A month ago, Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon aligned beautifully for evening sky watchers around the world. Tonight it’s happening again. On March 25 and 26, the three will form a bright celestial triangle in the western sky at sunset. Check http://spaceweather.com for photos and observing tips.
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/sunset-sky-show/
Mar 23
ZERO TIME 2012 Virtual Party: Week Two
Check out these Party Posts for Week Two of the ZERO TIME 2012 Virtual Book Tour PARTY:
- March 19 — The Far Edge of Normal (Jaleta Clegg) INTERVIEW
- March 20 — Heart of Romance (Sarah Hoss) When your feet don’t touch the floor
- March 21 — The Write Time (Dean C. Rich) — Fictional characters help put goals into perspective
- March 22 — Ansha’s Blog (Ansha Kotyk) Where fact & fantasy meet: Those jaw-breaking names
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/zero-time-2012-virtual-party-week-two/
Mar 22
Guest post on Ansha Kotyk’s blog!
ZERO TIME 2012 VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR PARTY STOP:
I’m doing a guest post on Party Host Ansha Kotyk’s blog. My friend Cole Gibsen introduced us as fellow contributors to her blog, POTS & PENS. We share a lot of interests, so I was glad when Ansha became a charter member of a blog I host,THE WRITERS’ LENS. Ansha writes Middle Grade fantasy and contemporary YA. She also co-hosts #MGlitchat.
Check out my post on:
– Those jaw-breaking names in ZERO TIME.
Join the party! Stop by ANSHA’S BLOG and leave a comment.
Thanks, Ansha!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/guest-interview-on-ansha-kotyks-blog/
Mar 21
Guest post on Dean C. Rich’s blog!
ZERO TIME 2012 VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR PARTY STOP:
I’m doing a guest post on Party Host Dean C. Rich’s blog, THE WRITE TIME. Terri Bruce introduced us when she was soliciting for her blog ring, which Dean teased her into calling the Blog Ring of Power. Dean writes fantasy and has completed four manuscripts.
– I give a few tips on time management (hey, quit laughing! I’m a fantasy writer, after all. :))
— and talk about how fictional characters help put goals into perspective.
Join the party! Stop by Dean’s blog, THE WRITE TIME, and leave a comment.
Thanks, Dean!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/guest-post-on-dean-c-richs-blog/
Mar 20
Guest post at Sarah Hoss’ blog!
ZERO TIME 2012 VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR PARTY STOP:
I’m doing a guest post on Party Host Sarah Hoss‘ beautiful blog, HEART OF ROMANCE. I met her through Candace Haven’s Write_Workshops Yahoo list. Sarah writes paranormal historical romance (HIGHLAND DREAMS) and contemporary romance.
— Check out a couple of romantic snippets from ZERO TIME.
Join the party! Stop by Sarah’s HEART OF ROMANCE blog and leave a comment.
Thanks, Sarah!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/guest-blogging-at-sarah-hoss-heart-of-romance-blog/
Mar 19
Guest interview at Jaleta Clegg’s blog!
ZERO TIME 2012 VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR PARTY STOP:
I’m doing a guest interview on Party Host Jaleta Clegg’s blog, The Far Edge of Normal. I met her through Broad Universe and via the Yahoo group for my publisher, L&L Dreamspell. She writes science fiction, fantasy, and silly horror. From what I’ve learned about Jaleta through her delightful guest posts on Pots & Pens and The Writers’ Lens, I just wish she lived closer so we could hang out!
- See how I overcame the handicap of not having a cat to help me write (…hint: long neck and spotted) and other things about me you might not suspect, unless you’re precognitive.
Join the party! Stop by Jaleta’s THE FAR EDGE OF NORMAL blog and leave a comment.
Thanks, Jaleta!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/guest-interview-at-jaleta-cleggs-blog/
Mar 15
ZERO TIME 2012 Virtual Party: Week One
Check out these Party Posts for Week One of the ZERO TIME 2012 Virtual Book Tour PARTY:
- March 13 — Speculative Fiction Author (Sandra Ulbrich Almazan) Where fact & fantasy meet: The science behind the fiction
- March 14 –The Writers’ Lens – Virtual book tours: 3 decisions
- March 15 — (Sandra Saidak) Where fact and fantasy meet: The End of the Maya Calendar
Comment for a chance to win prizes!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/zero-time-2012-virtual-party-week-one/
Mar 15
Lucky 7 Meme for writers
“Thanks,” Xhuncouen said, as she took a sip, instantly more awake from its minty fresh aroma. “I needed to get moving anyway.” She smiled at Tukur’s disheveled hair and wondered what could have happened if they’d had more privacy.
From the look in his eyes, the same thought crossed his mind. He sat the cup in front of him on the couch and reached over to brush Xhuncouen’s hair from her face. “You look beautiful in the morning.”
Manik groaned and walked away.
TAGGING:
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/lucky-7-meme-for-writers/
Mar 15
Guest post at Sandra Saidak’s blog!
ZERO TIME 2012 VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR PARTY STOP:
I’m guest blogging on Party Host Sandra Saidak‘s blog. I met Sandra through Broad Universe and immediately felt the bond: Sandra writes historical fantasy, too. DAUGHTER OF THE GODDESS LANDS recently made it to Round Two of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition and Sandra’s waiting to hear about Round Three!
