tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47273119179408402462024-03-13T14:31:43.762+00:00Shéa MacLeod - AuthorThere's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. ~Walter Wellesley "Red" SmithShéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-35102112583009633002013-04-23T18:35:00.000+01:002013-04-23T18:36:36.655+01:00NEW WEBSITE<h2>
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Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-45293869724599095812011-06-30T11:09:00.002+01:002011-06-30T11:11:47.050+01:00Dreams Come True!<!-- .entry-meta --> <p>Oh, yes they do!</p> <p>Today my first urban fantasy Kissed by Darkness is LIVE on Amazon and Smashwords.</p> <p><a href="http://sheamacleod.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/kissed-by-darkness_300dpi.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-259" title="Kissed by Darkness_300dpi" src="http://sheamacleod.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/kissed-by-darkness_300dpi.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a><br /></p><p>You can buy it here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Darkness-Sunwalker-Saga-ebook/dp/B0058PIWJ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1309426345&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kissed-Darkness-Sunwalker-Saga-ebook/dp/B0058PIWJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309426432&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.de/Kissed-Darkness-Sunwalker-Saga-ebook/dp/B0058PIWJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309426610&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon DE</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70109" target="_blank">Smashwords</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Melissa over at <a href="http://www.werevampsromance.org/apps/blog/show/7526131-shea-macleod-kissed-by-darkness-1st-look-giveaway-author-interview-and-book-review" target="_blank">Were Vamps Romance </a>is interviewing me today. She has given Kissed by Darkness a 5/5 review. SQUEE! Stop by her blog because she’s running a contest today. You can win your very own copy of KbD FREE!!! Even more SQUEE!!!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><em></em></span>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-91563101829669736652011-06-29T07:35:00.010+01:002011-06-29T11:22:05.266+01:00Everything's Better With Zombies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uFLUM9intho/TgrJJ25rI2I/AAAAAAAAAPw/SuuxiyZIntk/s1600/Jack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uFLUM9intho/TgrJJ25rI2I/AAAAAAAAAPw/SuuxiyZIntk/s320/Jack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623528255918908258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Just in case you haven't heard, tomorrow is the release date for my urban fantasy novel, Kissed by Darkness. Woohoo! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But to keep us intertained (and myself from going insane) this Writer Wednesday, I've got something special up my sleeve. Today we're Getting Jack'd!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">That's right, I've got the amazingly talented Jack Wallen here to share a little about his upcoming novels </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Shero </span><span style="font-family:arial;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >My Zombie My.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Jack's quite possibly one of the coolest guys I know. He also looks better in my stillettos than I do. ;-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Welcome Jack!</span></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" >SM: As you know, I loved I Zombie I, so thanks for agreeing to be my second<br />interview victim. I mean participant. You already know that I love to </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strike> </strike></span><strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" >be nosy</span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strike><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" > ask intelligent and thought provoking questions. So, without further ado:<br /><br />Just for kicks and giggles (Also because I’m a dork and I know you are, too.), if you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars® ] character, which one would it be?<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:130%;" ><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Find out Jack's answer on my <a href="http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/everythings-better-with-zombies/">Wordpress blog</a>.</span><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-47542488006176019482011-06-28T14:39:00.001+01:002011-06-28T14:40:52.698+01:00Thrilling NewsCheck out my news update over on <a href="http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/thrilling-news/">Wordpress.</a>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-1660152579682481042011-06-26T11:06:00.002+01:002011-06-26T11:12:26.424+01:00Sample Sunday: Kissed by Darkness<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fBjSVzPg91s/TgcFDGmetYI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/BDtd_DGXGKk/s1600/Kissed%2Bby%2BDarkness_300dpi.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fBjSVzPg91s/TgcFDGmetYI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/BDtd_DGXGKk/s320/Kissed%2Bby%2BDarkness_300dpi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622468210665108866" /></a>Kissed by Darkness is out this coming <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Thursday, 30 June 2011</span></b>!!!<div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; color:black">Danger is always on the menu for Morgan Bailey, a sexy and street-smart bounty hunter, who prowls the dark underworld of Portland, Oregon hunting creatures of the night. Morgan’s never met a vampire she couldn’t dust or a demon she couldn't kill until she's hired to destroy a new kind of mystical threat: the Sunwalker.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">A powerful immortal once believed myth, the Sunwalker carries with him an ancient secret which, if left unchecked, will destroy Morgan’s world. Pursued by a passionate Templar Knight and the target of the local vampire clans, an ancient power is awakened within her, unlike anything she’s ever known. Morgan must uncover the truth behind her mission and about herself, before the Darkness lurking inside swallows her whole.</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;line-height:115%"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >To celebrate the here is the very first scene from the very first chapter for your reading pleasure:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“You’re dripping blood on my carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Again.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The voice was as expressionless as the face.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Only a slight glint behind deep brown eyes betrayed the fact that Kabita Jones, my boss and best friend, was <em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style:normal">extremely </span></em>peeved.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I could sort of see her point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Last time she’d had to replace the carpet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This time the blood only went up to my elbows and it was mostly dry already.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There were just a couple of drips.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It wasn’t like she couldn’t get the place steam cleaned.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“That’s what you get for calling me in right after a hunt.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I dropped into one of the two chairs in front of her massive mahogany desk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She scowled at me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She didn’t like me getting blood all over her fake leather chairs, either.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bad for business, having a client sit down in a pool of vampire blood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Here.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She tossed me a box of wet wipes, only semi-effective for cleaning blood off things, but certainly better than nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I grabbed a wipe and scrubbed at my arm.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s when I noticed a few drops of blood in my cleavage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Gross.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Kabita leaned back in her chair. “How do you like weird?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">As though killing vampires and demon spawn and other creepy crawlies for a living was normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I tried to raise an eyebrow at her, but I was no Mr. Spock; both went up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Define weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Weird.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As in: ‘up your alley’ weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Ah, she meant blood suckers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nightwalkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Minions of Darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Otherwise known as vampires.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Except for Kabita and me, vampires weren’t weird.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They were normal, everyday stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or maybe I should say every-night stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was like saying that baking bread was a weird job for a baker.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Kabita ran a private investigation firm which specialized in hunting down things the government liked to pretend didn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Creatures that would give most normal people nightmares.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The government paid us decent money to track and kill the monsters while maintaining a cover as private investigators that did nothing more exciting than investigate cheating spouses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We got excitement and fortune, if not fame.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The government got plausible deniability.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We all went home happy.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“And how is this weirder than any other ‘up my alley’ case?” I asked as I cleaned off the last of the blood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">She pushed a file gingerly across the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite being one of the best demon spawn hunters in the business, Kabita found vampires extremely distasteful, not to mention creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Go figure. “It’s not an ordinary vamp,” she said.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“It’s a Sunwalker.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I checked to make sure my jaw wasn’t lying on her desk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nope, still attached to my face.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“A Sunwalker?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’re kidding, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Our new client wants us to hunt this Sunwalker and kill him, but more importantly, he wants us to retrieve something the Sunwalker stole from his family.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He’ll fill you in on the details.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’re to meet him at this address.” She shoved a piece of paper across at me while carefully tucking a strand of long, ink black hair behind her ear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Despite edging on forty, she didn’t have a single strand of gray.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hadn’t quite hit thirty yet, twenty-nine to be exact, but I hoped I looked half as good as she did at forty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had my doubts.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My job wasn’t exactly the kind that kept one young.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I shook my head. “This is insane.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Sunwalker?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As in vampires who can walk in sunlight?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You do know they’re not real, right?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sunwalkers are just a myth.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">She gave me a look.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was good at “the look.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Excuse me, oh Great Slayer of Vampires, but you don’t have a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not if you want to keep your job.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Which I did, and she knew it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was something so immensely satisfying about going to work and hacking someone or something’s head off.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They didn’t usually let you do that at, say, the pharmaceutical company or the post office, even if that someone really deserved it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They kind of frowned on it, actually.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I also got to wear jeans and really cool kick-ass boots every day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Truth was, though, Kabita knew I loved a good challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She wasn't just my boss, she was also my friend and would never give me anything I couldn’t handle, no matter how much I bitched and moaned about an assignment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was damn good at killing vamps.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Sunwalker would just be a little more … tricky.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not only were they not supposed to exist, but how were you supposed to find a vampire that could walk around in daylight?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Heck, he probably even had a nice tan.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Jesus, Kabita.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What have you gotten me into this time?” It was rhetorical and accompanied by an eye roll.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I snatched the paper off the desk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Fine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ll meet him after I take a shower.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Good idea.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I just glared at her.