Shauna Roberts's Blog, page 3

Paperback of Ice Magic, Fire Magic finally available

The trade paperback of Ice Magic, Fire Magic has reached online stores at last. Find it at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Magic-Fire-Shauna-Roberts/dp/0989263185/ and at Barnes and Noble at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ice-magic-fire-magic-shauna-roberts/1122543553?ean=9780989263184.

Another prize for Claimed by the Enemy

Claimed by the Enemy has won another award! It was the winner the "Ancient/Medieval/Renaissance" category in the 2015 Romancing the Novel contest, which was sponsored by the Hearts Through History Romance Writers.

Signings

I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic in October at three places. If you're in southern California and are interested in having your copy signed (copies will be for sale as well), check out the "News" tab at right.

Newsletter

The first issue of my newsletter went out last week. The prize this time was a $20 gift certificate to the winner's favorite online or brick-and-mortar bookstore.

It's not too late to sign up for the free newsletter and be eligible to win the gift certificate. Sign up here. If at anytime you decide you don't want to receive the newsletter anymore, there's a link at the bottom to click to unsubscribe.

Last weekend, I went to the second year of a new sf/f convention, Fandom Verse Expo 2015 in Antelope Valley.

Because the trip was long (2 hours each way) and I had a full day of panels and a booksigning, and because he was curious what the scenery would be like, my husband drove me. 
I took some pictures on highway 138, between I-15 and the con. Here are some of the better ones so that you can see a different type of desert landscape than I've posted before. Notice how the amount and type of vegetation changes over the stretch of highway, as well as the shape and smoothness or roughness of the mountains.

We left.

We did our part for the neighborhood—we rebuilt, and we rebuilt quickly; I worked on a committee that applied for a revitalization grant for our shopping area; we exchanged contractors' names with everyone we knew and met—but we left New Orleans.

Dad indulges my attempt to save the fridge, but Drosophila and mold thwarted me.Abandoned her, most New Orleaneans would say. A few friends and co-workers are still angry that we left.

I don't defend our choice. It was the worst decision of my life and of my husband's life. Almost everything I've written since has a theme of loss, recovery, and resiliance. Feelings of estrangement and yearning permeate our lives, a homesickness for which the cure—moving back home—seems far away.

Ten years after the flood that changed millions of people, writers and others are telling their stories.


Articles on the Web

This article explores why so many black people could not come back home to NOLA:
http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/08/17/katrina-new-orleans-first-person

Stories from Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra members:
https://www.lpomusic.com/online/article/remembering-katrina

National Geographic profiles people of "grit and determination":
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150827-katrina-new-orleans-flood-recovery-voices/

Burnell Cotton opens a grocery store in the Lower Ninth:
http://www.npr.org/2015/08/21/432922681/in-new-orleans-hardest-hit-neighborhood-a-recovery-by-sheer-will

Lolis Eric Elie explains in rap style why people returned to New Orleans to live:
http://bittersoutherner.com/katrina-ten-years-later/why-we-came-home#.Vd4Zh3trWBT

One hundred resiliant cities around the world and the challenges each faces:
http://www.100resilientcities.org/cities#/-_/

Dr. Michael White is determined that NOLA's musical heritage won't die:
http://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2015/08/dr_michael_white_lost_everythi.html

Is the federal levee flood to blame for all the dystopian sf/f of the past ten years?:
http://www.tor.com/2015/08/26/hurricane-katrina-dystopia-in-real-time/

Search for more news stories here, courtesy of the Times-Picayune:
http://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2015/08/hurricane_katrina_anniversary_3.html


Dr. Bennett deBoisblanc

I used the Times-Picayune link to search for my pulmonologist, Bennett "Dr. Ben" deBoisblanc, and was disappointed to find no recent stories. He was one of the heroes of the storm, keeping flooded Charity Hospital running and people alive for several days until helicopters came to rescue the patients barely surviving without A/C or electricity. His efforts need to be remembered, so here are some old stories about his heroism and his own commentary on the medical crises during the flood:

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/TenWays/story?id=2119722

http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1218776,00.html

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/247117/hospital_forgotten_during_katrina_looks_for_future/

deBoisblanc's two essays in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine:
"Black Hawk, Please Come Down":
http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.2509004#.Vd9XzHtrWBQ
"A Letter From New Orleans Five Years Later"
http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201009-1443ED#.Vd9XsXtrWBQ

