The Next Big Thing Meme

In the "Next Big Thing" blogging meme, an author answers ten set interview questions and then tags five more people to do the same. Here's my contribution.

1. What is the working title of your next book?

Book 3. Seriously. I have a few names running around in my head, but I haven’t settled on one yet, so in my mind, I call it Book 3. If I get bored with that name, I could always call it Livre Trois or Libro Tres or something until I settle on a title.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

A long time ago I was a computer operator. In those days, it was common to use large magnetic tapes to feed the data into the computers, so they had to have computer operators on site to change tapes and take them down when the job was finished. I would try to keep busy while waiting for jobs to finish, but sometimes, especially towards the end of a shift, I was caught up with everything and had to find something to keep me awake.

If I tried reading or studying at that time of night, I'd start to drowse.  I needed something more active, like writing. Having recently seen the movie Dracula with Frank Langella, I decided to write a vampire story.Book 3 is the third book in the series that evolved from that.

I wanted to do something a little different with the story, and what could be more different than setting it in a computer room? The witches came much later, as I thought about the ending and thought what force could be strong enough to fight the undead. 

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Thriller, paranormal, and horror. I used to think the series was horror, but the way horror has changed over the last five or ten years ago makes this series seem so much tamer, so now I would say it’s more thriller than horror. The series also has elements of mystery and a love triangle, but I don’t think it qualifies as either a true mystery or a paranormal romance.

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Alicia, the protagonist, would have to be played by a relative unknown, someone with a blank slate in the public eye. In the beginning of the series, she’s a bit of a loner, not very socially adept, and, despite a “can-do” attitude, she’s very insecure about every decision she makes.  She’s not as wimpy as Alyson Hannigan’s Willow, but not as strong and confident as Emma Watson’s Hermione.

Wesley, the main vampire, is a cross between Christopher Lee and James Gandolfini. The actor who plays Wesley would have to be cultured, yet able to do what has to be done, in that lethal, Tony Soprano way. I could also see Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes) play him.

The person I always see in my mind when writing Evan is John Cusak channeling David Carradine (in his Kwai Chang Caine role. Evan has an obsession with T’ai Chi, Kung Fu, and eastern culture in general).  Cusak has the intensity, the inner depth that Evan does. He’s also your go-to guy when the bad guys are attacking.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Since it’s a series, here’s one sentence per book:
Darksome Thirst – There’s a vampire in the computer room – really -- now what do I do?
The Old Power Returns – Something evil remains; call in the Witches.
Book 3 (placeholder title) – This time Alicia’s had enough -- really.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Since it’s part three of a series, I don’t think I can expect a new publisher to be interested. Would love to find it a wider audience, though.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I did the first draft during a NaNoWriMo, so I could say that it took one month, but then when I went to edit it, I saw a different direction for it.  Since then, though, it’s been stalled.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Oh, I wouldn’t dare! Okay, if you insist, I’d say they have the mystery/supernatural aspect of Rosemary Edghill’s Bast Mysteries (Speak Daggers to Her, Book of Moons, and The Bowl of Night) and the New England setting of Inanna Arthen’s Mortal Touch and The Longer the Fall.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

As I said earlier, it was a combination of having seen a vampire movie recently and being alone late at night and needing to do something active.  My vampire influences were Christopher Lee’s interpretation of Dracula and Jonathan Frid’s Barnabas Collins. I was a big Dark Shadows fan.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

The series is set in Framingham, Boston, and Brighton, Massachusetts in the late 1970s. It’s different back then. When you’re alone, you’re really alone; no logging on to Facebook to crowd-source a solution to your vampire problem. No answering machine to take a message if your friend isn’t home when you call. No cell phones. There’s a sense of isolation you don’t really have these days, something that I couldn’t have conveyed if I set the story in the current time.

Darksome Thirst begins around 1978. The Old Power Returns picks up about two years later, but it’s still that isolated world where, with just a few friends, you need to fight your own battles. Alicia is fortunate enough that a co-worker just happens to be a witch who can help.



Here are the excellent writers who you’ll hear from next. Hope you enjoy their writing as much as I do.

Scott Thomas is the author of 8 short story collections, which include Urn and Willow, Quill and Candle, Midnight in New England, Westermead, The Garden of Ghosts, and Over the Darkening Fields. He is also the author of the fantasy novel Fellengrey. He has seen print in numerous anthologies, such as The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror #15, The Year’s Best Horror #22, The Ghost in the Gazebo, Leviathan #3, Otherworldly Maine, and The Solaris Book of New Fantasy. His work appears with that of his brother Jeffrey Thomas in Punktown: Shades of Grey and The Sea of Flesh and Ash. Scott and his girlfriend Peggy live in coastal Maine. Scott's blog can be found at http://scottthomasotherworldlyfiction.blogspot.com

Phoebe Wray is a long-time nonfiction writer now writing in the specfic field. Her two novels, JEMMA7729 and J2, are in print and ebook. A thriller novel, IN ADAM’S FALL, is forth-coming from WolfSinger Productions. She has stories in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Mag, Farthing, Fables.org, chizine, The Garden, and in the anthologies “No Man’s Land” (2011), “All About Eve” (2010) and “Backless, Strapless and Slit to the Throat” (2009). She's the past president of Broad Universe, lives in a small town outside of Boston, and teaches in the Theatre Division of The Boston Conservatory. Her blog is at http://phoebewray.livejournal.com

Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, a parrot, two cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior. Her blog is at http://jenniferallisprovost.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-next-big-thing-blog-hop.html

Hal Bodner, author of the novels Bite Club, The Trouble with Hairy (both WeHo Vampire novels), In Flesh and Stone, and For Love of the Dead (Ravenous Romance), has been an entertainment lawyer, a scheduler for a 976 sex telephone line, and the personal assistant to a television star. He now owns Heavy Petting, an over-the-top pet boutique in West Hollywood. Hal has a Bachelors degree in Playwriting from Rutgers University and a juris doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law. He has other degrees which he is still trying to find a use for. He is a former HWA Trustee and lives in West Hollywood. His blog is at http://www.wehovampire.com, but you can find his contribution to the Next Big Thing meme at http://morvenwestfield.blogspot.com/2012/12/guest-blogger-hal-bodner.html

Theresa Crater has published two novels, Beneath the Hallowed Hill and Under the Stone Paw and several short stories, most recently “White Moon” in Riding the Moon and “Bringing the Waters” in The Aether Age: Helios. She has published one metaphysical novel, God in a Box, under the pen name Louise Ryder. Theresa has also published poetry and a baker’s dozen of literary criticism. Currently, she teaches writing and British lit in Denver. Visit her blog at http://theresacrater.com

Guest Blogger: Hal Bodner

For a pleasant change, I'm pleased to host a guest blogger, writer and bon vivant Hal Bodner. This is my first time hosting a guest blogger, and I may be doing it more in the future.

