Realms Faire Thunderclap and a Visit from Tara Tyler

Hello, all! I'm hunkered down in my writing cave and trying very hard to finish my WIP before the year is up, so between that, the day job, and getting ready for an out-of-town family wedding I'm taking another short blogging break. But first I just want to share that M.Pax has set up a thunderclap campaign for the Realms Faire and we would all appreciate it so much if you would consider supporting the campaign! As of this writing, we only need 27 more supporters until we hit the magic number of 100. If you would like to support us just click on the picture above or visit the campaign here. Thank you in advance! And thank you to everyone who has already supported the Faire. I am so excited to be part of it this year.

With that I am turning the blog over to my buddy Tara Tyler, who is visiting as part of the blog tour for her latest release Simulation. I hope everyone enjoys what is left of September and I will see you in October for the IWSG. Take it away, Tara!

Scary Future?

Julie and I got to have lunch with Michael DiGesu this summer and it was fabulous! We found out that Michael is actually a tough New Yorker under his sweet blogging personality.

We talked about a lot of things, and one of the topics that stuck out to me was how scary our future looks. I don't know if it's just me being overprotective of my kids and seeing more bad in the world, or if there really is more bad in the world!

Take the lack of enforcement of "minor" laws in New York recently. Have you heard about the girls walking around naked! What's wrong with them? Where is their modesty? And how can anyone feel safe with all the direct threats and violence aimed at police? I don't blame them for keeping their distance from some major crime areas. Not to mention the terrorist threats and protected undocumented immigrants - I'm more concerned about the ones who commit crimes and get away with it. It's as if no one needs to be held responsible for their actions anymore!

Remember when they used to blame bad behavior on rock n roll? Then they blamed video games. Now it's the internet. But the real blame is acceptance. We all need to be stricter parents and more responsible members of society. More respect gets lost with every new generation...

All we can do is keep trying. It's a tough battle with temptations around every corner and at the touch of the screen. I just hope and pray I've done enough to help my kids be a positive influence and productive citizens.

And I can't leave on a sour note, so here are some positive ways to help open kids' eyes to the world around them:
Volunteer at homeless shelters
Do a community buildup project
Do a fundraiser for a cause, but see the cause
Visit a hospital
Do chores for elderly or shut-ins
Visit a nursing home

If you have any suggestions for helping boost a brighter tomorrow - do share!

Thanks for letting me rant, Julie.
I had an awesome time hanging out with Jules at the Imaginarium Creative Writing convention a couple weeks ago. We had a pleasant surprise meeting Jay Noel, too! Julie's so down to earth and funny.I'm glad I know her in person!

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn't frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who's looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more, distinct new characters. Come along for the ride.

Available Now!

Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble ~~ Kindle

Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

tara tyler talks and tweets and facebooks

And don't forget the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mayhem In The Air & Tara Tyler's Simulation

I'm super excited and proud to have a story included in the upcoming anthology from Untethered Realms, Mayhem In The Air. The anthology won't be out until Halloween but I couldn't wait to share about it even though the release is still a little ways off.

Here is the blurb as well as loglines for each story.

Mayhem book blurb:

From Amazon bestselling and popular science fiction and fantasy authors comes Mayhem in the Air, a supernatural anthology of ten thrilling tales. Meet hot robots, hungry winds and the goddess of chaos. Explore alien planets, purgatorial realms, and a shocking place where people bury the living with their dead. Mayhem in the Air is the second, long-awaited story collection from the dynamic and inventive Untethered Realms group.

Loglines:

"A Strange Penitence" by Catherine Stine - A young artist pays a supernatural price when a drawing trip to North Carolina turns deadly.

"Mass Transit" by Graeme Ing - For Emily, mind over matter is not just a saying, but the gateway to her career among the largest starships built by man.

"A Tangled Weave" by River Fairchild - A TimePulse rips through the Great Tapestry of Life, leaving Earth’s history in a jumble, and Death and Chronos in a race to save the world yet again.

"Corrosive" by M. Pax - In a world ruined by pollutants, Bex sets off to establish a new homestead with her dreamy robotic man. Already farming her plot of land is another dreamy man with radical ideas, presenting new challenges as corrosive as the air.

"Saving Scrooge: A Short Story Prequel to the Saving Marley Series" by Gwen Gardner - Marley is sent from purgatory to save the soul of his old friend. Can he save his own in the bargain?

"The Silent Wind" by Christine Rains - A team of specialists must dispel a mysterious storm on an alien planet to prepare it for colonization. One by one the crew disappears until only a seasoned soldier remains. How can he battle a hungry wind that makes no noise?