A Sampling of Summer 2015 Books  
Our ruined belongings piled at the curb, some unidentifiable.Warning: I haven't read any of these (although I did order some), so I don't know their quality.
Wendell Pierce (yes, the actor), The Wind in the Reeds: A Storm, A Play, and the City That Would Not Be Broken
Roberta Brandes Grantz, We're Still Here Ya Bastards: How the People of New Orleans Rebuilt Their City Cheri' Ben-Iesau, The Long September: The Social Life of a Katrina Responder
Ken Wells, The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous: Fighting to Save a Way of Life in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina
Don Brown, Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans (nonfiction graphic novel)Tamara Ellis Smith, Another Kind of Hurricane (fiction for kids)
 Gary Rivlin, Katrina: After the Flood
David G. Spielman and others, The Katrina Decade: Images of an Altered City

One last reminder—I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic at Mysterious Galaxy Books in San Diego today from 12 to 3 pm. 

The tentative list of local authors signing today is Better Hero Army, Ethan Howard, Joshua Rutherford, Abigal Borders, Shauna Roberts, Vic Warren, Marie Andreas, Ona Russell, Paula Margulies, Kristen Elise, Cynthia Diamond, Jan St. Louis, Selena Jones, Rachel Marks, Lynne Kennedy, and Teri MacIntosh. Most or all publish with small publishers and/or are indie authors.

the new face of Mysterious Galaxy BooksMysterious Galaxy is at a new, larger location: 
5943 Balboa Avenue
Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92111and it specializes in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery. (Yum!) It's a little tricky to find the first time, so drive around the shopping center and look for the storefront at right. It faces the back row of stores. Occasionally, another kind of book sneaks in to the store. Last time I was there, I bought a historical novel . . . although it was a rather strange novel that I think I need to read again. (John the Pupil by David Flusfeder, if anyone's curious.) Anyway, the store is worth driving an hour or two to check out if you like sf/f/h or mystery.  Today's an especially good day to go because there'll be refreshments at the author event.
More info on the signing at http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/local-author-meet-greet-0815.  

Although my fantasy novel Ice Magic, Fire Magic is not yet officially out in paperback yet, I'll be signing copies Saturday at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego from 12 to 3 pm. There will be a dozen other local indie and small-press authors also signing. So if you like sf, fantasy, or mystery, Mysterious Galaxy is the place to be on Saturday afternoon.

I love this cover by Tom Vandenberg!Here's a list of the authors and their books: http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/local-author-meet-greet-0815. I'm hoping to get there early to check out the books because some look quite interesting.

If you don't know where Mysterious Galaxy is, you should. It's the best place to find science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery in southern California. They have booksignings often, so it's worth a trip.

How far a trip? It's at 5943 Balboa Avenue, Suite #100, San Diego, CA 92111. Find a map and directions at http://www.mystgalaxy.com/Store-Information.

If you can't make it, don't worry. The Kindle ebook of Ice Magic, Fire Magic is already available at http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Magic-Fire-Shauna-Roberts-ebook/dp/B013IDBDG0/. You can order the other books from the signing directly from Mysterious Galaxy at http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/local-author-meet-greet-0815.

Also, I have several other signings coming up. I'll keep the list on my "News" page as up to date as I can; here is what is there now:

Lancaster, California
FandomVerse Expo 2015
Labor Day weekend 2015
I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic. Stay tuned for date and time.

Placentia, Orange County, California
El Dorado High School Holiday Boutique
651 Valencia Avenue, Placentia
Saturday, October 3, 2015
I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic and Claimed by the Enemy at the Books on the Vine booth from noon to 1 pm. My novels will be available from 9 am to 3 pm, and I'll be stopping by the booth off and on during that time. There will be dozens of other vendors there selling holiday presents.

Saratoga Springs, New York
World Fantasy Convention 2015
November 5–8, 2015
I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic. Stay tuned for date and time.

New Orleans
November 2015
I'll be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic. Stay tuned for location, date, and time. 
 
Los Angeles
LOScon
Thanksgiving weekend 2015
I expect to be signing Ice Magic, Fire Magic. Stay tuned for date and time. 
 

Vanessa MacLellan's’s first novel, the time-travel fantasy Three Great Lies (Hadley Rille Books), officially comes out August 6 but it is already available.   Three Great Lies is the story of a half-human, half-elf woman and her struggle to find her place while, unbeknown to her, an ancient evil has awakened and plans to use her to destroy the world.

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Welcome, Vanessa, and congratulations on the publication of your first novel! Please tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a tattooed, vegetarian, outdoorsy woman with one head in the clouds and the other firmly settled in my hiking boots. I'm an environmental engineer by day and author, runner, reader, gamer, and naturalist by night (and weekends).

