Maer Wilson – Cindy Young-Turner

Cover reveal: The Other Side of Philip K. Dick by Maer Wilson

Congrats to Maer Wilson on her upcoming memoir about legendary SF author Philip K. Dick! Love the cover. Keep reading for a great excerpt.

The blurb:

What is the truth behind the legend of Science Fiction great, Philip K. Dick?

In spring, 1972, Phil Dick moved to Fullerton, CA, where he met Theatre student Mary (Maer) Wilson. Amid marriage proposals, marathon talk-fests and a love for music and films, they forged a strong friendship that would last the rest of his life.

Wilson’s quirky, yet unflinchingly honest, memoir reveals a funny, compassionate and generous man. She captures an inside view of one of our literary greats – a brilliant writer who gave the world some of its most revered Science Fiction.

“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner

“I found this book engrossing and authentic – a truthful and serious account of the last part of Phil Dick’s life by someone who was a fundamental part of it and who has the skill to write about it. There is evident love and friendship in this book, but also honesty. This was the Phil Dick I knew.” James P. Blaylock, World Fantasy Award-Winning Author

About Maer Wilson

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer.

Maer first met Philip K. Dick in 1972 when he moved into the apartment across the hall from her in Fullerton, California. They remained close friends until his death in 1982. Maer was always an avid reader, but it was Phil who introduced her to science fiction, and she fell in love with the genre, later expanding into most aspects of Spec Fic.

When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. Maer is a partner in Ellysian Press, a small publishing house. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two poodles.

Named 2015 Fantasy Author of the Year by AuthorClassifieds.com, Maer’s books include the recent Apocalypta Z. Her Modern Magics series includes the novels Relics, Portals, and Magics, as well as novelettes and stories set in that universe. Maer recently contributed to, compiled and published the charity anthology, The Dark Dozen. She is currently working on a science fiction novel, Truthsayer.

You can find all Maer’s books and novelettes at Amazon and other online retailers. For more info, you can visit Maer’s website at http://maerwilson.com/.

You can also find Maer at:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads| Pinterest

Excerpt from The Other Side of Philip K. Dick

“But first let’s set the scene.

It’s April, 1972 in Fullerton, California around 7:00 PM. The sun has set and the night is cool, balanced between full spring and hints of summer. Can you feel the slight breeze?

The street is Quartz Lane. Some of the many apartment buildings in the area line the short road. We’re going to go to the first complex on the right, just past the church. There’s a small courtyard and the residents all have their curtains drawn. Most are translucent and clearly show the light from the apartments. But there. That first apartment on our right? The one upstairs. Yes, that one with the light shining through a gap in the curtains.

And the one across from it. The light isn’t as bright, but we need to note that one, too.

We can almost hear the giggles of two girls as we make our way up the stairs and fade through their door. Shhh… We’ll be as quiet as the ghosts from the future that we are.

The scene is set. The actors and orchestra are in their places. The curtain rises.

The conductor taps his baton on the music stand.

The stage lights come up.

Let us begin.

It happened back when I was still immortal.”

Praise for The Other Side of Philip K. Dick

“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner

“The strongest piece of writing I’ve read in years. Wilson’s pacing is perfection. The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is filled with laughter and the kind of love only true friends can share. Even if, for some reason, you’ve never heard of Philip K. Dick, you will fall in love with him and Wilson. The ending had me crying, like “end of the Notebook” crying. Utter perfection.” M. Joseph Murphy, Author of the Activation series

“There are many tales of epic friendships, but there is one huge difference here: The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is real. Wilson’s prose gives us an inside view into two minds, a genius and a young girl. Through her eyes I am left with one thought — this is a man I wish I had known.” –Danielle DeVor, author of the Marker Chronicles.

“Frank and revealing. One part faithful memoir, one part a wonderful evocation of Phil’s final 10 years. Writing with crisp clarity, Maer’s humorous anecdotes wonderfully evoke both the times and the man. Her conversational prose sparkles with truth and winning story-telling. Best of all, this warm tribute replaces the oft-told myths about Phil with unique insights into his caring, compassionate and generous nature.” Daniel Gilbertson, Friend of PKD

“As a fan of Dick’s fiction, I was engrossed by these amusing, insightful, and poignant reminiscences of the last ten years of his life. Wilson evokes a human portrait of a warm, funny, unassuming man who was a good friend to a young student. This memoir is well-written and heart-felt. It illustrates not only the private world of a great writer but what it was like to be young in the seventies in California.” Carol Holland March, Author of The Dreamwalkers of Larreta

Ghosts of Modern Magics by Maer Wilson

Check out this great boxed set of novelettes from Maer Wilson!

Ghosts of Modern Magics

Before magic returned to Earth in the Modern Magics novels, Thulu and La Fi’s clients were usually the dead. The Ghost novelettes detail a few of their more memorable cases.

“Ghost Memory” – An amnesiac ghost hires Thulu and La Fi to find missing money from his home for his aging husband.

“Unwanted Ghost” – The couple inherits a furnished Victorian, complete with its own noisy ghost.