"Paper Lanterns" by Cherie Reich: In order to keep his promise to his daughter, Mayor Alfred Merry must betray the woman he loves.

"Chaos. Hope. Love." by Misha Gerrick - Although Eris is the goddess of chaos, her life has fallen into a nice and comfortable routine. Until someone from her past shows up in her bookstore.

"Cardinal Sin" by Julie Flanders: Beleaguered hospital workers bury the living with the dead in the midst of a tuberculosis epidemic and a seething spirit vows vengeance from the skies.

"The Ark" by Cathrina Constantine -Plagued with memory flashes of fiery explosions and running for her life, Fallon emerges from a drugged stupor to find herself in an airborne Ark, and the earth below is a drowning wasteland.

I didn't write a story for the first UR anthology, Twisted Earths, and regretted that from the day it was released, so I'm really glad I was able to come up with something for this collection. I'm so grateful to be part of this group of writers!

In other news, today is the release day for Tara Tyler's latest, Simulation. Yay, Tara! Read on for all the scoop!

After Pop Travel, Geri convinced Cooper to move back to Atlanta, but for familiar reasons, things didn't work out... In Simulation, Geri is fighting her way back to full-fledged, solo agent status, but first has to deal with one more annoying sidekick on an equally annoying case. Meanwhile, Cooper takes his mind off Geri leaving him by throwing himself into his work, investigating an illegal clone android simulation operation. Sparks fly when Cooper and Geri's cases lead them down the same path. Of course Hasan wants to help them with their cases, and connives a plan to get them back together in the niddle of all the chaos!

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more exciting new characters. Come along for the ride.

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn't frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who's looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

Available Now!

Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble
Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

tara tyler talks and tweets and facebooks

And don't forget the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Gray Lady Ghost & More Realms Faire Games

Source (forgottenoh.com)

After I wrote about the Confederate cemetery in Johnson's Island, Ohio back in August I discovered there is actually another haunted Civil War POW cemetery right here in my home state. Camp Chase is in Columbus, where I lived for several years. Although the cemetery is not far from where I lived for a while. I had no idea it existed.

Now that I know, I'd like to visit sometime as I love the legend associated with it. According to the legend, the cemetery is haunted by the Gray Lady Ghost, who was known in life as Louisiana Rainsburgh Briggs, which is easily one of the best names I've ever read in my life. Supposedly, Ms. Briggs was the fiancee, or some say wife, of Tennessee Private Benjamin Allen, whose grave is shown above. She made the trip to Ohio to visit him and, finding him dead, died herself soon after.

Dressed in a gray traveling suit and wearing a gray veil over her face, Louisiana has often been heard weeping at the site of Allen's grave. During a Civil War re-enactment event in 1988, many participants reported hearing the sound of a woman crying and tried to find the source of the cries, but no weeping lady was every found.

In addition, cemetery visitors have regularly reported seeing fresh flowers on Allen's grave, although no one has claimed responsibility for placing them there. According to speculation, Louisiana herself visits the cemetery at night to place the flowers at her loved one's grave.

More than 2,000 prisoners died of disease and starvation at Camp Chase, so it's not hard to imagine there are other spirits haunting the area today. I wonder if Louisiana Briggs has any companions who join her when she makes her late night visits to the graves of the long dead.

All of this has provided lots of inspiration for my WIP, which includes my own Confederate ghost and a Civil War POW camp. I'm thrilled to be able to state that I'm FINALLY getting lots of writing done and making significant progress, so after months of being a slug I am getting closer to the finish line now. Maybe I just needed a little ghostly inspiration.

As I mentioned last week, I'm going to be spotlighting games from the upcoming Realms Faire periodically from now through November when the Faire will be held. First up is Beware the Vortex, hosted by River Fairchild. Here is the scoop:

Beware the Vortex

Evil is afoot. Chronos has accidentally created a vortex while cleaning his hourglass, plunging a few unfortunate souls into Lucien’s Bar, gateway to the Underworld. Now they are trapped. Lucien wants to keep them but will give each hapless victim one chance to earn their freedom. His condition? Enter a contest of skills with an Immortal opponent of his/her choosing.

Do you think you can survive a swordfight with War? How about wend your way through a carnivorous garden to get to Gaia’s treehouse? Or weave a portion of the Great Tapestry of Life while avoiding Atropos’ giant pair of life-ending scissors? Perhaps you’re brave enough to challenge Death to a peanut-eating contest? Or whip up a batch of punch with Jezebel, the Master Poisoner? Do you have what it takes to win your way out of Lucien’s grasp?

