tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69289330691223241482024-03-14T02:53:23.426-07:00Author T C SouthwellDemon Lord - The Cyber Chronicles - The Queen's Blade - The Broken World - Slave EmpireHawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877218067873756705noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-19233012743726412932021-10-12T09:50:00.000-07:002021-10-12T09:50:35.107-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mwgg7IflTCis-nZehTNLz1sB0kOsYGc3qKY7P1Pd7kge_9SrYMsAi6c3W6aGXBKvliXHOhJPxaJptMnIgzNdy6e9Zw8eQw3xE9i1UPIskVgLjAXycWyyMsUknMZ6EijN7tTqMP4dBsYO/s2048/DL11GodWar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mwgg7IflTCis-nZehTNLz1sB0kOsYGc3qKY7P1Pd7kge_9SrYMsAi6c3W6aGXBKvliXHOhJPxaJptMnIgzNdy6e9Zw8eQw3xE9i1UPIskVgLjAXycWyyMsUknMZ6EijN7tTqMP4dBsYO/w261-h400/DL11GodWar.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>The Demon Lord returns to his former tomb to solve the mystery of the accursed box he hopes is a portal to Naskara. His ordeal in Damnation has left deep mental scars that make him leery of braving the unknown and not even sure he wants to help the light anymore. He has paid too high a price for doing so and all he wants now is to return home. In Naskara, he discovers who helped to free him, and why, and the dark angels who want him to be their god follow him there.<p></p>Silven has more freedom, with Lathe as her protector, and she is unable to resist the lure of visiting her traveller friends. Marlan offers to teach her how to use magic, and a strange encounter reveals the presence of new enemies. Lathe keeps her safe, for now, but Arkonen has plans to exact his revenge on her father, and they include Silven. She is forced to seek the aid of a black cult, whose ties to warlocks and demons can protect her, and her family, but the arrangement has pitfalls. As long as Arkonen thinks she is on a dark path, he might choose to leave her be, but Lathe is vulnerable to the Black Lord’s machinations.<br /><br />When Naskara reaches Airedene, the celestial cities clash in an apocalyptic battle, wherein Naskara could tip the balance of power in the darkness’ favour. If Airedene is destroyed, it may never be rebuilt, and its loss would change destiny forever. The seven Grey Gods have gathered to fight this latest battle in the eternal god war between the darkness and the light, but they face a dire enemy in the form of seven ancient and powerful dark gods.Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-14600485666272921802019-11-02T07:26:00.000-07:002019-11-18T12:24:54.607-08:00Demon Lord X - Forge of TimeThe tenth book of the Demon Lord series is now available on pre-order at <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/988754" target="_blank">Smashwords</a>, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZTS7RK1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and other retailers.<br />
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Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite for what you can expect to read in Forge of Time:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The throng
murmured, many of its members turning to each other with furrowed brows, but
the disturbance died down when the judge raised a hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“If you’re
trying to incite unrest,” he said, “you’ll fail, and you’ll earn yourself a
worse punishment. You should keep quiet, while you’ve only lost your tongue.”
He signalled to the other two leather-clad thugs. “Arrest her.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The men shoved
through the mob towards her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“What you’re
doing is <i>wrong</i>!” she yelled. “If this
is the kind of justice those blue bastards impose, they’re as bad as dark gods!
They’re monsters!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Your heresy
just earned you a death sentence.” The judge turned to the jailers on the
podium. “What are you waiting for? Get on with it!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">“</span><i style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">No</i><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">!”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ashryn scrambled
over the railing, and the crowd below surged aside as she dropped. She landed
lightly, the hawk tattoo on her back tingling, and headed for the judge, people
shuffling out of her way. He swung to face her, and the jailer with the hatchet
quit the scaffold to intercept her. As he seized her arm, her golden snake
tattoo glimmered, came to life and slithered up his sleeve. He released her
with a yell and recoiled, searching his clothes for the viper that slid under
them, its progress marked by a long, coiling bulge. The judge’s mouth flopped
open and the other jailer stared. The youth wrenched free of his captor’s
slackened hold and dived into the throng.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The spectators
were agog as the first jailer swore and squirmed, hunting for the elusive serpent.
He stripped off his jacket and flung it down, then grabbed at his chest as a
gleam of gold vanished under his shirt. He yelled and ripped off the garment,
spraying buttons, and the viper slithered into his trousers and coiled around
one leg. Ashryn smiled as the brawny man yanked down his trousers and made a
grab for the snake, which slid into his undershorts with a hiss. He rummaged
inside his remaining garment, his face twisted with dread at the threat to his
most sensitive parts, and she held out her arm before he resorted to extreme
measures to evict the snake, doubtless to the crowd’s disgust. The shimmering viper
reappeared on her skin and returned to its dormant state. The jailer groped
around for a minute longer before realising it was gone, then turned his back
and dragged up his trousers, darting her murderous looks as the onlookers
tittered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The judge closed
his mouth and scowled at her. “So, you must be the sorceress I’ve heard about.
Our gods will want to meet you, and yet… The tales tell of how everyone
understands each other near you, but these people are still speaking their own
tongues.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“You know
nothing, because you’re a <i>moron</i>!
You’re a spineless lackey, too.” She raised a finger, making him blanch and
step back. “You leave these poor people alone from now on.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Since you have
magic, our gods will deal with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“They’ll have to
find me first, and I reckon I just gained the favour of the downtrodden masses
here, so good luck with that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"> Ashryn spun on her heel, and the crowd parted to
let her through. The thugs who had been sent to arrest her stepped into her
path, looking apprehensive, but the judge flicked a hand and they let her pass.
Evidently he wanted to avoid another demoralising magical display in front of
so many witnesses. </span><span style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">Jeharad caught
up when she was halfway back to the shack.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“What the hell
was that?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“How much did
you see?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Everything;
after you jumped off the balcony, I climbed up.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“That was myth
magic, for defence.” She smiled. “It was quite entertaining, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jeharad chuckled.
“I thought he was going to strip right off.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“He might have,
if I hadn’t recalled it.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">His mirth faded.
“You shouldn’t have called so much attention to yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Maybe not, but
I couldn’t let them cripple that poor boy. I think the locals might help to
hide us now, too. It’ll be beneficial to get in their good books.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I wouldn’t
count on that. If they’re loyal to their gods, you’ll have made matters worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Who would be
loyal to such barbarous gods?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Desperate
people who know they won’t survive long without them.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-37512800683133805702016-02-11T03:35:00.000-08:002016-02-11T03:35:11.618-08:00New Covers for The Cyber Chronicles SeriesHere are the new Cyber Chronicles covers, which I really enjoyed creating. Science-fiction allows leeway for great creativity, and I'm very pleased with how these turned out, although some went through several versions before I was reasonably satisfied. The curse of a perfectionist. I would have spent more time on all the covers, and perhaps improved them more, but at some stage I had to call a halt and move on, or I'd never have finished them. I hope you like these!<br />
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<br />Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-64275048468223364192016-02-04T23:56:00.000-08:002016-02-04T23:57:44.503-08:00New Covers for Slave Empire and The Broken World<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Below are the new
covers for these two series, either completely new or totally revamped with some
previous elements. Some of these went through several versions before I settled
on a final cover design that I like. As I got better at using the software, I
was able to improve the quality and be more adventurous. I love art, and enjoyed
making these, although there’s always room for improvement. I think these are
much better than the old ones.</span><br />
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<br />Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-33659589056671281512016-01-28T10:00:00.002-08:002016-01-28T10:01:43.084-08:00New Covers for The Queen’s Blade Revealed<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Here are the new covers for <i>The Queen’s Blade</i> series. These are
now on the paperback versions of the series, currently available at CreateSpace.com and Amazon worldwide. You'll find Book One here: <a href="https://www.createspace.com/3658659"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.createspace.com/3658659</span></a>. It took a lot of consideration before I was
satisfied that these covers suit the series and the characters, and I hope you
agree.</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-18550962310294448582016-01-20T05:46:00.000-08:002016-01-20T05:48:27.889-08:00New Covers Revealed<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I’ve now created
new covers for most of my books - the ones that had horrible, rushed jobs with the ‘never judge a book’ thinking and the
hope that readers wouldn’t feel the covers detracted from the overall
experience. I intend to publish all the books as paperbacks, so
good covers are crucial. I hope these are the last covers I do, at least for a while, not
counting new books, of course. I think these are truer to the books’ content,
some depicting scenes. I’ve taken into account the results of my poll on
FaceBook, wherein I learnt that the book title is more important than the
series title, and changed the titling accordingly. Below are the new covers for
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demon Lord</i> series. I hope you
like them!</div>
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<br />Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-85799321048220601792015-06-27T10:16:00.001-07:002015-06-27T10:16:19.425-07:00Time Stop - Extract from Demon Lord IX: The Forgotten Lands
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CQaWYZCx_wLAztTUDRRQq-vGG7BZn81cZr5vL7OKjEoKhsLjIvnoGUVglAZnI45Or-JkbLL8rsc5yKYXcN8ouYFBQ22H10lJE1lzA8q3z2uWr6RRcClaI_uX5f-JYSRpgaACEF4C2VBW/s1600/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CQaWYZCx_wLAztTUDRRQq-vGG7BZn81cZr5vL7OKjEoKhsLjIvnoGUVglAZnI45Or-JkbLL8rsc5yKYXcN8ouYFBQ22H10lJE1lzA8q3z2uWr6RRcClaI_uX5f-JYSRpgaACEF4C2VBW/s320/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">This extract is from Chapter Four:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Bane said, “I am
on the same quest, but I cannot reveal myself. Telvaron will want to kill me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Telvaron wants
to kill everyone,” the greying man said. “It’s just a matter of how and when.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“True, but he
will hunt me down himself.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Why?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Bane glanced
around, steeling himself to take the plunge. “I am a god.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The men roared
with laughter for several minutes. Bane sipped his ambrosia and waited for the
hilarity to die down. The grey-haired man wiped his eyes, chortling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“What sort?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I command the
darkness.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The men fell
about again, hooting, and two were so overcome they slid under the table. Other
patrons drew closer to share the joke. Bane raised a hand and flicked his
fingers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Stop.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Everyone in the
taproom froze except the five at his table, whose laughter died as they became
aware of the silence. They stared about, their expressions wary or
disbelieving. The grizzled man tore his eyes from the stationary scene and
gaped at Bane.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“You did that?