“Ghost Dancer” – Young Danika asks Thulu and La Fi to save her dog from the killer who murdered her.

“Wedding Ghost” – Just before their own wedding, the detectives are hired to find out what happened to another bride ninety years before.

BONUS MATERIAL

“Lost Ghost” tells the story of eleven-year-old Thulu and Fiona’s first case.

This collection also includes samples from the Modern Magics novels – Relics, Portals and the upcoming Magics.

This collection is currently on sale at Amazon.

Ghosts of Modern Magics will be available soon from other online retailers. For updates or information about the rest of the Modern Magics series, please check Maer’s website.

Maer’s Bio

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. Maer is a partner in Ellysian Press, a small publishing house. She also co-hosts the literary podcast MythBehaving. Maer lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her three dogs, a chihuahua and two poodles.

Her books include Relics and Portals, Books 1 and 2 in the Modern Magics series. The upcoming third book in the series is Magics. There are also four novelettes in the series – “Ghost Memory,” “Unwanted Ghost,” “Ghost Dancer” and “Wedding Ghost.”. You can find all books and novelettes in the Modern Magics series at Amazon and other online retailers.

Where you can find her:

Website: http://maerwilson.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Maer-Wilson/e/B00CDX29YW/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maer-Wilson-Author/149085628472833
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaerWilson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7040319.Maer_Wilson
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/maerw/boards/

New release: Relics by Maer Wilson

Relics

Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. But a simple job finding a lost locket leads to a big case tracking relics for an ancient daemon.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground ñ Earth.

Caught on live TV, other portals begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth. The people of Earth are not alone, but will soon wish they were.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi’s search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful help in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that’s what ghostly friends, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales.

Excerpt:

When the dead are afraid, there’s a big problem. The fear cut through the abandoned warehouse as sharp as the dagger at my throat. The tall, powerful being easily held me immobile. Breaking promises and lying to ancient creatures who can make you very dead, very fast was not such a good idea.

Humans and non-humans, living and dead, all of us were cautious not to make any sudden moves that would send my captor over the edge.

I tried to take careful breaths. I was terrified, more afraid than I’d ever been in my life and in shock, too. Betrayal and death will do that to you, let me tell you.

Like a car out of control on ice, my thoughts careened all over the place. I could only hope someone in the group was thinking clearer than me. I kept my eyes down to hide the emotions I knew would upset the others. No sense letting Thulu and the rest know just how freaked out I really was.

All I could tell myself was to breathe easy and try not to swallow. There was nothing but silence for long minutes, as both sides continued to wait. No one moved. Even the dead were frozen with fear. Now there’s a scary thought.

Relics can be found at these retailers:

Amazon – Kindle | Amazon – Paperback | Barnes & Noble – Nook | iTunes

Her books include Relics and Portals, Books 1 and 2 in the Modern Magics series. The upcoming third book in the series is Magics. There are also three novelettes in the series – Ghost Memory, Unwanted Ghost and Ghost Dancer. A fourth story, Wedding Ghost, is also planned. You can find all books and novelettes in the Modern Magics series at Amazon.

You can find Maer at these links:

Maer’s Website | Amazon | Facebook

Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway

This Giveaway is open internationally

Must be 13+ to enter

PRIZES

2 Winners–ecopy of RELICS

1 Winner–$5 Amazon Gift Card

1 Winner–$10 Amazon Gift Card

2 Winners–ecopies of the Modern Magics Novelettes: Ghost Memory, Unwanted Ghost, and Ghost Dancer

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour is brought to you by

Please check out the other hosts on the tour for more chances to enter the Giveaway!

11/10/2014 http://thesaucyreviewer.wordpress.com/

11/10/2014 http://2ndbooktotheright.blogspot.com/

11/10/2014 http://cubicleblindness.com

11/10/2014 http://sallyawolfreads.blogspot.com/

11/10/2014 http://victoriasimcox.blogspot.com/

11/10/2014 http://carolhollandmarch.com/

11/11/2014 http://danielledevor.wordpress.com

11/11/2014 http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/

11/12/2014 http://booksauthorsandpublishing411.com/

11/12/2014 http://www.kirstinpulioff.com

11/12/2014 http://pratr.wordpress.com/

11/12/2014 http://www.weigandchris.com

11/12/2014 http://constancephillips.com/

11/12/2014 http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com

11/12/2014 http://councilofpeacocks.blogspot.ca/

11/13/2014 http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/

11/13/2014 http://theshadowportal.blogspot.com/

11/13/2014 http://www.lindseyrloucks.com/my-blog

11/13/2014 http://jodyakessler.com/jody-a-kessler/

11/14/2014 http://dennaholm.wordpress.com

11/14/2014 https://cindyyoungturner.com/

11/14/2014 http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/

Author interview: Maer Wilson

I’ve very pleased to have Maer Wilson on the blog today. Maer’s novel, Relics, was just released this month and looks to be another outstanding novel from Crescent Moon Press! Let’s take a look at Relics and then move on to the interview questions.

