FanExpo 2021! Cosplay, Books, and Fun!

So one of the things I’ve missed since the start of the Covid pandemic is Comic Cons. The year before Covid hit, 2019, my friend Sarah Mensinga and I did our first con—Fan Expo Dallas 2019. We got a table where we sold our books and Sarah sold prints, and it was a great time. I only had one book available at the time, Sapience, and while I didn’t sell a huge amount of books, I made enough to cover my half of the table, which was good. I also met tons of people and saw some amazing cosplay.

After that, I got to do one more small con (Arlingcon, at the Arlington library). Sarah and I rented a table for Fan Expo 2020. Which was supposed to happen in March of 2020. And then the whole country shut down.

It’s funny, because I remember hearing rumblings about Covid even back in December 2019. By February it seemed like things were getting worse, but then it felt like it sort of exploded. In the end, Fan Expo 2020 was cancelled, but we decided to keep our table for the next time the con came back. Which it did for the first time September 17-20, 2021. And once again, we were there with our books. This time, I had Saints and Curses as well as Sapience.

Me and Sarah at Fan Expo 2021!

It was very exciting to be back after all that time. I honestly had no idea what to expect. I halfway expected that no one would be there except for a couple of vendors. I was amazed to see the huge crowds of people arriving at the con (masks were required and I’m vaccinated, so I felt reasonably safe from Covid). And just like 2019, there were tons of brilliant cosplayers. Since there were so many, I decided to post some of pictures in galleries. Check them out! I love great cosplay—it looks so fun and brilliant.

BTW, Sarah and I are also going to another fair in December, the Grapevine Library Christmas Market. I’ll post more about it as we get closer, but it’s going to be December 4-5, 2021.

Day 2—Sarah and I spread out because the table next to us was unoccupied.

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Book Spotlight: The Storm of Storms; Juche III by Adria Carmichael

A highly addictive Young Adult Dystopian Survival Saga that will keep you glued to the pages.

Nari’s shocking revelation in the watermill changes everything in an instant, and Areum is once more faced with an impossible decision. Will she betray her sister in order to save her life, or support her and let her die? In the midst of this struggle, the storm of the century hits the camp, and life goes from hard to impossible overnight. Areum slowly comes to realize there is only one way to ensure their survival.

To escape!

But how can they escape from an escape-proof prison camp? And even if they would get past the ferocious dog patrols, the machine gun-equipped guard towers and the electrified barbed wire fence… will she be willing to condemn everyone they’re leaving behind to an inescapable end through torture and death?

The Demon of Yodok (Juche #1)

JUCHE [dʒuːtʃe]

Just when Areum, daughter of a privileged family in the totalitarian state of Choson, thought she was free from her personal prison, her world collapses around her as her family are taken away in the middle of the night to a hell-like camp in the mountains where people who have strayed from the righteous path are brutally re-educated through blood, sweat, tears and starvation.

There she has to fight for survival together with the family she hates and is forced to re-evaluate every aspect of her life until then – her deep resentment toward her twin sister; her view of her father in face of the mounting evidence he is a traitor with the blood of millions of fellow countrymen on his hands; and even her love and affection for the Great General – the eternal savior and protector of Choson, whom she had always considered her true father.

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The Weeping Masses (Juche #2)

Areum’s hopes to be set free from the brutal political prison camp holding them is crushed, and the heinous assault on her sister plunges her into a state of shock and horror… and puts her on a collision course with her family. All hope seems to be lost. Just when she is about to give up, however, a disturbing revelation is made… and as the evil of the camp is given a face, Areum finds a new purpose to keep fighting.

Revenge!

But first they need to survive, and with the constantly harshening conditions and her family being targeted from all directions, daily life in Yodok turns into a never-ceasing fight to evade imminent doom.

On top of everything, an impossible tragedy strikes Choson, and the unquestionable truth Areum has built her life around is challenged to its very core.

About the Author

Adria Carmichael is a writer of Young Adult Dystopian fiction with a twist. When she is not devouring dystopian and post-apocalyptic content in any format – books, movies, TV-series and PlayStation games – she is crafting the epic and highly-addictive Juche saga, her 2020 debut novel series that takes place in the brutal, totalitarian nation of Choson. When the limit of doom and gloom is reached, a 10K run on a sunny day or binging a silly sitcom on a rainy day is her go-to way to unwind.