You… stopped time.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Yes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“To prove -”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Yes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“So -”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Yes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The man sat
back. “Why do you want to free the goddess? If you’re a master of the
darkness…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I fight for the
light.” Bane flicked his fingers. “Resume.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The hubbub recommenced,
and the patrons who had taken an interest in the joke at his table returned to
their previous pursuits after a few moments of eyeing the now-solemn sextet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Oy!” A bellow
from across the room made Bane wince and close his eyes. “What the hell do you
think you’re playing at, old bean?” Dramon shouted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Bane shot him a
glare. Dramon snorted and nudged his brother, and the two muttered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Who’s he?” the greying
man asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Do not worry
about him. Do you want my help now?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The man thrust
out a callused hand. “I’m Jogan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-61752972158271802422015-06-24T00:46:00.000-07:002015-06-24T00:49:58.263-07:00Troll God - Extract from Demon Lord IX: The Forgotten Lands<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YFalLYfQf6RuPIZvj3_FkpiVXeSshFKphviIdJKYgMFqFRFUiB2vVfLGnG634ZrMfHa6-02zrKWtnhj3uj8vR8pwc4TYBIi5-S8PmsX3E9uHe8VN01Jfv7BNyCQEeJhKIHQHANNCG-Bm/s1600/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YFalLYfQf6RuPIZvj3_FkpiVXeSshFKphviIdJKYgMFqFRFUiB2vVfLGnG634ZrMfHa6-02zrKWtnhj3uj8vR8pwc4TYBIi5-S8PmsX3E9uHe8VN01Jfv7BNyCQEeJhKIHQHANNCG-Bm/s320/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This extract is from Chapter One:<br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-GB">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Nomard stamped,
sending a ripple through the quasi-rock under their feet. It shivered, and then
heaved. The stench intensified to a sickening putridity, and the valley floor
writhed, sent up tendrils in search of prey and turned from black to mottled grey.
Several tendrils snaked up the ship’s flanks, and it rocked, and then rose. Bane
jumped back onto the ramp, and Drevarin followed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Nomard drew his
sword and set off. “Tallyho!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">The troll god
was over a thousand yards tall, Bane calculated. Nomard, however, grew larger
with every step, and his apparel and sword grew with him. Like an earth demon,
he drew matter from his surroundings, particularly under his feet, which meant
he incorporated the dromon’s substance too. The semi-sentient entity groped for
him with multiple tendrils, but Nomard merely added them to his flesh and
ripped them free. Molten metal erupted from the ground in glowing streams and
joined the medley of matter that swelled the demon god’s form. By the time he
was halfway to Eord, Nomard was about five hundred yards tall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Drevarin
grunted. “Impressive.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Nomard was
roughly seven hundred yards tall when the troll god twitched, shedding dust,
then raised his head and opened purple eyes. He focussed on Nomard, and his
brow furrowed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Drevarin remarked,
“Troll gods spend so much time immobile that dirt accumulates and moss and
plants grow in it. If they fall asleep in a sunny place, they can end up
resembling troll-shaped forests. It serves as excellent camouflage, but they
tend to rub off the trees when they wake up.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Nomard was now
almost as tall as the troll god, streams of dust flowing into him from all
around, along with chunks of the dromon, which writhed and tried to snag his
legs. The troll god bent and gripped a massive, battle-scarred hammer that was
half-buried in the mountainside. He ripped it free with a gritty scrape and turned
to face Nomard. The demon god hefted his sword.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Eord, old chap,
is that you?” Nomard’s deep voice echoed around the valley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-5384018100974927462015-06-18T23:57:00.001-07:002015-06-18T23:57:45.020-07:00Demon Lord IX: The Forgotten Lands Launch Coming Soon!
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALNiuGt8QIOY1iwvyEjzRT6me3wPwzjPfAzPvHzeFAXP8J8xYbBLUOaxNVrqQzUmaQeT4Tpu_7OJfTSQ2NvB21zivDKl0l68uz2lzHYQV44Vrs3w1X5vZBXatpl99to6E-k3jm2ue5Fqc/s1600/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALNiuGt8QIOY1iwvyEjzRT6me3wPwzjPfAzPvHzeFAXP8J8xYbBLUOaxNVrqQzUmaQeT4Tpu_7OJfTSQ2NvB21zivDKl0l68uz2lzHYQV44Vrs3w1X5vZBXatpl99to6E-k3jm2ue5Fqc/s400/DL9ForgottenLands.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
Good news! It’s almost here! Only
eleven days to go before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demon Lord IX:
The Forgotten Lands</i> is released. It’s already available as a pre-order at
the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble and Kobo, and will be available at Amazon on
the release date: 30 June. So place your pre-order today and ensure you receive
your copy right away! The book is now on the final leg of the creation process:
editing and proofreading. To all of you who have been waiting almost two years
for the next instalment of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demon Lord</i>
series, deepest apologies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
My creative process was stymied by
my first visit to hospital, where I underwent major surgery to cut out a
five-kilogram ovarian tumour. It wasn’t just the trauma of the op or the
recovery time that delayed the next book for so long; it was also the illness
beforehand and the diagnosis that rendered me totally incapable of writing. That’s
a lot of stress! The good news is, that’s all in the past. The tumour was
mostly benign, I’m cancer-free and my channel to the fantasy worlds where my
heroes and heroines live is unblocked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Forgotten Lands</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> may be the penultimate book in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demon
Lord</i> series. I can’t be sure until I write the next one, but it seems to be
a distinct possibility. So for everyone who feels my series are never-ending,
good news! They do eventually end. I’m hoping for a happy ending, but it’s out
of my hands. I go where the story takes me, and I have no idea what will happen
next. It’s as much of an adventure for me as it is for you. I’ll be publishing
some extracts here on my blog over the next few days, so watch this space!</span>Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-11183600814013754182014-12-30T08:04:00.000-08:002014-12-30T08:07:11.577-08:00iBooks Free Series-starter E-books Promotion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte5aBofBnrLsn3VTMlJdpVHAesGO7xwvtVQc5Jm80yf0Uxw_qUMdL9JVQVCLXGmouNDRisT5UW5Tc9rNiVXIXwQlB-SMQDeekLKhbCashi5pOmjpnAByV7CHU4HXE1y5tgyWRCH09BOe3/s1600/TBWcovernew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte5aBofBnrLsn3VTMlJdpVHAesGO7xwvtVQc5Jm80yf0Uxw_qUMdL9JVQVCLXGmouNDRisT5UW5Tc9rNiVXIXwQlB-SMQDeekLKhbCashi5pOmjpnAByV7CHU4HXE1y5tgyWRCH09BOe3/s1600/TBWcovernew.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
iBooks has done it yet again! Just as I recovered from
reeling in amazement at their last promo of indie authors – in which I had a
taste of the action – they’ve started another multi-genre free series-starter feature
and included <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Broken World Book One –
Children of Another God</i>! I can’t begin to express how much it means to an
indie author to see his or her books featured at iBooks, which, in my humble
opinion, is the best indie e-book promotor in the world! Go iBooks! We love
you! iBooks rocks! </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
For all of you looking for a great holiday read, you’ll find
a wide selection of the best free series-starters at iBooks, so don’t miss out!
Grab your free e-books today and discover super series to read in 2015! Thank
you iBooks for all the great promotions in 2014, and all those still to come.
