DARE TO SHINE COVER REVEAL!

It's here! The beautiful cover Emma Hibbs has worked so hard on is finished! Soon, the book we ALL worked so hard on will follow and I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of this.

THIS is the Anthology I mentioned a few months back. The fundraiser for S.O.P.H.I.E. and the crusade against bullying.

A lot of writers, AND editors put their time, effort and hearts into this. All for a good cause. Would you like to meet us?

COMING TO PAPERBACK AND E-BOOK

SUNDAY 22 MAY 2016

WORLD GOTH DAY

SYNOPSIS

In August 2007, Sophie Lancaster was viciously attacked and later passed away from her horrendous injuries. The only reason she was targeted was because she looked different.

Now, authors from across the world have come together to present an anthology of stories inspired by the joy of individuality.  From science fiction and paranormal to fairy tale reimaginings, fall into a celebration of life and difference, all to benefit ​The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

 Registered charity number - 1129689

​

Website: http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/

THE AUTHORS

E. C. Hibbs

E. C. Hibbs has lived all her life in Cheshire, north-west England. A lover of stories from an early age, she wrote her first 'book' when she was five, and throughout school was a frequent visitor to the younger classes to read her tales to the children.

Living so near the coast, she loves anything to do with the sea. She studied Animal Behaviour at university and longs to work with marine mammals in the future. As well as nature and animals, she also has a soft spot for history, and loves paying visits to castles, cathedrals and museums. She also runs Elphame Arts; creating unique portraits in both digital fantasy and graphite mediums, as well as book and CD covers.

There are many things she could be without, but writing isn't one of them. She carries a pen everywhere, in case an idea appears, and takes pride in still seeing the world as brimming with magic. Besides writing, she reads obsessively, her favourite genres being the classics and all kinds of fantasy. She enjoys Disney and horror films, practising Shotokan karate, drawing, archery, hiking up mountains, and playing with her very cheeky cat Millie-Moo. She also models for the UK Alternative Fashion Fest in aid of local charities and S.O.P.H.I.E., and is an avid supporter of WWF.

Website: http://www.echibbs.weebly.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/echibbs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/echibbs

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjx3A43ygTUWxr3EyFjQTg

Instagram: https://instagram.com/e_c_hibbs/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571427.E_C_Hibbs

Elphame Arts: http://www.elphamearts.weebly.com/

Donna Milward

Donna Milward lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her troll and two cats. She is a proud old-school headbanger of 30 years who has always embraced her individuality with determined ferocity.  She loves Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Skinny Puppy, Sepultura, Rammstein and anything unique and abrasive...like her. Besides writing, she likes gardening, canning, and all things to do with cats, mythology and the paranormal. She is the author Thoeba and Aphrodite’s War.

Blog: http://www.earthtothoeba.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/donnamilwardauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/donnamilward

Mystell Oshay

Mystell Oshay is a 24 year old from Fife in Scotland. She started writing when she was nearly in her teens and always enjoyed reading books as a child. Her other hobbies include gaming and listening to music. She loves to escape reality and travel to other worlds and has even made her own world. Music inspires her to create things and gaming is a great pass time as well as writing to escape everyday life. She is an animal lover and has gerbils. Her favorite genre of book is fantasy.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MystellOshay

Rose Titus

Rose Titus works two jobs to support her writing habit. She exists somewhere in cold, dreary New England, with two manipulative cats and a very out of date Macintosh with which she creates horror and fantasy fiction. She also has a restored classic car to ride around while in search of adventure.

For travel she has stayed for the night in an allegedly haunted castle, has taken a boat ride on Loch Ness, and has visited the fabled Bermuda Triangle without getting lost.

Her work has previously appeared in Lost Worlds, Lynx Eye, Bog Gob, Mausoleum, Midnight Times, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, The Bugle, Weird Terrain, Descend, Wicked Wheels, The Dead River Review, and other literary magazines. Her novella Night Home has been published with Bathory Gate Press and is available with Amazon, Barnes and Noble.com and Smashwords.

​When she’s not writing or working or messing around with her old Buick, she waits by her mailbox for the next issue of Fortean Times to arrive.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoseTitus?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Bobbie Palmer

Bobbie Palmer is a Delaware Author who is very involved in her local writing community.  She currently has three novels out and has short stories in two anthologies.  She writes Young Adult, Fantasy, and Murder Mysteries.  In addition, she has a full-time job, but in her spare time she enjoys hanging out with her family and reading.

Website: http://authorbobbiepalmer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bobbie-Palmer/304444518542?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bobbie_palmer

Mari Brown

Mari has been writing as far back as she can remember. She spent most of her teen years writing short stories for her friends, it was a hobby for her even though she was published in the school newspaper.