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Book Spotlight: Samurai by Joanna White

Samurai (The Valiant Series #3) *Books can be read in any order

Publication Date: September 7th, 2021

Genre: Clean Fantasy/ Adventure

Okada Akari and Sakamoto Megumi just may be two women in over their head.
Okada Akari is a samurai, the daughter of the Chief Advisor to the Emperor of the Sakamoto clan. One day on a mission, she is captured by a mysterious warrior and taken to an enemy camp—an enemy filled with strange, foreign powers the likes of which her world has never seen. What’s worse, a foreign stranger is supplying her enemy with weapons her people cannot hope to fight against. Yet that is only the beginning of her journey, one filled with war and love, sacrifice, and darkness.

Sakamoto Megumi has wanted to be a samurai her entire life. However, as the daughter of the Emperor, training is impossible. When the Emperor is assassinated, she is thrust onto a throne she never wanted. As Empress, she must find a way to become a leader her people will look up to, instead of a weak woman unfit for the throne. Her generals are waiting for her to make a grave mistake. Falling in love with her high general might very well be the mistake they were waiting for.

Corruption has touched worlds before, but this time, it will take more than a few Chosen to stop it before it fills the hearts of everyone around them – even the hearts of their closest friends and allies.

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I glanced down at my hand as it rested in my lap. “Do you think I am ready?” My voice was barely above a whisper.

Somehow, he heard me. I glanced back at his reflection. He gently smiled, his eyes were steady and calm, and his voice was void of pity. “I believe you will lead your people wisely, like your father did before you. You have his wisdom and equality inside your heart, Princess Sakamoto.”

I blinked back tears that had begun to form and glanced back down at the one and only hand I had. The real meaning behind his words echoed inside my mind. You are able to lead your people whether you have two arms or one. My strengths outweighed my weakness.

When the young girl, Chiaki, finished combing through my hair, I told her that she could leave. Once the shoji slid shut behind her and I could no longer hear her footsteps, I turned around and met Ryosuke’s gaze. As I stood, I kept my eyes firmly locked on his. Though I could not embrace him, because at any moment anyone could interrupt us, his gaze on mine held more warmth than if I was actually in his arms.

“Your father and your mother both believed in you. I believe in you, Megumi. You are not alone on this path. Never forget that.”

Now Available on Amazon!

Other Books in the Valiant Series

About the Author

Joanna White is a Christian Author and fangirl. Hunter and Shifter are the first two books in her debut series, called the Valiant Series. In December 2019, one of her short stories was featured in Once Upon A Yuletide, a Christmas fairy tale anthology by Divination Publishing. Dark Magi, a prequel in the Republic Chronicles came out in November 2019. Glimpses of Time and Magic, a historical fantasy anthology, also featured one of her stories.

She graduated from Full Sail University with a BFA in Creative Writing for Entertainment. Ever since she was ten years old, she’s been writing stories and has a deep passion for writing and creating stories, worlds, characters, and plots that readers can immerse themselves in. In 2020, she reached her personal goal of writing a million words in a year. Most of all, Joanna loves God, her family, staying at home, and being a total nerd.

To stay updated and find out more about her novels, where her inspiration comes from, games, giveaways, and more, visit her website at: authorjoannawhite.com.

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Book Spotlight: She's the One Who Doesn't Say Much by S.R. Cronin

Happy publication day to S.R. Cronin! Check out the latest installment in The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters! Read on for details and a chance to win a $20 amazon gift card and an Amazon gift copy of the first book in the collection, "She's the One Who Thinks too Much"!

She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much (The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters)

Publication Date: August 13th, 2021 (Today)

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Do you know what your problem is?

Olivine knows hers. This quiet thirteen century artist has been hiding a secret as she travels to K’ba to meet her friends. Others assume she’s fallen in love with another artist, and it’s not a match Mother would consider suitable. But it’s much worse than that. For on the way to K’ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.

However, Bohdan recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he learns of Olivine’s unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and start practicing.

She does, though she’s more concerned with producing enough art to run away from home and live in K’ba, where she can paint all day and see Bohdan as often as she wants. If only her sister hadn’t learned of what she can do and decided Olivine and her fellow long-eyes hold one of the keys to defending the realm.

Then, as if life wasn’t complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They’re certain the only way to survive is to capitulate completely to the Mongol’s demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer welcome.

Where does her future lie? The supposed invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn’t have much time to decide.

The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived.

Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you read.

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Excerpt

We lay together afterwards, talking as people do. I shared my ideas of living on my own in K’ba and he shared what he’d worked on recently. I’d already seen a set of beautiful bowls he’d carved with the knife I’d bought him. Now, he turned to a bin near his mat and pulled out a handful of small shivs, sized to fit in a skirt pocket.

“Our leaders in Scrud worry about these Mongols, too,” he said. “They worry the army won’t bother to defend the likes of us. But I’ve been thinking about the women in Ilari. We’ve heard what happens to females in an invasion. The idea of … my mother, my aunts, my sisters. It just makes me sick.”

