Greg Close's Worthless Novel(s) Blog

FREE BOOK 9/2-9/4, in support of Histiocytosis Awareness Month

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 17:04:00 +0000

September is Histiocytosis Awareness Month

Every year I try to do something to help raise funds for Langerhans-cell Histiocytosis (LCH). It's an overlooked disease, classified as a cancer, that needs a lot more money for research. With budget cuts looming from Washington, the need for private contributions is greater than ever.

This year, I'm giving away free Kindle versions of In Siege of Daylight. I can't make it free for the whole month (Amazon rules), but I am making it free for the holiday weekend: September 2nd - 4th.

The eBook normally retails for $4.99. My request is that if you take advantage of procuring the free book, please consider donating (at least) that value to this cause (link below).

Dear Friends Campaign: Histiocytosis Association.

If you already own the book, feel free to share the link, gift the free book, or even share your existing copy with a friend. The real point is just to create awareness and raise some money for LCH.

If you want to buy an autographed paperback, you can do that at my online store. I'll donate the entire amount to the Dear Friends Campaign.

Best wishes to all.

-Greg

It's Alive!!! It's Alive... and on Kickstarter now! Got Demon?

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 13:58:00 +0000

GREYSPACE...

I started this one back before I finished In Siege of Daylight, but shelved it to get that giant epic monkey off my back. It's been sitting there for a while, but I hadn't gotten back to it seriously until last summer.

Why? Complicated question. For a while it was just a matter of focus - life had other things for me to worry about. For the past eight months, the manuscript was in consideration for the Hodderscape Open Submission window (it made it to the final 100 of 1600 entries before dropping out).

Now, no other publisher or agent is sitting on this, so I'm Kickstarting it to life (I hope).

GREYSPACE is a different sort of book than ISoD. It's shorter, single POV, and it's a science fiction/fantasy rather than a straight up epic fantasy.

There's a Native American heroine (and villain), Faeries, LASERS, Demons, nanobots, Evokers, pulse rifles, power armor and the eponymous GREYSPACE itself - basically a magical hyperspace. I think, at the very least, it's not a typical.

Sort of like a cross between the smooth lines of Mass Effect-style SF and the creepier, gloomier, demon-ier, world of Doom.

Stop by the Kickstarter and see if it interests you (there's a sample of a few chapters posted there). I would love your money, of course, but even if you aren't interested yourself, I would really appreciate your shares and likes and any help getting the word out on social media.

Cheers,

Greg

A merciful death, but still dead

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Fri, 20 May 2016 15:48:00 +0000

I will start this post with a voluminous sigh.

>Sigh<

My science fiction/fantasy novel Greyspace spent the last 8 months (8/16/2015 - 5/16/2016) being considered as part of Hodderscape's call for Open Submission. Basically, this means that Hodderscape, a major publisher, was accepting manuscripts not represented by an agent. For us lowly folk, this is a big deal.

According to Anne Perry, the editor at Hodder in charge of the Open Submissions, there were about 1600 entries. Greyspace made it to the final 5% before being politely dismissed (about a week after the linked post, above). They were very nice. Very gentle. Very professional. But it's still a NO. No doesn't feel good.

I am disappointed. I'm not bitter, though. In fact, I'm extremely grateful to Anne and her team at Hodderscape for even opening such a door, let alone inviting me into the waiting room. Was the last 8 months torture? Yes. Was I anxious? Yes. Had I finally started believing that this might actually work out, and that Greyspace might be published by a major house? Yes, damn it.

That is the nature of the business. It is often the nature of Life. You have to fail to succeed. Being in the final 5% is actually pretty great! Etc. etc. I know the words I have to tell myself, even if they sound a little hollow right now.

So, back to Kickstarter for publication funds. Hopefully soon.

Giving 100%: Childhood Cancer, Histiocytosis & Extended Charity Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:03:00 +0000

In March, I promised to donate all book profits to Texas Children's Hospital in support of their ongoing research into Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH).

"For the entirety of March 2015, all author's profits for any sale of In Siege of Daylight (paperback or Kindle through Amazon, or any purchase direct from the author) will be donated to the Texas Children's Hospital in support of research to find a cure for Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The disease is rare. It stinks. The government doesn't fund it because they can't decide if it's cancer or not - therefore since it defies convenient categorization it also avoids convenient funding."

I did raise some money - and thank you so much to those who made that possible - but I would like to write a bigger check, and maybe even move that place holder over a decimal point, if possible. To that end, I've decided to use my author's prerogative and edit that above statement as follows:

For the entirety of ~~March~~ 2015, all author's profits for any sale of In Siege of Daylight will be donated to Histio research.

Click to learn more about Histio

All profits, from all channels, all year long. Get a copy for yourself, a gift for a friend, a donation for a library, or a fancy fantasy-themed doorstop. Any version for any reason from any outlet will benefit kids who are relying on a piece of the 4% for a chance at a cure to their very rare condition.

Direct from the author (If you'd like it autographed or dedicated to anyone).
From Amazon: Kindle or Paperback (quick and easy).

(Even if you read it for free with the Kindle Unlimited program through Amazon, I still earn some royalties on each page read - that will be donated too).

To be totally clear - I will in no way make money on any sale through this promotion. When Amazon tallies up my profits at the end of the year, that's the amount I'm scribbling on the check.

Since September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Histiocytosis Awareness month I thought that this was the opportune time to do this officially and maybe spread some of that awareness along the way. For example:

Here's a fact you might not know. The National Cancer Institute devotes a whopping 4% of its budget to research pediatric cancer. 4%. Not to belittle the good work of the organization, or to question helping adults with cancer, but... 4% for children with cancer?

4% does not buy a lot of "cure."

Some rare diseases like LCH haven't always been classified as a cancer. So despite the fact that there are lesions, potential multi-sytem involvement, and it's routinely treated with chemotherapy (and all the side-effects that accompany it), it hasn't always even had access to that piddly 4% of funding.

I am not smart enough to fix this disease. I'm barely smart enough to contribute to meaningful discussion about it. I would very much like to help in the effort, so I'm giving 4%100% in 2015.

In Siege of Daylight still in the running for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 15:32:00 +0000

This gets an official "YAY!"

In Siege of Daylight made the first cut in the #SPFBO contest. YAY! http://t.co/CoAE3FIvcG
Posted by Gregory S. Close on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

All profits to charity in March 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 08:59:00 +0000

For the entirety of March 2015, all author's profits for any sale of In Siege of Daylight (paperback or Kindle through Amazon, or any purchase direct from the author) will be donated to the Texas Children's Hospital in support of research to find a cure for Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The disease is rare. It stinks. The government doesn't fund it because they can't decide if it's cancer or not - therefore since it defies convenient categorization it also avoids convenient funding.

I might sell 5 books this month, or 10, or maybe I'll have a banner month and move 20 copies. Regardless, I'm going to put that money to work helping to find a cure for this disease.

I often wonder what I can do. I'm not a famous author. I don't have hundreds or millions of sales to donate to the effort.

Well I can at least do this. So I am.

If you're wondering what you can do... HEY! I have an idea!! Buy a book or two! Keep one for yourself, and send one to a friend. The paperbacks are huge - you can use it for self defense, as a door stop, or even as a booster chair with fantastic fantasy artwork by Mike Nash (and it's recyclable, too)!

Cheers,

Greg

99 Cent Sale for Father's Day - LOTS of Epic Fantasy.

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 18:14:00 +0000

In Siege of Daylight is dedicated to the memory of my father, Maxwell L. Close.

Since it's Father's Day I made a spur of the moment decision to drop the price to 99 cents for the day.

You may get it here.

I compiled as many of the reviews to date as I could find (good, bad or indiffierent) in case you want to see if the book might be for you without traveling all across the interwebs. Overall, I think it is averaging a rating around 4.5/5 Stars across the different sites.

In Siege of Daylight was recently featured on r/fantasy's Official Underrated and Underread List, which is also really cool.

Editorial Reviews

"It is no mean feat to craft a fantasy world that is different, familiar, interesting, and fresh. Gregory S. Close has done that and more with In Siege of Daylight: Book One in the Compendium of Light, Dark & Shadow, a weighty and daunting tome, but one worth delving into."

- Mark McLaughlin, Clarion ForeWord Review (4/5 Stars).

"Close gives us one of the most interesting introductions to a main character I've ever read."

- M. Todd Gallowglas, author of the Tears of Rage and Halloween Jack series.

