Saturday 28 May 2011

SFFS Week #1

Welcome to the first posting of SFFS. I'm going to share some snippets of my writing most weeks, and posting them under the SFFS tag. To take a look at other writers' snippets, follow this link to the SFFS blog.

So here goes - my six sentences for this week. They come from first draft of a short story that is currently titled The Thalladium. A six-year old child has been bitten by a zimran - a creature similar to the fox of Earth origin. The narrator is a stranger to the world she is in, having being mysteriously transported there from present-day Earth, and finds herself in what appears to be a harsh, primitive society, reminiscent to the Middle Ages on Earth in some respects. I hope you enjoy.



My heartstrings tore in two, at the thought of losing that cheerful little boy. To never see his tanned, elfin face, smiling up at me so endearingly ... I shook my head at the thought. My heart just couldn’t accept it. There was no way that this little boy was going to die if I could do anything about it. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. It’s time that things started changing around here.”

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Review: Fallen Embers, by Lauri J. Owen

In Fallen Embers, Lauri Owen has crafted a magnificent tale of romance and political intrigue, tightly interwoven through the visions of grandeur and depravity that are her alternate Alaska. From the first page one is gripped by the story as one meets Kiera and Alex, living out a pretty ordinary existence in present day Alaska. The pace changes in a shocking initiation to a realm of magic, where the pair must survive or be destroyed. The scale of this story is as majestic as its setting, and I can guarantee that any reader will fall in love with the characters.

The pages of this book turn of their own accord as one devours the images that flow from them, eager to seek out the mysteries that lie hidden within and, of course, to follow the ultimate conclusion of the romance that is the river of hope wending its way through the book.




Author Bio
Lauri J Owen is a civil rights lawyer who grew up in Idaho's Treasure Valley and worked for more than a decade in law enforcement. In 2003, her passion for social justice led her to law school. After completing her Juris Doctorate at U.C., Berkeley, she moved to Bethel, a village in the Alaska Bush, where she fell in love with the the people, the magic, and the majesty of her new home state. Lauri was selected in 2006 for inclusion in the “Who’s Who of American Women” directory in part for her commitment to civil rights, and she currently lives in metro Alaska with her elementary-school-aged son and rescued cat companions. Lauri is currently hard at work on the third novel in The Embers Series, Rising Embers, which will likely be out in early 2012.

Author Contact Information
Facebook: Fallen Embers - The Embers Series
Twitter: laurijowen
Blog: Embers

Blowing Embers, chapter two in The Embers Series, is due out July 2011. Check out it's cover below, and go here to see the book video.




















Cover image used with permission from Lauri J Owen, received at the time of posting.

Monday 23 May 2011

Meditation Mondays

Revelations 21:2-4 (NIV)

2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Review: The Bones of the Sea, by Pippa Jay

A quick read, and very well-written, I thoroughly enjoyed this short story. In The Bones of the Sea, we get a brief glimpse of Ulto Marinos, a mysterious world on which stranger things exist - namely, the Bones of the Sea. We discover, along with Myasi, the hidden secrets of this strange structure - but will they actually be unlocked?

It is refreshing to meet a new talent in the scifi industry, and I look forward to seeing what other ideas Pippa Jay will bring to the world of reading.

Author Bio:
A stay-at-home mum who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to science fiction books and films. Now happily settled in historic Colchester, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Author Contact Information:
Email: pippajaygreen@gmail.com
Blog: Pippa Jay - Adventures in Sci-fi
Twitter: happarose197
Facebook: Keir - Beyond Redemption
Smashwords: happarose

Cover image used with permission from Philippa J Green, received at the time of posting.

Monday 16 May 2011

Meditation Mondays

Proverbs 24:1-2 (NIV)

1 Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Guest Blogging over at Amy's

Good day all!

I just thought I'd unpack some of what's gone on in the last two days. Weird doesn't quite fit the requirements of word-demand.

All I can really say is, I was reading a book, and suddenly it was like a blinding white light hit me, and I discovered how to do something I've been talking about for months, but have been unable to do with my writing. That mystery is "relaxing" my writing. Along with it came the revelation - provided by a friend - of understanding HOW I write. I'm a plot writer. There's no doubt about it. I have to work much harder than others to build up my characters and my story-settings than I do at my plots. This just makes my life so much easier, it really does!

Do - if you're interested - go and read my guest post Relax your Writing, at Amy Rose Davis's blog, Modicum of Talent, Flashes of Brilliance. I wouldn't say that I'm an expert on writing, or that my story-telling is now perfect. All I'm saying is, "I learnt something."

Monday 9 May 2011

Meditation Monday

Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV)

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Review: Silver Thaw, by Amy Rose Davis

From the pen of Amy Rose Davis, a self-published (indie) author, comes this wonderful dark fantasy. When I was introduced to Amy by a friend, I bought this book, intending to read it 'sometime'. I am now very glad that I did, and more so now that I have read it.

The story does not take long to read, being a novella, and the vivid imagery makes it a true pleasure. The words create the setting and the characters in such an unobtrusive way that one simply absorbs them as one follows the events depicted by them. I needed to put the book down several times – life intervenes – but each section drew me on to read more, until I had read the story through to its conclusion. What amazed me most was that the present is skilfully interwoven with the past to create a rich tapestry that consists of the many lives, seasons and emotions that run through the story. This is one tale that is very well-written – in terms of language and grammar as well as creativity and imagery – and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it as an outstanding work of fiction.

Like the song of the siren, this book will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

Author Bio


Amy Rose Davis is an independent epic fantasy author. She lives in Oregon with her husband, Bryce, and their four children. Bryce provides comic relief, editing, and inspiration, and regularly talks her off the various ledges she climbs onto.

Amy is an unapologetic coffee addict, but her other vices include chocolate, margaritas, and whiskey. She prefers cats to dogs (but houses both), loves the color green, and enjoys the smell of new pencils and crayons. She has eclectic tastes in friends, music, and books, and is as likely to watch 300 as Becoming Jane.

Amy’s books are available in all major e-bookstores.

Author contact information

E-mail: amy@amyrosedavis.com
Author Website: www.ravenmarked.com
Blog: www.modicumoftalent.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amyrosedaviswriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/amyjrosedavis

Books

Ravenmarked
Silver Thaw
Servant of Dreams
Bloodbonded (forthcoming late in 2011)

Cover image and writer logo used with permission from Amy J Rose Davis, received at the time of posting.

Monday 2 May 2011

Meditation Monday

Proverbs 11:12-14 (NIV)

 12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
   but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
 13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
   but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
 14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
   but victory is won through many advisers.