The Books Are In

On Saturday morning, a large box arrived at the post office for me.  This heavy, brown beast turned out to be the first shipment of "Quests, Curses, & Vengeance," hot off the presses.  This gargantuan collection of 32 short stories, totaling nearly 150,000 words, is an impressive sight to see in-print.  They're real beauties.

With the arrival of this first lot of books, I'll be able to fulfill the pre-orders, so those of you who decided to place an early order can rest easy in knowing that your books will be in the mail on Monday.  This is also the case for our contest winners (assuming they get back to me, eh, Mr. Sims?).  Anyone who is expecting a book from me will be getting it as quickly as the post office wants to deliver it, which really isn't that long these days.

For those who aren't keen on spending money on old-fashioned paperbacks, the Kindle version has all the great stories that are in the print edition, and it's only $3.95.  If you have a Kindle e-reader, get a copy of this collection.  You will not regret it.

I make no exaggeration when I say that these stories are on par with the stuff being released by the major markets like Asimov's Science Fiction.  Hell, I'll even say some of these stories are better than mass-market stuff that's being released these days. Why some of the writers in this collection aren't rich and famous yet is beyond me.  I'm just glad to publish their works now, while I can still afford them.

Really, pick up this collection in whatever format pleases you most, and remember, every writer in this collection gets a royalty on each copy sold.  Support these talented people, and assure that we get more of their entertaining stories!

To order a copy from Martinus Publishing, go to the QCV listing and click the button.  A book purchased directly from the publisher earns each writer a larger cut of the profits. The links to Amazon are there also, so get the Kindle version that way!

Two for Tuesday #7 and Book Winners!

We're only 2 days away from the official release of "Quests, Curses, & Vengeance."  As part of promoting this anthology, two lucky people on the Martinus Publishing newsletter email list have been selected (completely at random) to receive a free print copy.  And the winners are (cue drum-roll):

Jeffery Scott Sims

Raelene Purtill

Congratulations to our winners!  This is only the first giveaway of its kind, and I'm hoping to offer other such freebies to newsletter subscribers.  To get on the mailing list, go to the Martinus Publishing homepage and click the black bar on the left side of the page.  Put in your name and email address, and you're all set.  You'll receive the newsletter once a month, and be automatically entered into future drawing.

Now, onto the final "Two for Tuesday" paragraphs.  First off, we have the opening to "Curses May Not Be Returned, Refunded, or Exchanged," by Lauren A. Forry:

            It’s totally weird when you step into a room and literally everyone stops what they’re doing and starts clapping for you. Especially when a moment ago you were driving your car down Honeysuckle Street, the “room” is actually a cave engulfed in flames, and most of the people clapping look like extras from a community theater production of The Crucible.

            An old woman who could be my Grandma’s roommate in hospice hobbles over and shakes my hand with these crusty yellow fingernails.

And lastly, we have the first two paragraphs of "Revenge, Inc." by Nye Joell Hardy:

            Ed Wong had never intended to be in the business of revenge.  But what had started as a high school website of gag advice to deter bullies had unwittingly tapped a hidden treasure and was now, thirty years later, a multinational corporation.

            “Revenge,” Ed said to the client sitting in front of his Brazilian rosewood desk, “is a natural, basic human reflex.  If you think about it, bunnies don’t plot revenge against foxes—they just avoid them.  But our big human brains always want to make sure that the potential for future threats is nullified.”

There you have some excellent intros.  Now, get yourself a copy of "Quests,Curses, & Vengeance."   

Two for Tuesday #6

Next Thursday, Quests Curses, & Vengeance will be officially released.  We still have a couple of Two For Tuesday posts, and here are our paragraphs for this week:

This first one is the start of "Abducted" by Shawn Cook:

            David Ellis was positive he was in Hell. Perhaps during the drive into the mountains he’d suffered a heart-attack and careened headlong into a tree. Maybe, while he had been setting up his tent or preparing the campfire, an aneurysm had struck with godlike speed and shut his brain off like a light switch. Maybe.

