Say, who's going to Shore Leave in Hunt Valley, MD this week? I'll be there! Exhibiting in the dealer's room with my fellow Red Adept author, Elizabeth Corrigan, and speaking on a few panels. OH, and I may be popping into something I'm not officially scheduled for in order to make an announcement... ;-)
Anyway, here's my panel schedule. Hope to see you there!
Friday, June 7
7-8PM If I Had a Publishing Empire (Hunt Room)
Saturday, June 8
12-1PM Does Fiction Go Too Easy on Evil? (Chase Room)
4-5PM Women Don't Write Genre Fiction. Wait, What?! (Chase Room)
5-6PM Falling Out of Love With a Story (Derby Room)
Sunday, June 9
10-11AM Why We Love Sci-Fi (Derby Room)
2PM-3PM Representation is Key (Salon A)
Monday, July 3, 2017
Friday, June 30, 2017
BNG FRIDAY: Sweet Emotion
Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers.
Today, I'm spotlighting Bryna Butler's "Sweet Emotion," one of the more contemporary story going in the anthology. From a distance, the setting of "Sweet Emotion" may look like an average modern-day American high school. But the heroine, Bridget North, knows better... unbeknownst to most, aliens live disguised among humans and are kept in check by a secretive government agency. Some are people-eating monsters who must be stopped, and others are harmless, friendly, even. Including Bridget's best friend, who disguises himself as a hot teen boy but in actuality has an outlandish appearance and is the source of the Mothman legend. I loved the premise right away, and loved how... teenager-y the whole thing felt, with its high school backdrop, garage band, and Spirit Week-driven plotline. And Bridget's irreverent, spunky voice is a delight to read. I also loved that she's just a girl who loves science class--a change of pace from a lot of our other heroines, who are prodigies. Hey, you don't have to be an uncommon supergenius to love STEM! She may be the girl next door and describe herself as unremarkable-looking, but she's no fool. When a group of strange benefactors sponsor the Spirit Week prizes, Bridget begins noticing their odd behaviors and uses her nerdy knowledge to figure out what's going on. It's tons of fun to read, and I love the imaginative yet grounded setting. Can't wait to share it with y'all!
TITLE
Sweet Emotion
AUTHOR
Bryna Butler
STORY DESCRIPTION
Bridget North's best friend may be an alien, but it's the school's new benefactors that has her creepiness meter humming. She must use her high school biology knowledge to get to the bottom of the mystery and save the school.
AUTHOR BIO
Blog: www.brynabutler.com
Twitter: @mogdocnews
Instagram: @butlerwroteit
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorBrynaButler
THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS
My stories tend to feature strong girls. How great is it to have one of them included in an effort that will make a very real impact for the next generation of strong, smart women? Thank you to Paige and Mary for this opportunity to pay it forward and pave the way through scholarship for tomorrow's strong girls as they show the world what they can do.
BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!
PREORDER ON KINDLE: https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-Girls-Stories-Science-ebook/dp/B071GGFNTY
ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true
SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD
VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/
VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/
Thursday, June 29, 2017
BOOK REVIEW: Different Worlds (Iamos Trilogy, #1.5) / Lyssa Chiavari
| Title: Different Worlds (Iamos Trilogy, #1.5) Author: Lyssa Chiavari Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing Purchase Link: Amazon  Young Adult - Science Fiction REVIEW LOVED this novella! I'm a huge fan of Lyssa's book, FOURTH WORLD, which I read last summer, and this companion novella really hit the spot for me. Let me start by saying that this novella should absolutely only be read after reading FOURTH WORLD, since it relies heavily on the events on the novel (plus, everyone should read FOURTH WORLD anyway because it's awesome). In FOURTH WORLD, the main character, Isaak, is whisked away from his life in a Martian colony, and we, the readers, follow him on an otherworldly journey. But before that happens, we get a full picture of his life... his home, his friends, his school, his family. So when he vanishes... what happens to them? DIFFERENT WORLDS answers that question by following his two closest friends, Tamara and Henry, as they grapple with his abrupt disappearance... and all the grief, anger, and confusion that accompanies it. There's a tragic sense of dramatic irony as we--knowing full well that Isaak's alive and well--watch the two teens try to figure out how to deal with it... how hard they work to figure out where he went, the danger they put themselves in when they suspect a government conspiracy, the tensions that arise because of that... DIFFERENT WORLDS takes place over the course of a year, and it's a fast-paced tale full of fraught decision-making and high emotions. I loved everything about it... it was so much fun diving back into Lyssa's Mars and experiencing the world. And the feels! Gotta love all the feels! The ending is absolutely perfect and left me with a mighty need for the FOURTH WORLD sequel (not that I didn't already have a mighty need... this just exacerbated it). Anyway, if you like sci-fi with some amazing world-building and fantastically written characters, I HIGHLY recommend that you scoop up both this novella and FOURTH WORLD... and read 'em back to back :-D ABOUT THE AUTHOR  |
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
COVER REVEAL: The Reckoning / T. Damon
Today I'm helping reveal the cover for the third book in the Forest Spirit series, The Reckoning by T. Damon! The cover was designed by Lia Wayward of Free Your Words!