"If you're a fan of RA Salvatore's fantasy brawling and fascinating cultures, and you want a double dose in a six-hundred-page epic, try In Siege of Daylight by Gregory S. Close."

- A.E. Marling, author of Brood of Bones, Gravity's Revenge & Gown of Shadow and Flame.

"Close's greatest strength is his prose, which brings this world to life with a literary sensibility that stands out in a sea of standard, boilerplate fantasy novels."

- Kirkus Reviews (But in fairness, Kirkus was 50/50 on the book, overall)

"As a fantasy novel, In Siege of Daylight has the right amount of magic, romance, action and conspiracy, making it a classic high fantasy tale that rivals the likes of Tolkien and Leiber."

- reviewed by Lit Amri for Reader's Favorite (5/5 Stars)

"Throughout this story, Close manages to bring together the terror, fear and difficulty of a world at war with the romance and emotions of the people facing it. In Siege of Daylight is not something to pass up."

- reviewed by Samantha Rivera for Reader's Favorite (5/5 Stars)

Amazon Reviews

"This book is the epic-est of epic fantasy. Full stop. It's been a long time since I've read a door-stopper like this one, and even longer since I've enjoyed one half as much."

-5/5 Stars, Christopher Kellen, author of the Sorceror's Code books. (You can see Chris's full review on the Genre Underground site, here.)

"In Siege of Daylight maintains a sharp focus on its characters while also providing a fully realized setting for their story to unfold. The writing is strong and engaging, and the pace draws us along yet allows us time to appreciate the depth and detail of the world. In Siege of Daylight is a must for anyone who appreciates high fantasy, especially those readers eager for an author who isn't beholden to Martin or Tolkien."

- 4/5 Stars, D. Schuler

"Despite the many stories already told in the epic fantasy genre, I found In Siege of Daylight to be unique and exciting, with a great cast of believable characters. The balance between action, intrigue, world-building, character development, and plot was appropriate. Can't wait for Book 2!"

- 5/5 Stars, N. Lee

"If you like sprawling, multi-character epic fantasy, "In Siege of Daylight" belongs on your shelf (whether of the physical or digital variety). Author Gregory S. Close manages to take many of the traditional elements we're familiar with and combine them in new, interesting ways for something that's refreshingly original. Where I think the book shines the most, however, is in the presentation of some of the characters from non-human races. Each is given enough flavor and time to give the reader the feeling of a vast history without overwhelming with details."

- 5/5 Stars, Jeff Hebert

"It's got strong characters embarking on epic journeys through varied and original terrain. The world of the story has a rich and checkered history, the lore of which adds a depth of intrigue to hero's journey. I could go on about the characters and the land they travel over (and under), but I will let you discover them for yourself."

- 4/5 Stars, Jeff Erickson

"The story itself is good. The pace picks up after the slump in the middle and the story goes for a spurt towards the ending. Most of the POV-characters are well done and interesting to follow. If you plan to pick this book up I'll encourage you, but only if you like slow moving epics. There is action here, and rather good one too, but only at times breaking the unhurried pace."

- 3/5 Stars, Mike Wants (his full review is a great, well expressed critique for those looking for something that details the strengths and weaknesses in equal measure).

"A complex yarn of magic, action & politics in an imperfect world populated with a multitude of characters each with his/her/it strengths & weaknesses. A tremendous start for such a prolific writer. I'm always wary of multiple point of views story line but each character's story is so immersive that in melds so seamlessly into the story."

- 5/5 Stars, Donnie

"The only real drawback from having read this book is that it's the start of a much larger overall storyline and I am very eager for the next book to come out. Gregory does a a great job of integrating the motivational attitudes of seemingly very disparate characters in significantly unique settings into larger unified goals."

- 5/5 Stars, James Henry McKeen

"This was a wonderful read! My favorite thing was the interaction between the characters...superbly done! Though I did have slight trouble keeping up with some the "who's who" with some of the characters (though not the main ones). World building was excellent. And I found myself checking the percentage from 90% on, hoping I would get answers (which I did to some, others I'll have to wait for the next installment). Well written and well edited. I definitely recommend this book for fantasy lovers and am looking forward to the next installment!"

- 4/5 Stars, TrinityJo

"The unique aspects embedded in Gregory's story hearken a new type of fantasy: the kind where the author isn't afraid to take his time and weave the story according to his own preference, no matter the pacing or the page-count. The payoff is worth it. Highly-recommend read."

- 5/5 Stars, Anthony DeRouen

"Having read In Siege of Daylight, I am anxious to find the next books to see how this twist of characters mix and conclude. Loved the prose and didn't find the violence over whelming. A proud relative! Hey, relatives read too."

- 5/5 Stars, My Mom. Thanks Mom!

"If you enjoy Tolkien, magic as the physics of a world, and Hnefatafl board games, then you will enjoy this."

- 4/5 Stars, Hunter

"Too many Protagonists which lead to too many story lines. It is very difficult to pick out a main character to sympathize with because each of them have so little exposure. Great prose, however."

- 4/5 Stars, Amazon Customer

GoodReads Reviews

"This novel is just short of 244 THOUSAND words long. I've read it twice. ANY story that can hold my attention that long is a good story. And In Siege of Daylight is more than merely good. I seldom see epic fantasy with such skillful interweaving of plot lines, complex characters -- and not just the human ones! -- and an overall story arc that makes me care what happens next."

- 5/5 Stars, Thomas Weaver (editor)

"This book has definitely not yet garnered the attention that it deserves, so please, if you are thinking about reading it, bump it to the top of your list! I can't wait to read the next book in the series, and can not give this book enough praise!"

- 5/5 Stars, Monica

"EPIC, in every sense of the word. A superb fantasy on par with the works of Robert Jordan, Tad Williams etc. The story and characters are very well developed. A definite must read for anyone who enjoys a dark fantasy where the victory of the light over the dark is anything but assured."

- 5/5 Stars, Michelle

"Perhaps this is a known fact, perhaps not. But for those who relish every moment of epic fantasy and realize how hard it is to find works that actually deliver, this book is a treasure."

- 5/5 Stars, Robert

"I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads. This book is huge, 600 pages long.

It is a great fantasy adventure story with lots of likeable characters. If you love fantasy, magical or adventure stories you'll enjoy this."

- 4/5 Stars, Ilonka Bruce

"Ok. I'm sorry, but I have to label this as DNF. But I promise, I will do my best to revisit it in the future."

- 3/5 Stars, Melissa

"I can't wait for the next installment!"

- 4/5 Stars, Sarah Houts

Alrighty. I think that's all or most of them, for anyone who is interested.

If you pick it up, I hope you enjoy it. Be sure to leave a review - all well expressed opinions are valuable and appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

Weave - new short story published!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 17:06:00 +0000

I'm proud to announce that my short story, Weave, is included in the new fantasy anthology The Dark Beyond the Door from www.fictiongarden.com.

It is currently in e-format only, but if you are so inclined, please feel free to check it out and give it a read on the eReader of your choice or on your PC or Mac!

Weave features some characters from In Siege of Daylight, and it may or may not provide some hints and clues about some of the mysteries therein.

Also included in the anthology are stories by M. Todd Gallowglas (author of Tears of Rage, Halloween Jack and the new Dead Weight series), Christopher Kellen (author of Sorceror's Code and The Arbiter Codex), and none other than one of my aboslute favorite new authors, Michael J. Sullivan, whose Riyira novels are amongst my favorite of all time.

I have no other news to report on the writing front at this time. Maybe a few short stories will trickle in and maybe, just maybe, Greyspace will see the light of day this year. The sequel to In Siege of Daylight, The End of Dreams, has an ending, and merely awaits a beginning and middle before I can hit publish. Maybe 2015.

Take care and Happy Reading!

- Greg

So, I was at Lucasfilm today… That was cool.

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 00:25:00 +0000

BEHOLD THE SHRINE OF LUCAS!

Yes, I spent a chunk of my day as a guest of Lucasarts. Or, more accurately, as a guest of a different company that happens to have offices at the Letterman Digital Arts Center at the Presidio, in San Francisco. And let me tell you - those are some cool offices!

Unfortunately, it was all just part of the day job, and nothing to do with securing the film rights to In Siege of Daylight. You know what they say here, though: A New Hope Springs Eternal!

Ah, the irony.

It was a fantastic place to visit. The creative vibe was palpable. Or maybe I was just having nerd-palpatations. I dunno.

Also, there was a gift shop, and that took A LOT of self control, let me tell you.

Okay, really, nothing worthwhile to report. Just geeking out.

