Monthly Archives: September 2015

Weir Magic Excerpt–Countdown on Alien Artifacts Kickstarter

Zombies Needs Brains, LLC, the book publisher run by Joshua Palmatier and co-edited by Patricia Bray, is in the final hours for its DOUBLE anthology Kickstarter, Alien Artifacts and Were-. The Alien Artifacts part is pretty clear–stories about all the otherworldly stuff extraterrestrials carelessly leave behind where humans can get their hands on them, and the adventures/dangers that causes. Larry and I will be doing a story in our Iron & Blood universe, with the Department of Supernatural Investigation riding to the rescue once again.AlienArtifacts

The second anthology is Were-, meaning shapeshifting creatures that are anything EXCEPT wolves. Werebears? Go ahead. Were-hamsters? Maybe. Just no wolves.  The two anthologies 14 all-original (no reprint) short stories each from established SF&F authors in the field—including Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Phyllis Ames, Jacey Bedford, Patricia Bray, David B. Coe, David Farland/Dave Wolverton, C.S. Friedman, Walter H. Hunt, Faith Hunter, Katharine Kerr, Gini Koch, Sharon Lee, Gail Z. Martin, Larry N. Martin, Seanan McGuire, Juliet E. McKenna, Steve Miller, and Jean Marie Ward, plus others. In fact, since we have not only funded but hit a couple of stretch goals, the anthology has open submission slots to add even more awesome stories!

You can see more for yourselves and become a backer here:

One of those authors, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, gives us a sneak-peek of her work-in-progress for the Were- anthology!

An Excerpt from Weir Magic

by Danielle Ackley-McPhail

 

Den Jeger wore the ivory shard sheathed at his hip like a dagger. His hand rested on the butt of the trophy as his thumb worried the raw edge on one side where the slice had not been clean, leaving a crescent-shaped scar behind. As his skin ran across the surface it kindled a faint burn that ran from his thumb tip up his arm toward his heart. He stilled in midstride on the busy sidewalk. Pedestrians dodged around him, some more carefully than others. He ignored the grumbling and out-and-out curses. He even ignored the shoulder slams and rough shoves. Years of practice made that possible. He closed his eyes as his breath stilled in his chest. He waited, but the sensation quickly faded. Over the course of his prolonged pursuit he had learned to pay attention to that sensation. More than once it had guided him to his prey.

Not this time, though. Once it was gone, it was gone. Growling, he spat into the gutter and continued on his way, shoving and grumbling with the best of those around him. More protests rose in his wake as he cut across the pedestrian flow to head down a side street. What he was looking for he wouldn’t find on the main concourse. Settling on the stoop of a nearby brownstone, Den drew out his phone and thumbed on the data. Within moments he opened a browser and called up the address for the nearest internet café. Fifteen minutes later he sat down at a beat-up monitor and keyboard tucked in the most private corner he could find at Java Web, a place so ubiquitous to others he had frequented across the continent that he felt almost at home.

First he scanned his google alerts for any telltales that might have popped up but nothing new surfaced about either Donovan Clooney or An Rógaire. From there he popped into the message boards and forums he regularly lurked through. He could have done all this on his phone, but he preferred to minimize his electronic footprint, much as he would the physical during a hunt. He surfed a few moments more, throwing in some random sites to confuse anyone who might be paying attention, then returned to some of his secondary information sources.

Nothing.

But he knew the monster was close, or another of its kind else the shard wouldn’t have reacted. He could not lose this opportunity. If he couldn’t pick up the trail Den would need to find a lure. Unfortunately, in this day and age, purity was nearly as difficult to track down as his prey which meant he had to step up his search. With a few clicks he cleared the computer’s temp files and browser histories and shoved away from the monitor, bumping past those waiting for his spot.

Once more he went out into the tumult of the city, hand resting on the shard. A faint burn ran from his thumb tip up his arm toward his heart and settled there. Den Jeger grinned fiercely, his stride lengthening as he took up the trail of a monster out of myth and legend, ready to avenge his brother’s death.

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So what are you waiting for? Go out and reserve a copy for your own while there’s still time! In fact, there are some AWESOME reward levels left to grab, including Tuckerizations, and we’re almost to a new stretch goal that unlocks THREE extra ebooks! But HURRY–the Kickstarter ends at noon TODAY!