Thank you Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords.com, for all the support and
encouragement. You rock! If you’re an indie author looking for the best place
to publish your books, I highly recommend Smashwords.com. Congratulations to all the Smashwords authors who made it into the iBooks feature!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
On another note, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Demon
Lord 9,</i> tentatively titled<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The
Forgotten Lands</i>, is now available on pre-order, and the proposed
publication date is June 7, 2015. It might happen sooner, depending on how the
writing goes, and I’m hoping it will. This title may also change, subject to
what happens in the book, which isn’t finished yet. I have two other books in
the works – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cyber Chronicles 10</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slave Empire 4</i>, both as yet
untitled. I’ll put those on pre-order as well, as soon as I’m comfortable that
I’m within striking distance of finishing them. I intend to try to make up for
my lack of writing last year – due to illness – and publish at least three new
titles in 2015. Lots of adventures still to come!<o:p></o:p></div>
Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-81309125118715679552014-12-14T22:11:00.000-08:002015-06-24T01:52:00.788-07:00Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHCNIPoyUMNXlncNqVvGWzDpIfR3wuGAgEf9QJir4uoVxtaujM2Zr4UEVE5L4SDcIO5MYxfk6lG1dpl1odp1fDQbI1nWrvJXuQwhSJWSD42MXn1WaGKZDZ2cK_31SszDrhdAmbsw5o94B/s1600/christmas-518291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHCNIPoyUMNXlncNqVvGWzDpIfR3wuGAgEf9QJir4uoVxtaujM2Zr4UEVE5L4SDcIO5MYxfk6lG1dpl1odp1fDQbI1nWrvJXuQwhSJWSD42MXn1WaGKZDZ2cK_31SszDrhdAmbsw5o94B/s1600/christmas-518291.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">It’s been an eventful, busy year and I’m
looking forward to some relaxation during the upcoming holidays, as I’m sure
you are too. This will be my last post for 2014, but readers can expect plenty
of new and interesting posts in the New Year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Today, I thought I’d share three facts
about Christmas that you might not know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Christmas
Fact 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Pagans worshipped trees, sometimes bringing
them into their homes and decorating them, and the latter practice was adopted
by early Christians.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Christmas
Fact 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Emperors in pre-Christian Rome forced reviled
citizens to bring gifts and offerings during the Saturnalia in December, and
this evolved into general gift-giving. Later, the Catholic Church adopted the
practice, re-rooting it in Saint Nicholas’ alleged gift-giving.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Christmas
Fact 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Santa Claus came into being after Saint
Nicholas’ bones were moved from Turkey to Bari, Italy in 1087, where the saint
‘replaced’ the goddess known as Pasqua, who was said to fill children’s stockings
with gifts. The cult spread and was adopted by Celtic and German Pagans who
worshipped the god Woden – who boasted a long white beard and rode a winged
horse through the skies one evening each year. The Catholic Church then adopted
the practice too, but changed the gift-giving from 6 December to 25 December.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I hope you’ve enjoyed these facts. Here’s
to the best holiday season ever!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
<br />Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-13245030746418531132014-12-08T01:05:00.000-08:002014-12-08T01:05:05.756-08:00Legends and Folklore from Africa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS6DkAp4dWl3n5a66OgY1p1QmW1jHFfGStqDf4TRyhUxPvcErRZslucb2MEFyx1K6K21gIMa2h2ltg6gvnIiI7YJztTL9tMN3INC9ebCO5UhDfR2KUR0PCKmkxKjy9slIeKURFj8X0Bbi/s1600/Africa_satellite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS6DkAp4dWl3n5a66OgY1p1QmW1jHFfGStqDf4TRyhUxPvcErRZslucb2MEFyx1K6K21gIMa2h2ltg6gvnIiI7YJztTL9tMN3INC9ebCO5UhDfR2KUR0PCKmkxKjy9slIeKURFj8X0Bbi/s1600/Africa_satellite.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA">Often called ‘The Cradle of Mankind’, many believe that
Africa, my home continent, is the birthplace of mankind. Whether or not this is
true, Africa is the source of myriad legends, folklore tales and unbelievable –
to most Western minds – beliefs. African folklore includes everything from the origins
of the universe and life after death to ancestral spirits, magic and celestial
and other beings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">In some African cultures, the Earth is believed
to be a goddess who created all living creatures, while other African tribes
believe their ancestors live inside the Earth, in homes similar to the ones
they lived in before their deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Elephants appear in many African folktales and
fables, the latter usually portraying them as wise chiefs who settle disagreements
between forest creatures. Elephants are usually depicted as noble, kind and
wise. Ghana’s Ashanti people believe that elephants are the spirits of their
ancestral chiefs and give dead elephants chiefs’ burials, and Tanzania’s
Wachaga folklore says that the first elephant was once a human who was deceived
into losing all his limbs other than his right arm, which is now his trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">A Southern African tale tells of a girl who
became so fat that no man would marry her. Accused of witchcraft, she was
exiled. While wandering in the wilderness, she came across an elephant that
spoke to her in Zulu. She agreed to stay with him, and he helped her to find
food. The girl birthed four human sons, who were the Indhlovu clan’s ancestors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkR_dyqpGja9XdW6Cf0FEixXvYnxCUfajKbDyCVEzm3dKaWU6FGJt5lFhF1JlDvyZ9Rz0JiO7wBZ-7wYAhpW2wYQc0a_dUyMalH1m2DLhSAiOXPDFncj8HgV05mc3LDacK19IxFlkkogrI/s1600/animals-24722.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkR_dyqpGja9XdW6Cf0FEixXvYnxCUfajKbDyCVEzm3dKaWU6FGJt5lFhF1JlDvyZ9Rz0JiO7wBZ-7wYAhpW2wYQc0a_dUyMalH1m2DLhSAiOXPDFncj8HgV05mc3LDacK19IxFlkkogrI/s1600/animals-24722.png" height="200" width="163" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">The Kamba people of Kenya have a tale about how
elephants originated. A poor man heard about </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Ivonya-Ngia, who reportedly fed
the poor, and made the long journey to find his mansion. Ivonya-Ngia told his
men to give the poor man a hundred cows and a hundred sheep, but the poor man
replied that he did not want charity. Instead, he said, he wanted to know the
secret to being rich. Ivonya-Ngia gave the poor man a flask of ointment and
told him to rub it on his wife’s canine teeth in her upper jaw, wait for them
to grow and then sell them. After a few weeks, the teeth started to grow,
eventually becoming arm-length tusks. The poor man pulled out his wife’s huge
teeth – after some persuasion – and sold them at the market. A few weeks later,
his wife’s canine teeth were even bigger than before, but she refused to let
her husband pull them out. Her entire body began to grow bigger, and her skin
grew thicker and turned grey. Eventually, she went to live in the forest, where
she gave birth to a son, who was born an elephant. She went on to have more
children, all healthy – and all elephants. According to the story, this is why
elephants possess almost human intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">An interesting Yoruba
belief that sounds quite New Age to me is that a person’s success depends on what
choices he or she made in Heaven before his/her human birth. According to this
belief, poor people should be patient, because, if they chose the right life
when in Heaven, it will still manifest as earthly wealth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Many Africans believe
that every large tree has at least one spirit, whose voice one can hear if one
listens carefully with a knowledge of the spirits’ language. Hence, trees are
often revered. When cutting down trees to make boats or drums, for example, drum-
and boat-makers try to preserve the tree spirit so that it can protect or bless
the object/s made from its wood. A tree in Namibia is reported to eat people,
and it’s believed that only a woodpecker can rescue them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">In Central Zaire, dwarf-like
beings called Biloko are believed to reside in rainforests, protecting the
forest and its inhabitants. Biloko are restless ancestral spirits who have
grudges against the living, and are known to bewitch and eat humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA">Then there’s the West African
trickster god, Anansi, who is usually depicted as a spider, human or
spider-human who tricks humans into performing immoral acts that he gains
something from. These tricks usually fail, thus teaching valuable life lessons.
For example, one story says that Anansi wanted all the knowledge in the world
for himself. He eventually got the knowledge in a pot, which he tried to hide
in a tree. When he tried to climb the tree, he kept slipping, so his son
eventually asked him why he didn’t tie the pot to his back rather than his
front, as that would make climbing easier. Just then, the pot became untied and
fell, causing the world’s wisdom to fall out. A flash rainstorm washed the
wisdom into a river that fed into the ocean; hence, everyone in the world now
has some knowledge. Some stories also depict Anansi as the messenger between the
‘supreme god’, the sky god Nyame, and this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Perhaps the East
African good spirit called the Malaika is where the ‘devil and angel on your
shoulder’ originated – at least, in Africa. Folklore says the Malaika were sent
from Heaven to help humans, and they sit on a human’s right shoulder and
whisper to them what they should or shouldn’t do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">According to the </span><em><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Akan</span></em><span class="st"><span lang="EN-ZA"> people of Ghana and Ivory Coast, humans once lived
deep inside the Earth. One day, five women, seven men, a dog and a leopard
crawled out of a massive hole made by a large worm. They became frantic with
terror, but the first man to set foot on the surface, Adu Ogyinae, calmed them
and took charge of co-ordination the construction of their first shelters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="st"><span lang="EN-ZA">I hope you enjoyed this post. I’d love to hear about
myths in your home country!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-85286213981345405722014-12-01T02:17:00.000-08:002014-12-01T02:17:01.181-08:00How to Recognise Real Life Assassins<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">In my fantasy series, </span><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33966">The Queen’s Blade</a></span></i><span lang="EN-ZA">, the assassin Blade takes up the trade only
because he has to eat. He doesn’t enjoy the work, but doesn’t particularly
dislike it either. To him, it’s just a job, and one he’s able to do due to his
horrific past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">What motivates real life assassins? What goes
through the mind of someone who is able to plan and commit the murder of what
is often a complete stranger? Not many assassins are lunatics who are obsessed
with the target….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Here are the facts, courtesy of a Secret Service
study in which 83 assassins and would-be assassins (over a period of 50 years) were
interviewed and analysed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Assassins or would-be assassins rarely act on
impulse – attempts are usually well planned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Less than 50% of assassins have or show signs
of mental illness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 43% have a history of being delusional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* A third of assassins value the assassination
act more than the target’s identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 0% send death threats. (Some studies, however,
show that 4% sent death threats.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* There doesn’t seem to be a set psychological
profile that all assassins fit into. However, there is usually an obvious
behavioural pattern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 86% are men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 77% are white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Known assassins’ ages range from 16 to 73.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Around 50% are single.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* About a third have children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Almost 50% had attended college.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 25% had a full-time job at the time of the
assassination or attempt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Four fifths have never been arrested for a
violent offence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 44% have histories of chronic depression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 54% have a history of harassment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* 41% have threatened suicide at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Almost all the assassins analysed had
experienced a recent traumatic event, such as the loss of good health, a job, a
spouse or other loved one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Reasoning<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Most assassins said the reason for their
assassination attempt was to gain fame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* A handful said they wanted political change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Only a few had co-conspirators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Some wanted to gain attention for a cause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Some wanted to get revenge for a perceived
wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Some wanted to end their suffering by being
killed during the assassination attempt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* Some claimed they wanted a ‘special
relationship’ with their target.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">* A handful said that voices told them to
assassinate the target.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">So it seems that, like my fictional assassin,
Blade, most real life assassins also embark upon assassinations due to trauma
in their lives. Traumatic events often change people, and most assassins were
once (and still are) ordinary people like you and I who were simply pushed too
far – or who perceived themselves to be pushed too far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-9467237693665639482014-11-24T02:16:00.000-08:002014-11-24T02:16:28.315-08:00What to read after The Cyber Chronicles<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">If you’ve read <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33772">The Cyber Chronicles</a></i>
and are looking for another series to lose yourself in, I recommend my space
opera series, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33751">Slave Empire</a></i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">The protagonist, Rayne, shares Sabre’s struggle for freedom… she is
the golden child who many wish to slay, prophesised to save a galactic empire.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 12pt;">As with all my series, Book 1 is free!</span></b><br />
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW3o-Tqe7GoMCxvyjsGHPR6XhopYixzI1W_x8bccg2aNxVNpKagQ8hxoAgadqtg7vNKHKKOhyF347FiFrcVXpJFBBiWVnl-3yr92Oh28U_4I4E79ND6zFWG7c9Ra0RSvZ38psvgoXjy8D/s1600/Slave-empire1_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW3o-Tqe7GoMCxvyjsGHPR6XhopYixzI1W_x8bccg2aNxVNpKagQ8hxoAgadqtg7vNKHKKOhyF347FiFrcVXpJFBBiWVnl-3yr92Oh28U_4I4E79ND6zFWG7c9Ra0RSvZ38psvgoXjy8D/s1600/Slave-empire1_thumb.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA">Alien
hunters invade a dying Earth in search of a saviour, and an ancient prophecy
predicts a golden child who will save a galactic empire. A mysterious black
ship is Rayne’s guide and a masked outlaw known as the Shrike her guardian.