Slainte,
Greg

Operation Supply Drop Donation, Book-Match & Challenge for February 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 16:20:00 +0000

When I returned from WorldCon last year I came home with some extra books. Okay, a lot of extra books. I over-ordered for the event, plain and simple. Since then I've been giving away promotional copies here and there on the /r/fantasy subreddit, and plan to donate a few to the local library also. I had toyed witht the idea of finding a charity that might like some copies, but really wasn't sure where to start. Who would want or need giant epic fantasy books for their charity?

Then a kind redditor made me aware of Operation Supply Drop.

Operation Supply Drop is an all-volunteer charity organization that delivers care packages to U.S. troops deployed to threat zones around the world or recovering at hospitals back home. They bring video games, peripherals, systems, and recently, books to those who need a little fun and distraction in their lives.

The Donation

Problem solved! I just shipped off 14 copies of In Siege of Daylight yesterday, autographed and inked with questionably witty inscriptions. It seems like a small, but very heavy, token of appreciation for those who are in harm's way (or recovering from harm's way).

The Book Match

I thought it might also be a cool idea to offer an OpSupplyDrop Match for the remainder of February.

Here's how it works:

For every purchase of the paperback version of In Siege of Daylight through Amazon.com (through the end of Feb 2014) I will donate another autographed/inscripted copy to Operation Supply Drop. Anyone purchasing the book gets the book (and a free Kindle version to boot, since I'm enrolled in the KindleMatch program) and the knowledge that they have helped out someone else in a pay-it-forward kind of way. (I would lower the price of the book for this challenge, but I can't - it's set by CreateSpace).

The Challenge

Tweet and share this around, and let the friendly gauntlet be thrown… to any self published, indie published or traditionally published authors out there who have not already done so (and a lot of you already have): donate some books, or join me in matching your sales for February!

That is all.

Cheers,

Greg

Guest Post & Rafflecopter: L.Blankenship's "Disciple: Half-Omnibus"

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 15:35:00 +0000

Hi there!

Today joining us here on the Worthless Blog is another very worthy author, L. Blankenship. I once shared an author interview podcast with her and found her wise, witty and wonderful.

She has been kind enough to supply us all with an excerpt from her new release Disciple: Half-Omnibus. Like what you read? Enter the rafflecopter giveaway below to win a copy of your very own (or go buy it on Amazon, here)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Announcing the Disciple Half-Omnibus!**

Disciple is a six-part gritty fantasy romance by L. Blankenship -- Part IV will be out on March 1st. The Disciple Half-Omnibus collects the first three parts of Disciple into one hefty ebook and is on sale now at all major retailers!

Excerpt

Snow still fell when Ilya shook me awake in the middle of the night. The patter of flakes on the overhead tarp blended with anxious whispers and sharp coughs. A pony puffed nearby and hooves shifted.

“Ulf says stay close,” Ilya whispered in my ear. “Get the bedroll off and flat so nobody trips. Careful of Acorn, he’s right here.”

I blinked and rubbed at my eyes and a whiskery horse nose nudged my cheek. Acorn shifted away as I struggled out of my bedroll and to my feet. I put my arm over his neck for balance as I kicked the heavy blanket off and tried to spread it flat. Puck snorted, close by too.

The fire, half sheltered by our tarp lean-to, had lowered to glowing coals. Ulf and Sir Kiefan stood on the far side with their backs to it, one with bow and nocked arrow, the other with sword in hand. Kiefan asked something of the woodsman and he muttered a reply. Beyond them, the black forest waited, crusted by a layer of snow that glowed blue when moonlight fought through thin patches of the clouds. Tumbling flakes kept up a quiet patter as we all fell silent, even the ponies.

Fear drove off the lethargy of waking so late, but there was nothing to see in the clusters of squat pine trees and thickets. Ulf and Kiefan moved a few steps apart, tense and alert. I wanted to ask what was wrong.

Lantern eyes lit up beyond the fire, paced by, and vanished. A shape moved across a snow-laden pine branch. That coughing sound came again, from the moving shadow, and it was answered from behind me.

Ilya, holding Acorn’s bridle beside me, whispered, “Mother Love, we’re surrounded.”

I sidled closer to the middle of the tarp, though it meant letting go of the solid mass of the pony. Ther Boristan stood holding Puck. A few steps out from that side of the lean-to, Bjorn faced the forest with bow and arrow ready. Beyond him, another pair of eyes caught the light.

“I could stoke up the fire,” Ilya raised his voice to a murmur.

Ulf answered, as he was closest. “They’re not afraid of fire. Whatever you do, stay together. Stand and fight.”

Back cover

War is coming. Kate Carpenter is only a peasant girl, but she’s determined to help defend the kingdom and its bound saints against the invading empire. Her healing magic earned her a coveted apprenticeship with the master healer; now she must prove herself ready to stand in the front lines and save lives.

She’s not ready for the attentions of a ne’er-do-well knight and the kingdom’s only prince, though. This is no time to be distracted by romance — the empire’s monstrous army will tear through anyone standing between them and the kingdom’s magical founts. All disciples must put aside their tangled feelings and stand in the homeland’s defense.

Available at all major retailers

DISCIPLE, PART IV arrives on March 1st!

Get a reminder by joining L's mailing list

Or try out PART I for free!

FREE at Amazon • Smashwords • AllRomance

Guest Post: Kristen S. Walker - Honoring the Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 07:17:00 +0000

Kristen is wandering the mysterious realms of the internet to promote her new release, A Flight of Marewings. She agreed to stop by the Worthless Blog and offer a Worthy Post (a nice change of pace around here from my less-than-worthy commentary). Take a moment to check it out! Then, take a moment to pick up her book, here!

--- Greg

Honoring the Dead

One of the major components of any human society is how we handle the milestones of our lives, mainly birth, coming of age, marriage, and death. Every culture has their own ways of celebrating these events. But often, they follow a similar form: people from the same family and community gather together, familiar words and gestures are acted out, and then often there is a lot of food while people relax and talk.

While most milestones are happy, death is often sad. Even when death was expected after a long and full life, there are people left behind who feel the loss of their loved one. Funeral rites are designed to honor the life that has ended and give some comfort to the bereaved. In many cultures, there is also a spiritual or religious component, tied in to their beliefs about the soul and what happens to it after death. A priest or another religious officiant may be involved to prepare the departed soul for their journey.

In A Flight of Marewings, death plays a role in the story because the main character Korinna loses her estranged father, the duke. One of her driving motivations is to please her dead father’s spirit. The culture is revealed through how Korinna and her community honor the death of Duke Basileos.

Deyonist Belief in the Afterlife

In Seirenia, the majority religion follows Deyos, the Allfather. Deyonists have two different beliefs about the soul after death. The land of the dead is called the Dry Lands, because in their hot climate, the lack of water means death. The soul must navigate through these lands to find a resting place or to return to the world for rebirth, depending on their desire. People invoke the goddess of death, Meyrissa, to act as a guide for the dead through the Dry Lands. Legend tells that Meyrissa was the first soul to successfully cross over the eight streams in the Dry Lands and come back to the living.

However, many people also believe that their lost relatives stay behind to watch over their families. Most households keep a shrine to their ancestors’ spirits, pay their respects, and pray to them for guidance. A soul who is not paid their dues may become angry, sad, or restless, and haunt their descendants. However, when the ancestor spirits are appeased, they may help out their families in subtle ways or use signs to communicate with them.

Korinna sees her father’s ghost as a warning of his passing and because he is angry. Duke Basileos died of a mysterious illness, and his legacy is not secure. He continues to appear to Korinna and other characters for as long as he is unhappy with the state of the city that he once ruled. But he can’t speak directly to Korinna and tell her how he died or how she can take his title for herself, so she has to find a way to interpret his vague clues and figure out what he wants.

Funereal Rites

Early on in the book, Korinna hopes that her father’s funeral might send his spirit to rest. In Deyonist belief, the body is cremated and the ashes scattered over the fields or a body of water to return to the earth. For Duke Basileos, the ritual is huge, involving a procession of many politicians and other people who knew him as their ruler. The crowd winds through the city and then outside the gates, because laws say that bodies must be burned outside human habitation.

Mourners often wail loudly to show their grief, and if the family is small, then professional mourners can be hired to make sure that there is a large amount of noise at the funeral. Korinna is the last surviving member of her father’s family, but the details of the funeral are taken out of her hands, so she’s only a minor participant. Musicians also play at funerals, but not any recognizable songs: there is a cacophony as each player randomly plays without rhythm or key. Between the wailing and out-of-tune instruments, a funeral can be quite loud and obnoxious, but it’s beyond rude to complain about another family’s funeral.

