Mercurial Times

Prehistoric Clock - Exclusive Excerpt

2012-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Exactly two weeks to go until Prehistoric Clock, the first book in The Steam Clock Legacy series, is launched at Carina Press. The good folks there have put an exclusive excerpt up on Facebook--the first FIVE chapters for free download! Airships, diving bells, grand adventure, phenomenal steampunk science gone awry; check out all this and much more HERE.

Feb 6 is the official release date. Prehistoric Clock will also be available as an audiobook.

Movie Review: The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn

2011-10-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

What begins as a fun, nimble little mystery in thefirst act soon kicks into comedy-action-adventure high gear when juniorreporter Tintin, with his brave dog Snowy, stumbles upon boozy Captain Haddock(an excellent Andy Serkis), whose family legacy may prove pivotal in a race touncover the secret of the Unicorn.

From that point on, it’s more or less non-stopcomedy—some fizzles, most of it works—with gags ranging from jaw-droppingblockbuster chase antics to throwaway background humour. Captain Haddock worksbrilliantly for the most part: he’s unpredictable, endearing, and colourful inall the ways Tintin himself isn’t. While the youngster is well played by JamieBell, he’s mostly just there to work out the clues for the audience. Tintin andHaddock make for a good double-act, though: brains and brawn, cunning and in-over-his-headrashness; together they’d make a good Indiana Jones.

The plot is a by the numbersmystery/adventure/treasure hunt, complete with bumbling detectives (so-so comicsupport from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost), exciting sea plane action and hiddenclues, but it’s brought to life in gorgeous visual style. While the script onlycomes alive in fits and starts, the whole film is bursting with rich detail,and is given added depth by good, solid use of 3D. The virtual cameraworkthroughout is stupendous.

One extended chase sequence through the floodingstreets of a North African city is so dazzling and dizzying it reminded me whyno other filmmaker can match Spielberg when he lets his imagination out for aspin. Another action scene, told in flashback, depicts a breathless pirateshowdown in a storm, and features some of the most playful transitions I’veseen since Ang Lee’s Hulk. There’s a pretty good villain, too, played by a wilyDaniel Craig.

Snowy, while definitely smarter than your averagecute canine, is also given to chasing cats, digging up fossilised bones fromthe desert, and gobbling sandwiches at decidedly inopportune moments. In otherwords, he’s an instant audience favourite.

All in all, it’s a rollicking good adventure, one ofSpielberg’s most fun movies in a long time, and I’ll be buying it on Blu-raynext year.

Rating: 4.5/5

Prizes galore! Uncial Press 5th Anniversary Celebration

2011-10-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick reminder of the birthday celebration currently underway at one of my excellent publishers, Uncial Press. Prizes handed out every day throughout October, including a KOBO and a Kindle! And my own Basingstoke Chronicles is the giveaway book on the actually birthday, Oct 13th. Head on over there right away...

ANNOUNCEMENT:

We are Five Years Old! Five years ago this month--on 13 October 2006--we released our first titles. Since then we've released more than a hundred extraordinary ebooks, written by some of the most talented authors in the industry. So we are celebrating. And inviting you to celebrate with us. We'll be giving away an eBook A Day all through October. On 13 October, our anniversary, we'll give away a KOBO loaded with five of our ebooks. Come 26 October, we'll give away a Kindle, with eight more ebooks.

All the details are on our Birthday Party page: http://www.uncialpress.com/birthday-party.html , including what you have to do to enter either the eBook-A-Day scavenger hunt or the KOBO and Kindle drawings.

Jude & Star
Uncial Press
www.uncialpress.com

'Writing a SF Novel' Contest Winners!

2011-09-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here are the five winners in my ‘Writing a SF Novel’ contests.A huge thank you to everyone who entered. I hope you enjoyed reading aboutSparks in Cosmic Dust. It’s available to buy now in either ebookor audiobookformat.

Without further ado, congratulations go to:

Part One: Nels Wadycki
Part Two: Ilona Fenton
Part Three: Cathy Pegau
Part Four: Jessa Slade

Part Five: Natalie Damschroder

I’ve already contacted the first three. Jessa and Natalie,please email me at sevenmercury7@aol.com and I’ll send you your prizes right away.

Best,

Robert

Writing a SF Novel: Part 3

2011-09-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

My Sparks in Cosmic Dust celebration continues. I'm at bestselling SF author Shawn Kupfer's (47 Echo) blog today, with WRITING A SF NOVEL: PART 3. Join me for some insights on science fiction worldbuilding, and a chance to win a free ebook!

Best,
Robert

Writing a SF Novel: Part 2

2011-09-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the upcoming release of my SF novel, Sparks in Cosmic Dust (September 26, 2011, Carina Press), I’ll be posting a five-part look at the book’s development, from initial concept to book launch. I'll also be giving away one SF title from my back catalogue with each segment, ending with a special Sparks giveaway. The winners will be all announced on release day on my own blog: http://robertbappleton.blogspot.com

Here’s where you can find the other installments:

Part 1: Concept (Aug 31)—Contact: Infinite Futures Blog
Part 3: Worldbuilding (Sep 23)—Shawn Kupfer’s Blog
Part 4: The Writing Process (Sep 26)—Cathy Pegau’s Blog
Part 5: Publication (Sep 28)—Carina Press Blog

PART 2: CHARACTER

Survivor: The Deep Space Heroine

Heroines in space opera science fiction have generally conformed to one of two types: decorative damsel or Amazonian warrior, the former in constant need of rescue, the latter all but indestructible yet waiting (though she might not realise it) to be conquered by the hero. Both are iconic male fantasies that cross most fiction genres, and neither really interest me. The plausible science fiction heroine, to me, exists somewhere in between.

I also think the trajectory of feminism into futuristic space opera is overstated, on the whole. In the vastness of deep space, without society’s laws to support or even encourage equality, I find it unlikely that any more than a few women would achieve a position of sustainable power over men. Sure, advanced weaponry would help level the playing field, and she might get to perform all the same jobs as her male colleagues—think Kaylee in Firefly—but unless she’s in some sort of existing hierarchy that demanded obedience (eg military), I think a woman would have to be exceptional to convince her male counterparts to serve under her. That’s why lady pirates have been rare throughout history. Outside the law, it’s survival of the fittest.

But that’s not to say women in deep space wouldn’t be strong characters. On the contrary, they’d have to be formidable survivors. Especially in spaceships or colonies without atmospheres, death would be a constant factor. Anyone living under such conditions would be cautious and pragmatic to a fault. A hardness of character, an instinct for the preciousness of human company, would govern the deep space dweller. And cunning, rather than obvious ambition, might best serve those who don’t immediately command obedience.

Varinia Wilcox—glamour girl with a haunted past

The celebrated strip poker queen of Kappa Max, an asteroid colony beyond the official outposts, might sound like a throwback to the worst sort of damsels in distress from old SF. But Varinia is probably the most cunning survivor on Kappa. She’s managed to remain undefeated—read celibate—throughout her contract, over a year, and it’s made her extremely rich. No one knows about her “coining” (astral projection) ability, but it enables her to cheat whenever she likes. It also ruined her previous career as a model in the inner colonies, through an incident that exiled her to deep space and forced her change her identity. Her new reputation as the unattainable goddess of the outer colonies draws punters from far and wide.

But she can never leave until she’s lost (had sex with a client) five times, as per her contract. So she’s trapped: either keep winning and getting rich OR let five complete strangers have their way with her. Time is running out. She can’t feasibly keep winning forever. She needs a way out.

Teaming with handsome-but-wounded roughneck Solomon Bodine, she hatches a plan to escape Kappa Max for good. But where can she go, and how can she get there? What she needs is to lie low for a while, to have a fresh start.

A chance meeting with cynical ex-doctor Grace Peters offers hope—a prospecting gig on a faraway alien moon, Zopyrus. But to pull it off, Varinia will have to adapt to an entirely new way of living. Hard manual graft, meagre rations, long hours swinging a pick axe: how can a model turned bordello glam girl possibly cope with that for ten months?

One of my favourite parts of writing Sparks in Cosmic Dust was the chance to reveal the characters’ pasts gradually, using their strengths and weaknesses in a given situation as windows to who they were before Zopyrus, and how they might be changing. They all have secrets, some more crucial than others, and the fate of the expedition is never certain.

Varinia’s desire to return to her happy, contented former life is symbolized by her decision to purchase a damaged mare to take along on the expedition. The animal has been ill-used as a beast of burden, but like her, it has survived against all odds. But can it ever be truly happy again, so far outside its milieu?Here’s another concept sketch I did:

Varinia Wilcox might be the most interesting of my SF heroines because she isn’t a natural leader. She doesn’t know engineering or how to pilot a ship or how to kill anyone. Everyone takes her for granted because of her looks. And no one would ever have imagined her digging for precious elements in a dark mine alongside a roughneck, a fugitive, a wily old doctor and a border criminal.

But she has the most important quality in an alien environment: the ability to adapt. And those who adapt...survive.

With this second installment, I’m giving away an ebook copy of my SF novelette Godiva in the Firing Line (Damnation Books, 2009). To enter, simply send an email to sevenmercury7@aol.com with SPARKS GIVEAWAY TWO in the subject line. Don’t forget to give your name.

Good Luck!

Sparks in Cosmic Dust is available to pre-order now at Carina Press and on Amazon Kindle.

Best,

Robert

Creating a SF Novel: Part 1

2011-08-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the upcoming release of my new SF novel, Sparks in Cosmic Dust (September 26, 2011, Carina Press), I’ll be posting a five-part look at the book’s development, from initial concept to book launch. I’ll also be giving away one SF title from my back catalogue with each segment, ending with a special Sparks giveaway. The winners will be all announced on release day here on my blog.

PART 1: CONCEPT is now up on the Contact: Infinite Futures blog.

And don't forget to check here over the coming weeks for details of where to find the other installments.

Best,
Robert

Book Review: Rulebreaker by Cathy Pegau

2011-08-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Rulebreaker by Cathy Pegau

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description:

Liv Braxton's Felon Rule #1: Don't get emotionally involved.

Smash-and-grab thieving doesn't lend itself to getting chummy with the victims, and Liv hasn't met anyone on the mining colony of Nevarro worth knowing, anyway. So it's easy to follow her Rules.

Until her ex, Tonio, shows up with an invitation to join him on the job of a lifetime.

Until Zia Talbot, the woman she's supposed to deceive, turns Liv's expectations upside down in a way no woman ever has.

Until corporate secrets turn deadly.

But to make things work with Zia, Liv has to do more than break her Rules, and the stakes are higher than just a broken heart...

89,000 words

I thoroughly enjoyed this SFR espionage novel. The worldbuilding is very good, the main characters are vivid and vivacious. The build-up was a *little* slow for me--mainly because I didn't much care for the mother--but once Liv (our gutsy heroine and narrator) starts her new undercover job as PA to corporate hotshot Zia, the tension, both dramatic and sexual, really begins to crackle. It never lets up.

This is the sort of story that doesn't really need a villain as such. They are there, but the real enemy here is circumstance. At its heart, Rulebreaker is a tender and poignant love story between two people who absolutely can't end up together, but absolutely MUST. Recommended to all SFR readers, and for those curious about the genre but have yet to give it a whirl. You'll find Ms. Pegau's future world easy to relate to.

BUY LINK (Carina Press)

BUY LINK (Amazon Kindle)

SF Novel Excerpt - Sparks in Cosmic Dust

2011-08-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

My science fiction novel SPARKS IN COSMIC DUST has an official release date of September 26, 2011 at Carina Press. Head on over to my website to read the first two chapters.

http://bit.ly/pDmAVP

Meanwhile, here's the blurb:

The final frontier is shrinking. Interstellar Planetary Administration sanctions are forcing the border colonies of deep space into extinction. Kappa Max is one of the last major cutthroat outposts, home to the lawless and the lonely…

Varinia Wilcox, the star attraction of a lucrative bordello gambling house.
Solomon Bodine, spurned by his lover and looking for distraction.
Clayton Barry, AWOL and a few drinks away from having to live in the gutter.
Lyssa Foaloak, a double-crossing criminal who'll kill anyone for a few credits.

Four strangers, each with secrets that could cost them their freedom, are desperate to get off-planet. They meet Grace Peters, a cynical ex-doctor with an intriguing offer: a six-month trip to a faraway moon where she claims a stunning fortune awaits.

But this adventure is no easy escape. Danger, passion, secrets and madness await. Can they survive the mission, and each other, to make it out alive?

87,000 words

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books Adapted Into Movies

2011-08-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

While reading Ray Bradbury's brilliant short story 'A Sound of Thunder' the other day, I couldn't help thinking what an awesome movie it would make. A time travel safari company, dinosaurs, adventure, a mind-bending finale; it's classic SF stuff. But when Hollywood tried to adapt it, the best they could do was a cheap-looking (despite being big-budget) and poorly executed FX actioner that didn't really expand upon Bradbury's ideas in any compelling way. It starred Edward Burns, Catherine McCormack, and Ben Kingsley--three really good actors--but wasted them all. Even reliable genre director Peter Hyams stumbled badly.

So let's see the RIGHT ways to adapt sci-fi/ fantasy books

Book(s): Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien)
Movie(s): Lord of the Rings (dir. Peter Jackson, 2001-3))

Jackson injected moments of real poetry into his epic adaptation of Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece. The movies are an unusual but winning mix of scope, intimacy, schlock and art. While not as magical as the books, they're near-perfect in terms of storytelling and technical virtuosity. And full of genuine emotion.

Book: Journey to the Center of the Earth (Jules Verne)
Movie: Journey to the Center of the Earth (dir. Henry Levin, 1959)

Changing the German protagonists into Scots does nothing to diminish this charming adaptation of Verne's classic subterranean adventure. It's fun, exciting, and James Mason is the ultimate Verne scientist, going head-to-head with dinosaurs, the unknown, and an opinionated female companion (surprisingly the best departure from Verne's novel, played by the formidable Arlene Dahl). Even Pat Boone is well-cast, and gets to croon a few folk songs along the way.

Book: Contact (Carl Sagan)
Movie: Contact (dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1997)

Sagan's visionary but cluttered novel was condensed and sharpened in every way by an excellent screenplay that keeps the focus solely on its heroine, Ellie Arroway. Zemeckis brings his usual visual panache to the tale of mankind's first message received from outer space, and the lonely, driven stargazer who uncovers it. Jodie Foster gives the performance of a lifetime.

Book: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne)
Movie: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (dir. Richard Fleischer, 1954)

James Mason, in his other, much darker Verne role, plays the brilliant-but-twisted Captain Nemo, master of the undersea realm, bent on vengeance against mankind's war-mongers. He's the polar opposite of Kirk Douglas's fun-loving rogue, Ned Land. The contrast of the two forms the heart of this marvellous Disney adaptation. Genius production design brings us the definitive Nautilus, impeccable interiors, and the famous giant squid battle. In my mind, the film's better than the book.

Book: The Mysterious Island (Jules Verne)
Movie: Mysterious Island (dir. Cy Endfield, 1961)

Harryhausen's giant creatures steal the show in this exciting adaptation of Verne's survival story. The original novel isn't fantasy, it's more like Robinson Crusoe with a bigger cast of characters, and the iconic balloon escape is pretty much the only action sequence that remains intact. Still, a strong, rugged hero, good monsters, and Bernard Herrmann's inspired score more than make the grade for a classic family adventure.

Book: She (H Rider Haggard)
Movie: She (dir. L. Holden, I. Pichel, 1935)

Hammer made a pretty good version in 1965, starring Ursula Andress, but it lacked the ambition of this Golden Age feast produced by King Kong's Merian C. Cooper. Sure, the performances are a little stilted, the pace leisurely, and the Arctic setting is nowhere near Haggard's original. But there's a genuine otherworldliness to the huge sets, the costumes, and overal scale of the production. Helen Gahagan isn't a beauty like Ursula Andress (or even Helen Mack, who steals the hero's heart early on), but she's a commanding presence. A good effort overall, if not a patch on the book.

Book: The Time Machine (HG Wells)
Movie: The Time Machine (dir. George Pal, 1960)

Charming version of Wells's classic time travel tale. It looks good, feels right--Rod Taylor is a fantastic Victorian hero--and there's just enough food for thought amid the family-oriented goings-on in the eight-thousandth century. Better than the 2002 remake, though the first twenty minutes of that one are brilliantly done.

Book: Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein)
Movie: Starship Troopers (dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1997)

Verhoeven gets rid of the power suits and other infantry tech, and gives them machine guns instead. This immediately makes them vulnerable, and when the first combat mission starts, they're chopped up big time. It's a huge SF war film with amazing aliens and a tongue-in-cheek fascist overtone. Nowhere near as intelligent as Heinlein's novel, it's still a genre extravaganza I'm glad they made. Endlessly rewatchable.

Book: Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe)
Movie: Robinson Crusoe on Mars (dir. Byron Haskin, 1964)

One of the more interesting adaptations on the list, this is a fairly obscure SF film that tends to make a big impression on viewers who don't know what to expect. It's a smart, well-thought-out survival tale of an astronaut stranded on Mars with his pet monkey. Watch how the filmmakers turn staples of the novel--pirates, Man Friday, procuring food and drink, using items from his crashed ship--into imaginative science fiction. Good stuff.

Book: War of the Worlds (HG Wells)
Movie: War of the Worlds (dir. Byron Haskin, 1953)

Updated from Victorian London to 50's America, this is one of the best SF films ever made. It's tense, scary, snappily scripted and acted, and there's a genuine sense of apocalyptic menace as the alien invaders tear across the world in their impenetrable ships. One thing that usually impresses me about these 50's/60's SF/F films is the casting of the male lead. Here it's Gene Barry, a relative unknown at the time. He's a strong, intelligent actor, and he gets a lovely female co-star in Ann Robinson. I like the Spielberg/Cruise remake as well--it nails the novel's subjective point of view--but this original is the one against which all alien invasion movies are measured.

Book: Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
Movie: The Curse of Frankenstein (dir. Terence Fisher, 1957)

Most film buffs rate Karloff's 1933 original as the definitive adaptation of Shelley's tale, but I disagree. I find the eponymous doctor himself far more interesting than the monster. Here he's played by Peter Cushing, who strikes sparks off the script, the scenery and every thing else in the first of Hammer's legendary horrors. Good support is given by Hazel Court and Robert Urquhart, and of course Christopher Lee as the ill-fated monster. The film might lack the poetry of Whale's original, but it makes up for it with a far more complicated protagonist.

Book: Jurassic Park (Micheal Crichton)
Movie: Jurassic Park (dir. Steven Spielberg, 1993)

Crichton's ingenious concept of a dinosaur theme park allowed him to explore genetic engineering and science ethics in a very clever, readable novel. Spielberg hand-picked some of the best action set-pieces and kept several intelligent conversations intact for the movie. Goldblum's Ian Malcolm gets all the best lines, while the CG dinosaurs made history. It's scary and enormous fun. One of the definitive summer blockbusters, and a very good cautionary SF tale (Crichton's forte).

New Cover Art: Sparks in Cosmic Dust

2011-06-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

Croco Designs came up with this colourful, exotic cover for my upcoming SF adventure novel Sparks in Cosmic Dust. It instantly captures the alien wildness of the faraway moon, Zopyrus, and the story's ebullient air of mystery. This is the largest-scale book I've written (in word count and scope), and features some of my most complex characters. Check out the official blurb from Carina Press:

The final frontier is shrinking. Interstellar Planetary Administration sanctions are forcing the border colonies of deep space into extinction. Kappa Max is one of the last major cutthroat outposts, home to the lawless and the lonely…

Varinia Wilcox, the star attraction of a lucrative bordello gambling house.
Solomon Bodine, spurned by his lover and looking for distraction.
Clayton Barry, AWOL and a few drinks away from having to live in the gutter.
Lyssa Foaloak, a double-crossing criminal who'll kill anyone for a few credits.

Four strangers, each with secrets that could cost them their freedom, are desperate to get off-planet. They meet Grace Peters, a cynical ex-doctor with an intriguing offer: a six-month trip to a faraway moon where she claims a stunning fortune awaits. But this adventure is no easy escape. Danger, passion, secrets and madness await. Can they survive the mission, and each other, to make it out alive?

The release date for this one is September 26th, 2011 at Carina Press. Can't wait!

Movie Review: Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D

2011-06-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

Say what you will about the "soulless" brand of movie mayhem served up by the likes of Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer and Roland Emmerich; roll your eyes at the crassness of it all; but have no doubt: audiences love this stuff. They're not being hoodwinked or manipulated into seeing anything they don't want to see. They, we, I know exactly what I'm paying my tenner for.

On the way out of a screening of Emmerich's 2012, someone described the experience as "like an apocalyptic rollercoaster." And that's a pretty fair summary, if you ask me. These are sensorial thrill-rides, state-of-the-art theme park attractions as much as they are movies. Audiences want to be blown out of their seats by the audiovisual experience. As long as the plot is coherent, the characters are likeable enough for us to care whether they survive or not, there's an occasional laugh throw in to preserve that rollercoaster giddiness, well, there's your formula for this sort of thing. I can imagine select 3D scenes from this third Transformers film playing to sell-out crowds in any Universal Studios or techno theme park.