An ancient coven of sibling warlocks known as the Controllers has returned to the Forest, dead set on continuing the destruction of the spiritual balance among the kingdoms of beings and animals. Someone has released them to further implement the downfall of the Forest—but who? Once-protected portals are no longer being guarded, zombies roam freely at will, and more and more beings of light are succumbing to possession from the inescapable negativity that is now commonplace. The Forest has reached its time of reckoning, and it seems as though all hope to save the kingdoms may be lost forever. Unless, of course, King Felix, Queen Eleonora, and their multi-species army are able to stop the Controllers before they destroy the Higher Spirits once and for all, prompting the entire Forest to fall into complete and utter ruin. But will they succeed before the Forest descends entirely into darkness?Title: The Reckoning (Book Three of The Forest Spirit Series)
Author: T. Damon
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing
Add it to your to-read list on Goodreads!
Monday, June 26, 2017
The Story Behind the Starswept Cover
Hey, everyone! A few weeks back, I revealed the STARSWEPT cover and promised a behind-the-scenes post to come. Well, that post is now written and posted over on Across the Board, the group blog I contribute to! Check it out for the who, what, and why behind the cover: http://atbwriters.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-starswept-cover-came-to-be.html
Friday, June 23, 2017
BNG FRIDAY: Skyris
Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers.
Today, I'm spotlighting one of the stories that will be featured in the anthology: Skyris, a steampunk adventure by A.A. Jankiewicz. Except it's not steampunk in the way you might expect... rather than taking place in an alternate version of Victorian times, it takes place in another world entirely. A vast universe of interconnected planets. Skyris is a princess from an advanced space opera-esque world, but she's visiting the comparably ancient city of Aldamoor... a bustling, steampunk city full of aliens and humans alike. I fell in love with the worldbuilding at once; it reminded me a bit of Disney's criminally underrated Treasure Planet. Skyris is a smart, spunky teen who can't just sit still while visiting a fascinating new place. Eager to see Aldamoor's famed airships, she ventures off alone... and ends up in far more trouble than she could have anticipated. Full of excitement and some of the richest world-building I've read in a long time, "Skyris" was a true delight to read, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to read it too!
TITLE
Skyris
AUTHOR
A.A. Jankiewicz
STORY DESCRIPTION
In the ancient city of Aldamoor, a princess from another world and an airship pilot go on an adventure.
AUTHOR BIO
Website: www.aajankiewicz.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aajankiewicz
Twitter: @aajankiewicz
Instagram: @aajankiewicz
THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS
As a fellow tech girl, I wanted a chance to give back to the extraordinary community I find myself part of. I could think of no better way than through sharing my skill of writing.
BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!
PREORDER ON KINDLE: https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-Girls-Stories-Science-ebook/dp/B071GGFNTY
ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true
SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD
VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/
VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/
Thursday, June 22, 2017
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: A.A. Jankiewicz
An interview with Canadian sci-fi/fantasy author A.A. Jankiewicz.
Hi!
Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?
Absolutely, I am A.A. Jankiewicz though
I also go by Agnes since referring to someone as the acronym for alcoholics
anonymous can get a bit awkward in person. I am a Canadian science fiction and
fantasy author and in my day job I am also a graphic and web designer for a
group of construction companies.
What got you into writing?
I’ve always had a burning need to tell
stories from as far back as I can remember being able to comprehend what
storytelling was. Even before I could write my parents have videos of me
drawing on the kitchen table and when asked what I was doing I answered with
making a movie (In my head this was the equivalent of telling a story at the
time, I believe I was about 3 or 4 at the time).
What was the first
idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?
The novel I just released, Q-16 and the
Lord of the Unfinished Tower, already had some premade basis from its
predecessor Q-16 and the Eye to All Worlds. I knew the story had to continue
after the first book and would do so for some novels after. The idea for part
of the plot though first came to me after digging through some books in the
basement I came across a storybook of a Polish legend called The Two Brothers
and Two Towers which was about the building of St. Mary’s Church in Krakow. For
some reason, it just clicked and the ideas started pouring out like no
tomorrow.
Among
your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?
If I had to pick just one it would be
Puc Thanestorm, though the truth is I love all of my characters, good and bad,
for varying reasons. Puc is a Water Elf mage from the city of Aldamoor who is
charged with teaching Annetta and Jason about their abilities, always with a
large helping of sarcasm on the side. I enjoy writing him because due to his
long life, there are many emotions and memories I can pull on from him, things
that with a younger character like my protagonists are not as prominent yet.
This is not to say my younger characters are in any ways less three dimensional
but that they are just teenagers.