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sarcastic witch.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Her return smile was annoyingly beatific.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:36.0pt;line-height:200%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p><p></p></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-47564071167859021232011-06-25T12:48:00.002+01:002011-06-25T12:50:52.623+01:00Spotlight Saturday: Temples, Superpowers and Ancient Cities<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQPNXqwidUQ/TgXLjZj7rYI/AAAAAAAAAPI/MavCXPauxVo/s1600/temple3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oQPNXqwidUQ/TgXLjZj7rYI/AAAAAAAAAPI/MavCXPauxVo/s320/temple3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622123518859390338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today I'm spotlighting indie author Heather Marie Adkins. You can check out the full post over on my Wordpress blog:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/spotlight-saturday-temples-superpowers-and-ancient-cities/">http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/spotlight-saturday-temples-superpowers-and-ancient-cities/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-90292226898664450442011-06-24T12:21:00.013+01:002011-06-24T14:48:27.469+01:00Friday Farrago: Vampire Assassins and the Samba Queen<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">There will be a rain dance Friday night, weather permitting ~ George Carlin</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><em><br /></em></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rsoj9gryERQ/TgRzZ3hkbqI/AAAAAAAAAOg/9MnZMoNGK2g/s1600/dancing_in_the_rain1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rsoj9gryERQ/TgRzZ3hkbqI/AAAAAAAAAOg/9MnZMoNGK2g/s320/dancing_in_the_rain1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621745123103895202" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One of the things I've had to get used to living in the UK is the complete lack of summer. Well, maybe not a co<span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mplete</span> </span>lack, but there sure isn't much of it. We had a couple weeks of gorgeous weather last month and now the rain gods are paying us back big time.<br /><br />Never mind. At least it's an excuse to curl up with a good book and some hot cocoa. I also find rainy days very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">conducive</span> to writing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-family:georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;" >We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lU4tho16qmA/TgSOJYWtQzI/AAAAAAAAAOo/STzspeWpUgA/s1600/samba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lU4tho16qmA/TgSOJYWtQzI/AAAAAAAAAOo/STzspeWpUgA/s320/samba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621774526672880434" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Great picture of me, huh?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bwahahaha</span>!!! Yeah, I know. Totally <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>me. Put me in a Brazilian samba club and I stick out like a sore thumb. But not because I can't dance. I can dance, baby! Boy, can I dance. ;-)<br /><br />Last night I went dancing with my work peeps. Sort of a good-bye to one of the girls who is headed back to Brazil. I haven't been dancing in ages and it was so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">invigorating</span>. When you spend so much time hunched over a keyboard, locked inside the ravings of your own lunatic mind, it's good to get out and get your groove <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">thang</span> on.<br /><br />Or maybe that's just me. But I highly recommend a good old booty shake from time to time. Just to shake up the creative juices.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Books are a uniquely portable magic. <span style="font-style: italic;">~ Stephen King</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2yG1B4FMA0/TgSP16hrulI/AAAAAAAAAOw/tGWDlYGHTN4/s1600/magic_book_by_caglarcity.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2yG1B4FMA0/TgSP16hrulI/AAAAAAAAAOw/tGWDlYGHTN4/s320/magic_book_by_caglarcity.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621776391271594578" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This week I've been reading Stephen King's On Writing. I think it should be a must read for any writer or aspiring writer. Heck, even if you have no interest in writing, it's still a great read. Part autobiography and part how-to, it read just like one of his novels. I'm a little over a third of the way through.<br /><br />I also finished Janet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Evanovich's</span> latest installment in her Stephanie Plum series: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Smokin</span>' Seventeen. Hilarious as ever.<br /><br />I was reading indie author <a href="http://www.theresaragan.com/">Theresa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ragan's</span></a> novel A Knight in Central Park before I got sidetracked by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Evanovich</span>. Before I get back to it, I thought I'd enjoy a quick read, so I downloaded a novella by <a href="http://mariytasmusings.blogspot.com/">Samantha Warren</a>. It's the first in her Vampire Assassin series. I read more than half of it during my lunch break and will probably finish the rest on my ride home. It's a great read for a great price.<br /><br />And speaking of Samantha, let me tell you a little story about WHY I bought her novella. Just in case you were wondering?<br /><br />Us indie authors (and I imagine authors in general) often wonder how to promote our books. As a reader, I don't think I had any real awareness of just how hard it is to do. But as both reader and writer I do know that slapping your book (literally or figuratively) in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">someone's</span> face and screaming "Read my book!" isn't the way to do it.<br /><br />Samantha didn't do that. Instead she responded to a Tweet I made. I responded back. We had a "brief" conversation that had nothing to do with either of our novels and everything to do with reading, movies, and Firefly.<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGxpMbfDpz4/TgSR_4nqGKI/AAAAAAAAAO4/ehusukG2DWo/s1600/firefly_mmo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGxpMbfDpz4/TgSR_4nqGKI/AAAAAAAAAO4/ehusukG2DWo/s320/firefly_mmo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621778761581729954" border="0" /></a><br />Yeah, baby! That's what <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">talkin</span>' about! But I digress...<br /><br />The point is that the awesome Samantha made an effort to <span style="font-style: italic;">connect </span>with me. As a person and as a fellow lover of books. And that made me want to read <span style="font-style: italic;">her </span>books. So I headed over to Amazon and downloaded one then and there.<br /><br />This is how to market, people. Not with slick, shiny, in-your-face ads, but with <span style="font-style: italic;">connections.</span> Conversation. If you want to know more about effective Twittering and Sacred Cow Tipping, I highly recommend checking out <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/">Kristen Lamb's</a> blog. You'll thank me later.<br /><br /><br />Now how about YOU? What have you been reading this week?<br /><br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><em></em></span></div></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-31389027184253804252011-06-22T16:23:00.008+01:002011-06-22T16:46:17.477+01:00Weird Wednesday: The Weirdo Magnet Meets Dead Sexy<span style="font-style: italic;">You can also read and comment on this post over at my </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/weird-wednesday-the-weirdo-magnet-meets-dead-sexy/">Wordpress site</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPYhFsfbRCU/TgIKLzWmqbI/AAAAAAAAAN4/pvTMhGHQw0c/s1600/magnet.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 115px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPYhFsfbRCU/TgIKLzWmqbI/AAAAAAAAAN4/pvTMhGHQw0c/s320/magnet.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066482791655858" border="0" /></a><p>It's a well known fact in certain circles that I am in possession of a Weirdo Magnet. I attract random human weirdness like a cow pie attracts flies. Something I have in common with the main character of my novel, Morgan Bailey.</p><p>Like most people, I collect certain things. I collect teacups, Christmas ornaments, books, ex-husbands and stalkers.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BUtbvs2vT8o/TgIKfom0B4I/AAAAAAAAAOA/SLCwCVQUFEs/s1600/teacup-stack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 89px; height: 115px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BUtbvs2vT8o/TgIKfom0B4I/AAAAAAAAAOA/SLCwCVQUFEs/s320/teacup-stack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066823504234370" border="0" /></a><br />Oh, yes, my Weirdo Magnet is fully charged and working just fine. Let me give you an example.<br /><br />This was probably about a year and a half ago, I was waiting at the bus stop after work with my nose in a book, as usual. I got on the bus and rode to my stop, as usual. I got off the bus and cut through the shopping centre on the way home, as usual. What was not usual was that I found myself suddenly with a walking companion. One who started chattering away at me with an accent so thick that I only understood about every fourth word.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pc3ifnks88k/TgILAbkkFPI/AAAAAAAAAOI/2wO9Q7ORDx8/s1600/london-red-bus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 216px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pc3ifnks88k/TgILAbkkFPI/AAAAAAAAAOI/2wO9Q7ORDx8/s320/london-red-bus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621067386940822770" border="0" /></a><br />He must have rambled on for a good fifteen minutes, of which I caught only a fraction. I would have thought my eyes glazing over would have shut him down, but no. The gist of his monologue was something to do with my appearance. I'm pretty sure he found it attractive. Though I'm not entirely sure since there was mention of "lots of other women". He also repeated over and over that he didn't know me. Obviously a genius of some renown.<br /><br />It really got weird when he started telling me how he'd <em>followed me on the freaking bus!</em> That's right, he lived in an entirely different area of the city (London is pretty substantial.), yet not only did he follow me onto the bus, he followed me OFF the bus. So he could talk to me.<br /><br />Right. Because following a complete stranger around the city is so dead sexy.<br /><br />We'd just spent 20 minutes on the same bus. There was even an empty space next to me, yet instead of approaching me on the bus where I might have felt safe, he pretty much stalked me through the shopping mall. He would probably have even followed me to my home (I got the feeling that was his intention.), but I refused to budge from the shopping centre. I may be in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">possession</span> of a giant Weirdo Magnet, but I'm not stupid.<br /><br />When he started rambling about meeting up, I knew I was in trouble. I got the distinct feeling this guy would not take "no" for an answer. Now I'm not one to use the fake boyfriend for an excuse to get away from a guy, but at that moment instinct was screaming VERY loudly. So, I lied. Sort of.<br /><br />"I'm married!" I blurted out. It wasn't exactly a lie. I've collected more than one husband in my time. Unfortunately, he wasn't phased. He just started mumbling something about "divorce" and "separation". I think he wanted wait listed or something. There was also frequent mention of him living in another part of town. Apparently, this makes it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OK</span> to cheat on imaginary husbands.<br /><br />I assured him my husband would not appreciate me meeting with him in any capacity. Thanked him nicely, told him I was flattered, but made it very clear that... HELL NO!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />He was angry. That much was obvious. Fortunately I'd had the brains to stay inside the mall very close to where all the security guards hang out.</p><p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6clItGIEWw/TgILTMWY7jI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/lO8aFI0GI84/s1600/bouncers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 145px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6clItGIEWw/TgILTMWY7jI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/lO8aFI0GI84/s320/bouncers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621067709272354354" border="0" /></a><br />I still double checked several times on my way home to make sure I wasn't followed.<br /><br />Just a suggestion. If you think a girl is hot and want to ask her out, stalking her may not be the best idea. It ain't sexy. Actually, it's kinda creepy. </p><p>Of course, my Giant Weirdo Magnet makes for some good stories. In fact, stories of the weirdos met during my attempt at online dating inspired one of my favorite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BwHJ2os_MKU/TgIL0wn92eI/AAAAAAAAAOY/viQkT6EyWTw/s1600/knight%2527s%2Btale.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 127px; height: 190px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BwHJ2os_MKU/TgIL0wn92eI/AAAAAAAAAOY/viQkT6EyWTw/s320/knight%2527s%2Btale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068285945436642" border="0" /></a> scenes in <em>Kissed by Darkness</em>: Morgan's blind date. I had a lot of fun writing the scene and it was really quite cathartic. </p><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Chaucer</span> was right; payback in fiction is so much fun.<br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-38121528130070822122011-06-21T07:33:00.015+01:002011-06-21T19:24:25.056+01:00Get Your Party On!It's finally here!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMnRb9ZpupM/TgB3TN0Lh-I/AAAAAAAAANo/q1f7EIWByg0/s1600/Devil%2Bcolony.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMnRb9ZpupM/TgB3TN0Lh-I/AAAAAAAAANo/q1f7EIWByg0/s320/Devil%2Bcolony.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620623506968119266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's party time, people! And this dude is here to make sure you have a good time:<div><br /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME~1/uka3/LOCALS~1/Temp/moz-screenshot-17.png" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LrLQCkJjL5w/TgByZn3_rPI/AAAAAAAAANA/ygKpFZx04vo/s1600/Tasmanian%2BDevil.