Dark of the Moon has stupendous scenes of destruction, perhaps even surpassing the aforementioned 2012. Director Bay's robot battles are epic. The hour-long showdown in a battered Chicago is worth the admission price alone. Vehicular carnage, military firepower, transformer face-offs galore--this sequence has it all, including skyscrapers being crushed and toppled by giant robot snakes. The 3D, too, is stunning, with a daredevil freefall by Josh Duhamel and his special ops rangers into a maelstrom of robo-carnage being the standout. It's eye-popping stuff, and just when you think Bay has peaked, he ups the ante tenfold until your brain can barely process what he and his filmmaking wizards have wrought with their limitless FX budget.

The series' throwaway humour is as hit-and-miss as ever, with John Turturro's oddball Agent Simmons and his even weirder German sidekick (Alan Tudyk) generating the most laughs. Ken Jeong is atrocious in his brief (but not brief enough) role as a paranoid office worker--probably the most grating comedy performance since Chris Tucker's screechy turn in The Fifth Element. Other series newcomers include John Malkovich and Frances McDormand; the former is given nothing to do, while the latter is good fun in her role as the brassy National Security Chief.

Duhamel and Tyrese are solid as ever in their stock gung-ho roles. Shia Laboeuf goes hysterical once too often but at least his character, Sam Witwicky, wants to join the action this time around. Brit model Rosie Huntington-Whitely is sweet as his new girlfriend, Carly, and makes a decent replacement for the Fox (whom I did miss, I have to say). In the transformers' cast, Leonard Nimoy makes a great contribution as the powerful and crucial Sentinel Prime.

I'm going to recommend Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D to anyone who enjoyed the first movie, those who love action on a grand scale, or anyone who wants to see the potential of 3D technology. The SF prologue, including a nice alternate history reveal during the Apollo 11 EVA, showcases some breathtaking 3D framing and depth design. And the extended finale in Chicago is the must-see action event of the summer.

It's pretty much indefensible as anything but a thrill-ride, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, as did the (astonishingly multi-cultural) audience at my IMAX 3D screening. It runs a bit long at two and a half hours, but once the Chicago sequence starts, you'll be gripped to the end.

Four Sci-Fi Classics I'll Never Forget

2011-05-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Since I’d read SF off and on since primary school, I was more than a little surprised/excited when I came across the list of books chosen for Orion’s SF Masterworks series several years back. You see, I hadn’t read most of them—hadn’t even heard of some. And being such a painfully slow reader, I knew I had to get cracking if I wanted to improve as a SF writer.

My first title from this new line was Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, a tense, wonderfully intimate post-apocalyptic thriller. But I’d already read his earlier work, The Shrinking Man, and knew how great Matheson was. A couple of Wells novels later—quality, but again, I knew what to expect from ol’ H.G.—I decided it was time to “discover” an author unfamiliar to me.

1. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Bester I’d heard of by reputation—a titanic reputation—and of his two most revered works, I chose this one because I loved the title. It smacks of the grandiosity and mystery Star Trek purports to pursue but rarely does: exploring the unknown regions of the universe, etc. Well, as it turns out, neither does The Stars My Destination. Bester’s anti-hero, Gully Foyle begins the story marooned in the wreckage of his spaceship. After subsisting for weeks on his own, he sees another ship approach. But rather than stop to help, the vessel speeds away and leaves him for dead. From that moment on, Gully is a man driven by revenge—an insane, unquenchable revenge that transforms him from an illiterate janitor to a sophisticated criminal and phenomenal “jaunter”.

Jaunting is the most ingenious use of teleportation I’ve ever come across. It’s a part of human evolution in Bester’s future. Some can do it and some can’t, but the idea of mass teleportation, entire populations migrating across the world by the power of thought, frankly blows my mind. Gully’s such a single-minded guy, his quest is so dangerous and nuts, you can’t help but root for him. I love the unpredictable story. It follows through on all its early promise and keeps going. By the end, I was ready for anything. Bester scored a knockout.

2. Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

The set-up of this one is incredibly simple. A mysterious object of vast proportions is found drifting through our solar system, and only one ship has time to rendezvous before the object reaches perihelion. It turns out to be a massive, artificial cylinder, and better still…it’s hollow. The international investigating crew decides to venture inside…and one of my new favourite SF adventures begins.

I’d started another of Clarke’s books a few years before and found it too dry. But Rama fascinated me from start to finish. There’s an addictive anticipation from chapter to chapter, and you’re floating, climbing, even cycling alongside the crew every inch of the way. Nothing compares to a truly alien mystery, and the secrets of Rama amount to a very special SF read indeed. I’ll be revisiting this one often.

3. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Our very own Shawn Kupfer’s recent novel 47 Echo reminded me that I hadn’t read any Military SF in a while, and that it was about time I gave The Forever War a chance. It had languished on my shelf for a couple of years, and I don’t know what I was expecting. An author friend of mine cited it as one of the three best SF books ever written.

It’s certainly up there, I have to say. It’s no Starship Troopers clone; instead, Haldeman really nails the insulation/isolation of a soldier’s tour of duty across light-years of space. Over the course of the story, the time dilation he experiences from constantly travelling at near the speed of light means that while he’s aged only several years, Earth has advanced many thousands of years. He returns to civilization periodically, but things have changed beyond all recognition. He and Marygay, his fellow trooper and the love his life, develop a lasting bond I found extremely moving.

Haldeman’s unfussy prose works so well because there’s so much going on between the words. His world-building is rich and the protagonist, Private Mandella, displays deep humanity underneath what Audie Murphy referred to as “a weary indifference” to war. This is a great book.

4. Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon

Be warned, this one’s a bit of an oddity. It’s a dense, first person account of an extraordinary out-of-body odyssey that spans the entire life of the cosmos and beyond. We meet myriad worlds, alien life-forms ranging from crustaceans to conscious galaxies, and even the Star Maker himself, the great Creator. I don’t know what Mr Stapledon was smogged on when he wrote this but I’ve never seen this many SF ideas packed into one novel. He penned it in 1937, which is kind of staggering because it means he probably coined more SF concepts in Star Maker than anyone else has in a full career.

It’s tough going in places due to the relentless bombardment of ideas without a proper narrative. The author also drifts outside SF throughout; he’s spiritually/philosophically inclined. But he’s also a poet, and I really lapped up the eloquence of his prose. My imagination reeled for days after finishing it. As trailblazing SF, it’s a one of a kind.

SF Book Review: Ender's Game

2011-05-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

I read Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game for the first time last night. I’d caught snippets of controversy over the years, heard bits and pieces about the plot, and I even recall one of my favourite film directors, Wolfgang Petersen, was attached to make it as a Hollywood blockbuster at one point (um, good luck to anyone who tries!). I’ve had such good luck with my run of SF classics recently, I thought I’d give this immensely popular novel a try.

Six-year-old child prodigy Ender Wiggin is the youngest of three siblings with unlimited potential. They’ve all been monitored by the military authorities, and Colonel Graff, charged with selecting a child to be groomed for eventual leadership in a pending war against the alien “buggers”, picks Ender. His brother Peter is cruel and heartless, while his sister Valentine is too nice to ever hurt anyone. Ender, meanwhile, possesses the best attributes of both, from a military point of view. He is compassionate enough to make friends and inspire loyalty, but he also has a single-minded survival instinct that is cold and calculating. Graff reckons that with sufficient training, he can coax Ender into becoming a military tactician to rival Alexander the Great or Napoleon.

Did I mention Ender is only six?

Throughout his time in Command School, a top secret orbital station, the best and the worst of Ender are brought out—his will to succeed, to become master of the battleroom, sees him progress up the ranks with astonishing speed. He makes friends and enemies along the way, and is deeply haunted by memories of his cruel brother and the sister he loved. Graff is ever present behind the scenes, pulling the strings, manipulating the young genius into becoming the best he can be. The stunning third act is full of twists and turns as Ender must struggle to realize his true, frightening potential.

Wow, talk about a provocative novel! I’ve seen it listed as Young Adult, but there’s no end to the moral, ethical, political, social, and futuristic themes raked up here. Card doesn’t dwell on any of them, doesn’t preach; he tells his story the simplest way he can and lets the reader do most of the heavy lifting—if they want it. Because it also works as an exciting science fiction tale, a coming-of-age story, with a memorable climax.

Ender might be very young but he thinks and behaves with an ever-increasing maturity almost immediately. There’s nothing condescending here. He’s also prone to nightmares, and is shaped not just by Graff and the endless battleroom games, but by those around him. He has to contend with bullies, rivals, abusive teachers, personal demons: all of us have something in common with Ender Wiggin. Card’s triumph here is the complexity he gives these boys and girls struggling to become men and women before their time. At their age, it might all be about winning games and points, but they’re constantly aware there’ll be a time when those games and points will end lives. We feel that responsibility weighing Ender down, and his will to overcome it becomes ours, vicariously. We don’t want these children to ever graduate from the battleroom. But if they must, let it be under the leadership of someone with compassion and not just a killer instinct. Humanity must graduate intact.

Everyone needs a Valentine to temper their Peter.

I can’t begin to say how much I enjoyed Ender’s Game. It’s a one-of-a-kind children’s SF war story that isn’t really for children at all. I’m telling everyone I know to read it (if they haven’t already), and I can’t wait to see what the sequels are like.

That makes six GREAT sci-fi novels in a row for me now. The previous one was Frank Herbert’s Dune; next up is Roadside Picnic by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky. SF has always been my favourite genre, but I had no idea there were so many masterpieces out there, waiting to be discovered.

This is Robert, signing off for now.

Amazing Steampunk Trailer From Carina Press

2011-04-08T09:21:00.001-07:00

In anticipation of Steampunk Week at Carina Press (the last week in April), the staff there have put together this utterly gorgeous trailer showing off seven steampunk titles. My novella, The Mysterious Lady Law, is among them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKFmn6H-VYI

How's that for a visual feast?

The individual titles are:

The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton
Badlands by Seleste deLaney
The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale by Christine Bell
Photographs and Phantoms by Cindy Spencer Pape
Island of Icarus by Christine Danse
Steam & Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape
Like Clockwork by Bonnie Dee

EPIC Award Winner 2011 - Sunset on Ramree

2011-03-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday 12th March, at Williamsburg, Virginia, Epicon announced Sunset on Ramree as the 2011 EPIC Award winner for Best Historical Fiction!! Fabulous news and a great honour. The Eppie is the highest accolade for a digitally published book. It's not only the first time I've won one, it's also the first for my publisher, Eternal Press. A special thank you to all my readers who've emailed to let me know how much they enjoyed the story. For those who haven't yet had the chance, you can learn more about history's deadliest crocodile attack here!

Best,
Robert

Three More Book Contracts With Carina Press!

2011-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! The contracts just arrived for THREE upcoming books, all to be published by Carina Press! Sparks in Cosmic Dust is an epic sci-fi adventure novel with romantic elements--I'm currently editing it with Deb Nemeth for a September release. Alien Velocity is a re-release of my EPIC Award SF finalist, Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth. And finally, Prehistoric Clock is a steampunk time travel adventure (short novel) I'm hoping to make into a series. Yep, this lot will keep me busy while I tackle my long-in-the-offing haunted house novel this year. I'll post updates on all these projects along the way.

In the meantime, you can read a bit more about them here.

Robert

Author Spotlight & Lady Law Contest

2011-03-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm appearing in the Author Spotlight this week on Cate Masters's blog. Join me there for some fun behind-the-scenes insights, and be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win a digital copy of The Mysterious Lady Law.

http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2010/03/robert-appleton-in-author-spotlight.html

Best,

Robert

Jaq's Harp - SF with a Fairytale Twist

2011-02-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't read this one yet, but I'm dying to. Jaq's Harp by lovely SF Romance author Ella Drake has one of the most imaginative premises I've come across in a while. I love it when old myths and fables are given the twisty SF treatment. Check this out:

In a world of floating islands and bio-engineered beans, the bad guys are taken down by agents of the Mother organization—agents like Jacqueline "Jaq" Robinson. Instead of accepting her next routine assignment, she sets out on a mission of her own—to destroy Giant Corp, the company responsible for her sister's wasting illness. Jaq must steal her cure from Giant's headquarters high above the city...even though she'll be brought face-to-face with Harper English, the man who left her to go deep undercover at Giant.

For Harp, Jaq had been a distraction the mercenary thought he couldn't afford. But once he sees her again, Harp knows he's made a mistake. Even though she vowed he won't have her again, it's clear they still have a powerful attraction. Harp's determined to get a second chance with Jaq—if they can escape Giant Corp and get back to solid ground in one piece...

20,600 words

A futuristic Jack and the Beanstalk, anyone? With added biotech beans? You just know this one's gonna rock.

Read an excerpt here!

Jaq's Harp is available now as an eBook from Carina Press

and also as an Audiobook!

To learn more about Ms. Drake and her fabulous dark paranormal and SF works, click here!

Top Pick Review for The Mysterious Lady Law!

2011-02-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

AmyC at Night Owl Reviews gave my steampunk novella 4.5/5 and a Top Pick rating! And the best part: she cited my two favourite Victorian authors, Haggard and Wells, in her review. :doffs bowler hat to AmyC:

Here's a snippet:

"Mr. Appleton’s voice reminded me of all the great classic books I loved to read, Haggard, Wells—so I was absolutely thrilled to find a modern day book with the same tone. Mr. Appleton’s Victorian London was very well done and I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of his works or recommend him to Steampunk fans."

Read the full review here

New Release: The Temporal Man

2011-02-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

Two new releases in one week -- both involving fantasy and historical England! But that's where the similarities end. You see, The Temporal Man runs alone.

Just like its eponymous hero, this imaginative novella is hard to pin down. It's a high fantasy tale involving time travel, romance, out-of-time travel, sea battles, temporal mountain climbing, swashbuckling, and other unpredictable adventures. As a storyteller, you'll find me at my most wistful and escapist in The Temporal Man -- and I dare you to come along for the ride!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like outside of time? For disillusioned young waitress Rebecca Green, those words become startling reality when a mysterious stranger arrives to literally turn her world upside down.

Sam Morrow is on the run. He’s being pursued across time by four dangerous men from his past, including the deadliest swordsman in France. But now that he’s found the girl of his dreams, it might just be time to stand and fight. Rebecca has an idea—to recruit the best swordsman in eighteenth century England—but will aristocratic Percy Torrance dare miss his wedding on Monday for an unprecedented time travel journey?

Pulse-pounding duels, sea battles and a daring mountain rescue punctuate this tale of romance on the edge. From the distant past to the far-flung future, there’s no hiding from fate. Hold on tight to The Temporal Man.

Novella, 26,000 words

The eBook version is available now (priced $3.99) at:

Moongyspy Press
Amazon Kindle
All Romance Ebooks

The paperback edition is coming soon from Amazon!

(A quick note to all my Esther May Morrow fans: I'm not quite finished with her yet!)

New Release: The Mysterious Lady Law

2011-01-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

And there she goes! Wind all clocks back to 1899, hold your breath (London was rather smoggy in those days) and delve into the exciting world of airships, giant burrowing machines, and all manner of steam-powered awesomeness. Today, The Mysterious Lady Law makes her debut at Carina Press. Come and find out what all the fuss is about...

In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.

Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducting? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?

Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law...

The eBook is available at:

Carina Press (20% off!)
Amazon Kindle
Diesel Ebooks
Mobipocket
Books on Board
OmniLit

Or downoad the audiobook from Audible (a first for me!)

Tally-ho, dear readers! Hope you enjoy it.

Rob

Early Reviews for The Mysterious Lady Law

2011-01-29T15:13:00.001-08:00

I have to say, my new publisher Carina Press has done a tremendous job of marketing The Mysterious Lady Law in the run-up to its release. Usually for a small press author, letting the public know that your book even exists is a long, laborious process that has you multi-tasking like crazy for weeks, even months on end, often to little reward. So it's a huge relief to know your publisher is working just as hard in that same endeavour. Trust me, that isn't always the case.

Carina (a digital imprint of Harlequin) uses a handy website called Netgalley, through which prospective reviewers can request a free ARC. And through todays's inexhaustible social networking magic, those early reviews can (hopefully) spark that elusive, cyber-alchemic reaction that spreads word of your book in avenues you never knew existed. It's a bit of a gamble--what if the reviewers hate your book--and there's no guarantee of anything, even if they like it, but Netgalley is one of the best ideas I've come across for eBook marketing.

Here are a few of the early reviews I found for my steampunk debut, The Mysterious Lady Law (officially released in 2 days!):

"...succeeds in capturing the spirit of the classic "Whodunit" detective fiction. With the added steampunk element, it's quite the imaginative romp...I hear-tell that this story is Robert Appleton's first go at steampunk. I think he wove a fun little tale, and hope he has plans to write in the genre again." 4/5 -- Alisha, My Need to Read

"...filled with adventure and wonderful steampunk gadgets ...It is interesting to see if a dance hall girl, detective and aging adventurer can outwit the formidable Lady Law. I recommend this book to lovers of steampunk and lovers of mysteries." -- Kathy, Inside of a Dog

"Journey into a steampunk reimagining of Victorian London in The Mysterious Lady Law. Robert Appleton has penned an entertaining mystery that starts off with a bang and ends in a mostly satisfying way. I liked Julia, Al, and Holly, the tale’s protagonists. They’re interesting characters with unique voices and their energy buoyed the story." -- Shayna, Joyfully Reviewed

"Robert Appleton does an excellent job of realizing this world and building the bits and baubles up a piece at a time... Overall, I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the mystery. I was kept guessing on what was coming right up to the end and I was left satisfied with the story we were given." -- Kelly, Reading the Paranormal

See you at Carina on Monday!
www.carinapress.com

Best,
Rob

Love Romances Cafe Awards 2011!

2011-01-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Nominations for the Love Romances Cafe Awards were announced yesterday. Claire de Lune received two: Best Sci-Fi/Futuristic Book and Best Cover. My uber-talented co-writer Sloane Taylor also received nods for her brilliant erotic books, French Kiss and French Twist.

Shout-outs also go out to my fabulous blog friends Clare London, Tabitha Shay, Ella Drake, and Melissa Bradley, who all earned nominations!

Claire De Lune: Dual Interview Round Two...

2010-12-16T23:46:00.000-08:00

...in which Sloane Taylor and I field delightful questions by the fabulous erotic author, Melissa Bradley. These dual interviews are a lot of fun as we don't get to see each other's answers until the actual blog goes live. Find out what we had to say about Claire de Lune (and one another) at Melissa's Imaginarium.

The incomparable Sloane Taylor has a website and blog here.

Claire de Lune is now also available on Amazon Kindle, as well as at All Romance Ebooks.

Impulse Power - Out Now In Paperback

2010-12-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

Samhain's super-shiny space romance anthology IMPULSE POWER, featuring The Mythmakers by yours truly, is out now in paperback! The other two stories in this triple threat extravaganza are Metal Reign (by Nathalie Gray) and Hearts and Minds (by JC Hay). Tremendous stories by ace writers. All this was masterminded by editor and Firefly fangirl, Sasha Knight. The much-ogled cover is the work of intergalactic super-being Kanaxa (aka Nathalie Gray).

IMPULSE POWER is available here, or you can order it from Amazon if you like.

Light-speed isn't fast enough to outrun the heart.

Claire de Lune: Dual Author Interview

2010-12-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

How on earth (or elsewhere) did two authors from opposite sexes and opposite genres--science fiction and erotic romance--ever get to join forces for a sexy mystery novel set on the moon? Head on over to the lovely Beth Anderson's blog to find out.

Hint: I'm the manly sci-fi half. ("Who's scruffy-looking?")

In the meantime, here's the blurb for Claire de Lune, our daring eBook recently released at Amber Quill Press - Amber Heat. (Paperback coming soon).

CLAIRE DE LUNE by Sloane Taylor & Robert Appleton

You’re invited to the galaxy’s most prestigious beauty pageant. Clothing optional. Romance and danger…fully provided…

Cocky young detectives Gerry Rappeneau and Sebastian Thorpe-Campbell arrive at the premier lunar resort expecting a week of eye candy and long massages. With a half-billion-credit purse up for grabs, this year’s pageant is the focus of a hundred worlds. And beauty isn’t the only thing in the eye of the beholder.

One contestant, Evelyn Lyons, is attacked and her assailant killed. Surely a simple case of a stalker gone mad, as nothing bad ever happens at the Selene contest. So the brochure says.

The closer Gerry gets to Evelyn, the more he is convinced she’s hiding something. His meticulous character sparks with her wild, sassy nature, and they embark on a torrid affair. Their forbidden romance isn’t the only thing set to ignite in Pont de Reves.

Sebastian’s infatuation with demure Claire Villiers, another contestant, threatens to put all four of them in harm’s way. A deadly trail of corporate conspiracy, monstrous assassins and hot bikini wax is more than anyone bargained for in this incendiary erotic mystery. Get ready for some serious heat on the dark side of the moon.

