-fiction/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Literary science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/michael-swanwick-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Michael Swanwick story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/pat-cadigan-story/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat Cadigan story</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/queen-city-jazz/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/rewired-the-post-cyberpunk-anthology/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/ryan-schneider/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/samuel-peralta/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/science-fiction-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Science fiction</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">StoryBundle</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-curator/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle Curator</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/storybundle-com-2/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storybundle.com</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-a-i-chronicles/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The A.I. Chronicles</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/the-bohr-maker/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</a>, <a href="https://lisamasontheauthor.com/category/walter-jon-williams/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</a></span></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3789430317722383760.post-13958222396237406632017-04-15T13:34:00.001-07:002017-04-15T13:34:33.314-07:00Limit of Vision by Linda Nagata is in the Artificial Intelligence Storybundle! #SFWApro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision by Linda Nagata</strong></div>
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Virgil Copeland, Randall Panwar, and Gabrielle Villanti are all brilliant young biotechnologists, working together on an artificial life form affectionately known as “LOVs,” an acronym for Limit Of Vision, because in size LOVs are just at the boundary of what the human eye can easily see.</div>
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LOVs contain bioengineered human neurons. They enhance brain function when implanted in test animals. Experimentation on humans is, of course, highly illegal. But it’s the nature of brilliant and ambitious young minds to ignore the rules. Believing the LOVs to be perfectly safe, Virgil, Panwar, and Gabrielle experiment on themselves, using implanted LOVs to enhance their own cognitive abilities.</div>
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But there is a limit of vision, too, when we try to foresee the consequences of technology—especially of a living, thinking technology that can evolve into new forms in a matter of hours. When the experiment goes terribly wrong, the consequences are bizarre and unforeseeable. Virgil finds himself on the run, riding the whirlwind of a runaway biotechnology that could lead to the next phase of human evolution.</div>
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A “compelling biotech thriller […] an idea-provoking narrative that is genuinely innovative in conception.” —Publishers Weekly</div>
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“Nagata … blends hard science with cutting-edge technology in a fast-paced technothriller…” —Library Journal</div>
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“…the best science fiction isn’t so much about the science as about society’s reaction to it. A fine example is Linda Nagata’s Limit of Vision, which not only maintains the right balance of humanity and technology within its storytelling, but is actually about that balance—pinning down the elusive boundary, if there is one, beyond which technology will make humans something other than human.” —Amy Sisson, Metroland</div>
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“The increasingly desperate situation will serve to keep a lot of readers breathlessly turning pages […] The limit of vision can also refer to imagination struggling to catch up with events, as humanity gets booted into an era unlike any it has known.” —Faren Miller, Locus</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong> is a Nebula and Locus-award-winning writer, best known for her high-tech science fiction, including The Red trilogy, a series of near-future military thrillers. The first book in the trilogy, <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Red: First Light</em>, was a Nebula and John W. Campbell Memorial-award finalist, and named as a <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Publishers Weekly</em> Best Book of 2015. Her newest novel is the very near-future thriller, <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Last Good Man</em>, due out in June 2017. Linda has lived most of her life in Hawaii, where she’s been a writer, a mom, a programmer of database-driven websites, and an independent publisher. She lives with her husband in their long-time home on the island of Maui.</div>
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Visit <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong> at <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.mythicisland.com/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.mythicisland.com</a></strong></div>
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The <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A.I. Storybundle</a></strong> is live, but only one week more until <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 20, 2017!</strong> Explore Artificial Intelligence and how A.I. will affect the future in <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aristoi</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter Jon Williams</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bohr Maker</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arachne</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Kessel</strong> and <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Patrick Kelly </strong>with stories by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan</strong>, and others, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Queen City Jazz</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kathleen Ann Goonan</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye Candy</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Schneider</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Glass Houses</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laura Mixon</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cyberweb</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa Mason</strong>, <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Limit of Vision</strong> by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda Nagata</strong>, and<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The A.I. Chronicles Anthology</strong>, edited by <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samuel Peralta. </strong>Download yours today only at<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://storybundle.com/ai" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ff8a00; font-size: 14.004px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://storybundle.com/ai</a></strong></div>
Ryan Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00752280001402340489noreply@blogger.com0