She met and married her very own Alpha male 20 years ago and they have a 19 year old daughter, and two sons ages 16 and 15. They have 4 dogs and 2 cats. There is never a dull moment around the house. They live on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Alabama and are blessed to have a home on the river and to have the beach just 20 minutes away.​​

Over the years she wrote a few short stories in-between raising babies but it wasn't until 2012 she decided she needed to pursue her dream of writing a full novel. It took a while but in January of 2014 her debut novel was self-published. There is always a story in her head and characters talking to her. She enjoys being able to share her characters with others.

Website: http://www.maribrownauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maribrownauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/maribrownauthor

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mari-Brown/e/B00JND6YO6

Lilly Rayman

First and foremost I am a wife and mother.  I was born in England where I had a dream at the age of 14.  That dream was to chase cattle on horseback across the Australian Outback.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to follow that dream, and found myself travelling to Australia on an Outback working holiday, and I've chased cattle, on horse back, across the Outback.  I met my soul mate, whilst on my working holiday, married him, and we have two beautiful daughters, and I'm still loving life in Australia.

I love to read, much to my husbands dismay sometimes when I have my head metaphorically buried in the pages of a book (I mean, how can that be literal since the dawn of e-books?)!

I love fantasy, I used to take myself away from my nasty world of bullies and appear in some wonderful land of dragons and magic! Pern was my all time favourite hide out world, God bless Anne and Todd MacCaffery.

When I immersed myself in my fantasy worlds, I used to re-write the plots in my head, starring myself as some great, sword drawn character who wouldn't give two hoots what the local bully thought! That eventuated in my actually writing down my own stories.

More recently I was inspired to start writing again, and I picked up on the whole craze of werewolf and vampire. I have had the most enjoyment writing AN UNEXPECTED BONDING, and the two books that will follow it!

Website: http://www.lillyrayman0007.wix.com/lillyrayman

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lillyrayman0007

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lillyrayman0007

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lillyrayman0007

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/lillyrayman0007

MP Ashman

MP Ashman debuted in 2012 with Black Hollow, a fantasy fiction novella about Jessica Bannerly, a girl who believes herself to be far from special, until she is whisked away into a magical kingdom, where an ancient wizard believes her to be his only way of escaping a mystical prison. This was followed, a year later, by Black Hollow Part II, in which the wizard uses Jessica's best friend Ciara, and her brother, Justin, to finally win his freedom.

In 2014, Ashman turned to science fiction, with the novella Time's Child, following Nina Summer, a technophobic 21st century teen who discovers that the life she has is not the one to which she belongs.​

With The Water Tower, Ashman begins a whole new saga in the Time Twins science fiction series for young adults.

MP Ashman lives in Toowoomba with his family, including his cat, Prue.​​

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MpAshmanAuthorNews

Time Twins: https://chaseandstaceyblog.wordpress.com/

Time Twins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChaseandStacey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mpashmanauthor

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-zCGbcvFP10eXt7p7IK9cQ

Allana Kephart & Melissa Simmons

Allana Kephart

Allana Kephart has been making things up and bending people to her will from a very young age. She loves animals and reading and spends a large amount of time thinking up ways to torment her characters. When not writing she can be found walking one of her many furbabies, working at a local pet supply store, or jamming out in her car. She lives south of Denver, CO with her six fur-babies.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.%20com/author/show/7376577.Allana_Kephart

Amazon: http://www.amazon.%20com/Allana-Kephart/e/B00JOVDOF4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_%20pel_1

Melissa Simmons

Melissa Simmons loves music, reading, her cat and her husband-not necessarily in that order, of course. She is obsessed with all things Disney, Supernatural (TV show) and comic book TVshows/ movies and doesn’t care who knows it. Her favorite superhero is Batman and she will defend his awesomeness to her last breath. When she isn’t writing and plotting, she loves to bake and spends her days helping other authors promote their work. She resides in upstate NY with her husband and their adorable cat.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.%20com/author/show/1639094.Melissa_Simmons

Amazon: http://www.amazon.%20com/Melissa-Simmons/e/B00JOLW9J6

Blog: http://melandlanawrite.blogspot.com/

The Dolan Prophecies: http://%20dolanpropheciesseries.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/%20MelandLanaWrite

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelandLanaWrite

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/%20melandlanawrite/

Fiona Maher

Fiona Maher is the author of the dark fantasy The Last Changeling and also the ‘Horror in a Hurry’ series of novellas. She also co-organises The Legendary Llangollen Faery Festival and loves anything fae and fantastical.

