Saturday, June 30, 2007

Thursday, June 28, 2007

BLog Tour Stop of Trust in the Wind and Author Vickie M. Taylor



Today is the blog tour stop of Vickie M. Taylor and her book, Trust in the Wind to my blog.

Book Description: When pregnant teen, Joanne, chooses single motherhood, she loses everything, including her family. Four years later, she's fiercely independent, trusts no one and is barely keeping her head above water. Roy is a Hillsborough County Sheriff, and a widower who lost his wife and child during a burglary gone terribly wrong. Six years later, he still refuses to love for fear of losing it again. Together, these two just might get a second chance to learn about trust and love. When you can't count on people, Trust in the Wind.

Here is where you can buy Trust in thje Wind: AMAZON You can learn more about Vickie by visiting her website and her other sites.

http://www.vickimtaylor.com http://www.vickimtaylor.com/blogs/ http://www.vickimtaylor.com/forums/index.php? http://www.myspace.com/vickimtaylor

Enjoy this short story she wrote especially for this tour stop:

Just The Way You Like It

"What the hell is the bucket and mop doing in front of the door?"

Sue cringed. "Hank? Is that you?"

"Who were you expecting, the Pope?" Hank stomped through the small laundry room that separated the garage from the kitchen. White dusty flecks of drywall compound scattered over the spotless linoleum.

Sue pressed her lips tight. In silence she followed behind her husband with the dust mop making his tracks disappear. "How was your day?"

Hank sank into his recliner and punched the remote control. Loud laughter from the audience of a talk show filled the room. "Damn, woman. You messing with my clicker again?"

Sue said nothing but hurried to change the TV to Hank's favorite fishing program.

Leaning back, he kicked off one boot and then other in the general direction of the coffee table. Thick, sticky globs of still soft drywall compound ground into the carpet beneath his heavy boots. "When's dinner?"

Scrubbing the carpet with a wet rag, Sue looked up. "In about an hour, Hank." In a lower tone she added, “just like it always is."

Shoving a sweat-soaked foot in Sue's face, Hank ordered her to take off his socks while she was down there.

Sue peeled the thick material from Hank's feet. Cold white, wrinkled flesh dotted with bright red angry sores appeared. Sue swallowed hard to keep herself from gagging. From years of working heavy construction, Hank's feet had paid the price.

Without waiting to be told, Sue squeezed a quarter-sized dollop of gray paste from the half-used tube of generic zinc oxide. Closing her eyes to the sight, she smoothed the thick substance over each foot, covering the rashes.

"Get me a beer, will ya?" Hank asked as he leaned back in his chair and propped his greasy feet on the ottoman.

Before getting up, Sue lifted Hank's feet and put a newspaper underneath to keep the zinc oxide from getting on the heavy material.

Irate, Hank kicked the paper onto the floor. "Whatcha doing? I don't want no paper under my feet. That white crap gets all over the paper and leaves black prints on my feet."

Sue folded the discarded newspaper and placed it back on the coffee table in easy reach for Hank in case he wanted to read it.

After taking Hank his beer, Sue hurried to finish dinner. Thick red sauce bubbled in an open pot on the stove. Fascinated, Sue watched as the bubbles popped, making a sucking, slurping "plop" noise then leaving splatters of red on the white stovetop. She automatically wiped away each splatter then stared at the pot again, waiting for the next "plop." Sue dipped a wooden spoon into the bubbling mixture for a small taste. She grimaced at the bland, acidic flavor of crushed tomatoes.

Standing on a chair, Sue searched the top cupboard above the stove for the small jar of whole bay leaves. It had been a long time since she made fresh spaghetti sauce or used any of her Italian seasonings. A small shaker of oregano fell onto the stove barely missing the pot of bubbling sauce.

“Quit making so much noise, will ya?” Hank bellowed from the living room.

“Sorry, Hank.”

“Get me another beer.”

“Yes, dear.” Sue pulled her hands from the back of the cupboard, knocking over several boxes and small jars. Weary, she climbed down from the chair to survey the mess.

Half-open boxes spilled their contents over the stove and countertop. Sue grabbed her wet dishrag and mopped up most of the mess. Righting the toppled boxes, she jumped back, startled by the front of one yellow box. A large black rat. She spilled some of the tiny granules into her hand. She ran a finger through the pale specks and watched how the fluorescent light overhead made them sparkle.

“Hey, where’s my beer?”

Sue jumped.

Her fist closed tightly over the contents in her hand. “Coming right up, Hank,” she called out.

Sue rushed to get Hank his beer before he yelled again.

“Whatcha got in your hand?”