A Personal Note

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Seirenian culture. When I wrote the story, I researched different kinds of funeral rites from many different real cultures to help me invent my own. At the time, it was mostly abstract for me. However, the day after I released the book, I lost my uncle to a short but difficult battle with cancer. Now, honoring the dead has become very real to me and my family. I may regret my decision to make Seirenian musicians play random notes at funerals, because songs were the biggest part of the celebration for my uncle, who was one of the best musicians in a very musical family. I often feel like emotions that cannot be put into words are expressed better through music. Most of my family members had a difficult time speaking at my uncle’s memorial service, but they were able to play beautifully. I’m sad that my characters can’t share the same kind of musical celebration.

About A Flight of Marewings

Korinna's life gets turned upside down when the ghost of her father suddenly appears. Her father was duke of Kyratia City and he wanted Korinna to marry his warlord, the foreign mercenary Galenos, and inherit his title--but the city's Council has other plans. When the Council denies Korinna's right to rule, she decides to join Galenos's mercenary company and tame a wild marewing in order to take the city by force. But people whisper that the late duke's untimely death was murder, an induced madness that forced him to dance himself to death--and now that madness is spreading. Can Korinna become a marewing rider and conquer Kyratia in time to save everyone?

About the Author

Fantasy author Kristen S. Walker dreams of being a princess with a flying horse, but she settles for writing stories for teens and adults. Her new epic fantasy novel, A Flight of Marewings, tells the adventure of a duke's illegitimate daughter who must stop her father's murderers--by taming a dangerous monster. A Flight of Marewings is now available in print from Amazon and digitally from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other ebook retailers.

To read a sample chapter or check out Kristen’s world-building references, please visit kristenwalker.net. You can talk Sherlock, horses, and crochet with Kristen any time on Twitter (@KristenSWalker) or Facebook.

Read In The Dark Sale at Genre Underground!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Hey there everybody (i.e. both of you reading this)!

The Genre Underground is a group of science fiction, fantasy and horror writers with quality works for sale this weekend, starting with a Black Friday sale.

There will also be an Ask Me Anythings (AMA) on Reddit's r/fantasy sub-reddit and an Ask An Author event on Facebook.

Reddit r/fantasy: http://www.reddit.com/r/fantasy
Facebook Ask An Author: https://www.facebook.com/events/537430446351699/

Please stop by to support this great group of authors (including little ol' me)!

http://www.genreunderground.com/readinthedark/

Check out the deals from authors like M. Todd Gallowglass (Tears of Rage Series, Halloween Jack), Christopher Kellen (Arbiter Codex, Sins of the Father) and more!

My book will be on sale also, the Kindle version going for 99 cents on Black Friday and reduced price all weekend (through Cyber Monday).

In Good Company?

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 06:41:00 +0000

I was just checking up on my Amazon page for In Siege of Daylight when this caught my eye:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Lies of Locke Lamora (The Gentleman Bastard Sequence) by Scott Lynch Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars (379)
$0.99

Promise of Blood (The Powder Mage Trilogy) by Brian McClellan Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars (88)
$1.99

Angelfire: Dark Angel #1 (Urban Fantasy) by Hanna Peach Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars (65)
$0.99

That's pretty good company. If I'm sailing in the same boat as these folks that makes me happy, even if I'm in a lower berth.

Cheers!

My Favorite Review

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 02:37:00 +0000

Any time someone has read my book and then takes the time to review it, I'm appreciative. First of all, that's effort on the reader's part, and it often shows that there was some sort of connection with the book (positive or negative). Secondly, it helps with exposure and credibility and assists other potential readers in deciding whether my book might be worth trying out.

But THIS review is my favorite. Not because it is a five star review (although that helps), but because it is from someone that I very much wanted to enjoy the book as much as she did.

Waiting for More, September 18, 2013

Roger Barnhill

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: In Siege of Daylight (The Compendium of Light, Dark & Shadow 1) (Kindle Edition)

Having read In Siege of Daylight, I am anxious to find the next books to see how this twist of characters mix and conclude. Loved the prose and didn't find the violence over whelming. A proud relative! Hey, relatives read too.

permalink to review on Amazon

Thank you, Mom!

In Siege of Daylight is still on sale for 99 cents - grab your copy here!

Only 99 Cents for 240k Words of Epic Fantasy (In Siege of Daylight Kindle version, this week only)

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:58:00 +0000

Just a quick note - adverts should be hitting the Twittersphere, GoodReads, reddit etc. soon, but In Siege of Daylight is on special this week for only 99 cents (Kindle only).

Click here to get your copy for only 99 Cents!

Reviews have been positive, including 4 Stars from Clarion, and mostly 4 and 5 star reviews from GoodReads, Readers' Favorite and Amazon. Check out the free bit and click on that "buy" button if you like what you read.

If you've already read it, bought it, or otherwise acquired it and enjoyed it, please feel free to tweet, email, post and otherwise pass this deal along. I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!

-Greg

My WorldCon Interview - Gregory Sasquatch Close speaks!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Head on over to The Con Cast to check out my interview from WorldCon. Among other things, the persistant mystery over my middle initial will be revealed!

Highlights of WorldCon 2013 - "I knew you'd come back... !"

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 19:50:00 +0000

Seriously, we all knew that there was more to him than money. Even if there was lingering doubt about his heroic heart winning out over his cynical sensibilities, we saw that look Chewie gave Han when he was loading up his reward. No one wants to spend an extended period of time in deep space confined to a tiny cockpit with a grumpy Wookiee.

Anyhoo... on to the highlights of LoneStarCon3 in San Antonio, TX. A little late. Busy here at the Jedi Temple, lately.

Table C-5 and C-4, aka Fantasy Lane

There was not a great deal of traffic at the Con this year, or so it seemed. Maybe the difference lies in observing crowds as a part of the crowd (as last year at ChiCon) versus observing crowds as a vendor trying to sell books. Suffice it to say that I had plenty of time to chat with my Genre Underground table mates at C-5:

M. Todd Gallowglass - author of Halloween Jack and Tears of Rage series. I haven't read Halloween Jack yet, but I did greatly enjoy the first book in the Tears of Rage, First Chosen. It's like a Malazan book in tone but with half the calories.

J.L. Doty - Jim has sold A LOT of books for a self-published author. A lot. Seriously. Go check some out here.

And next door at C-4 is young author Ian Everett and his business manager/one man promotion team/all-around cool guy father, Bill Everett.* You can grab his book, The Mother of Dawn here. I've got a nice signed copy which I hope to read very soon.

Eva Pohler, author of the Gatekeeper's Saga, was at our table on and off, and it was fun to meet her as well. The Kindle version of The Gatekeeper's Sons is currently free on Amazon, here.

I also had a chance to chat with lots of fans and cool passers-by. I can't say it was entirely productive in hard dollars, but I did get a lot of "soft dollar" value in networking and close encounters and linking up with other writers and readers. A special thank you to Brian Buhl for good conversation and bringing me Pepsi. I really, really needed that Pepsi.

Also, I got interviewed by Clay Dugger of The ConCast. He interviewed lots and lots of people, most much more impressive than I, so you should go check out his site and/or like his Facebook page. I may or may not be referred to as Gregory Sasquatch Close in my interview. You must listen to find out, when it's posted.

*Bill Everett (Honorary Hugo Winner for Best ConDad)

Close Encounters

Some of the more famous elbows I brushed up against included:

The legendary Robert Silverberg, who thought my book might be more valuable as a self-defense tool than literature, due it's size alone. So noted, sir.

Travelling with the aforementioned Mr. Silverburg was Hugo Award-winning editor Andrew Porter, who was seriously distressed at the size of my book and the thought that it was but the first in a series of similarly sized tomes.

I consoled both Mr. Silverberg and Mr. Porter by telling them that the remaining books will only be 25 pages each. Silverberg found that entertaining. I eventually elicited a chuckle even from the chuckle-resistant Mr. Porter when I showed him my "Caution: Bend Knees When Lifting" warning sign for the book. Overall, I rate the interaction a success.

Harry Turtledove came by, and I thanked him on behalf of my brother for writing about Roman legions trapped in alternate dimensions. I also suggested that he supplement his "Past Hugo Winner" ribbon with an "Alternate Past Hugo Winner" ribbon. I made Harry Turtledove chuckle! Success again.