Find out how I researched the history behind the fantasy in my novel, ZERO TIME, including:
- the end of the Maya calendar
- what the Maya wrote about the “2012 prophecy”
Join the party! Stop by Sandra Saidak‘s blog and leave a comment.
Thanks, Sandra!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/guest-blogging-at-sandra-saidaks-blog/
Mar 15
BRoP interview: Sue Burke
It’s time for another Blog Ring of Power interview!
Sue Burke lives and writes in Madrid. Originally from Milwaukee, Wis., much of her career was spent as a reporter and editor, covering everything from dog shows to politics to crime. She began writing fiction twenty years ago and has published short stories in various magazines and anthologies, as well as poetry and non-fiction. Her current project is a translation of the medieval fantasy story, Amadis of Gaul.
This is Part 2 of a five-part interview. Be sure to check out the other BRoP sites for the rest of the interview:
THE WRITING LIFE
BRoP: What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine? Do you use pen and paper or computer? Work at home or at the library/Starbucks, etc.
SUE: I work at my day job in the late afternoon and evening, so I write in the morning. I sit down at my desk after breakfast and get to work.
I work at a computer because I’ve spent so many years working at a keyboard that I’m completely comfortable with one. And I work at home because I don’t have time to schlep to a Starbucks (which exist in Madrid, by the way) or some other location. I’d also be away from my reference books and notes — 4,000+ pages of dictionaries and reference materials when I’m translating, and I don’t own a car thanks to Madrid’s excellent public transit system, so that’s a lot to schlep.
I’m always working on more than one project. Right now, I’m writing the sequel to a science fiction novel that comes out this year, along with shorter works, articles, and poems. One day a week, I work on the continuing translation of Amadis of Gaul.
BRoP: How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life?
Sue: Organization is key. I keep my papers orderly and my computer files neatly hierarchically arranged (and regularly backed up). I plan ahead, and I keep clear notes so that I can pick up a project and know where I left off and what to do next. That way I can write and do other things without feeling overwhelmed because I know where the whelm is and can sail the waters of life more securely.
A lot of people don’t like to plan, and I can understand that. It takes energy and discipline to plan because it can be so tempting to jump right into a project and get organized later. But I think being organized saves energy that would be spent finding lost items, figuring out where you were, or coping with avoidable crises. Planning makes life easier.
I think planning also helps prevent writer’s block, because what blocks you, down deep, is not knowing what to do next. If you have a path laid out, or an idea of what comes next, or an expectation of what you’ll be doing and when you’ll be doing it, then certain kinds of writer’s block simply don’t happen.
BRoP: What has been the most surprising reaction to something you’ve written?
Sue: I still remember one rejection of a story as “evil” — but it was about vampires! Of course they’re evil. For a while, among some writing friends, I was known as “the evil Sue Burke.” And I sold the story to the very next place I sent it.
BRoP: Has living in Spain affected your writing?
Sue: It’s helped me understand how different a culture can be, even one like Spain, which isn’t that odd compared to the US. This is a more conformist culture, even to the point that Spaniards don’t like to go shopping at off-peak hours because “people don’t that” and the stores are empty, which would make lone shoppers feel conspicuous.
Spaniards also don’t smile as much, especially if they’re working on a hard problem, because smiling would show that they aren’t taking the situation seriously — so if your Iberia Airline reservation is messed up, the grimmer the faces behind the customer service counter, the better the chance that a solution is being found.
I’ve set some stories in Spain, but I’ve found — as have writers in other countries writing from deep inside their cultures — that editors and readers don’t always believe that motivations or customs could be so different.
BRoP: Other than your family, what has been your greatest source of support?
Sue: Other writers have always been there to help me in any way they could, including a lot of established, successful writers. And I’ve tried to help others to the best of my ability. “Pay forward,” they say: you can never repay the experienced writers who helped you, but you can help those who have less experience than you.
BRoP: Is your book in print, ebook or both?
Sue: Both in paperback and Kindle.
Please let us know where can your readers stalk you:
- Blog: http://amadisofgaul.blogspot.com
- Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amadis-of-Gaul/112253615569385
- Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466475714/ref=rdr_ext_tmb
- Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13498482-amadis-of-gaul-book-i
- My personal website: http://www.sue.burke.name
AMADIS OF GAUL: In medieval times, troubadours and poets recounted tales of knights-errant. They fought evildoers and magical beings, and each knight served his lady in accordance with the rules of chivalric love. Amadis of Gaul is the most famous tale of chivalry from Spain. The novel, divided into four books, recounts the life of Amadis, the greatest knight in the world. This is Book I of the novel. It became the Renaissance’s best-selling literary phenomena. It went through 19 reprintings, was translated into 7 languages, and spawned 44 direct sequels, as well as fueling an entire genre, complete with fan fiction. Jousts were revived with theatrical pageantry, and “knights” came in the guise of their favorite characters. This is a new translation. It leaves nothing out, will carry you back in time to enjoy this transcendent, delightful adventure. It includes a preface, introduction, notes to chapters, and an appendix discussing the relationship between Amadis of Gaul and Don Quixote. Amadis of Gaul is one of the pillars of European fiction. It opens a window not only to a wondrous fictional world but to the real medieval world that produced it.
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/brop-interview-sue-burke/