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DragonCon and New Stories!

It’s that time of the year again! Here’s my NEARLY final DragonCon schedule! Waiting to find out my signing time at Larry Smith Books….It’s gonna be a busy con!

Grave VoicesIn between panels, I’ll be in Author’s Lair Booths 1223 & 1225 in the Vendor room with lots of books to sell! And after hours, look for me in the Westin bar with the rest of the writers.

Title: Mission Statement: Objectives in Urban Fantasy
Description: Authors discuss stated protagonist goals in the genre: protecting the human world from the supernatural, or vice versa.
Time: Fri 10:00 am Location: Chastain ED – Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Faith Hunter, Carrie Vaughn, S. J. Harper, Julie Kenner, Eric R Asher, Gail Z. Martin)

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Title: Race and Gender Issues in Alternate History
Description: The treatment of race and gender in the Alternate History genre.
Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Augusta 3 – Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Milton J Davis, D.B. Jackson, Gail Z. Martin, Clay and Susan Griffith)

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Title: Fictional Writing and Skepticism
Description: A few top authors, who are also Skeptics, discuss what effect their personal skepticism has on their writings.
Time: Fri 01:00 pm Location: 204-207 – Hilton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Scott Sigler, Michael Stackpole, Tom Merritt, Gail Z. Martin)

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Title: Broad Universe Reading
Description: The ladies of Broad Universe read snippets from their work.
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: Embassy A-B – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Trisha J. Woldridge, Gail Z. Martin, Kathryn Hinds)

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Title: Authors Roundtable: Using Podcasting to Deliver Your Story
Description: Roundtable discussions of working writers who utilize Podcasting to distribute and promote their work.
Time: Sat 10:00 am Location: 203 – Hilton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Scott Sigler, Gail Z. Martin, Bobby Nash, Michael Stackpole)

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The Restless DeadTitle: Navigating the Media/Online Frenzy
Description: Facebook? What else is out there? How does a savvy writer generate exciting “buzz” about a book and promote sales?
Time: Sat 11:30 am Location: Embassy D-F – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, Gail Z. Martin, Tom Merritt, Michael Z. Williamson, Mike Faber)

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Signing in the Vendor Room at The Missing Page 2 pm

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Title: Haunted Ground: Ghosts and Other Traumas
Description: The importance of setting in horror fiction
Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 – Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Karen E. Taylor, Gail Z. Martin, Madeleine Roux, L. Andrew Cooper, Peter Adam Salomon)

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Title: Steampunk/Magepunk/Dieselpunk?
Description: Steampunk branches out! Tips for the market for the Punk genres.
Time: Sat 08:30 pm Location: Embassy D-F – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Lisa Mantchev, Stephen L. Antczak, Gail Z. Martin, Anthony Francis)

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Resurrection DaySigning/Sitting at the SFWA table in the Hyatt Noon – 1 pm

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Title: Reading: Gail Z. Martin
Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Marietta – Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Gail Z. Martin)

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Title: Down and Dirty Marketing for Authors
Description: Navigating the new world of e-publishing, and why print is still an important medium for any author platform.
Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: 201 – Hilton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Sascha Illyvich, Gail Z. Martin, Jennie Breeden)

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Title: Realms of the Dead: Ghosts and Spirits in UF
Description: Panelists discuss the various types of ghosts and spirits found in the genre
Time: Mon 10:00 am Location: Chastain ED – Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Jim Butcher, Leanna Renee Hieber, Gail Z. Martin, D.B. Jackson, Karen E. Taylor, Myke Cole)

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RetributionNoon-1 Signing at The Missing Page in the vendor room

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In other news….our new Steampunk novella, Grave Voices–set in the world of Iron & Blood–is FREE on Wattpad and it’s also a Featured Story! You can read it here

Also a couple of new short stories on Kindle/Kobo/Nook with more to come! Resurrection Day is also a steampunk story from our Storm and Fury Adventures in the Iron & Blood world. The Restless Dead and Retribution are new Deadly Curiosities Adventures set in modern-day Charleston. And Season 2 of the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures ended with Desperate Flight–watch for Season 3 in 2016!

Coming soon: My Days of the Dead blog tour at the end of October, and news about the new Deadly Curiosities novel, Vendetta, coming in December!

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