            Maybe this was all real and he’d won the prize for being the unluckiest man in the world. Or, had he just been in the wrong place at the wrong time? It didn’t matter to David at that exact moment. His eyes were fixed upon the whirring machine that nestled above his captive body; his eyes remained fixed upon the glistening blades and tubes that pumped bright green fluid.

Secondly, we have the start of "Be Careful What You Wish For..." by Mel Obedoza:

            Seth Jones could only stare at the ethereal woman standing before the pond of crystalline waters. For long moments, her lavender eyes had him enthralled. She was tall and slim, her pale skin and simple white robes accentuated only by a mass of red curls that tumbled down past her waist. She possessed no jewelry, save for a long, crystal staff that she held in her right hand.

            “The Crystal Waters have made their presence known to you because you have a wish in your heart.” She moved then, breaking his trance. She laid the tip of the staff against the waters. “Your wish can be granted, if you but ask. Take heed, though. For every boon, an equal curse is delivered, for the tenuous balance of this Earth should never be disrupted. Will you still make your wish, knowing this?”

Come back next Tuesday for our final set of previews before the official release of this voluminous collection!

Author Interview: JL Mo

When we have new contributing authors for Martinus Publishing anthologies, I always like to do a basic introductory interview.  Today, I'm interviewing JL Mo, the talented author who contributed the short story Quest through the Ages to "Quests, Curses, & Vengeance."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, JL.

JL:  Thank you, Martin.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

JL:  I’m a fifty-two year old fourth-generation Floridian mother of two grown sons.

MTI:  Getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

JL:  I know this sounds cliché, but I was cursed with an overly active imagination since early childhood. It got me in a lot of trouble. Writing became my release. My favorite genre would be mystery.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

JL:  That would be a draw between Robert E. Howard and Robert Jordan. Funny thing is, neither are mystery writers.

MTI:  Your story, Quest through the Ages, appears in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance, an eclectic collection of stories ranging from high fantasy to imaginative sci-fi adventures and even supernatural horror.  Your story, in particular, was very deep, and it has a very emotional undertone that can make you feel both good and sad.  Where ever did you get the inspiration for this insightful little piece?

JL:  The story reaches back to the time of cave men and ends in 2013. The vignettes included reflect the struggles everyone faces. When my ninety-year-old father-in-law lived with us, he told me tales of his days in Cuba, before Fidel. A familiar thread ran through them. One I could relate to, even set in such a different time. Finding love, seeking a home, losing love to another. Having children and be willing to die for them. These are things we all experience, if we’re so lucky to live so long.

MTI:  You had the opportunity to read many of the other stories that appear in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance in their original, rough draft form.  If you could, point out a few of your favorites.

JL:  My favorite, hands down, was Burn it Up, Burn it Down, by Philip Overby.  I’ve not had a chance to read them all, but I do look forward to the opportunity.

MTI:  Shifting back to your own writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

JL:  I’m working on “Mini-Mysteries for the Short Attention Span” which is a series featuring Sam McShane. It’s written for adults who have little time to delve into deep lit. Kind of like fast food mysteries.

MTI:  Of everything you’ve written thus far, do you happen to have a “favorite” piece of fiction?

JL:  That would be my novel, Tierra Tree. It’s a unique fantasy set in a Native American-type world.

MTI:  Other than Quest through the Ages, appearing in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance, do you have any other stories being published in the near future?

JL:  I’m shopping Tierra Tree now. My Mini-Mysteries should be available on Kindle by October.

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good tv lately?

JL:  Ha! My sons recommend TV programs to me. They’re so frustrated that I don’t subscribe to pay channels, so I’m not up on Game of Thrones. But they swear I would love that one. But, Suits is one of my current faves.

MTI:  What sort of music do you like? 

JL:  What sort of music do you have?

MTI:  Anything goes, eh?  Not to put you on the spot or anything, but can you name three movies that you could watch over and over again and not be bored with?

