Category: TV Serials & Motion Pictures

+Blog Book Tour+ Ryder on the Storm by Violet Patterson

Posted Thursday, 6 March, 2014 by jorielov , , , , 2 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

Storm Sullivan Saga | Emerald Seer series by Violet Patterson Boxed Set Edition

  • [ The Storm Sullivan Saga | Emerald Seer series ]
  • Book One: Ryder on the Storm
  • Book Two: Light My Fire
  • Book Three: Love Her Madly
  • Book Four: End of the Night
  • Novella: Whiskey, Mystics, and Men

Published ByMad Hatter Ink Press, 20 January 2014 [Omnibus Edition]
Official Author WebsitesBlog | Twitter | Facebook
Converse on Twitter: #EmeraldSeer

Available Formats: E-book, Softcover, & Softcover Omnibus
Page Count: 180 [Ryder on the Storm] | 450 [Omnibus edition]


Acquired Book:

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Patterson on The Star Chamber Show ahead of electing to sign-up to be a stop on her blog book tour. I had a good feeling about her style as a writer, and I enjoyed her segment enough to request reading “Ryder on the Storm” in exchange for an honest review. “Ryder on the Storm” was originally published on 5 November 2011. I was selected to be on her blog tour by Tomorrow Comes Media, where I received a complimentary copy of the omnibus (print) edition of The Storm Sullivan Saga direct from the author, Violet Patterson. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Initial Thoughts:

I have always appreciated paranormal stories in motion pictures and television which are on the ‘cosy’ side of the genre, which means to say, I oft have to wait years in-between finding a series and/or a film that I can watch! The latest example would be “Ghost Whisperer” which I started to watch in 2012 via syndicated re-airings across two networks during daytime hours on basic cable! To the brink where requesting the series via ILL (inter-library loan) was most fruitious of me! I need to resume where I left off in 2013, which is between Season 2 or 3. The reason I am attracted to a series like Ghost Whisperer is because I love the paranormal elements which are contained within the story-lines but with the heart of a romance woven in for good measure! The dynamic of the lead character’s marriage is quite brilliant and I enjoy seeing where her adventures take her and her husband throughout the series.

To this end, I am always keenly open to seeking out paranormal stories in fiction, whether or not they are romantic in nature, even though I tend to be keen on the romantic side of what is offered! A good case in point is my dearly loved Ghost Harrison series by Heather Graham, which combines ghost-hunting and medium intervention on a deceased’s behalf with characters whose lives are either flawed or at a cross-roads. I am within the opening sequences of the series which has grown since I first picked up Ghost Walk set in New Orleans when I turnt twenty-ten. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the brilliantly delectable Aunt Dimity penned cleverly by Nancy Altherton!

I realise I am undertaking quite a unique spin to the genre, as most readers of paranormal stories like the barometer to be set more akin to horror than cosy, and surely do not flinch as easily as I might! Laughs. However, I think that this is what makes reading such a wonderful experience. There is a bit of something for each of us, and for those like me who want to stay ‘this side’ of hard-boiled whilst walking through a cosy, I can unearth the stories we can enjoy whilst the rest of the world devours the rest!


Author Biography:

Violet PattersonKnown in the convention circuit for her extravagant handmade top hats, Violet Patterson has also romanced her way into the hearts of Urban Fantasy readers with the Emerald Seer Series.   With a cast of Seers, Seraphs, Immortals and more, Violet strives to leave her Midwestern roots behind as she soars to the far reaches of her imagination to compose vibrant stories of action and intrigue, magic and fantasy.  Her current project promises to imbue part of the Emerald’s world with a healthy dose of Steampunk – stay tuned for Immortal Machinations.

Book Synopsis:

Ryder on the Storm by Violet PattersonStorm Sullivan is a Seer from an ancient line forced to return home after the brutal murder of her aunt. But Storm finds she’s inherited more than just the family estate.

Ryder Cohen is an Immortal, a former enforcer commissioned to eradicate the Sullivan line and prevent the rise of the Emerald. But Ryder has come to question his mission and the reasons behind it.

Ryder On the Storm is the first in the Emerald Seer series. An urban fantasy with a supporting cast of Immortals, Seraphs, and Deities this is just the beginning of Storm’s journey.

The Emerald Seer saga continues with rebirth in LIGHT MY FIRE and intensifies with an uncovered past in LOVE HER MADLY. Still craving more Emerald Seer action? Check out WHISKEY, MYSTICS, and MEN to discover Angeline’s secrets.


An Introduction into Storm Sullivan:

The gift of sight is one paranormal gift that I am quite familiar with as it was the same gift given to Johnny Smith from “The Dead Zone” tv series based on Stephen King’s novel. A novel I have not yet read and a series which changed my perception of what constitutes a King novel and story. The gift of second sight is one gift I always felt might be one of the hardest to gather one’s wits about oneself as you’re constantly struggling against the backflow of other people’s lives and emotions contained therein. You get only pieces of reality as it streams through your own mind’s eye and you have to process what you’re seeing and why those fragments are as important as they are. Storm Sullivan walks off the page as a curiously strong yet conflicted character who is confident in her gift, but perhaps not as confident in where her gift leads her. Her emotional world is a bit demurred and off-page, as she’s credited as being unemotional rather than completely self-centered. I oft wondered if for such a gift to work fully, if part of your other senses have to take a bit of a hit and defer to the one sense that is coming out of you at such a strong force? You can only be pulled so far in different directions before the body and brain will make the choice to save itself in the long-term.

The book cover for the omnibus edition (as featured above) is quite exquisite as it pierces your attention by seeing Storm’s emerald eye ancestry as well as (in my opinion) a rather poignant slice of suspense in seeing the lightning crackling across the pitch black night’s sky! I love books which taunt a piece of their stories ahead of being picked up to be read! I’d presume then, the lightning is an exclamation of how sight is a jolting force in Storm’s life as electricity is always super-charged and strikes without warning. Such then, I’d presume would be how the gift of sight would feel to the receiver!

Ryder on the other hand appears to be both ally and foe in regards to Storm, as he is introduced as a self-educated and self-assured immortal who’d rather go his own way than to fill a need or calling. Except to say, he has a strong sense of right and wrong, as well as a keen awareness that knowledge can benefit everyone who chooses to acknowledge the truth it sheds into light.