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LrLQCkJjL5w/TgByZn3_rPI/AAAAAAAAANA/ygKpFZx04vo/s320/Tasmanian%2BDevil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620618119484517618" border="0" /></a><br />So get your party hats on:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKG6QmeTr00/TgBziSgeJ4I/AAAAAAAAANQ/J--oLrvuLds/s1600/cat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rKG6QmeTr00/TgBziSgeJ4I/AAAAAAAAANQ/J--oLrvuLds/s320/cat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620619367879157634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some music to set the mood:</div><div><br /><div><iframe src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xo77a" width="480" frameborder="0" height="327"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xo77a_devil-went-down-to-georgia-the_music" target="_blank">Devil Went Down To Georgia, The</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/DarKwon" target="_blank">DarKwon</a></i></div><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME~1/uka3/LOCALS~1/Temp/moz-screenshot-18.png" alt="" /><div><br />Have a drinkie:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DAO00hbgZko/TgBzBbNZfpI/AAAAAAAAANI/aWR78rjhodQ/s1600/cocktail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DAO00hbgZko/TgBzBbNZfpI/AAAAAAAAANI/aWR78rjhodQ/s320/cocktail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620618803279396498" border="0" /></a><br />There's more than enough Devil's Food Cake to go around. Help yourself!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLgEUBonbAg/TgB1J8YgvPI/AAAAAAAAANY/FSabf2u7phI/s1600/cake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 265px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLgEUBonbAg/TgB1J8YgvPI/AAAAAAAAANY/FSabf2u7phI/s320/cake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620621148646587634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I first met James Rollins five years ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, not literally. I wish (Fan girl SQUEE!)<br /><br />I'd just moved to the UK and had hit the local library desperate for something to read. I'd recently discovered thrillers, thanks to Dan Brown, and I wanted something similar. Something with lots of action and excitement, a mystery, some history, maybe a little science.<br /><br />I got all that and a bag of chips.<br /><br />For there, on the library shelf was a book called Sandstorm by this Rollins guy. Explosions, lost cities, clandestine organizations, mysticism, legend, and quite possibly the end of the world. What's not to like?<br /><br />Let me tell you, I was hooked. I've bought and read every single James Rollins book since. (Okay, I might have checked out one or two from the library, but I bought most of them.) I've also been stalking him for quite some time on Facebook and Twitter, but we won't talk about that.... Ahem.<br /><br />Why do I love Rollins's books so very much? Uh....<br /><br />I'm rubbish at the whole dissection of writing thing, but it boils down to this:<br /><ul><li>Characters I care about.</li><li>Fast paced action that never sacrifices plot.</li><li>Really cool and obscure history and science which some baddie is trying to use for nefarious purposes.</li><li>Twists and turns I never see coming.</li></ul>And now the devilish man is taunting me with yet another delicious installment in his SIGMA Force series:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuYH2mqyMy0/TgB3Szp8VeI/AAAAAAAAANg/WIuAwNEB00k/s1600/book.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 208px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuYH2mqyMy0/TgB3Szp8VeI/AAAAAAAAANg/WIuAwNEB00k/s320/book.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620623499945858530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />James Rollins talks devilish secrets:</div><div><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7TEvH86pbQo" allowfullscreen="" width="560" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /><br /></div><div>The Devil Colony is available TODAY in the<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Colony-Sigma-Force-Novel/dp/0061784788/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308680317&sr=8-1"> USA</a>. In the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Devil-Colony-James-Rollins/dp/1409108317/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308680364&sr=8-1">UK</a>, Amazon will let you pre-order the hardback. No ebook available yet in the UK, but let's hope it comes out soon. I'm running out of room on my Rollins shelf...<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuYH2mqyMy0/TgB3Szp8VeI/AAAAAAAAANg/WIuAwNEB00k/s1600/book.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 208px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuYH2mqyMy0/TgB3Szp8VeI/AAAAAAAAANg/WIuAwNEB00k/s320/book.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620623499945858530" border="0" /></a><br />The party doesn't stop here, people. Join in the fun on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/saved-search/%23DevilColony">#DevilColony</a> all day where James Rollins may just pop by to say hello.<br /><br />The party continues:<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><ol id="trackbacks" style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 18px; "><li id="comment-8776" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://educlaytion.com/2011/06/17/james-rollins/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">James Rollins Parties with Taco Sea Nags! « EduClaytion</a></li><li id="comment-8782" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/devilish-fun-a-worldwide-book-launch-party/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Devilish Fun…A Worldwide Book Launch Party! | Writers In The Storm Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8787" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/friday-devils-playground-the-key-to-man-speak/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Friday Devil’s Playground: The Key To “Man-Speak” and a Devilish Party | Jenny Hansen's Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8805" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://genelempp.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/the-devils-treasures-james-rollins/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">The Devil’s Treasures – James Rollins « Gene Lempp's Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8810" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://sheamacleod.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/dance-with-the-devil-in-the-pale-moonlight-or-its-a-party-and-youre-invited/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Dance With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight or It’s A Party and You’re Invited! | Shéa MacLeod – Author</a></li><li id="comment-8811" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://ironicmom.com/2011/06/18/james-rollins/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Swooning, Devil Author, Twitter Parties, and James Rollins | Leanne Shirtliffe ~ Ironic Mom</a></li><li id="comment-8821" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/do-you-have-a-devilish-soundtrack-for-your-launch-party/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Do You Have A Devilish Soundtrack For Your Launch Party? | Jenny Hansen's Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8836" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://wordbitches.com/2011/06/20/james-rollins/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Swooning, the Devil, and Twitter (Cross-post) | Wordbitches</a></li><li id="comment-8837" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://amandabozeman.com/2011/06/20/tuesday-plans/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Tuesday Plans | Amanda Bozeman</a></li><li id="comment-8839" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/what-star-trek-can-teach-us-about-great-writing/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">What Star Trek Can Teach Us About Great Writing « Kristen Lamb's Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8867" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://doingthewritething.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/silver-screen-wishes-and-movie-theater-dreams/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Silver Screen Wishes and Movie Theater Dreams | Sonia G Medeiros</a></li><li id="comment-8896" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/unleashing-our-devilry-throughout-the-blogosphere/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">The Devil’s Playground: Unleashing Our Devilry Throughout the Blogosphere | Jenny Hansen's Blog</a></li><li id="comment-8898" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2em; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-position: outside; "><a href="http://bridgettebooth.com/2011/06/21/worldwide-twitter-book-launch/" rel="external nofollow" class="url" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(32, 163, 202); text-decoration: underline; ">Worldwide Twitter Book Launch! | Bridgette Booth</a></li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span></div></span></div></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-18736658769190025642011-06-20T15:14:00.002+01:002011-06-20T15:16:26.765+01:00Everything I Know I Learned From Star Trek<!-- .entry-meta --> <p>I’m in the midst of re-reading my novel to catch any last minute errors before shooting it off to the formatter. (Egads!) So, I’m a little short on time. But I wanted to share this BRILLIANT post from Kristen Lamb (Whose book We Are Not Alone is a MUST read for any indie writer.) on what we can learn about writing from Star Trek. </p> <p>Enjoy!<br /></p><blockquote cite="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" style="overflow: hidden;"> <p><a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" title="Kristen Lamb's Blog"><img src="http://warriorwriters.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/kirk.jpg?w=150&h=100&h=100" alt="What Star Trek Can Teach Us About Great Writing" class="align-left thumbnail alignleft left" style="max-width: 100%;" width="150" height="100" /></a> Happy Monday! Last week, we picked on the poor Star Wars prequels. What went wrong? Better yet, what lessons can we, as writers, take away from some serious storytelling blunders? If you missed this discussion, go here, and check out the comments. Some people way smarter than me stopped by, that's for certain. So, this week, I decided that this piece I wrote about STAR TREK last year might be a nice follow-up to the Star Wars piece from last week … <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" title="Kristen Lamb's Blog">Read More</a></p> </blockquote> <p><small>via <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" title="Kristen Lamb's Blog">Kristen Lamb's Blog</a></small></p><p><br /></p><p><small><a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" title="Kristen Lamb's Blog"></a></small></p><div><br /></div><small><a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/?p=3814" title="Kristen Lamb's Blog"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oM_SxzjKjIk/TfzKGjVuR4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/s3xdjP5bJec/s320/JR%2Brelease.png" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619588648965916546" border="0" /></a><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><br /></small>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-53342755132730153912011-06-18T16:49:00.006+01:002011-06-18T17:13:08.521+01:00Dance With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight or It's A Party and You're Invited!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM9SRx0WznA/TfzJSjfB92I/AAAAAAAAAMw/UKDiqBgUL7w/s320/party.gif" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619587755651757922" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Get your party hats on! Well, not quite yet. You can wait. Until Tuesday. THEN you can break out your party hats.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Because we are joining in the fun. Tuesday 21 June, the fabulous <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/dance-with-the-devil-fear-and-the-biggest-party-ever/">Kristen Lamb</a> is throwing quite possibly the biggest launch party EVER for the incredibly talented James Rollins. Kristen and I are both major fan girls. It's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">embarrassing</span>. But what can you do?</div><div><br /></div><div>I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to join in on the fun!</div><div><br /></div><div>The party theme? Devil. Which is appropriate since the new book is called The Devil Colony.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://www.annemhairisimpson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/devil-colony-james-rollins-hardcover-cover-art-198x300.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wear a devil costume. Eat some deviled eggs. Or better yet, some Devil's Food Cake </div><div style="text-align: left;">(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Nom</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nom</span>!). Wear a silly costume. Or dress your dog in a silly costume. Take pictures, post pictures. Listen to "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" at least a hundred times. Let's make this the biggest, coolest (er, warmest?) party EVER!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://www.devilgirl.com/images/devilgirl_0026.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most importantly, join us on Twitter at #<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DevilColony</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">hashtag</span>. Why? Because it'll be fun. Not good enough? Fine. How about this?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">James Rollins himself will be popping in to say "hey". </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE</span>!!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">OMG</span>, I just had another fan girl moment. (Blushes in shame.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the day I'll be doing a post on how I discovered the Sigma Force books and why I like them so much. There will be virtual champagne. I'll be sharing lots of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">linky</span> goodness to other virtual parties around the world. I might even dress up. (Do pajamas count?)</div><div><br /></div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oM_SxzjKjIk/TfzKGjVuR4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/s3xdjP5bJec/s320/JR%2Brelease.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619588648965916546" /><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-23648090525285186222011-06-17T10:44:00.010+01:002011-06-17T11:13:15.592+01:00TGIF, Baby!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--JFKyGjbOvM/TfsifZR7lPI/AAAAAAAAAMY/LJlKXVWLKKo/s1600/snoopy_happy_dance.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 127px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--JFKyGjbOvM/TfsifZR7lPI/AAAAAAAAAMY/LJlKXVWLKKo/s200/snoopy_happy_dance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619122882832209138" border="0" /></a><br />It's Friday!!!! (I shall pause to give you time for the Snoopy Dance.)<br /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME%7E1/uka3/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-16.png" alt="" /><br />Feel better? I sure do!<br /><br />Now, to business ...