“Women face added risks,” I said. “When conquered, we endure things men generally don’t.”

“I know. I thought I could make these, and give them to women to carry. Here, hold this.” He put one of the shivs in my hand. “What do you think? Could you defend yourself if you had this?”

I held the tiny weapon tight. Perhaps I imagined it, but the wood felt poised to defend me if I needed it to.

“I could do some damage, if it was up close and personal, which I guess it would be. And a surprise. Then maybe once they discovered how dangerous Ilari women are, they’d think twice before assaulting us.”

He nodded. “That’s what I’d hope for. I’m going to start making as many of these as I can. Give one to every woman I meet.”

I looked around at his meager belongings. There were no comforts to speak of. None. “Bohdan, don’t you think you should sell them? At least for a little something?”

“How could I do that? Come on, Olivine. No woman should have to pay me to keep herself safe.”

Then he looked at me and his eyes softened. He reached out and took a piece of my long bronze hair between his fingers and looked into my eyes. He’d already told me how much he loved their intense green color. I expected him to compliment them again, but instead he said “I wish you were more of a fighter.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I rather thought you liked me the way I was.”

He looked down, embarrassed. “Oh, I do. I mean I wish you had more ways to look out for yourself. You’re just not that physical, and I think force is all these monsters will understand.”

“I have physical skills.”

“Yes, so you’ve demonstrated. I don’t mean those, you’re great in that area.”

“I don’t mean in that area. They made me learn stuff in school, told me I had to develop my body to be well rounded.”

Right away I regretted saying it. The Royals of each nichna prided themselves on sponsoring basic education for children, everywhere but Scrud. If Scrud even had Royals, which I wasn’t sure they did. I’d already learned Bohdan was embarrassed he’d never been to school, although an older sister had taught him to read and write some.

“So what did they make you learn?” he asked.

“How to shoot with a bow and arrow.”

“Seriously? Are you any good?”

“I used to be. Surprised everyone, most of all me.” I paused. I hesitated to talk too much about the many things I’d gotten to do over the years, because Bohdan had been offered so few opportunities.

“I do this thing, it’s hard to explain, but if I focus on something small that’s far away, like a flower or a bee or a leaf, it comes into clear focus while everything else goes blurry.”

“Sounds useful for an artist.”

“Oh, it is. I used to think everyone could do it. I mean, who talks about how their eyes work, right? But when I was in Pilk I found out it’s called being a long-eye and it’s uncommon. Some artists have it but most don’t. Anyway, it helped me with archery, too. I got a kick out of shooting arrows and being good at something like that.”

He’d gone back to worrying. “If I asked you to pick up a bow again and practice, would you? For me?”

“Of course, but why? You know I’m trying to make as much art as I can so I can move to K’ba. There are only so many hours of light in a day.”

“True. But it could be a way to defend your home. I think Ilari will need all the fighters it can get, and all the kinds of fighters it can get.”

He just wasn’t going to stop fretting about the Mongols. I rolled my eyes.

“Okay. A little archery every day, I promise. The sunshine will do me good.”

Available on Amazon US & Amazon UK

She's the One Who Doesn’t Say Much will also be available on B&N, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords in late August.

About the Author

Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.

She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities, visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how eccentric she is.

All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.

SR Cronin | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Troublesome Sisters | BookBub | Amazon | Goodreads

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Review: Three of Neil Gaiman's Graphic Novels

I’ve been trying to take my children to the local library for books at least once a week this summer, and of course, I find tons of books there as well. However, I already have such a stack of books to read on my nightstand, that I decided on my last library visit to focus on checking out graphic novels, which are very quick to read, and often quite expensive to buy. Luckily, the local library has a nice collection of graphic novels.

The first to check my eye was Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples, which has a very beautiful, arresting cover. Once I’d picked it out, I decided I should go all in on reading Neil Gaiman graphic novels, so I picked out two more, A Study in Emerald and Violent Cases. I had read the short story versions of Snow, Glass, Apples and A Study in Emerald, but Violent Cases was completely new to me. All three books had very unique settings and very original art styles.

Cover of Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel, Snow, Glass, Apples, illustrated by Colleen Doran

Snow, Glass, Apples had to be my favorite, both as a story and because I loved Colleen Doran’s illustrations, which suited the creepy, unsettling nature of the story. Gaiman’s story is so strange and yet based on such a familiar story, but with so many horrifying twists. I have read what Gaiman himself wrote about this story—that he wrote it to prove to an audience that fairytales, even in this day and age, even though they’re so familiar (or perhaps because they’re so familiar) have great power. And this one certainly does.