See you there,

Robert

Moongypsy Press Writing Contest

2010-12-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

This just in from one of my publishers:

Moongypsy Press is proud to announce our first anniversary contest.

The theme for this year's contest is the End of the Aztec Calendar using Romance, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, or Historical genres.

The first place winner in each genre in the Novel class (80K or more words) will be published by Moongypsy Press in Ebook and Print formats.

Moongypsy Press will publish the first place winner in each genre of the short story class (50 K or less) in an anthology in both Ebook and Print formats.

Deadline for all entries is January 25, 2011, midnight PST

TO ENTER:
Electronically submit the first 30 pages to MGPFB@Hotmail. com along with a cover letter including word count, genre, and the following personal information:

Name (and pseudonym, if applicable)
Mailing address
Phone number
E-mail address
Web address (if available)

Judges:
Foery MacDonell, CEO Moongypsy Press, Author of Laird of the Mist, The Rhythm to Your Rhyme, and The Fool's Journey.
Tabitha Shay, member of the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc., Author of Witch's Moon. Author of Montana Men under pen Jayden Chelcee
Diana Rubino, Sr. Acquisitions Editor at Moongypsy Press, Author of One Too Many Times and many historical novels.
Becky Eastman, Director of Marketing, Promotions, and Reviews

Must Read: The Vampire Sonnets

2010-12-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

Now this is what I call a treat. David Nelson Bradsher is hands down one of the best traditional rhyming poets I've read. His metric verse is exquisitely crafted and never less than 100% passionate. When I first started out as a writer, he was the poet's poet of our online writing group, and I grew in leaps and bounds by following his ingenious creations.

His new release, The Vampire Sonnets, is a project he worked on for several years. It's a collection of dark, poignant and extraordinarily atmospheric verse fashioned as a period vampire story you won't be able to get enough of. Brilliant stuff.

Check out this review.

And here's an interview with the man himself, David Nelson Bradsher (his Vampire Sonnets facebook page can be found here)

Finally, here's the buy link.

I strongly urge everyone to read this unique collection.

New Release: Claire de Lune

2010-11-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

And the day has finally arrived! Pack your swimsuits, lingerie and shiniest evening attire for a lunar vacation you'll never forget. Sloane Taylor and I are proud to present our erotic sci-fi mystery CLAIRE DE LUNE, our first co-written novel at Amber Quill Press (Amber Heat).

BUY LINK (eBook available now, paperback coming mid-December)

You are invited to the galaxy’s most prestigious beauty pageant. Clothing optional. Romance and danger...fully provided...

Cocky young detectives Gerry Rappeneau and Sebastian Thorpe-Campbell arrive at the premier lunar resort expecting a week of eye candy and long massages. With a half-billion-credit purse up for grabs, this year’s pageant is the focus of a hundred worlds. And beauty isn’t the only thing in the eye of the beholder.

One contestant, Evelyn Lyons, is attacked and her assailant killed. Surely a simple case of a stalker gone mad, as nothing bad ever happens at the Selene contest. So the brochure says.

The closer Gerry gets to Evelyn, the more he is convinced she’s hiding something. His meticulous character sparks with her wild, sassy nature, and they embark on a torrid affair. Their forbidden romance isn’t the only thing set to ignite in Pont de Reves.

Sebastian’s infatuation with demure Claire Villiers, another contestant, threatens to put all four of them in harm’s way.

A deadly trail of corporate conspiracy, monstrous assassins and hot bikini wax is more than anyone bargained for in this incendiary erotic mystery. Get ready for some serious heat on the dark side of the moon.

Read an excerpt here.

The story's epic two-year journey from initial outline to finalized book is a pretty fascinating one. Over the next several weeks, we're going to share it with you at various chats and romance/sci-fi blogs, where we'll also post excerpts and talk about our other book releases (including another joint effort!). Check back soon for detailed schedule info, and don't forget to visit Sloane's fabulous website here. She's a master of sexy romance.

Hope you enjoy your lunar vacation!

Best,

Robert

The Mysterious Lady Law - Cover Art

2010-11-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

Carina Press artist Frauke Spanuth hit the steampunk vibe dead centre with this corker of a cover for The Mysterious Lady Law. The mystery, attitude and retro-science are all here in spades--I couldn't have asked for a more fitting piece of artwork.

Thank you, Frauke!

Lady Law will make her debut on January 31, 2011, in digital format from Carina Press. Here's the official blurb:

In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.

Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducting? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?

Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law...

November Writing Update!

2010-11-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

This is by far the most hectic Nov/Dec I’ve had as a writer! Exciting but hectic. Anyone have a spare DeLorean with a flux capacitor handy...

I watched the Back to the Future trilogy on Blu-Ray the other day and it’s aged extremely well. The stories are so good and Marty and Doc are such a great quirky double-act, I never get tired of rewatching. It might be my favourite movie trilogy of all, and those nail-biting finales to parts 1 & 3—never bettered.

Sloane Taylor and I are gearing up for our blog/chat/interview tour for Claire de Lune, the erotic sci-fi mystery novel we co-wrote at Amber Quill Press (Amber Heat). It’s been such a unique project right from the start (both on and off the page), we’ve got plenty of material to share with you—male/female perspectives, blending genres, spicing up a romantic novel, the lunar beauty pageant, creating a sci-fi world. The release date for the eBook is Nov 28, and the paperback will follow some time in December.

And we’re so pleased with the book, Sloane and I are collaborating on a new erotic sci-fi romance novella, titled Dark Side of the Moon. It’s a prequel of sorts featuring one of the secondary characters from Claire de Lune. The outline already has us plotting like crazy. Check out Sloane’s website to sample her phenomenal writing style—now imagine that in a wild sci-fi setting! I have to think at beyond light-speed to keep up with her.

December 7 sees the paperback release of Impulse Power, Samhain’s space opera romance anthology featuring The Mythmakers by yours truly. My co-authors, Nathalie Gray (Metal Reign) and J.C. Hay (Hearts and Minds), are frighteningly good in this genre, and I remember being floored when my story was chosen last year. Apparently there were tons of submissions. Look out for Impulse Power, available from Samhain, Amazon, and all good bookstores, soon.

Edits are completed on my steampunk mystery at Carina Press. The Mysterious Lady Law (new title) went through several drafts before my lovely editor, Alyssa Davis and I perfected the story arc. It’s a tricky mystery, part Sherlock Holmes, part retro science fiction, and a lot of fun. I’m still waiting for the cover art, but I have a release date to announce... January 31, 2011. :doffs hat to Alyssa:

I submitted my latest romantic sci-fi novel to Samhain a few weeks ago and should be hearing back before too long. Sparks in Cosmic Dust is a huge, treasure-seeking adventure featuring five down-on-their-luck characters on a dangerous prospecting dig beyond the farthest deep space outpost. It’s loosely inspired by The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (the 1948 Bogart classic), and was a bitch to write. At 89,000 words, it’s by far the longest story I’ve written. I’ve absolutely no idea how it’s going to be received. I do know it showcases some of my best writing, for what that’s worth. Let’s hope I’m not the only one who thinks so!

Okay, this is me signing off.

Best,
Robert

Sci, Meet Fi

2010-11-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

For all you science fiction romance fans, here's a small article I wrote for the Parallel Universe series on The Galaxy Express a few months back. For some reason, I forgot to mention it on this blog, so here you go:

Sci, Meet Fi

What if...? is the ultimate science fiction question.

The hazy space between hard science and fantasy is a SF writer’s playground. That stellar place where conjecture meets the impossible and everything is somehow exciting and plausible. A place that renders cynicism impotent. A cosmic cloud in which nothing and no one can “get to you” if you don’t want it to.

It’s the Mutara Nebula!

For every Rendezvous with Rama (Arthur C. Clarke), we have a John Carter of Mars (Edgar Rice Burroughs). The two couldn’t be more different—plausible SF and space swashbuckler—yet both have inspired generations of scientists, and command a preternatural excitement in readers to this day.

Romantic elements have existed in SF since the early pulp adventures. It’s an easy pairing—romance provides the human face for what can at times be a cold and sterile genre. There’s something inherently romantic and grandiose about trekking through the stars anyway. As a reader, the further we go from what we know, the more comforting the romance becomes. Why not just go one step further and give it a name—SFR.

For me, one of the great things about science fiction romance is its versatility. Fringe stories that may lean further toward one genre are embraced by SFR readers precisely because a balance between the two genres is so difficult to achieve. But this inclusivity is also a factor in SFR’s identity crisis; those fringe stories are automatically absorbed by either Romance or SF, or other misleading labels such as paranormal romance, in terms of cover art, genre classification, promotion, etc. SFR therefore becomes a cherished sub-genre without ever convincing “outsiders” it isn’t having its cake and eating it.

Is it cold, hard science with a splash of romance? Or lovey-dovey shenanigans in a starry setting?

But Science Fiction Romance is one of the most cutting edge genres in fiction precisely because it has the potential to depolarize two traditionally opposite readerships without compromising either of its component parts.

Anyone who doubts that, please consider these Top 100 Must-Read SFR Books posted on The Galaxy Express.

In The Promise of Kierna’Rhoan, Isabo Kelly blends action, politics, xenophobia, espionage, and a human love triangle, and the effect is seamless. Her unique world-building, particularly with the alien “shifters”, is proof that romance need not soften SF; and vice-versa, as Kira Farseaker’s passionate affair with David Cario is never diluted by the technology and out-of-this-world elements.

It’s a tricky balance to strike, though. Many writers are skilled at SF or Romance but not both (I’m still working at the latter), and a great many fringe stories don’t necessarily require equal footing be given both genres. The plausibility of the “science”, however, is as variable and subject to taste as it ever was, with equally successful SFR being written in everything from solid, speculative science (Manda Benson’s Dark Tempest) to giddy, Star Wars type space opera.

No one can say warp drives won’t be invented, or that humans won’t evolve with all sorts of outlandish traits (ESP, two heads, brotherly love, maybe all three at the same time!). And what was silly science way back when—walking on the moon, the micro-world, evolution—is now taught in schools. Anyone who states categorically that a SF concept will never become reality because it doesn’t fit with what we know has misunderstood science fiction.

“As I gazed at it on that far-gone night it seemed to call across the unthinkable void, to lure me to it, draw me as the lodestone attracts a particle of iron.” – A Princess of Mars

First comes the dream, then its capture.

Romance, too, need not preclude the highly unlikely—alien species being humanoid—any more than a good old-fashioned human love triangle. If the story is working and the characters compelling, SFR has an infinite canvas.

Consider Heather Massey’s article on Defining the Genre: Science Fiction Romance for an overview of the main categories of story type and labelling.

Personally, I dislike a HEA or HFN requirement in any science fiction. It strikes at the speculative heart of the genre. But I also understand why romance readers insist on them—that comfort is one of their primary reading joys. And at the end of the day, what if...? applies equally to any kind of ending.

SF and R. It’s a fascinating marriage.

2011 EPIC Award Finalist!

2010-10-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

No, make that a double...EPIC Award finalist. Amazingly, both my entries made the shortlist for the big prize this year in their respective categories. My WW2 crocodile attack thriller Sunset on Ramree hit the spot in Historical Fiction, while Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth scored a nomination for Science Fiction. How pleased am I?

Epically!

Wish me luck in the finals, announced at the ceremony in Virginia, March 2011. EPIC celebrates the best in digital publishing from around the world each year, and the "Eppie" award is regarded as the top prize for eBooks. I hope you'll join me in a glass or two of cyber bubbly.

Best,

Robert

Claire de Lune Cover Art!

2010-10-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

The cover has landed! Amber Quill's Trace Edward Zaber has outdone himself with this elegant, romantic cover for my upcoming erotic SF mystery novel, Claire de Lune. What? Me? Licking the screen? Nah, that would be my co-writer Sloane Taylor, who now plans to decorate her living room in lunar grey and star-pocked black. And no, we can't wait to ogle the paperback version due for release sometime in Decemeber.

Stay tuned for more from Sloane and I in the upcoming weeks...

In the meantime, check out the synopsis for Claire de Lune.

Cover Art for The Temporal Man

2010-09-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

It seems ages since I debuted new artwork for one of my books, so it's with great pleasure that I reveal this, Dawne Dominique's fabulous cover for THE TEMPORAL MAN.

Dawne created several of my covers over at Eternal Press, and she never lets me down. I always feel like I've collaborated with her on these works of art--even if it's just an idea or two. And this one worked out very nicely.

Great job, Dawne!

The Temporal Man is a romantic time travel fantasy novella. It's due for digital ebook release in October, and in paperback sometime in December. The publisher is Moongypsy Press.

Amber Quill Signs SF Mystery Claire de Lune!

2010-08-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Friday 13th, all is forgiven! On that date last week, Amber Quill Press accepted my new novel, erotic SF mystery Claire de Lune, for both digital and paperback release. Look up. You see that slightly bemused-looking fellow in the moon? That's me figuring out how to get back down to Earth, post-celebration!

Here's the story blurb...

You are invited to the galaxy’s most prestigious beauty pageant. Swimwear optional. Romance and danger…fully provided.

Cocky young Detectives Gerry Rappeneau and Sebastian Thorpe-Campbell arrive at the premier lunar resort expecting a week of eye candy and long massages. One contestant, Evelyn Lyons, has been attacked, and her assailant is now dead. Surely a simple case of a stalker gone mad, as nothing bad has ever happened at the Selene contest before. So the brochure says.

The assassin turns out to be a horrific hybrid of man and feral beast. No one seems to know where it came from or why, including the wily resort administrator who is desperate to keep the whole thing under wraps. The closer Gerry gets to Evelyn, the more certain he is she’s hiding something. His meticulous character sparks with her wild, sassy nature, and they soon embark on a torrid affair. Their forbidden romance isn’t the only thing set to ignite in Pont de Reves.

Sebastian’s infatuation with demure beauty Claire Villiers, another mysterious contestant who may or may not be connected to the case, threatens to put all four of them in harm’s way. With a half-billion-credit purse up for grabs, this year’s pageant is the focus of a hundred worlds. And beauty isn’t the only thing in the eye of the beholder.

A deadly trail of corporate conspiracy, monstrous assassins and hot bikini wax is more than anyone bargained for in this incendiary erotic mystery. Get ready for some serious heat on the dark side of the moon.

When I finished the initial draft last year, it wasn’t as spicy as I’d envisioned (ie. I’d chickened out of the steamy stuff!) so I invited my favourite erotic romance writer, Sloane Taylor, on board to sexify the proceedings and breathe extra life into one of the characters. It must have worked a treat, because Amber Quill is one of the market's top digital publishers.

Claire de Lune is due for release at the end of the year!

To find out more about the uber-talented Ms. Taylor and her books, click here.

Upcoming Steampunk Mystery at Carina Press!

2010-08-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

Seriously great news here! Carina Press, the mighty new digital publisher backed by Harlequin and fronted by epub queen Angela James, has signed my latest novella.

It's tally-ho with a clink and a clank and several uproarious bursts of steam, as The Miraculous Lady Law, my first ever stab at steampunk, is now undergoing the first round of edits. The setting is Victorian London; the genre is steampunk mystery with a dash of romance, as four disparate characters are thrust together in the wake of a puzzling murder.

Lonely airship waitress and part-time chorus girl Julia Bairstow arrives home one night to find her sister brutally murdered. Staying alive herself long enough to find justice is going to take more than fancy footwork.

Over-protective Constable Aloysius Grant has a vested interested in keeping Julia safe, but what deep scars from his past is he hiding?

Legendary explorer/scientist Horace Holly feels rather obsolete these days, but the disappearance of his young protege has a profound effect upon the old professor.

Beautiful Harriet Law is the most famous private investigator alive. Her record stands at one hundred percent. Never a crime unsolved in over six hundred cases, including Jack the Ripper. But this isn't any old case, as she and all London are about to find out.

In a time of grand airships, giant burrowing machines and pioneering astronomy, the biggest mystery may lie in the smallest of details.

We don't have a release date yet, but I'll keep you updated on Lady Law's progress. My editor at Carina is the lovely Alissa Davis, and she's already given some invaluable suggestions for improvements. Can't wait to share the finished book with you.

In the meantime, check out the terrific Carina Press website:

http://www.carinapress.com/

Cheerio for now,

Robert

Great Review for Charlie Runs Rings!

2010-06-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

My SF adventure Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth received a 4/5 rating from Bitten By Books. Smashing news! I may join Charlie for a few victory laps later.

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=23783

If you've yet to experience orbital running, head on over to Lyrical Press for a serious imagination workout.

Also available in e-book format from Fictionwise, Amazon Kindle, Diesel Ebooks, Mobipocket.

Two Reviews for The Mythmakers

2010-04-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Giggles tells it like it is, reviews my space opera novella The Mythmakers here:

http://www.mrsgiggles.com/ebooks/appleton_mythmakers.html

And here's another positive review for The Mythmakers from Two Lips Reviews.

The romance might not be bowling them over, but they're certainly digging the SF and the story's originality. Count me v happy.

Interested? Head on over to Samhain's bookstore and read the first chapter. I've also learned that Impulse Power, the paperback anthology featuring this and two other novellas, is to be released sometime in December. Not too shabby.

First Review: Godiva in the Firing Line

2010-03-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Penny Ehrenkranz over at 'One Writer's Journey' has posted a review of my recent SF war novelette, Godiva in the Firing Line. Hint: it's positive.

Take a look:

http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-godiva-in-firing-line.html

She'll also be interviewing me later in the week, so keep an eye out for that.

Thanks Penny!

Male or Female SF Writers?

2010-03-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a intriguing article for you. SF author Ann Wilkes posits the question: "Why do I read more male SF writers?" You'll enjoy her explanations, as well as the fascinating replies. Head on over to:

http://sciencefictionmusings.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-do-i-read-more-male-sf-writers.html

And here is Ann's website: http://www.annwilkes.com/

And The Winner Is...

2010-02-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

The winner of Tabitha's Witch's Fire contest is...

Cindy!

Huge congrats, and an ebook copy of this fantastic book, are e-winging their way to you.

Thank you to everyone who took part. Tabs has great fans.

Special Guest Author - Tabitha Shay

2010-02-25T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have a fantastic guest author for you today! Tabitha Shay writes paranormal romance--specifically the very popular Winslow Witches of Salem series. She's now on Book Five, and I know her fans are casting every wicked spell they can think of to get their hands on a copy. Well...this might just be your chance.

Over to you, Tabs...

Hi Everyone,

First, let me say a big “Thank You” to Rob for inviting me to be his guest blogger today. It’s always such fun to be Rob’s guest. I’m Paranormal Romance author, Tabitha Shay. I hope you’ll enjoy the following blurb and excerpt from my upcoming release from Moongypsy Press in Feb. 2010. And remember, for everyone who leaves a comment, their name will be dropped in the witch’s hat and a drawing held later today. Rob will post the winner’s name right here, tomorrow, so be sure and check back to see if you’re the lucky winner…Enjoy!!!…Tabs

BLURB/WITCH’S FIRE/BOOK FIVE/SHAY

In a world where magic is dying―two people meet under unusual circumstances…

Realm of light―New to this witchy stuff, Kirrah Walker crashes her broom into a stranger and knocks him unconscious. Feeling guilty, she takes him home with her and nurses him back to health. However, she soon discovers a terrible secret―the stranger is on a mission to assassinate a witch. Now Kirrah must decide if she’ll set him free or keep him tied to the headboard of her bed…

World of darkness―Prince Stry, future King of Ru-Noc awakens to find he’s not only a captive, but captivated by the charming witch who flutters around him like a nervous butterfly. Her magick is wild and so out of control, he knows in his heart he must steal her soul, but kissing Kirrah is habit-forming.

Kirrah and Stry―magical beings who must face the fear of their past, acknowledge their future and trust in destiny in a world gone mad…

EXCERPT/WITCH’S FIRE/BOOK FIVE/SHAY/MOONGYPSY PRESS

She sighed, shoved up her sleeves and went to work dragging off his low-heeled boots and socks. Carefully, she swung his legs onto the bed. Only―somehow her legs tangled with his. She stumbled and fell clumsily across the poor man’s chest.

His eyes flew open. A half-smile flirted at the corners of his mouth. Kirrah glared at him. How the heck did he manage to look so darned sexy with a big ole’ purple bruise fanning over his right eye?

Slowly, he slid his arms around her hips and squeezed her buttocks. “Well, hel-lo.”

Kirrah widened her eyes. Oh, crap, that’s all she needed, a concussed Romeo with a sexy voice hot enough to curl her toes and set her thighs on fire, a voice that both compelled and could easily lead a woman astray.

The man looked at her as if he’d never seen her before and had just discovered his favorite eye-candy. “Aren’t you just a sweet little beauty?” he purred, sounding for all the world like a hungry cat whose appetite had just been satisfied. A big, dopey, contented cat.

Sweet little beauty? She blinked. Oh, yeah, the man was definitely off his meds. Obviously he was no stranger to seduction 101, either, if the way he massaged her butt was anything to go by.

