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It's That Time Again!

10/31/2014

   Yes, it's that time of year again, time for NanoWriMo! NanoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which is a program that challenges would-be novelists to write 50,000 words (the minimum length for a novel) in the thirty days of the month of November. I have done it for the last 3 years, "won" two for those last three years, and produced a novel each year (two of which are now published)!
   I have to say that this year I'm a bit intimidated. This will be the first year that I'll be writing something not in my werewolf universe. In fact, just to make things harder on myself, I've decided to try a new genre altogether. This year I'll be attempting a YA dystopia novel.
   I'm not sure what the designers of Nano were thinking having Nano in November though. I guess they just wanted to make things harder too with Thanksgiving during Nano and Christmas just around the corner.
   Anyways, wish me luck and I send out a sincere good luck to those of you also taking the plunge this year!

Additionally, I want to congratulate the U of M Moonlight Medicine:Onset travel bug which won the travel bug race that ended today with the official release of my second novel, Moonlight Medicine: Epidemic. Sigh, Go Blue! There, I said it. ;)

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Awesome Author Interview: Marc Reichardt

10/24/2014

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Today's awesome author interview is a cunning fellow I've known for a great many years, and to whom I owe a great debt. Marc introduced me to the board game Arkham Horror. For those of you that know me well, you can see what a huge influence Marc was in my life. He is also intelligent, well spoken, and a fantastic writer. His latest wonderfully creepy, published tale, Coding Time, appears in the anthology Cthulhu Lives! Now please allow me the pleasure of introducing you to Marc Reinhardt.

1. What do you wish that people would ask you about your writing?
I can't say I've often thought about what I'd like people to ask me. I will say that I'm usually just happy that people are taking an interest. But I've also run into a phenomenon wherein people asking me for explanations of a character or event inspires me to flesh out more about that aspect of the story simply by answering. In some cases, it's led me to a deeper understanding of the concept I originally had behind the story that I might not have gotten without someone prodding. My friend, Maria, was very good at that many years ago and I used to consider her my semi-muse as a consequence.

2. Which of your characters would you most like to meet and why?
Probably either Whisper, an assassin who appears in a sprawling tale about labor rights, drugs, slavery, and sorcery in an uncompleted novel(s) called The Spire; or Cool Hand Luke, an android and rather adept hacker who appears in some of the stories I wrote for Dystopia, a setting I created when I was running Fifth Panel Comics with my friend, Jeff, back in the 90s. Whisper is a lot like me and I think it'd be interesting to see the "dark mirror" version, as it were. Luke, OTOH, is a pretty tortured individual who, nonetheless, has a great sense of humor (I think.)

3. Which Old One would/do you worship?
Does it have to be an Old One? I'm more of a fan of the Elder Gods, myself. If it has to be an Old One, I'd go with Y'Golonac, simply because he has the coolest name. But if we can go with Elder Gods, how can you go wrong with the "boundless daemon sultan" Azathoth, the embodiment of Chaos itself?

Bio:
Marc is a former comic studio owner, political organizer who built the Green Party in Michigan from the ground up, and long-time gamer of all kinds. Since his politics and general outlook are often out of tune with the general population, he spends his time these days writing about worlds less fantastical than our own while sharing space with three cats near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

http://www.gwdbooks.com/cthulhu-lives.html

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Moonlight Medicine Vignette: Tommy