The art style is (according to notes by Colleen Doran), inspired by Harry Clarke, and Irish illustrator and stained-glass artist famous for his illustrations of Hans Christian Anderson fairytales and Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories. What ever inspired them, the art is gorgeous, free-flowing and surreal, yet exquisite and detailed.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes fairytales or fantasy (though it is definitely not a children’s book, so parents should be careful), and who enjoys graphic novels.

Cover of Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald, illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque

A Study in Emerald is a Cthulhu mythos/Sherlock Holmes mash up (as you might guess from the title and cover). I enjoyed the story quite a bit, though I read it as a short story before I saw the graphic novel. I loved the world of this story—it would be a amazing to have a whole novel set in this kind of universe. Though, honestly, perhaps because my imagined imagery was different or more ominous, I felt the story lost a little something for me in the graphic novel format. Still, the illustrations are beautiful and disturbing.

I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in Sherlock Holmes or Cthulhu, or anyone who enjoys creepy, unsettling stories.

Violent Cases is the first collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, and one of the first published comics either man worked on. The story is very dreamlike, sometimes highly realistic, sometimes very surreal. I liked the idea of these ordinary people knowing mobsters like Al Capone, and seeing both the monstrous and the human side of such a larger than life man. Somehow, the personal details of the stories make Capone even more terrifying. I also liked the idea of a half-remembered but very disturbing childhood memory sort of haunting the protagonist.

Overall, I’d recommend Violent Cases to anyone who enjoys dreamlike graphic novels, especially ones with a little bit of noir.

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Book Review: Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia

When I first saw the cover of Julia Hengst’s Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia, I was definitely interested in reading it. It looked like a charming book, something that my daughter might have loved when she was slightly younger (or even now, to be honest). I’m glad to say that the book is filled with beautiful and charming illustrations, and that it describes a fascinating underwater world of mermaids, octopi, and other sea creatures.

The book is made up of short poems and whimsical stories about the mermaids, including how they are born and grow up, how coconut catfish and giant squids protest the mermaids, and how they celebrate different families. It’s actually quite long to read the whole book as a bedtime story, but that’s okay because the book has several sections and lots of short poems that would work very well as bedtime reading. I really liked all the little characters in the poems and stories, especially the giant squid and octomom. If anything, I wish that some of the characters had slightly longer stories, sort of like T.S. Eliot does in Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. However, it is interesting to have so many little characters as well. I loved the huge variety of mermaids and sea creatures in Hengst’s world, from cat-fish to manatee teachers.

If I had a criticism of the book, it’s that there’s some talk of things like chakras (called “sharkras” because mermaids live in the sea, which is admittedly cute), or auras, which I honestly feel are a little…new-agey. While I did like some of the positive messages in the book about unconditional love and celebrating who you are, I wish there was more whimsy and less hippy. Still, I overall think that the book does have a positive message, and my daughter did like it. I especially did enjoy the illustrations, which are very lovely.

Overall, I’d recommend this to moms with young kids who really like yoga, haha, or anyone who’s interested in positive parenting. Just please vaccinate your children! Unconditional love is amazing, but science is awesome too!

Cover of Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia by Julia Hengst and Esther Samuels-Davis

About the Book

The magic universe of mermaids, full of laughter, song and delight: help your child

discover self-confidence and find their inner flow by diving deep into the magical world of

Mermaidia. Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia introduces the underwater world of

Mermaidia. This humorous and whimsical collection of poems and songs reveals how baby

mermaids are made, what mermaid families are like, and how mermaids study magic at

School of the Fish to become Sea Witches (not Sand Witches). Created by family therapist

Julia Hengst the Venus and Her Fly Trip series helps nurture the whole child, promoting self-

esteem, confidence and social/emotional/mental health in a fun, playful way.

Picture of Julia Hengst, author of Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia

About the Author

Julia Hengst is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an avid surfer, traveler and word

nerd who resides in Maui. Passionate about psychology, spirituality and media literacy, she

holds an undergraduate degree in Media Studies from UC Berkeley, a Masters degree in

Counseling Psychology, and an imaginary degree from the University of

Puns. 

Website: https://venusandherflytrip.net/

Social Media: Facebook and Instagram

Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f274/

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Book Spotlight: The Wizards by Louis Corsair

Welcome to the tour for The Wizards by Louis Corsair! Read on for details and a chance to win a $50 Amazon e-Gift Card!!!

The Wizards

Publication Date: October 4th, 2020

Genre: Urban Fantasy

At the end of the original Absolution, the Executor went back in Time and altered Reality, setting in motion a plan that will destroy him, along with all of Creation. It is a titanic crime that does not go unnoticed. There are some who discovered the crime in the Past, and are trying to do something in the Present to prevent an unimaginable Future. And these men and women are, were, will be the Wizards.