My Review of Ryder on the Storm:

The unique tone of the novel is set against the volley of moving and shifting between the lifepath of Storm and Ryder directly as they are living their days. I like the interchanging scenery and scope of the story being leveled between two protagonists who can handle the spotlight as much as share it equally. Time loops and bends between their worlds, and yet, their each living in the same dimensional space, with a few alterations therein. Ryder is presented as an Immortal Seer Slayer and Storm is the Seer who comes from a lineage of powerful women who are gifted with sight. The opposite nature of their trades, and the willingness Patterson has in placing them in each others path reminded me of Buffy and Angel outright. Generally speaking, a vampire slayer would not normally be woefully and romantically enticed nor entwined with a vampire! I loved the interplay of the previous paranormal character’s romantic arc and seeing how this story is aligning for Storm & Ryder to cross-sect gave me a renewed hope towards paranormal romance as a genre worth pursuing!

Whilst Storm’s story begins at the tragic death of her Aunt Trin, I felt a softening of the tragedy by Storm’s own perseverance to uncover the truth of her Aunt’s murder. Rather than be consumed fully by the eclipse of sorrow, she’s a woman who thrives on purpose. The inclusion of going through her Aunt’s house and belongings as her inheritance takes effect was reminiscent of how each of us looks for a bit of normalcy after the death of a loved one. Time always feels suspended a bit after a person dies, as though parts of their essence is still with us and not gone at the very same time. Whilst reading over the initial aftermath of Aunt Trin’s passing I brought back to mind what the Hollowell sisters went through on Charmed. As the Hollowells sister’s powers were bound to a certain extent as well.

Her Aunt’s death gives Storm a window into her life she had not yet come to bring into full focus. Her childhood friends who seemed benign and kind, were suddenly re-presented as her guardians. Known as Seraphs, I will admit I had not yet come into contact with this creature previously, but the fact they had delicate wings made me smile! I had a feeling they might be Angelic in nature due to their ability to sense when their charges are in danger and/or in need of protection. As much as the heated and rather intense attraction that Storm starts to feel for Ryder challenges everything she had previously conceived as her ‘normal’ setting in relating to the opposite sex. This is one version of instant attraction that is magnified by two fates being entwined to each other by a force yet revealed.

The firestorm that ignites into action soon thereafter is what starts to bring Storm and Ryder together, which at first felt serendipitous but later proved to be a bit more destined. There is a crossing of a path in their histories where neither can discern nor deny they are meant to be conjoined. Interspersed into their encounters are other paranormal characters shifting and moving around the center story. I admit I am out of my depth to understand the components of their histories, outside of rudimentary knowledge about werewolves and a baseline general scope for immortal races. (here I refer to the immortal race explored in “Highlander”) What captured my attention though is the conspiracy angle of what was driving the fixation on Storm Sullivan as far as her would-be attackers as well as the disillusion about who she is and what she is in the grand scheme of things. The intricacies of how Patterson chooses to reveal the labyrinth maze of plot allows even the novice reader of this genre to pick up on the energy that is pulsing throughout the text! It’s a riveting adventure underscored by the mystery of identity and destiny, of which I cannot wait to continue forward in the accompanying sequel Light My Fire!

Paranormal Romance or PNR as a genre:

I am always thankful when I stumble across a new genre to explore because it allows me to flex my literary wings and see if I can alight in a new setting, world, and timescape that is completely different from the regular realms I currently read regularly. I wasn’t quite sure what elements create the paranormal romance experience which is why I went in a bit blind into reading Ryder on the Storm, except to say I did pick up on the subtlety of seeing the irony held within the title! By conferring with articles related on the subject (as seen below my review), I discovered that some of my own experiences mentioned here are key examples of the evolution of the genre itself! This encouraged me a bit that perhaps I’ve been dancing around the genre without really knowing that I was involved with the steps! There are classic examples of phenom related to this genre that I bowed out of becoming attached too as well: Twilight for instance only served as a plausible decoy of a hiatus from Nanowrimo 2008 at a point in time where I needed a two-hour break away from my characters & computer! Sookie Stackhouse is at the opposite end of the spectrum from where I like to wander as well.

There are full-on aspects of this genre that have left me a bit puzzled whilst reading Ryder on the Storm, as I felt as though I was in the middle of a story arc already known and fleshed out. This is one aspect of trying a new genre which backfires a bit on you as a reader, as you do not have a point of reference to guide you as you make your way through. There is a whole undercurrent back-story I am sure to seraphs, immortals, and other worldly additions that fell a bit short on me. This did not present an issue as far as getting into the heart of what drove Storm and Ryder, but it did take me out of the belly of the story a bit as my mind tried to sort through a faded memory from my years watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed, and even The X-Files. Nothing pulled to mind. The one element I struggled to remember the most is ‘why a person’s sense of smell’ is deeply important to a Seer & Immortal? Its like scratching at your memory and never being able to pull forward what you already knew previously!

I am thus intrigued and I want to continue to seek out novels which will continue to formulate my introduction. I’d be keen to know which authors and novels stand out in my readers minds as a point of reference of knowing where to go next? Especially taking into account my preferences to read the cosier stories verse the more intensely graphic? As much as I want to continue forward and read the further chronicles of Storm Sullivan which I now have on hand!

Possible next reads: (as searched through my library & ILL catalogues)

[all of which I have come across previously but never attached to this genre!]

  • A Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. Harkness
  • Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin*
  • The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (previously mentioned)
  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern*+
  • The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
  • The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
  • The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore
  • M.J. Rose’s Reincarnationist series is being read for an upcoming review in May
  • {*} already in the hold queue at the library; {*+} itching to read!
  • {sidenote:} The Ghost Harrison & Aunt Dimity series are considered paranormal romance!
  • I clearly have a penchant for ghost-centered stories!

Fly in the Ointment:

By now, I think I have established that I always look for several Book Turn-Offs which run the gambit of what I disclosed in my Review Policy to what I wrote in the meme. Patterson doesn’t use vulgarity to carry the story, but rather inserts the occasional colourful word here or there to empathise a strong emotional conviction and/or reaction of one of the characters, and I am thankful to her for this as it shows that she doesn’t lean on vulgarity as a tool but rather as an exclamation of piercing a point. Having said that, I still find my eyebrows raising when certain explicit words are used irregardless of the context and mirth of usage. Which is why I am including this notice on my review in case a reader would prefer to avoid reading these expletives completely. I personally was not as offended due to the length of story you can read before arriving at a word that irks rather than soothes. In an ideal world, I’d never come across vulgar words in literature but that isn’t going to happen because even in classical literature strong language is generally favoured.