When did you start writing, and why?

When I was a wee lass I'd make up stories to tell my mother while she was gardening. I think it started there. My favorite subject was Baggy Piggy, who had a curly Q tail that never ended (I knew this, because I drew him incessantly with pink crayons). I remember, before I could even write, 'writing' (aka doodling) on paper and then reading these works to my great grandmother. Storytelling is in my blood. I guess that's enough of a reason why.

Though the fact that I enjoy it doesn't hurt. I have little people in my head (Doesn't every author?) who want me to explore their worlds, flesh out their personalities and goals, and give them something to do. I can't take all the credit; it's partially their fault.

What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write? 

I write speculative fiction. Mainly fantasy, though I mix horror and magical realism in there. I write fantasy because fantasy is what first got me excited about reading. I remember my older sister, Audrey, handing me the first of the Piers Anthony "Xanth" novels, and I was astounded at these magical places, characters with magical talents, all of the magical beasts. Magic. Magic. Magic. I wanted that. To live there. Be special. Be something more than just human.

I read as much fantasy after that as I could. Tolkien, Eddings, Pratchet, Weiss and Hickman, Duncan. You know the era and the authors. Their books are what fueled me as a young reader. I hope to fuel other readers too.

Another reason I write is that joy comes from creation and imagination. Of speculating: What if? and expanding from that. I am the master of my own universe; what is not to like?

What is your latest book? Any forthcoming books?

My debut novel, Three Great Lies, releases August 6th. It's fantasy, with historical and literary trappings. It carries a bit of a “Finding My Place in Life” theme.

Jeannette Walker, a modern scientist, ends up in ancient, mythological Egypt. Though she constantly casts doubt on the existence of such a world, she has to learn to live in it. While trying to save her mummy friend's soul from a wicked tomb-robbing ring, she realizes a few important things about life. What those are, well, you'll have to read the book!

I have one complete manuscript for a dark fantasy I'm currently shopping out and am working on a modern superhero series. There's always something I'm working on. 

Tell us a little about the world of Three Great Lies.

Ancient, mythological Egypt. It never rains. People's lives aren't equal. Prayers constantly dance upon lips. Beer is a meal. Sand is a major filler in the bread. Children of gods walk the street with the heads of animals and prophecy on their lips.

To Jeannette it's, of course, a total shock. There are people about in public naked, and jackals speak.  A mummy—a desiccated, lumbering thing—chases her through the crowded streets, accusing her of stealing his ba! It's not necessarily a friendly place, but people are people, and even Jeannette is able to find friends in ways she never expected. 

Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?

Jeannette Walker is my protagonist. She's in her mid-twenties, a scientists with a jilted past. She still holds the hurt from a past betrayal and has learned to trust nobody and nothing. I love her voice and her mind-chatter. And she's got a good heart that struggles to show through her armor. 

Abayomi is the dead man walking, a reanimated mummy who seeks his lost ba container so he can continue on to the afterlife. He's a perfect citizen who knows his place in the world and doesn't seek to unbalance tradition. . . . until his friends are endangered; then his loyalty shines like a beacon. True best-friend material!

Sanura is the young daughter of Bast, cast out from her litter. She's lost and alone, and Jeannette saves her—saves her!—and she'll never forget such gifts.  Sanura, like most young people, is soul-searching, trying to found out exactly why she's been cast away and what her purpose and place is in life. Her journey is one everyone can connect with. She's the spirit of the story.

What fun fact would you like your readers to know about Three Great Lies?

A major aspect of the book (the stray-dog theme) sprang to life at an agility dog show. The midsummer day was baking hot, and I had parked myself under a tree for the next show. A Jack Russell Terrier was looking at me with that intelligent tongue-lolling smile terriers have. Honestly, the dog was smiling. 

And that was the original start of the novel: "The dog was smiling at her." It's since changed, but that line and scene are still in there, the theme planted throughout the novel. The story just unfolded from that one dog's smile.

Any challenges with getting Three Great Lies to where it is today?

Three Great Lies has been on a long journey.

In 2008, I wrote my fifth NaNoWriMo novel. That was Three Great Lies. It was titled simply Egypt back then. It was a 50,000-word rough draft. Then I added extra plot threads and themes, and it topped out at 140,000 words.  That's quite an addition! Then there were years and years of critiquing and editing.

Finally in 2013, I begin seeking representation for Three Great Lies, and it was picked up by Hadley Rille Books (which was the most perfect place for this book to land). 