The Wizards is more than just a collection of short stories. It is a multigenerational composite novel that delves into the lives of the Wendells, a patchwork family of orphans brought together by Wendell the Great. These too-human men and women struggle with mastering the Power as much as they do with one another and the landscape of Southern California. From the 1940s to the Present, The Wizards goes back and forth across Time to tell its story.

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Excerpt

In the Beginning

Let us imagine a period sometime in the Past. Yes. Many years in the Past, but not so many that I cannot remember it. And let us imagine men and women with... with… well, see, this is a point we could not agree on. The things my siblings and I could do, can still do, they could be called “talents,” like Mozart’s talent. Yet, that implies biology, which hardly influences the extent and potency of our abilities.

Our Father, a man I will later call Wendell, and Anita, who I came to love as a Mother, called it, “the Power.” I suppose now you are wondering why we can wield such might.

Indeed, for what purpose are humans born who can wield the Power? Ah, but that mystery is at the heart of our story. We never figured out why. And so, we are the burdened. Regardless of the why, let us consider the who.

Who are these men and women, you ask? Well, during my childhood in El Salvador, we called them los magos del oeste. Ah, but that is an inadequate title for my tale, for it was the silliness of childhood. Here in America, there are many names for these individuals, thanks to mythology and literature. Let us pick one.

How about wizard? I have always been fond of that title, though it belongs in the realm of fantasy and myth, now inherited by popular culture. The nomenclature is important to me because it was the name that Isis picked for our little gang. She called us the Wizards. Do not worry about Isis now; I will soon introduce her.

In the beginning--that glorious beginning!--there were three of these Wizards. The first was the man who rescued me from the conscript army in El Salvador. I knew him as Wendell, a name that served “both for Christian and surname,” as EB might have said. He was a statuesque African, for it was easy to tell when he spoke that he was from that continent.

Let us go now to a specific place in the beginning, to the first time I entered Anita’s home in Beverly Hills. Up until then, I had been constantly awake with worry as we traveled through different cities, always looking, looking. And finally worry became wonder as we entered this great metropolis. Drinking up the lights of Los Angeles in great gulps. Drowning in its people. Every sight mesmerized me.

“Now, Quique,” he said to me in broken Spanish when we reached Anita’s door. I had not yet mastered the English language. “I will speak with my colleagues about you. But I am confident we will find you a place.”

This was a sentiment that bothered me. I still had family in El Salvador, my mother and sister. At that juncture, I feared for their safety. The civil war was brutal, you see, and casualties were plenty. I let Wendell know this and he gave me that potent smile that could convince you to take his side.

“They are well.”

That was all he said regarding their fate, and I believed him at once. He was a man who used words to shape truth. It was a skill I often tried to emulate with poor results. Wendell’s words could take physical shape too when performing magic. The mechanism for this art he took with him, for it was missing from his many lessons.

Ah, Wendell! That cloud of mystery never left you while I was under your care.

With my heart easier knowing my family was well, I followed him into the house. And there I met his associates. One man. One woman.

The house belonged to the woman, who was White and Wendell’s senior by more than twenty years, or so I heard. But Wendell made up for that gap in height; she hardly reached his chest. This was Anita Sendler, a Jew who had survived the Holocaust. The experience served to strengthen her, though; she was hardly a victim. Anita noticed me first and like a hawk blocked our way in.

I am unsure of what passed between the two. My understanding of English prevented me from keeping up with their debate. What I was sure of, then and now, was that Anita was upset that Wendell had brought me, all willy nilly (as some might say).

My childish scorn for her amuses me now, as it did the other man in the room. He was a carbon copy of Wendell, for they were brothers. This was Gathii Ra, a title he had given himself.

Gathii Ra smiled when he saw my frown. He said something to the two and then went up to me. After messing up my hair, a behavior that became a habit with him, he stomped the floor with his heavy foot.

This created some effect I hardly understood, but could hear. Gathii Ra’s words had become soothing, pleading, asking all of us to use our better judgment.

“¡Mago! ¡Mago!” I cried. Quickly, I ran behind Wendell’s legs.

And while I hid, too scared to open my eyes, I saw… It was my first memory of the Stream. The glowing Anima of Gathii Ra ventured from his body and approached me. Scared out of my wits, I screamed and covered my face with my arms. But…that did something. I heard the adults gasp. Uncovering my face, I opened my eyes and saw that Gathii Ra and his Anima had been re-joined. I had banished it!