A Note on the Omnibus Edition:

I haven’t read a POD or print edition straight-off of a Kindle book series previously, so I am not sure if the formatting for The Storm Sullivan Saga is a regular occurrence or if it is limited to this edition. I thought at first I might have trouble adapting to the lack of page numbers and paragraph structures that I am used too in regular print editions of novels, however, it’s the words within the context of the story which pulled me into the world of Storm and Ryder which allowed me to suspend what I normally find inside of a book! So much so, that it reminded me a bit about watching foreign language motion pictures. After awhile, your mind gives you the illusion that your watching a film in English when in full effect your listening to Italian (“Life is Beautiful”) or Mandarin (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”). My mind has always given me the freedom to encourage my heart to soak into a story even if the regular format of finding the story is altered. Whilst watching both motion pictures listed in this paragraph, I could have sworn the characters were speaking English towards the ending chapters of their films! I heard the story by heart you see, and I never realised how quickly I had to read the subtitles in order to keep up with the dialogue of the action!

In this way, the beauty inside The Storm Sullivan Saga omnibus edition (boxed set – definition of the author) is that you get to become entreated into one parapsychologically gifted woman’s life as though you entered through a portal slipped to you inside her private journal! The mere fact I am reading a previously released Kindle e-book novel warms my little bookish soul’s heart because it proves that in due course all books are available for all audiences; including those of us who cannot read on a ‘screen’ and must await a print edition!


 

{Virtual Road Map for “The Storm Sullivan Saga” Blog Tour}

Violet Patterson Tour via Tomorrow Comes Media

Be sure to catch the next two installments of this showcase on JLAS:
Jorie interviews Ms. Patterson on the last day of the tour: 9 March,

and Ms. Patterson shares a Guest Post on Friday 7 March!

Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:
Tomorrow Comes Media Tour Hoston my Bookish Events Featured on JLAS!

Cross-listed on: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fridays via On Starships & Dragonwings

{SOURCES: The Storm Sullivan Saga & Ryders on the Storm cover art, book synopsis, Violet Patterson photograph & biography provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Post dividers were provided by Shabby Blogs, who give bloggers free resources to add personality to their blogs. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

Paranormal Romance Genre – (en.wikipedia.org)

Paranormal Romance: here, there, everywhere with the new science fiction – (irosf.com)

Urban Fantasy vs Paranormal Romance – (fantasy-faction.com)

Defining Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance: What’s the difference? – (heroesandheartbreakers.com)

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Posted Thursday, 6 March, 2014 by jorielov in Angel, Blog Tour Host, BlogTalkRadio, Bookish Discussions, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Novel, Familiars, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Go Indie, Good vs. Evil, Immortals, Indie Author, Paranormal Romance, Parapsychological Gifts, Premonition-Precognitive Visions, Reading Challenges, Romance Fiction, Seers, Seraphs, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, The Star Chamber Show, Tomorrow Comes Media, Urban Fantasy, Vulgarity in Literature, Werewolves, Witches and Warlocks

+SSP Week+ Book Review of Writers Workshop of Science Fiction and Fantasy (edited by) Michael Knost

Posted Wednesday, 5 February, 2014 by jorielov , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

Parajunkee DesignsWriters Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy (edited by) Michael Knost

[Previous Workshop: Writers Workshop of Horror by Woodland Press]

Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Michael Knost
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry

Published By: Seventh Star Press, 14 May 2013
Official Editor Websites: Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Converse on Twitter: #WritersWorkshopSFF
Artist Page: Matthew Perry @ Seventh Star Press; Portfolio
Available Formats: Softcover and E-Book
Page Count: 276

Acquired Book By: I am a regular blog book tour hostess for Tomorrow Comes Media, whereupon in conversation with Stephen Zimmer about my curiosity over the contents of this anthology due to the overwhelmingly creative book cover art; I was offered to receive a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review direct from the publisher Seventh Star Press. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Intrigued to Read:

Being I am a writer of science fiction stories set in a modern world akin to our own and based on science fact (I always had leanings towards hard sci-fi rather than soft!), I am always quite the intrepid girl who becomes interested in reading the latest book of writing advice, tips, and sage wisdom from those who have gone before me and cast their stories out into the hands of readers! Science fiction was in my blood long before I ever put thought to pen, as I inherited a passion for Trek & Star Wars which goes back to the original canon of both franchises. I never expected to live in a generation where having to say I support the ‘original canon’ of either one would even come to pass! However, that aside, what drew me into this anthology wasn’t just the context of the subject at hand but the excellent cover art rendering by Matthew Perry! Whose knack for presenting such a cleverly creative jumping gate of a writer’s muse is in good form! I knew whatever was contained inside the anthology was content I was determined to read! The musings of writers always makes me smile, yet its the enduring spirit of putting your heart on the line, owning your own work irregardless of its popularity and being strong in your belief an audience is awaiting to read your story is what invigorates me!


Within the Workshop, you’ll find:

Prominent writers within the craft of science fiction and fantasy story-telling, impart sage wisdom and advice given through anecdotical essays, pertinent interviews; set to a rhythm of appearances which makes Editor Knost appear nearly telepathically inclined as the reader weaves through a symbiotic rumination!