JL:  On the spot? Are you kidding me? I love this question! Princess Bride is number one. I could quote the damn script. Number two is the new Star Trek with Chris Pine. The last, but certainly not least, is Big Fish. I still get choked up at the end.

MTI:  You’ve got the attention of potential readers.  Is there anything you’d like to say to them, perhaps something to pique their interest in your work?

JL:  The characters that populate my worlds are people you can relate to, people you would recognize. Whether fantasy, sci-fi, or mystery. My characters will draw you in, and you won’t want to leave.

MTI:  As we wrap up this interview, do you happen to have a short sample for our readers?  Nothing too long, but maybe a few fresh paragraphs?

JL: Thanks for asking. This is a snippet from my Mini-Mysteries, due out by October.

His soft voice taunted me. “You knew something was wrong. You looked right at her and you knew. It tickled the back of your mind, didn’t it? The outer recess of thought tried calling to you. You chose to ignore her.” He chuckled. “And now, what? You feel ‘guilty’? You feel ‘sorry’? Do you feel ‘bad’? Too late for her, though, isn’t it?”

I had walked right into this trap. The bastard had me face down on the floor with my hands tied behind my back, the rope so tight the knot cut into the flesh of my wrists. Sticky blood wet the back of my shirt. He sat in a metal folding chair using my ass as his footrest, a pistol at my neck. Holding me in this hallway at the threshold of the room he’d freshly varnished this afternoon, his taunts continued. His voice sounded so soft and smooth. I understood why she would be drawn to him. The thought that this pig of a man even touched her sent a shiver through me.

JL:  Thanks again, Martin. This was my first interview and it was fun!

MTI:  It was my pleasure.  For those who want to read JL's contribution to Quests, Curses, & Vengeance, check out Martinus Publishing's Hit of the Month archive for July 2013 (Read it here).  For those who want more thrilling Fantasy & Science Fiction stories, Quests, Curses,& Vengeance awaits.

More Car Repairs

I had the chance to do some car repairs today, so here's how it went.

There have been a few things wrong with my 1956 Ford Fairlane for a while now.  The first issue was a dying speedometer, which has been flipping out since early spring.  Sometimes, when driving, it would start squealing and the needle would spin all the way to the bottom.  The bearings were shot.

Finding a replacement speedometer was quite an undertaking, as these aren't common.  Ford only used this type of speedometer one year (to my knowledge).  In 1955, they had the large, half-moon speedometers, and in 1957 they returned to that style.  Most Fords of the 50's and 60's have that familiar design, but the 56 was different, with the round dial.  The only other compatible gauge was in the '57 Thunderbird, but that went to 140, whereas the standard '56 ford meter only goes to 120.  I looked around for a while and finally found a used 1956 speedometer on ebay, which I was able to get for $35 delivered.  As rare as these are, there is little demand for them, so I lucked out.

Now came the "fun" part.  Extracting the old speedometer.

The camera angle makes it look really spacious,
but just try to get your hand back there!

When I say it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, it is no exaggeration.  It's right behind installing the electric wiper motor last year, which takes the prize as toughest job ever.  Sure, the book says you can extract the speedometer without removing the instrument panel, but it sure isn't easy.  Of course, the thing was designed by engineers who could hide behind their pencils and never had to actually work under the dash themselves.  There is barely any room under there, and there's a support strut that sits right behind a couple of the screws you have to get out.  It was several hours of agony and irritation to get four stupid screws out and to yank the old speedometer free.  Then I got to do it all over again, only in reverse with the new-used part.

 Okay, to be fair, this would have been a lot harder if I hadn't had the help of my 7 year old son, Wyatt.  That impossible to reach screw behind the dashboard support was something he finally got out for me.  After I'd struggled with it, he was able to go in there and finish the last piece.  It really helps to have a small helper.

Old, rusty master cylinder.