Hal is participating in the "Next Big Thing" blogging meme where an author answers ten set interview questions.

1. What is the working title of your next book?

Which one? I’m almost always working on more than one book at a time.

Currently I’m doing a massive re-write on the third installment in the Chris and Troy series. It’s called Mummy Dearest and is the sequel to Bite Club and The Trouble with Hairy. I was never satisfied with the way the villains came out in Mummy Dearest. I started with one distinct idea in mind and the characters kept trying to move in a different direction. I tried forcing them to do what I wanted – which is always a mistake – and the result was a disaster.

I’m also working on the third installment – this is my years for writing the sequels to sequels, I guess – of my gay superhero series, featuring Alex Archer a.k.a. The Whirlwind. It’s called A Study in Spandex.

And finally, I’ve gone BACK to working on a space opera that’s been giving me so much trouble for the past couple of years.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

Since Fabulous in Tights, the first Whirlwind book, is probably going to come out before any of the others, I guess that’s the one to talk about.

I had been toying with an idea for a mystery novel where the “detective” was a male prostitute. However, I very rapidly discovered that I completely lack the skill for intricate plotting that a good mystery requires. Nevertheless, there was something about the prostitute character that intrigued me. I had read both Perry Moore’s Hero and Austin Grossman’s Soon I Will Be Invincible, both of which are super hero books, and I realized that a lot of the elements that I wanted to tackle in a mystery novel could also be dealt with effectively in an adventure/fantasy book. Even better, l could spare myself the difficulties of plotting as I am definitely NOT Agatha Christie!

3. What genre does your book fall under?

It’s definitely a fantasy with a lot of action/adventure thrown in. I had a blast going over-the-top with my villains again. There’s also a fair amount of satire (which is a dirty word in publishing!) thrown in. Though on the surface, my stuff is just good clean campy fun, I tend to write sub-textually and thematically, though many people don’t realize that.

And, of course, being a gay author whose work deals with a lot of elements of LGBT culture, I often get labeled by that alone – which is a shame. I don’t write merely “gay fiction” any more than Bram Stoker wrote “Irish” fiction. An author’s background colors his or her work, but it shouldn’t limit it.

Finally, I think I’m best known as a comedy writer in spite of the fact that most of my work has been in the horror and fantasy genres. I have no idea why that is. Perhaps I’m funny?

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

If it were up to me as the writer – which it would NOT be in the movie industry as writers are considered the lowest of the low – I can think of a couple of actors I’d love to work with. Ryan Reynolds, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner, Chris Evans or any of the guys from “The Avengers” movie.

In all honesty, they might very well be completely wrong for the role but, as long as I could write lots of scenes where they run around with their shirts off and be on-set when they shoot them, who cares?

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

An male ex-prostitute becomes a super hero and battles his arch nemesis to a surprising and heart-breaking finish… with lots of laughs and zany situations along the way.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’ve never had much luck with agents, frankly. I did one book as a self-published work and it didn’t sell as well as anything I’ve published with even the smaller publishers. So, the Whirlwind series will definitely be coming out from a “real” publisher.

Self-publishing is all very well and good but it takes a huge amount of time to do the P.R. that even the lousiest of publisher’s marketing departments can do.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I can’t remember exactly but, generally, it takes me between two and four months to do a first draft IF I’m writing full time. Since the economy went south, and since the advent of self-publishing and e-books, publishers have stopped paying the kinds of large advances that some of us used to get. So it’s even more difficult to make a living writing full time. I own a small business and, for the past year or so, I’ve been actively working in it to save money rather than hiring people. It takes up a lot of time.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I don’t know that there ARE any comparisons! I tend to do things that are innovative. Bite Club was the first gay vampire comedy. For Love of the Dead was the first erotic zombie paranormal romance. And Fabulous in Tights is pretty much unique. It’s comedic, for one thing. Neither Moore’s book nor Grossman’s book was written to be funny even though both are within the super hero genre (if there even is such a thing).

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

It’s nothing that “meaningful” that inspires me. I generally get an idea and think, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” or “Maybe it would be fun to take a whack at…” I jot it down somewhere and think about it for a bit. If the idea still resonates with me a few months later when I’m pawing through my desk drawer and I re-discover the slip of paper I wrote it on, I’ll generally start writing it.

Often, of course, I AM inspired by something specific but that’s rare. I wrote In Flesh and Stone because I had agreed to do a paranormal romance for an editor I knew. But the inspiration was having recently finished Katherine Kurtz’s St. Patrick’s Gargoyle. I enjoyed it but found it to be a trifle too political and church-y for my taste. Nevertheless, the gargoyle was a monster I hadn’t yet explored and which interested me. I set out to combine the romance I was committed to writing with the gargoyle concept and, as often happens, the result was something completely different than anything I’d intended! But that’s the way it works sometimes.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

It’s funny as hell. My main character is a really sweet guy in street clothes. But when he’s forced to don the costume and becomes the super hero, he kind of resents the heck out of having to save people from what too often ends up being their own stupidity. He’s also got the MOST caustic tongue of any character I’ve ever written and he has no compunction about slinging a couple of very cutting zingers at people he’s trying to save.

There’s also a pretty damned touching and tragic love story that runs throughout Fabulous in Tights which may also appeal to people. I know that almost every time I have to re-read it for editing purposes (you probably do that about a dozen times with every book you write), I end getting all weepy at the end even though I’m the one who wrote it!

You can find out more about Hal at his website, http://www.wehovampire.com.

