science fiction – 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

Cover reveal: January Black by Wendy Russo

I’m excited to share another great cover, this time for January Black by Wendy Russo! You will want to check out this YA SF novel (available for pre-order on 11/28)!

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn is the son of The Hill’s commandant. As such, he’s expected to conform to a strict, unspoken code of conduct. Small acts of defiance over years—such as walking on the grass—have earned him a reputation for being unruly. When sarcastic test answers finally get Matty expelled from school, King Hadrian offers him a diploma if he can answer a deceptively simple question, and then dismisses the only answer.

To prove his worth to society, Matty wrestles with the king’s word games, the kingdom’s historical record, and laws that don’t make sense. He meets Iris Locke, a street smart gardener, along the way. After enchanting him at a glance, Iris helps his research, keeps him out of trouble, and finally breaks his heart.

Alone again, Matty finds himself on collision course with a deadly law, one he will have to break to answer the king’s question. Was Hadrian challenging him, or teaching him a lesson? Without Iris, it won’t matter, because Matty won’t stand down for anyone else.

January Black is the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal winner for YA-Coming of Age.

January Black will be available for pre-order on Amazon 11/28/2014.

About the Illustrator

Liliana Sanches started studying Visual Arts at the age of 16 and soon felt attracted to the Romantic artwork from the 19th century. The Pre-Raphaelites and Friedrich were her biggest inspirations at the time, and she felt compelled to explore this graphic language of desolated landscapes that were the reflection of the painter’s emotions.

After graduating college, specializing Graphic Design, she created her own business under the name of “Princess of Shadows.” Her style had now evolved and had technical knowledge to support it. Intricate concepts with a much better grasp of image composition and visual balance, and also used color and shape psychology to imprint her work on the viewer.

Along the years she has been working with musicians, authors and even other designers who have allowed her to express her creativity, develop visual communication skills and explore different graphic styles to better suit each project.

Nowadays, here personal work has been exploring the human psyche, imbuing it with a dark surreal feeling. Her biggest inspirations are J-Horror movies, dreams/ nightmares and mental health pathologies.

Princess of Shadows on DeviantArt

About the Author

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

Balticon here I come

Memorial Day weekend is coming and around here that means it’s time for Balticon, the annual Baltimore science fiction/fantasy convention. Two years ago I went for the first time and participated on some panels and had a lot of fun. I couldn’t go last year due to some work commitments, but this year I’m on. If you’re looking for something to do other than the beach, stop by! Here’s my schedule for the weekend:

Reading: Fri 6:00 – 6:50, Pimlico
Panel: Copy Editing Do’s and Don’ts: Fri 8:00 – 8:50, Pimlico
Panel: Writing Resolutions, Evaluation, and Measurement: Sat 10:00 – 10:50, Parlor 1041
Panel: 5 Books for the Last Town on Earth: Sat 1:00 – 1:50, Salon B
Autographing: Sun 10:00 – 11:00, Maryland Foyer
Panel: Reading as Exploration: Sun 1:00 – 1:50, Salon B

MIND: The Beginning by Jenn Nixon

Congratulations to Jenn Nixon on her new science fiction release, MIND: The Beginning. Jenn is another great Crescent Moon Press author. I’m excited to be part of her blog tour and I have a fun excerpt to share. First let’s find out more about the book.

After Dina Ranger loses telepathic contact with her brother, she breaks into his apartment and stumbles onto a special government unit responsible for monitoring the psychic population. She’s offered a job where she can use her psionic gifts to help people.

Stranded on earth over a hundred years ago, Liam of Shria is searching for a metal needed to repair his ship when he finds Dina, a telepathic investigator, and narrowly saves her from an exploding alien pod. Together, they uncover a plot to rebuild an ancient weapon and discover the truth behind Dina’s abilities while unlocking dangerous secrets about the alien presence on earth.

Can they stop a powerful weapon meant to enslave the human race? Can their relationship survive the secrets of the past or will it tear them apart?

Get your copy of MIND on Amazon!

Excerpt from MIND: The Beginning

The woman’s phone rang for the second time in ten minutes. Someone really wanted to talk to her. Considering it was five in the morning, he assumed it was one of the two men she’d been with at the visitor’s center. Liam had an inkling she needed to answer the next call.

“Going to have to wake her…” He crossed the motel room and shook Dina’s shoulder. She mumbled, rolled away, and stretched her legs down the bed. Come on, wake up.

I’m awake, get out of my head. “And stop staring at my ass.”

“Did that earlier when I put you to bed.”

“Oh, ha, you’re a funny alien.” She blinked, the expression on her face changing slowly as she moved to the edge of the bed and sat up. “This is all real; it’s not some psi ability.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You…look human.”

“Frankly, so does the vast majority of intelligent evolved life out there. We’re all made up of the same bits and pieces of the universe. Those shows you humans entertain yourselves with are so far off base.” Liam smirked, thinking of all the fantastically bizarre creatures science-fiction had turned out over the years.

“We all look the same?”

“Not the same, similar. Various differences, skin tone, hair and eyes, appendage length, shape—”

“Powers? You were invisible, teleported, what else can you do?”

“A lot. Most humanoids have psionic traits in their genetics, only some develop depending on their planetary conditions and evolution. I come from one of the older, more advanced planets in the universe.”

“Okay, information overload, let’s take it down a notch.”

“We’re going to be interrupted shortly anyway.”

Dina’s phone rang. Her eyes expanded wide. “You’re a precog too?”

“No,” he replied with a chuckle. “Third phone call. That’s why I woke you. I figure it’s important.”

Author Bio: Jenn’s love of writing started the year she received her first diary and Nancy Drew novel. Throughout her teenage years, she kept a diary of her personal thoughts and feelings but graduated from Nancy Drew to other mystery suspense novels.

Jenn often adds a thriller and suspense element to anything she writes be it Romance, Science Fiction, or Fantasy. When not writing, she spends her time reading, observing pop culture, playing with her two dogs, and working on various charitable projects in her home state of New Jersey.

Website: www.jennnixon.com

Facebook: facebook.com/JennNixonAuthor

Blog: www.jennafern.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jennnixon

Crescent Moon Press: http://www.crescentmoonpress.com/books/Mind.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Nixon/e/B002BLNBBQ/

Past Release: Romantic Suspense, Lucky’s Charm

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