Others want to slay her and prevent the prophecy from coming true. In the midst
of two great empires’ strife, the Shrike holds the power to save or destroy
her.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-77240636600785170432014-11-16T21:58:00.000-08:002014-11-19T02:19:08.572-08:00My Favourite Television Programme, from a Writer’s Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQRFoTZA6YxReiYFToaY6nZJrdlDPFFo44fkrvh5dWWwYJSrj1GJJ3ppVa991ZgUxpeTtOWCIzKb6yAeQ0FRaBW5WzE1BYRfa21M_qhbkBJt_0fW69skSYE0Obl7feIg9JeLAjMShuwSv/s1600/Almost+Human.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQRFoTZA6YxReiYFToaY6nZJrdlDPFFo44fkrvh5dWWwYJSrj1GJJ3ppVa991ZgUxpeTtOWCIzKb6yAeQ0FRaBW5WzE1BYRfa21M_qhbkBJt_0fW69skSYE0Obl7feIg9JeLAjMShuwSv/s1600/Almost+Human.jpg" /></a></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA">Not
surprisingly, my favourite TV programme is a sci-fi series, <i>Almost Human</i>. There are many others I
prefer, but that’s the best one showing at the moment. While it’s a rather run of
the mill crime detective thriller sort of thing, it is set in the future, and
the technology is interesting. It’s more character driven than most, and the
hero is a handsome, but somewhat damaged and flawed individual. I like damaged
heroes! There’s no romance in it, sadly, but there is occasionally some mild
flirtation. More importantly, it isn’t rife with gratuitous sex scenes or foul
language.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-ZA">Almost
Human</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA"> revolves around a detective and his android
partner, who has a supposed ‘synthetic soul’, which makes him almost human. It
has a bit of fairly funny comedy in it, and I haven’t spotted any instances of
deus ex machina or illogical, inexplicable technology, or plot holes. I hate
plot holes. I tend to shout ‘ah, come on!’ at the TV when I spot those. They’re
annoying! So, the writer wrote him or herself into a corner and couldn’t figure
out a good way to extricate him/herself. That doesn’t give the writer carte
blanche to ‘make it so’ because that’s just ‘the way it is’. Or, worse still,
ignore the problem. Put some effort into it, people! TV audiences aren’t
morons, and I stop watching shows that irritate me. If I sit after the show
wondering how the heck that made any sense at all, I’m not going to annoy
myself with more of the same next time that show’s playing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-ZA">Almost
Human</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA"> also has believable action scenes. The hero is
sometimes beaten up, and he and his android partner save each other from time
to time, each having abilities the other lacks. That makes them easier to
relate to and sympathise with, making the audience inclined to care about them
and root for them. So, hats off to the writers of <i>Almost Human</i>. Good job.</span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-81782346998725493742014-11-03T07:41:00.001-08:002014-11-03T07:41:39.336-08:00Defending Against Assassins<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Just like the wealthy in my <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33966">The Queen’s Blade</a></i> fantasy
series, one of the first things our ancestors did to protect themselves from
assassination was employ armed bodyguards. Bodyguards not only act as a shield,
but keep an eye out for any threats, often scouting ahead. Those who hired them
had to be careful about who they employed as bodyguards, though, for divided
loyalties often led to the bodyguards being the assassins. This method of
defence was so effective that assassins began to use stealthier methods like
poisoning. This type of assassination, too, was easily avoided by employing food
tasters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Another popular means of defence against assassination is the employment
of a body double – someone who pretends to be the potential target in order to
draw attention from him or her in high-risk situations, and who looks similar
enough to the potential target to be mistaken for him or her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">When firearms and bombs became a more popular method of
assassination, one of the first things potential targets did was increase their
number of bodyguards. Large public areas where the person was due to appear
were also cleared in advance, to make would-be assassins more visible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">At the dawn of the 20<sup>th</sup> century, armoured vehicles began
to be used to transport important people. Today, these vehicles can save one
from most small arms fire, and even small bombs and mines. Bullet-proof vests also
came into use, worn mostly just for public events.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Another way of defence against possible assassination is to limit
access to high-profile people by putting visitors through numerous checks
before they’re allowed to see the VIP. Bomb and metal detectors are also widely
used in today’s world, as are security cameras in homes and offices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Some potential targets go as far as to isolate themselves as a way
of defence – not a nice way to live, I imagine!</span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-42400970246369380122014-10-27T02:05:00.003-07:002014-10-27T02:05:46.632-07:00Mistakes to Avoid in Book Blurbs<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Let’s assume your book cover was eye catching
and has encouraged a potential new reader to read your book’s blurb. A good
blurb can motivate that reader to purchase your book – or avoid looking at
anything with your name on it ever again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Below are a few mistakes to avoid, which I hope
will help you write a great blurb that will draw in new readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Spelling,
grammar and punctuation mistakes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">It goes without saying that your book, blurb and
all marketing material should be error-free. Yet I still constantly see
mistakes in blurbs – the very thing that is intended to entice readers to
purchase your book is the same thing that can turn them off it. I certainly
wouldn’t waste money on a book for which the blurb contains errors – if the
author can’t even edit a few short paragraphs properly, just how many errors
will the book itself contain?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Bad
formatting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Avoid writing one long paragraph for your blurb.
Rather, split your blurb into shorter paragraphs to make it easier and faster
to read – unless, of course, the entire blurb is very short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Spoilers
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Spoilers are those nasty little things that tell
readers what happens in the story. Sure, you need to tell them a little in
order to gain their interest, but, if you tell them how the story ends or other
major things that happen in the book, leaving no questions in their minds, they
will have no reason to purchase and read said book, will they? I advise giving
the overall theme or plot – specifically the conflict – but, as far as possible,
leaving out the finer details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Summarising
the book<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Summaries are for traditional publishers and
agents, not potential new readers, and thus tend to provide far more
information than is necessary for a book blurb. In fact, summaries and blurbs
are total opposites – summaries are intended to give away the ending so
publishers can see if your story has a strong ending, and blurbs are intended
to entice readers to read the book in order to find out how it ends. Summaries
also often come across as rather ‘blah, blah’ – ‘this happens and then that
happens and then…’ and so on. Remember, the purpose of a blurb is not to tell
the reader every little thing that happens in your book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Being
vague<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">There’s often a fine line between giving too
much or too little information in a blurb. While it’s inadvisable to give too
much information, it is just as bad to not give enough. Readers want to know
what to expect from the book, so you need to give them enough information to pique
their interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Lengthy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Try to keep your book blurb to between 150 and
300 words. Most readers do not have all day to browse for new books and
authors, so, if your blurb is too long, they may choose to skip your book and
look at another instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Too
much selling<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Yes, the purpose of a blurb is to sell books.
However, this should be done by sharing what the story is about (it helps to
have an interesting book!), not by creating a sales pitch in the blurb. Avoid
using your blurb to tell readers how great the book is, how wonderful and gifted
the writer is and so on. The story details should do that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Giving
readers the wrong idea<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">The blurb is intended to tell readers what to
expect from the book. Do not promise something in the blurb that the book does
not contain. In other words, if your book has a few science fiction elements,
but is mostly fantasy, do not even mention the sci-fi elements in your blurb.