And now for the Next Big Thing bloggers that Hal chose:

Michaelbrent Collings is a bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter and WGA member, martial artist, and has a killer backhand on the badminton court ('cause he's macho like that). He has written numerous bestselling novels, including Apparition, The Haunted, Billy: Messenger of Powers, RUN, The Loon, and Rising Fears. In addition, he has also written dozens of non-fiction articles which have appeared in periodicals on several continents. His blog is at http://michaelbrentcollings.com/blog2.html

Ray Garton is the author of over 60 books and scores of short stories. He is a passionate lover of movies and books, and along with his wife Dawn, he is owned by several cats. Sometimes he has the urge to write but really don't have anything to say, so he blogs at http://preposteroustwaddlecock.blogspot.com/

Karen E. Taylor is a horror/paranormal author, with eight published novels to date and an eclectic assortment of short fiction which ranges from vampires to ghosts to telepathic, romantic dinosaurs. I'm working on a few new projects, but I'm superstitious enough to not want to talk about them yet. Her web site is at http://www.karenetaylor.com

New York Times best-selling author Cherry Adair, always an adventurer in life as well as writing, moved halfway across the globe from Cape Town, South Africa to the United States in her early years to become a interior designer. Now a resident of the Pacific Northwest she shares the award- winning adventures of her fictional T-FLAC counter terrorism operatives with her readers. Her blog is at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55474.Cherry_Adair/blog

Ryan Field is the author of over 100 published works of LGBT fiction, the best selling Virgin Billionaire series, a PG rated hetero romance that was featured on The Home Shopping Network titled, "Loving Daylight," and a few more works of full length fiction with a pen name. He's worked in publishing for twenty years as a writer, editor, and associate editor. His work has been in Lambda Award winning anthologies and he's self-published a few novels with Ryan Field Press. His blog is at http://ryan-field.blogspot.com

More Vampire Goodness

Recently I brought my podcast back from the dead with interviews from this year's Necon. Consistent with the theme of the series, I conducted short interviews with established writers at Necon, asking about their vampire fiction. Many of them had written vampire fiction that I hadn't heard about because I was busy with work, night school, or life at the time of publication. The series began with Jeff Strand, followed by Heather Graham, and just a few days ago, I added Necon frequenter F. Paul Wilson. You can listen to the podcasts directly at www.vampireswitchesandgeeks.com or download them from iTunes. Next up should be Hal Bodner, of WeHo vampire fame.

Book Review: Magick without Mirrors

Magic Without Mirrors by David Conway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are a student of the Occult, especially the history of the revival of the occult, you'll love this book.

This man was a fortunate man who met some of the big names of the day (Crowley) and other unknowns who aided him on the path to the unknown.

The book is chock full of rememberances, philosophy, and anecdotes.

The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was that there was so much information that it could have been two or three books. It would have benefited from an organizational edit and a proofread.

Still, this is an important book in occult studies. Recommended.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read some of the reviews of this audiobook, and though I agree with some of them, I still can't stop myself from saying I really enjoyed the book.

Yes, you can figure out the villain and the plot long before the highly educated protagonist, but the way that author Howe wove the tale was just delicious. Yes, at first I was irked by the Brahmin Boston accents that sound like nothing I'd ever heard, and yes, at first I was impatient with the the deeply descriptive writing, but the world Howe drew was rich -- and believable.

I'm a patient reader, and I'm glad I didn't put the book down when I first realized that someone might be related to a real Salem witch from Witch Trial days, because the slight spin on the worn and dismal story of the Trials that Howe did was worth the wait.

Am I not giving you enough detail? It's because I don't want to spoil it. Yes, you'll probably guess much of it early on if you know anything about the trials, but it's fun to watch what she does with it, and her guess on how it could have happened. Okay, here's a mini-spoiler: the heroines are very cunning.

Will historians enjoy it? I don't know. Her "interludes" sounded authentic to me, but I'm not a historian.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Lilith's Love by Dan Shaurette

Lilith's Love by Dan Shaurette
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Author Dan Shaurette wrote the manuscript for this novel while earning a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science at Arizona State University, which was enough to pique my interest -- I wrote my first vampire novel while working third shift as a computer operator.

That's not where the similarities end, though. Lilith's Love features old-school vampires: Lilith sleeps on an earth mattress with soil from her grave), my lead vampire keeps soil from his grave. My protagonist meets up with a coven of witches. Dan's protagonist's best friend is, you guessed it, a Wiccan.

With those disclosures, you know I started his novel with a bias toward liking it. I was not disappointed.

The love story between Lilith and Donovan is real and ethereal. The danger from her master and a blast from Donovan's friend Christian's past is palpable.

Recommended, especially for those fans of old-school vampires.

I listened to the podiobook version from http://www.podiobooks.com/title/lilit....

View all my reviews

Interview with Writer Jeff Strand

I've restarted my podcast Vampires, Witches, and Geeks with an enticing series of interviews recorded live at a small gathering of horror writers in Bristol, Rhode Island. Officially named the Northeastern Writers' Conference, most people know it as Necon, and those who know it intimately sometimes call it Camp Necon.

My first interviewee is Necon Guest of Honor Jeff Strand. Jeff Strand is a really nice guy – and funny as hell. You’d notice the funny bit, even if you never had the pleasure of meeting him in person. Just look at the titles of his books: Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary), Single White Psychopath Seeks Same, Lost Homicidal Maniac (Answers to "Shirley"), and Casket for Sale (Only Used Once). What I wanted to interview him about, though, was the novel Draculas, a collaboration with authors F. Paul Wilson (who I also interview in this series), Jack Kilborn (J. A. Konrath), and Blake Crouch.

So, here's the first in the series, my Interview with Writer Jeff Strand. As always, I try to keep the podcasts short and sweet. Hope this brief introduction is enough to entice you to sample Jeff's works.

Book Review: Heart of Evil

Heart of Evil by Heather Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the first time I read (well, listened to) a novel by Heather Graham and I must say I was impressed. It's a damn good ghost story, mystery, and crime novel rolled into one. The romance is there, but not overstated, which is exactly what I enjoy.