Anita’s hard face pruned and her lips formed a crooked smile, eyeing me differently. Gathii Ra laid a rough hand on Wendell’s shoulder, laughing all the while. It was enough to break the tension and give them a chance to speak.

And they did. For hours. At the end of that conversation, the three came together in a circle and shook hands. Something had been decided. Something important.

Anita offered me a simple meal of milk and some cake. The adults, all the while, drank wine and danced to some music, she taking turns with each of the brothers. After an hour of this, she caressed my cheek. And it was a happy time, one of my most cherished memories. The energy in that room, my friend, crackled.

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About the Author

Louis Corsair is an eight-year veteran of the United States Army. Currently living in Los Angeles, California, he spends his time reading books, going on walks, writing, and enjoying the occasional visit to the beach–while trying to earn an honest buck. As a Los Angeles writer, he feels the weight of famous Los Angeles novelists, like Raymond Chandler, John Fante, Nina Revoyr, among others.

In 2021, he hopes to finish the Elohim Trilogy and its connected novels, including The Wizards Collide, and Apotheosis: Book Three of the Elohim Trilogy.

Louis Corsair

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Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer D.H. Aire

My latest interview is with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author D.H. Aire!

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

D.H. Aire: I’ve loved science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid, watching Star Trek and Lost in Space – which apparently never go out of style. I started writing my own stories as a teenager and began submitting stories to science fiction and fantasy magazines in college, but didn’t get anything published. The rejection letters were painful, so I stopped submitting for years. But that didn’t stop me writing and more often than not rewriting my favorite stories. Ten years ago I decided to submitted the first book of my fantasy series, Highmage’s Plight, to a small press. I was sent a contract in response. Within a few years I joined SFWA (the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America), which was my lifelong dream. I’ve published twenty books to date. My most recent are Knight of the Broken Table, Lessers Not Losers, and a novella, Nowhere to Go But Mars. My forthcoming book is Bigfoot Is Not Your Friend, which is coming out in May.

Cover of For Whom the Bell Trolls by D.H. Aire

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

D.H. Aire: The books that have influenced me the most include: Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern Series, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover Series, and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. What the Pern and Darkover books have in common is blending what are normally magical elements, dragons on Pern, and psychic, quasi-magical abilities on Darkover, where crashed starship landed a human colony on a world they would never have chosen. The mix of fantasy and science fiction are something I love blending in many of my books.

Alexis Lantgen: I loved the Dragonriders of Pern series! Anne McCaffrey wrote some great books with such imaginative settings. I still love her depiction of dragons and fire-lizards.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

D.H. Aire: Among my other interests are family history research, which have helped me research aspects of my stories, none more so than my novella, Nowhere to Go But Mars. I used what I’ve learned about the immigrant experience at Ellis Island to reverse engineer that experience and write a steerage class immigration experience to Mars. I explore what it might be like for desperate, poor immigrants hoping for a better life on a harsh new world.

Cover of D.H. Aire’s Nowhere to Go But Mars

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?

D.H. Aire: I love the reimagined Lost in Space, Picard, The Expanse, the Mandalorian… and I’ve come to really like Star Trek Discovery, particularly the later seasons. I’ve watched The Stand, too, which felt a bit odd during a pandemic.

What’s your favorite animal?

D.H. Aire: My favorite animal used to be cats. I had one growing up, whose been the inspiration for a character or two—problem is that when I went away to college, I became allergic to cats. Now, my favorite animal, which I never expected, are dogs. I have to admit, my daughter has the cutest dog, who I like to go on walks with and who is far more affectionate than my cat ever was. Though, she’d jump into my lap and fall asleep as I read Lord of the Rings. I think reading bored her, but being a cat, she might have been reading along. You never know with cats.

Alexis Lantgen: It’s funny, because I do love cats, but we’re about to get a puppy, and I find myself super excited to have a dog. I haven’t had a dog since I was in high school, but I loved our golden retriever so much. She was an incredible dog. I will say the cats I have now are some of the sweetest, cuddliest, most adorable cats I’ve ever had. One is sleeping on my feet right now.

Cover of D.H. Aire’s Bigfoot Is Not Your Friend

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

D.H. Aire: There are three important things to know. One, don’t take rejections personally. Write and submit what you write. Starting with short stories will teach you the submission process. Read the submission guidelines, noting that if the editor doesn’t want anything submitted in Ariel or they cannot accept docx files, don’t send them stories in Ariel or saved as docx. Those really will be automatically rejected. Editors I’ve met have shared this happens a lot and they skip to the next submission. Also, if the guidelines say “we want short stories about rabbits crewing starships” and your story isn’t about rabbits crewing starships, send it elsewhere. (Or write one based on what they’re looking for, if you want to. I could be fun.) Oh, you don’t know where you can submit your story? Check out online Submission Grinder, where you can search for open calls for stories, or Ralan.com, which posts specifically for science fiction, fantasy, or horror opportunities.