Legendary Llangollen Faery Festival: http://www.northwalesfaeryfestival.com/

The Last Changeling: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Changeling-Enigma-Wars-Book-ebook/dp/B00B90EIRQ/

Horror in a Hurry: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Salem-Strategy-Horror-Hurry-Book-ebook/dp/B00RHW14AY

Please share this, and support us in our cause. The world is a better place when we don't judge others by the way we look.

A Few Minutes with Kathy Steinemann

Today I want to introduce you to Kathy Steinemann, the author behind the anthology Suppose, and a good friend. I’ve got a soft spot for her for getting me involved with the Suppose project, and for her wealth of expertise in all things writing and publishing. Welcome Kathy!

Hi, Donna. Thanks for inviting me to your blog.

You are a master at drabbles and flash fiction. Please explain what those are, and how you came to write them.

A master? Aw, shucks. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

A drabble is exactly 100 words long, and flash is usually a piece of 1000 words or less, although some definitions will stretch that to 2000 words.

I started to create shorter pieces when I joined a writers’ critique and networking site, Scribophile.

When did you first start writing?

I can recall scribbling stories before grade one. I won’t tell you how many years ago that was, but I will say that I remember the debut of the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. I won a few prose and public-speaking contests while I was still in school, I wrote for the high school newspaper, and submitted a school news column to the local weekly.

My love of writing continued through the years. One of my jobs was editor of a small-town weekly, but life presented other career choices until 2009, when I gravitated back toward my first love.

You are self-published. Have you always been so? How did you get your start?

I considered the traditional route, but after investigating the alternatives, opted for self-publishing.

The self-pub learning process required countless hours on the Internet as I researched resources and interacted with other authors. During my journey, I had several pieces accepted by literary journals and a few anthology publishers. I won four flash fiction contests, and placed in several others

Who are your literary heroes? Muses?

My literary heroes? Probably Ray Bradbury and Pearl S. Buck. And I’d have to call Rod Serling my muse. That’s an eclectic excursion from sci-fi to historical fiction to fantasy and horror.

Tell us about a book that had an impact on your life.

Besides the Bible, probably the Black Stallion series. I read several of Walter Farley’s novels when I was a child, choosing reading over chores. The books inspired me to become an avid reader.

Tell us about one that had an impact on your writing.

That’s a difficult question. An author who had an impact is Fredric Brown, a master of short stories with surprise endings. However, I like to experiment with a variety of voices and formats. I’ve often thought that I should invent different pen names for some of my projects.

Maybe I already have.

What is your favorite format to write? Do you prefer drabbles, flash fiction, short stories, or novels?

Drabbles are difficult, and are probably my least favorite. As Mark Twain said, "I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." When you only have a hundred words to tell a story, each one must count.

Novels, especially series, require attention to dates and details so you don’t make mistakes with your plot.

In the middle are flash fiction and short stories, my favorites. I like to tell a complete story, usually with a surprise ending, that only takes a few minutes to read.

What do you like to read?

Tales that engage me, that make me reluctant to put the book down. Novels like Aphrodite’s War, Thoeba, and the Dune series. [Kathy chuckles.] (Aw, shucks. I'm blushing. Way to plug my stuff in YOUR interview!)

Do you have any rituals to write with? Favorite drinks, snacks, or music? What gets you in the zone?

I like coffee nearby, but never snacks. It’s difficult to type with crumbs on your fingers. I find music distracting, preferring the company of a low-volume news channel on the TV. I don’t need anything to get me in the zone, but I break every twenty minutes or so. Sometimes if I’m bogged down, a three-minute walk will give me fresh ideas.

The house is littered with sticky notes; I have a notepad in my purse; my cell phone contains memos; and my hard drive holds dozens of in-progress pieces. Sometimes all it takes is a casual comment from my husband or a friend to inspire me.

What do you love about writing?

I enjoy sharing the ideas in my head. I can work in my pajamas if I want to. There’s no boss looking over my shoulder and cringing when s/he sees my weird Google searches. Those searches are a constant fount of new knowledge and frequent chuckles.

Self-publishing allows me to work without deadlines, and I can experiment with style.

What do you hate?

Rejections. And I say that again: rejections. Having an editor say no to something I’ve slaved over is always a disappointment.

I also hate trapping myself in a corner, but I’m a pantser who dislikes outlines. That corner trap usually develops into a plot twist, although the solution might occur to me days or weeks after I’ve put a piece away to ripen.

I miss coffee breaks and discussions with coworkers.

I could do without the business end: promoting, finding reviewers, accounting, and the myriad mundane but necessary tasks that tear me away from writing.

If you could offer any advice to new authors, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. Don’t give up.