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Follow Friday (#FF)</span><br /><br />Today is the dreaded Follow Friday over on Twitter. For you Twitter Virgins, Follow Friday is the oppotunity to tell the world who you think they should follow on Twitter. Which is a great idea, except that it usually involves my feed getting clogged up with message after message containing nothing but strings of @soandso. Ugh.<br /><br />Worst of all? I'm guilty of doing the SAME thing!<br /><br />So imagine my thrill when I stumbled acrossed a post by <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/twitter-tuesday-19-ah-the-dreaded-follow-friday/">Kristen Lamb</a> on this very issue!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday Book Club<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_Dp_jTHKH0/TfskQ7CEiiI/AAAAAAAAAMg/7nTVpVfD1pY/s1600/Nightfall_Ellen_Connor.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 105px; height: 157px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_Dp_jTHKH0/TfskQ7CEiiI/AAAAAAAAAMg/7nTVpVfD1pY/s200/Nightfall_Ellen_Connor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619124833217710626" border="0" /></a>I haven't done Friday Book Club in awhile. Bad me! To be honest, I keep forgetting. (Rolls eyes at self.)<br /><br />This week I've been reading Nightfall, the awesome new post-apocalyptic romantic advnture (with magic!) by <a href="http://ellenconnor.com/">Ellen Connor</a>.<br /><br />And who is this Ellen Connor, you might ask? It's the psuedonym for the fantabulous writing pair, Carrie Lofty and<a href="http://www.annaguirre.com/"> Ann Aguirre</a>. (What am I? A poet? Geez.) I've never read anything by Carrie Lofty, but I'm a big fan of Ann Aguirre's. Also I love tales of the apocalypse sooo much it's weird. I was really looking forward to this novel and it hasn't disappointed. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What I'm Doing This Friday<br /><br /></span>Last night I finished an epic round of edits on Kissed by Darkness. Now it's back with my fabulous editor, Lauren, for a final once over. Then it's off to the formatter. God willin' and the sky don't fall, I'll be able to upload it on the 30th. Yeehaw! The first of the Sunwalker Saga will be let loose on the world.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-804utYxtAuU/Tfsl_7BrCxI/AAAAAAAAAMo/aC98PyAIE-0/s1600/cc%2Bbar%2B-%2Bmango%2Bmojito-w.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 109px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-804utYxtAuU/Tfsl_7BrCxI/AAAAAAAAAMo/aC98PyAIE-0/s200/cc%2Bbar%2B-%2Bmango%2Bmojito-w.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619126740181519122" border="0" /></a><br />Which means it's PARTY TIME!<br /><br />I need a break. Seriously. So tonight no writing, no rewriting, no edits. I'm headed out with my soul sistah Sheena for some tasty beverages and girly gossip in London town. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a Friday night and celebrate another milestone on my road to publishing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunwalker Press<br /><br /></span>And speaking of Sunwalkers, I've decided to publish under the publishing name Sunwalker Press. There are a lot of reasons for this (Expounded by indie publishing giants <a href="http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/">Dean Wesley Smith</a> and <a href="http://write2publish.blogspot.com/">Robin Sullivan</a>. You can read more about it on their blogs.) having to do with good business practices. And I thought "Sunwalker Press" sounded rather nice.<br /><br />How about you?<br /><br />What have you been reading and enjoying this week?<br /><br />And how are you celebrating another Fabulous Friday?<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><br /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME%7E1/uka3/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-14.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME%7E1/uka3/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-15.png" alt="" /><br /><br /></span>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-73316767460794976862011-06-16T11:10:00.004+01:002011-06-16T11:24:18.498+01:00Spotlight: Modern Witches and Matchmakers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2kvGvXGjn-s/TfnYM31bRII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/prgXFSdV8FI/s1600/match.jpg"></a>Today I'm spotlighting the novels of indie author<a href="http://www.deborageary.com/"> Debora Geary</a>.<br /><br />I've followed Debora's posts on the Kindle Boards for awhile now, and she's a really cool lady. Recently she quit her job to write full time, which was AWESOME (and I'm totally jealous).<br /><br />Debora currently has three books out:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2kvGvXGjn-s/TfnYM31bRII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/prgXFSdV8FI/s1600/match.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2kvGvXGjn-s/TfnYM31bRII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/prgXFSdV8FI/s320/match.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618759725779469442" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Can Mick find love for her </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Losers</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> and love for herself? Humorous romance with a chick-lit feel.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Gotta love a matchmaker.</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"></span></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Phe9oxOlSE/TfnYMgndgBI/AAAAAAAAAMI/DCXWUveCSSA/s1600/love.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Phe9oxOlSE/TfnYMgndgBI/AAAAAAAAAMI/DCXWUveCSSA/s320/love.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618759719546880018" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Jake thought he was rescuing a juvenile delinquent witch… Light romance with a little magic.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dear Lord, I hope she's not a juvenile!</span><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h20pRM_5CyY/TfnYMeHjqiI/AAAAAAAAAMA/pL60Gh2iZqY/s1600/Modern.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h20pRM_5CyY/TfnYMeHjqiI/AAAAAAAAAMA/pL60Gh2iZqY/s320/Modern.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618759718876195362" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Spellcoding witches, ice cream, and irresistible characters. Light fantasy with a </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">good dose of love and laughter.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have no idea what "spellcoding" is, but it sounds interesting.</span><br /><br />Yesterday I bought all three books. I swear, owning a Kindle is dangerous! I haven't read them yet, obviously, but if Debora writes anything like her posts on KB, these will be a fun read.<br /><br />You can find Debora Geary's Amazon page <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3ADebora+Geary&keywords=Debora+Geary&ie=UTF8&qid=1308219103&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B004OA1RVS">here</a>.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><br /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME%7E1/uka3/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-14.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///D:/DOCUME%7E1/uka3/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-15.png" alt="" />Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-87059074414956155312011-06-15T15:39:00.005+01:002011-06-15T15:57:01.081+01:00Weird Things Americans SayHaving my first book edited has pretty much brought home the fact that my linguistic abilities are seriously messed up.<br /><br />I blame the British.<br /><br />With thei<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1kxXwJz7138/TfjExLUCQ-I/AAAAAAAAALw/eJAR60LOjiQ/s1600/Jolly%2BGood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 141px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1kxXwJz7138/TfjExLUCQ-I/AAAAAAAAALw/eJAR60LOjiQ/s200/Jolly%2BGood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618456884274152418" border="0" /></a>r weird grammar and random additions of vowels, it's not surprising I've lost the plot. Which means, uh, gone a little mad. My poor editor...<br /><br /> <div class="post-body"> But since I have complained about the British and their odd grammar habits, I think it only fair that I point out a few of OUR odd habits. Especially the rather strange things we say.<br /><br />For instance, one day in conversation I referred to something as a doohicky. Now, any self-respecting red-blooded American knows <em>exactly </em>what a doohicky is. No explanation needed. However, it is completely foreign to the British ear. The poor man looked completely baffled. "Doohicky?" he repeated, as if not quite sure he'd heard me right. "Whatever is a doohicky?"<br /><br />How to explain a doohicky? "Ummm..." I began (most intelligently), "it's a doodad." More bafflement. "A thingamajig. A thingy. A whatsit." I think he finally got it, but I'm not really sure. Hopefully he didn't think it was anything dirty. That would have been embarrassing.<br /><br />The second odd thing Americans say isn't really something most Americans say at all. It's something my soul sister Sheena started and which proud tradition I have continued. When surprised by something, rather than saying the typical, "Oh, my gosh," one says, "Oh, Mylanta!" British friends have found this odd. Probably because they don't actually know what Mylanta is until I explain it. Which makes it much less funny.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GThJ8gNcD_A/TfjE2htBloI/AAAAAAAAAL4/5bjIdYQlJ74/s1600/toodlepip_logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 72px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GThJ8gNcD_A/TfjE2htBloI/AAAAAAAAAL4/5bjIdYQlJ74/s320/toodlepip_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618456976183891586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of my more embarrassing moments happened shortly after moving to London. I was in a conversation with a group of people and commented that I needed to stop fannying about and get with the program. Admittedly, this is not a particularly common phrase even in the good old USA, but it raised quite a few eyebrows. Fanny means something entirely different in British. Something entirely rude, I might add.<br /><br />The first time I asked for toilet paper, no one knew what on earth I was talking about. Despite the fact that "toilet paper" was written in big letters over the paper products aisle at the grocery store. I know better now. I ask for "toilet roll". Or if I'm feeling posh, it's "loo roll".<br /><br />The way I pronounce towns sends everyone into either fits of giggles or ardent rapture. Evidently I make Doncaster sound exotic. Which takes some doing as I've been to Doncaster and it's far from exotic. They've also decided Seattle sounds better when I say it, too. Naturally. I know how to say it properly.<br /><br />I want to take this moment to let all my American readers know that I have yet to hear a British person use the word "smashing" as an exclamation except as a joke. No one under 80 says "jolly good" or "toodle pip". And they still laugh at me every time I say "awesome".<br /><br />How about you? Any funny words or phrases from your neck of the woods? I promise not to laugh. Much.<br /><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-79960078155337218092011-06-12T13:18:00.007+01:002011-06-13T12:09:51.410+01:00Inspiration's All Around Me...<div>I'm often asked where I get my inspiration for the stories and characters I write. If you're a writer, you understand that's pretty much an impossible question to answer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Inspiration is all around us, inside us. And it's usually not one thing that inspires a story or a character, it's a thousand little things that snowball into a germ of an idea which grows into something incredibly fantastic. Something we have to write about.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's what it is for me, anyway. I can't point to a single instance and say "That inspired Morgan Bailey." What I can do is show you the places that make up Morgan Bailey's world...</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm originally from Portland, Oregon. Portland is an amazing city, full of the wonderful and weird. It felt natural to make it Morgan's home, too. I decided that if I was going to use a real city, I was going to use real places, too. At least as much as possible. Some places are obviously made up. Fringe, unfortunately, doesn't exist. But there are plenty of places that do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take this building, for instance... </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPCXywLzrd8/TfSvX5VC0tI/AAAAAAAAALo/t5_lyzciVOU/s1600/The%2BAgency.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPCXywLzrd8/TfSvX5VC0tI/AAAAAAAAALo/t5_lyzciVOU/s320/The%2BAgency.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307460298789586" border="0" /></a>This building inspired the detective agency where Morgan works and which her best friend, Kabita Jones, owns. I think the real building is a cafe or something, but that's the beautiful thing about imagination. It's now an the location for an undercover monster hunting operation. Oh, yeah, baby!<div><br /></div><div>How about this one:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFDlN_JEh4A/TfSvSZF_vvI/AAAAAAAAALg/NO9wbZBbUtE/s1600/Eddie%2527s%2Bshop%2B-%2BMajicks%2Band%2BPotions.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFDlN_JEh4A/TfSvSZF_vvI/AAAAAAAAALg/NO9wbZBbUtE/s320/Eddie%2527s%2Bshop%2B-%2BMajicks%2Band%2BPotions.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307365746392818" border="0" /></a>Funky, no? </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a real shop in Portland called The Third Eye. They sell everything from incense and die-dye t-shirts to tarot cards and crystals. It's pretty obvious it inspired the occult bookstore Majicks and Potions owned by Eddie Mulligan. </div><div><br /></div><div>Morgan's favorite coffee shop is Common Grounds. Guess what, it's my favorite coffee shop in Portland, too. Yes, it's real and yes, the coffee is fantastic. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aro0zIyjI64/TfSvSMVjQ_I/AAAAAAAAALY/DVIBJX77Coo/s1600/Common%2BGrounds%2BCoffee%2BShop.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aro0zIyjI64/TfSvSMVjQ_I/AAAAAAAAALY/DVIBJX77Coo/s320/Common%2BGrounds%2BCoffee%2BShop.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307362321974258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ04efjvn-8/TfSvRpO90OI/AAAAAAAAALQ/r8vVi7X2qcU/s1600/Common%2BGrounds%2Bindoors.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ04efjvn-8/TfSvRpO90OI/AAAAAAAAALQ/r8vVi7X2qcU/s320/Common%2BGrounds%2Bindoors.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307352899113186" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Morgan likes to hunt on the ground of the Pittock Mansion. Bet the Historical Society would be surprised it's a hunting ground favorite by vampires. They would probably NOT be surprised to find out it's a lover's lane of sorts.