Brandon Sanderson came by and talked books and publishing a bit with Mr. Gallowglas. He did make a point of saying that he "really liked my cover" (by the fantastic artist Mr. Mike Nash). The cover actually received universal praise at the Con. Thank you, Mr. Nash!

Dr. David Brin stopped by and discussed the film version of The Postman and Star Wars. I smiled and nodded, but spoke little, not even to express how much of a fan my wife was of The Uplift Saga (note: do not forget to tell Dr. Brin how much your wife loved The Uplift Saga) or how I think The Postman is the best post-apocalyptic fiction work ever written (note: please, really, really do not forget to tell Dr. Brin how much your wife loved The Uplift Saga. Seriously).

Hugh Howie was talking about publishing etc. He was very nice. He has sold a lot of books. He is also some kind of expert on textiles, apparently. I am also nice, but I have not sold a lot of books. One day, I aspire to be both, much like Hugh Howie, although I have no ambitions in the textile business.

I saw George R.R. Martin while carrying about twenty metric tons of self-published epic fantasy novels but resisted the urge to drop one accidentally at his feet. I always want to stop and say something like: "Hi, thank you for reinvigorating Fantasy literature and inspiring me to finish the last few bits of my long-suffering novel." Instead, I smile awkwardly and shuffle past. Because, hopeless nerd.

Monday morning I got to say hello to Hugo-winner John Scalzi and his shiny Hugo. It was pretty. He was gracious. I smiled awkwardly and shuffled away. See above.

I discovered the r/fantasy reddit group (it's like reddit, but without the idiots) via their very cool fan table and the Drinks With Authors party that they hosted. At this party, they had both drinks and authors simultaneously, as promised. I gave away a couple of copies of In Siege of Daylight. Hoping whoever won a copy brought some form of lumbar support or wheeled conveyence.

Folks Who Bought Stuff

I also sold some books, believe it or not (feel free to buy one). I'm sure the cover helped draw in some curious browsers, but being next to M. Todd Gallowglass, who is a consummate marketer and promoter of his books, certainly helped. He also kindly offered discounts on his books for anyone who purchased one of mine and said very nice things about my writing. Watching him really helped me evolve my elevator pitch (more accurately, my walking by the table trying not to make eye contact with that desperate looking self-published guy pitch).

Selling was nice. I like to make money, and I like to write, and earning money ensures that writing can remain a viable use of my time. But, the thought of people picking up my story, reading it, enjoying it - that is what gave me a thrill. I hope that everyone who bought it really does enjoy it. And then, I hope that they really do review it! :)

See you at LonCon nex year!

Well, maybe. As much as I enjoyed being at ChiCon and LoneStarCon, it was not exactly a profit-making venture. I met a lot of people, made some connections, and I learned valuable life lessons. Much like an episode of G.I. Joe: Great American Hero. But if I'm going to make the trip over the Pond, I will need to have sales justifying that kind of expense. Right now, I don't. I do have hope for the future, though. We'll see what happens...

Last Day of WorldCon - Great Deals!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 14:06:00 +0000

Howdy!

I will post my wrap up of LoneStarCon3 later this week after I return home and recover (i.e. hug wife and daughters for 24 hours straight - there may be dog petting and cat scratching in there too, but the hermit crab is probably not getting much snuggle time).

In the meantime - don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of these WorldCon deals:

KINDLE SALE!
The Kindle version is on sale for $2.99 for the rest of the day. This is about 50% off the normal list price for the eBook. Follow the handy link to get your copy at this great price:
http://amzn.com/B00D0TFNZK

WEIGHT ALLOWANCE SALE!
If you are at the Con and want a good deal, come on by Table C5 in the Dealer's Room. I will be offering lots of discounts and special offers this morning before I leave. This is your chance to get a nice signed/personalized copy of the paperback, and there are only so many left in the print run so come visit before Noon!

Safe Travels to everyone on their way home on this holiday weekend!

WorldCon 2013 Day Zero: Almost There!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 05:08:00 +0000

I'm a little worried about leaving the family behind for so long, but I'm hoping to make the most of this opportunity. As a matter of fact, I'm kind of hoping the experience turns out better than it did for this poor chap. As I recall, after his torpedo impacted on the surface he followed suit and met his end (courtesy Lord Vader). Perhaps I should choose my metaphorical gifs more carefully.

The cab will be pulling up soon, and the journey will begin...

GoodKindle Newsletter includes In Siege of Daylight today

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 16:39:00 +0000

Today's GoodKindle newsletter features my absolute favorite piece of writing that I've ever written and published: In Siege of Daylight.

Yes, this is my favorite, which places it above such previous landmarks as the 2010 LANL Open Enrollmeny Summary of Material Modifications and the CVS Benefits Operations Manual. The latter two are hard to come by now, but In Siege of Daylight is ready and available anytime you need it!

Click on the graphic to visit the GoodKindle page for In Siege of Daylight and get your copy today!

Cheers!
-Greg

WorldCon Details and Discounts

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:23:00 +0000

LoneStarCon3 -the 71st Annual World Science Fiction Convention is fast approaching! I will be there in San Antonio from Aug 29th - September 2nd to network, promote and sell In Siege of Daylight as well as promote the pending Kickstarter for my next novel/series Greyspace. Here are the details:

Where in the Con am I?

I will be in the Dealer's Room (Hall A of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, at Table C-5).

WorldCon Discount - In Siege of Daylight paperback for only $12.00:

In honor of the convention, and to dupe unwitting passers-by into buying my big giant book, I will be offering a WorldCon Discount. For the Con-goers I will be selling the paperback for $12.00, which is about $5 cheaper than you can get it on Amazon (about $10 off list price), not counting shipping costs. Also, I can sign the heck out of your copy and dedicate it to your friends or enemies, depending on your opinion of the book.

I am also selling the paperback direct from my Square Marketplace site where the same $12 discounted price will apply (autograph/dedication included), but there is a $3.50 charge for shipping (via media mail).

In the unlikely event that I sell out of my stock at the Con, or if someone at the Con would prefer me to ship it for them instead of lugging it around, I will still be able to process payments through Square and ship books out after I return home.

My Friends from The Genre Underground:

Joining me at prestigious Table C-5 will be two other authors. I am linking to their sites below and providing a brief bio so that you can find out more about them and their novels.

M. Todd Gallowglass
M Todd Gallowglas has been a professional storyteller at Renaissance Faires and Medieval Festivals for over twenty years. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University in 2009, he used his storytelling show as a platform to launch his fiction career. He is the author of the Tears of Rage and Halloween Jack series, which have spent time on various bestseller lists. He was a fiction contributor for Fantasy Flight Games and developed creative content for the reboot of the children's classic Reading Rainbow. Now he spends most of his time trying to find the perfect balance between family, writing, airsoft (because it's not as messy as paintball), and gaming while he's not off somewhere telling stories.

M Todd Gallowglas is a proud member of the Genre Underground

J.L. Doty
Jim was born in Seattle, but he's lived most of his life in California, though he did live on the east coast and in Europe for a while. From a very early age he made up stories in his head, but he never considered writing. In his family you went to college, got a degree in something useful and got a real job. So he got a Ph.D. in optical engineering, and went to work as a research scientist. But he was still making up those stories in his head, so he wrote the first draft of A Choice of Treasons, and as he says, "It was 250,000 words of pure, unmitigated crap. It was terrible: poorly written, poorly plotted, shallow characters that no reader could come to care about. It was the hardest decision I ever made, but I literally threw it away and turned to other projects." He spent more than a year writing the first draft of Child of the Sword. Then he went back to A Choice of Treasons and started again, from scratch, a complete rewrite from the get-go. He worked on it for several years before releasing it, and also spent some years putting Child of the Sword through a number of rewrites to insure quality.

Science has always been a passion of Jim's, but writing is an addiction. He's finished four books now, with four more that are in various stages of completion. The SteelMaster of Indwallin, book 2 in The Gods Within, should be released quite soon, and Still Not Dead Enough, book 2 in The Dead Among Us, is scheduled for a March 2013 release.

Jim has a big pet peeve regarding lasers as weapons in science fiction. He spent decades working in the laser and electro-optics industry, even did some research on laser weapons in the 80's. And when writers use a laser as a weapon in a story, they invariably get it wrong, usually by violating some basic law of physics.

Jim intends to keep on writing and producing more stories, but no laser weapons.

The Genre Underground

Fitting the right book with the right reader. Bringing you the most cutting edge Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror that you want to read.