And damn, did he have to have such dreamy bedroom eyes? Tiny gold specks sparkled like angel dust in the warm amber depths. Thick gold tipped lashes completed the allure of his heavy lidded gaze. He had the kind of gold-flecked irises that attracted a woman and sucked her right in.

He might as well wear a sign around his neck that read: Come and get it, sinful indulgence right here!

And boy was she ready to go get it.

Her brows knitted together in a deep scowl. What was wrong with her? All of a sudden her hormones were out of control? She wondered if her face was as red as it felt. Since she had red hair, her complexion was the fair one typical of redhead’s. She blushed as easily as she sunburned.

His gaze wondered from her hair to her lips. Oh, my. Those tiger-colored eyes fixed on her mouth. He licked his lips as though he’d just discovered a delicious snack he contemplated nibbling on.

Startled, Kirrah gasped as he suddenly tugged her closer.

Her hands splayed across his wide chest. “Uh-Mr. Wa-Wa, I think you might be getting a tad bit carried away here. Unhand me.”

“No.” One hand slid up her back and his fingers curled around her nape holding her in place. “I don’t think I should do that at all. You’re belong to me,” he whispered, and took her mouth.

That was the only word for it. Took. He ravaged her mouth with a slow steamy gut-wrenching kiss. Warm and wet. Hot and melting. Yum. He might be half-dead, but he had a mouth to die for and he knew how to use it.

I hope you enjoyed the blurb and excerpt. Be sure and visit my website at http://www.tabithashay.com/

There’s some very beautiful art work of my witchy characters you’ll enjoy and new pics coming soon. Witch’s Fire will be available in E-format and print from Moongypsy Press at http://www.moongypsypress.com/

Books one through four of the Winslow witches of Salem series are available at Fictionwise in E-format or in print at Amazon.com

Have a great day and as always…

Happy Reading,
Tabs

New Release Day: The Mythmakers!

2010-02-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

Get your spacesuits ready and your warp drives in gear. The day's finally here! THE MYTHMAKERS, my sci-fi romance, is out now at Samhain Publishing.

And there's plenty going on to celebrate, including TWO contests. Bitten By Books has featured my article 'SCI-FI ROMANCE: A MALE AUTHOR'S VIEW' on two of their blogs, one for romance, one for SFF. You can find them here and here, along with the chance to win an ebook copy of The Mythmakers!

The lovely and talented romance author Tabitha Shay has invited me as guest author today at her blog: My topic there is a fun one: '10 SCI-FI MOVIE LOVE STORIES TO CHERISH', where I give a rundown of my favourite Tv & movie romances, sci-fi style. For another chance to win The Mythmakers ebook, just leave a comment after the piece (contest for today only!).

Hope you enjoy! Here's a brief intro to The Mythmakers...

BLURB:

The last will and testament of a forgotten Earth…

For Captain Steffi Savannah and her crew of deep space smugglers, life has become little more than a dogged exercise in mere survival. Their latest disastrous heist ended with another dead crew member—and no place left to hide. She’s even finding it hard to dredge up any excitement over the giant, crippled ship that appears on their radar, even though it’s the salvage opportunity of a lifetime.

They find that it’s no ordinary alien vessel. It’s a ship of dreams, populated with the last remnants of Earth’s mythical creatures. Including the blond, built, mysterious Arne, one of a race blessed with extraordinary beauty—and few inhibitions. Though he won’t tell her exactly what he is, in his arms Steffi rediscovers something she thought she’d never feel again. Wonder, love…and hope.

It isn’t long, though, before the Royal guard tracks them down, and Steffi and her crew are faced with a terrible decision. Cut and run. Or risk everything to tow the Albatross and her precious cargo to safety.

Warning: Contains moderate sexual activity, strong language, and high-cholesterol breakfasts. Also features hot nudists, naïve men and other equally rare fantasy creatures.

You can read the first chapter and buy The Mythmakers at:

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-mythmakers

And the other two fabulous boks in Samhain's space opera collection, also releasing today, are:

HEARTS AND MINDS by J.C. Hay

METAL REIGN by Nathalie Gray

Later in the year, all three stories will be published in a paperback anthology titled IMPULSE POWER. Awesome stuff.

New Review for Sunset on Ramree!

2010-02-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

A week before the 65th anniversary of its tragic true events, my WW2 crocodile thriller Sunset on Ramree has received FIVE STARS from Readers Favourite!

Check out what the reviewer had to say: http://readersfavorite.com/cat-71.htm?review=2824

Great Review For The Basingstoke Chronicles!

2010-01-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

It might not have made a splash right away, but my time travel novel The Basingstoke Chronicles has performed steadily since September, and now comes this super review from Bitten By Books. Note the reviewer's fondness for Wells and Verne, two of the authors that inspired my tale from the outset. This makes me happy.

5 Tombstones (Highest Rating)

Lord Henry Basingstoke searches the world over for adventure, spending his time on research and discovery. His wealth and station in life have made the world his playground.
When a corpse is found floating in the Caribbean Sea, Lord Henry and his cronies cannot pass up the challenge to investigate the bizarre mystery. The Enigman is wearing a garment only twenty years old but made from an animal extinct for over nine thousand years.

When Lord Henry reaches the sight, he stumbles across a technology from a distant future that has the power to send them through time. Lord Henry now has the ability to retrace the footsteps of the Enigman and return to an ancient time with a civilization advanced beyond comprehension.

The Basingstoke Chronicles is a novel any speculative fiction fan would enjoy. Robert Appleton’s creative mind runneth over with imagination, and we as readers are the lucky recipients of that creativity . For those of us who long for stories in the vein of Wells and Verne, we now have it with The Basingstoke Chronicles.

The novel has time travel, ancient civilizations, mythical creatures and locations and natural disaster. I could not ask for more.

I felt in the moment with the characters throughout the book. Every discovery made, I was a part of, every disaster averted, I felt relief. This is the kind of book that makes you hope the author has more installments planned in the future. I believe, if continued, it has a great chance to become an epic series. I guess by now you can tell I highly recommend The Basingstoke Chronicles.

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=17564

My Top Ten Movies of the Decade

2010-01-19T15:38:00.000-08:00

So many to choose from, but ultimately, rather than trying to pinpoint the criteria for what made the "best" movies of the decade, I simply went with my personal faves--cinema experiences that I will never forget. 2000-2009:

1. Lord of the Rings
2. Master and Commander
3. Sideways
4. Gladiator
5. A.I: Artificial Intelligence
6. Spider-Man 2
7. There Will Be Blood
8. Casino Royale
9. Avatar 3D
10. The Bourne Ultimatum

And a few other special titles that didn't quite make the cut:

King Kong
Donnie Darko
Brokeback Mountain
Catch Me If You Can
Cast Away
Up

Here's looking forward to a great moviegoing 2010!

Valle Pintado Contest is a Tie!

2009-12-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

Our First Visual Arts Junction
Writing Contest is a Tie.

Contgratulations
Ed Leonard & Jacki Donnelly!!!

A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, and that was your assignment. Well, more accurately, 500 — 600 words. And writing about the above photo art, Valle Pintado by Aggie Villanueva, was the subject.

Our six judges returned a split decision, so without further ado Visual Arts Junction, and our many contest sponsors, take pride in introducing you to our two winners, and their winning entries. Click on the links below to see the entries on sponsors' sites.

Life in the Valle Pintado
by Ed Leonard (Papa Ed)

Ankles tucked and breathing slowed, I feel the tree dance, my wood platform sways and rocks in the hot southern trade winds. My sad, burnt, drought-stunted valley stretches before me. My humble ranch home swelters in a dry, coarse bunchweed field surrounded by stunted agreste woods that threaten to become caatinga.

Death menaces life like a Samhain specter. Gnarled stick trees grasp each other for desperate support. Their life juices drawn deep to survive the uncommon warm, dry winter. Earth spirits have driven the Numida fowl and the high plains antelope down the Tocantins to richer lands. The loss of precious water and the increased heat are taking a horrendous toll on animal and plant habitats in the Valle Pintado.

I have barely survived another winter. Spring has arrived with little promise, and my energy and will are suffering. I call out to the spirits of the jaguar and of the ocelot who once roamed here. But, they do not hear me.

I close my eyes, intent on escape. I release my saddened spirit. Hawk spirit enfolds me and I soar to a better time. I stroke the heavens and relish a gentle wind with a smooth glide. I alight to proudly perch atop a tall post and search the autumn grass for my choice of scampering breakfast.

The Valle Pintado proudly displays a dappled Autumn abstract quilt with primary colors blended and fused like fresh oils on nature’s canvas. My well-tended red adobe brick home blends quietly and comfortably before a large sugary wave of Palo Verde, Box Elder, and Hop Trees in full glory. My harvested corn patch glows golden yellow and my second growth wheat field rusty red.

A warm wind whispers, flicks leaves loose to float and flip their way to rich soil, and bathes my feathers in ripples. A hazy gray cooking fire screen rises among the trees with the rich smell of mesquite fired meat.

Two distant sandstone buttes, glimmer and flash with life, shrouded in milky early morning light. My world is balanced, healthy, and harmonious. I know now that the natural cycle of seasons will return my ranch to glorious life.

I spot a striped field mouse and launch, flapping lightly, then diving fast to my target. I dive and dive, but my prey remains distant. I linger, but the inevitable change reaches me. My spirit snaps back to my earth-bound body. Hawk has brought me hope and reminded me of the potential of my life in the Valle Pintado.

I resolve to exercise patience, to go back and seal my roof against the rain that must come again, to mend my fence against the predators that will return, to plant my corn and wheat knowing they will be nourished and watered. I resolve to hike to the top of the distant butte blessing all earth along the way. I resolve to come often to my tree platform and to meditate with the spirit of my totem animal, the hawk.

My sadness is gone.

Ed Leonard: My online name is papaed. I've been a compulsive reader and writer for nearly 50 years. I prefer poetry and have over 100 poems posted online. I've never tried to publish a book or articles in a magazine although I've done journalistic reporting freelance for several newspapers. I chose to place the Valle Pintado in the Tocantins watershed of Brazil and researched the habitat, geography, watershed, language, and native animals so that my 500 word piece reflects a possible mystical scenario there. I advocate meditation and peace issues in many of my writings and found your picture inspirational along those lines.

http://www.writerscafe.org/writers/edleonard/http://papaed.multiply.com/http://www.ipeace.me/profile/papaed http://coldcoffee.ning.com/profile/papaed http://nolan-ruizbooks.ning.com/profile/papaed papaed

Judges Comments for Ed's Entry

What I liked: You made the what and why of your transformations clear without actually saying it. I liked that you didn’t insult our intelligence as readers. That’s good storytelling. I empathized with your transformations; physical, spiritual and emotional, that produced a trust in, and ultimately a submission to, the Great Spirit through nature – a trust that transforms despair into hope restored, and then finally seeing things as they really are.

What could be improved: I know you had a word limit, but I’d like to see it more developed.

What I liked: What an intriguing story of hope. Beautifully painted images; excellent use of the first person POV. Thank you for your contribution to the contest and good luck with your writing career.

What could be improved: My only criticism pertains to the structure of one sentence: Two distant sandstone buttes, glimmer and flash with life, shrouded in milky early morning light. I don’t understand the comma after buttes or the switch from present to past tense (glimmer, flash, shrouded). I wish my own writing problems were so small.

What I liked: The imagery of the story is good and the writer's effort to paint a story with apt descriptions works well.

What could be improved: The story reads like a synopsis for a much longer story. The grammar needs a little attention -- split infinitives and occasional change of verb tense.

A Painted Mountain Life
by Jacki Donnelly

It was almost a month since I resigned as Editor in Chief of New York’s most popular fashion magazine “Moda”, but my mental alarm clock was still sounding off promptly at 6 a.m. For the past 29 days this annoyed me, but today was different. Today I started my new life- I left my upscale life and the chaos in NYC. I traded it all in for what I hoped would be a more peaceful and meaningful life.

***

My dearest friend lost a life long battle with cancer. During her last few months I didn’t spend as much time with her as I should have. I didn’t have the time, you know, with being successful and all. Luckily I made it to her before she died. She reminded me to enjoy the life’s little things, and not always focus on money and work. “You are only what you let yourself become.” she gently whispered. And with that I gently embraced her frail hand for the last time.

I finally understood the meaning behind her unsolicited suggestions. She always wanted me to take time off work, to go on a date or read a book, which I refused. I always justified my disregard by her not having or wanting the lavish lifestyle I was accustomed to. I was wrong. Now I sat humbled and dissatisfied.

At that moment I decided to change. I resigned from my job, sold my apartment and packed only the necessities, which included a book I had been working on for over twenty years. I searched the internet for a cabin to retreat to in the mountains. Finally I found a quaint cabin rental nestled in the Apache-Sitgreaves Forest. After a short telephone call with the owner I packed up my car and headed west.

***

I slowly got out of bed letting my feet touch the cold wooden floor. The sunrise was creeping over the mountains and into the cabins’ windows. The fall air had a slight chill with a sweet smell to it. I managed a fire in the ancient woodstove, the only heat source for the small cabin. I walked to the kitchen and poured me a cup of coffee in my only mug. I grabbed a sweater from the pile of clothes on the floor and wrote a few items on a box lid I needed from the market. My chores today were to unpack, set up a space to begin writing again, and groceries.

That would have to wait I wanted to enjoy my first cup of coffee of my new life. I walked out onto the porch and sat down in a rickety, wooden rocking chair. The warmth of my coffee felt good as it trickled down my throat to the pit of my stomach. The scenery took my breath away.
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of awe and tranquility, foreign feelings to me. Such beauty greeted me with open arms on that porch. I listened to the sweet melody of the Mountain Chickadees’ and the Western Meadowlarks’ coming from the forest that surrounded me. The wind was swooshing gently through the Locoweed and Indian Paintbrush wildflowers that outlined the small wooden cabins land. The trees adorning the mountains were reflecting shades of crimson, wheat and amber down to me.

I sat captivated. At that moment, with that warm cup of coffee in my hands, I knew I had made the right choice. Today would mark the day I started to “live” life. A Painted Mountain Life - one I could only dream.

Jacki Donnelly: I currently live in the tropical state of Florida. I am new to writing and am currently discovering my talents. Any commentary on the attached piece would be greatly appreciated. This will be my first piece entered for review! I am very excited and look forward to continuing my path of writing. I am 30 years old, married to a wonderful husband and have a wonderful Boxer puppy named Baxter.
This picture reminded me of a trip we took recently to the Appalachian mountains - Life is so much different in a quiet country setting. I have recently returned to college in pursuit of a degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis, and so far I am loving every minute of it. I hope to one day become an editor for a small press!

Judges Comments for Jacki's Entry

What I liked: I thought the story was well written and had a great story line. If the Author wished she could make this into a novel.

What could be improved: The one thing I would change would be to describe the picture more in depth.

What I liked: BROUGHT TEARS to my eyes. She obviously was drawn into the picture and let the emotions of it be real in her story.

What could be improved:

What I liked: I chose Jacki's story because of the creativeness of her story and how well it went with the picture. It showed a lot of imagination. That's a good thing! Keep up the good work!

What could be improved: The one thing I would've changed in the story, was that it was told in the first person, a pet peeve of mine. First person should be left for non-fiction stories, in my opinion, such as the author's biography in his/her own words or a memoir. Otherwise, it was great!

The Fine Print: Entries are judged on storytelling quality only. We do not judge on editing, manuscript prep, etc. Congratulations winners.

Sponsors

Your winning entry will also appearat each of the sites below

Aggie Villanueva Visual Arts Junction: http://www.visualartsjunction.com/Rightfully Mine http://www.aggiev.org/rightfullymine/
Carol Langstroth The Frontpage http://www.carollangstroth.com/Author Meeting Place http://www.authormeetingplace.com/mindfogreviews.html
Linda Yezak 777 Peppermint Place http://lindayezak.wordpress.com/AuthorCulture http://authorculture.blogspot.com/
Cindy Bauer Cindy Bauer Bookshttp://www.cindybauerbooks.com/Reviews by Cindy http://reviewsbycindy.blogspot.com/
Nanci Arvizu Page Readers http://pagereaders.com/Nanci’s Thoughts http://www.nanciarvizu.com/
Shelagh Watkins http://shelaghs.blogspot.com/http://shelaghwatkins.wordpress.com/
Kim McDougall Blazing Trailers Blazing Trailers http://www.blazingtrailers.com/
Melinda Elmore Melinda’s Blog Spot: Pen to Paper http://www.melinda.essentialwriters.com/
Fran Lewis Fran’s Website http://www.gabina.49.webs.com/Fran’s Blog mailto:www.gabina49@wordpress.comBertha 160 xanga.com bookmarketing.ning.com/profile/FranLewis www.myspace.com/hotauntiebertha http://www.franifashionista.blogspot.com/http://writing4all.ning.com/profile/FranLewis http://thewritespot.ning.com/profile/FranLewis
Amber Rigby Grosjean Amber Rigby Grosjean blog http://amberrigbygrosjean.blogspot.com/
D.K. Christi D.K. Christi , Consultant and Author http://www.dkchristi.com/
Jhonny Thermidor Unexplored Oceans of Wisdom http://www.jhonnyt.wordpress.com/Johnny Thermidor http://www.jhonnythermidor.webs.com/
Robert Appleton Mercurial Times http://robertbappleton.blogspot.com/
Chelle Cordero Chelle Cordero’s Promo Page http://cce613.xanga.com/
Abe F. March Abe F. March http://www.abemarch.com/apps/blog/
Paidra Delayno Paidra’s Pen http://paidraspen.blogspot.com/
Sandra Kay Sandra Kay's Musings http://www.sandrakayauthor.blogspot.com/
Jo Fulkerson Writer’s Life http://www.freewebs.com/thedesertwriter/
Elena Dorothy Bowman Elena Dorothy Bowman’s Book Blog http://elenadorothybowmansbooks.blogspot.com/
Hank Quense Blog, the writing blog of Hank Quense http://hankquense.com/blog/
Mark Stephen Levy Overland http://authormarklevy.blogspot.com/
Jay Heinlein Publishing Professional http://heinleinpubservices.blogspot.com/
J. Michael Orenduff author of the Pot Thief series http://www.thepotthief.blogspot.com/
Yolanthaiti Harrison-Pace YOLANTHAITI yolanthaiti.blogspot.com

3-Part Review for Esther May Morrow's Mysteries

2009-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

I think even Esther May herself would be proud of these new reviews at Bitten by Books. All three EMM ebooks are praised, especially for their unpredictability--which makes me a very happy mystery writer indeed. Paranormal mysteries, I might add.

Check out Carol's views on the eponymous gift shop and its many enticing trinkets:

Esther May Morrow's Buy or Borrow:

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=14623

Lot 62: An Esther May Morrow Mystery:

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=14924

Fruitless: An Esther May Morrow Fantasy:

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=14929

All titles are available as ebooks at Eternal Press & Fictionwise, or in paperback on Amazon.

Happy Holidays!

Kate of Kratos Nominated for Red Roses Award!

2009-12-10T01:09:00.000-08:00

GREAT NEWS for Book 3 of my Eleven Hour Fall trilogy. Kate of Kratos was nominated for a Red Roses For Authors Christmas Award in the 2009 Short Novel category!

You can view the announcement and the nominees here.

To vote, send a quick email to indsole@yahoo.co.uk with your favourite in each of the two categories.

Woohoo!

Rob

Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth - OUT NOW!

2009-12-10T00:33:00.000-08:00

Ready....?

Set....?

GO!!!!

Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth right now at most online bookstores, priced $4.50. If you're a fan of outer space adventures a la John Carter of Mars, or my Eleven Hour Fall trilogy, this is one sci-fi odyssey you won't want to miss!

Celebrity athlete, Charlie Thorpe-Campbell is living out his family legacy of being among the fastest men in the world. Arrogant and self-absorbed, he prefers the limelight to facing up to emotional and social issues. And certainly, as the reigning champion RAM-runner, he literally runs rings around the earth.

All this changes when during the annual Tonne Run he is whisked away through a wormhole and finds himself on a barren, isolated planet with the fate of the galaxy resting on his athletic ability.

Will Charlie run rings around his enemies or will he continue running away?

Read an excerpt here.

And here are a few of the ebook stores where you can find Charlie available for purchase:

Lyrical Press

Fictionwise

Mobipocket

Books On Board

If you'd like to read a recent interview I did for Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth, visit author Tabitha Shay's blog here.

Hope you enjoy!

Best,

Rob

TOO CLOSE TO THE FIRE with Author Jaydyn Chelcee

2009-12-04T01:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

"I would have liked to have seen Montana." -- Who said that and in which film? (hint: the actor is from Down Under)

And that leads me nicely into today's guest interview. American author Jaydyn Chelcee writes the Montana Men series, a brilliant blend of romance, spectacular landscapes and pulse-quickening danger! The first two in the series were In the Arms of Danger and No Holds Barred, both bestsellers at Eternal Press. Book Three, Too Close to the Fire, is set for release on December 7th. Stay tuned for a contest below, where you can win an ebook copy before anyone else. But first, here's the blurb:

Feel the heat—taste the passion—expect to get burned when you’re too close to the fire….