Most importantly, writing is a business. Writers do not pay to get published. Money (royalties and payment, in general) flows to the author. Self-publishing means the author, in the publisher role, hires for specific services, but once the book is published, royalties flow to the author. Beware Vanity Presses, which promise to provide all the services you could ever want, but not only will they not keep their promises, you’ll have to pay and keep on paying. Learn how to recognize publishers that are not legitimate from those that are. Learn the business.

Great places to learn about this are science fiction and fantasy conventions, where there are sessions and workshops for those interested in getting published and becoming authors. There is also the Superstars Writing Seminar (Superstarswriting.com), which is offered annually. It was founded about ten years ago by bestselling authors Kevin J. Anderson, David Farland, Eric Flint, Rebecca Moesta, and Brandon Sanderson. A year after I attended, I got my first book contract, the terms of which I understood… Lastly, read your contract, even if it is just for a short story. You don’t want to sign your rights away and find you don’t own your characters after signing that contract. Yes, that can really happen, especially to people who don’t read the contract they’ve been sent. And, if you say, that’s what agents are for, that’s another reason to learn the business of writing, which you should not expect to make you rich. So, please don’t give up your day job. That day job will help make it possible for you to pay your bills and write—and medical benefits are real important, too.

Alexis Lantgen: Great advice! Writing is an art, but it’s a business too, and you’ll only get hurt if you don’t learn how that business works.

More About D.H. Aire

Books: High Mage’s Plight, Knight of the Broken Table, Lessers not Losers, and Bigfoot is Not Your Friend

Website: Dhaire.net

Social Media: Twitter

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Book Spotlight: She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S.R. Cronin

Check out this new book release, She’s the One Who Gets in Fights by S.R. Cronin! You can find a rafflecopter giveaway here!

About the Book

It’s the 1200’s, and the small realm of Ilari has had peace and prosperity for generations. That doesn’t mean every citizen is happy, however.
Sulphur, the third of seven sisters, is glad the older two have been slow to wed. It’s given her the freedom to train as a fighter, in hopes of fulfilling her lifelong dream of joining Ilari’s army. Then, within a matter of days, both sisters announce plans and now Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry.
Is it Sulphur’s good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending Mongol invasion? And the army is going door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision.
Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has.
Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic?
Everywhere she turns, someone is counting on her to fight for what’s right. But what is?

Cover of She’s the One Who Gets in Fights by S.R. Cronin

Excerpt:

In early spring, after the last of the snow melted and the mud dried, I told my parents I wished to visit friends I’d made while studying. Then I rode to Pilk to learn more about joining the Svadlu. I knew they had a booth at the largest market there, often staffed by Svadlu officers who’d answer questions. I had a lot of them.

They accepted women, but what were the standards? Were they the same as for the men? Being a Svadlu provided status and a fair amount of pay, so they never wanted for recruits. How many people who tried to join were accepted?

The next day I found the booth. Officers wore cloaks of saffron yellow, but this man boasted a scarlet cape covered in regalia, identifying him as a Mozdol. My nervousness surprised me as I approached him.

“Hello, lass,” he greeted me with warmth. “Let me guess. You’ve got a younger brother who wants to join us but he’s too nervous to come talk to me himself. Am I right?” He seemed pleased. With what? That he induced nervousness in potential recruits?

“Uh, no. Sir. I was hoping to get some information on me joining.”

“You?”

He looked at me more closely. Of course I wore a dress, not my fighting clothes, so I didn’t much look the part, but he squinted at me anyway.

“You’re tall. Well-muscled for a woman and you look to be in good shape. Have you ever held a sword?”

“I’ve been sparring since I was a child.”

That impressed him.

“And I’ll do whatever you need to me to. Answer questions about weapons, engage in fights, perform tests of strength, whatever you need.” I spoke too fast in my eagerness.

“Slow down,” he chuckled. “All that’s good, but actually, none of it matters compared to what I’m going to tell you next.”

He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure how to explain this vital fact to someone as ignorant as me.

“You’re a farmgirl, right?” He looked at my clothes again.

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, the Svadlu are more of a city operation. We do things differently than on the farm.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean being a member of the Svadlu is a pretty good deal. Lots of young people want in.”

“I know. That’s why I’ve worked so hard.”

“And that’s good, but most successful recruits get in because they have a sponsor. You know, someone already in the Svadlu who vouches for them. Um, especially if you’re, well, you know, a woman. Then it helps a great deal if one of us says you’re up to it.”