The book is set in Louisiana, and the setting was well-laid. I felt that it was indeed the South, and not a caricature.

I hadn't read the first book in the series, but I was able to follow along easily. The version I listened to was abridged, but I never noticed what was left out, so there was some skillful cutting there.

The Brilliance Audio version was well-performed, but I had a hard time recognizing Ashley's voice. The actor was male, and maybe he didn't want to overdo things and sound too "girlie", but it just didn't sound like Ashley to me. The other characters were well-voiced, though, and I enjoyed the performance.

Finally, I love paranormal, and the paranormal here was both believable and scary. I really enjoyed this book.

View all my reviews

Join me at Worcester’s Last Independent Bookstore

Update 6/22/12 I will be unable to attend, but urge you to go anyway. This is a great group of Broads and you'll enjoy their readings and their company - Morven

On Friday, June 22, 2012 from 5-9 pm, members of Broad Universe will be reading selections from their writings, signing books, and discussing writing adventures and publishing. The event will run from 5PM until 9PM, with a rotating schedule – something new every hour! 

Listen to selections of fantasy, science fiction, and horror from writers Elaine Isaak, Rachel Kenley, Jennifer Pelland, Jennifer Allis Provost, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, Morven Westfield, and Phoebe Wray.

Broad Universe is an international non-profit dedicated to celebrating, honoring, and promoting women who write speculative fiction.

NEHW at Foxboro Craft Fair Saturday

Foxboro Craft Fair
May 19, 2012
9:30-3:00
On the Common
Foxboro, MA 02035
Web site

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, join me and Tracy Carbone, Scott Goudsward, Stacey Longo Harris, K. Allen Wood, David Price, and Rob Watts at the New England Horror Writers' table. 

We'll be enjoying the outdoors at this fundraiser for the Foxboro Jaycees, which is free and open to the public. Current weather predictions are for a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70s. If you're in the area, stop by. We'll have books for sale, and plenty of smiles for everyone. 

Yes, smiles. Just because we write some terrifying stuff now and then doesn't mean we don't smile!

Book Review: Deadlocked, by Charlaine Harris

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second-to-last book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and many of the Goodreads, Amazon, and Audible reviews are not very glowing.

A common complaint is that there's not enough action and sex, and too much uninteresting detail. (One person complained that Sookie spent so much time cooking that she now knows how to make sweet potato pie.)

Another complaint is that Harris spends too much time on minor characters. Admist chaos, we're learning that characters from the previous books are getting married or having children or working through tough couple times. Some reviewers thought that detracted from the mystery and thriller aspects.

In Harris's defense, one reviewer pointed out that this *is* the penultimate book, and that Harris has a lot of tying up of loose ends.

And that, I think, is the key to reading this book: Harris is tying up loose ends. She's also, as other readers complained, moving certain things in a different direction. To do that, she has to spend a lot of time on things that may seem trivial.

If you're a fan of the series, and you keep in mind that Harris is doing clean-up and setting the stage for the grand finale, you'll appreciate it more than if you're hoping for a sex romp or some of the humor of earlier books.

Johanna Parker's voice work on the Recorded Books audiobook version adeptly conveys the atmosphere of the anticipated end. I've loved listening to her narrate the series and hope she reads the final book.

View all my reviews

Women's History Month

There are still a few days left in March, which is Women's History Month. If you love genre fiction by women writers, use these last few days to help them make a place in history. Help others find their work through blogging, reviewing, and rating.

If you find writing a blog or a full review daunting, how about logging on to Amazon or Goodreads or a similar site and giving a rating to books you've read by women? Every little bit helps women writers get noticed and stay in the minds of agents, editors, and publishers. That, in turn, increases the chance that more women writers will be published in the future.

Appearing at Heritage Craft Fair in Framingham

On Saturday, March 24, 2012, I'll be at the New England Horror Writers' table at the 39th Heritage Craft Fair in Framingham, MA. Along with me will be other NEHW writers including Stacey Longo, David Price, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Rob Watts, and K. Allen Wood.

This is pretty exciting for me. I know where it is (no GPS needed this time!) and I know where it is because not only did I grow up in Framingham, but the town, which I renamed Danforth, figures highly in both my novels.

The first novel, Darksome Thirst, starts in Framingham when a lone second-shift computer operator, Alicia Anderson, meets a vampire in the computer room. Yes, the witches who sense the vampire at the same time are in Bristleton (Brighton) and some later are in Fenmore (Boston), but the heart and soul of both Darksome Thirst and the standalone sequel, The Old Power Returns, is in Framingham.

Stop by if you can. It's a fundraiser for the Heritage Chorale, admission is cheap, there will be food for sale, and parking is free.

Saturday, March 24, 2012
10 AM to 4 PM

Keefe Technical School
750 Winter Street
Framingham, MA
Admission:  
   Adults $3.00
   Seniors $2.50
   Under 12 free

Other links for this Saturday's event:

http://www.heritagefair.org/


http://nehwnews.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/the-nehw-will-be-at-the-39th-heritage-craft-fair-this-saturday/

I'd Rather Read this on my Kindle

Writers often read other writer's works in draft form. We critique, proofread, review, and blurb.

In the old days, the other writer would send you a printout by postal mail. You'd carry around a sheaf of paper, scribbling furiously in the margins. When finished, you'd package the marked-up copy and take it to the post office for mailing back to the author.

Things got even easier when it became possible to email versions one could review. Microsoft Word, for example, has a review feature that tracks comments. Starting with version 10 of the free reader, Adobe Acrobat allows you to highlight and make simple comments.

When I got my Kindle, though, I wanted to be able to read copies there. My Kindle is much more transportable than a laptop or even my netbook, and the screen is much easier to read than that of a smartphone.

Kindles can read PDF, but it doesn't read well; typically the font is too small and when you resize it, the text doesn't reflow. I wanted something that would behave like a regular Kindle book, with all the features.

Kindles can read something called the Mobipocket format. (See the WikiPedia entry "Comparison of e-book formats.") Without too much pain, you can download a free copy of the Mobipocket Creator, create a .mobi version of your Word, PDF, text, or HTML document, and then put it on your Kindle.