Out of luck—When Dianna’s plane crashes in the Australian rainforest, her life is in the hands of her passenger, Taylor Spencer, a bitter, venom-filled man who so far has only made her life miserable.

Out of hope—The last person Taylor Spencer wants to be stranded with is the spoiled sweetheart of the wealthy Remington family of Rimrock, Montana. Hell, he didn’t even want to be in the plane with her in the first place.

Out of time—Dianna and Taylor, two people at odds, with nothing in common, except a strong will to survive and a desire for each other that neither is willing to acknowledge.

Sound fun? You betcha!! Jaydyn's legion of loyal fans will tell you she NEVER disappoints. As well as westerns, she writes a paranormal romance series, the Winslow Witches of Salem, under her pen name, Tabitha Shay.

It's with great pleasure that I welcome Ms. Chelcee for this exclusive interview. Let's see how close to that fire we can get...

Nice of you to visit, Jaydyn.

Jaydyn--Hi Rob. Thanks for having me here today and I'm looking forward to what I know will be some fun questions...

1. I love the set-up of TCTTF--a bitter man and a spoiled woman crash-landing together in an Australian rainforest. Is it a scenario you've had in mind for a while?

Jaydyn--Actually it is. I wrote all five books to the Montana Men series years ago and tossed them on my closet shelf. Once I was published, I dragged them down, blew off the dust and done some rewriting, but I always saw Dianna and Taylor in a plane crash in Australia, just not a rainforest. That was new. (Laughs)

Rob--Wow, you just dusted off FIVE books! You're my new hero. Makes me wonder what *else* is waiting on that closet shelf!

2. As a couple, who would you liken Dianna and Taylor to?

Jaydyn--Oh goddness, I have no clue...How about Rock Hudson and Doris Day. (Giggles) Dianna and Taylor definitely have their fights and the same personality types.

3. What kind of dangers do they have to contend with?

Jaydyn--Well, I tried to keep it as real as possible, but the possibilities were endless, from starvation, to lack of water, to snake bites, broken bones, severe injuries, you name it. And some of these things do happen, but I also wanted the reader to get the feel of the vastness of the country, of how difficult locating them would be. A friend of mine who now lives in Oz once said to me that everything in Australia is bigger and louder. I worked those words into one of my scenes to create the feeling of just how overwhelming it would be for someone who was unfamiliar with the noises of the birds and animals around them. I hope I managed to get that across. And to answer your question a little better, they do battle with a couple of nasty critters among other dangers.

Rob--Sounds great. And I'd pay good money to see Doris Day and Rock Hudson go through all that. ::evil laugh::

4. Your characters are always a lot of fun to read. How big a part does humour play in TCTTF?

Jaydyn--I try to balance the dark with the light so the reader isn't bogged down with just gray scenes. TCTTF is really two stories in one. On one hand, you have Dianna and Taylor, they're in trouble, but the things they get into, do and say are funny. On the other hand, you still have Lacey and Danger's story moving along beside Dianna and Taylor's and believe me, there's nothing funny going on in that part of the book. It's all deadly serious and the characters from that part of the book are tottering on the edge of disaster.

5. Who are your biggest influences in the western romance genre?

Jaydyn--Oh wow, I'd have to go all the way back to my days as a Harlequin reader and pick Janet Daily and Margaret Way. Margaret Way almost always wrote romances set in Australia with a western flavor, loved her books. Janet Daily set a lot of books in the western states and I followed her to each one....(Laughs)

6. Your books are consistently among the biggest-selling at Eternal Press. What's your secret?

Jaydyn--Loyal fans...I'm very lucky to have the wonderful following I do, and I talk to them every chance I get. I hold a lot of contests and probably give more books away than I earn pay, but I don't care. Every time a fan emails me and tells me how much they love my books, I feel very humbled and honored.

Rob--Absolutely. And everybody wins.

7. What have you got planned for the next installments in the Montana Men series?

Jaydyn--Playing For Keeps, book four will be out sometime in 2010, I hope at least by late spring. It's Duel Remington's story and it's quite a tale. Nothing like the other books. The readers won't see much of the serial killer in this book, but look out in book five, The Wilder Side, because Smitt Davis returns with a vengeance. I also have plans for a spin-off series which will be set in Australia and tell the stories of the Remington cousins from that side of the world.

Rob--Well I think several of your fans just booked the first plane out to Oz after hearing that. Or it might be because I told them summer has already begun there. TCTTF, just as things are literally hotting up.

A huge thank you to Jaydyn for stopping by. Her new book can be bought here (electronic format) on December 7th: http://www.eternalpress.ca/tooclosetothefire.html

And a couple of weeks later, it will be available in paperback from Amazon.

EBOOK CONTEST:

If you'd like to win an ebook copy of Too Close to the Fire, simply comment on this blog and Jaydyn will enter your name into her prize draw. I'll announce the winner here on December 8th. Easy!

In the meantime, you should definitely visit Jaydyn's website: http://www.tabithashay.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tabithashay

And her publisher, Eternal Press: http://www.eternalpress.ca/

Until next time...

Happy reading!

GODIVA Contest Winners!!

2009-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations go out to Mina Gerhart and Judy Cox! Ebook copies of Godiva in the Firing Line should be in your mailboxes now. Hope you enjoy the read!

Thanks to all those who entered. Stay tuned for a new contest, to be announced shortly.

CONTEST - Win a free copy of Godiva in the Firing Line!

2009-12-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

To celebrate the release of my science fiction novella Godiva in the Firing Line, I thought I'd hold a quick contest. For your chance to win a free ebook copy, simply send an email to

sevenmercury7@aol.com

and write GODIVA FOREVER in the subject line. Simple! Don't forget to include your name. I'll pick TWO winners at random on Thursday night.

Good luck!

By the way, several of the new releases at Damnation Books are still for sale at less than $1. That's under ONE dollar! Head on over for some serious dark bargains, before they get snapped up.

Godiva in the Firing Line - OUT NOW!

2009-11-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you who like science fiction with an edge, Godiva in the Firing Line, my short futuristic novella, is available now at Damnation Books, priced $4.50. The story starts on the eve of deployment for Lupine Corps, a paratrooper unit set to patrol a human mining facility on a hostile alien moon. But if you're expecting a standard shoot 'em up sci-fi adventure, think again. Godiva Randall and Dash Collingwood are friends (and potential lovers) unwittingly headed for the most controversial military scenario of their time...

Here's the blurb:

The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack! Join Godiva Randall, the beautiful daughter of a powerful politician, as she puts her paratrooper unit’s motto to the test. A delicate truce on Hoarfrost’s icy moon is about to explode, and blood will be spilled. This is the moment Lupine Corps has trained for—combat against a nightmarish alien foe, light-years from home.

But Godiva and her best friend, Dash Collingwood, are secretly in love. All mixed-gender combat units must take Celiba-C—a pill that suppresses sexuality—under threat of court-martial. Its performance record is amazing. The military swears by it. But it’s a lonely war so far from home. What if they skipped a dose, just this once? One night for themselves. What’s the worst that could happen?

Check out the official book page at Damnation, where there's also a very unique pricing plan in effect for all new releases. Each ebook will start off at 25 cents each. That's TWENTY-FIVE CENTS! Then with each subsequent purchase, the price will increase in 25 cent increments until the full list price is reached. You'd best be quick, though--there are some great-looking titles this quarter!

I'll finish with a choice excerpt from Godiva's journey (warning: strong language)

“Listen up.” Major General Horowitz, a grey-haired, tanned, sturdy man in his mid-fifties, slurped down the remainder of his mug of coffee as he turned to face the head of the shuttle gangway, to observe over a hundred greenhorn Lupines clinging to their seatbelts with white knuckles.

“Ah, that’s what I call coffee. Nicaraguan can’t be beat. All right, you horrible lot, seeing as we’re T-minus, and the next time you get to hear my dulcets will be in orbit around Scimitar, now’s the time to tell you about a delightful little thing called Celiba-C. Okay, you’ve all heard of it before. Whoopee for you. But as you’re no doubt aware by now, girls and boys fighting side by side pose a very real and very dangerous practical problem. A biological phenomenon of the utmost import. A profound physiological conundrum. Namely, the hard-on.”

Desperate laughter shook the aging, discoloured metal cabin. Godiva and Dash resisted making eye contact.

“All right, all right. Simmer down. We’ll be administering Celiba-C shortly, in the shape of these.” He shook a plastic medicine bottle full of half-inch capsules. “Take two now and one just before we land, and then one each morning all the while you’re on Scimitar. Don’t fuck with us on this. Sex is the biggest killer in warfare. You’ve got the hots for someone, or you’re secretly a bit of a Don Quixote, your first priority will invariably be to that person’s welfare ahead of the mission. I tell you, I’ve lost more troops to hurdy-gurdy in the loins than any other human factor. I’m dead serious. Celiba-C neutralizes all sexual or gender-oriented urges while you’re in the field. No more hard-ons, no more getting wet. Same for any same-sex scenarios. You won’t see men and women out there. You’ll see comrades who’ll follow fucking orders to whatever end! Trust me, it’s the only way this works. Four years and counting…and the upturn in performance has been amazing. Basically, you all end up androgynous for the duration. But that’s it. No side effects, no long-term deterioration. You can fuck each other senseless when you’re on leave, but for now it’s monks and nuns and you’re married to God and the fucking corps. Any questions?”

“Yeah, where are all the stewardesses before I take that shit?”

More laughter.

Horowitz smiled and nodded at the clown near the front. “Still trying to figure out why you’re not in the cargo hold with the rest of the fucking tools.”

Scattered applause accompanied a deafening cheer.

“Why take two now if we’re taking one when we get there?” asked Godiva, immediately embarrassed by her serious question.

“Aha, a sensible one,” replied Horowitz. “What’s your name, Sergeant?”

“Randall, sir.”

A male voice from the back added, “Lady Godiva’s asking about hard-ons? Tell her to get her tits out and we’ll demonstrate.”

Dash replied right away, “That guy can skip his pills. He was born dick-less.” This retort even prompted a chuckle from the Major General, but Dash himself wished the words had been fists instead. He caught Godiva blushing, and he hated that Horowitz had been made privy to her sex object status.

“All right, that’s enough,” Horowitz insisted, noticing how red Godiva’s cheeks had become. “Save it for the return trip. In answer to your very sensible question, Sergeant Randall, the body has to acclimate to Celiba-C, and during the time you’re unconscious, about two days, those first two capsules will be doing their work. After that, it’s one per day. And don’t any of you think about skipping a dose. Your C.O. will always have a spare supply, so if you happen to mislay your quotient, it’s your duty to let him know. And remember, he can test you for Celiba-C at any time. The punishment for not taking it is a mandatory court-martial, so like I said, don’t fuck with us on this.”

A male junior officer with red hair and freckles wheeled a trolley filled with hundreds of Celiba-C bottles up the gangway. The wheels clattered across the gridiron. Every member of Twelfth Lupine swallowed the two capsules, some having to use water from conical containers retrieved from inside the armrests. There was no discernible effect right away, and Godiva tried not to think about the imminent banishment of Dash Collingwood from her thoughts. Or could the drug really neutralise those instincts? The sexual kind, yes, but what about close friendship, a bond not governed by the loins? What would he be to her in the grip of Celiba-C? A stranger? A brother? Déjà vu? She winced. How would he treat her? As a comrade? A sister? A piece of equipment?

She bowed her head and felt bitterly alone. When the drug kicked in, he wouldn’t go out of his way to protect her any more, and she would no longer care. But there was a downside to Celiba-C that only someone in love could perceive. It wasn’t a question of sex, it was a question of love. How does one isolate and suppress love? And how much of a person is lost when that passion is denied? Would it not filter into the camaraderie of the corps? Godiva realised she wanted a man to look out for her, she wanted to look out for him, and without that protective instinct, Lupine Corps would be a well-trained unit without a heart.

Maybe it was better that way. Maybe.

A loose gridiron hatch rattled like a supermarket trolley across cobblestone as the engines heaved the shuttle upward, and after a long, teeth-chattering ascent, punched it beyond the earth’s magnetic pull.

“That had better be the worst of it,” whispered Dash, pale as guano. “I never did like roller-coasters.”

Godiva leapt on the opportunity. “Are you kidding me? That was nothing. Just wait until we ride the bullet into deep space. Now that’s a roller-coaster.”

He closed his eyes, shook his head, and mouthed a few expletives. Pleased with herself, Godiva patted his shoulder, whispering, “And that’s something they don’t have a pill for. Best to think of it as therapy: what doesn’t kill you…makes you even more shit-scared of dying.”

“Thanks, Di,” he replied sarcastically. “I guess Celiba-C works after all.”

The quip dove straight to the ringing part of her brain. She knew what she ought to be feeling—mild regret at having treated his suffering with contempt, however playful—but the impulses were incomplete. They lingered off-key., Vague xylophonic notes that meant nothing, but which she knew had dampened that part of her compassion. What else did Celiba-C have in store? She swallowed, conscious of the stubborn phlegm clinging to her throat.

“Only kidding,” she said, not quite recognising her own voice. “Light speed is a piece of cake. And hey, I’m not going anywhere.”

He looked at her strangely, and she knew why. What a thing to say to a death-defying paratrooper! What next, holding hands!? This was going to be a long trip, and a lonely one.
By the time the shuttle had fully charged its photonic cells inside the giant, elliptical wormhole gateway, the soldiers of Twelfth Lupine were fully indifferent to one another. And in the split second between drifting through space and being yanked into an interstellar corkscrew, every man and woman lost consciousness. The only sound on board was the hatch rattling over the stairwell to the upper deck. Merely overlooked, it was of no consequence. But even so, it had not been designed for that.

http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615720439

Miles and Miles of Crocodiles

2009-10-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

On February 19th, 1945, more than one thousand Japanese soldiers retreated into the fetid swamps of Ramree Island, off the coast of Burma. Days later, only twenty were found alive. It remains the deadliest crocodile attack on record. In the passage that first piqued my interest in the incident, British marine (and naturalist) Bruce Wright wrote:

“That night of the 19 February 1945 was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. [marine launch] crews ever experienced. The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on earth. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left...Of about 1,000 Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about 20 were found alive.”

That compelling testimony has been hotly disputed over the years. Ramree natives maintain such an attack never took place, while others attribute the high number of casualties to enemy fire, disease, scorpions, and various other perils indigenous to the island. But in many Indo-Pacific regions, saltwater crocodiles are feared even more than sharks. Indeed, they eat sharks! And they do, on occasion, attack people. Ramree Island is itself not far from the Burmese coast. It stands to reason that such a large number of crocodiles, when disturbed and confronted with a widespread smell of blood, would react with deadly force. Further, crocodiles like to feed at night. The Japanese troops spent three nights in the swamp. There is therefore much circumstantial evidence in support of Wright's account. Exactly how many men were killed by crocodiles, rather by than the myriad other perils, can never be known. But Wright's testimony has endured, in all its nightmarish glory.

So, how to adapt these horrific true events into a story that people would find compelling and not nausea-inducing? Not an easy task. Crocodile attacks are unimaginably vicious. And war—equally so. So I decided to shift the focus to two men, one a musician in civilian life, the other an owner of a men’s fashion store, and reveal how they came to rely on each other through the unspeakable events. It became a tale of friendship and survival.

Privates Nakadai and Kodi were never meant to be soldiers. As for many young Japanese men, Imperial duty was foisted upon them under pain of death. Nakadai is a musician without music. Kodi’s love of fashion and cleanliness is buried under layers of black swamp mud. But something clicks when they’re together, and each substitutes the other’s dwindling humanity. It is the strongest kind of friendship there is—a life-or-death bond between ordinary men in extraordinary times.

To delve the reader headlong into the swamps of Ramree, I decided to tell the story in first person present tense. It added so much immediacy that I was literally breathless after writing certain passages. I also gave each chapter a musical title, reflecting the memory of home kindled between the two friends.

Here are two brief excerpts from Sunset on Ramree:

1. PRELUDE

Lance-Corporal Hokuto Mayazuki has always been one of the luckiest soldiers in the Japanese Imperial Army. The scars of no less than six shrapnel cuts and bullet wounds tattoo the left side of his neck, all the way from ear to shoulder. So many miraculous escapes over a three-year tour of duty in the Pacific. Yet he will be among the first to die this evening—according to the medical officer—though not from any wound. Today is February 19th, 1945, and he is succumbing to a strange, horrid fever. If one so tough can fall easily, I tell myself, what chance have any of us, retreating into these deadly marshlands of Ramree Island?

It is 16:45 and the British forces have outflanked us. Word spreads throughout our battalion that there is no escape. The mangrove swamp—a thick, stifling, fetid place of only damp reprieve—suddenly provides our only protection. And it is here, in the coming hours, that from the jaws of our defeat, Nature will try to snatch us for Herself. There are a hundred unseen ways for a man to die. We can never give in and time must therefore be the grind of the blade, that by our own hand we draw death—an honourable death. What end waits for me, I wonder? My name is Shigeatsu Nakadai. I do not want this sunset to be my last.

The water I pour onto my neck to drown a dozen large ants is drinking water. I curse the decision. From here on, saltwater is all we’ll find. When my canteen runs dry, I’ll start to die of thirst. The thought occurs to me to pilfer some of Mayazuki’s—he’s almost dead anyway—but the reasoning proves double-edged. What if he contracted his disease from that water? Is it worth the risk? Thirst or fever: in prolonging life by one means, might I not simply protract death by another? I decide to leave him his flask and take his can opener instead.

We’ve been rushing for hours. Our battery stronghold is now miles to our rear. Colonel Ojihoru is a determined man, but determined to do what? If we are not permitted to surrender, and there is no way through the British lines, what is his hurry? Suicide now or suicide later, it seems academic. Stoicism is my only refuge. It’s as much a performance as those I give each night in my dreams—in the orchestra of Chadwick Hall in Canberra, where I play the clarinet—except this performance is to myself. Of all the ways to leave this swamp, suicide is the most impossible, at least to me. I’m quite sure that when the time comes to die with honour, I’ll cry in front of the whole regiment. Will I be the only one?

4. VARIATIONS ON A THEME

I try to conjure a memory of before the war—something, anything to distract me—but draw a blank every time. I purse my lips to whistle a familiar tune, but nothing comes out. I shut my eyes tight and roll them inward until they ache and release a heavy pulse. The screams and shots and calls for surrender are still there. Kodi and Sobiku are still there. I imagine the reed of a clarinet between my lips and the long, sustained breath given to making sweetly aching music. But nothing comes out. No tune, no melody, no woodwind to soothe the mangroves. Just the damp, cold harmonics of the night. I’m lost without music, and there is no music on Ramree.

Sunset on Ramree was released on July 7th at Eternal Press as an eBook, priced $3.95.

The paperback version is available from Amazon.

And finally, here are a few facts I learned about saltwater crocodiles:

*The largest and deadliest reptile on the planet, the saltwater crocodile lives in northern Australia, eastern India, and southeast Asia.

*Its average life span in the wild almost equals that of a human male (70 years).

*Its average length is almost three times that of a human male (17 ft).

*'Salties' (as they're referred to in Australia) occasionally reach a length of 23 ft and a weight of 1,200 kg.

*They are extremely good swimmers and have been spotted quite far out to sea.

*The female crocodile lays up to 60 eggs at a time, though only a very small number will reach adulthood.

*The saltwater or estuary croc cruises through the water at around 2-3 mph, but can sprint-swim at speeds of up to 18 mph.

*On land, its explosive acceleration can almost match a human runner, though only in very short bursts.

*It will generally bask for much of the day and feed at night.

*It is what is known as an apex predator, as its natural position is top of the food chain.

*It rarely attacks humans, mostly because the saltwater crocodile is fiercely territorial, and we have learned to avoid its domain. In regions where human precautions are poor, however, reports of fatal croc attacks are far more common.

*The controversial mass crocodile attack on Ramree Island, 1945, remains the deadliest recorded attack by wildlife on humans.

Learn more on my official webpage: www.robertappleton.co.uk/sunsetonramree.htm

Visual Arts Junction Writing Contest Goes Live!

2009-10-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

All aspiring writers should check out the following link:

http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?p=3585

The VAJ monthly contest is an excellent opportunity for budding writers to gain exposure. This month, the challenge is to write about a piece of art titled Valle Pintado. The deadline is Nov 15th. The winning entry will be posted on each of the three VAJ-affiliated websites, as well as on the many supporters' blogs/websites. That's a lot of publicity!

What are you waiting for? Head on over to VAJ and show what you can do.

Best of luck!

First Look at THE MYTHMAKERS!

2009-10-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

As you can see, Samhain Publishing are pulling out all the stops for Impulse Power, their space opera anthology due for release in February 2010. The cover artist is Kanaxa, and she went truly stellar for this amazing tapestry of book covers. The three novellas are Hearts and Minds (by J.C. Hay), Metal Reign (by Nathalie Gray), and my own outer space adventure, The Mythmakers.

I've had great book covers before but these are just extraordinary! If the rest of the project turns out this well, Impulse Power will be the space opera book of next year, no question. Each novella is to be released as a separate eBook in Feb, before the paperback anthology later in 2010.