“What?” Sue tightened her clench. “Oh, nothing. Just some seasonings. I’m making spaghetti.” She flashed Hank a quick smile. “Your favorite.”

“Yeah. Just don’t make it too spicy. You know how my stomach gets.” He rubbed the ample subject with one large hand while the other held his cold brew.

Sue hurried to the kitchen, a small, desperate plan forming in her mind.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it just the way you like it.”






Been Tagged--8 Things About Me

I've Been Tagged!


OK- I've been tagged, and admitted was before, but never did the game.
Here are the rules first:
A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.
B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 more people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Here are 8 things about me:

1. I do costuming, That means I sew or make costumes and wear them to conventions, etc...

2. Besides writing, I do acting. Haven't in past couple years, but I still would take an acting job idf offered, or do extra work in a film.

3. I worked as Publicity Director for Ravencon , which is held in Richmond, Virginia in April . I started it back in 2006, the first year and still going strong--at least for now. LOL.

4. I am a chocoholic.

5. I love Halloween. it's my fave holiday or time of the year--big Autumn fan too. I even collect Halloween stuff-like ghost and pumpkins.

6. Dragons. I collect anything to do with dragons. Been into dragons since I was 18 and my father brought home from our church's White Elephant Sale, a Chinese dragon statue.

7. I hate housework.

8. Really do believe in ghosts--too many experiences in my life not too.

All right. Done. I am tagging Linda A, Lyons-Bailey, J. H. Bogran, Emily Veinglory, Kay Derwydd, Elizabeth Blue, Terry Spear and Adrianna Dane. Off to let 'em know the great news.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Heather Ingemar Stops By To Talk About Darkness Cornered


















Today, Author Heather S. Ingemar stops by on her virtual tour. Enjoy this interview where we'll learn about her and her story, "Darkness Cornered, published by Echelon Press."

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a country-girl at heart, a rancher’s wife. I’ve been a dreamer for as long as I can remember. A musician. That’s pretty much it, really. Me in a nutshell.

A musician? Does this influence your writing at all?

Yes, I’ve been playing music since I was five—I came from a musical family.

Music does influence my writing, quite a lot, actually. I can’t function without it. Music helps me think, helps me connect with my characters, with the essence of the story. Sometimes, music even suggests a story to me.

So, about your current release, “Darkness Cornered.” Tell us a bit about it.

“Darkness Cornered” is a dark, sci-fi and suspense story detailing one man’s choice to stand up against the crimes committed in the name of science. It’s available at Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise.com), and runs about two dollars, less if you’re a member. It’s doing very well right now.

How well is “very well”?
Last week it made number two on the mystery/crime bestseller list for short stories.

Impressive. Back to the music: what did you listen to when you wrote it?

I listened to a lot of Coldplay. “Parachutes” and “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” mostly.

Why did you decide to have “Darkness Cornered” e-published?

I went the ebook route because the majority of people read content online. With “Darkness Cornered,” length wasn’t an issue--sometimes people don’t want to read full-length novels online, but “Cornered” was a short story. Also, I’m not a literary writer. (laughs)

How has the ebook experience been for you?

Very good. Karen—my publisher—is a great lady to work with. My cover is fantastic and the layout was very nicely done. I’ve been pleased.

You mentioned “Darkness Cornered” is a short story. Why short fiction?

Because I’m not a patient person! (laughs) Really, though, I simply prefer the short fiction, short story medium. I feel like I’ve got more creative liberties, not to mention, with my busy personal life—what with farm work and my town job—I’m not pressured to give up months and years of my life to finish it. Short fiction also fits my creative work style: I tend to work in fits and spurts. If I don’t finish something relatively quickly, generally, I don’t finish it at all. My inspiration wanes after months of work on something.

In short (no pun intended), the short fiction medium suits me and my personality.

What was the most shocking thing about being an author?

The most shocking thing? Seeing myself listed alongside Neil Gaiman on a stranger’s blogroll.

Can we expect any other works coming out soon? And
where can we learn more about you?

Yes. I’ve got two upcoming releases, “A Slip of Wormwood” and “Prophet’s Choice,” both from Echelon Press (
http://www.echelonpress.com/
). “A Slip of Wormwood” is a twisted little short, and “Prophet’s Choice” is a fantasy novella. No release dates for either as of yet, but you can keep up with that and other information on my website: http://catharsys.wordpress.com/

Please, if you stop by, say hello! I love comments and e-mail.