Your mission: on the day you appear in the contest you will post on your own blog, or gather together your Facebook and/or Twitter friends and provide a link to this blog, pleading (begging works too) with your loyal supporters to come to your aid at http://riverfairchild.blogspot.com/ , and cheer you on to victory. Their comments will decide your fate. I will provide you with a few magic words to bolster the power of your minions. Plead well, for you will need their strength to endure. Others might seek to cast their votes with the Immortals.

Rewards? Yes! Besides winning your freedom (hopefully), each volunteer (that would be you) who is locked in the struggle will receive an Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. In addition, a few lucky commenters will be picked at random to receive a gift card at the end of the Faire. Four brave people have signed up so far. I need one more to fill the week.

Interested? Sign up at . http://mpaxauthor.com/realmsfaire/ or email me RiverFairchildAuthor@gmail.com

There are a number of blogs participating in the Realms Faire and many prizes to be had, including a Grand Prize at the end of the Faire. If you’d like to run a game yourself and/or contribute a prize (ebook, gift card, artwork, swag, anything you can come up with), go here to sign up. http://mpaxauthor.com/realmsfaire/ 

Another game I want to spotlight is Dueling Bards, hosted by Cassandra Webb. This game is a chance for your character to duel another writer's creation. The audience will decide who emerges triumphant in the contest. I know Cassandra still needs a few duelers, so if you want to see more about the game and sign up to participate visit her site for all the info here. 

IWSG Co-Hosting and The 2015 Realms Faire

Hello, all and Happy September!

The end of August has forced me to admit that the summer of 2015 was my summer of slugdom. I didn't accomplish any of my goals and even became a total blog slacker. Nothing for it but to move on and resolve to not be a slug for the rest of the year. I know I made the same resolution about the summer, but this time I'm sure things will work out better. Of course they will, right?

At least I won't be a slug today because I'm busy serving as one of Alex's co-hosts for this month's IWSG meeting. I'm excited to visit more blogs and possibly meet some new group members. My fellow co-hosts are Murees Dupe, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner. As always, if you'd like to join the group please visit here and add your name to the sign-up list!

Since I've got lots of people to visit I'm going to make this short and sweet, as I don't really have anything to post about for the group anyway beyond my ongoing sluggishness. And I can't chalk that up to insecurity, I think it's just plain laziness.

Alex and the rest of the IWSG team have a HUGE announcement to make today though so I'm going to keep quiet about that and just encourage everyone to visit the IWSG site. I know you won't want to miss the latest news!

I also want to share about the upcoming Realms Faire, which is hosted by M.Pax and is returning for another round in November. I am super excited because this year will be my first time hosting an event here on the blog.

My event is called "Who Roams Here?"and each day a famous ghost from movies or books is going to take over the blog. I'll share clues as to the identity of the ghostie throughout the day and whoever guesses the correct ghost first will win a daily prize. In addition, everyone who makes a guess will be entered into the grand prize drawing at the end of the week.

The Faire will be held from November 9th through the 13th and we will have tons of fun and prizes for everyone who wants to get involved. I am going to be sharing about all of the games and their hosts here on the blog as we move through September and October and get closer to the big event.

To read more about the Faire and to sign up to get involved, visit Mary's site here.

I know we are going to have fun in November!!

IWSG and the Confederate Ghosts of Johnson's Island

Happy August, all! The first Wednesday of the month means it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by the Ninja Captain himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Click here to see this month's co-hosts and the list of participants, and add your name to the list if you'd like to join us!

Earlier in the summer I said I was going to work on two manuscripts at once in the hopes of getting my butt in gear on the writing front. Sadly all I managed to do was stall and get nowhere on two manuscripts instead of one. With the summer winding down, I'm feeling irritated with myself that I have been so unproductive, and insecure that maybe I will just never get these manuscripts completed.

But then I remembered there are still five months left in the year so I have time to make sure 2015 isn't a total wash. I went back over both stories and I still love them and want to finish them, so I'm not throwing in the towel yet. I hope by next month's meeting I'll be able to share some progress.

In other news, a few weeks ago when I was on vacation I traveled around Lake Erie and had a great time visiting some of the towns and sites there. It's only a 4 hour drive from Cincinnati so it's kind of nuts I'd never done any exploring there, but better late than never. Anyway, I actually managed to get some inspiration for one of the stories that I've been stewing over while I was there.