It will make readers think the book is science fiction, even if it is listed as
fantasy, and they are likely to be disappointed – and readers do not usually
purchase other books from authors who have made them feel as if their money was
wasted on the purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Weak
ending<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Your blurb needs to have a strong ending that
leaves the reader interested. There’s not much point in starting off well and
ending on a boring note, because readers will then be left feeling bored, not
interested. It’s also a bad idea to end the blurb with a question – in most
cases, the reader already knows the answer will probably be ‘yes’, so the words
are wasted and it might even annoy some people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">I hope you find these tips helpful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-58860624721653239832014-10-19T22:00:00.000-07:002014-10-19T22:00:17.540-07:00Healing Magic in Today’s World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkAYckXanS5vtw2ruoAcyMSx2mPISXaRoBNQ29olrDY3Fvky7M1FdwV6_4xczG-4jOF6MDt9GiaWspYJyTKIcqYRigpN6bI6QUvglRhAlPNPOOceGiMHfrYEjMsI2Qk8YnIG5DBStc7zg/s1600/Banner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkAYckXanS5vtw2ruoAcyMSx2mPISXaRoBNQ29olrDY3Fvky7M1FdwV6_4xczG-4jOF6MDt9GiaWspYJyTKIcqYRigpN6bI6QUvglRhAlPNPOOceGiMHfrYEjMsI2Qk8YnIG5DBStc7zg/s1600/Banner+2.jpg" height="95" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Today I bring you a short guest post by fellow
fantasy author, Vanessa Finaughty, as part of a month-long virtual book tour to
celebrate the release of her new series, <i>Wizard
of Ends</i>. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Healing
Magic in Today’s World</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Guest post by Vanessa Finaughty</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA">Regardless of its nature, magic can and does have potent
healing powers, and modern humans are becoming aware of this and following in
our ancestors’ footsteps, in a sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">One example is that young people suffering from
hemiplegia have been attending <a href="http://breatheahr.org/">‘magic camps’</a>
in London, with startling results. Hemiplegia, a condition in which the trunk,
arm and leg on the same side of the body becomes paralysed, can be treated by
performing magic tricks that improve co-ordination and hand movement. The fact
that the treatment is exciting magic rather than painful and/or boring medical
treatment encourages the afflicted children to ‘take their medicine’ by continuous
practice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Thanks to these magic camps, many children are
able to use their hands for the first time. Now, they cut their own food, dress
themselves, tie their own shoelaces and even make their own costumes. It also
gives a much-needed confidence boost and some sense of power over their lives,
because, the more one practices, the more dexterous one becomes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">It goes to show that, just because something is
unconventional, it doesn’t mean it won’t work – now there’s some food for
thought!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 12pt;">Follow the <a href="https://vanessafinaughtyfantasybooks.wordpress.com/virtual-book-tours/wizard-of-ends-virtual-book-tour/"><i>Wizard of Ends</i> virtual book tour</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FFzucj92CQj4NpnwjffEtygNuZUKxYVYuAwvd64oLYYYoasJ65P8sHbhaHMjG7bzeBmz0Z6aanjpeaXAzkoYNPon-EnMwBqL0N00kfE8kpZGheH2rdtGnsu6GuT6rCcgX6vWQ7KCOFTP/s1600/WoE+1_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FFzucj92CQj4NpnwjffEtygNuZUKxYVYuAwvd64oLYYYoasJ65P8sHbhaHMjG7bzeBmz0Z6aanjpeaXAzkoYNPon-EnMwBqL0N00kfE8kpZGheH2rdtGnsu6GuT6rCcgX6vWQ7KCOFTP/s1600/WoE+1_thumb.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Download <i>Wizard
of Ends, Book 1</i> for FREE </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/483462">Smashwords</a> <br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/wizard-of-ends/id927850470?mt=11">iBooks</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wizard-of-ends-vanessa-finaughty/1120526896?ean=2940046223033&itm=1&usri=vanessa+finaughty">Barnes
& Noble</a> </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8XP8Ukd1lpeOgvv2qoG3e7L4D8aL16WfdQ_n0Pp1TxgW5SyGqzUySK-nCrANGnC275XYmFlReorBAaXJTk9UOdIWgWOZL5EChAnrOn805hCbLJd9cmds2tO0U6Z6Hh16dc7WTNFumPIy/s1600/WoE+2_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8XP8Ukd1lpeOgvv2qoG3e7L4D8aL16WfdQ_n0Pp1TxgW5SyGqzUySK-nCrANGnC275XYmFlReorBAaXJTk9UOdIWgWOZL5EChAnrOn805hCbLJd9cmds2tO0U6Z6Hh16dc7WTNFumPIy/s1600/WoE+2_thumb.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Pre-order <i>Wizard
of Ends, Book 2: Dark Creature <br />
</i></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/wizard-ends-book-2-dark-creature/id927850025?mt=11">iBooks</a>
<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wizard-of-ends-book-2-vanessa-finaughty/1120526902?ean=2940046223101&itm=1&usri=vanessa+finaughty">Barnes
& Noble</a> </span></div>
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Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-1578425607062334842014-10-13T02:45:00.002-07:002014-10-13T02:45:48.941-07:00Targeted Killing<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/targeted_killing">Wiktionary</a> defines
‘targeted killing’ as: “The </span><span lang="EN-ZA">intentional killing by a
government or its agents of a civilian or ‘unlawful combatant’ who is not in
that government’s custody, and who is taking part in an armed conflict or
terrorism, whether by bearing arms or otherwise, and is thus regarded by the
government as having lost the immunity from being targeted that he or she would
otherwise have under the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Conventions" title="w:Geneva Conventions">Geneva Conventions</a>.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">The term ‘targeted killing’ is preferred to the word ‘assassination’,
because terrorist killings are seen as self-defence, not murder, and
self-defence is legal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Former Federal judge for the US District Court for the
Southern District of New York, Judge Abraham Sofaer, says that assassination is
considered illegal in the USA because it is generally seen as murder. He
further says that self-defence killing in international affairs is pretty much
the same as the police killing a domestic criminal in self-defence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">In opposition to the above, on its website, the <a href="https://www.aclu.org/national-security/targeted-killings">American Civil Liberties
Union</a> states: “</span><span lang="EN-ZA">The CIA and the military are
carrying out an illegal ‘targeted killing’ program in which people far from any
battlefield are determined to be enemies of the state and killed without charge
or trial. The executive branch has, in effect, claimed the unchecked authority
to put the names of citizens and others on ‘kill lists’ on the basis of secret
determinations, based on secret evidence, that individuals meet a secret
definition of the enemy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">It seems
just as many people are opposed to this definition as agree with it. Those who
argue against this definition say that, while criminals should be brought to
justice, targeted killing is not, in fact, justice, particularly in some cases,
such as where Israeli citizens are targeted as suspected terrorists simply
because of their nationality. The argument is that, if the law is not strictly
adhered to in terms of human rights, what is the point of having the law in the
first place?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">However, it
is not only the US that uses targeted killing to fight terrorism – Israel, too,
employs this tactic, as do other governments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Those who
oppose targeted killing are also concerned about who meets the criteria to
become a target, because this information is not easily available – which is
one of the main reasons for the dispute. It’s also unclear what the
circumstances must be in order for targeted killing to be considered legal
self-defence rather than murder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I’m unsure
of the full facts here, because, as already mentioned, some of them are hard to
come by, but I must say that I disagree with killing potentially innocent
citizens just because they ‘might be’ terrorists, which is what many believe is
happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">What do you
think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-79790951144799584532014-10-05T22:05:00.000-07:002014-10-05T22:05:42.124-07:00An Interview with Vanessa Finaughty, Author of Wizard of Ends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OlHLGhyUJY5x7VOggsop2_JrCi95K8LzTsj2UWxctNYZxw7Seb9Bx9pLj2qWjVEJUHVJRjr7RRp8PDpR5s6XBzzmbqunCaJ0Kaif4uaO9vCev9gPP_F3BXdSOY36ofk4PQSW0Y3ilmvf/s1600/Banner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OlHLGhyUJY5x7VOggsop2_JrCi95K8LzTsj2UWxctNYZxw7Seb9Bx9pLj2qWjVEJUHVJRjr7RRp8PDpR5s6XBzzmbqunCaJ0Kaif4uaO9vCev9gPP_F3BXdSOY36ofk4PQSW0Y3ilmvf/s1600/Banner+2.jpg" height="95" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thank you for joining us on your tour today, Vanessa.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcq_CWFjr1M656F6S3EiazZWz0c4kEHIiAyadw8QVB-L9KAek2TmWvyq7WLLEQbfguluZSDtNqGBlfVx-GqyjdWlRW94H7LaJYekzfXmUBwNSlSaPP7ajPeuGW_8FEkwCEJFlGjf622v06/s1600/WoE+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcq_CWFjr1M656F6S3EiazZWz0c4kEHIiAyadw8QVB-L9KAek2TmWvyq7WLLEQbfguluZSDtNqGBlfVx-GqyjdWlRW94H7LaJYekzfXmUBwNSlSaPP7ajPeuGW_8FEkwCEJFlGjf622v06/s1600/WoE+1.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB">To start off, please tell us a little about your upcoming
release, <i>Wizard of Ends</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB">Wizard of Ends</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> is a fast-paced fantasy novella series. The main character, Lashlor
Leaflin, is forced into all sorts of things he would rather have nothing to do
with, most of which he believes will kill him. Luckily for the rulers of Ends,
he is loyal to his land and will do anything to protect his king and queen.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">What made you decide to
publish Books 1 and 2 in the same month?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When I came to the end of Book 1, I couldn’t wait to write Book 2.