You can also find the Genre Underground on Facebook.

Thanks! Hope to see you in Texas in a couple of weeks!

Editer's Donut Hlep!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 16:22:00 +0000

I still remember my shock and indignation the first time my brother informed me about the role of an editor. I was sixteen(ish). Old enough to know that I wanted to write. Young enough that I had no clue what that endevour might entail. We were out walking the dog and talking about important things: comic books, D&D, science fiction, fantasy and, of course, writing.

Someone had dropped the ball, or sold out, or jumped the shark. I can't remember exactly what the catalyst was, but it inspired me to announce something to the effect of: "Well, nobody's going to touch my words. Not in my book. That's ridiculous!"

And, sadly, I truly meant that. At sixteen(ish) I was not truly aware of the difference between talent and craft. The thought that another person would be intruding on my creative territory really seemed like a violation.

"It's not like Asimov had an editor! Or Tolkien. Or Stephen R. Donaldson. Or..."

"Sure they did," my brother said, without pause.

WHAT?

That was the bombshell. The thought that Isaac Asimov did not personally pen and arrange every single word of The Foundation Trilogy or Caves of Steel or even Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids, the realization that someone helped him write those seminal stories of my youth, it shattered me.

How could they not be talented enough to write those books by themselves? I wondered.

I absorbed that information, and over the years I (reluctantly) accepted the reality that critical and specific feedback could actually be quite helpful in the writing process. I still attributed it mostly to slip ups and typos.

Sure. Slip ups and typos could happen to anybody. Good thing to nip those in the bud, I reasoned.

Several years later, one of the alpha readers of In Siege of Daylight put this acceptance to the test. He not only provided some valuable help catching typos, but he actually (shudder) suggested that I take out certain words! Words that I had written! I stared and stared at his emails, as if trying to comprehend a foreign language.

But that's a good word, I thought. Why would I take that out?

I experimented a little. I lost an adverb here and there. I took out a flowery description there. But I couldn't quite execute the number of innocent nouns and verbs that he suggested. A few of them died an ugly death of deletion, but most of them lived on to needless modify a perfectly good verb another day.

Several more years later, I was polishing up the now decade-old manuscript of In Siege of Daylight and I pulled out those old emails with their sacrilegious edits, and I took a look at the suggestions with fresh eyes. I realized that most of his suggestions were actually pretty good. Adverbs died by the thousands (okay, probably dozens). When I took out most of those words, it really did help, or at the least, it forced me to look at a more creative way to state what I'd originally written. A huge chunk of ego died in those days.

Around this same time, I was posting these re-polished chapters to a site called Writer's Cafe, hoping to get some feedback or even more edits. Mostly, this did not work out. Useful critique is quite the elusive beast, I found. It was a year or more before I started getting reviews/edits from another user called "Weaver." It actually started with a different piece, Greyspace, which I'm finishing up now, and then moved on to my old, abandoned epic fantasy.

It was clear right away that Weaver was powerful in the Ways of Grammar. Some of the suggestions were obvious fixes, and I applied those immediately. Others made me stop and think. Hesitantly, I experimented with applying the changes and re-reading the passages in question.

As it turned out, most of these changes made great sense and actually improved the writing. At first glance, I'd thought some of the suggestions were small and was tempted to shrug them off. I'm glad I didn't. Suddenly, this discarded old book which had for so long represented the soul-crushing failure of an unrealized dream was coming to life again. I was enjoying the process of re-reading it, and relishing the improved flow of the dialogue and the narrative. And the improvements were exponential. For every edit Weaver suggested, it inspired me to make more and more changes of my own. What before had been adequate prose was now more clear and concise and I could feel the book finally coming together. The missing pieces that had eluded me for so long were falling into place like Tetris pieces dropping from the sky. (Slowly, slowly dropping from the sky, as my wife might clarify, much like the earliest levels of Tetris).

In short, I have no doubt that my editor saved this book, and by extension the upcoming sequels, from the slush heap of old writings that clutter my hard drive. Weaver didn't just fix comma splices and dialogue tags, but provided a sounding board for plot and character and narrative flow and world-building. Truly, a partner in crafting the novel. So much so, that I feel any success of In Siege of Daylight I must share with Weaver (and converesely, if it fails miserably it will be completely Weaver's fault). :D

So... thank you to my brother for breaking the news to me, and to my alpha-reader for slaughtering adverbs, and to Weaver for making In Siege of Daylight the best that it can be.

Shameless Plug:

Incidentally, if you are looking for a good editor of science fiction and fantasy fare, and you can tolerate diverse references to everything written in the genre, insane attention to detail and lots of weird witty humor, you should consider hiring my editor to be your editor.

Details here: http://northofandover.wordpress.com

Great Prizes Await: Enter the Bearded Scribe's "You Really Liked Me (Several Hundred Times)" Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 06:41:00 +0000

The Bearded Scribe, respected on-line blogger and reviewer of all things Fantasy and Science Fiction, is holding a Giveaway and my novel (In Siege of Daylight) is one of many, many great prizes from many great authors. Take a look...

Greetings, Beardies! A while back I had mentioned on Facebook (and by default, Twitter) that, in honor of reaching 500 Likes on our Facebook Page and 1000 Followers on Twitter, I would be holding a Giveaway. A Giveaway, there shall be...and it's a doozie! We have some great prizes, donated by some great authors. In addition to their generosity, I've decided to donate a prize of my own.

__________________________________________________

The Prizes & Their Benefactors:

__________________________________________________

Joshua Allen Mercier is the Founder and Executive Editor of The Bearded Scribe. He is a passionate reader and an aspiring author currently shopping his first manuscript, The Assassin of Aldarhaij. He studied Creative Writing at Alma College and is a self-confessed nerd, linguaphile, and Grammar Nazi. He believes that Oxford comma is not optional, and that its absence is a punishable crime.

World-Building Critique & Feedback. With this service, I'll review your world-building material and notes for consistency and clarity, discrepancies and weaknesses, strengths and uniqueness, among other factors. I will offer a thorough critique with detailed feedback, pointing out places in your world that need work or reinforcement. The service includes the initial email exchange of your notes, my critique and feedback, and two, thirty-minute sessions via Facebook or iMessage (in addition to an initial 30-Minute Consultation). Prize valued at $70

__________________________________________________

Cidney Swanson is the author of The Ripple Trilogy and the Saving Mars series. She has always had a thing for words. At an early age, she knew she’d be a writer. Her dad taught literature, and her mom made sure she and her sister had library books.

Her parents took the sisters to see Shakespeare plays as well, and as a seven-year-old, Cidney interrupted the actors performing The Merchant of Venice when one of them lied to another in Elizabethan English. Cidney recalls seeing the actors onstage breaking into choked laughter when she called out, “You liar!” No one mentioned to her that Shakespeare was difficult to understand, so she simply followed along, commenting when she couldn’t stand the fibbery anymore.

By the time she turned nine, Cidney read and wrote stories constantly. She found Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and became convinced the author had modeled her character “Jo March” after her. As a teen, she fell hard for fantasy and science fiction and soon wrote her futuristic tales in Tolkien’s Elven script. (Which also came in handy for hiding journal entries from her sister.)

Cidney traveled with her teacher-parents every summer, driving through Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and a dozen European countries by the time she reached high school age. She was able to travel abroad three out of her four years in college as well, adding Israel and Eastern Europe to her list.

Through her twenties, and into her thirties—which she describes as her “decade of giving birth”—Cidney journaled, wrote poems and essays, and started novels that were never finished in between chasing chickens and changing diapers. She also started two successful businesses and home-schooled her kids with her husband’s help. She describes those as great years for taking in life, an activity she highly recommends for any aspiring writer.

Cidney lives with her husband and assorted animals and kids in Oregon where she writes full-time, planning her next novel and her next international adventure with equal enthusiasm. She no longer, however, interrupts theatrical performances. Even if someone’s lying. One (1) copy of Defying Mars. One winner will be handsomely rewarded with a copy of Defying Mars, the second book in the Saving Mars series.

Jessamyn has escaped Earth with food for her starving world, but her troubles are just beginning. She must rebuild her life without Pavel, the Terran boy whose kiss haunts her. Her success is further tainted by the loss of her beloved brother. Ethan disabled the deadly lasers orbiting Mars, but this has created a fervor to re-open trade with Earth which Jess knows would be disastrous. Add into the mix a secret which could launch an interplanetary war, and Jess finds herself at the center of an intrigue where, in order to save the world she loves, she must defy it.