Contents Therein:

  • Michael Knost: Introduction
  • Neil Gaiman: Where do you get your Ideas?
  • Lou Anders: Nebulous Matters or Speculation on Subgenres
  • Lucy A. Synder: Ursula K. Le Guin Talks about a Lifetime in the Craft
  • James Gunn: Beginnings
  • George Zebrowski: Middles
  • Jay Lake: Endings
  • Nayad A. Monroe: Time Powers Talks about Writing Speculative Fiction
  • Orson Scott Card: On Rhetoric and Style
  • Pamela Sargent: Talking Too Much, or Not Enough: Dialogue in Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • G. Cameron Fuller: How Alien the Alien: A Primer
  • Nancy Kress: “The Green-Skinned Zorn Laughed with Grief” Character and Emotion in Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Harry Turtledove: Alternate History: The How-to of What Might Have Been
  • Jude-Marie Green: Larry Niven Talks about Collaboration
  • Joe Haldeman: Hemingway Talks about Writing
  • Nisi Shawl: Unbending Gender
  • Alan Dean Foster: Reverse Engineering
  • Alethea Kontis: Kevin J. Anderson Talks about Spin-offs, Prequels, & Fan Fiction
  • Elizabeth Bear: Tactics of World-Building
  • Jackie Gamber: Ann VanderMeer Talks about Weird Fiction
  • Michael Knost: Short Fiction: A Roundtable Discussion with Short Story Editors
  • Max Miller: Long Fiction: A Roundtable Discussion with Novel Editors

I will be making selections of my reading to focus on throughout this bookish girl’s review of the ruminative musings which ignited in her mind’s eye as she drank through the pages with an eagerness all writers will understand! Writers reflecting on their craft and opening an honest discussion about the inner workings of writing as art is a moment to celebrate and cherish!

[Where Do You Get Your Ideas? an essay by Neil Gaiman]

The curious nature of readers is always to formulate a question directed towards the writer they unabashedly follow throughout their career as to explain the seemingly bottomless well of ideas the stories oriented from. The honest truths of where the genesis of an idea is first garnished is brilliantly executed by Mr. Gaiman (of whom I am aware of his works but haven’t yet read)! Your ideas percolate at a pace that you’re at times not even expecting to be able to fulfill a request of, because of the nature of the human brain’s processor of information! A writer is willfully able to head into the direction the first spark of inspiration alights in mind, but to follow the originating idea through germination and tether it to a solidified ending is walking through the unknown; proportions of which, none of us truly know of until we’re sitting down to write.

And, it’s within this boiling and brewing of ideas where I gather my energy for the story about to transfer out of my mind’s vortex and unto the written page! To take a thread of an idea, nurture it into being and then, allowing the freedom of the idea to transition and transmorph into its full-bodied existence of what its meant to be is a writer’s realised dream. Nibblements of ruminations sprinkled throughout a lifetime of experience and adventure start to ink out into our imagination. Transcending both time and memory, as pieces of ourselves are wrangled into the lifeblood of our characters! Being a writer is akin to being a nurturer of ideas and of ideals. We take our observations from our living realities, and pour our heart into our works attempting to yield a story that others might find palatable. I say ‘might’ find as I am one writer who writes the stories which flow through her rather than write a story which is hinged to a specific audience or topic. We (writers) all hope that the momentum and passion we have for an idea will garnish itself a foothold in a reader’s queue. Perhaps even, enlighten their outlook or perception, but moreso than naught, to give them a hearty piece of narrative which leaves them pensively grateful for the idea which started the words to fill the page!

[Nebulous Matters or Speculation on Subgenres – an essay by Lou Anders]

I felt especially blessed to find this particular section included in the Workshop, as I am always befuddled to understand which ‘genre’ is the stepping stone of each of the ‘subgenres’ in which I read! I have spent quite literally hours exhausting resources online to sort through the myriad labyrinth of descriptive analysis always walking away feeling a bit more muddled than clarified! There are a few exceptions, as one post floats to mind which I read during (#RRSciFiMonth) Sci-Fi November (my endearing name for “Sci-Fi Month” hosted by Rinn Reads!*) which was Top Ten Sci-Fi Sub-Genres (Part 1: Cyberpunk) by Leanne of Literary Excursion! Whilst I read her engaging post on a slice of science fiction I never felt I could honestly attach myself, I shared this remarkable observation:

I have a keen interest in the subject as I never knew what the differences were and its part of my learning curve this month with SFN! Cheers to you!

You know, I hadn’t even realised Steampunk came OUT of Cyberpunk! Learnt something new there! And, I was researching a LOT myself to educate myself on the origins of Steampunk but I must’ve missed the key references that would have connected these dots for me! Thankfully, you stepped in and saved the day!

Wait! Hold the TARDIS! I like “Dieselpunk”!?! Seriously!? Wow. I didn’t see that coming at all! But, right there in your essay it explains that “The Rocketeer” and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” (I *knew!* I missed one on my Top List for Films!) are listed! I seriously adore those films!!!

Wow. OKay, so I’m still processing,… I am a Cyberpunk who fits inside the Steampunk + Dieselpunk genres!? Wow. I can see I have more research to do after SFN! Thanks for pointing me off in two new directions!

You can clearly see that “Doctor Who” had a direct impact on my life at the time, as I actually said “TARDIS” as an expression rather than as a direct reference of the Doctor’s travelling box! Laughs within a smile. One of the resounding benefits for me in being part of SFN is that it allowed me the advantage of not only interacting with other sci-fi enthused readers, but it allowed me to talk about a branch of literature I’m over the moon passionate about! And, within that perimeter, I gained growth in the knowledge of how the genre is both supported, explored, and constantly being revolutionised by new ideas! I am going to be going back through all the lovely blogs of whom were populated with posts during SFN as I make my exodus backwards and through the rest of my own SFN experience!

Leading back to the book at hand, Mr. Anders brought to light several classic key points which interested me dearly:

  • The word “speculative fiction” has plagued me since Autumn 2013, as I was trying to unearth if it were in fact the broad stroke of description attributed to science fiction, fantasy, & horror OR if it were a new definitive space of works within those keystrokes which pushed past the barriers of straight-up foundational beliefs and entered into the cross-section of the unknown, the unfamiliar, and the remarkable. His answer finally closes the theory of mystery for me!
  • My mind was enraptured by science since I was a very young girl, to the brink that following myself into studies for various sciences was the track I was going to bookend to my creative pursuits. Those who know me well, know which of the ‘sciences’ pulls at my heartstrings the most, and as I blog about my reading escapades I am quite certain it will be revealed for others as well. Here, I only wanted to say that due to my background in science (and the continued studies I am pursuing on my own) the branch of hard science fiction is quite appealing as it goes into the exploration of where the limits of known science and theoretical science are heading right here in the living now of time. It was not a surprise to me to see Ringworld mentioned in relation to this branch, as Niven is one of the authors I have earmarked off to read since I first broached science fiction in the first place!
  • The curation of mundane science fiction fascinates me due to the dexterity of how far the writers can take the stories without the ‘theories’ of the inclusion of hard sci-fi elements. There is always going to be a balance between the personal beliefs of a reader & of a writer, as to how far each is willing to extend their imagination and the stories in which they each choose to define as a whole component of the living context of the genre. I’d be keen to seek out writers of this branch and see how their approach is leading the genre forward.
  • Space Opera was an inherent choice of mine to pursue! One of my favourite ‘personal discoveries’ was Babylon 5, as it eliminated the ‘box’ of how science fiction serials were once defined. For me, it leapt out of the convention a bit moreso than its counterpart of Deep Space Nine, which was still set to work inside an established reality and space. I even appreciated the folly of Galaxy Quest as a comic and cheeky side of being a geeky sci-fi appreciator! (I am not one who would normally gather a mirth of joy for folly, farce, or parody!) The ramifications for living interstellarly is too keen of an idea not to indulge in reading! And, there is of course the tv movie from the 1980s I am still trying to unearth the title of,…where they had to choose whether or not to stay on the moon or return back to earth?! The woman was pregnant and the choice would be between where to live and how the choice would affect their family long-term. Not a lot to go on, but it was brilliantly done at the time and I regret my memory cannot remember more!
  • New Space Opera leaves me curious as I am always seeking to read more British literature, and if the Britons have sorted out a new method of curating stories of this nature, I am definitely going to sort out how to find them! Verse Military Science Fiction taking a limited backdoor of plausible interest. I think for me, the film Starship Troopers wrecked the joy! As I watched it when it first premiered, had I know the level of intensity I would experience I would have omitted the desire. Conversely, I have a deep appreciation for military fiction stories, as I have been a long-term supporter of JAG, NCIS, and NCIS: LA, as much as seeing various incarnations of the military fiction in both tv and film. I never fully close a door, as I might wander back through with a book in hand which changes my perspective and illuminates a character which my heart grows empathy to meet. Two examples of military fiction I have been over jupiter’s moon in favour of are: Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy & Sebastian’s Way: The Pathfinder by George Steger.
  • New Wave Science Fiction is one that I have noticed without the realisation of what I was seeing! And, yet am a bit on the fence if I am a reader who can attach herself to the stories of this category! Time will reveal… Cyberpunk I already revealed was a startling discovery of interest!
  • Steampunk Is a sub-genre I’ve had a deep appreciation for which was knitted out of a love of the Victorian Gothic clothing movement, the sub-culture of indie artists on Etsy, and a firm appreciation for Victorian technology merged into story-lines which elicit a new generation of science fiction with the heart of the old age intact yet re-defined for today! I am only in the very beginnings of reading ‘steampunk’ as my next foray will be The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart! (blogged about my discovery of the book) (posts on Steampunk)
  • Epic &/or High Fantasy Is singularly my absolute favourite to read due to the breadth and depth of the stories which bind together living worlds of imagined joy! I love wandering around a well-fused story, anchored by characters whose lives are visibly flawed but contain within the mirth of their scope an adventure, a journey, or a mission which takes you to the heights of their world and yours. I get all giddy about discovering new authors to seek out, because I know the story I’m about to merge my heart into is going to be one I’ll not quite forget! The author who proved her salt and my adoration for this branch was Kate Elliott’s Crown of Stars saga which I began reading at the age of seventeen!
  • Sword & Sorcery as well as Urban Fantasy Are two branches I am always a bit hesitative to indulge in as I am not a grisly, gruesome, or intensely horror-filled sort of reader. Having said that, I have read Urban Fantasy books which might have resonated an issue with my personal preferences but the heart of the stories staid with me much longer than a twitching of an issue over a book turnoff contained within their covers! I always keep an open-mind whilst I read due to the fact you never know which book your going to read that might push you outside your known envelope of acceptance into a story that gives you back something you were not expecting to receive.
  • Dark Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Are two more areas in which I find myself at odds to begin reading; only because I haven’t yet found my proper footing to explore the writers who pen their tales! There are aspects of the paranormal which intrigue me to read (clearly, as I read the Ghost Harrison series by Heather Graham!), but its in finding which author who pens which story of whose characters resonate with me in printed form as much as say “Ghost Whisperer” does in its motion medium.
  • Sci-Fantasy To me sounds like a merger of two of my favourite literary excursions in which I cannot wait to journey inside! To empathises and mix the two genres into a lively genre-bender exploration of story and thought is beyond genius! One of my favourite genre-benders for science fiction (Sci-Mystery?) is The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, another story I read at seventeen!

Ander’s way of capturing the tick-tocking dance of enticing offshoots of the genre, electrify the eagerness to drink in more of the stories which give us the most joy to read! His enthused approach to make the complexities of genre explainable to the causal reader as well as the experienced is a credit to his skill in understanding the foundations of science fiction. IF lack of space hadn’t been an issue, (as I presume all essays within the Workshop were under a limited word count), I would have rejoiced in reading more on the subject! Eek. Exciting stuff! And, for a girl transitioning back into the genre, it’s quite literally ‘a road map and treasure trove of where to wander off next!’

*As you may or may not be aware of, I am resuming where I left off with my Sci-Fi November postings, to where I want to complete what I originally set out to accomplish! I have numerous notes on the Doctor Who episodes I watched, as much as I want to complete the viewings I scheduled as it was such a fantastic introduction to the tv serial! My gratitude to Rinn for conceiving the idea & for running with it is a deep as the galaxy itself! I do hope it becomes an ‘annual’ event as it was quite literally the light and joy of my November!

[Jake Lake: Endings]

As it so happens the day I was first preparing this review to go live on my blog, I ended up readily engaged in quite a lively conversation through #LitChat which is a bi-weekly (Monday & Wednesday, 4-5 EST) literature conversation for the bookishly inclined! I stumbled across their feeds late in 2013, only to realise that it feels like I have found a nexus of readers who are as geeky and bookish as I am! The topics change weekly, as do the guests they feature on Wednesdays! As you can see, the topic on Monday was “Cliffhanger Endings” which I felt was appropriate to include here being that I was reading an essay on this very topical issue! How to properly end a story!

The following tweets were inserted using WP’s automated Tweet App: (as such I was trying to only include my words but the top tweet appears as well! They also appear in ‘reverse order’ because I like to be quirky!)