So, while I was getting the old speedometer out and the new one in, I found the answer to yet another problem.  Jamming under the dash, my shoulder couldn't help but depress the brake pedal, and that's how I spotted the fluid dripping from the master cylinder.  The brakes had been fading for months, even after I replaced all of the wheel cylinders (which had been leaking), and replaced half the brake lines, and replaced the brake hoses.  My father had suggested the master cylinder, so I'd ordered a new one some time ago.  I just hadn't gotten around to putting it in, and as I replaced other parts, the problem seemed to go away, only to return shortly after each repair.  So, it was finally time to fix it for good.

New master cylinder installed.

With the speedometer replaced, I turned my attention to the master cylinder.  It was a very quick and easy job, taking about half an hour to swap out the part.  Wyatt helped me to bleed the cylinder, and we took it for a test drive.  It's really nice to know how fast you're going and be able to stop quickly.  The brakes weren't so bad beforehand, but now they are 100%.

One other adjustment I made was to the carburetor.  Ever since I replaced the vacuum lines, the car hasn't seemed to have as much power, and just recently it has been hard starting.  Turns out it was flooding.  I fiddled with the mixture and leaned it out.  Now the car has all the power it should.  The great thing about old cars; it's always something simple.  Try adjusting anything on one of those computerized monstrosities they call cars these days.

Well, now that I've gotten the major issues straightened out on the Fairlane, maybe I'll be able to get back to restoring the 1954 Bel Air...

Author Interview: Nye Joell Hardy

When we have new contributing authors for Martinus Publishing anthologies, I always like to do a basic introductory interview.  Today, I'm interviewing  Nye Joell Hardy, an excellent author who contributed two short stories to "Quests, Curses, & Vengeance."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Nye.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

NYE:  Thank you, Martin.  Given that I consider myself a writer, I find it very hard to sum myself up well in words.  Let me pick through the current list. (Russian-Scotch-Irish extraction, 48-year old redhead, Bokononist, Biologist, Central Californian, married in Wales, great affection for things that almost weren’t or weren’t really, job in agriculture but loathes sunlight and has terrible Spanish, working for monstrous corporation…) 

Hmmm.  Too messy.  Let’s go with writing credits.

I have been selling stories since 1996, and my first sold story, “Praxitales” in Absolute Magnitude was a runner-up for the Sturgeon Award that year.  Since then I have SLOWLY been selling short stories and poems to very nice magazines like Nature and Black Gate.  My YA fantasy novel The Crows of Bedu was published by Pill Hill Press in 2010.

MTI:  Getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

NYE:  Like many writers, it is just something I must do or I will explode like the Death Star. Writing stories began in pre-school, before I could spell.  (This did not keep me from writing.) I love making stories that have many interweaving pieces that come together to tell their own story… like a stained glass window or a quilt.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

NYE:  Roger Zelazny. 

MTI:  Your stories, "Curse of the Bottle" and "Revenge, Inc." both appear in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance, an anthology of eclectic stories from high fantasy to imaginative sci-fi adventures and even supernatural horror.  You had the opportunity to read many of these stories in their original, rough draft form.  If you could, point out a few of your favorites.

These original stories were part of your Spring writing competition, so I’ve only read a third of them.  But of those, I really enjoyed the “quest” story “More Precious than Rubies” by Chris Allinotte: truly entertaining and enjoyable from start to finish, and this is from someone who is Definitely Not a Quest Person. 

“The Long Night” by Shawn Cook, a “curse” story also pleased me greatly because it gave a nod to mythologies that have not been hacked to death (and this is from someone who is a Mythology Hacking Person). And “But I Know We’ll Meet Again Some Sunny Day,” by Lauren A. Forry, is beautiful and vengeful in a poetic Twilight Zone sort of way, which I think I especially bonded with because I am a Twilight Zone Inhabitant.

I think the most appealing things about these stories is that given the wide interpretation of the themes, it really allowed me to step out of my reading comfort zone and have a wonderful time.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

NYE:  Sorrow and despondency.  Because my life is squeezing me for time (time to work, time to exercise, time to read, time to be with my husband, time to play with my pets, time to visit friends, time to do chores, time to sit quietly with my thoughts, time time time), I’ve decided that for the next year, I am putting my big writing projects on hold. To keep the creative embers burning until I can dedicate more time to writing, I am writing a poem a day.