How? If you're adventurous, go to the Mobipocket software page, download the Creator (on the right side of the page), and give it a go. (Import, optionally enter metadata, and then build.) If you need a little more assistance, check back later and I'll post the full instructions.

October/November 2011 Events

I'll be participating in the following events this Fall. 

Rock N' Shock
October 16, 2011, 11 am - 1 pm
DCU Convention Center
50 Foster St.
Worcester, MA 01608
www.rockandshock.com

Going to Rock N'Shock? Stop by the NEHW table in the vending area. I'll be there from 11-1 on Sunday, but members of NEHW will be on hand all weekend while the vending area is open.

Other NEHW members present include Jack Haringa, L.L. Soares, NECON E-Books, Ken Wood (Shock Totem), Tracy Carbone, T.J. May, Danny Evarts, Jason Harris, Stacey Longo. For more information, see the NEHW website at www.newenglandhorror.org.

Intro to National Novel Writing Month
(presented by members of the New England Chapter of Broad Universe)
October 20, 2011, 7 pm
NPL Theater
Nashua Public Library
2 Court Street
Nashua, NH 03060-3475
www.nashualibrary.org

From the Nashua Public Library Calendar:

"November is National Novel Writing Month, a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to writing. Participants begin writing on Nov. 1 with the aim of completing a 50,000-word novel by Nov. 30.

Four NaNoWriMo veterans, all members of Broad Universe, a group that celebrates female sci-fi, fantasy, and horror authors, help you make the most of the challenge—and tell you what to do when you finish."

Anthocon
November 11-13, 2011
Anthology 2011 Conference
Best Western Wynwood Hotel & Suites
580 US Route 1
Portsmouth, NH 03801
anthocon.wordpress.com

This is the first year for this con, but they've got some really good guests including authors Jackie Gamber, Catherynne M. Valente, Jennifer Pellan, Christopher Golden, Rick Hautala, and Jonathan Maberry and artist Ogmios.

Witches' Almanac #31: The Little Warrior

The Witches' Almanac has posted their table of contents for the 2012-2013 issue. My article, "The Little Warrior: A Protective Talisman" is listed along with a number of fascinating selections.

I always marvel at the diversity of articles they manage to assemble. Here are some more examples:

Weather Lore in Rural Pennsylvania, Astrology of the Vampires, Gettysburg: America’s Ghost Hunting Paradise, Museum of Witchcraft Diamond Jubilee, and The Locavore Revolution. It also has an article on the Tarot Sun card by renowned author, Paul Huson, a tarot expert, screenwriter, and novelist.

One of the more popular regular features of The Witches' Almanac is the yearly astrological forecast for each sign by Dikki-Jo Mullen, who now has a blog at dikkijomullen.wordpress.com. Dikki-Jo has been their house astrologer for ages.

The Witches' Almanac has been publishing since 1971, and I look forward to it each year. This is the seventh time I've contributed an article to the issue.

Divination as Writing Tool Panel At Pi-Con

Pi-Con - August 26-28, 2011, an annual convention in the Springfield, MA/Enfield, CT area of New England, describes itself as a celebration of geekery. Just that description is enough to want to make you go, right?

On Saturday, August 27, at 7:00 pm, in the Suffield conference room, I'll be on a panel called "Tarot & Divination as Writing Tools" where you'll learn how authors use divination tools in their writing. Participants include KT Pinto (moderator), Catt Kingsgrave, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, Trisha Wooldridge, and me, Morven Westfield.

Stop by for what I'm sure will be a fascinating panel.

The entire Pi-Con schedule is posted on their website.

Book Review: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've always been fascinated with death. I don't know whether my interested in vampires, ghosts, and other things beyond the grave fed my interest or vice versa, but that, combined with a strong curiosity about the human body made this book a natural addition to my bookshelf.

Roach does not disappoint. She gives you the scientific detail, but explained in such a way that us mere mortals can not only comprehend, but appreciate, what she's telling us. Her dry humor comes through, especially since she's the one reading the book to us. (I listened to the audio edition.)

I loved this book. If you're fascinated with death, medicine, or general science, give it a shot.

View all my reviews

Broad Universe Annual Meeting

I'm a member of Broad Universe, a nonprofit international organization of women and men dedicated to celebrating and promoting the work of women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been busy helping them launch their first ever virtual annual meeting. Prior to 2011, Broad Universe held its annual meeting at WisCon, a feminist science fiction convention held in Madison, Wisconsin. Broad Universe is moving it to a virtual location to make it possible for more members to attend.

As a member of the Motherboard, I'll be speaking briefly, but mostly I'll be the "woman behind the curtains", trying to prevent problems and solve them as they arrive.

Here's the announcement.

---

Broad Universe will have an open annual meeting on August 14, 2011, at 7pm Eastern Time (US/Canada). This will be different from previous annual meetings in that it will be virtual -- that is, a large-scale conference call and web presentation.

New president Trisha Wooldridge will chair the meeting, which starts with a message from our outgoing president, Phoebe Wray. Other members of the Motherboard will describe what we've been doing this past year, and all will talk about our plans for the future. At the end, we'll answer questions that have been submitted.

If you're interested in attending, visit our Annual Meeting FAQ page. The meeting is open to both paid Broad Universe members and non-members.

The meeting will be recorded so that those who can't attend will be able to listen later.

Broad Universe is a nonprofit organization under US Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3).

Latest Sookie Stackhouse novel is out -- and on audio, too!

Dead Reckoning, the latest Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery by Charlaine Harris has been released.

These days I tend to do most of my "reading" by ear, either commuting to and from work, or trying to get in some daily exercise. I was pleased to discover that the Audible version, again narrated by Johanna Parker, is also available today.

As with all Audible books, you can listen to a short sample right there on the page.

Book Review: Grave Surprise, by Charlaine Harris

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Harper Connelly series, so I expected myself to still be warming up to the premise and the characters. That wasn't a problem: the book spent a lot of time filling in the background and showing how the characters developed because of their pasts.

I think, though, that it spent too much time there. I don't think the pace suffered, really, but more the sense of delight and fascination that one feels getting to know a new series.

I liked it enough, though, to try the third book in the series.

P.S. I actually listened to the audio version, narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan, whose narration I enjoyed.