10/17/2014

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   Tommy kicked a discarded pop can and sent it tumbling down the sidewalk and into the street as he took another swig from the paper-wrapped bottle of cheap whiskey. It had been over a week since he’d tattooed David with the blood from the phial they’d found and still nothing had happened. Tommy was still so pissed off that he could spit. It should’ve been him. He should’ve made David give him the tattoo. Sure David had found the journal, but he was a wuss and he really didn’t believe. Damnit! All of it was wasted. I could’ve been…Tommy gripped the bottle to chuck it into the brick wall of the office building he was passing, but then thought better of it. He was nearly broke and taking out his anger on the whiskey bottle wasn’t going to change anything. Ah, screw it, he thought. Maybe there was more blood somewhere. Yeah, they should break into that old man’s mansion and have a look around. He might’ve had a whole secret lab or some shit! Wait…naw…James and David wouldn’t go for it, not now. He’d have to do it himself.
   Tommy dodged through an alleyway and stopped in front of the back door to the abandoned apartment building they’d been using as a hangout lately. He wanted to go to the mansion tonight, but he’d promised those losers that he’d meet them here, and he didn’t want them to get suspicious. Glancing up and down the alley to make sure he wasn’t spotted, Tommy deftly squatted and maneuvered his way through a gap in the boards over where the door used to be, taking care not to spill his whiskey. Once inside he stood and brushed off his jeans. A demonic symbol on his black shirt featuring his favorite band glowed in the darkness. Tommy really wanted to listen to some of their songs backwards, but you needed a record player and the vinyl to do it right. Tommy listened for a moment in the darkness, but he didn’t hear the guys. David was probably sulking and James might’ve already been passed out by now.
Tommy took another long pull from the whiskey bottle, leaving only a few swallows. He wasn’t feeling like sharing with the group tonight. His throat burning with low quality booze, Tommy coughed then started down the hallway to the stairwell. He’d tread this way enough times that, despite the lack of light, he was able to find the stairs with little difficulty. Heading down into the basement, he carefully moved over a missing step and avoided touching the rickety banister. When he reached the bottom, he could see a wan light spilling out from a crack beneath the door of one of the apartments. He crept up to the door, grasped the knob and then flung the door wide open.
   “Ooooga boooga booo!”
   James, who had been lounging on the threadbare, mouse-infested couch, fell onto the floor. David, hunched in a corner on a less than hygienic mattress, barely stirred.
   “You asshole!” shrieked James, “You nearly gave me a freaking heart attack!”
   Closing the door, Tommy snickered. “Didn’t scare David, you just must be a pussy.”
   “David’s too busy trying not to hurl, you’re still an asshole,” said James, retaking his position on the couch.
   Turning on David, his anger flaring, Tommy made a mock face of concern. “Awww, poor big, tough David is sicky-poo?”
David looked up at Tommy with bloodshot eyes. “Screw you Tommy. You probably gave me Hepatitis with that stupid blood,” he rasped.
   Tommy had to resist the urge to kick David in the face. He had tried to give his friend awesome powers and this was the gratitude he got?
   “Does ickle, wittle, whiny Davie want a bottle? Wanna go night-night?” Tommy downed the rest of his whiskey. “Oh, sorry, no more bottle, guess the baby will just have to cry now.”
   Closing his eyes, David leaned his head back on the browning wall and gave Tommy the finger. Tommy flopped down into the sad excuse for an armchair wincing as one of the springs dug into his rear.
   “Ooo, naughty baby. Daddy might have to go get a belt and teach you some goddamn manners.”
   As David opened his eyes and James stared at Tommy in shock, he realized that his voice had lost some of its teasing tonality. He shook it off.
   “Throw me a beer.”
   Hesitating for just an instant, James then reached down and opened the cooler next to the couch, producing a semi-cold beer that he tossed to Tommy. Tommy cracked the beer and took a long swallow. Grimacing, he brought the can down and looked at the brand name: Hamms.
   “This tastes like piss!”
   James grunted. “You don’t like it? Next time you get the homeless guy to buy the beer.”
   In the corner David let out a moan. Tommy pointed at him. “See? David doesn’t like your crap beer either.”
   James eyed David. “Dude. Are you O.K.?”
   David didn’t answer. Breathing so hard he was practically panting and covered in sweat, his face was a mask of pain.
   Tommy rolled his eyes. “If you’re gonna yak, can you do it in one of the other apartments please? I don’t want this one to reek of puke.”
   David didn’t answer him, but instead started screaming.
   James shot up off of the couch. “Tommy, I think he’s really sick. Maybe his appendix burst or something? We gotta go call someone, get someone…”
   James’ voice trailed off as David’s scream reached an ear-splitting pitch. Standing, Tommy threw his beer at David and covered his ears.
   “What the fu-“
   Tommy’s words lodged in his throat when he looked down at David. The other boy was writhing on the moldering mattress in agony while the muscles in his back and arms undulated and pulsed underneath his skin. Clawing at his own face, which was now lengthening and distorting, his screaming altered until it sounded more like a howl. Underneath the noise, Tommy heard the unnerving crunch of bones breaking. He stumbled backwards as dark brown fur began to sprout from David’s skin. Holy shit, it’s happening! David’s turning into a werewolf!
   David stopped howling and knelt on the mattress, heaving breaths shaking his transformed frame. Tommy took a step towards him. David’s head whipped up and he growled, the look in his yellow, animal eyes making Tommy’s blood turn to ice. In a flash of claws and teeth, Tommy suddenly found himself on the floor. He heard someone screaming, but the sound was muted and distant somehow. He felt odd, cold. His eyes swam in and out of focus and he couldn’t seem to blink. Then a shadow fell over him and he felt a hot breath on his face. Damnit. It should’ve been me.

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Slashdot Video!