So, instead of beginning my usual editing process, I followed my compulsion and
just carried on writing. I’ve always been impatient to publish once a book is
complete, so the thought of waiting to release Book 2 when it was already
polished was a little too much for me… hence, I decided to publish both books
during a month-long virtual book tour to celebrate the release of the series.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">What are you doing to
market <i>Wizard of Ends</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I planned a month-long virtual book tour in which I’m currently
touring via 24 blogs. Readers can find the itinerary <a href="https://vanessafinaughtyfantasybooks.wordpress.com/virtual-book-tours/wizard-of-ends-virtual-book-tour/">here</a>.
I comment on all the tour hosts’ posts and thank them for having me on their
blogs, and share all the posts via Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Before the
tour started, I posted a few sneak peeks on my blog, and announced the book
tour about three weeks before it started. I also shared snippets via Twitter
and Facebook. I wrote press releases for all the major tour highlights,
including the discounts, giveaways and release announcements, and posted them
on <a href="http://www.prlog.org/">PRLog</a>. Starting from the day of
publication, I will also start submitting <i>Wizard
of Ends</i> to a few hundred book listing websites and reviewers. This will be
ongoing until I exhaust the list of people who will review, interview, showcase
or list authors and our books. Oh, and I also contacted book bloggers and
offered them ARCs (advanced reading copies).</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Tell us what it takes to
organise a virtual book tour.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">An endless supply of time, energy and patience! The first thing to
consider is how long you want the tour to be. I’m so excited about <i>Wizard of Ends</i> that I felt it deserved a
month-long book tour, but, of course, that meant plenty of extra work! I
started by creating my invitation to bloggers, in which I listed what I would
be offering, and then started putting together a list of bloggers I thought
would be a good fit for the tour. I wrote 30 guest posts and character
interviews, etc. – <i>before</i> I
officially invited anyone to participate. Be sure to set aside time for
bloggers who want to interview you as part of the tour. Also before sending out
an official invitation, I created promotional images and tour banners. You have
to decide what you’re going to give away beforehand too – I chose to discount
Book 2 to 99c on the day of publication only (after which it will be $2.99),
and give away free copies of some of my other books, along with freebies from
other fantasy authors.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">There’s so much to enjoy
during the <i>Wizard of Ends</i> tour –
where can readers find a quick link to an extract?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://vanessafinaughtyfantasybooks.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/wizard-of-ends-a-magical-new-adventure-series/">Wizard
of Ends<span style="font-style: normal;">, a magical new adventure series</span></a></span></i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Which character, across
all your books, have you most enjoyed writing about, and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Lashlor Leaflin from <i>Wizard of
Ends</i>. Because he’s so calm under pressure, and in the face of taunting and
unpalatable situations. If everyone had as much self-control as Lashlor, the
world would be a much better place!</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">What is the biggest
challenge you face when starting a new book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Deciding which book to write. Now that I’ve published the start of
two series, I need to focus on those two series to avoid disappointing fans. However,
besides <i><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/98430?ref=VanessaFinaughty">Legends
of Origin</a></i> and <i>Wizard of Ends</i>,
there are at least another twenty stories battling for space in my head. If
enough time passes, I’ll lose those stories. It can be frustrating.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Have you ever suffered
from writer’s block and how did you overcome it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Not really, no. There <i>are</i>
times when I sit at the keyboard and stare at the screen, but that’s due to
extreme fatigue, not writer’s block.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Why do you prefer writing
fantasy over any other genre?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I don’t have to do any research for fantasy. When you’re writing a
story with real world elements, it’s important to get your facts straight, or
readers will think you’re a fool, and that means you sometimes have to do
research. When writing fantasy, you can make up your own facts. In fact, it’s
encouraged. As long as you’re consistent and your ‘invented facts’ are
believable, you’re good to go.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">How long does it generally
take for you to finish writing a book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It depends. I could write six to eight thousand words a day and
still have my evenings free – assuming, of course, I wasn’t working full time.
At that rate, a full-length novel would take about two and a half to three and
a half months. A novella like <i>Wizard of
Ends</i> would take about five to seven weeks. That’s to write the last word,
and then the editing and polishing begins.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">You work for yourself and
your baby daughter is home all day most days. How do you cope with writing and
juggling the demands of all your other commitments?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">By the skin of my teeth! Honestly, I don’t know how I do it. Some
days I feel like I’m going to lose my mind, and other days are a breeze – those
are usually the days where I’ve got enough sleep the night before! It helps
that my husband looks after our daughter during the day, but, if he needs to go
to work, then I take over and work in the hours that evening. My mom takes our
daughter for the day once a week too, which helps a lot. As far as possible, I
allocate mornings and early afternoons to work, and late afternoons to writing
or marketing my books. I fit in doing dishes, vacuuming, mopping floors, shopping,
family visits, bathing and eating whenever there’s a gap, and tend to fall
asleep on the couch most nights!</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Do you have any pets?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">We have a cat and three dogs – a German shepherd, a rottweiler and a
shepweiler – all of which could more accurately be described as my children. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">What’s your favourite
flower?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">A white lily.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">Where can readers purchase
<i>Wizard of Ends</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB">Wizard of Ends, Book 1</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> will be published at <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty">Smashwords</a>
on 9 October – this week Thursday. I will also be making <i>Wizard of Ends, Book 2: Dark Creature</i> available on pre-order at
Smashwords on the same day – the official release date is 23 October, so
readers won’t have long to wait. Shortly thereafter, the books will be
available for free download (Book 1) and pre-order (Book 2) from other
retailers, including Barnes & Noble and iBooks.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB">About Vanessa Finaughty<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVrMkA7IF4t1bsPxlsSBSLej-tbzoGgHup3nL1kc3iAuEp3b3EikzTa00AzejXV0biz3H2QEU5_Dn1u66XWgfk3aayin2Gg-yc88Jw5VikcqkFD7drH-ULcD6ZjG06osJdBdETUgqg8Cv/s1600/Vanessa+Finaughty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVrMkA7IF4t1bsPxlsSBSLej-tbzoGgHup3nL1kc3iAuEp3b3EikzTa00AzejXV0biz3H2QEU5_Dn1u66XWgfk3aayin2Gg-yc88Jw5VikcqkFD7drH-ULcD6ZjG06osJdBdETUgqg8Cv/s1600/Vanessa+Finaughty.jpg" height="200" width="117" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Vanessa grew up in Cape Town, and still lives there with her husband
of fifteen years, her baby daughter and plenty of furry, four-legged
‘children’.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Her passion for the written word started her career as an editor and
copywriter, and she part-ran a writers’ critique group for close on seven
years. She’s been writing ever since she learnt how, has always been an avid
reader, and currently lives on coffee and cigarettes.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Her interests include reading, photography, the supernatural, life’s
mysteries and martial arts, of which she has five years’ experience.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://vanessafinaughtyfantasybooks.wordpress.com/virtual-book-tours/wizard-of-ends-virtual-book-tour/">Follow
Vanessa’s <i>Wizard of Ends</i> virtual book
tour</a> for fantastic giveaways and discounts, and a plethora of interesting
topics. <br />
<a href="https://vanessafinaughtyfantasybooks.wordpress.com/">Follow Vanessa’s
blog</a> <br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/VanessaFin">Follow Vanessa on Twitter</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VanessaFinaughty">Follow
Vanessa on Smashwords</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/vanessa-finaughty">Follow Vanessa on
Barnes & Noble</a> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/vanessa-finaughty/id452726805?mt=11">Follow
Vanessa on iBooks</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5044271.Vanessa_Finaughty">Follow
Vanessa on Goodreads</a></span></div>
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Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-39427374935114727462014-10-02T23:26:00.001-07:002014-10-02T23:26:34.545-07:00Animals… My Favourite Cause<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">As you may have gleaned from previous blog
posts, I’m dead against animal cruelty. Some of my best friends had fur or
feathers. They were loyal, loving and helpful, and, in many ways, better than a
lot of humans I’ve met. So why is it that so many humans feel nothing for these
innocent creatures? They’re marvels of evolution, unique to this planet, and
they have feelings too. They communicate with us in so many wordless ways, and
dogs help the physically challenged, rescue people from disasters and protect
their human families. Cats provide companionship and love to lonely people
whose own kind neglects them. Without horses, mankind would have had to haul
all its own baggage, which would definitely have slowed exploration and
civilisation. These generous beasts allow us to do the most inhumane things to
them, and still try to do their best to please us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Every day, animals are tortured in
slaughterhouses and aboard transportation trucks, at sporting events and
laboratories and on farms. They’re injected with chemicals, force-fed, shut in
dark little enclosures where they can’t even lie down or turn around, starved,
beaten, bled to death and have their babies taken away so we can drink their
milk. They’re plucked or skinned alive so we can use their feathers and wear