Here's an early blurb for The Mythmakers:

The last will and testament of a forgotten Earth...

For Captain Steffi Savannah and her crew of deep space smugglers, life has become little more than a dogged exercise in mere survival. Their latest disastrous heist ended with another dead crew member—and no place left to hide. She’s even finding it hard to dredge up any excitement over the giant, crippled ship that appears on their radar, even though it’s the salvage opportunity of a lifetime.

They find that it’s no ordinary alien vessel. It’s a ship of dreams, populated with the last remnants of Earth’s mythical creatures. Including the blond, built, mysterious Arne, one of a race blessed with extraordinary beauty—and few inhibitions. Though he won’t tell her exactly what he is, in his arms Steffi rediscovers something she thought she’d never feel again. Wonder, love…and hope.

It isn’t long, though, before the Royal guard tracks them down, and Steffi and her crew are faced with a terrible decision. Cut and run. Or risk everything to tow the ship and her precious cargo to safety.

Editing on The Mythmakers begins soon, and I have the lovely Sasha Knight overseeing this one. Can't wait!

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/

Cover Art for Godiva in the Firing Line!

2009-10-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

Artist (and author) Julie D'Arcy just sent me the finished cover for my upcoming sci-fi war novella, Godiva in the Firing Line. This was one of the most interesting collaborations I've had with an artist. We had such different initial takes on what the image should look like, and I think we both got a little frustrated with that incompatibility. For my part, I was perhaps too specific in what I asked for; it didn't give Julie much leeway in finding suitable digital elements. One has to remember our graphic artists can only use images already available to them, and the more specific you are, the tougher it becomes for them to exactly reproduce your idea.

On the other hand, there has to be good communication throughout the process in case those ideas aren't reproducable. With Godiva, I asked for a blonde, beautiful female soldier dressed a certain way. Poor Julie spent ages trying to find the right girl, without luck. Instead, she went in a new direction and chose a sci-fi woman that, while blonde and sexy, didn't, for me, fit the story I'd written. Better communication at both ends might have saved her a lot of time and effort. We'll both be wiser next time.

In the end, we chanced upon a nice middle ground that more or less fulfilled all the criteria of my initial suggestions, while also being practical enough for Julie to work her magic. We're both very pleased with the finished cover. In fact, it's one of my new faves. I *love* the alien landscape. And that girl is definitely Godiva.

Thanks, Julie!

Godiva in the Firing Line is due for release on December 1st at Damnation Books. Here's an unofficial blurb and excerpt:

This is the moment Lupine Corps has trained for—combat against a nightmarish alien foe, light-years from home. But Godiva and her best friend, Dash Collingwood, are secretly in love. All mixed-gender combat units must take Celiba-C—a pill that suppresses sexuality—under threat of court-martial. Its performance record is amazing. The military swears by it. But it’s a lonely war so far from home. What if they skipped a dose, just this once? One night for themselves. What’s the worst that could happen?

Excerpt:

So this was it.

There was an un-showy yet deliberate mobilisation, half-dressed figures she recognised trying their best to appear aloof while making their beds. No way were they so composed inside. Her abdominals tightened and she repeatedly unclenched her fists while straightening her sports bra, buttoning up her beige jacket, clipping her panties to the waist of her trousers and fastening the tungsten belt, tucking the trouser legs into her latex stockings, winding herself into the supple but impenetrable, thigh-length performance boots, and finally, combing her hair with damaged fingernails.

So this is it…

She closed her eyes.

No place to hide now.

Boys had always been wary of Godiva Randall. The beautiful daughter of a powerful politician, she was the gemstone lying in the middle of the pavement that every pedestrian would covet but think twice about picking up, fearful of the catch. But in Godiva there was no catch, no deviousness, no treachery, and that no boy had ever lasted longer than four dates was, it was rumoured, the thing that had ultimately driven her to a platonic career in the world of men—a paratrooper par excellence. It might have been the one place where, if you were brave enough to put your life on the line, politics had no dominion.

She was five-seven, golden blonde, with a very pale complexion and a lithe, athletic physique. Men in her various squads quite rightly nicknamed her Lady Godiva. It had become the object of contentious betting that she would one day agree to pose naked for the Lupine Corps’ female calendar and that if she did, she would outshine all those gone before. Sooner or later, everyone knew who she was—rich, super-educated, the daughter of presidential candidate Rupert Randall. Corporals and colonels alike had taken on the conquest, until she’d dropped Daddy’s name and seen that same gulp of the eyes, that silent “Oh, shit! Where the hell are my car keys?” glance.

But now, no one else seemed to notice her, and she liked that nervous throb of anonymity.

http://www.damnationbooks.com/

SEPTEMBER Round-Up

2009-10-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

Quite a busy month on the quiet! Two new eBook releases, a new contract signed, two short stories subbed, final stage re-writes on two novels, a family camping trip, and...other stuff.

Stayed at a campsite near Dumfries, southwest Scotland, for three days. There were eight of us in all, and only two tents. Boys in one tent, girls in the other, plus one labrador apiece. Needless to say we didn't get much sleep, but the location was great--right next to the beach--and the weather stayed uncharacteristically fine. One crazy excursion involved my brother and I clambering over coastal rocks to get back to our beach. Before we knew it, the rocks had become a cliff face and we were hanging on by our fingertips, unable to go back. After an hour of precarious Sylvester Stallone antics, we had no choice but to scramble down to the water and wade the rest of the way through freezing, chest-high waves. No, we weren't dressed for that.

But we'll never forget it.

My short horror story, Val and Tyne, was released by Damnation Books as part of their inaugural book launch on September 1st. They utilised a very unique pricing method. All prices started at five cents and, with each purchase, increased in five cent increments, until they reached the full list price. Most of them are still available for under a dollar, so you should head on over for some serious bargains. My story is a black comedy horror involving movie makeup effects, zombie re-animation, and plenty of macabre Hollywood touches. I had a great time writing it. Hopefully I can get around to doing a full horror novel soon. I have soooo many ideas waiting.

Uncial Press released my debut time travel novel, The Basingstoke Chronicles, as an eBook. My editor Judith B. Glad and I worked hard to find a balance between old-fashioned (Victorian) and modern style prose. I have to admit it was too wordy at first--as if I was trying hard to be Edgar Rice Burroughs or H Rider Haggard--but now it reads exceedingly well. Brisk and smooth. Jude deserves a huge thank you for that! Nice to see Basingstoke is selling well on Fictionwise. In fact, it's been in the top five sci-fi bestsellers for weeks now, something I've never achieved before.

The big news this month is my contract with Samhain Publishing. Their Space Opera Anthology submission call drew three times the expected number of entries. In the end they picked just four stories, one of which was The Mythmakers, my first attempt at space opera. It's not only a dream come true to be published at Samhain, it's a testament to how much I've improved as a writer since I started in 2007. And there's a long way to go yet.

I received the cover art and returned the final draft for Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth, my short sci-fi novel due out December 7th at Lyrical Press. It's pure action adventure from the first orbital racing scenes to the startling climax on an alien planet. Not a great deal in the way of re-writes for this one--I must have turned in a pretty good first draft. My regular readers will eat this story up, and hopefully Charlie can make some noise around Christmas.

I submitted two new short stories to e-zines. The Gauntlet is provocative sci-fi, Happy Meal is a fun horror. Both were under 3,500 words. It felt good to bring a couple of long-in-the-offing ideas to fruition, and I'm curious to see how they do. Both have a more fast and loose style than I'm used to.

A sci-fi mystery novel I finished this summer, well, never quite lived up to my initial vision. I'd planned to make it a fun erotic romance in a sci-fi mystery setting. It became something else, though, when I chickened out of the steamy stuff. I really liked the end result--an entertaining detective mystery on a lunar colony--but that initial vision kept nagging me after I was done. So I've taken steps to rectify the problem...namely, bringing in my favourite erotic comedy writer to "sexify" the story. I'll make a real announcement when we're further along, but right now I'm pysched that she'd even consider my proposal, let alone jump in with both high heels. I can't wait to see what gems she comes up with!

Phew! No time to mention books read or movies watched this time. It's getting late. Promise I'll do a full-on end of year film post soon, before the awesomeness that is Avatar blows our collective minds in December.

Till then, be safe!

Robert

REVIEW: Finnish Fantasies by Sloane Taylor

2009-09-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

FINNISH FANTASIES

Sloane Taylor

Published by Amber Quill Press (Amber Heat)

Length: Novella

ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-572-0 (Electronic)

Erotic/ Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Being Maid of Honor in Finland over Midsummer’s Eve is supposed to be fun, but for jingle writer Kate Adams it’s a nightmare. Things go from bad to worse when her high-priced rental car dies on an endless ribbon of bone-dry country road. Help arrives in the form of a delicious-looking, blue-collar local who just might make it all worthwhile.

Rurik Jaacko knows better than to stop for the princess perched on the hood of a Mercedes. Hot women and expensive cars are trouble, but he’s a sucker for any damsel in distress. The last thing he expects is to play bellhop to the sensual American, and love every sizzling moment.

A rustic pig farm and a friend who isn’t combine with deception to create the backdrop for earthy passion and international fraud...

So...what can a hunky pig farmer who owns a forest, and a strong-willed jingle writer on her way to be Maid of Honour at a posh wedding, possibly have in common? Well, this being a Sloane Taylor story, you already know there will be a lot of witty repartee, lots of neurotic fireworks, and LOTS of very hot sex. No one combines these elements of erotic comedy better.

Ms. Taylor is on fine form with this hugely enjoyable Scandinavian concoction. Kate’s snarky put-downs are a hoot, while Rurik, quickly revelling in his role as impromptu host, serves up plenty of surprises for his sexy American guest. Both characters are fun to be around. I was also intrigued by a sub-plot involving Kate’s best friend, Lucy, whose high society betrothal to the loathsome Lars takes a startling turn.

One thing I love about Ms. Taylor’s writing is the endless reservoir of wit she can dip into at will. Mundane exchanges become sparkling back-and-forths as her characters vie for dominance. Also worth mentioning is the satisfying research that goes into bringing these exotic countries to life. The customs, language, and genuine feel for this rural environment kept me immersed. I’ll definitely look forward to seeing where Ms. Taylor visits next. In the meantime, Finnish Fantasies is great fun.

Warning: contains scorching sex scenes, BDSM, a flagrant disregard for clothing, and the cutest spokes-pig ever.

Hurry on over to Amber Quill to purchase:

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/FinnishFantasies.html

And here's another by Sloane Taylor: Czech Mate

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/CzechMate.html

Don't forget to visit Sloane's website and blog. She's one of my favourite authors.

http://www.sloanetaylor.com/

Robert Appleton on The Basingstoke Chronicles

2009-09-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

My newly released book, the time travel adventure The Basingstoke Chronicles is actually the first novel I wrote, back in 2005. I’d already written a few short stories and my debut poetry anthology, Mercurial Verse, but epic storytelling is what I’d always wanted to explore. The scope of grand adventure, mixed with intimate character moments, fired my imagination in my teens, when I spent rainy afternoons delving into the worlds of Victorian genre authors Wells, Verne, Burroughs, and H Rider Haggard.

Time travel in particular, fascinates me. The ideas are constantly in our faces, the opportunities tantalisingly out of reach. Time is such an intricate part of our everyday lives, yet we have absolutely no control over it.

What science fiction does so well is boil the universe down to two words: WHAT IF?

What if a dead body found floating off the coast of Cuba wore a strange garment? And what if the wool of that garment, while only twenty years old, came from an animal extinct for over nine thousands years?

A group of professional scuba divers, including Lord Henry Basingstoke and his friend, Rodrigo Quintas, eagerly search the ocean bed for clues. But when they find the secret of time travel in the deep, a fun vacation becomes an obsessive quest to be the first to solve the mystery. This involves a daring journey back through time, to a hidden land of rainforests, deadly creatures, and a doomed civilization. And the longer they stay, the more their adventure becomes, quite literally, a race against time.

In the early chapters, I wanted to introduce a very particular lifestyle, namely that of rich, bored pleasure-seekers whose pursuit of archaeological relics is less a burning passion, more a rite of privilege. For Lord Basingstoke, these treasure-seeking adventures around the globe are a fun hobby. Any true value in archaeology or history eludes him. A rebellious English aristocrat, he feels he has no real place in the late twentieth century, a time without magic, in which discovery is obsolete.

But finding the mysterious vehicle in the deep gives him a sense of purpose. For the first time in his life, he is in possession of something extraordinary. Discussing it with his closest friends only invigorates him further. Those exchanges are some of my favourite in the book—speculative, naïve, yet so passionate. He guards his discovery jealously, which leads to a fateful decision one night, when other interested parties are loitering nearby…

I won’t spoil anything of his adventure, but I will say that it was truly a vicarious thrill for me to write this journey of exploration. I could happily spend years wandering the hidden land of Apterona, learning its secrets. All I’d need is a very big rifle, Quatermain as a guide, and Jennifer Love Hewitt…for moral support.

Robert Appleton

The Basingstoke Chronicles is available now as an eBook at Uncial Press, priced $5.99

http://www.uncialpress.com/books/basingst/basingst.html

And at the following online booksellers:

Fictionwise: http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b94736/The-Basingstoke-Chronicles/Robert-B-Appleton/?si=0

Mobipocket: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=220635

Books on Board: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=510905

Don’t forget to drop by in the coming weeks for a Basingstoke Chronicles contest or two, and your chance to win a free copy.

In the meantime, happy adventuring!

Cover Art - Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth

2009-09-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Renee Rocco just sent me this gorgeous cover art for Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth, my upcoming sci-fi novel at Lyrical Press. I had a blast writing it at the end of last year, over about six weeks of unabashed, child-like outer space fever. What can I say? I'm a sucker for 1950's sci-fi films, late-Victorian speculative fiction writers (Wells, Burroughs etc.), and all-round adventuresome heroics. Charlie Thorpe-Campbell is a kind of modern-day spin on those virtuous, intrepid protagonists of old.

The cover wryly captures the dazzle and the arrogance of Charlie's status as the world's fastest RAM-runner. A huge thanks to Ms. Rocco for delivering this top-notch artwork.

December 7th can't arrive soon enough!

Here's the official blurb:

Charlie has spent his entire life running, but he can't outrun himself.

Celebrity athlete, Charlie Thorpe-Campbell is living out his family legacy of being among the fastest men in the world. Arrogant and self-absorbed, he prefers the limelight to facing up to emotional and social issues. And certainly, as the reigning champion RAM-runner, he literally runs rings around the earth.

All this changes when during the annual Tonne Run he is whisked away through a wormhole and finds himself on a barren, isolated planet with the fate of the galaxy resting on his athletic ability.
Will Charlie run rings around his enemies or will he continue running away?

You can learn about Charlie's real-life ancestors--British speed legends Malcolm and Donald Campbell--on my webpage here!

The Mythmakers at Samhain Publishing!

2009-09-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

...and just like that, I'm now a Samhain author. I'd better keep saying that until it sinks in.

Say who? Okay, Samhain is one of the best, most well-respected e-Publishers in the market right now. They specialize in romance and erotica, but most of all they love a good story. If it bends the genre conventions a little, well...even better. You'll find many of the top eBook writers there (as well as some NY authors), not to mention editors and artists. But above all, it's the publisher I've wanted to sign with since I started in 2007.

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/

My sci-fi romance/adventure THE MYTHMAKERS will be published as part of their Space Opera Anthology in February 2010. All titles will be released as separate eBooks.

THE MYTHMAKERS is the story of Captain Steffi Savannah and her weary crew of deep space smugglers. Fleeing the authorities after a disastrous heist, they discover a giant, crippled alien ship drifting aimlessly. Any opportunity for salvage is short-lived, however, when Steffi meets the inhabitants--a stunning array of mythological creatures, including Arne, a blond hunk with no inhibitions except one...his closely kept secret.

Rediscover the magic of romance and adventure in this thrilling adventure set in the deep unknown of space.

More details coming soon!

Welcome to Damnation Books!

2009-09-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

The massive stone doors have opened. Step through into the realm of Damnation Books. Inside you'll discover places of wonder, things to fear and explore darkness you never knew existed until now. We are dark fiction. Damn Good Dark Fiction.

www.damnationbooks.com

All day long Tuesday, September 1st, we're partying in that special place in hell just for people who love horror, thrillers, paranormals, dark fantasy, science fiction and dark erotica. It's called our reader's group: home of The Damned Nation...our beloved fans. So bring your undead selves to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DamnationBooks

Chat with our authors and artists. Grab yourself a chance at some freebies: tshirts with our reading zombie dude on them, Damnation Books mousepads and BOOKS!
Come on in...it's nice and warm! Anything you bring with you can and will be used against you.

Welcome to Damnation Books!

Movie Review - Outlander (2008)

2009-08-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

Vikings versus an alien monster.

Still reading? Good for you, because you're in for a genre treat with Outlander, an action-horror that knows exactly what it wants to be and makes no apologies. James Caviezel plays Kainen, an alien warrior whose spaceship crashes in Iron Age Norway. Captured by a Viking tribe, he quickly realises that the atrocities visited upon local villages are the work of a Moorwen, a deadly creature from his homeworld. The monster stowed away on his ship and is now wreaking havoc, unopposed. It's up to Kainen to help these poorly equipped people hunt and kill a far superior foe. The Viking King (played by the always brilliant John Hurt) and his sword-wielding daughter (lovely Sophia Myles) recognise the outlander's worth, while other members of the tribe would rather blame him for the bloodshed. An uneasy alliance begins.

It's an old, old formula but the sci-fi bent gives this hero tale (Beowulf from outer space) plenty of juice. Caviezel plays it deadly serious, and the story's much stronger for it. Kainen and the Moorwen share a bitter history; this isn't a straightforward hero versus monster scenario. Apart from the well-done action scenes and special effects, Outlander has a solid script, a strong visual look (misty forests, caves, waterfalls etc) and four or five good actors. Add to this a fascinating creature and you have one of the better 'B' movies of recent years. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rating: **** (4 out of 5)

August Round-Up

2009-08-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

Damnation Books signed my latest sci-fi future novella, Godiva in the Firing Line, a fascinating mix of war, romance, politics, and deep space adventure. It's scheduled for a March 2010 release and will be my second title at Damnation. More info soon.

I read a number of strong books this month, including three I had on my TBR list for well over a year. Cormac McCarthy's The Road exerts a vice-like grip. Strikingly barren in terms of setting and even punctuation, it's also one of the richest post-apocalyptic tales I've read, by virtue of a wonderful, mostly unspoken relationship between father and son. It's man's existence pared down to day-by-day, scavenge by scavenge, survival. McCarthy's imagery is razor-edged, and his ending couldn't be more powerful. A must-read.

Stephen King's The Mist is one I desperately wanted to read after seeing the movie, which I loved. And a faithful adaptation it was, too (apart from the ending!). The novella is chock full of King's quirky observations on everyday folk; all his characters react differently to the truly horrific scenario. I especially liked the rise of superstition as the core group of "heroes" tries its best to steer a logical path. We get glimpses of the very best and (mostly) worst of people under pressure. Riveting stuff!

I'd heard so much about Stephanie Meyer's Twilight that, frankly, my expectations weren't high. Vampires were long-in-the-tooth decades ago, and I'm not a huge fan of high school romances. I like the sensual aspect of vamps, and the gothic settings they used to frequent; but how many times have we seen garlic, crucifixes, wooden stakes, shafts of sunlight etc? Too bloody many (pun intended). The Hammer horror Dracula movies are my favourite incarnations--period creep-fests with bags of atmosphere. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Yes, yes. Here, I was prepared for a cringe-worthy modern soap with goths, bad text messages etc. What I got was a long-winded but compelling forbidden romance. Bella is a nicely written heroine--a gawky klutz in a new school, an unassuming beauty with real intelligence. She falls head over heels for the mysterious Edward Cullen, whose mood swings rival Jekyll and Hyde on a bad hair day. Edward is clearly the author's image of male perfection--extraordinary good looks, dark, brooding, with superhuman attributes. Their relationship takes many turns--probably too many--but I enjoyed Meyer's intimate storytelling, along with the clever disclosure of Edward's real identity. A good, solid read.

My favourite new DVDs this month were Knowing, an enthralling, portentous thriller starring Nicolas Cage; Zack Snyder's bizarre but impressive superhero opus, Watchmen, featuring a truly fascinating super-being called Dr. Manhattan; Doubt, an acting masterclass from Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman; and Mickey Rourke's The Wrestler, one of the best films I've seen all year.

I didn't really fancy any of the cinema releases this month, but I've seen trailers for a few that have caught my eye. District 9, an alien action-mystery set in South Africa, looks amazing. James Cameron's Avatar will be an absolute treat in 3D--to my mind, he's made six brilliant films in a row, not counting this one. More delicious 3D from Robert Zemeckis (A Christmas Carol) and Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland), two of my favourite directors. I'm also looking forward to Joe Johnston's The Wolf Man, Roland Emmerich's disaster epic 2012, and Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones. A pretty good winter line-up!