Five (5) Specialty Saving Mars Bookmarks. These collector bookmarks, inspired by the cover from the first book in the Saving Mars series (aptly titled, Saving Mars), are from a remaining limited quantity, generously donated by Cidney.

__________________________________________________

Lana Krumwiede’s first name rhymes with banana, and she pronounces her last name KRUM-widdy, as in a clever bread fragment. But don’t worry too much because she’s not touchy about it.

In third grade, Lana wrote in her autobiography that she wanted to be a mother, a writer, and the church organist. The organist thing didn’t work out very well, but the other two dreams made up for it. Her work has appeared in Highlights, High Five, Spider, Babybug, The Friend, and Chicken Soup for the Child’s Soul. Freakling is her first novel. She also has a picture book under contract with Candlewick.

Before she remembered she wanted to be a writer, Lana worked as an office manager, a stay-at-home mom, a preschool teacher, a Spanish teacher, a bilingual kindergarten teacher, a swimming instructor, and a reading tutor. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and youngest daughter. Her three older children are off having adventures of their own.

Lana has tried psi many times, especially in association with cleaning house, but could never make it work. She does have a few mildly supernatural abilities, which include untying knots, peeling oranges, and dominating in board games. Her perfect day would include reading, writing, swimming, cooking, telling jokes, spending time with family, and pie.

Two *SIGNED* Copies of Freakling.

In twelve-year-old Taemon’s city, everyone has a power called psi — the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. But a humiliating incident at a sports tournament exposes his disability, and Taemon is exiled to the powerless colony. The "dud farm" is not what Taemon expected, though: people are kind and open, and they actually seem to enjoy using their hands to work and play and even comfort their children. Taemon adjusts to his new life quickly, making friends and finding unconditional acceptance. But gradually he discovers that for all its openness, there are mysteries at the colony, too — dangerous secrets that would give unchecked power to psi wielders if discovered. When Taemon unwittingly leaks one of these secrets, will he have the courage to repair the damage — even if it means returning to the city and facing the very people who exiled him?

__________________________________________________

Brian Rathbone is a former horse trainer and computer programmer. He used his old world knowledge and love of fantasy fiction to create The World of Godsland fantasy series, which begins with The Dawning of Power trilogy.

Brian began working from home, finally finding the time to write down the story that had been growing in his mind for over a decade. At times he felt like a juggler in motley while he balanced the writing of code and the writing of fiction, but it’s all been worthwhile.

He is currently working on writing Fifth Magic, the seventh book in his World of Godsland series.

Two Copies of The Dawning of Power trilogy, the first three books of his World of Godsland series. Echoes of the ancients’ power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind’s deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.

In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world . . . or destroy it.

__________________________________________________

Paige W. Pendleton. The secrets of the Red Paint People have haunted Maine for 7000 years. Paige is busy writing those tales.

She is currently working on The Keeper and the Scimitar of Salaman, the third installment of her Black Ledge series.

Two Copies of The Keeper and the Rune Stone. An unholy ritual, a ticking clock. Four children discover that there are things that go bump in the night...

Centuries ago a group of Elves committed an unholy ritual. But the ritual was a spectacular failure. It transformed the Elves into the Noctivagae - the beings we know as vampires.

Striving to maintain a fragile peace, the ancient Elves and Dwarves negotiated an accord, which they've renewed every year on the summer solstice. The ceremony depends on the magical Rune Stone, but it's missing. If it is not found—and quickly—the consequences could be dire, and not just for Elves and Dwarves.

Four children, Rob, Jack, Eleanor, and Flora, stumble into the fantastical excitement when they happen across a wise being who inhabits a nearby cave. He is the Keeper of the Realm. He befriends the children and enlists their help.

The adventure that follows is based on my suspicion that Elves and Dwarves came to Maine with the ancient Norse in the time of the Red Paint People. The story is filled with suspense, magic, adventure, and charming supporting characters. It’s both heart-warming and heart-pounding.

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Gregory S. Close has lived on both coasts of the United States (and that wholesome corn-fed part in-between) as well as Dundalk, Ireland and the tiny islands of the Kwajalein Atoll.

Greg loves travelling and sampling the native cultures, foods, customs, and beers of the world. Greg is married to a rocket scientist and lives in California with his two daughters, a cat, and one and a half dogs.

Three Copies of In Siege of Daylight. This new epic literary fantasy follows Calvraign, who is an apprentice to the king’s bard. His studies are filled with prophecy, romance, mythic enemies, and magic, and he contents himself with such fantasies until the day that he is suddenly called to the capital city. His best friend, Callagh, the most skilled huntress in their village, senses something isn’t right with Calvraign’s hasty summons and follows him. Her instincts prove true, as his arrival throws the king’s court into chaos, and the two are abruptly torn from their simple country life and plunged into a real-life version of Calvraign’s tales. A menacing prophecy reveals that an all-encompassing dark magic has already been loosed upon the world, and there is only one way to stop it. Calvraign must reverse the Darkening before treachery takes the life of the crown prince and plunges the kingdom of Providayne into chaos. And Callagh must keep him alive long enough to do it….

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Daniel Harvell wrote one short story at the age of 10 about a pit on the moon laden with poisonous hamburgers, and suddenly he was an author. That’s the way he saw it when “Murder on the Moon” became an instant hit with his fourth-grade classmates. He’d always been a voracious reader, but upon sharing his little yarn with friends, Daniel suddenly realized the freedom (and power!) of becoming the storyteller. Over the next few years, he would go on to write several short stories, mostly involving murder mysteries and his schoolmates.

The thrill of whodunits subsided when he discovered the long and (theoretically) rewarding payoffs of the soap operatic style of telling tales, which was followed quickly by his unearthing of the superhero fiction genre (which is just soap operas in spandex). Fast-forward to Daniel's last semester at Florida State University, where he was starting to regret my decision to pursue a business management degree instead of something more literary. He had big stories in his head. Instead of second-guessing his educational path, however, Daniel used his free time to pursue his passion. A few months later, his first novel had arrived in the world—and it wasn’t pretty. Like all writers, though, he had to start somewhere.

Daniel went back to the drawing board with his ideas for The Survivors—a contemporary fantasy story about what would happen if real people found themselves empowered with superhuman abilities. But The Survivors wasn’t so pretty either. The concept was fun but the execution was rough. It was temporarily shelved while he set out to learn how to be a better—and publishable—writer. And 10 years later, Daniel thinks he may have learned a thing or two.

He wrote another novel in the interim years (more on that soon!), but The Survivors will always be his baby. In many ways, the work of an artist is like his or her child. Now his little one’s ready to play with the big kids. After the many years of edits and rewrites, Daniel is proud of the novel into which it has grown.

Two Copies of The Survivors. When seven strangers impossibly survive a horrific airplane crash, they find themselves changed in remarkable ways. The survivors are endowed with powers that defy explanation. Some are blessed. Some are cursed.

Going their separate ways, they adapt their extraordinary "gifts" to their ordinary lives. The results, however, aren't always pretty—particularly when one of them engages in a killing spree. With little more to go on than the psychic link that they all share, the survivors seek out one another to uncover the murderer and bring him or her to justice.

The fireman, the grandmother, the psychiatric patient, the basketball player, the mute girl, the rich blonde, and the man in the wheelchair—they all have secrets worth hiding. They can't trust each other. They can't even trust themselves.

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S.M. White has read a metric ton of text in his life. You could probably crush a dozen men beneath the weight. He studied creative writing at Spalding University, which turns out is simply reading and writing; that was nice. He has spent countless hours watching fantasy films, at times awed and at other times disappointed. He has held swords and shields and dead things. He once undertook a daunting quest to recover the stolen car keys to his mother's station wagon. Maidens have handed me favors ranging from bracelets to perfume-drenched letters to lengths of fake hair. When he encounters dragons, he keeps his wits about him and his gold coins close. He is a liar. He is a thief: he has stolen words out of men's mouths and claimed them as fictional musings. His friends often question him on his whereabouts (they seldom check Medieval Outfitters). He is not a serious person; of this, he is serious. He spent his formative years training to be a ninja. In this, he can don dark clothing and climb the tallest trees, he can do a front roll and a cartwheel, and he can fashion a smoke bomb from a tennis ball and match heads. If you were to ask him a question, he would instantly become evasive and confusing (mostly as a product of his uncertainty, but also because he's super mysterious).

Say something poignant, the Internet says.