their skins… and we call ourselves the more evolved race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Worst of all are animal testing labs, where
puppies, kittens, monkeys and rabbits, to name just a few, are routinely
injected with toxic chemicals, or have such substances dripped into their eyes
or forced down their throats. All pointless exercises, since we already know
these are poisons. It’s done for money, to support an industry that might have
had a point a few decades ago, but now continues only on momentum. Farms breed
countless puppies and kittens doomed to a short life of torture before being
put to death. It’s horrific, and I have to wonder how the people who dish out
this torture live with themselves. Clearly, they hate animals, for whatever
reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I’d like to put an end to all this
suffering, so please help me and sign the petitions on these links: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-animal-testing-replace-animals-in-research-with-non-animal-alternative-methods#share">http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-animal-testing-replace-animals-in-research-with-non-animal-alternative-methods#share</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/697/898/011/stop-uk-from-using-animals-in-research/#next_action">http://www.thepetitionsite.com/697/898/011/stop-uk-from-using-animals-in-research/#next_action</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="http://features.peta.org/stop-animal-testing/">http://features.peta.org/stop-animal-testing/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-ZA">To learn more about these horrific
practices, click this link: <a href="http://www.peta.org/">http://www.peta.org/</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-26869053386691731802014-09-28T22:38:00.001-07:002014-09-28T22:38:47.642-07:00China’s Assassins<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">The first recorded assassination in Chinese history was that of rich
businessman Wang Hai. Apparently Wang got naughty with the wife or daughter of
another tribal chief while he was visiting the family. While he slept that
night, a guard chopped off his head with an axe, then dismembered his corpse. It’s
not known why the assassin killed him, but it’s generally believed that the hit
was ordered by the husband/father.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">One famous Chinese assassination was performed by Zhuan Zhu, who was
in the service of Prince Guang. The assassination is
a true reflection of the Chinese assassins’ creed, which states ‘it is
honourable to die for people who recognise and appreciate your worth’. Zhuan
was grateful for the way the prince treated him and his mother, so decided to
do something nice for him: assassinate his cousin, who was king at the time, so
the prince could claim the throne. Zhuan went to the effort of studying to be a
royal chef, and specialised in the king’s favourite dish: broiled fish. Zhuan
hid a tiny sword inside the king’s fish to get the weapon close enough to use,
then stabbed him to death. Of course, the royal guards killed the assassin
instantly, but his master did become king – quite a famous king, in fact: King Helü,
one of the age’s greatest rulers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Possibly the best-known assassin in Chinese
history, Jing Ke, actually failed at the task. Jing clearly didn’t adhere to
the assassins’ code like Zhuan, and, for two years, took advantage of the
luxuries offered to him by the Prince of Yan, who hoped he would kill the King
of Qin. However, when it seemed the State of Yan would fall, he finally devised
a plan to assassinate the Qin King. It seemed he suspected he would fail,
because, when the prince bade him farewell, he sang ‘I will go on my journey
with no return’. To get close to the enemy king, Jing went to Qin’s court under
the pretence of delivering a message of surrender. When Jing arrived in the
court, he drew a poisoned dagger and grabbed the king’s sleeve, trying to stab him
in the chest. The king’s sleeve tore, and the king ended up stabbing Jing to
death instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">There’s a plethora of tales about Chinese
assassins, many of which romanticise them and their motives. Most ancient
Chinese assassins, however, were very private people, and not many knew their
motives or anything personal about them. In fact, even their assassinations and
failed attempts were not publicised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-23904861205245582692014-09-19T15:49:00.000-07:002014-09-19T15:49:31.500-07:00Doorway to Destiny (A Thirteen-Book Fantasy and Science Fiction Adventure Box Set)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JlhDQOz-x1Fzxl2Z5hSyZCm7JTRNt9V5mztf2uEh46yyaieF0irfvUkfcfHFhSKidEgClh1BVLxEzmuUMlQ-cchYroCCeylivBWS6djzYA1FH08JlK61U4E9bbQETGB5r1nZBy2NYqpo/s1600/Doorway+to+Destiny2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JlhDQOz-x1Fzxl2Z5hSyZCm7JTRNt9V5mztf2uEh46yyaieF0irfvUkfcfHFhSKidEgClh1BVLxEzmuUMlQ-cchYroCCeylivBWS6djzYA1FH08JlK61U4E9bbQETGB5r1nZBy2NYqpo/s1600/Doorway+to+Destiny2.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">iBooks has
done it again, with a month-long international promotion of box set books for
only 99c! I love iBooks! I was invited to participate in this promo, and of
course I jumped at the chance. I teamed up with emerging fantasy author Vanessa
Finaughty to create <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/doorway-to-destiny-thirteen/id914534382?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Doorway
to Destiny (A Thirteen-Book Fantasy and Science Fiction Adventure Box Set)</span></a></i>.
It has four of my series starters and the second book in those series: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Queen’s Blade, Demon Lord, The Cyber
Chronicles</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Broken World</i>.
Vanessa Finaughty contributed two anthologies: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dragon Kin & other fantasy stories</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorcery & Subterfuge</i>, and her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Legends of Origin</i> trilogy. For </span>iBooks readers, the new iOS8 operating
system, launched on September 19, comes with the iBooks app pre-bundled.<br />
<br />
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Around 100 multi-author box sets are being promoted at
iBooks between September 18 and October 14, so this is a great time for iBooks readers
to load up their <span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">iPhones, iPod
Touches</span> and <span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">iPads </span>with
excellent books in a wide range of genres. 40 of the books came from
Smashwords.com, the world’s leading indie author publisher and distributer, giving
readers a chance to discover exciting books by talented independent authors.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Congratulations
to all my fellow authors whose box sets made it into the iBooks promotion!
Thank you to Mark Coker, Smashwords and iBooks for being the best in the
industry and having the foresight to promote indie authors! I’m blown away time
and again by the amazing opportunities they give me and other indie authors. If
you’re a new author looking for the best places to publish your books, I highly
recommend Smashwords.com and iBooks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Some other
box sets by Smashwords authors include: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/california-dreamin-boxed-set/id912559244?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">California
Dreamin' Boxed Set (Four mature YA Romances set in California to Benefit
"A Chance for Children")</span></a></span></i><span style="color: black;">
featuring: Melissa Pearl and Anna Cruise<br />
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark-roses-eight-best-selling/id911999556?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Dark
Roses: Eight Best-Selling Authors of Paranormal Romance</span></a></span></i>
featuring: Terah Edun, P.T. Michelle, Anthea Sharp, Trisha Leigh, Cameron
Jace, Lola St.Vil, Erica Cope, Sarra Cannon<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dangerous-lovers/id845276276?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Dangerous
Lovers</span></a></span></i> featuring: Becca Vincenza, H. D. Gordon, Cambria Hebert,
Janelle Stalder, Jamie Magee, A.M. Hargrove<br />
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/epic-apocalypse-apocalyptic/id911643350?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Epic
Apocalypse - Apocalyptic Horror Box Set</span></a></span></i> featuring: Mark Tufo,
Shawn Chesser, John O'Brien, James N. Cook, Armand Rosamilia, Heath Stallcup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/from-the-ballroom-and-beyond/id911742937?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">From
the Ballroom and Beyond, A Limited Edition Nine Book Regency Romance Box Set</span></a></span></i><span style="color: black;"> featuring: Rose Gordon, Ava Stone, Julie Johnstone,
Catherine Gayle, Deb Marlowe, Jane Charles, Christi Caldwell, Claudia Dain,
Jerrica Knight-Catania<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sassy-seven-sexy-stylish-scintillating/id908567429?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Sassy
Seven: Sexy, Stylish, Scintillating Novels from Some of Today’s Top-selling
Authors</span></a></span></i><span style="color: black;"> featuring Gemma Halliday,
Serena Robar, Eileen Cook, Barbara Ferrer, Robyn Harding, Shannon McKelden,
Eileen Rendahl<br />
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/natural-born-thrillers-11/id911738006?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Natural
Born Thrillers: 11 Electrifying Thriller Novels from 11 Bestselling Authors</span></a></span></i>
featuring Jeremy Robinson, Joseph Nassise, Steven Savile, David Wood, Kane
Gilmour, J. Kent Holloway, Sean Ellis, Jon F. Merz, Casey Neumiller, David
Sakmyster, Rick Chesler<br />
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/intense-anthology/id911545316?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Intense
Anthology - Ten Bestselling Authors, Ten Powerful Alphas, Ten Passionate Novels</span></a></span></i>
featuring: Kahlen Aymes, Sandi Lynn, Aleatha Romig, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward,
S. E. Lund, Julie Richman, Penelope Ward, Kailin Gow, Liv Morris, J.L. Mac<br />
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/playing-for-passion/id912557324?mt=11"><span style="color: blue;">Playing
for Passion: A Limited Edition Collection of Bestselling Sports Romances</span></a></span></i>
featuring: Carly Phillips, Toni Aleo, Chelle Bliss, V.K. Sykes, Pamela
Aares, Allie K Adams, Jami Davenport, Catherine Gayle, Mindy Klasky, Roz Lee,
Dakota Madison, Bianca Sommerland
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About Smashwords<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Launched in 2008, Smashwords is an e-book publishing and
distribution platform serving authors, publishers, readers and retailers. Smashwords
makes it free and easy for any author or publisher, anywhere in the world, to
instantly publish and distribute a multi-format e-book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smashwords puts authors and publishers in
full control over the pricing, sampling and distribution of their works.