Till next time,

Rob

Sept 1st - Launch Day at Damnation Books!

2009-08-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Not long to wait now...for the grand opening of Damnation Books, a superb new dark fiction publisher! As the author of Val and Tyne, one of the twenty-five inaugural titles, I can honestly say this has been the smoothest pre-publication process I've been a part of. My story was treated with care and respect from day one, and the owner, Kim Richards, has gone to great lengths to ensure all our titles reach the widest possible online readership. I haven't read the other stories yet, but if the management is anything to go by, Damnation deserves to go far.

Here’s the opening line up of authors and titles. Every single book will be offered in ebook and digital formats beginning September 1st. Only novels and novellas will be available in trade paperback.

Amy Grech - Blanket of White - Horror Novel length Short Story Collection
Christian Saunders - Apartment 14F: an Oriental Ghost Story - Paranormal/Horror Novella
Collette Thomas - Deadly Games Book 1 in Todd Hollow Series - Thriller/Erotica novel
Cory Cramer - Symptoms of a Broken Heart - Horror/Erotica Novella
Edward M. Erdelac - Dubaku - Horror Novella
Edward P. McDermott - On the Lake where the Loons Cry - Thriller Short story
Mark Edward Hall - The Haunting of Sam Cabot - Horror/Psychological Novella
Geoff Chaucer - Concubine - Horror/Erotica Short story
James Dorr - The Garden - Science Fiction Novella
Jason Kahn - The Killer Within - Thriller Short story
Joel Arnold - The Siege - Science Fiction/Paranormal Short Story
John B. Rosenman - Green in our Souls - Science Fiction Short story
John W. Podgursky - The One-Percenters - Psychological/Thriller novella
Lawrence Dagstine - Visitation Rights - Paranormal Short Story
Lily - Eden Fell - Dark psychology/philosophy Novella
Michael McLarnon - Dark Isle - Horror Novel
Noel Hynd - The Prodigy "Author's Revised Edition" - Thriller Novel
Robert Appleton - Val and Tyne - Horror Short Story
Alan Spencer - The Body Cartel – Thriller/Horror Novel
S. A. Bolich - Who Mourns for the Hangman? - Dark Fantasy Short Story
Ted Kehoe - Trip Trap - Horror Short Story
Tim Marquitz - Armageddon Bound - Urban Fantasy Novel
Yolanda Sfetsos - Faithless Book 1 - Erotica Novella
The Zombie Cookbook - Horror/Comedy AnthologyContributing authors include: Lisa Haselton, Cinsearae Santiago, Becca Butcher, Carla Girtman, Scott Virtes, Karina Fabian, Dawn Marshallsay, Lin Neiswender, & Kate Sender.

Where can you find our books September 1st?

Definitely here at our own website. http://www.damnationbooks.com/

We will have books for sale at Fictionwise, Mobipocket, Amazon digital, Shortcovers, as well as, a host of online bookstores.

However, we want you to shop here first. http://www.damnationbooks.com/

So much so, we’re offering variable pricing on ebooks from our website only. What the heck is variable pricing? It works like this: At 12:01 A.M on the day a new book goes live on our site, it’s offered free. Yes, you read correctly. The first copy is FREE! With each download the book rises in price by five cents until it reaches its full retail price. At that time, the book remains at full retail price. Coupons and discount codes are not applicable for any book until it reaches its full retail price.

This means that every single one of the books listed above will be launched using the variable pricing at 12:01 A.M. on September 1st 2009. Awesome, huh?

One more thing—we’re hosting a launch party at Killercon http://www.killercon.org/ in September. We invite you to join us for some fun, free stuff and a chance to meet a few of our authors. While you’re at the convention, be sure to visit our table in the Dealer’s Room.

Sunset on Ramree Available on Amazon!

2009-07-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

Great news! My WW2 crocodile thriller is now available in paperback from Amazon.com, priced $4.50.

Sunset on Ramree, published by Eternal Press, is a novelette based on history's deadliest crocodile attack. You can learn facts about the incident here, and I've put together some trivia on saltwater crocodiles here!

Sunset on Ramree Out Now at Eternal Press!!

2009-07-07T17:15:00.000-07:00

It was always a case of finding the right publisher. Thank you to all those who have waited patiently for Sunset on Ramree. I'm pleased to announce it is now available for purchase, priced $3.95, at Eternal Press, and also at Amazon (paperback or Kindle).

SUNSET ON RAMREE

It is the deadliest crocodile attack ever recorded. On February 19th, 1945, a thousand Japanese soldiers retreated into the fetid mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Days later, only twenty were found alive.

Inspired by true events during WW2, Sunset on Ramree follows young musician-turned-soldier Shigeatsu Nakadai and his best friend, Kodi, as they head ever deeper into danger. Will friendship be enough to keep them alive in the deadliest place on Earth?

EXCERPT # 1

Lance-Corporal Hokuto Mayazuki has always been one of the luckiest soldiers in the Japanese Imperial Army. The scars of no less than six shrapnel cuts and bullet wounds tattoo the left side of his neck, all the way from ear to shoulder. So many miraculous escapes over a three-year tour of duty in the Pacific. Yet he will be among the first to die this evening—according to the medical officer—though not from any wound. Today is February 19th, 1945, and he is succumbing to a strange, horrid fever. If one so tough can fall easily, I tell myself, what chance have any of us, retreating into these deadly marshlands of Ramree Island?

It is 16:45 and the British forces have outflanked us. Word spreads throughout our battalion that there is no escape. The mangrove swamp—a thick, stifling, fetid place of only damp reprieve—suddenly provides our only protection. And it is here, in the coming hours, that from the jaws of our defeat, Nature will try to snatch us for Herself. There are a hundred unseen ways for a man to die. We can never give in and time must therefore be the grind of the blade, that by our own hand we draw death—an honourable death. What end waits for me, I wonder? My name is Shigeatsu Nakadai. I do not want this sunset to be my last.

The water I pour onto my neck to drown a dozen large ants is drinking water. I curse the decision. From here on, saltwater is all we’ll find. When my canteen runs dry, I’ll start to die of thirst. The thought occurs to me to pilfer some of Mayazuki’s—he’s almost dead anyway—but the reasoning proves double-edged. What if he contracted his disease from that water? Is it worth the risk? Thirst or fever: in prolonging life by one means, might I not simply protract death by another? I decide to leave him his flask and take his can opener instead.

We’ve been rushing for hours. Our battery stronghold is now miles to our rear. Colonel Ojihoru is a determined man, but determined to do what? If we are not permitted to surrender, and there is no way through the British lines, what is his hurry? Suicide now or suicide later, it seems academic. Stoicism is my only refuge. It’s as much a performance as those I give each night in my dreams—in the orchestra of Chadwick Hall in Canberra, where I play the clarinet—except this performance is to myself. Of all the ways to leave this swamp, suicide is the most impossible, at least to me. I’m quite sure that when the time comes to die with honour, I’ll cry in front of the whole regiment. Will I be the only one?

EXCERPT # 2

I try to conjure a memory of before the war—something, anything to distract me—but draw a blank every time. I purse my lips to whistle a familiar tune, but nothing comes out. I shut my eyes tight and roll them inward until they ache and release a heavy pulse. The screams and shots and calls for surrender are still there. Kodi and Sobiku are still there. I imagine the reed of a clarinet between my lips and the long, sustained breath given to making sweetly aching music. But nothing comes out. No tune, no melody, no woodwind to soothe the mangroves. Just the damp, cold harmonics of the night. I’m lost without music, and there is no music on Ramree.

EXCERPT # 3

Though you wouldn’t know it to look at them, crocodiles are among the quickest animals on the planet. There’s a split-second between an impala bending to drink and a crocodile leaping up with a sideways swipe, clamping its jaws around its prey, and starting the dreaded submergence. Once those jaws are locked, the hold is ironclad. It’s almost impossible to pry them open. On land, though only for short sprints, they can move extremely fast. In water, they are kings. Their muscular legs and tails propel them upward with shocking speed toward their prey. It’s not hard to see why they’re feared even more than sharks in many Indo-Pacific regions. And as Ramree Island lies in the Bay of Bengal, we are at the heart of their domain.

It starts with one or two attacks. A quick cry of pain, a splash, limbs thrashing, and if the water is too shallow for the crocodile to pull its man down for drowning, it will roll him over and over on the surface. There is nothing more terrifying than hearing that sequence—the staggered scream, the tail lashing, the loud spurts of water being thrown aside. There might as well be a hundred crocodiles for the sheer panic that ensues on the bank ahead of us. As men trample vegetation while fleeing the water’s edge, their flesh is torn on the sharp bracken. The smell of blood is now in the air. On top of that, we have wounded soldiers among us, casualties of both British bullets and the previous crocodile attack. If these reptiles are attracted by open wounds, every last one ought to be headed this way.

What’s worse, they like to feed at night.

You can buy Sunset on Ramree at the following link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Ramree-Robert-Appleton/dp/1926704274/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272726396&sr=8-2

Hope you enjoy it!

Robert

Damnation Books - Artwork for Val and Tyne

2009-06-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

Check out the new artwork for my upcoming release, Val and Tyne. The talented artist is Matt Truiano and you really should take a look at his portfolio:

http://www.matttruiano.com/

Val and Tyne is a short horror story filled with black comedy and gruesome special effects (literally). It will be released on September 1st at the grand opening of Damnation Books, as one of twenty-five inaugural titles.

http://www.damnationbooks.com/

The CEO, Kim Richards, and her team have done a fantastic job setting up this new publishing house. If you have a dark tale you'd like to submit, check out the guidelines at the above link.

See you on the dark side,

Rob

Saltwater Crocodiles in WW2

2009-06-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

UPDATE! Sunset on Ramree is now available for purchase (priced $3.95) at:

www.eternalpress.biz (eBook)

AND as a paperback novelette (priced $4.50) at Amazon.com

With just three weeks to go until the release of Sunset on Ramree, my WW2 crocodile thriller based on true events, I've compiled a few facts about saltwater crocodiles. If you're curious, head on over to the webpage for a look at these fascinating creatures. They really are the closest thing we have to living, breathing dinosaurs!

www.robertappleton.co.uk/saltwatercrocodiles.htm

An Early Review for The Basingstoke Chronicles!

2009-06-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

My time travel adventure novel The Basingstoke Chronicles won't be released until August at Uncial Press, but I've just received a very early (and glowing) review. Check it out:

A Caribbean Adventure to Dream Of

Appleton, Robert. The Basingstoke Chronicles. Aloha, OR: Uncial Press, 2009.

Who does not long for “an impromptu Caribbean adventure, without a care in the world”? For the armchair traveler who yearns for days of yore, The Basingstoke Chronicles by Robert Appleton is the perfect answer. After being introduced, in the prologue, to this first-person account by Lord Basingstoke on a “winter’s night [December 16th, 1901] on the shingle of Ten Gulls Beach in Devon, southern England”, the first chapter transposes the reader to a more recent, though still distant, “grey evening in 1979, a few miles outside Bucharest…”

Arriving at a semi-annual Archaeological Society get-together with his good friends, the guileful Lord Brooke and the beautiful Lady Brooke, “fine archaeologists both”, the slightly tipsy Lord Basingstoke finds the gothic stone decorated home of Georghe Dumitrescu, “a wealthy industrialist of some note in Eastern Europe”, much smaller than he had imagined. Immediately establishing rapport with Lord Basingstoke by swigging in tandem from his hip flask, his seemingly empathetic host horrifies the distinguished gathering by presenting the riddle of a partly decomposed body as the centre point in his “personal prologue to the evening”. Most startling of all was the fine Incan embroidered clothing in which the partially incinerated and fully drowned victim had been found drifting off the Cuban coast two weeks before.

The next setting, naturally, is Cuba, in which less rarified environs the narrator at once becomes Baz, Lord Brooke Sam, and Lady Brooke Ethel, whose flirtation with Baz adds a touch of spicy romanticism to the tale. Meeting up with Rodrigo, his companion for the adventures to come, the focus is from now on fully directed towards the scuba diving expedition on which they are about to embark. But first, the author reveals his familiarity with Cuban topography in his description of Jagua Bay, in Cienfuegos, the “Pearl of the South”, as “once a stalking ground for pirates and corsairs”.

Appleton’s cracking pace of narration flows smoothly and poetically, faster than the tides, while, at the same time, conjuring up visions of the Caribbean, always alert to “savor the pungent balm of a saline breeze”. The reader is inevitably drawn into the narrator’s love of the sea, a love that surely embodies the author’s own admiration for the underwater realms.

At the core of this fast-paced novel lies the questioning of the stabilizing nature of time as “embedded in the fabric of cause and effect” emanating from Baz’s discovery of a time machine lying at the bottom of the ocean. And so to pre-existing times…The scientific explanations of phenomena present in Appleton’s fictional scenarios not only show how knowledgeable he is about such natural features as tropical rainforests, but also add significantly to the realism of the scenes depicted. Baz’s sense of affinity with the bear, that he later names Darkly after the forest in which he appears, strengthens the reader’s awareness of the narrator’s (read author’s) appreciation of the natural environment. The keen interest shown in other lands and places reveals itself in the detailed descriptions of the village life that the chief protagonists encounter on the island of Apterona.

Possessing the descriptive power of a modern day Jules Verne and the narrative pace of a twenty-first century Sir Rider Haggard, don’t let Robert Appleton’s easy flowing, yet thoughtfully worded, adventure just drift on by!

--Lois C. Henderson

Movie Catch-Up - May 2009

2009-06-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

I saw quite a few films this month, some old, some spanking new. I don't necessarily subscribe to the nostalgic view of cinema, that pre-Star Wars Hollywood films were on average better than modern efforts. Filmgoers have probably said that in every decade. We have always produced fodder. Remove the gems from Golden Age Hollywood and you're left with an awful lot of garbage. This decade has been no different. The few exceptional films each year tend to define the year. The rest is quickly forgotten.

Slumdog Millionaire won 8 Academy Awards this year and made a truckload of money. The poster quote whores endorsed it as "the feel-good movie of the decade" blah blah blah. Whatever. The tone of this film never sat right with me. It was clearly meant as a rags-to-riches fantasy, but the sheer weight of unending hardships suffered by the hero--who literally suffers all his young life--completely killed any uplift for me. This shouldn't have a fairytale ending. Most of the story is told in flashback, and it is a harsh and fairly realistic overview of slum existence. The boy loses his girl time and again, his brother spirals into criminality. It is a bleak tale.

And then there's the gameshow. An utterly contrived storytelling device links each question to a chapter in the boy's life, gifting the director free reign to jump back and forward far more often than is necessary. This is becoming a tiresome trend in modern moviemaking. Is there anything wrong with a linear narrative? One or two flashbacks is fine. But this sort of time-jumping mosaic hasn't made a single film I can recall more engaging, affecting, or dramatically powerful. Quentin Tarantino films are playful pastiches. A film like Slumdog should make the heart soar. Unfortunately, what I took away from it was an admiration for the technical virtuosity, an appreciation for the nimble screenplay, and a feeling of utter indifference toward the characters. I realise it's a fantasy, but it felt like a rigged game from minute one. If you want an honest slumdog film, forget this fake uplift and watch Fernando Mereilles' City of God.

Bette Davis' classic 1938 meldrama Jezebel hasn't aged well. She is tremendous as an egotistical southern belle who wrecks the lives of all around her before a Yellow Fever epidemic hits her home town. No one beats Bette in that kind of role (except maybe Vivien Leigh), but the rest of the film is fairly quaint. It's very much of its time--a woman's picture of stoic manners and mercurial temperaments and a scorned title character. Bette is never referred to as a screen beauty, but in these early movies, she is a stunner.

Jennifer Garner charms her way through 13 Going on 30, a kind of girl's version of Tom Hanks' Big. I wasn't expecting much from this one, but Jennifer's brilliant performance and what amounted to a nice, heartfelt ode to innocence really hit the spot. The ending perhaps should have been more bittersweet, but I give this one high marks. Mark Ruffalo plays another of his lovable sadsack boyfriend roles. He has great chemistry with beautiful Jennifer.

Drag Me To Hell is a return to his roots for Sam Raimi, after his brilliant Spider-Man trilogy. The Evil Dead formula, with which he made his name, mixed twisted humour with even more twisted scares. They're so fun to watch, even now, that I really think he's one of our better directors. Such low budgets yet so much creativity. And the films play superbly well to audiences. You can tell he's dying to entertain us (so to speak). Such is the case with his new one, a kitchen-sink-included horror rollercoaster starring Allison Lohman as the unfortunate victim of a gypsy curse. In three days, her soul will be taken by a demon. Cue lots of jumps, funny gross moments, and a rollicking good time. Though for my money, it would have been infinitely better with Bruce Campbell in the lead. Allison does well, but Bruce would have made this pure classic.

Tomorrow I'm off to see Terminator: Salvation. Middling hopes for this one, but I've a feeling I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Till next time...

Rob

3 Part Review for The Eleven Hour Fall Trilogy!

2009-05-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

You Gotta Read Reviews has posted a 3-part review extravaganza for my newly completed sci-fi trilogy. Two Need to Reads and one Gotta Read (the highest rating!). Check out what Martha, the lovely reviewer, had to say:

Book 1: The Eleven-Hour Fall

Book 2: The Elemental Crossing

Book 3: Kate of Kratos

It's been a great week all round for my Eleven-Hour Fall series. Let's hope the good news continues!

Five Red Roses for Kate of Kratos!

2009-05-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the first review for Kate of Kratos, the final installment in my Eleven-Hour Fall sci-fi survival series. Linda at Red Roses For Authors had this to say:

Kate of Kratos by Robert Appleton

The third book in the Eleven Hour Fall series

Publisher Eternal Press.

Ebook, 92 pages

This book begins where the second left off. Kate is alone and tracking Jason, who has been carried off by one of the predators of this strange and wonderful world that Robert Appleton has created. Her journey is much advanced by the discovery that she can bounce huge distances on the membrane canopy of the forest. Catching up with Jason she finds that he has been dumped in a sort of larder for the beasts and with him are three more survivors from the Monique, the crashed space ship that brought them to this planet. They came in search of a powerful element that would provide fuel for their own world and have found it in large amounts. Can they now use it to help them escape from the vicious creatures that see them as food – and can Kate and Jason find happiness after all their adventures?

What makes these three books so appealing is that the author seems to have an endless vision of strange and different monsters and writes vividly of the beautiful strangeness of the planet. I feel this author will one day write a science fiction masterpiece. He is at this moment feeling his way but I believe when he has the courage to strike out for where he belongs – in mainstream print – he will have a promising career.

Once again I can only give this book five red roses. I loved the ending. Linda Sole

REVIEW: Sarah's Journey by Ginger Simpson

2009-05-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sarah's Journey

by Ginger Simpson

Historical Western Romance
eBook

72,000 words
Eternal Press
http://www.eternalpress.ca/sarahsjourney.html

1850. Somewhere on the Santa Fe Trail...

Sarah Collins awakens to a scene of utter carnage. Everyone in her wagon train headed for California has been slaughtered during a savage Indian raid. Weak and dazed, Sarah finds one survivor, her best friend, and sets about trying to revive her. But the poor woman’s arrow wound is mortal. She dies. Sarah is now completely alone in the world—homeless, penniless and stranded. In scene after scene of arresting pragmatism, we come to know Sarah not by her misfortunes, but through the resourceful ways in which she deals with them. This is a woman of her time, an upstanding, God-fearing daughter of pioneers, and she is going to survive.

Soon after starting her journey back to civilization, Sarah happens on the body of a (seemingly) dying Indian. Irony rears its head and bites her—in the form of a rattlesnake—when she tries to take his horse and ends up in his care. He slowly nurses her back to health. Against all odds, on the road to Independence, an unspoken attraction develops between the two. His name is Grey Wolf. He is a handsome man of mixed blood—his father was white, his mother was Indian—who sees the world through eyes every bit as pragmatic as Sarah’s. Will their true feelings for each other win out? What will happen when they reach Independence?

Sarah’s Journey is a heartfelt Western romance that doesn’t merely settle for being a romance. Its themes of intolerance and defining one’s own identity are prevalent throughout. The protagonist is a sensitive yet uncompromisingly moral woman, a spinster on the verge of love. She is by turns abrasive and adorable, and particularly in the final third of the story, adorably abrasive. For Sarah, equality is not an ideal but an absolute. Woe betide anyone who suggests otherwise. Yet for all her forthrightness, the biggest obstacle she faces is in her own heart—forbidden love.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Simpson’s recreation of Western life. The word that kept coming to mind as I read this story was uncompromising. Little is omitted, whether it be gruesome wounds, the preparation of herbs and food, Sarah’s body language, or the precise terms for the different noises made by a horse. I loved seeing all this research come to life. The author’s passion for the period and particularly for her characters shone throughout. This was clearly a labour of love. The only quibble I had was with the ending. I suspect many will lap it up, but I found the concept more compelling than the execution. I was hoping for a more bittersweet denouement. Nevertheless, it took a brave writer to end her novel that way. And having never read a woman’s western before, I can say unequivocally that Ms. Simpson, like her heroine, has real gumption.