“But I can prove I’m up to it!”

“I suspect you can.” The look he gave me held respect, but he stayed firm. “A sponsor makes the difference. Why don’t you ask around? Surely your family knows someone who can help you.”

He looked up. Several people stood behind me now, all hoping to talk to him. “If you’ll excuse me …”

I rode back to Vinx dejected. I already knew my family had no contacts in the Svadlu and I had no idea of who I could turn to find some. Why did I have to know someone in order to get in? What stupid kind of way was that to run an army?

Cover of She’s the One Who Thinks Too Much by S.R. Cronin

About Author S.R. Cronin

Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.

She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels.  She’s lived in seven cities, visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how eccentric she is.

All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.

Author S.R. Cronin

S.R. Cronin’s Links!

Website: https://sherriecronin.xyz/

Books: She’s the One Who Thinks Too Much, She’s the One Who Cares Too Much, and She’s the One Who Fights Too Much

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads

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What have you been reading? My latest book reviews!

I’ve been reading a lot of books lately, so I thought I’d talk about some of them here!

The Power by Naomi Alderman

The Power is a very intense, exciting, and sometimes disturbing book by Naomi Alderman. The premise of the book is that women all over the world, in particular teenage girls, start developing the ability to shoot electricity through their hands. There’s huge variabilities in their abilities, but even a little of this power makes women able to overpower most men. Alderman’s book depicts the violent, chaotic, but perhaps just reckoning between men and women that occurs in the aftermath of this development, which upends the power balance between men and women. In the process, she hilariously satirizes the egocentric navel gazing of evolutionary psychology, anthropology, and many other fields that spend a shocking amount of time convincing themselves that women are naturally peaceful, gentle, and power-adverse.

This is one of the most startling and powerful books I’ve read recently. Alderman’s vision of a society where women rule is an unsentimental look at the corrupting effects of power and the devastating impacts of powerless on people worldwide. Fair warning: the scenes of violence in this book are not for the faint-hearted. The level of savagery and darkness that Alderman depicts feels like reading reports of human rights atrocities from third world countries. There’s a lot of visceral horror in this book, though unlike in most books, part of the horror is in recognizing the humanity of the victims of these abuses.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring gender roles, undermining hierarchies, and more speculative science fiction. Just be warned this is not a book for anyone easily triggered.

Cover of “The Power” by Naomi Alderman

The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle

I loved The Last Unicorn movie as a kid! It inspired in me a very intense love and devotion for unicorns (who I was absolutely convinced were real). What I didn’t realize until years later was that the movie was based on a book, one of the great fantasy classics by Peter Beagle. So of course, I had to buy the book.

It’s a very interesting and profound book in many ways. While the plot is very similar to the movie, the book does add depth to many of my favorite characters, including Schmendrick the Magician and the Unicorn herself. The Unicorn, who I loved in the movie, is still an amazing character. She often struggles to really understand mortals in the same way that they struggle to understand her, and yet her friendships with Molly and Schmendrick, and her later love for Lir, form the emotional core of the story.

I will say that I felt the book sort of loses its way once the unlikely trio arrive at King Haggard’s castle. Perhaps because Amalthea feels like such an uncertain character compared to the Unicorn, who feels completely herself. Still, I think the story has so many profound implications. If the Unicorn had never become Amalthea, she would have never learned to love Lir, and it was her love that gave her the strength to defeat the Red Bull.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and unicorns! I’d also recommend the movie, too, which I think really holds up. I watched it with my children and they were entranced.

Cover of Peter Beagle’s The Last Unicorn

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

I got this book in a local comics shop, and I was very curious. I’d known that George Takei had been imprisoned as a child during the Japanese internments, and I wanted to know more about his story. “They Called Us Enemy” is a profound book that looks at a very traumatic event in American History from the point of view of a child. As a parent, it’s both haunting and uplifting. The depictions of his mother holding his sick baby sister, packing a bag in the middle of the night and being forced to live in a horse stall, just broke my heart. The deep fear that you have for your children’s safety and their health under those horrible circumstances really spoke to me. Yet, George’s perspective (of a child on an adventure), gives the book so much uplift and even some comedy. As the mother of a young boy, I could one hundred percent believe that my son would be incredibly excited to ride a train or see the American West even under those circumstances.

Overall, this is an incredible real-life story that’s well written and beautifully illustrated. I’d recommend it to anyone, especially teachers. As a graphic novel that depicts a part of American History many students don’t know enough about, this could be a great book to have in History and English classes.

Cover of George Takai’s They Called Us Enemy

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