As you can clearly denote, I have a keen interest in why certain books are set to swirl my head with bone crushing emotion and anguish, only to have no resolution of the core of the climax! These are the stories which nestle into my heart, the characters of whom I have followed through strife and joy, only to emerge out of their adverse circumstances with an unresolved distaste in my mouth! I whole-heartedly understand when stories cannot end well in later chapters if it’s the beginning of a serial, but what about the stand-alone books which oft-times are written by début authors!? What then, pray tell? Do you chance the hope that a sequel will be penned and released within a twelvemonth or do you anguish over the grief of not having a proper Epilogue to guide your heart back through to reality outside of the realm of the book!?

Endings if you ask me, are dicey, and these were my ruminations BEFORE I entered into Lake’s essay! Whoa!

I am quite comfortable if the elucidation of the story’s resolve remains vague if enough of the climaxical angst feels as though nothing more can be said or done to alleviate the character’s anguish. There are as much unresolved endings in fiction as Lake credits to real life; and I completely concur! Except to say, there is a measure of a breadth of leeway for science fiction & fantasy to a certain extent. However, my comments in the LitChat feed was a broad stroke recollection of inter-genre discussion. As such, I never specifically said which genre or branch of literature I was respectively discussing nor which particular author. I’d rather debate the merits of a tool of the craft, in this case, ‘the cliffhanger ending’ rather than to specifically denounce a preference of a writer. Because in the end, the issue with the ending is mine. I’m the reader who picked up the story in the forethought of expectation of an ending I could live with once the book was set down on my shelf. IF my presumption worked against my heart in the end, it is only half on the fault of the writing. It’s difficult to brace ourselves for unresolved endings when in life we are constantly dealing with the peculiar nature of the unknown! Sometimes it is nice to have a purported dimension where more or less resolution is commonplace rather than elusive!

According to Lake’s assessment my key issue is with accepting a story which is writ in normative and non-normative format! I knew there had to be a reasoning behind my discontempt! Yet. There are moments in certain stories I would suspect or even hope that the ending wouldn’t be resolved if the issues contained within the heart of the journey are ones beyond the scope of the book. A story can only yield so much insight into the world in which it thrives in the space in which it inhabits. I think my classic mistake is expecting too much out of certain stories in which present a journey with an open-ended definition of ‘the end’.

I was smiling when I read the bottom paragraphs of page 51! At the footfall of page 52 arching into page 53, Lake touches on the exact sentiment I was attempting to explain myself! If a story is generated to be a complex tome of narrative, the reader not only presumes but requires the ending to resonate with a deft complexity as the rest of the text! Thank you, Mr. Lake! His final sentence of page 55 is precisely what I was hinting at! Precisely!

Ah, ha! My malaise can lift! I suffer from broken endings under the influence of the parachute technique!

[G. Cameron Fuller: How Alien the Alien: A Primer]

The opening sequence of this essay illuminates one of my favourite [fantasy] films of the past decade: Avatar! I quite literally wanted to soak into the world in which the Na’vi lived! To soar into the skies as a warrior would have made my heart thrive on the electric pulse of purpose! Except to say, I believe my gender is against me in this one regard, but oh, I suppose there is a bit of a feminist in all of us who strive towards equality for all genders to pursue what they individually wish to achieve! Including in fictional worlds we drink in with a mirth of a nod in awe!

What fascinated me is that the conjecture of the tone in this section is that the Na’vi were not altogether alien in the traditional sense but rather a humanoid species living on a different planet from our own! Strangely or not, this mirrors my exact thought processes whilst I was in the darkened theater watching it on the silver screen! The aliens for me were the para-military minded soldiers whose taste for blood winked out the last bit of my inner resolve for warfare! No one wins in war, but warmongers are not my favourite characters to meet in fiction nor in motion pictures. The level of the emotionally gutting plane is enough to eclipse a moon!

I could even reflect that whilst I was becoming a Whovian during the 50th Anniversary month of Doctor Who, there were more than one occasion where I felt the ‘alien’ species being highlighted were less alien than the contemporary humans! Did anyone else think the nurses whose faces were cats was not all that unrealistic? Or, what about the fact that the Doctor himself is quite alien but prefers to be human?! Data ring any bells!? (as in: Brent Spiner’s character!)

He delves further into a study of some of my most memorable ‘alien’ characters: from Star Trek, Star Wars & Battlestar Galactica (all originals for me!); to the HAL computer of Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the evolution of fear of technologic advances as explored in the works of Michael Crichton which I read from thirteen to seventeen! I devoured Crichton because I appreciated the balance of science fact and science fiction. Who else jumps into a dedicated passion for quantum mechanics and quantum physics due to the immersive jauntings of chaos theory encapsulated by the character of Malcolm in Jurassic Park? Which previously had been encouraged by Macgyver!

To put it more plainly, my personal preference of an alien race is one whose blendability is as translucently unseen as the subtle CGI special effects of films where unless you were given an outline could not deduce which sequence was digitally enhanced and which was shot in live-action!! Too much CGI makes a film portioned out of position which goes to say, that an alien who acts wantonly alien is going to have a more difficult chance of drawing empathy out of a reader!

[Nancy Kress: “The Green-Skinned Zorn Laughed with Grief” Character and Emotion in Science Fiction & Fantasy]

Compassion for characters through being a receptacle of their emotional cues whilst reading their stories unfold on the printed page is one of the main reasons I read fiction! I want the visceral experience to be all-encompassing without limiting myself of how far I am willing to take my emotional keel! I want to ache and anguish alongside the character who is woefully going through strife and adverse circumstances before embarking on a path towards redemption or enlightenment. I want to emotionally be convinced that my time spent with the character is one where I can feel as moved as though I had lived their life by the time the story concludes.

I do have my limits, naturally, we all do, but what I am referring to here is to be ensconced into a story within my limits and living every inch of the character’s life therein.

The following tweets were inserted using WP’s automated Tweet App: (as such I was trying to only include my words but the top tweet appears as well! They also appear in ‘reverse order’ because I like to be quirky!)