Blurb:

Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi’s search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that’s what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales.

Get your copy today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Watch the book trailer on YouTube

Interview with Maer

Thank you for letting me visit today!

Q: Where were you born? Are you the kind of person who likes to move around a lot, or do you prefer to live in one place?

A: I was born in Kansas, but spent very little time there as my father was in the Air Force and we moved around a lot when I was really young. Maybe that’s why I prefer to stay in the same place, now. I do enjoy traveling, but love coming home to my own house when it’s done.

Q: What sparked your interest in writing? How long have you been writing?

A: Since I was young and in school. I’ve mostly written character studies and things like that. Bad poetry in high school. About twelve years ago I tried my hand at writing a play. It was awful. Five years later I recreated it as a screenplay that was much better. It was only three years ago that I decided to try a novel and here I am.

Q: What provided the inspiration for your newly released novel, Relics?

A: That came out of a gaming experience. I’d had an idea about a married heroine in a Paranormal novel, but hadn’t done anything more than jot down a note. I created the names Thulu and La Fi to give to some gaming friends of mine, but realized the names belonged to my characters instead. And who they were fully formed in my head very quickly.

Q: How long did it take you to finish it? How many drafts did you write before you were satisfied?

A: The first draft took five weeks to write. I revised it, had it beta read, revised some more and started to submit it. After about eight months, I found out that a cliff hanger ending for a first novel was an almost impossible sell, so I ruthless ripped out the second half of the book and completely rewrote it, making it a standalone novel. Again, I wrote that very fast. By the time I revised, rewrote and added more beta readers, it was a little over a year after I first started writing it the first time that it was ready for submission again. I can’t even say how many times I revised, rewrote and tweaked this last version. I’d get an idea and run to add it or change something. I’d probably still be tweaking if I could. J

Q: How would you describe your path toward publication?

A: I did the usual “find an agent” thing for about ten months. Because that’s what we do right? We get an agent. At first, I was hopeful, but as I learned more about the publishing industry, I quickly devised a Plan B: apply to a small press and forget about the agent. The more I found out about the traditional route, the more I realized it wasn’t for me. Mostly due to the time. Being olderish, I didn’t want my book to take two to three years to see print. So, I almost began to look forward to agent rejections. Almost. Once I’d decided I really wanted a small press, I began researching and found a few I liked. Crescent Moon Press was my first choice. Of course, after agent rejections my confidence wasn’t very high and I had no expectations. I was so pleased when I heard from them very quickly to submit and it wasn’t long before they offered a contract. I’m thrilled to be a part of the CMP family.

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Read everything you can get your hands on, especially in your genre. And make sure your manuscript is the best you can make it. I think too many new writers are in such a hurry that they don’t take advantage of the tweaking and revising that will make their work even better. Revising time is important and the polishing could make the difference between getting published or not.

Q: Name a few authors who have inspired you and describe why.

A: Tim Powers because he encouraged me to write and I adore his style. George R.R. Martin for his ability to surprise me and J.K. Rowling for her storytelling talent.

Q: What are you currently writing?

A: Do interviews and blogs count? J Seriously, I’m doing a final revision of Book 2 in The Thulukan Chronicles, Portals, before I submit it. And I’ve started Book 3 of the series.

Q: You also run the increasingly popular MythBehaving podcast. How did you get involved in podcasting?

A: Thanks for asking about that, Cindy! I began writing for a gaming fansite, Corellian Run Radio about a year and a half ago and they also do a podcast. As one of the staff writers, I’ve participated in many of the podcasts. When I sold my book to CMP, Carla Clifton, who runs CRR suggested doing a literary podcast. It just took off from there.

Q: Coffee, tea, or hard liquor? (or all three?)

A: Herbal tea and hard liquor. Not mixed together.

Q: What books are you currently reading or on your to-be-read list?

A: I’m almost done with Lindsey R. Loucks’ The Grave Winner. I was very lucky and received an Advanced Reader Copy and I love it. Next will be Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza.

Q: And now for the bonus fluff question: If you could be a character in your one of your favorite novels, which character would you be and why?

A: Oh, I love this question! So many to choose from, but I think I’ll go back to one of my early loves and the Anne McCaffrey Dragonrider series. Lessa captured me years ago. Since I love dragons and Lessa bonded with her queen dragon she would have to be the one.

Cindy, thanks so very much for letting me do your interview!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Bio:

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the literary podcast, “MythBehaving” and writes for two gaming fansites. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. Relics is her first novel and will be released by Crescent Moon Press on May 1, 2013. You can visit her website at maerwilson.com.

Follow Maer: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cover reveal: Relics by Maer Wilson

Book Blurb

Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales.

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2PHs5oGwg

Maer’s Bio

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the literary podcast, “MythBehaving” and writes for two gaming fansites. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. Relics is her first novel and will be released by Crescent Moon Press on May 1, 2013. You can visit her website at maerwilson.com.

Links

Maer’s Website: http://maerwilson.com/

Maer’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maer-Wilson-Author/149085628472833

Maer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaerWilson

Relics at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17767013-relics