--Robert Appleton

Don't miss this superb story at Eternal Press:

http://www.eternalpress.ca/sarahsjourney.html (eBook)

and now in paperback at Amazon!

KATE OF KRATOS Contest Winners!

2009-05-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

My KRATOS FOREVER contest is now closed.

Congratulations go out to Martha Eskuchen and Val Pearson! They've each won a free eBook copy of The Eleven-Hour Fall Book 3: Kate of Kratos.

Kate was released on May 7th. Books one and two were released in April and September last year. They were The Eleven-Hour Fall and The Elemental Crossing.

www.eternalpress.ca

In other news, the complete trilogy is now available in paperback on www.amazon.com. How cool is that? My very own sci-fi trilogy on the bookshelf! Sadly, Arthur Conan Doyle had to make room. Elemental, my dear Watson!

Win an eBook Copy of Kate of Kratos!

2009-05-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

My Eleven-Hour Fall sci-fi survival trilogy comes full circle today with the release of the explosive final installment, Kate of Kratos.

http://www.eternalpress.ca/kateofkratos.html

To celebrate, I'm offering two readers the chance to win a free eBook copy of Kate Borrowdale's epic adventure. All you have to do is send an email to

sevenmercury7@aol.com

with KRATOS FOREVER in the subject line. Remember to put your name in the email as well, so I know who's entered.

I'll announce the winner on 11th May.

Good luck!

Val and Tyne at Damnation Books!

2009-05-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

How did they do that? You sure you want to know? The submission guidelines called for dark, dark, plenty dark. I thus came up with a singularly twisted spin on undead re-animation, titled Val and Tyne. It's a one of a kind short story--a wicked mix of movie-making, black humour, and Frankenstein science. Oh, and Tyne Daly.

Damnation Books, a brand new e-publisher, launches this September with twenty-five titles. Its spotlight (or should that be shadow?) is on all things dark in fiction. The owner, Kim Richards, was formerly the marketing manager/editor at Eternal Press, as well as being an EPPIE Award finalist this year for her horror Death Masks. I can't wait to see what dark forces she assembles for this new venture.

http://www.damnationbooks.com/

Keep an eye out for Val and Tyne this September.

More info soon.

REVIEW: French Kiss by Sloane Taylor

2009-04-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

French Kiss by Sloane Taylor

Contemporary Erotic Romance

eBook

15,000 words

Aspen Mountain Press

Witty and crackling with sass, French Kiss, the fourth novelette in Sloane Taylor's Naughty Ladies of Nice series, is a standalone sexy short that promises and delivers a good time.

American children's author Rachel Conklin is washed up on a secluded beach during a wicked storm. Luckily for her, Dr. Henri Bernier, sheltering from the rough weather, is on hand to nurse her broken leg. He takes her back to his seaside home on the mainland. Sparks fly as they become reluctantly and intimately acquainted. They might be total opposites, but they can both speak candidly when the occasion calls for it, amusingly so. Then there's the question of Rachel's arrival. What was she doing alone in the sea? Who or what is she afraid of? Does it have anything to do with the unsavoury crew that's just reached port?

American sass meets provincial French in this lively romance, by turns sweet and sea-salty. I had a great time with this book. I don't normally read erotic romances, but Ms. Taylor's vibrant style isn't exclusive to the sex scenes, as it tends to be for some authors in this genre. Here she imbues the characters, scene setting and dialogue with quirky life all their own. Plus, the lovemaking is seriously hot.

My advice? Kick back and let the fizzy swells of French Kiss wash over you. This is one addictive series. Next up for me, French Twist...

Click here to purchase your copy

And don't forget to visit Sloane Taylor's website http://www.sloanetaylor.com/

The Vampire Family by Kristin Battestella

2009-04-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

With the current vampire pandemic sweeping the globe--this time it's Twilight--you might want to check out this quality novel from Kristin Battestella.

THE VAMPIRE FAMILY

Sadistic? Check. Domination? Check. Happiness? Not for all. Antonio Welshire accepts the mysterious Mestiphles' offer for vampiric power, but fails to consider that not all in his family desires evil. Daughter Victoria revels in the debauchery, but eldest daughter Samantha loathes the darkness. Enemies are in no short supply when the family turns to darkness. Charismatic rebel Gaston turns up to rival for Antonio's power; the vampire lover Jean can destroy them once and for all, and henchwoman Lilith seeks to supplant Antonio as Mestiphles' favorite. Who will be declared the victor? And in the end, though they've survived coven wars and persecutions since the 12th century, can The Vampire Family survive each other? Killing his abusive parents isn't enough for Antonio Welshire. Rape and death follow him through his youth in the 12th Century-until a stranger named Mestiphles give Antonio unimaginable vampire powers. Fearful yet captivated by his allure, Antonio's adopted sisters Ann and Elizabeth share this gift with him and their children-Victoria, James, Samantha, and Stephen. Antonio is a cruel ruler , and after his defeat of the young rebel Gaston, Antonio struggles with Lilith-another magical pet also created by Mestiphles. Antonio's vampire family grows over the centuries, each vampire loving and losing vampire fledglings over time. Wars, persecutions come adn go, but the family's troubles always stem from within. Elizabeth may be his wife, but Ann supplants her as Antonio's mistress. By the 20th century, Elizabeth has found love again-unfortunately her fledgling Jean share's Samantha's disdain for the vampire life. Will The Vampire Family self destruct before the 21st Century?

Book 1: Conflict

Antonio Welshire’s downfall begins as a young man in the British Isles almost 1,000 years ago. Caught between abuse and poverty, Antonio's ambition leads him to power, and a unique stranger in a Mestiphles. Antonio's tyranny, however, is contested by Gaston-Antonio’s shrewd and charismatic young rival. Will Antonio be victorious against the unruly Gaston and gain Mestiphles’ favor? Or will the battle destroy Antonio and his family?

Book 2: Pinnacle

Elizabeth’s new fledgling Jean romances the weary Samantha, and the lovers plan to upset the already shaky 1,000 years of Antonio’s reign. Mestiphles wants The Masquerade-an annual party held by Antonio to attract unsuspecting guests-to go off smoothly, but Ann and Elizabeth’s escalating tensions also threatened to destroy the family's decadent lifestyle. Will Samantha finally be free of her father's rule? Can Antonio keep his vampire coven on top or will Mestiphles take it all away?

Book 3: Hunted

Victoria returns to upset Samantha’s not so perfect life. The remaining Welshire vampires must form an uneasy alliance to defeat Lilith, an avenger sent by Mestiphles to finish the dysfunctioning Welshire coven once and for all. Lilith failed Mestiphles in the past and is determined to hunt down the fallen coven one by one to impress him. Will the Welshires prevail? Can Lilith complete Mestiphles’ plans and destroy the Welshires? Which coven will gain Mestiphles’ favor?

You can buy the eBook here, and in paperback here.

For loads more info, reviews, and links, visit Kristin's vampire homepage at:

http://jsnouff.com/kristin/

Now Available in Paperback on Amazon!

2009-03-28T15:06:00.001-07:00

Great news! My entire catalogue of Eternal Press eBooks is now available in print as well, short stories and all. Our CEO, Ally, has worked tirelessly these past few months to make it happen. My fellow EP authors and I are over the moon--electronic and paperback versions of all our books. My titles are:

Cafe at the Edge of Outer Space - $3.95
The Eleven-Hour Fall - $4.95
The Elemental Crossing - $5.50
Esther May Morrow's Buy or Borrow (as Arthur Everest) - $5.50
Esther May Morrow's Fruitless (as Arthur Everest) - $4.95
Esther May Morrow's Lot 62 (as Arthur Everest) - $3.95
Grandiloquence - $3.95

http://www.amazon.com/

And you can still order them as eBooks at http://www.eternalpress.ca/

The Basingstoke Chronicles Cover Art!

2009-03-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Judith Glad for this nifty piece of cover art for my upcoming time travel novel, The Basingstoke Chronicles. Jude is the brilliant Editor-in-Chief at Uncial Press, and she recently won the Quasar Award for Best Cover Art at EPICON. Talk about being in good hands. She's been nurturing Basingstoke through its editing process, and I think you'll be well pleased when you read the finished book. It's due for release in August. Epic is the first word that comes to mind...as well as gripping adventure.

More details coming soon...

New Book Cover & Trailer for Sunset on Ramree!

2009-03-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

Now available for purchase at Eternal Press, priced $3.95!!!

www.eternalpress.biz (eBook)

AND as a paperback novelette on Amazon.com!

July 7th is the official release date for Sunset on Ramree, my WW2 action novelette with Eternal Press. It is the deadliest crocodile attack ever recorded. On February 19th, 1945, a thousand Japanese soldiers retreated into the fetid mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Days later, only twenty were found alive. History has come to know it as the massacre of Ramree, when twelve kilometers of marshland delivered the battalion from their British enemy…straight into a nest of giant saltwater crocodiles.

Inspired by true events during WW2, Sunset on Ramree follows young musician-turned-soldier Shigeatsu Nakadai and his best friend, Kodi, as they head ever deeper into danger. Will friendship be enough to keep them alive in the deadliest place on Earth?

Learn about saltwater crocodiles here!

Check out the great book cover by Dawne Dominique, and the new trailer I put together...

Amazing new artwork for Kate of Kratos!

2009-03-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

Check out Amanda Kelsey's incredible artwork for my upcoming sci-fi release at Eternal Press. Kate of Kratos is the final installment in my Eleven-Hour Fall survival trilogy, and this new cover exceeded all my expectations. Thank you, Amanda!

Get ready for May 7th, when all hell breaks loose on planet Kratos!

New Review: Esther May Morrow's Buy or Borrow

2009-03-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while coming, but the first review for my time travel anthology Esther May Morrow's Buy or Borrow has arrived.

FOUR Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews! Here's the link:

http://fallenangelreviews.com/2009/February/StephanieB-EstherMayMorrowsBuyOrBorrow.htm

ParaNormalRomance Review for LOT 62!

2009-03-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Make that three glowing reviews in a row for Lot 62: An Esther May Morrow Mystery. The latest is from ParaNormal Romance, home of the P.E.A.R.L. Awards. Here's a quote:

"LOT 62 AN ESTHER MAY MORROW MYSTERY is a short, thrilling story. Arthur Everest does a fantastic job of setting up the story and seamlessly weaves in Julie's past association with MI6. While this story can easily be read in one sitting, it's full of non-stop action and kept my interest. If you're in the mood for a quick, thrilling read with a very bizarre ending, don't pass this by."

Read the full review here: http://www.paranormalromance.org/reviews/review.php?id=30685

EPPIE Awards 2009

2009-03-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my fellow EP author Kim Chatel on her EPPIE win last night. Rainbow Sheep won in the Children's Fiction category, and if you haven't seen her brilliant creations yet, head over to her website:

www.kimchatel.com

Tell me that isn't the cutest homepage on the web.

Kim also writes fantasy/horror books as Kim McDougall. Her superb stories Barbegazi and Luminari are available on www.eternalpress.ca

Fruitless: An Esther May Morrow Fantasy

2009-03-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

Book 3 in the Esther May Morrow's paranormal collection had its release today at Eternal Press. Fruitless is a contemporary fantasy with shades of Aladdin and Midas. In other words, it's a lot of fun.

Blurb:

Your glass fruit bowl from Esther May Morrow’s gift shop shall be filled nightly with the following ingredients—money, diamonds, anything you could possibly dream of! There is no three wish limit. No one else knows your secret. As long as it fits inside the bowl, nothing is beyond your grasp. What would you wish for?

For down-on-his-luck salesman Nick Bergman, a heartfelt gift bought with his final ten pounds opens an astonishing, magical route to fortune. His girlfriend Geri advises caution, but Nick fears the magic might only be temporary. It’s time to be creative. Physical riches soon give way to ambitious plans for the future when he realizes the awesome implications of limitless wealth. The world beckons. But will he ever know when enough is enough?

Excerpt:

“There’s more than one kind of fruit bowl?”
She grinned and nodded.
“OK, well our last one was about yay big”—he approximated the distance between his hands—“with a fancy glass design. Anything like that’ll do.”
After staring into his eyes for a moment, she replied, “I have just the thing.”
Nick suddenly realised who she reminded him of—the scheming blonde from Double Indemnity. A dead ringer, he thought, only this one’s a little less…femme fatale.
She retrieved a fine-looking cut glass bowl from the far end of the shop. Its design wasn’t garish, its shape would blend innocuously with Geri’s other knickknacks, and it didn’t look too expensive either.
“How much?” he asked.
“Why don’t you make me an offer.”
“Excuse me?”
She handed him a white business card. “This is a ‘Buy or Borrow’ shop. You tell me if you want to keep or rent the item, and then make me an offer. It’s very rare we refuse anyone.”
Sounds screwy.
“OK, just a sec,” he said.
Rummaging through his wallet, he suddenly remembered his two debit cards were useless. He was overdrawn. Until his next, final paycheck from Sulley & Vance, a tenner was the only cash he had…anywhere! And given Rutherford’s bullying tactics thus far, he’d likely stay broke for some time to come. But Nick grew stubborn at the thought of his girlfriend’s empty sideboard. The day had been a wretched one, but if he could just fix this one thing…for her…she’d at least smile when he returned home early. Before he gave her the news.
“Is a tenner alright?” he asked. “I’m afraid it’s all I’ve got…literally!”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure, why not—it’s for my girlfriend, and she’d do the same for me. Go on, make out a receipt for ‘Everything I own for one glass bowl.’ It’ll cheer me up after the day I’ve had.”
The lady smiled and took his ten-pound note. “OK, and if you ever need a replacement, I promise I’ll only charge you the same.”
“Very kind.”
“What’s your name?”
“Nick…Nick Bergman.”
“I’m Esther May Morrow. Your girlfriend’s a lucky woman.”
“Thank you. I just hope she takes better care of this one.”
“She will. You both will, I guarantee it.”
She handed him the receipt and wrapped the bowl in blue paper.
“Thank you very much,” he said. “Have a nice day, Esther May.”
“You too, Nick.”
He left the shop with two nagging desires: the first, to devour a footlong Subway Melt with southwest sauce; the second, to snuggle up next to Geri on the settee…for the remainder of the day.

http://www.eternalpress.ca/esthermaymorrowsfruitless.html

5 STAR Review for Lot 62!

2009-02-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

Get an honest, unbiased evaluation of your work

Lot 62: An Esther May Morrow Mystery

Author: Arthur Everest

Julie Blalock’s unsatisfying life was about to change. After eight years of pretending to live in a normal world, Julie was about to embark on an exciting, but dangerous adventure. Before the death of her fiancé’, Derek, Julie worked as an MI6 agent, until her reported death drove Derek to suicide. Julie withdrew from her calling, taking a position with an accounting firm, until she was called in for a one time mission. Julie was to assume the identity of Dorothy Buchan and take her seat at Sotherby’s; an auction house that catered the elite. She was to gather all the information she could from Esther May Morrow, an elitist, who apparently had the inside information on everyone, and was also the owner of the lots being put up for auction. The auction was a VIP affair, and Julie would have to play the part of an obnoxious widow of wealth, guarding at all costs, the powerful ‘Archangel,’ from getting into the wrong hands.

Bravo! Arthur Everest, on an excellent story! Though few on pages, this short story is an intriguing voyage into the world of espionage, with a bit of a twist. It’s worth the read.

Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
ISBN: 978-1-926640-58-7
Publisher: Eternal Press

First Review for LOT 62

2009-02-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

ESTHER MAY MORROW'S LOT 62

ARTHUR EVEREST

ISBN#9781926640587/9781926647340

January 2009

Eternal Press

http://www.eternalpress.ca/esthermaymorrowLot62.html

E-Book/Print

$3.50

33 pages

Mystery/Paranormal

Rating: 4 Cups

Julie Blalock is an ex-agent with MI6, called up for an assignment by the Ministry of Defense. Widowed because of an error on the part of MI6, Julie never planned to go back in the secret agent business ever again -- until today. She is intrigued enough to impersonate Dorothy Buchan, a rich widowed socialite with an unsavory past.

Ms. Esther May Morrow is putting on an extravagant auction with known ties to the underworld. She is here to find out who killed her fiancé and is putting everything here tonight up for bid at auction, even enlisting the aid of “Dorothy Buchan” to help her.

Lot 62 is one of two existing works by the Mayan King Vichama. This is what everyone wants to get their hands on, or so Julie is being told. Having to go undercover and secure “The Archangel” at all costs is her assignment. Ms. Esther May Morrow believes the person responsible for the death of her fiancé is going to be bidding on Lot 62 and she is ready to unveil the killer by fair means or foul.

This is a very fast and furiously paced bit of whimsy that keeps you on your toes. I had no idea exactly what this was going to be about, and you will not care because you will be as caught up in it as I was. This is the second in the series and is able to stand alone quick nicely. But I must say I now want to read the first and be in line to get the next couple stories in the series hinted at in the book. The end is so surprising and the twists and turns this takes you on makes you wonder how this quick tale packs such a big punch.

Lainey

Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth

2009-02-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

The highly regarded eBook and paperback publisher Lyrical Press, Inc. has offered me a contract for my brand new science fiction adventure, Charlie Runs Rings Around the Earth. I'm ecstatic about this one, as it's the kind of deep space odyssey I used to love reading as a teenager.

A descendant of British speed legends Malcolm and Donald Campbell, Charlie Thorpe-Campbell is the world's premier orbital runner. Tonight is the biggest race of his life--the Tonne Run, a hundred laps of the earth. In his futuristic racing vehicle Bluebird, he must outrun the spectre of his father's crash on Europa, while maintaining his eight-year unbeaten streak. At thirty-three, his legs might be tiring, but there'll be no retiring for Charlie just yet.

When a mysterious wormhole appears mid-race, whisking him to the far side of the galaxy, Charlie's adventure begins on a barren, isolated planet where nothing is what it seems. Countless other spacecraft have been abducted, but why? Then there's the small matter of a continent-sized tree, and an elusive civilization with mind-boggling technology. Charlie might have run rings around the earth, but what will he find on his personal odyssey a billion light years from home?

I can't wait to release this short novel. Lyrical Press is really going places in the e-publishing world, so Charlie's in good company. Let's see how far he can go!

http://www.lyricalpress.com/

Sunset on Ramree - WW2 Crocodile Attack

2009-02-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

UPDATE!! Sunset on Ramree is now available for purchase (Priced $3.95) at Eternal Press!!

http://www.eternalpress.biz/ (eBook)

AND as a paperback novelette on Amazon.com!

I've had quite a few inquiries about this one, so I'm proud to announce that this summer, Eternal Press will release my action-packed WW2 novelette, Sunset on Ramree, in both eBook and paperback editions.

For more information on the history behind the book, visit:

www.robertappleton.co.uk/sunsetonramree.htm

To learn more about saltwater crocodiles click here!

Here's the blurb:

It is the deadliest crocodile attack ever recorded. On February 19th, 1945, a thousand Japanese soldiers retreated into the fetid mangrove swamps of Ramree Island. Days later, only twenty were found alive. History has come to know it as the massacre of Ramree, when twelve kilometers of marshland delivered the battalion from their British enemy…straight into a nest of giant saltwater crocodiles.

Inspired by true events during WW2, Sunset on Ramree follows young musician-turned-soldier Shigeatsu Nakadai and his best friend, Kodi, as they head ever deeper into danger. Will friendship be enough to keep them alive in the deadliest place on Earth?

And here's the (in)famous testimony from British marine (and naturalist) Bruce Wright, which became the inspiration for my book:

“That night of the 19 February 1945 was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. [marine launch] crews ever experienced. The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on earth. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left...Of about 1,000 Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about 20 were found alive.”

You can check out the book trailer here!

And finally, here's a brief excerpt from Sunset on Ramree:

I try to conjure a memory of before the war—something, anything to distract me—but draw a blank every time. I purse my lips to whistle a familiar tune, but nothing comes out. I shut my eyes tight and roll them inward until they ache and release a heavy pulse. The screams and shots and calls for surrender are still there. Kodi and Sobiku are still there. I imagine the reed of a clarinet between my lips and the long, sustained breath given to making sweetly aching music. But nothing comes out. No tune, no melody, no woodwind to soothe the mangroves. Just the damp, cold harmonics of the night. I’m lost without music, and there is no music on Ramree.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Ramree-Robert-Appleton/dp/1926704274/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272726396&sr=8-2

Hope you enjoy reading Sunset on Ramree this summer. As far as I know, it's one of only two books written on the subject.

COMING JULY 7th from Eternal Press

http://www.eternalpress.biz/

New Cover Art - Fruitless

2009-01-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

The ever-imaginative Dawne Dominique has finalised this cover art for my upcoming Esther May Morrow story, Fruitless. It's elegant and mysterious, hinting strongly of danger and seduction. I'll post more about this unusual tale nearer the release date (March 7), but I can say it's a fascinating personal odyssey about a down-on-his-luck man whose chance for fame and fortune comes from the unikeliest of places--a glass fruit bowl. It's a supernatural, limitless bringer of wealth...and must be treated with caution!