I couldn’t find the exact tweets I was seeking, which made me realise that perhaps the conversation was half contained in LitChat and half contained elsewhere! My memory is not drawing forward the exact ‘moment’ the topic was examined but the tweets I did discover to include bank around to the topic of why empathy for written characters is crucial to the reader’s experience of the story! If we cannot attach ourselves to the lead or supporting cast of characters on an emotional level, be that intensive or fanciful, we are not going to feel as though we read a transformative piece of story. We transform ourselves through the characters we read, as our minds process the experiences of their lives as experiences that become a part of our own threads of living. We process and analyse everything we drink in, which is one reason we all have to be cautious of what our internal limits are for subject, topic, and genre explorations! Its one thing to read to expand our horizons, it’s quite another to focus on literature which has a negative effect on our overall well-being. Which for me includes how far I am willing to absolve myself in gutting emotions if the off-set of the anguish is not released by a resolved ending!*

*The Time Traveller’s Wife (motion picture); Remember Sunday (tv movie); Follow the Stars Home (tv movie); The Notebook (motion picture); Backdraft (motion picture); Saving Private Ryan (motion picture); Life is Beautiful (motion picture); Alice I Have Been (book); The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (book);  are key examples of stories I watched or read but should have exited without seeing the conclusions. The emotionally gutting angst and anguish which followed each of them was wrecked physically by the nightmaric flashbacks and migraine! Sometimes writing can feel so hauntingly real to me, that I have to watch that I do not traverse through a section of narrative that will render me worse than when I first became engaged! Woe to all sensitive hearts like me!

Whereas despite the heavy emotional keel I experienced whilst watching Road to Perdition it was the sociological perspective of understanding the character Tom Hanks portrayed that leveled out the angst of watching his life unfold. I gladly rallied through Girl in a Blue Dress (book), The House Girl (book), and even The Spirit Keeper (book) to emerge out of where I had started. I cherish the stories which push the envelope only ‘nay far’ to where I can enter and exit without side effects of my visit.

Her conclusion is my reason for reading itself: to walk away feeling physically moved and changed by the story I’ve read to the brink where the characters, setting, and place are able to stay with me for many years yet to come! I crave seeking out the stories which leave pieces of their imprint on my heart!

[Elizabeth Bear: Tactics of WorldBuilding]

Her essay was keenly lit in my eyes as I had already blogged about my Top Ten Book Turn-Offs late in 2013. Wherein I would disclose that one of the hardest issues I have in reading is when I am ‘taking out of place’ within the confines of the story. I completely concur with her lamentations about the purity of research and the extensive amount of said research it takes to create the true atmosphere of a world built on a sturdy foundation. I personally thrive on research because I happen to have a curious mind of which is rarely quenched! I adore snaking through corridors of the past to spotlight a key notation that could lead to a recognition in a story I am creating. I love wandering and absorbing everything that whets my general interest in the subject at hand as well as the focus in which I am pursuing for a specific reason. I try not to limit my research in scope but rather in a methodology that allows me the genesis of spontaneity of creating dialogue and narrative at the brink of discovery!

There are two key elements for me when it comes to world building in narratives, which may or may not be as prominently important for others. Is the author a wordsmith? And, did the author conduct the research to stitch in clues of the ‘place’, ‘time’, and ‘setting’ in which the story is erected!? These are key for me, because I am not one who always appreciates the redundancy of words in fiction. There are certain genres which sometimes flutter an ire inside me, because they relay on the usage of ‘trigger’ words which repeat, reflect, and insinuate themselves to have their own harmonious hum in the story. I still read those stories if the character and context interest me, but my ire is aflame a bit to wonder, why not pick up a thesaurus? I should have mentioned this in my Book Turn Offs, but I didn’t originally believe I had enough to fill the list! The research falterations can become readily apparent to me in most instances and less so in others. It depends if I am reading for mere pleasure or if I want a heartier read where I quite literally want to feel, touch, and sense the world in which I am reading. The difference is subtle but the elements can reflect whether or not its a causal author you read OR if it’s an author you want to pursue long-term.

Her exposition on writers using other writers to give them the foundation of their stories is something I picked up on myself whilst reading certain genres which are saturated. You can start to notice the telling truth of writers who write stories solely based on the books they read themselves. Mostly because their own creations are limited to the world in which they read by another writer’s vision. Her intuition of a readers who send up ‘red flags’ whilst reading is reflective of my own reading life! If I reach more than three flags, I am considering why I am bothering at all! If it feels like a tornado siren is going off in my head, I simply discontinue right where I am!

Being a think writer myself, I understood where she is pointing her guiding hand; she wants writers to become aware of their worlds to where you could quite literally walk blind through them knowing every inch of its space. You have to be conscience of the dynamics your world is creating for you to build the story. If your confidence grows out of the knowledge of your world, your readers will automatically endear themselves to the novel long before the middle is reached! Whilst reading her essay I found a like-minded soul who reads with the same apprehensive excitement as I do! Apprehensive here refers to whether or not she or I will find what we are hoping to read inside the cover!


I am not one to generally gravitate towards a manual of ‘writing tips OR how to’ yield the most out of our craft [writing]. Except to say, I can honestly credit Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy alongside Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg as being my favourite discoveries thus far! The key elements of the craft are interlayed into both books, and I daresay, no matter what you elect to create, these are the two books of ‘writer’s craft’ guides you need in your personal library!

I have unearthed three distinctly different Twitter Chat interfaces this week, which I happily suggest you find time one week to engage in directly!

#SciFiChat = Fridays 2-4p
#SteampunkChat = Fridays 9p
#sffwrtcht = SciFi Writers Chat Weds. 9p*

*(runs concurrent with The Star Chamber Show, unfortunately! In which you may not see me until its concluded!)

Do you know of any other chat feeds and the days in which they chatter about a literary topic? Kindly share your experiences in the comment threads!

This Seventh Star Press focus week was brought together with the help of Tomorrow Comes Media, of which I am a blog tour hostess and book reviewer. To keep up to speed with which authors and books I will be featuring on Jorie Loves A Story in the near future via Tomorrow Comes Media, please check out my Bookish Events!

This marks my fourth post in contribution of:

2014 SciFi Experience
(“Strength and Honor” by Stephan Martiniere, used with the artist’s permission)

You can follow along on the official Sci-Fi Experience site!