Very well. He has won many insignificant things and has lost many precious things. This, he feels, is important. It is one thing to hold an object in your hand knowing its worth is a paltry measure in regards to what you might have been holding. This idea of loss is a vibrant and living thing. It lets you see that what is offered is not always what should be taken, and that what should be taken is hardly ever offered. And there waits cynicism, the most powerful of writerly attributes. If you don't know hopelessness, or dejection, or heart ache, you do not know conflict. Pain can be observed on television, or read about in the paper. But to live it, that it what molds a heart and moves a soul. His writing can be dark and terrible and harsh. This is not a product of formal training, or awards, or degrees. It is a result of his humanness, of his longing to understand agony and love and how the two survive in the same world. His stories are studies of the human heart, of humanity's need for good, and of the dreadful movements of evil as done by minds capable of love.

Three Copies The Lonely Man: The Witch's Price. A man responsible for the downfall of a nation. The nation responsible for the downfall of a man.

Mhets and six other greedy men quested to steal the Chained God’s treasure. They were successful. The gods, in their fury, took the lives of Mhets' companions one at a time, and now seek to snuff out the remaining thief. To survive, and to further spite the divine for their part in taking the love of his life, Mhets finds refuge in a witch’s hand. But the vile deal he enters into promises nothing but trouble. Sorcerers, mercenaries, and death wait on the horizon as he moves to complete his end of the terrible bargain. Journeying at the behest of the witch, Mhets learns just how black his heart has become, and how that darkness inside him might spell salvation for the world.

This installment starts the tales of Mhets Sorrowbringer, a man wronged and angered in life. He owns a past riddled with atrocity, betrayal, and death, but here is where his true story starts. Here is where the man called Mirthless Mhets begins to write his legend.

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The Tour Hosts:

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I Heart Books is a page whose focus is on the promotion of reading, books, and their authors. They provide service for both trad-pub and self-pub authors of all genres. They strive to bring their readers fun and positive posts, while keeping up with current news in the “book world."

Good Choice Reading focuses mainly on Young Adult, New Adult and Romance in all genres. The blog is coordinated by a wonderful group of girls who love to read and share the love they have for books with others!

Diamonds & Coal Book Reviews is run by Anna, an unrepentant 23-year-old nerd. She loves all different sorts of books, has watched too many movies to count, and is always happy to discover new music. That said, her graphic novel/superhero passion knows no bounds. (Hellboy is her favorite—you'll never convince her any other superhero is better!) When she's not at work in the Electronics Department of her local Target, every waking moment revolves around her blog. Come and join her in finding more of the interesting, shiny things in life.

Fae Books is run by Sarah Fae Graham, a 24-year-old Army wife who lives in Catterick Garrison in the United Kingdom. Fae Books is all about promoting authors, bloggers, writers and everything bookish in between. It hosts a lot of giveaways as well as free book posts, excerpts, interviews, and guest blog posts from the people with whom Sarah Fae is working. She runs a reviewing team who are in high demand and tend to book six months in advance. She's also in the process of beginning her own Tours. You can find more information on Sarah Fae and Fae Books by clicking on the above banner—it's never too soon to get Fae Books involved.

Alexis Holcomb is currently a writer, but aspires to one day be a full-time author. She specializes in fiction and loves inspiring others to follow their passions and dreams. She's a hands-on type of person that can just as easily fix a 3 course meal for a group of friends as she can do maintenance on her or her husband's vehicles. She's proud to be an Air Force sergeant, a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a writer. Alexis is also a contributor at The Bearded Scribe.

Wordweaver. A child of the American Great Plains, Court Ellyn moved wherever the oil industry took her family. Born in the panhandle of Texas, she has lived from one end of the Lone Star state to the other, as well as New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Indiana. She is settled at last, or so she hopes, in a growing town southwest of Oklahoma City with her husband, her fat cats, and her writing.

Having to move frequently, drove her to fill her playtime with characters and stories that, at first, she acted out with her sister. Then, when she was fourteen, she began writing what she calls “poor and unrealistic historical fiction,” primarily because her mother discouraged her from reading and writing in the fantasy genre. But because of films like The Never Ending Story, The Princess Bride, and Willow, her fate was sealed. Throughout high school her tastes gravitated toward the fantastical until she secretly purchased her first fantasy novel at a gas station. Her mother warned her, “Be careful.” And so Ms. Ellyn has been carefully reading and writing fantasy ever since.

Ms. Ellyn attended the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, which she claims provided an excellent liberal arts education but failed to dispel the dragons. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2000 with a degree in English and History and an emphasis in Creative Writing. Shortly after, she married her high school sweetheart and determined to write professionally. Sadly, she learned the hard way that a college education does not guarantee book sales. Regardless, Court’s stories have since appeared in numerous magazines such as Kaleidotrope, Silver Blade and the Dead Robots’ Society’s Explorers: Beyond the Horizon anthology. In the spring of 2012, she celebrated the publication of the first novel of a fantasy series, over which she labored for a more than a decade. After a literal outpouring of sweat and tears, both Volumes of Book 1 are available at CreateSpace and at Amazon. Court is also a contributor at The Bearded Scribe.

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The Giveaway:

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck to Everyone! And have FUN!

The GoodReads Giveaway and Kindle Freebie Day

noreply@blogger.com (Greg Close) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 22:44:00 +0000

Hi Folks,

GoodReads has supplied me with my list of addresses for the 10 winners of the HHHC* of In Siege of Daylight. I will be stuffing them in envelopes today and mailing them tomorrow. Congratulations to the winners - I hope you really enjoy the book! Sorry if you entered and did not win, but I hope you find your way to the book someway/somehow and also enjoy it.

The Kindle giveaway on Amazon went pretty well, I think. Thanks to the help of my friends and social media I was able to get about 300 downloads on July 1. This propelled me (at least for the day it was free) up to #13 in the Epic Fantasy (Free) Category. Very cool! Hopefully it will help garner more positive reviews and great referrals so that I can enjoy similar success with paid sales so that I can keep writing.

If you've ended up with a copy, whether paid, free or borrowed, please remember to review it on Amazon and GoodReads and (wherever else you can).

Greg Close's Worthless Novel(s) Blog

FREE BOOK 9/2-9/4, in support of Histiocytosis Awareness Month

September is Histiocytosis Awareness Month

Dear Friends Campaign: Histiocytosis Association.

It's Alive!!! It's Alive... and on Kickstarter now! Got Demon?

A merciful death, but still dead

Giving 100%: Childhood Cancer, Histiocytosis & Extended Charity Sale

In Siege of Daylight still in the running for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off!

All profits to charity in March 2015

99 Cent Sale for Father's Day - LOTS of Epic Fantasy.

In Siege of Daylight is dedicated to the memory of my father, Maxwell L. Close.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon Reviews

GoodReads Reviews

Weave - new short story published!

So, I was at Lucasfilm today… That was cool.

BEHOLD THE SHRINE OF LUCAS!

Operation Supply Drop Donation, Book-Match & Challenge for February 2014

The Donation

The Book Match

The Challenge

Guest Post & Rafflecopter: L.Blankenship's "Disciple: Half-Omnibus"

Announcing the Disciple Half-Omnibus!

Back cover

Guest Post: Kristen S. Walker - Honoring the Dead

Honoring the Dead

Deyonist Belief in the Afterlife

Funereal Rites

A Personal Note

About A Flight of Marewings

About the Author

Read In The Dark Sale at Genre Underground!

In Good Company?

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

My Favorite Review

In Siege of Daylight is still on sale for 99 cents - grab your copy here!

Only 99 Cents for 240k Words of Epic Fantasy (In Siege of Daylight Kindle version, this week only)

My WorldCon Interview - Gregory Sasquatch Close speaks!

Highlights of WorldCon 2013 - "I knew you'd come back... !"

Table C-5 and C-4, aka Fantasy Lane

Close Encounters

Folks Who Bought Stuff

See you at LonCon nex year!

Last Day of WorldCon - Great Deals!

WorldCon 2013 Day Zero: Almost There!

GoodKindle Newsletter includes In Siege of Daylight today

WorldCon Details and Discounts

Where in the Con am I?

WorldCon Discount - In Siege of Daylight paperback for only $12.00:

My Friends from The Genre Underground:

Thanks! Hope to see you in Texas in a couple of weeks!

Editer's Donut Hlep!

Shameless Plug:

Great Prizes Await: Enter the Bearded Scribe's "You Really Liked Me (Several Hundred Times)" Giveaway!

The GoodReads Giveaway and Kindle Freebie Day

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

**Announcing the Disciple Half-Omnibus!**