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQBZkSg3eMo/TfSvRdO5NHI/AAAAAAAAALI/3j1wITBhmPE/s1600/Pittock%2BMansion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQBZkSg3eMo/TfSvRdO5NHI/AAAAAAAAALI/3j1wITBhmPE/s320/Pittock%2BMansion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307349677585522" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Growing up in this city with this view, how could I NOT be inspired?</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoUEFMqW_wU/TfSvRBTKfkI/AAAAAAAAALA/2XmCJK-T8OE/s1600/View%2Bof%2BPortland%2Bfrom%2BPittock%2BMansion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hoUEFMqW_wU/TfSvRBTKfkI/AAAAAAAAALA/2XmCJK-T8OE/s320/View%2Bof%2BPortland%2Bfrom%2BPittock%2BMansion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617307342179302978" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>What places inspire you? </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-84195879649246792302011-06-12T11:22:00.005+01:002011-06-12T11:30:02.645+01:00Sample Sunday: Kissed by Darkness Chapter 3c<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; ">Stayed tuned later today for an interview with author Norah Wilson. In the meantime, please enjoy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; ">another chunk from my upcoming urban fantasy novel, Kissed by Darkness. If you've missed my previous Sample S</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; ">unda</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; ">y postings, you can find them here:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><div><br /></div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/p/kissed-by-darkness-sunwalker-saga.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">C</a><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/p/kissed-by-darkness-sunwalker-saga.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">hapter One</a></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">Chapter Two</a></div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness_29.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">Chapter Three</a><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness_29.html" style="text-decoration: none; "> (A</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/06/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness.html">Chapter Three (B)</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0wPKs5X46c/TetP5Zx-opI/AAAAAAAAAJg/SL-UfNi-5oQ/s320/Kissed%2Bby%2BDarkness_400x600.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Majicks and Potions was on the northeast side of town, sandwiched in between a used car lot and a burger joint.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was a ramshackle building with a huge Third Eye painted dead in the middle of the wall above the entrance and arcane symbols in day-glo colors scattered around the rest of it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It looked like it had barely survived an attack by spray paint.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The bell above the door jangled merrily as I entered the shop.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That, at least, was normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nothing else was.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Row upon row of shelves lined the room, jammed with crystals, colored glass bottles, bowls of candles, and gods knew what else.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The place reeked of incense and the stereo system was playing something I was pretty sure was a pan flute and wind chimes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe even a gong in there somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Chinese/Andes fusion gone horribly wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I like fusion music, but I wasn’t sure you could call this music.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I winced as a dulcimer was added to the mix.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The shop was otherwise empty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No customers and no Eddie.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not even a bell to ring for service, so I decided to wander.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a second room toward the back.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It, at least, looked somewhat normal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Books, mostly, and a few packs of tarot cards, some CDs, DVDs and other knick knacks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The books were all on various spiritual and magical topics.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I picked one up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Sex Majick: Majickal Spells and Potions for a Fulfilling Sex Life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></em><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Hmm. Now there was something that might come in handy, if I actually had someone to have a sex life with.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I slid the book back onto the shelf.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Maybe there was something in here about Sunwalkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Doubtful, but one never knew.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I quickly scanned the shelves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was an entire section on mythical creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Lots of stuff on vampires.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most of it utter rot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nothing at all on Sunwalkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Too bad.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">There were two doors along the wall to my right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I turned the knob on the first and pushed the door open carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Always good to know where the nearest toilets are.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">The second door led to a store room.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instead of the antique wood shelves out front, back here they were cheap metal and filled with boxes of unpacked goods.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a proper work desk stacked high with books and papers, nearly drowning a PC that looked at least 10 years out of date.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Still no Eddie.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was starting to get a little concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>People don’t just open up their shops and then leave.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So, either Eddie was bloody stupid, or something was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe he knew I was there and was hiding or something.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yeah, right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m so scary.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I gave myself a mental head slap.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I cleared my throat, “Ah, Mr. Mulligan?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Eddie Mulligan?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Cordelia Nightwing sent me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Eddie, are you here?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">A head popped down from the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I nearly let out a yelp.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fortunately for my sense of self-respect as a bad-ass-vampire-hunter, I held it back.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Oh, hey,” said the head, “Didn’t hear anyone come in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Cordy sent you, huh?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Haven’t seen her in awhile.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Crystal ball must be working a treat.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Be right down.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The head disappeared before being replaced by a pair of feet, followed by legs, and then the rest of what I presumed was Eddie Mulligan.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He dropped to the floor and turned to face me, dusting his hands off on his trouser legs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was short.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A good five inches shorter than me, and I’m not exactly tall.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A fringe of curly gray hair surrounded a cherubic face, set off with a burgundy bow tie at his throat, which unfortunately clashed with his mustard yellow vest and olive green pants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was either color blind, or he liked to make an impression.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Mr. Eddie Mulligan?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Yep, that’s me,” he said, holding out his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I took it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His grip was firm, but not hard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The grip of a man secure in himself and at one with the world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Cordelia was right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I could sense the gift in him as surely as I’d sensed it in her.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Eddie Mulligan was no ordinary human.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“So, how can I help you?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If Cordy sent you, it must be important,” he said, leading me out to the front of the shop.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“It is,” I assured him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I’m looking for… well, a Sunwalker.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was embarrassed to even say it out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He went utterly still for a moment, then let out a little laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Good one.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sunwalkers are extinct.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“So, they did exist then?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was on the right track, from the sound of things.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Oh, yes indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Once upon a time.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He waved me to the front counter before ducking behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Can you tell me about them?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">His gaze was sharp on me, measuring me, judging me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then with a little nod, he led me to the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>From behind the counter he lifted out a package, wrapped in silk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">He carefully unwrapped it to reveal an ancient book complete with leather cover and brass fittings.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was kind of what I always imagined the Doomsday book would have looked like.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“All right,” he said with a gentle smile, opening the cover, “Let’s see what this little baby has to say about your Sunwalkers.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He flipped through the pages, sending dust flying everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I sneezed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Oh, sorry,” he gave me an apologetic smile.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I don’t consult the book too often.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most people are more worried about your average, run of the mill vampires, werewolves, that sort of thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not much call for Sunwalker info.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I wondered just exactly what sort of clientele Eddie Mulligan catered to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was very rare that I ran across a civilian who knew such creatures were real.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One who wasn’t bat shit crazy, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Okay,” he stopped at a page with a sketch of a handsome, muscular man.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He looked human, but it was obvious he wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The fangs sort of gave it away.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“That’s a Sunwalker?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He looked suspiciously like the guy I’d dreamed about last night, the knight with the ocean eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Yes, indeed,” he grinned up at me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I noticed his eyes were a slight almond shape.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Might explain the huge section of books on Chinese folklore and dragons.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I really hoped I wouldn’t need his help with any dragons.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“What does it say?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">His fingers ran down the page.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“All right, according to legend, the Sunwalker is essentially a vampire that is able to withstand daylight.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew that much.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He continued, “It also says they are descendants of an ancient race that was destroyed long ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Does it say who they were?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The ancient race, I mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He shook his head.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“No, it says nothing about this ancient race.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Very interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I wonder…in any case, it says the last of the Sunwalkers was killed during the 1300s when the King of France slaughtered the Knights Templar.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I blinked.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That was not something I’d expected.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Excuse me?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did you say Knights Templar?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I swallowed hard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Surely my dream about the knight was just a coincidence.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Yes, apparently the Knights were in league with the Sunwalkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Protected them, something like that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The gods only know.