I visited Johnson's Island, which was the home of a Union POW camp during the Civil War. The camp was made up of 13 barracks which sat right on the shores of Lake Erie. During the winter, the icy winds and snow coming off the lake made for miserable conditions for the prisoners, to put it mildly. Over the course of the war more than 11,000 Confederates were housed at the camp.

Today all that remains of the camp is a cemetery which holds 200 graves. There is also evidence to suggest that unmarked mass graves can be found around the island outside the gates of the cemetery. As you can guess, such a place is a fertile ground for stories of ghosts and hauntings.

Source

This statue of a Confederate stands at the entrance to the cemetery and looks out over the lake. There are numerous stories of him coming down and moving around the cemetery, or just changing positions on his base. In addition, several people have reported seeing soldiers moving through the trees or hearing their disembodied voices.

The most interesting story by far to me was about a group of Italian immigrants who were hired to work at the nearby limestone quarry some years after the war. The immigrants spoke no English, yet they were heard singing Dixie, the anthem of the Confederacy. According to legend, the Italian workers heard the ghosts of the dead singing the song of their homeland and picked it up for themselves.

I sincerely doubt that the Italians learned the words to Dixie from ghosts, but it's still a fun story. And as for my own story, it includes a Civil War prison camp in Chicago and a Confederate soldier who is imprisoned there. I wouldn't have thought of it before, but now I think I might just have my ghost sing a little Dixie. :D

Simulation Cover Reveal!

Hello, all! I'm still catching up with life after being on vacation, (I had a great time and came back feeling recharged and happy, yay!) so I'm turning the blog over to Tara Tyler today to showcase the stunning cover for her upcoming novel Simulation. Tara also has a great bit of writerly advice to share. But first I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared about my free books last week and over the weekend. I really appreciate the support! Thank you all so much. :)

And now on to the Simulation cover!


To go with the cover reveal, here's a bit of writerly advice from Tara Tyler...

I have a terrible memory that gets worse all the time (where's my phone??) So I use a spreadsheet for each book to help me remember names I've used, gadgets and symbols I create, how to spell things, etc. I also keep track of my chapters with my own titles when I have to check on something... How do you remember the details of your writing??

Now,
It's finally here!! I give you the taunting cover of SIMULATION!

SIMULATION by Tara Tyler
Release Date: September 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

To make matters more frustrating, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who is looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

Book One, POP TRAVEL

Re-released July 1, 2015

In 2080, Detective J.L. Cooper thought he could avoid pop, until he stumbles onto a video of a traveler who turns to dust. With help from the neurotic, genius “Creator” and a beautiful Southern charmer, Cooper has to expose the deadly glitch and shut it down or die trying. No problem.

Available now!

Amazon ~~~ B&N ~~~ Goodreads

Tara Tyler has a loud voice, loves to help others, and is ever forgetful. That's why she always writes things down, sings, and teaches. She has no idea how she became a writer, but as long as the characters and stories are flowing, she'll never stop! Tara is also the Lazy Housewife, one of the Really Real Housewives of America - a new blog dedicated to doling out tips and advice on how to economize time and money for a happier life.

Twitter ~~~ Facebook ~~~ Blog ~~~ RRH

Also by Tara Tyler, MG/YA Fantasy series, Beast World,

Book One: BROKEN BRANCH FALLS

Only a few days left for the POP TRAVEL giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get My Books for #FREE on Kindle!

Hi, all! I'm on vacation right now but my books are having a party to celebrate my publisher's anniversary. My titles as well as lots of other Ink Smith books are free on Kindle today through Monday, July 27th.

Click here to get to my books plus the other Ink Smith books that are free for the taking, or visit my Amazon page here for links to all of my titles.

Since Polar Night and Polar Day are both free I thought I'd make The Turnagain Arm, their prequel, free as well so people can read the whole series if interested. Click here to pick up The Turnagain Arm.

I'd love to get one or all of my books ranking on the free charts so if anyone is willing to help spread the word about the giveaway on Twitter I would so appreciate it! I am including some ready-to-go tweets below.

Love paranormal? Mysteries & thrillers? Horror? Get all of @JulesFlanders books #FREE on Kindle now through 7/27! http://tinyurl.com/pjc2dpy 

Take a trip back in time to 1880s #MarthasVineyard in The Ghosts of Aquinnah by @JulesFlanders #FREE 7/23 - 7/27 http://tinyurl.com/m6ef8nu 

Crime fiction with a paranormal twist - the Polar Night series by @JulesFlanders #FREE through 7/27 http://tinyurl.com/pjc2dpy #Alaska 

Thanks so much in advance. I hope everyone is having a great week and I will catch up with you all when I get back from vacation. :)