Authors and publishers receive up to 85 per cent of the net proceeds from sales
of their works. Smashwords has distribution relationships with leading online
retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Sony, and leading mobile
e-reading apps such as Stanza, Kobo, Aldiko, FBReader and Word-Player, spanning
all major mobile platforms including Android and iPhone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smashwords is based in Los Gatos, California,
and can be reached on the web at http://www.smashwords.com/. Visit the official
Smashwords blog at <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://blog.smashwords.com/</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="AboutAuthor" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="About2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">About Vanessa Finaughty</span></b></a></div>
<div class="AboutAuthor" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Vanessa grew up in Cape Town, and still lives there with
her husband of fifteen years, her baby daughter and plenty of furry,
four-legged ‘children’. Her passion for the written word started her career as
an editor and copywriter, and she part-ran a writers’ critique group for close
on seven years. She's been writing ever since she learnt how, has always been
an avid reader, and currently lives on coffee and cigarettes. Her interests
include reading, photography, the supernatural, life’s mysteries and martial arts,
of which she has five years’ experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
Bladehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459693917168614392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-52069872559758561582014-09-14T23:59:00.000-07:002014-09-14T23:59:18.084-07:00Assassins in Disguise<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Most famous assassins haven’t bothered with
disguises, but the ones who did are perhaps the most interesting to learn
about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">For instance, in 2013, a group of Mexicans dressed
as clowns assassinated </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix</span><span lang="EN-ZA">, a member of the Arellano Felix drug cartel family. While he
was attending a children’s birthday party, the ‘clowns’ shot him, once in the
thorax and once in the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Often called a terrorist rather than an
assassin, Carlos the Jackal, born </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Ilich Ramirez Sanchez,</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> was a killer for hire. Trained in guerrilla warfare,
weapons and sabotage, Carlos also gathered information on people he felt were
worth kidnapping or assassinating. He was a bold, merciless killer, often
walking into a place, shooting or throwing a grenade, then calmly walking out
again. It might be surprising that it took so long for authorities to catch
him, but then, he was known as a master of disguise and used fake documentation
to authenticate each disguise. It’s thought that, due to this, many murders he
didn’t commit were blamed on him. In 1985, he was so famous that no one would
hire him, and was finally apprehended in 1994. Responsible for the deaths of
more than 80 people, in 1997 he was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">In 1973, ETA – </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, or </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Basque Homeland and Freedom – operators posed as sculpture students
and rented an apartment along Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco’s driving
route. From the apartment, they dug a tunnel across the road that Blanco travelled
weekly. That done, they filled the tunnel with explosives and, on the day,
disguised themselves as electricians, waited for Blanco’s car to pass by, and
detonated the explosives, killing Blanco. It just goes to show that disguises
don’t need to be complicated – as long as you don’t look out of place or
suspicious, any old uniform will do, and people tend to not notice the face
behind the uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">Perhaps the easiest – and most devious –
disguise was that of Bolivian painter </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Benjamin Mendoza Flores. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">In 1970, Flores disguised himself as a priest and stabbed
Pope Paul VI at the airport. Though the pope was badly hurt, he survived the
attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Potential victims, too, can effectively use
disguises, as President Lincoln has shown. In 1860, on his way to be inaugurated,
a close friend uncovered an assassination plot against Lincoln, so he disguised
himself as a frail old woman, complete with a dress, shawl and walking cane,
thus foiling the assassination plot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6928933069122324148.post-87864104494719863242014-09-08T00:04:00.000-07:002014-09-24T00:51:06.468-07:00Interview with S.L. Eaves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnSXj5iC9iq9z74XIcqsdNh9Rb53WU4BnPcoNpKZPDhRghJAvUH2ndQAPTzlmH0G2iBatHcbGWMsc-lW76Q612WKz8dNvl-VIsf32gN5TOLgmvmIfRR5lIEb7tkOSmzYPlY0D0wjpdvtn/s1600/end+blog+tour+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnSXj5iC9iq9z74XIcqsdNh9Rb53WU4BnPcoNpKZPDhRghJAvUH2ndQAPTzlmH0G2iBatHcbGWMsc-lW76Q612WKz8dNvl-VIsf32gN5TOLgmvmIfRR5lIEb7tkOSmzYPlY0D0wjpdvtn/s1600/end+blog+tour+banner.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-ZA">Interviewer: TZPP
Intern Andy Kubai </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-ZA">As part of <i>The Endangered</i> blog tour, I’m pleased to
share an interview with author S.L. Eaves, whose vampires vs. werewolves novel,
<i>The Endangered</i>, was published in
September.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-ZA">When writing in crossed over genres, how do you balance the
elements of your story between horror and fantasy, or do you feel the need to
do so?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I think some balance
is good, but I feel it’s less about balance and more about how effectively and
creatively you incorporate elements of each genre. When you’re working within
one genre and infusing aspects of another, a lot of the cross over happens
naturally during the writing process.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">When I started writing
<i>The Endangered</i>, my goal was to write
a vampire story that I’d want to read. While I love horror and fantasy, I’m
also really into crime fiction and a sucker for a good mystery, so ultimately I
set out to blend influences and it opens up so many possibilities. As far as
the story goes, the need to balance all the components definitely came into
play.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">Vampires and werewolves both have any number of established
rules and variations. When writing </span></i><span lang="EN-ZA">The Endangered<i>, did you ascribe to a particular set of
guidelines or make your own?</i></span><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Yes, for sure. I tried
to stick to the conventions described in traditional mythology and folklore;
those the audience has come to expect. However, there are so many tropes
associated with vampires and werewolves that, if you don’t create rules, your
characters basically become invincible, and readers are less invested because
there is nothing that they can’t overcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I made an effort to
establish certain parameters, limitations so to speak, on their abilities. I
wanted to make it clear to readers that these characters had vulnerabilities
and felt it important to be consistent when exploiting any strength or weakness
of a particular character.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">How do you stay focussed on your world when writing a
longer work like a novel?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">It’s a lot about the
mindset, I think. I only write when I have something to say; if it becomes a
chore or anything less than inspired, I have trouble focussing and the quality
of the writing suffers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I also wrestle with
the storylines in my head for a while before I feel confident putting it on
paper, so when I sit down to write I’m at the point where it’s on my mind so
much it’s practically irritating me and I have to write it to purge it from my
head and move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I also listen to music
constantly when I write. I find it helps me stay immersed in the world of the
story.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">How do you evolve your characters and do they have minds of
their own, so to speak?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">When I write a
character, I try to think ‘What would [such and such] do in this situation? How
would they handle conflict, approach situations, etc.?’ And I would often write
them in each other’s shoes and see what reaction worked best for the story.
Like ‘hey, maybe this character should not be the one to discover this, because
his reaction wouldn’t work for the plot.’ That sort of thing, so yes, I feel
they have minds of their own.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">In the case of this
story, it was initially much more action driven and my focus was on the plot
and not the characters or their interactions. When I realised the characters
were more evolved in my head than what had made it into the manuscript, I made
an effort to develop them further, because you want readers to care what
happens to them. That is essential. But also the most challenging part. In
writing, it is much easier to write what a character does than how a character
feels. At least, that’s my experience.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">In The Endangered, who was your favourite character to
write and why?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Quinn. She is cunning
and enigmatic and crazy. I based her off of Harley Quinn from <i>Batman</i>. She was fun to write.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">As a reader or a writer, what makes a story really pop for
you?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Unpredictability. As a
reader, if you think you know what is going to happen next or how it ends, it
is way less enthralling and immersive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">As a writer, the
desire to achieve this caused some serious inner turmoil. I had to do what I
thought was right to move the story forward in a captivating way to give it
that ‘pop’. And that resulted in some hard decisions.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">After writing The Endangered, would you like to work in
this world some more or are you off to build other worlds?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I would. I think there
is a lot more to explore. And I am working on a follow up.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">I have also been
working on a character-driven story set in more of a real world environment, no
elements of science fiction or fantasy, but geared towards exposing a different
sort of urban underbelly.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">What would you tell other aspiring authors about the
publishing process?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">Don’t write with the
goal in mind of getting published. Write what you love (cliché, I know) and
others will recognise the passion behind your words and feel inspired to bring
it to the public. You approach it like a job and your writing will suffer.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-ZA">What is your favourite werewolf movie; favourite vampire
flick?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">That’s a tough one.
For werewolf I’m going to go with <i>Dog
Soldiers</i> because of the film’s depiction of wolves: the transformation and
the upright stance is how I envisioned werewolves when writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA">For vampire, I’d say <i>Interview with the Vampire</i> because it
does a great job of telling a story, establishing a world and making you care
about the characters. I think it was a commendable adaptation of Anne Rice’s
novel.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-ZA">About the author:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2foJyXnJqyYNcJ5sYcRO8Y2iw40g2MMO5Lpw5MNUbYKwwo-oX2xoOu9lGbC1_yroDC08R4ugSA9zLw6zOnDre9qvihnAysVr5R6c4LAHEceddHpyVM8uGnG3VeUSoK-K1bZyuo2dkZMm_/s1600/sleaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2foJyXnJqyYNcJ5sYcRO8Y2iw40g2MMO5Lpw5MNUbYKwwo-oX2xoOu9lGbC1_yroDC08R4ugSA9zLw6zOnDre9qvihnAysVr5R6c4LAHEceddHpyVM8uGnG3VeUSoK-K1bZyuo2dkZMm_/s1600/sleaves.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Presently,
Stephanie L. Eaves is a graduate student at Drexel University, pursuing her
MBA. She received my undergraduate degree in Film from University of
Pittsburgh. Originally from West Chester, PA, she lived in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis
before returning to the Philadelphia area, where she currently resides.
Stephanie’s professional background is in marketing, primarily in media and
publishing industries. She sort of fell into marketing when she got tired of
per diems on film sets and wanted a steady gig. She enjoys being in an
environment that promotes creativity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stephanie
loves to write. She’s taken a number of writing courses with a focus on crime
fiction and earned a certificate in Professional Writing while attending Pitt.
She’s also really into fitness, especially running and biking in her free time.
While she readily confesses to being bit of a film and television junkie, music
has always been a huge influence in nearly every aspect of her life and there’s
nothing like a good live band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
home, she’s never without a book in arm’s reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Connect with the author:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-ZA"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SLEavesAuthor">Facebook</a> <br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/TheEndangeredBk">Twitter</a> <br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/SLEaves">Goodreads</a> (author page) <br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22458720-the-endangered">Goodreads</a>
(the book)<br />
<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/sleaves">LinkedIn</a></span></div>
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<br />Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14271234027375042783noreply@blogger.com0