Cross-listed on: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fridays via On Starships & Dragonwings

I open up the discussion to continue through you, dear hearts! Which of the sections I have highlighted through my own musings attached themselves to your own curious heart? Which inclinations of writing resonate to you the most? Which of the three branches of speculative fiction do you write? Which do you draw a breath of curious excitement to read? Are any of the writers contained in the anthology ones you read regularly? I’d love to hear your thoughts and takeaways from your visit! And, as this is a focus week on an Indie Press, which Indie Press do you gravitate towards for science fiction, fantasy, and horror? OR have you hesitated to read an Indie Press title or author? Which specific sub-genre do you gravitate towards the most?

{SOURCES: The 2014 Sci-Fi Experience was granted permission to use the artwork by Stephen Martiniere in their official badge for all participants to show their solidarity during the event! Michael Knost photograph & biography, cover art for Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy were provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Blog News badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Tweets pulled from Twitter were able to be embedded by the codes provided through WP’s Tweet App in the Media section. Likewise, tweets can also be directly added by individual tweets on Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

Writers Workshop of Horror: Interview with Editor Michael Knost  – (tor.com)

The Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy Kickstarter Project – (kickstarter.com)

A Basic Science Fiction Library – (sfcenter.ku.edu)

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • The Sci-Fi Experience
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Posted Wednesday, 5 February, 2014 by jorielov in Anthology Collection of Stories, Babylon 5, Book Review (non-blog tour), Bookish Discussions, Doctor Who, Fantasy Fiction, Galaxy Quest, Indie Art, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Literary Workshoppes, Non-Fiction, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fridays, Science Fiction, Seventh Star Press, Seventh Star Press Week, Speculative Fiction, Star Trek (Deep Space Nine), The Rocketeer, The Sci-Fi Experience, The Writers Life, Tomorrow Comes Media, TV Serials & Motion Pictures, Writing Advice & Tips, Writing Style & Voice

+Reading Challenge+ Sci-Fi Experience 2014

Posted Saturday, 4 January, 2014 by jorielov , , , , , , , 0 Comments

2014 SciFi Experience
(“Strength and Honor” by Stephan Martiniere, used with the artist’s permission)
Finding a renewed joy in reading science fiction stories during SFN, and having my hours to enjoy the stories grow a bit limited as November shifted into December, I was most delighted to find: the Sci-Fi Experience! (Review Site of the Experience!) As 2014 continues to move forward, science fiction & fantasy will both play a larger role on my blog as I am a member of The Classics Club, whereupon one of my focuses is specifically on: classic science fiction, classic fantasy, and classic/modern Magical Realism. (I tend to include the latter under this umbrella due to the elements which attach the sub-genre to the creativity of the former!)

When I first stumbled across this particular reading challenge, I was elated on the one level I wasn’t able to complete all of my SFN posts as scheduled originally! I wanted to take December & January during the Experience to stitch everything back together, and complete the journey I had taken during Rinn Reads most excellent month of sci-fi loveliness! This is prior to realising that my December 2013 would be blissfully full of holiday events, concerts, and the mirth of joy which surrounds the Christmas Season! My local community opened up their doors to such a beautiful celebration of joy this year, I was overtook by the festivities to where I lost hours to enjoy all the lovely reading adventures I had scheduled to partake in at the very same time! Therefore, January is my month of redemption, to where I can go back through my SFN Posts, tweak them, post them, and be confident in knowing that even if your original plans get a bit delayed from their original intentions, its okay to complete our goals at a later date which works better for us! Not only as book bloggers, but as readers! Our reading lives should never be stressful nor taxing, and in this way, I am always thankful the bookish community online is such a warm, engaging and adaptable group of people!

I wanted to select a few titles to read during the Experience, specific to this Challenge, which is why whilst engaged in a lovely conversation with an author (Kate Elliott) I have been keen to read since I was seventeen (i.e. when I was first introduced to “King’s Dragon”, part of the “Crown of Stars” series), via our serendipitously lovely Twitter chats, I was encouraged to seek out the following authors & their stories:

  • Gate of Ivrel (Book One: Morgaine series) by CJ Cherryh {ILL REQ}
  • Jaran (Book One: Jaran series) by Kate Elliott {intrigued to read for eons!} {ILL REQ} UPDATE: The book came in by ILL late January
  • Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey {keep reading about it; the suspense of what’s inside is over!} {ILL REQ} UPDATE: The book came in by ILL late January
  • The Boy With the Cuckoo-Heart by Mathias Malzieu {I found this via Roof Beam Reader originally, grabbed it off a library display (featuring clocks & clockpunk titles) w/o realising my library had it in their catalogue!}
  • *NOTE: ILL REQ = inter-library loan request

You see, I took option #2 because originally she had made this suggestion:

For the curiously inclined, the entire conversation can be viewed!

At the very same time, if you are curious to know which

Sci-Fi November | Hosted by Rinn Readsposts I will be working throughout January, they are as follows:

A Sherlockian-Steampunker Janeite: Tells All

TBA (Sci-Fi Blogs) & TBA (Sci-Fi Authors I Have Read)

TBA (Sci-Fi Yet to Read)

New2Me: SciFi Serials & SciFi Zines

Sci-Film Films [film reviews]

Doctor Who Reviews & Conversations

SFN TBR Jar

& as many book reviews focused on
Steampunk, Dystopian, & Time Travel
as time will allow!

With a bit of an added twist and bonus, I am going to be

featuring Seventh Star Press titles and authors the week of the 26th!

Consider it Seventh Star Press Week here on Jorie Loves A Story!

Crown of Vengeance (Fires in Eden {World of: Ave}, Book 1) by Stephen Zimmer,

The Writers Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy (Anthology), [27 January]

and The Brotherhood of Dwarves (Book 1) by D.A. Adams!

Author Guest Post: On writing Dwarves by D.A. Adams [26 January]

{SOURCES: The 2014 Sci-Fi Experience was granted permission to use the artwork by Stephen Martiniere in their official badge for all participants to show their solidarity during the event! Sci-Fi November Badge and Event Badge were provided by Rinn Reads for participants to advert the month-long event and to encourage people to follow along with those of us who are contributing! Tweets between Kate Elliott and Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story were made possible by embed codes via Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Saturday, 4 January, 2014 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Doctor Who, Dystopian, Fantasy Fiction, High Fantasy, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Steampunk, TARDIS, The Sci-Fi Experience, Time Travel, TV Serials & Motion Pictures