Now for the rough stuff. As I was due my edits, my publisher had a stroke. (Though he insists he was abducted by aliens to an alternate universe.)  It was terrible; we weren't sure whether he would make it. The entire press huddled together in worry and anticipation. I was wavering between feeling devastated for my publisher's situation and worrying about the state of my book (and feeling so so guilty for that). But he did pull through and has worked tirelessly on my novel, by my side every step of the way.

Now, we're here, and my novel is published!  I think other authors might have pulled their book to seek other representation, but I knew Hadley Rille and my publisher were perfect for my book. 

What's your writing process?

First and foremost, Three Great Lies was a “pantser” book. I didn't have an outline. I wrote forward from the smiling dog on guts and intentions. I had this idea of where I wanted to go, with no map on how to get there. Now, I am an outliner. I think the process, for me, would have gone so much faster if I'd had a more solid idea of the substance of the story.  As it was, lots and lots and lots of editing and rewriting were necessary to make this book shine.

When I'm in the thick of writing and editing, I try to work on the novel every single day. It keeps my writing sharp and my mind on the storyline. It keeps me from losing plot threads and missing finer details. For me, every day is the way. (Ooh, that even rhymes.)

Another thing I've learned: Do not work heavily on writing in the summer. I like to play outside too much, and I feel guilty if I don't write. Now, I just hold up my hands and let it all go. Summer, for me, is play time. No guilt for taking some time off writing. Because we're our worst guilt-trippers.
 

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You can learn more about Vanessa and Three Great Lies by visiting her Website at http://www.vanmaclellan.com/. Her book is available from Amazon.com in Kindle and trade paperback versions.

At the recent Romance Writers of America national meeting, the Oklahoma chapter of the RWA gave out its prestigious National Readers' Choice Awards.

Claimed by the Enemy was chosen as winner in the category "Novel with Romantic Elements." You can imagine how excited yet dumbstruck I have been since.

Because I did not go to the RWA conference this year, I do not have my award yet; my friend Debra Mullins picked it up for me. 

However, Debra won a NRCA herself in the "Paranormal Romance" category for her book Heart of Stone, so I can show you her award as a substitute for mine:

Debra Mullins and her National Readers Choice AwardI really owe her a debt of thanks for lugging home my heavy stone award as well as her own.

Claimed by the Enemy is available as an ebook, a trade paperback, and an audiobook. If you haven't read it yet, why not check it out at Amazon.com, online Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords? Not only has it won the NRCA award but it has also received many good reviews at Goodreads.com and Amazon.com.

If you've already read Claimed, why not stock up on copies for Christmas and birthday gifts? Both men and women have enjoyed it, and it's suitable for mature teens.

If you belong to a book discussion group, I can send you copies for everyone at a discount as well as swag, and/or I can join in part or all of the discussion by Skype or in person (depending where you are). Contact me through the contact link at right. (At the very top, under "Pages," click on "Contact me.")
 

Today I welcome back my friend and fellow belly dancer DeAnna Cameron. She has a new series of contemporary romance novellas and short stories set in the world of Southern California belly dancers. The second in the series, Dance with Me, launched yesterday. You have a chance to win an ebook of the first book, Shimmy for Me, and a tote bag in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page.

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What was the inspiration for Dance with Me ?
I’ve loved the art and history of belly dance for a long time—as you already know—and I’ve spent more hours than I can count in belly dance classes over the years. Dance with Me, and all the books in my "California Belly Dance Romance" series, grew out of my admiration for all the amazing women I’ve met through those belly dance classes and the Southern California belly dance community. They are truly some of the boldest, most adventurous, and most confident women I’ve ever met, and I love creating characters that pay homage to them. I hope readers enjoy spending time with them as much as I enjoy writing them.
Why did you switch from writing historical novels to writing contemporary ones?
In The Belly Dancer, I loved writing about belly dance during the Victorian era in America, and I was thrilled when my publisher requested a second novel that explored the early days of vaudeville in Old New York. But even before The Belly Dancer sold to Berkley/Penguin in 2008, I had started the story that became Shimmy for Me, the first book in the CBDR series. 