View all my reviews

Book Review: Writing, by Stephen King

On Writing by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It's very rare that I have the time to read a book twice. It's also rare that I buy both a paper copy and an audio copy. It's rarer still that I do both.

With On Writing I did do both: Bought and read the paper copy, then bought the audio book so I could "read" it again.

The joy of the audiobook is that King reads it himself, and you get to hear the excitement and raw emotion behind the words. Oh, it's not that the master of horror couldn't get across those emotions by words alone, but to hear them, to feel his emotion in his voice, that is a treasure.

His advice, as both a writer and a teacher of writing, is excellent. His stories, especially ones from childhood, are priceless.

Recommended. Highly recommended.



View all my reviews

Book Review: Grave Sight, by Charlaine Harris

Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have two friends who were fans of Charlaine Harris' mysteries way before the Sookie Stackhouse series. They both recommended the Lily Bard series and this one, the Harper Connelly series. The premise of Harper Connelly's story interested me more, so I started with this one.

I'm not giving it 5 stars because it didn't knock my socks off, but I really did like it and enjoyed the character of Harper Collins. She's more intelligent and level-headed than Sookie Stackhouse, but I liked that.

I also liked the fact that although I started to guess the mystery, I couldn't figure out all of it, and when it was finally revealed, I didn't feel cheated.

The character of Tolliver, her brother, seemed uneven to me, but I'm not sure if that's because of the way he was written or the way he was performed. I listened to the audio version of this book, so it's hard to tell if that's the way Charlaine told it or the way Alyssa Bresnahan interpreted. I think her narration was great, but I just didn't "get" Tolliver.

I've listened to only one book in the series, though, so I can't really judge it. I've got the second book, Grave Surprise, loaded on my iPod and look forward to listening to it.

View all my reviews

So that's what my cat was saying!

Like many geriatric felines, my cat talks a lot. Both my husband and I have developed the habit of meowing back. This normally isn't a problem --unless someone else is in the room. 

One day I was standing at the front door giving my cookie order to a local Girl Scout when the cat meowed from another room. Without thinking, I meowed back. I'm sure the girl went home and told her mother that the lady across the street was strange. Really strange.

Tonight I was giving my wrist a break, using Dragon NaturallySpeaking to dictate some notes. From downstairs I heard the familiar meow. Again, without thinking, I meowed back. Looking at the clock I realized that it was probably time to feed the cat. When I looked back at the computer screen, I realized that Dragon had translated my meow to "well". So, that's what my cat was saying!

International Women's Day - March 8, 2011

From the press area of their web site:

"International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating
the economic, political and social achievements of women past,
present and future. In some countries like China, Russia,
Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. The first IWD
event was run in 1911 so 2011 sees the Global Centenary."

Hundreds of women around the world celebrate this day each year. The theme for 2011 is:

Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

If you are a women and you've been fortunate enough to have such access, at the very least, stop and feel gratitude for what you have.

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Read an eBook Week - March 6-12, 2011

According to the history page of their web site, eBooks turn 40 this year!

In 1971, the first book to possibly qualify as an eBook was the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which was posted on a Xerox Sigma V mainframe computer. And that was the beginning of Project Gutenberg, a source of free books that continues today.

You can read the Project Gutenberg mission statement by Michael Hart, who posted that first eBook, on the Project Gutenberg web site.

Happy birthday, eBooks!
P.S. Both of by books, Darksome Thirst and The Old Power Returns, are available in Kindle versions. Other electronic formats are coming soon. Don't have a Kindle? You can read Kindle-formatted right on your computer. See my earlier blog post for details.

US Editions
Darksome Thirst

The Old Power Returns


UK Editions
Darksome Thirst

The Old Power Returns

Broad Universe Membership Special

If you've been following my blogs, you know that I'm active in Broad Universe, an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, encouraging, honoring, and celebrating women writers and editors in science fiction, fantasy, horror and other speculative genres.

The Broad Universe membership year runs from June 1st to May 31st, but if you join or renew now, you get 15 months of news, tips, community, and more for the price of 12 months.

If you want to support women writers in the speculative genres, and especially if you ARE -- or want to BE -- a woman writer in the speculative genres, consider joining. As it says on the web site, "For the cost of three lattes at your favorite coffee shop ($15) or a dinner for one at a reasonable restaurant ($30)," you can receive benefits that include posting your news of sales and upcoming events on our web page, listing your books in our catalog, and having access ot the Members Only area of the web.

For more information, see

http://www.broaduniverse.org/benefits/benefits-of-membership

Broadly Speaking: Faith and Fear

I had the pleasure to be one of three authors discussing faith and fear on the inaugural episode of Broadly Speaking, a new podcast series produced by members of Broad Universe.

Check it out at
http://broadlyspeaking.posterous.com/broadly-speaking-faith-and-fear

Here's the description:

Welcome to the very first Broadly Speaking edition of the Broad Pod. Broadly Speaking brings you interviews and insights from women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror - and all the realms in between. Keeping with the Broad Pod's theme of Faith and Fear, Broadly Speaking will chat with Jennifer Pelland, Morven Westfield, and Gail Z. Martin about how they've used faith and fear in their writing, advice on how to do it well, and even how selling and marketing can be affected. Join host Trish Wooldridge for some true tales of women's adventures in writing!

Broad Universe Reading at Boskone

Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading
at Boskone 48
February 18, 2011
9 PM, Lewis

I'll be reading with fellow members of Broad Universe, an international organization dedicated to promoting, encouraging, honoring, and celebrating women writers and editors in science fiction, fantasy, horror and other speculative genres.

If you've never been to a Rapid-Fire Reading, give it a try. They're a lot of fun, yet sometimes very sobering and thought-provoking as well. You might hear stories of horror, fantasy, or science fiction -- or a delightful combination of all of the above. The readers this time include Jennifer Pelland (moderator) Justine Graykin, Elaine Isaak, Shira Lipkin, Suzanne Reynolds- Alpert, Roberta Rogow, Trisha Wooldridge, myself, and others.