Synopsis of “Darkness Cornered” by Heather S. Ingemar

Lear King is one of thousands in the latest chain of human evolution—vampyres. The V-mutation, as many call it, moved fast through the population and heightened certain natural traits such as photosensitivity, cell regeneration, and lower body core temperature until the people affected became like the supernatural creatures of ancient myths. And as with most developments in evolution, it becomes survival of the fittest: most of the “normals” died out.

Except for Kai Green, Lear’s girlfriend. She’s one of the last few “normals,” and the light of his life.

Then there’s Dr. Maddox Corvan, the head of the Department of Scientific Research, who is certain that this V-mutation is a disease, and who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it. Even tracking down the remaining “normals” and performing macabre experiments upon them under the reputable guise of his station.

Dr. Corvan, frustrated after his last experiments go haywire, locates Kai, and pins her as his next victim. But there’s just one problem.

Lear.

Can he save her before it’s too late?



Heather S. Ingemar has loved to play with words since she was little, and it wasn't long until she started writing her own stories. A musician since the age of five (piano, saxophone, violin, pennywhistle and Irish flute), she completed a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in December of 2006. She and her husband reside on the family cattle ranch, where she takes great delight in thinking up new stories to tell.

To learn more about Heather S. Ingemar, please visit her personal website:
http://catharsys.wordpress.com/


Sunday, June 24, 2007

Mundania Press/Phaze Acquires Piers Anthony's Books

From the head publisher of my new publisher, Phaze (and yes, I have better chance at submitting to Mundania too). This is so cool.
Pamela K. kinney (also writes as Sapphire Phelan)



New Acquisitions :


We are pleased to announce Mundania Press and Phaze Books have acquired four new books from twenty-one time New York Times bestseller list author PiersAnthony, famous for the Xanth fantasy series. Piers has written over 150 books to date along with dozens of short stories and two biographies.Phaze Books will be re-publishing RELATIONSHIPS and publishing RELATIONSHIPS 2, both collections of erotic stories. Release dates will be announced on the website,
PHAZE.

Mundania Press has just received two new novels: KEY TO SURVIVAL and UNDER A VELVET CLOAK.KEY TO SURVIVAL is the fifth and final novel in the popular adult fantasy ChroMagic series. It will also contain an appendix of Piers' writer's notes with detailed information he used to write the whole series. The otherbooks in the series are KEY TO HAVOC, KEY TO CHROMA, KEY TO DESTINY, and KEY TO LIBERTY. Each book is approximately 250,000 words and available in Trade Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook formats.UNDER A VELVET CLOAK is the eighth novel in the extremely popular INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY series. Many books from this series have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and INCARNATIONS continues to be a one of the most popular series from Piers Anthony. The first book inthe series, ON A PALE HORSE, is currently under option by Disney for a TV series (at last word).

The previous seven books in the series are ON A PALE HORSE (Death), BEARING AN HOURGLASS (Time), WITH A TANGLED SKEIN (Fate), WIELDING A RED SWORD (War), BEING A GREEN MOTHER (Nature), FOR LOVE OF EVIL (Satan), and AND ETERNITY (God). The last book in the series was published in 1990, and after years of fans pleading with Piers for another book in the series, hecompleted UNDER A VELVET CLOAK, which features Nox the Incarnation of Night.Both KEY TO SURVIVAL and UNDER A VELVET CLOAK will be released in Trade Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook formats in December 2007. For more information, visit MUNDANIA.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Chatting with HorrorProfessionals.Org June 24th

I have a chat by Horror Professionals.Org on Sunday, June 24th. Usually I do a lot of Sapphire Phelan chats, but this one is for Pamela K. Kinney. :D Please join me.


From the head of the organization on their MySpace:
Join us in June for our monthly chat sponsored by IOHP/C. The chat will begin at 6 p.m. PACIFIC/ 7 p.m. Mountain/ 8 p.m. Central / 9 p.m. Eastern. Our online chatroom is located at:
http://www.horrorprofessionals.org/IOHPchat.htmlJune 24, 2007 join us for an online chat with professional author Pamela K. Kinney. Her nonfiction book, Haunted Richmond, Virginia from Schiffer Books( http://www.schifferghosts.com ), will be released in June.

Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Haunted Richmond, Virginia Now Up for Preorder at Amazon



Haunted Richmond, Virginia is up for preorder at AMAZON now. A good friend alerted me to this. It's at a discount from the set price of $14.95. So get there now and get it at that discounted price. And check my website for where I'll be signing, or which conventions I'll be at, and I'll be glad to sign your copy. If you do preorder it I still have that deal of first ten preorders gets a signed bookmark in the mail, so send me your proof by emailing me at PamelaKKinney@comcast.net and I will send you a bookmark.