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In any case, when the Templars were killed off, so were the Sunwalkers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not a single one has been seen in over 700 years.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He shut the book with a thump, sending up another dust cloud.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I sneezed again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“But I thought some of the Knights survived the Purge?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They certainly never mentioned Sunwalkers when they were talking about the Knights Templar in history class.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He shrugged and wrapped the book back up in its silk covering.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“That’s the rumor, but no one really knows.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was such a long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Records have been lost, truths have been covered up.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He frowned as he stuffed the book back under the counter.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I would have thought, though, that this book would tell the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It usually does.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His face brightened, “Then again, it has a mind of its own, most days.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Riiiiight.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Sure. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But theoretically, if some of the Knights Templar survived, a Sunwalker could have survived, too, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He gave me a rather shrewd look, “Theoretically, yes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If any Knights truly survived, it’s entirely possible a Sunwalker could have survived as well, though one would have thought that there would be rumors of such a thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“You don’t think he would have gone underground for 700 years?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I wouldn’t have thought so.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He grew thoughtful.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Then again, the bloodlust could have been disguised as a vampire attack, if Sunwalkers have such a thing as bloodlust.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And if he’d been careful not to turn anyone, then it would be less noticeable.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No one’s exactly sure how the Sunwalker ability was passed, or if it could be passed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some think they were an entirely different species from vampire, though the book says otherwise.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I sighed, “Right, so how do I find this guy, if he exists?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Look up Sunwalkers in the yellow pages?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Take out an ad in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Oregonian, </i>better yet, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Willamette Week</i>?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I named the two biggest newspapers in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Portland</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He threw his head back and laughter spilled in waves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was almost a magic to it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Certainly nicer on the ears that whatever he was playing on the stereo.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Now that would be interesting, but no, I don’t think it works that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“What then?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He stroked his lower lip, “Well, you obviously won’t be able to count on the usual vampire haunts, seeing as how, if he exists, he can walk around in daylight.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This guy really knew how to state the obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Your idea might not be that bad after all.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“What, taking an ad?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He chuckled, “Maybe not that exactly, but something similar.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Imagine you are an ancient, mythical creature that’s been able to hide out for centuries without detection. Then some nosy person comes along and starts blabbing all over about looking for you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You might get a little nervous that her investigation would be heard about in certain circles, putting your very existence in jeopardy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What would you do about it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">“Shut her up.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">He grinned, “Exactly. “<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Great.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was about to go out and seriously piss off a centuries old Sunwalker.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yay, me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span><p></p></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><br /></div></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-86840447090603932792011-06-10T17:22:00.005+01:002011-06-11T19:46:24.561+01:00Review: Flashing Fashion<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-69SQpvukaLQ/TfO1Zie2QgI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/D9k9qKYmtDk/s1600/Flashing%2BFashion%2BQueen.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; ">Title: The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen (A Dix Dodd Mystery)</span></a><div><div>Author: N.L. Wilson</div><div>Genre: Mystery</div><div>Format: ebook</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>A</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_CuzevvjYs/TfO1j-NVkiI/AAAAAAAAAKA/D0_aXAN2Mcw/s200/Flashing%2BFashion%2BQueen.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617032789860127266" /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; ">Description:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; ">Tired of getting no respect at the big P.I. firm where she’s worked for years, Dix Dodd has hung out her own shingle at the ripe age of 40. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; ">There are plenty of cheating husbands to go around, and Dix has a knack for busting them. Problem is, it doesn’t always pay so well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; ">Things start looking up when Dix is hired by millionaire businessman Ned Weatherby’s wife Jennifer, to tail Ned 24/7 for a week, for a cool ten grand. Easy-peasy, right? Wrong! The job lands Dix in the middle of a murder investigation – with her as the prime suspect and her arch-enemy Detective Richard Head (a.k.a., Dickhead) gunning for her. Dix will need all her ingenuity, as well as the help of her oddball cast of supporters to extricate herself from this one.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">This book was actually referred to me by one of my favorite authors, Joss Ware (aka Colleen Gleason). She tweeted at me. Which was cool. So I thought I'd check it out. I wasn't disappointed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">I found The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen to be a really fun, fast read. Quite a few times I was laughing out loud. On the tube. Which earned me plenty of funny looks. Fortunately I'm used to it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Dix is smart, funny, sassy, and sexy (when she hasn't been living out of her car for a week while on a stakeout). Really looking forward to the next in the series. If you like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, you'll love Dix Dodd.</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>I'll be doing an interview with the author, Norah Wilson, tomorrow. Stay tuned!</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-Flashing-Fashion-Queen-ebook/dp/B004XT6L8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1307817136&sr=8-1">Amazon UK</a></span></div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Case-Flashing-Fashion-Queen-ebook/dp/B004XT6L8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307817767&sr=8-1">Amazon US</a></div><div><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55302">Smashwords</a></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-84394840337239624302011-06-10T17:21:00.011+01:002011-06-12T12:34:22.678+01:00The Flashing Fashion Queen: Interview with the Fabulous Norah Wilson<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TkJJdx9rldQ/TfSjcR_CkeI/AAAAAAAAAKI/WrMYamm9C6s/s1600/norah.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TkJJdx9rldQ/TfSjcR_CkeI/AAAAAAAAAKI/WrMYamm9C6s/s200/norah.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617294341497328098" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US">Today I'm interviewing the fabulous <a href="http://www.norahwilsonwrites.com/">Norah Wilson</a>, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Case-Flashing-Fashion-Queen-ebook/dp/B004XT6L8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307877885&sr=8-1">The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen</a>. (You can read my review <a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-flashing-fashion.html">here</a>.) Norah has been traditionally published and has now taken the plunge as an indie. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US">Norah will be by throughout the day to answer your questions. Feel free to post them below.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span">Welcome Norah!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span">Now on to the interview. Inquiring minds need to know!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Thanks for agreeing to be my very first interview <s>victim</s> participant. I really, really loved The Case of The Flashing Fashion Queen and I can’t wait to <s>be nosy</s> chat with you.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">So, without further ado, the questions:</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Just for kicks and giggles (and because I’m a dork), i</span></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; ">f you were a Star Trek® [or Star Wars® ] character, which one would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; "> What a great question! I think I’d be the Doctor on Voyageur. And yes, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">do</i> realize he’s just a hologram! But he’s attempting to evolve a more human personality as he acquires more experience. In a way, I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. </span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b>The Doctor was amazing! He was one of my favorites, too. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; ">What inspired you to become a writer? Was there a person or an incident which made the “I want to write!” light bulb go off in your brain?<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; "> </span></strong><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; ">I’ve always wanted to write, but didn’t realize I wanted to write fiction. Initially, it was just the challenge of arranging words in such a way as to persuade the reader over to my point of view. If I’d gone on to be ... I don’t know ... an ad writer or a lawyer or some such occupation that allowed me to satisfy that need, I probably never have turned to fiction. The idea of actually trying to write a book came to me one day when I was reading what I considered a poorly written romance. I figured I could do better. I quickly discovered I could not. Well, at least not before a long period of apprenticeship.</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b>What authors inspire you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>Oh, God, so many! Since I was initially interested in writing romance, I was especially inspired by Anne Stuart, who has managed to thrive in this tumultuous business by adjusting to the market and writing exceptional books. I was also influenced by Linda Howard, Suzanne Brockmann and many others. But I always liked to change up those intense romantic suspense stories with the occasional funny one. Carl Hiaasen might be my favorite author in the world. And of course, I enjoyed Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, which won’t come as a surprise to anyone who reads a Dix Dodd mystery. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">These days, the writers who inspire me the most are the ones whose imaginations just won’t quit. I think I am so in awe of them because my own imagination is so paltry by contrast. I’m fortunate enough to be paired with such an individual in my Y.A. writing (we call ourselves Wilson Doherty). Heather Doherty is my hero.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b>I definitely picked up on your Janet E love! I'm also a fan of Brockman, Howard, and Stuart. Amazing writers who's stories still stick with me years later.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Do you have a writing “uniform” (Be honest. I write in my pajamas, after all. Lol)?</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>I am happiest at the keyboard wearing sweats (or leggings and a t-shirt in summer). It’s something I just fell into because most of my writing sessions are preceded by walking the dog, and that’s my dog-walking uniform. You know, roll out of bed on the weekend, walk the dog, put on a pot of coffee and sit down to work. Or come home from work, change, make supper, walk the dog and hit the keyboard. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; ">What is the last book you read?</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>That would be Colleen Gleason’s “The Shop of Shades and Secrets”, a romance with a mystery and a paranormal element. It’s been described as Dharma & Greg with ghosts, which I thought was very apt!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">I'm going to have to check that out. As you know I'm a huge Joss Ware fan (Colleen Gleason's alter ego.). In fact, I'm totally in her debt for introducing me to the wonderful world of Norah Wilson an Dix Dodd!</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">For me, writers block is always about not knowing where to go next. (See note above re my paucity of imagination.) You would think I could just sit down with some writer friends, kick the problem around for a while and jump-start my muse, but nooo. I’m my own worst enemy that way. On my solo projects, I usually have to suffer it out until I solve it on my own. Not sure why.