Since there are only

Nineteen words in a Haiku

It gives me relief

MTI:  Of everything you’ve written thus far, do you happen to have a “favorite” piece of fiction?

NYE:  My stories are like my kids: it pains me to pick a favorite, even though some of them are obviously high achievers (The Crows of Bedu, “Press ‘1’ to Begin”) and some of them really do need to be held back a grade (“Blind Lion).  However, I felt something special within “Revenge, Inc.”  I want to expand that one into a novel… perhaps in the next few years.

MTI:  Your novel, "The Crows of Bedu," was published by Pill Hill Press a few years ago.  Do you have any plans to release a second printing of this work (either with a new press or self-publishing) now that PHP is closing down and reverting book publishing rights back to their respective authors?

NYE:  That is a marvelous idea.  I just need time…

MTI:  Other than the two stories appearing in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance, do you have any other stories being published in the near future?

NYE:  I did just submit a poem…

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good tv lately?

NYE:  I am in love with a couple of shows that are Really Not Well Done (low budget, not great acting), but the story lines are satisfying.  “Stephen King’s Inside the Dome” and “Being Human” (the British version).

MTI:  I've heard a lot of good things about the British version of Being Human.  I tried to watch "Inside the Dome," but for whatever reason it just didn't click with me.  Maybe I'll give it another try sometime.

How about music?

NYE:  Abney Park!  Captain Robert’s voice just sends chills through me every time.  And the steampunk music scene is really fun. 

MTI:  And if you would, name three movies that you could watch over and over again and not be bored?

NYE:  Okay.  This is starting to feel like a psychology exam.  This is not going to say good things about my psyche, but…

Point Break

Point of No Return

The Fifth Element

MTI:  Ah, yes, The Fifth Element is a cult classic.  Bruce Willis in a Sci-Fi film that makes fun of itself.  Good stuff.

You’ve got the attention of potential readers.  Is there anything you’d like to say to them, perhaps something to pique their interest in your work?

NYE:  I know where you live!

Okay. That’s not really true. 

It is my personal quest to always write “tattered books,” fantasy and science fiction that you read over and over again until they are in tattered pieces because they mean so much to you. 

You know who you are.

MTI:  As we wrap up this interview, do you happen to have a short sample for our readers?  Nothing too long, but maybe a few fresh paragraphs?

NYE:  You know what?  I take it back.  I DO have a favorite story: Leader, Protector, Master.  Here is a piece.

Sentias were essentially living nerve-like nets that grew into plants, and up the sides of buildings if there was ivy to hide in, and especially on the cathedral spires that, in the darkness, seemed to pop up everywhere like glowing stalagmites. Like the earliest settlers of Athabasca, Ramsey as a little girl had thought their glittering meant they talked to one another, but they were not sentient, as their name implied.

Just pretty, and no help at all.  Ramsey felt the bearded man watching her. She refused to look at him, or at her wrist, which throbbed with her pulse. Who is he?  What does that uniform mean?  She had believed him when he had said he wasn’t Politeness of Kings because he’d seemed insulted by the idea. However, she knew his uniform signified something – something more important than the local law enforcement or court systems.

Moreover, there was the limousine itself.  Private vehicles were rare in Athabasca – oddly enough because of the sentias, who needed to be protected from any strong electrical fields thrown off by engines and electronics.  A private vehicle meant special engineering and a vast amount of wealth.  Only a few guilds and associations could afford such things, and Ramsey thought she knew all the uniforms and insignias. 

And did the Thieves Guild wear uniforms?  She thought not. 

NYE:  Martin, thank you again for interviewing me.  It was fun!

MTI:  And thank you for the excellent answers.  For those who want to check out a couple of Nye's recent stories, pick up a copy of Quests, Curses, & Vengeance.