10/10/2014

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So finally the people who filmed one of my panels at Detcon1, Science Fiction Predictions that Have Become Reality, have posted it in two parts on Slashdot. So excited to now be on "Nerd T.V." (although gosh do I hate the sound of my own voice)! Also, they listed me as an author, which is pretty cool. I highly recommend the videos to anyone who would like to see me make a number of ridiculous facial expressions, talk with my hands, and babble somewhat incoherently while trying to appear smart...oh, also if you like the topic of science fiction that's become nonfiction. I am joined on the panel by heir professor Brian Gray and Air Force veteran Douglas Johnson. Cheers!

P.S. I also highly recommend using the links provided because just searching on Slashdot will nab you a description of the videos and over a hundred comments, but no actual videos.
P.P.S. The picture has nothing to do with the videos, just a nice fall pic. :)

Video 1:
http://tv.slashdot.org/video/?embed=xzMDZucDr5Y1vOQMcvvVTuFpA0YY2n_L
Video 2:
http://tv.slashdot.org/video/?embed=h3NndwcDpU_irAr5qzD_uFq-RKQhWj_H

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Awesome Author Interviews: Skeeter Enright

10/3/2014

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It's time for another awesome author interview, and this time it's of author Skeeter Enright. I met Skeeter at ConClave (I think) about a year ago and we have been bumping into each other at cons ever since. Intelligent, charismatic, and kind, she not only writes one heck of a story, but also has some fascinating true life stories to tell. Her novel, Carnival Charlatan is out and available on Amazon.com. Now on to the interview with a bio in her own words to follow.

1. What do you wish people would ask you about your writing?
I hope people would want to know about the people who inspired my characters. I have a shirt that says “Be careful or you’ll end up in my novel.” It is not a joke. All my fictional characters are conglomerations of the wonderful, eccentric, witty, and wise people I have met in my travels. Both my life and my writing would be pretty dull if I kept to my comfort zone and didn’t accept and appreciate the variety of personalities I’ve encountered.

I hope people ask if the places I describe are based on real locations… many are. Not everyone has been privileged to travel as much as I. The desert on my colony world in “Legion of Strangers” is the southwest Sonoran Desert (except for the blue sand). The Fairgrounds in “Carnival Charlatan” is the place I did 4H in as a child. “Off the Reservation,” my mystery, is set in Phoenix. I still owe a nice policeman dinner for helping me choose the locations for my murder and body dump. I come from a story telling family and have a great memory for details. I love to share my experiences.

Finally, (as would most authors, if they are honest) the big thing I’d like people to ask me is where they can buy my books.

2. Which of your characters would you most like to meet and why? I would love to meet my character Beau Aelstrom (Jest) from the space opera “Legion of Strangers.” Beau is a conglomeration of the best men I’ve known, and I’ve known some amazing men. He is a complicated man who gives up power and position to protect his family. He struggles with the moral implications of being a soldier, but does his duty regardless. He consciously tries to be the best person he can manage to be in whatever situation he finds himself. A guy I’ve been looking for all my life. Too bad I had to make him up.

3. Have you rescued any CEO's lately?
This summer a friend and I wandered throughout New England, camping and hiking. We did stop traffic and rescue a porcupine crossing the road in Vermont, (he was very cute) and probably saved a motorist a punctured tire (the porcupine’s revenge).

So, my adventures have been pretty tame since my seafaring days in the Pacific. Back then, I saved a CEO of a big corporation’s yacht when it lost electronics and ran out of fuel. Had I not come across them, they would have had to float 1200 miles to the Philippines. With my tiny sailboat, I towed the 60 foot luxury cruiser to where the coast guard could pick them up. The CEO wasn’t on board, but he was really grateful in a monetary sense. I hope he eventually found a crew who knew how to use a sextant. I sure do.

Right now I’m involved in adventures in publishing and promoting my book “Carnival Charlatan”. Check it out on my website: skeeterenright.weebly.com. I’m in Toledo, so if you see a dark haired woman walking a pig in the park. Stop to chat…you might end up in a novel.

Skeeter Enright, is the pen name of a high school science teacher, freelance writer, and former scientific researcher. When not traveling, she lives on a farm in Ohio with the world’s cutest donkey and a very confused pig. She currently has several short story fiction publications in online magazines, most recently Alegory, and Fictionvale. Her urban fantasy novel “Carnival Charlatan” is coming out Oct. 1st, 2014 from Damnation books. Her website: http://skeeterenright.weebly.com includes excerpts from her stories. She will be at Conclave Convention in Dearborn Oct. 10 - 12.

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It's That Time Again!

Awesome Author Interview: Marc Reichardt

Moonlight Medicine Vignette: Tommy

Slashdot Video!

Awesome Author Interviews: Skeeter Enright

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