For information, see the schedule at www.boskone.org

Using Local Settings in Works of Horror Well-Received

Tonight authors Daniel G. Keohane (Solomon's Grave), Tracy Carbone (The Man of Mystery Hill), and I participated in a panel discussion on using local settings in works of horror. We talked about how we each handled our fictional towns in our novels. Tracy's got her Bradfield, Dan's got Hillcrest and Ledgewood, and I have Danforth, Fenmore, and Bristleton. We touched on how other writers created their own towns (for example, Stephen King's Castle Rock) and the benefits of creating your own fictional town.

This event was sponsored and organized by the West Boylston Arts Foundation (WBAF), as a celebration of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. WBAF is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to prevent cuts to town school arts and music programs. It was established in June 2007, following budget cuts which threatened to eliminate art and music classes in the West Boylston school system.

The building was beautiful, the library staff was helpful, and WBAF President Mark Baldi and his daughter were gracious hosts and audience members. In general, the audience was very attentive, asked great questions, and made the evening a pure delight.

For more information on WBAF and the great work they're doing, see their web site and the November 2010 Banner article Foundation Plans Winter Events.

Didn't get a Kindle for Christmas? Have I got a tip for you!

I read a post recently where someone was expressing dismay at not being able to read a book because it was available only in Kindle format.

I knew that there are free Kindle apps available for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android because I use one on my iPod Touch. I didn't know if she had any of those devices, but I thought it was worth a shot. Being a good netizen, I looked up the web address so I could tell her where to find them.

Surprise! There are also free programs available for the Windows PC and Mac! Check it out:

Free Kindle Reading Apps


Oh, and if you're looking for a good read for your new Kindle application, both of my books are available :-D


Darksome Thirst

The Old Power Returns

Enjoy!

Morven

Using Local Settings in Works of Horror

I will be joining authors Daniel G. Keohane (Solomon's Grave) and Tracy Carbone (The Man of Mystery Hill) for a reading, signing, anda panel discussion on using local settings in their works of horror. (My novels are set in a thinly-disguised Framingham, Boston, and Brighton, Massachusetts.)


This event is for the West Boylston (Massachusetts) Arts Foundation, which is celebrating Edgar Allan Poe's birthday.

All are welcome, and attendance is free.

For directions, visit www.beamanlibrary.org/directions.html


Learn more about the WBAF at www.wbaf.org/.

Staying on track with writing

During my writing session this morning, I discovered a few things I didn't know about Microsoft Word 2007:

To hide text, select it and then press Ctrl-Shift-h.
Hidden text isn't counted in word count.

That's good news for me because it means that I can write myself notes at the beginning of each scene, make the text hidden, and still have a good idea of how many words I've actually got.

YES!

Panels at Albacon - Update

Albacon begins this Friday and I've been so busy with other things that I didn't get a chance to update my blog regarding the panels. I've dropped out of one and joined another, and was added to another one I didn't know about. I'm really pleased with the programming. All of it sounds fun, interesting, and worthwhile.

Albacon is being held
October 8-10, 2010 at the Best Western Sovereign Hotel, 1228 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203

Registration is still open and there are still rooms available at $86/night, single or double occupancy. (A sign of the economy, I guess.) There is also a FREE shuttle from the airport, train, or bus station. See http://www.albacon.org/hotel.php for details on getting the rate and the shuttle.


Here's my schedule as it stands now, with a short description of the panels and a list of the panelists.

Friday

4 pm
Promotion on a Low Budget

What are the secrets to promotion that doesn't break the bank, but gets your name out there where it matters.

Alexandre, Price (M), Johnson, Kempe, Westfield



Saturday

12 noon
Vampires: Sparkling or Bloody?

Vampires: rotting corpses who feed on human vitality or dreamy sparkly beautiful mopey demi-gods? Discuss.
Arthen, Crowley, Darvill, Kessler (M), Pinto, Westfield


1 pm
Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading

Arthen, Kempe, Laity, Rogow, Westfield


2pm
eBooks and eReaders

Ebooks are outselling hardcovers: the future is here! What're the best ereaders--and can you sign them somehow?
D'Arc, Kempe, S Miller, Roman, (M) Westfield


11 pm
Steamy Romance Reading

The stories don't have to be scorching, but it helps! This is a 18+ event. Attendees will have the chance to win some swag thanks to Authors After Dark.
Alexandre, Arthen, Crowley, D'Arc, Darvill, Jamison, Kempe, Lynne, Marlowe, Price, Westfield

Mentioned on the Out of the Coffin podcast

About a week and a half ago, I was listening to Epsiode 61 of the Out of the Coffin podcast on the way to work. Shortly after the intro, I heard host Dan Shaurette say, "I just finished reading Darksome Thirst by Morven Westfield" - he loved it!

Talk about a way to start the day! Writing can be such a struggle sometimes, but those little moments when someone praises your work, when someone gets it, those moments are priceless.

Panels at Albacon

I just saw a preliminary list of the panels for Albacon, being held October 8-10, 2010 in Albany, New York.

I'm going to be participating in the following panels/events. This schedule is still subject to change, but if it changes, I'll post a correction here.

Friday, noon
Paranormal Romance: the Hottest Genre

Friday, 5 pm
General Signing with Workshop Authors

Saturday, noon
Vampires: Sparkling or Bloody?

Saturday, 1 pm
Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading

Update: I've just agreed to another panel, which should be exciting:

Saturday, 2 pm
eBooks and eReaders

Book Review: Dead to the World, by Charlaine Harris

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another good, rollicking Stackhouse mystery. This book in the series features Eric more than Bill, so if you're an Eric fan, you'll love it. (Count me in that category.)

As a writer who has witch and Wiccan characters in my own novels, I love the way Harris portrays witches and Wiccans in hers. There are good, there are bad, and in her world, witches and Wiccans are different. As someone with a bad memory and a long time between books, I love the way Harris gently fills in backstory. Though she's probably doing it for new readers, I've found it immensely helpful.

If you're just familiar with the True Blood TV series, you should read the books, too. One does not spoil the other. They combine to give a rich view of the happenings in Bon Temps.

Book Review: Dracula the Undead, by Dacre Stoker

Dracula the Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I've been a Dracula fan since the early Hammer films. I've also read Bram Stoker's book, so it's not just that I'm in love with the film presentations.