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">That said, the Dix Dodd books are the exception. Maybe because they don’t have the same seriousness or intensity as the other solo stuff. Whatever the case, I brainstorm all the time with my YA partner, Heather Doherty. She’s all, “It would be so funny if Dix did this,” or “You know what Dylan has to do now, right?” I’d happily have slapped her name on the cover with mine, but her response to that suggestion: “Um, maybe not.” Not because she doesn’t think Dix Dodd rocks, but because she writes child lit and YA lit. Probably not the best match for Dix’s penis humor. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b>What’s your all-time favorite quote about writing and/or reading?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>That would have to be Elmore Leonard’s sage advice: “Skip the boring parts.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">That's excellent advise.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Why did you decide to self publish?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>I guess I just need to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">frickin’ make something happen</i>. Traditional publishing is so slow. I do have an agent, and she is presenting my stuff to the market, including the jointly written YA material, but it can take 6-12 months for the major houses to weigh in on a project, and you have to wait for 80% of them to pass on the first project before floating the second. I’m even writing in multiple genres (cosy mystery, dystopian romance, paranormal romance, etc.) to try to make more efficient use of that time. We certainly haven’t given up on traditional markets, but dude, it can be like watching paint dry. So when I got rights back to my first mass market novel LAUREN’S EYES, I decided to give self-publishing a whirl. When I saw that it wasn’t exactly rocket surgery to put up a book, I decided to do the same with my Golden Heart-finalling romantic suspenses. What did I have to lose? I couldn’t have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">given</i> them away to New York. But to my delight, they’re all doing very well. Three of them are in the top 10 highest rated romances at Smashwords, and sell steadily. I’ve since published the Dix Dodd mystery and launched <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Merzetti-Effect-ebook/dp/B0054QCKDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307878080&sr=8-1">The Merzetti Effect</a>, a paranormal romance.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b>Shéa: </b>I'm thrilled to hear you're books are doing so well! I'm also excited about reading the Merzetti Effect.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><b> </b>What was your inspiration for Dix Dodd and the delicious Dylan?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>The idea in writing this book sprang, as I’ve said, from the need to diversify. As for where the characters came from, basically they evolved over drinks at the pub with the aforesaid Heather Doherty. We’re both 40-somethings who’ve arrived at the point in our lives where we’re just too old to take crap from anyone. Thus Dix was born. And the delicious Dylan? Well, his origins should be obvious. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">did</i> mention we’re 40-somethings, right? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Shéa: </b>Well, I'm close enough, so I'm going to say that's a big ten-four! lol</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">You’re going to write more Dix. Right? RIGHT???? </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>LOL! You bet! Actually, the second one is almost ready to go. FAMILY JEWELS will see Dix head to Florida to bail her eccentric mother out of legal hot water. Of course, Dylan and Mrs. Presley have to go along for the ride. There will be more hijinks and, of course, more sizzle between Dix & Dylan. (Mmm, sizzle….) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Shéa: </b>Oh, goodie!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Any words of wisdom for newbie authors or authors thinking of taking the plunge into self-publishing?</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Norah: </span></strong></span>I read a great article this week to the effect that self-publishing is not a yard sale. Don’t bring that purse with the broken strap or the shirt that will be perfectly fine if the buyer just replaces that missing button. That is not the path to self-publishing success. Write the best book you can possibly write. If you can afford it, have someone edit it for you (I know a good free lance editor who’ll work for a penny a word). If you can’t afford that kind of investment (and there’s no guarantee you’ll get it back, at least not overnight), trade critiques with other writers. Recruit some beta readers. Take what they tell you and make the book stronger. If you want a reader to buy your <i>second</i> book, you have to give the first one your all. And when it’s gleaming from all that polishing, pair it up with a good quality cover. It doesn’t have to cost the earth. I’ve spent as little as $35 for a high resolution stock image that just had to be dressed by a graphic artist, to $125 for a professionally designed cover, to $250 for a custom painted cover. What you want, hopefully, is to put a product up that is virtually indistinguishable from its traditionally published counterparts.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span">Thanks to Norah for the FANTASTIC interview. I really enjoyed it. She'll be returning the favor and grilling, er, interviewing me next month. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span">In the meantime be sure and check out her blog, <a href="http://www.norahwilsonwrites.com/">Norah Wilson Writes</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span">You can buy The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen at any of these fine online retailers:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 2); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-Flashing-Fashion-Queen-ebook/dp/B004XT6L8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1307817136&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">Amazon UK</a></span></div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Case-Flashing-Fashion-Queen-ebook/dp/B004XT6L8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307817767&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">Amazon US</a></div><div><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55302" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 11, 181); ">Smashwords</a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#222222"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#222222"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></span></p><p></p>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-41408672360878605782011-06-10T14:46:00.009+01:002011-06-10T19:28:32.946+01:00Review: Zombie GooTitle: I Zombie I<br />Author: Jack Wallen<br />Genre: ZOMBIES<br />Format: ebook<br />(also available in pbook)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A-</span></span></span><br /></div><br /> <span class="readable reviewText"> <span style="display: none;" id="freeTextContainerreview175065370">I really, truly enjoyed this book. Particle physics, a crazy scientist with a doomsday machine, zombies roaming the streets of Munich hungry for brains. What's not to like?<br /><br />Plus I love the humor and the 80s music references. What can I say? I'm old school like that.<br /><br />I thought the story had a unique twist to the telling, as well. It sucked me right into the middle of the zombie apocalypse and I could hardly put it down. The book, that is. Not the apocalypse.<br /><br /><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10423078-i-zombie-i#" onclick="updateMoreLink('review175065370'); return false;">...more</a></span></span><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span itemprop="description">In a moment of pure chaos, the majority of the Earth's population has become the walking dead. One man promises to help bring the truth to light.</span> </div><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style=""><br />Strangely enough, I bought this book as an ebook before I even had a Kindle (Though it is available in paperback on Amazon's US site.). It just looked that good.<br /><br />I really, truly enjoyed this book. Particle physics, a crazy scientist with a doomsday machine, zombies roami</span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style="">ng the streets of Munich hungry for brains. What's not to like?<br /><br />Plus I love the humor and the 80s music references. What can I say? I'm old school like that.<br /><br />I thou</span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style="">ght the</span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BlwLItKPrNI/TfIgcLVHc1I/AAAAAAAAAJw/R9fxIyWvMxk/s1600/Zom.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 258px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BlwLItKPrNI/TfIgcLVHc1I/AAAAAAAAAJw/R9fxIyWvMxk/s320/Zom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616587353734214482" border="0" /></a><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style=""> story had a unique twist to the telling, as well. It sucked me right into the middle of the zombie a</span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style="">pocalypse and I could hardly put it down. The book, that is. Not the apocalypse.<br /><br />There were some formatting issues while reading on my Kindle (I've spoken to Jack and he's going to fix the issues. <span class="Apple-style-span" >Update: It's an issue with the Kindle, not the book.</span>), but that wasn't enough to put me off. There were also a couple of plot points that seemed to be unfinished, but I'm assuming </span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style="">that's because this is the first of a trilogy, so I lo</span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style="">ok forward to seeing them answered.<br /><br />All in all I consider this a great read and highly recommend it to all zombie lovers. Or lovers of zombie stories. I'm very much looking forward to the next in the series. (Write faster, Jack.)<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;">You can check out Jack's website <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://monkeypantz.net/">here</a>.<br /><br />You can buy I Zombie I at these fine online retailers:<br /></div><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Zombie-ebook/dp/B004LGTRX0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307713608&sr=8-2"><br />Amazon UK</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Zombie-ebook/dp/B004LGTRX0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307714179&sr=8-2">Amazon USA</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.de/I-Zombie-ebook/dp/B004LGTRX0/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1307714210&sr=8-14">Amazon Germany</a><br /><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/36790">Smashwords</a><br /><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style=""><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></span></p></span></span></div><br /><br /><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview175065370" style=""></span></span>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-40167165405439861042011-06-09T19:34:00.002+01:002011-06-09T19:39:19.718+01:00Thoughts for the Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >I've had a day full of crazy, so I thought I'd just post a couple quotes about writing which I think are cool. And will, perhaps, be food for thought.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-size: large; font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><br /></b></span></span></div><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-size: large; ">Most writers can write books faster than publishers can write checks.</b><br /><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-size: large; ">-Richard Curtis</b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Which is why some of us go indie. No? ;-)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span >In my experience, the best creative work is never done when one is unhappy.</span><br /><span ><span>-Albert Einstein</span></span></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Word!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: large; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Zest.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" > Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto.<br />-Ray Bradbury</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></span></span></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-50953280502865946642011-06-08T19:32:00.003+01:002011-06-08T20:25:38.765+01:00The Versatile Blogger AwardOh, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SQUEE</span>! I'm versatile.<div><br /></div><div>The very cool <a href="http://iamelpi.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Elpi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pamiadaki</span></a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Don'tcha</span> just love her name?) has nominated little ole me for The Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Elpi</span>!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, what the heck is the Versatile Blogger Award, anyway?</div><div><br /></div><div>Er, well, it's an award. For being cool. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Heh</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are the rules:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; font-size: small; ">1. Thank the person who gave you this award<br />2. Share 7 things about yourself.<br />3. Pass the award along to (up to) 15 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">bloggers</span> who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (in no particular order…)<br />4. Contact the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">bloggers</span> you’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ve</span> picked and let them know about the award.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div>Basically it's a way to share and connect with other <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">bloggers</span>. Also it feels good to be nominated. I'm hoping I'll get a tiara later.</div><div><br /></div><div>Onward!</div><div><br /></div><div>Little ole me facts:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. Adam and Eve</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I grew up in a seriously religious family. We were in church at least three times a week. The highlight of my social calendar was Sunday School.</div><div><br /></div><div>Being a somewhat creative child (age 6), I enjoyed forcing my brothers (ages 4 and 2) to act out stories with me. My favorites were Bible stories and I believed in authenticity. We finally got around to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden on the same day my mother's elderly aunts came for a visit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: Playing Adam and Eve with a 2 year old is never a good idea if you don't want to get yelled at for all the naked.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. Sweet as Pie</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I don't like to brag, but my friends say I make a mean strawberry rhubarb pie. ;-) </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: I'd give you the recipe, but then I'd have to kill you.