What's your favorite scene from your
novel? Could you please describe it?
I would have to say the final battle in
the book and I will try to describe it as best as I can spoiler free. There’s a
lot going on both internally and externally for the characters which was very
fun to write. The scene cuts from character to character as they fight what
they realize mid-way is a losing battle but continue to do so. Elsewhere, a
second set of characters needs to decide where they are going to help the first
group or to continue to engage in political games.
What's your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing
scenes? Dialogue?
I would say the plotting, watching an
idea grow in my head, evolve and take shape into the story it is to be.
Dialogue is another, due to my background in film.
How
long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you
wing it?
The first draft took me about a year
followed by a year of edits and additional drafts. I generally start with point
form notes and go from there. Since I also do my own cover design I also take
care of that which on average takes me about two weeks.
What is it about the genre you chose that appeals to you?
I think what appeals to me most about
science fiction and fantasy is the world creation process. My imagination has
always gone to the beat of its own drum, so when I’ve tried to write something
without paranormal elements to it, it would want to leak in and defy the logic
of the real world. This is not to say that my science and magic does not adhere
to their own sets of laws, even if at times to reader it might not seem as such
depending on through whose eyes the story is being told.
Are there any books or writers that have had particular
influence on you?
There’s a few authors that come to
mind; Brian Jacques, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, R.A. Salvatore and J.K.
Rowling. Their mastery of character and world building inspire me to write in
the manner I do.
One book in particular had a large
impact on me when I was younger and that was Martin the Warrior by Brian
Jacques because it was the book that got me into wanting to read of my own free
will. Reading prior to this for me was a chore, something I couldn’t see myself
ever enjoying (especially as someone who had unidentified dyslexia at the time
so everything just moved on the page). I found the book on a fieldtrip from my
school to a bookstore and was intrigued by the cover art. I really wanted to
know more about what was inside so I bought it only to realize it was above my
current reading level. I wasn’t about to give up so easily however and I spent
countless hours reading a thesaurus and dictionary I had in order to understand
the meaning of all the words inside (word meaning disassociation is one of the
less well known symptoms of dyslexia). Needless to say, I succeeded in
finishing the book and from there, my love of reading was born.
Did you ever surprise
yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their
own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?
I’ve had multiple characters over the
years take on personas of their own, or rather, take over a scene where if they
deemed it not playing out how they would react to it. Generally, these
decisions are for the better I find so I’ve learned to trust their instincts
and just channel what they tell me to write. Usually, they come back to where I
would want them to go anyways.
Thanks for stopping by!
ABOUT THE BOOKS
Q-16 and the Eye to All Worlds (Q-16, #1)
Headstrong, tomboyish Annetta Severio and her cynical, sharp-tongued friend Jason Kinsman are two teenagers from Toronto, making the most of their mundane existence.
Their world is forever changed when they discover that their fathers were once the protectors of a castle called The Eye to All Worlds located where the fabric of the universe is weakest, creating gateways to other worlds, hidden within the bowels of an underwater base known only as Q-16.
Learning of the threat of a warlord bent on conquering the multiverse, Annetta, Jason and their companions, Puc Thanestorm a cold, sarcastic Water Elf mage, Brakkus, a monstrous but kind hearted creature called a Hurtz, Puc’s apprentice Darius Silver, and a shape-changing young warrior named Lincerious Heallaws race to reassemble Annetta’s grandfather’s army, known as The Four Forces before it is too late.
Q-16 and the Lord of the Unfinished Tower (Q-16, #2)
"The lord of the tower has risen, and he is angry”
A year has passed since the events of the battle against Mislantus. Now, Annetta, Jason and their companions prepare for the end of their final year in high school. Dreaming of the future, they do the best they can to balance their time as the young commanders of the Four Forces and as teenagers.
Things are thrown off course, however, with the arrival of Annetta’s great-uncle and his proclamations which leave the members of Q-16 questioning their lives. Elsewhere, on Terralim, the home of the Water Elves, an evil amasses on the horizon, threatening to burn all in its path, forcing Puc Thanestorm away.
On their own and without the aid of their mentor, Annetta and Jason must navigate through a sea of decisions as they strive to come to terms with who they are meant to be.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A.A. Jankiewicz (known to most as Agnes) hails from the city of Pickering, Ontario. Her debut novel
‘Q-16 and the Eye to All Worlds’ was published as part of her thesis project at Durham College as part of the Contemporary Media Production Program. Prior to that, she graduated from York University with a BFA in Film Theory, Historiography and Criticism. When she’s not busy plotting the next great adventure, writing, doodling, tinkering in the Adobe suite programs or mellowing out with her friends, she enjoys walks with her four-legged companion Meesha. She is currently working on the next instalment in the Q-16 series.
Website – www.aajankiewicz.com
Twitter – @aajankiewicz
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/aajankiewicz/xx
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