I actually listened to the audio version, but I'm putting my review on a book version because my comments aren't on the audio. The audio (from Audible) is, as with all the Audible productions I've listened to so far, excellent. The voice talent is fantastic and the production is clear and professional. So, no problem there.

I had no problem with the story taking liberties with the plot lines (Mina actually was in love with Dracula). Some of the anachronisms of vampire lore jerked me out of the story for a second, but only a second. For example, modern vampire lore uses the adjective preternatural a lot, a term I don't remember hearing pre-Anne Rice. It might have been in Stoker's original and I just don't remember it, but when I hear that term, I think of post-Rice vampires. That sin can be forgiven, though; I myself use it in my novels, whose vampires are more Dark Shadows era than Rice era.

I had no problem with the tone of the book. It was deliciously old-fashioned, much like the original Stoker. That, I felt, was a strong point.

The plotting, though, had too many stretches. Dacre Stoker tied in Jack the Ripper and Elizabeth Bathory into the Dracula story, which could have worked, but I think there were just too many plot irons in the fire. When the time came to wrap them up at the end, it seemed a little rushed just because there was so much to wrap up.

Your experience reading it as opposed to listening to it might differ. When reading, one pauses and mulls things over more, I find. Yes, I can pause my iPod, but I find that I don't. I don't know why; certainly when reading a physical book, I will stop and look away from the page to savor a scene or to remember the foreshadowing of certain plots. For some reason, though, I don't do that when listening.

Still, I found it enjoyable, and worth a read for any Dracula afficianado.

Podcast Episode Posted

I just posted a short episode of Vampires, Witches, and Geeks on www.vampireswitchesandgeeks.com

This episode contains news and announcements.

Online Author Conference

Now this should be fun -- CoyoteCon is a completely online conference for authors! Not only are there no travel costs associated with this conference, there are no costs, either! That's right, free. (You do have to register, though, because space is limited.)

The conference runs May 1-31, 2010, though most of the events happen on the weekends.

Gotta love this error message :-)

Got this error message on my iPod Touch when I tried to look at I Can Has Cheeseburger while not connected to the net:

No Can Has Cheezburger.
No can find cheezburger. Did kitteh unplug network?

Found a picture of it on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahkitj/3847189427/

I just love it when programmers are allowed to use humor in error messages!

Broad Universe at Borders, Shrewsbury, MA 3/6/2010

Join local members of Broad Universe today to celebrate National Women's History Month with an introduction to some of the greatest women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Broad Universe is a non-profit international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women.

Join them for short presentations and rapid-fire readings. All events are free and open to the public.


March 6, 2010, 1 pm

Note: Elaine Isaak sprained her ankle and won't be able to present on James Tiptree, Jr. today.

Borders
476 Boston Turnpike
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Jennifer Pelland -- Octavia Butler
Trisha Wooldridge -- Madeleine L'Engle
Pheobe Wray -- Connie Willis
Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert -- Marge Piercy

March is National Women's History Month

From the National Women's History Project web site:

"The overarching theme for March 2010 is Writing Women Back into History. In 2010, in celebration of our 30th Anniversary, we will be highlighting themes from previous years. Each of these past themes recognizes a different aspect of women’s achievements, from ecology to art, and from sports to politics."

Local members of Broad Universe, a non-profit international organization with the primary goal of promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women, will celebrate National Women's History Month with an introduction to some of the greatest women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror.

Join them for short presentations and rapid-fire readings. All events are free and open to the public.


March 6, 2010, 1 pm

Borders
476 Boston Turnpike
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Jennifer Pelland -- Octavia Butler
Trisha Wooldridge -- Madeleine L'Engle
Elaine Isaak -- James Tiptree, Jr.
Pheobe Wray -- Connie Willis
Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert -- Marge Piercy


March 13, 2010, 7 pm

Toadstool Bookshop
Lorden Plaza
586 Nashua Street
Milford, NH 03055

Jennifer Pelland -- Octavia Butler
Trisha Wooldridge -- Madeleine L'Engle
Elaine Isaak -- James Tiptree, Jr.
Pheobe Wray -- Connie Willis


March 18, 2010, 6:30 pm

Jacob Edwards Library
236 Main Street
Southbridge, MA 01550

Trisha Wooldridge -- Madeleine L'Engle
Pheobe Wray -- Connie Willis

Podcast interview with author & witch Dorothy Morrison

I posted the first part of my podcast interview with author & witch Dorothy Morrison a couple of days ago. We had a lot of fun doing it, too.

If you're not familiar with Dorothy, here's some background info.

Dorothy Morrison is the author of over a dozen non-fiction books on paganism and Wicca including

Everyday Magic
The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows
Magical Needlework
Utterly Wicked

With Kristen Madden, she co-wrote Dancing the Goddess Incarnate and is the creator of The Whimsical Tarot.

In the first half of the interview, I talked to Dorothy about storytelling, her first novel (Lucinda's Web), and the woes and wackiness of book touring.

A native Texan, Dorothy lives in Virginia with her husband.

Massachusetts residents: Don't forget to vote on Tuesday.

There's a special election to vote for the replacement for the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Whether you're for Coakley or Brown, vote. Apparently this election will be close.

Podcasting Pioneer Tee Morris Suffers Family Loss

As you know, I have a podcast. It isn't a major production and it isn't one of the top podcasts on iTunes, but it is a podcast, I do have listeners, and I've done it all myself. Well, mostly.

One year for Christmas I asked hubby for a book on podcasting called Podcasting for Dummies. One of the authors was Tee Morris, who, I later discovered, was the first podcaster to podcast a novel. The book was immensely helpful, and I began to listen to one of Tee's podcasts, The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy. He's always seemed like a genuine, helpful guy.

Yesterday his wife died from complications of the flu, leaving behind Tee and a 7-year-old daughter. It’s so hard to believe that a man who was so giving would have something so precious taken from him.

One of his friends, fellow author Philipa (Pip) Ballantine has set up a ChipIn fund to raise money to cover their immediate expenses and to set up a fund for his daughter, who his listeners know as Sonic Boom. If you'd like to contribute, click the widget below or look him up on ChipIn.