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Portugenglish</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>My day job is currently with a Brazilian company here in London. I love my crazy Brazilians and I have made some attempts at learning a bit of the language. My pronunciation is terrible. More often than not my colleagues are bent over in fits of laughter because what came out of my mouth is not at all what I meant to come out of my mouth. And usually it's dirty.</div><div><br /></div><div>This doesn't stop with foreign languages, however. Let's just say that in the UK "fanny" has a whole '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">nother</span> meaning...</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: Never said it loudly in the middle of a pub. Or anywhere else, for that matter.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. Knots?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I am a trained massage therapist (I used to be licensed in the State of Oregon, but obviously I don't live there anymore, so I dropped the license.). Yes, I went to school. Yes, I passed strenuous exams. Yes, I trained with a chiropractor for an additional four years. And yes, I'm damn good at it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: I don't give massages anymore except to friends and family. When I feel like it. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. Not Fat</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>"I am not fat. I am just filled with too much awesome." It's true. Possibly there's cake in there, too, but it's definitely a whole <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">lotta</span> awesome.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've never been a thin person. I've been thinner, but never thin. Even when I was eating 1400 calories a day and working out like a crazy person 6 days a week I was still considered "overweight". </div><div><br /></div><div>So, I decided screw it. I'm going to eat. I'm going to dance. I'm going to enjoy life. I'm sorry, but life is far too short to spend it obsessing over one's weight. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; ">Note: Quote stolen from Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Uku</span> at Will Write For Cake.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><b>6. Writer's Are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">HAWT</span>!</b></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; ">I've never been the type to obsess over male celebs. Honest. Most of my friends would yammer on about this actor or that singer and frankly, I couldn't care less.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Ok</span>, I cared. I mean a hot guy is a hot guy. I am honest enough to admit that certain members of the opposite sex are very easy on the eye and these I do not mind seeing on my television screen. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div>I'm a total fan-girl when it comes to female writers whose books I enjoy. I would totally stalk Agatha Christie (In a totally platonic way, of course.) if she were still alive.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div>Personally, I think writers are sexy. A guy who can sing? Cool. A guy who can act? Yeah, nice. A guy who can write? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">HAWT</span>!</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: I do realize that I've probably got some kind of mental complex having to do with ego or some such nonsense. Thanks for asking.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>7. My Life In Ruins</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Another thing I'm obsessed with is Roman Ruins. </div><div><br /></div><div>Any ruins will do. The more ancient the better. But Roman Ruins are a particular favorite. Everywhere I go throughout Europe, I have to check out the local Roman ruins and snap a copious amount of pictures with which to bore anyone who comes within a ten mile radius. Hadrian's Wall was a particular favorite.</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: Hadrian's Wall also makes a guest appearance in my second book. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>And the nominees are (in no particular order):</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><a href="http://markwilliamsinternational.com/">Mark Williams</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://cherylshireman.com/blog/">Cheryl <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Shireman</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://monkeypantz.net/">Jack <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Wallen</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://norahwilsonwrites.com/wordpress/">Norah Wilson</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://lesism.blogspot.com/">Les Floyd</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://melissasmithbooks.wordpress.com/">Melissa Smith</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/">Coral Moore</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://pjjonesramblings.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">PJ</span> Jones</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ok</span>, my peeps. It's your turn now. Can't wait to read more about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ya'll</span>!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-40139786999403084862011-06-07T08:51:00.004+01:002011-06-07T09:00:56.182+01:00How Often Do You Flash?Well, I'm not dead yet, so it wasn't appendicitis. I'm also feeling better, so it wasn't the plague, either. <div><br /></div><div>Dramatic? Me? Never.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, I'm sitting at my desk looking pale and tragic when I stumble upon <a href="http://lesism.blogspot.com/2011/05/flash-fiction-fiction.html">Les Floyd's</a> flash fiction post. I keep hearing people ramble on about this flash fiction non-sense, so I check it out.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's quite clever, really. A story in 200 - 500 words. How does one do that? I can't write a short story to save my life. Novella, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ok</span>. But anything less than 35k words? No.</div><div><br /></div><div>But this flash fiction thing has really piqued my interested. It's sort of a challenge, I guess. Plus it would be a great post for Sample Sundays.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have any of you, my lovely readers, written any flash fiction? </div><div><br /></div><div>If you have, why don't you post a link below so we can check it out. And also if you have any "tips of the trade" for flash fiction, please share. Inquiring minds need to know...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-89251872842168304252011-06-06T21:06:00.005+01:002011-06-06T21:10:40.501+01:00Please Don't Reanimate After DeathI think I might be dying. <div><br /></div><div>No. Seriously. Based on symptoms it's either appendicitis or the plague.</div><div><br /></div><div>Granted, based on the petri dish of an office I work in, stomach bug's more likely.</div><div><br /></div><div>But if you see me staggering down the street looking like I just munched somebody's brains, do me a favor. Do not pass go. Do not collect the Twinkies. Just put me out of my misery.</div><div><br /></div><div>Deal?</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-27065147566091571112011-06-05T20:50:00.000+01:002011-06-05T20:51:15.099+01:00Thought for the Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >~Leo Rosten</span></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727311917940840246.post-56388099675315118872011-06-05T10:43:00.004+01:002011-06-05T10:53:34.881+01:00Sample Sunday: Kissed by Darkness Chapter 3b<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0wPKs5X46c/TetP5Zx-opI/AAAAAAAAAJg/SL-UfNi-5oQ/s1600/Kissed%2Bby%2BDarkness_400x600.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0wPKs5X46c/TetP5Zx-opI/AAAAAAAAAJg/SL-UfNi-5oQ/s320/Kissed%2Bby%2BDarkness_400x600.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614669208039105170" /></a><br />Another chunk from my upcoming urban fantasy novel, Kissed by Darkness. If you've missed my previous Sample Sunday postings, you can find them here:<div><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/p/kissed-by-darkness-sunwalker-saga.html">Chapter One</a></div><div><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness.html">Chapter Two</a></div><div><a href="http://sheamacleod.blogspot.com/2011/05/sample-sunday-kissed-by-darkness_29.html">Chapter Three (A)</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Coming end of June 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Kissed by Darkness</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Chapter 3 (b)</b></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><em><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span">I was up to my armpits in dirt. Digging was hot, dirty work, plastering strands of long, dark hair to stubbled cheeks. I swiped a forearm across a sweaty brow. Two of my fellow knights worked beside me, their dark eyes gleaming with excitement in the torchlight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We were all convinced there was something under the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>, something of great value.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some said it was the Arc of the Covenant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Others, whispered rumors it was the lost writings of Mary Magdalene.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whatever it was, if we could find it, it would change everything and bestow on our Order power greater than that of kings and even the Church.</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal">My shovel went through the floor, chunks of dirt falling through to another level below.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was a cavern under there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I gave a shout to my brother knights and we all began digging furiously.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Bring a light!”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Torches were brought and the three of us clambered down into the cavern below.</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">It was a small, naturally formed cave.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The walls were painted with brightly colored murals depicting, at a brief glance, a terrible battle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The cavern was otherwise completely empty except for two corpses in the middle of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal">I cautiously approached the bodies, followed by my fellows.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The two bodies lay sprawled across the floor, one cradling the other like a child.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One was nothing but bones, ancient beyond belief, and dressed in some sort of armor.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The other…</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The other looked as though he’d died just hours ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His body was perfect, though his clothes were rotted nearly to dust, and he cradled the bones of the dead warrior like a child.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In his hands he clutched an amulet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It appeared to be made of gold, but dulled by age and dust.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One of the others leaned down to pick it up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some part of my brain screamed at me.</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“No, stop!”</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">It was too late.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The corpse became horribly and suddenly alive, fangs I hadn’t noticed before sinking deep into my brother knight’s neck. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The living corpse dropped the nearly dead knight and grabbed the next, rearing back to strike again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The screams were hideous and chilled me to the marrow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">I ran for the ladder leading up to the entrance to the cavern and my sword, left behind during the digging, but it was too late.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I felt the fangs enter my neck like needles of red fire, the blood draining from my body as surely as my life drained away. Strangely, at the same time my life left my veins, I felt something enter and begin growing inside me, a living thing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As panic surged through me, I tried again for the cavern entrance, but my body had no strength.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I slumped to the floor and the world went black.</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; line-height: 200%; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:normal">***</span></em><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span">I sat bolt upright in bed, fighting with the duvet which had managed to wrap itself around my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Shit, shit, shit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I glared blearily at the clock.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>4 am.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Way too early.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span">I flopped back down on my pillow and touched my neck with the tips of my fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Smooth skin.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No blood.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Gods, it had felt so real.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span">It was like reliving my own attack.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Except that’s not how it happened.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hadn’t been digging in an underground tunnel by torchlight.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There hadn’t been two corpses, only the one vampire.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And I’d never held a sword in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I certainly wasn’t male.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or a knight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span">I rubbed my nose. This was way too weird. Just a dream, that’s all. A really weird dream. I shut my eyes and willed myself back to sleep. It was a long time coming.</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt; line-height: 200%; "><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" count="none" via="SMacLeod_Author">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></p><p></p></div>Shéa MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06210828050630587619noreply@blogger.com0