Cultivate your unique voice, realizing that you can’t follow every bit of advice you hear or read.

WRITE. Every minute you spend writing will open new vistas. It’s a craft that demands practice and dedication.

Where can readers find you?

The best place to find me is at my website, KathySteinemann.com.

I’m also on Facebook: KathySteinemann.Author.

And Twitter: @KathySteinemann.

Can we have a list of your published works?

I have several available, ranging from travel tips to German-English dual-translation collections to IBS tips, as well as two novels in the Sapphire Brigade series, and Suppose. I keep an updated list on my website.

Are you able to share anything about what you’re working on now?

In September, I plan to release Nag Nag Nag, a humor anthology about a married couple who bicker and snipe, but love each other beyond words. They spar, spat, and love their way through pre- and post-retirement, with guest appearances by their daughter and granddaughters.

Late in 2015 or early 2016, I’ll be releasing Envision, a collection of science fiction stories by me and guest authors who are competing in a contest I’m sponsoring at Scribophile. I also have a children’s book, Galoomph, ready for the illustration phase.

Next year I plan to publish Zarminixia, another sci-fi anthology.

Any final comments?

Thanks for the interview opportunity, Donna, and good luck with Chasing Monsters and Elaina’s Fate!

Thank YOU, Kathy!!

'Suppose' I Have a Contest?

This is the cover! Thanks Kathy!

Surprise! I wrote a short story for a collection. Believe me, it was an unexpected opportunity for me, and I'm surprised I managed to get it done.

Why? Because I found out about it shortly after Christmas, and also because I PANTSED it. I almost never do that, because I rarely finish when I try it. Also, I hadn't actually written a short story since high school! Uh-oh...

Am I crazy? Why did I say yes? Why did I willingly sign up for this?

Because Kathy Steinemann asked me to. Because I admire her work and was flattered she asked me to contribute. 

It was a little scary. I'd made a commitment to a story I wasn't sure I could write. But sometimes you have to go for it.

"Decide you want it more than you are afraid of it"--Bill Cosby. I never want fear to hold me back.

So I did it. And I'm glad. I just did two things I don't normally do. I wrote a short story AND I wrote it without a clear outline, off the top of my head. I also did it on a set deadline. It's called 'The Guardian's Angel.' It was named by contest winner Amanda Phillips.

Now I realize I'm doing something else. By contributing to this book, I'm getting more exposure for my work, my brand...Now THAT is free advertising.

So thank you, Kathy for the opportunity. I appreciate it very much <3 And thank you for the e-book copy of 'Suppose' I can give away!

All you have to do to win, is tell me here in the comment section, or here https://www.facebook.com/DonnaMilwardAuthor on my author page. (Feel free to join.) Why I should give it to you. :)

Contest winner will be published and notified next week.

A Short Pause

"Male Angel Pointing Up" by falconville@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I'm running a little late. Normally I have a post ready to go one or two days in advance. I hate procrastinating, and try to have my projects finished well before deadline.

Well, this week I'm distracted. I have a short story due tomorrow, and I just finished the requested edits for it. Yay me. It's been on my mind ever since I took the assignment, and I wish I could say I enjoyed it.

I did two things I never do as a writer.  #1, I wrote a short story. #2, I 'pantsed' it.

I haven't written a short story since highschool. Essays, sure. Short stories, no. My brain just doesn't work that way. I'm not accustomed to writing my fictional ideas in 5000 words or less. It feels...confining.

And I'm not a 'pantser'. For those of you who don't understand writer slang, a pantser is a writer who jots down their stories as they come along, without a solid plan about where it's going or how it will end. I know one who finds it exciting to work that way. She can't wait to see what happens next.

I can't work that way. I find that if I don't have an outline, and a clear idea of where I'm going, I'll probably never finish. In fact, I'm shocked that I DID finish.

Am I sorry I did it? NO. I did it because I wanted to try something different. I had to get out of my comfort zone, and exercise my brain. I wanted to challenge myself and learn new things. In fact, I'm proud of myself for doing it. I came up with a story idea off the top of my head, and executed it without knowing where I was going. I made it! Whew!

I also held a great contest to name it. Congratulations and thank you to Amanda Phillips for the great title "The Guardian's Angel". Love it!

The story is going to be part of a collection called 'Suppose' and is the brainchild of author Kathy Steinemann. I will keep you all posted about its publishing date and other information.

In the meantime, here's a link I found today that reminded me of how important writing exercises are, and how brilliant they can be. Number Two and Number Five are the scariest for me, but Number Nine will be the one I'm thinking of next time Spartacus Jones starts staring at me.

http://www.mandatory.com/2014/02/21/20-terrifying-two-sentence-horror-stories/