I took some time off from writing when my daughter was born, but when I was ready to get back to it last year, I dusted that story off and realized it was still something I wanted to finish. It worked out really well because I also wanted to give independent publishing a try, so making a genre change was not as much of a hurdle as it could have been if I’d been publishing traditionally.
What are the major difference between writing a historical novel and writing a contemporary novel?
Definitely the research. For each historical, I spent about a year on the research and another year writing while doing more research. It was incredibly time consuming, but I didn’t view that as a negative thing. I loved all that research! There are so many archives and resources available online these days, and I can spend days on end in a library’s reference section.
When I switched to writing contemporary, I also had to adjust my writing voice. My modern-day belly dancers sounded a bit Victorian at first. But that fell away pretty quickly as the characters came to life. They each have their own distinctive voice, and they don’t sound anything like women having tea in the parlor or jaunting off in a horse-drawn carriage.
What are you doing next?
I’m putting the finishing touches on a short story in the CBDR series that picks up a few weeks after the end of Dance with Me. It continues the story of the two main characters. It’s titled Another Dance, and it should be available very soon.

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Dance with Me  To ambitious belly dancer Melanie Drake, celebrity drummer Taz Roman is a self-absorbed playboy she would prefer to avoid… until he makes her a tantalizing offer. He needs someone to pose as his live-in girlfriend to get his meddling sister off his back. In exchange, he’ll coach her through the upcoming Belly Dance Divas’ audition. But when Melanie’s fake feelings turn real and their secret backfires, she discovers Taz isn’t the man she thought he was. As the deception threatens to destroy her dreams and his career, she must find the courage to fight for what she truly wants.

Regular price: $3.99
New Release Blitz price: $0.99 (July 13–14 only!)
Find it on Amazon here.
DeAnna Cameron DeAnna Cameron writes about feisty heroines transformed by true love and belly dance—one of the oldest and most exciting dance forms in the world. Her novels have been translated into Japanese, Polish, and Serbian, and her work has been praised for its “deft prose, energetic characters and . . . colorful images” by RT Book Reviews. Before turning to fiction, DeAnna worked as a journalist, writing and editing for several Southern California newspapers and magazines. When she isn’t writing, she shepherds a local writing community called O.C. Writers and edits LitCentralOC.com, an online resource and showcase for local authors. She lives with her family in Orange County, California.

For more info, find her online here:
Author site: http:// www.DeAnnaCameron.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DeAnnaCameronAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeAnnaMCameron

Rafflecopter give-away  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Susan J. Voss' blog "Dab of Darkness" posted an interview with me last week. You can find it here:

http://dabofdarkness.com/2015/05/30/interview-shauna-roberts-author-of-claimed-by-the-enemy/

She reviews many books at her blog, mostly science fiction and fantasy. If you'd like to see a list (with links) of other books she's reviewed, go here.

 Ines Johnson is here for her third (and last) day of her series on complication cards. Today, she shows you how to put together what you did in the exercises in part 1 and part 2 to summarize the nut of your story or scene on a single index card.





Complication Cards, Part 3: The Scene by Ines Johnson
You’ve discovered your character’s needand potentially their want, which is a false goal. You’ve learned about the four types of obstacles that can obstruct your character on the way to achieving their goals and filling their need. Now, to build a heart-pounding story where you send your character through the toughest obstacle course you can imagine, you should map out a blueprint for the course.
Four elements of a story
*Hero/heroine: Primary character looking to fill the void in their life
*Want: A false goal that the hero or heroine initially believes is their path to wholeness
*Obstacle: One of the four obstacles opposing the hero or heroine
*Need: The true goal of the hero or heroine, the thing that will satisfy their void
Examples of obstacle cards for different kinds of complications
Antagonist as complication In the Cinderella adaptation Ever After, Danielle (heroine) works tirelessly to gain acceptance (want) from her stepmother (antagonist) until she realizes her family of friends, including the Prince, love her unconditionally (need).
Physical world as complication In “The Little Mermaid” adaptation Splash, Madison (heroine) leaves the sea to be with Allen (want), but when her legs get wet and her fins come back (obstacle), she’s forced to tell Allen the truth of her existence in the hope that he’ll spend forever with her under the sea (need).
Inner or psychological problem as complication In the unconventional fairy tale Shrek, Princess Fiona (heroine) hopes to be rescued by a knight in shining armor (want) who will break her curse (obstacle) until she realizes that true love is “color” blind (need).
Mystic force as complication In The Frog Prince, Tiana (heroine) dreams of opening a restaurant (want), but her dream takes a slight detour when she’s turned into a frog (obstacle) along with Prince Naveen and learns to seek and take help from others (need).
Exercise Now it’s your turn. Fill out your own obstacle card for your story. If you want to take it a step further, fill out a card for each scene!
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Ines Johnson writes romantic erotica, paranormal romance, and fairytale-retelling romance novels. You can find her Website at https://inesjohnson.wordpress.com/. Part one of her newest romantic erotica book, The Loyal Steed, is at Amazon here. The complete serial can be preordered here.