So ... how did the book signing go?

I survived! My first book signing event is under my belt, and I'm so proud. The event took place in the La Vergne Public Library in La Vergne, Tennessee, which is just outside of Nashville. A beautiful building with wonderfully friendly people.

At six o'clock I began my presentation, talking about how I got into writing fantasy, when that genre wasn't my first choice. When I first started writing, I intended to be a historical fiction author instead.

The presentation led into the reading. For two months I practiced and practiced reading my selection aloud, and I'm so glad I did. I rocked it.

After the reading we did a brief Q&A and was offered some wonderfully insightful questions -- which I could actually answer in an intelligible manner (mostly).

All the while, there was a cameraman from a local station filming me. But did that shake me? Pff, never.

I learned several things:

1. I can present myself with confidence and poise, even despite a "disaster" that shook me badly right before I had to begin. (my biggest worry was that I would crack and my brain would go blank at the worst possible moment, but that didn't happen. Not even close.)

2. Do not expect loads of people on a first signing. (I prepared myself for this anyway, having heard this many times before, and it's 100% true.) I read for 8 people and signed for 3.

3. Do not expect your venue to do enough (or appropriate) marketing on your behalf. (A writer-friend warned me about this, and I saw it in action. You must do marketing yourself, if possible. Take your own posters/billboards and have them set up at the venue in obvious places an hour or so before the event begins. Make sure the posters point visitors in the right direction, especially if the venue is large. One of my guests got lost looking for me and missed half the presentation.)

4. It's going to take a LOT of signing events, swallowing a LOT of pride, and exposing myself to potentially humiliating situations to push my books effectively. (But it's all for the art, right?)

Overall, the trip was wonderful. In addition to the new experience, I got to see a new city, just as Nashville was kicking off the CMT Awards, so visiting downtown on Tuesday morning was like going to a festival. Just too bad all those people were there for country singers to sign stuff instead of my books, right? LOL. If only I could have snuck a booth in there ... ah, well.

Twice Upon A Time Blog Tour: Interview with Elizabeth J Norton

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

When I was in first grade, I was asked for a classroom yearbook what I wanted to be when I grew up. I replied, "a writer." I think if it started anywhere, it was there.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

Hard question, but the first speculative fiction book I remember is The BFG by Roald Dahl, which my teacher read to our class in fourth grade.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

As a librarian, I would like to register that this question is not fair!! I adore the Saving Mars Series by Cidney Swanson for the absolutely glorious combination of flawless world-building and unforgettable characters. They're smart, fun, suspenseful—just all around fabulous.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

I began writing Swan Song after meeting author Joelle Charbonneau of the Testing Trilogy. At this signing, Joelle encouraged me to write 100 words a day for 100 days. I had to tweet her my word count every day, and if I missed a day, I would have to start over. And so it went. Every day I wrote, every day I tweeted. Every day she tweeted back. Joelle is an amazing cheerleader and a wonderful author. I couldn't have done this without her. And if you're a fan of dystopian fiction, the Testing Trilogy is top-notch.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Draft the whole story out before you edit. The little things that become important in the end will shock you.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

As stated above, drafting without editing is really difficult for me. I tend to be very critical of myself and want to pick things apart and over analyze them. During bad writing days, I sometimes wanted to scrap the whole thing. Sometimes I didn't know where the story was going. It was hard on my inner critic, but we got there in the end.

7. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

My main man, Luc, was easy to write but hard to have in my brain. He's already been through the mill by the time we meet him, and I could feel all his pain acutely. I had the most fun with Nik, though, because he surprised me all the time. He's much more complex than we get to see in this story and I would love to revisit him someday.

8. On what projects are you currently working?

I have ideas for both a prequel and a sequel for Swan Song, which are in early plotting stages.

Read Elizabeth's story, Swan Song, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

ELIZABETH J. NORTON has been the Teen Librarian the Commerce Township Community Library since 2007. An avid reader, writer, knitter, coffee addict, and the Assistant Editor (a.k.a. Head Minion) of The Bearded Scribe Press’ blog; she also reviews young adult and professional books for Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine. She lives in metro Detroit with her cat, Bianca, and too many books

..Connect with the Author..

Twice Upon A Time Blog Tour: Interview with Tracy Arthur Soldan

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

Forty-nine. I was on a long layover at Reagan National in August 2013 when an inspiration hit me. Writing wasn't on my radar at all until that moment, but it was so vivid I had to write it down immediately; it's still with me, and I'm still working on it. Prior to that, my only actual fiction writing was my involvement in an APA, or amateur press association, for about a year in the early 90s, primarily because a friend was also involved. Sinobrody 0.9.8 is my first published work.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

I have no idea. I discovered this wonderful edifice called a "library" about the time I was 6, and spent my summers there; I think I was the youngest person to ever request an interlibrary loan there. It was unusual for a small rural library in 1969 to have a section for speculative fiction, and I think I read just about everything that had a rocket ship or atom symbol on the spine. The first book I can clearly recall is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin; I was the first person to check it out when a copy arrived in the summer of 1970.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

The Left Hand of Darkness. Le Guin's narrative powers were at their peak, and the exploration of a truly gender-neutral society was heady stuff for a 7-year-old boy. But realizing the implications of Estraven entering kemmer with Genly, the only other person around, was my first "whoa moment" from reading SF.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

I can't say there is one for me. I sometimes joke about the Muses collectively deciding, "Him. That's the guy," and showing up uninvited to whisper, cajole, declaim, and dictate to me while raiding my stockpile of Cheetos.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

Write it down. Just do it. Digital docs, typewritten, handwritten notebooks, cuneiform tablets...if you don't discipline yourself to Just Write It, regardless of the format or whether you'd rather just vegetate on the couch, you'll never get to where writing is the seemingly-natural action so many writers exhibit. And that's when the magic *really* starts to happen. You want to get there, trust me, you do, so Just Write It.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Waiting for feedback. Urgh. A zillion what-ifs chasing each other—your hopes, your expectations, and your fears—around. Developing a small, reliable group of Beta readers is something every writer should do, they'll tell you what's not quite right before you share it with the world at large.

7. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

Sinobrody himself. Getting into his head to figure out *why* he was doing what he was doing was a remarkable experience. He has a history that is barely touched on in the story, but it informs everything about him.

8. On what projects are you currently working?

That inspiration at the airport has taken on a life of its own, becoming a series of seven novels and a growing number of shorter works, in an alternate history setting. There are stories to be told over a 10,000 year span, from the Neolithic to a few hundred years in the future. I hope to have the first novel, Niall's Vale, in publishable shape by the end of 2015. I also have something in mind for the second volume of Twice Upon A Time.

Read Tracy's story, Sinobrody 0.9.8, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

TRACY ARTHUR SOLDAN is a recent transplant from the Pacific Northwest to Roswell, GA. He works for a large multinational you’ve never heard of because its industry is neither sexy nor controversial. He discovered science fiction and fantasy almost as soon as he learned how to read. He was introduced to roleplaying games (RPGs) with Blue Book D&D, and has been active in Live-Action Roleplaying (LARPing) for nearly 20 years. He wonders why the Muses waited until he was 49 before deciding to start inflicting him with stories to write. He lives alone, with no pets. Not even a goldfish.

..Connect with the Author..

Twice Upon a Time Blog Tour: Interview with AJ Bauers

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

I didn't seriously start writing until after college. I had dabbled in some short stories and scripts before, but I never thought of it going anywhere. It wasn't until my husband encouraged me to write a story based on a dream I had that I even considered becoming an author. Now, I can't see how I ever dreamed of anything else.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

It was either one of the "classics made for children books" (like The Time Machine or Frankenstein) or something I stole from my dad's shelf (like Jurassic Park or Timeline). I grew up reading this stuff so it's hard to remember where it all started.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

Just one? Gosh. Probably Harry Potter. If I had to be extremely specific, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Harry Potter was the book series that let me escape. I had gotten mega-grounded when I was in seventh grade. For six months, the only thing I was allowed to do for fun was read. I finally decided to try Harry Potter once the movie came out. Previously, I had mocked the books as stupid (because I was weak-willed and followed the crowd blindly back then). I instantly became sucked into Rowling's amazing world. This book not only opened up my imagination, it allowed me to accept the things I liked whether or not the popular kids liked it as well.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

It's probably not too surprising that J.K. Rowling is my inspiration. Of course, back in seventh grade, I never dreamed that I would be able to write anything original, so I settled for fan-fiction. My stories had terrible description, cliched dialogue, and predictable plots, but wow did I have fun.

Now, fifteen years later, as I'm attempting to write my own stories, I still look to J.K. Rowling for inspiration. I want to make my worlds like hers—immersive with the ability to provide an escape to those who seek one. Do I think I'll ever be on her level? Please, I'm not that naive. But she is my standard for writing.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

When you get that first bad critique, don't hide from it. Embrace it. It's going to hurt like hell, especially if it's the first time you ever show your work to someone, but it's going to make you and your work stronger.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Waiting on the acceptance/rejection letter. It's like handing someone a sword—they're either going to knight you or stab you.

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

Honestly? I chose Jack and the Beanstalk and "rolled" for a genre from a list of 20 different types of speculative fiction. I got space opera and instantly thought, "This is perfect!" Since space operas emphasize on traveling, why not use the beanstalks as a way to travel through space? Hard brainstorming and daydreaming in the shower took care of the remaining story details.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

Jack, my titular character, was my favorite. As soon as I wrote him, I wanted to be friends with him. I loved him for his self-depreciating wit, fear, and accidental courage. He's a sharp contrast against the other main character Sasha, who's more serious and focused than Jack thinks any person has a right to be.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

Right now I'm working on a soft sci-fi adult novel through my MFA program at the University of Southern Maine. I'd rather not go into any specific details, but I will share the quote that inspired my story.

“According to Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.”-Plato’s The Symposium

Read AJ's story, The Screw-Up, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

AJBAUERS finally accomplished her secret dream of writing a novel one year ago. Since then, she has packed her bags and moved from North Dakota to Maine to enroll in the University of Southern Maine’s Masters program in Popular Fiction. The Screw-Up is AJ’s first publication on her path to becoming a full-time writer. Follow her blog, listed below, for short stories and more.

..Connect with the Author..

The TUAT Blog Tour Resumes! Interview with Bo Balder

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

As soon as I could—6 or 7?

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

John Christopher's Tripod series. I was stunned to realize people could think about exciting stuff like that. I wanted more...

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

The Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott. Not only does it depict a greatly realistic, detailed early Middle Ages, it has a kickass heroine, a wide scope, mythic creatures, love, wars, magic...
I can keep rereading it, it's too complex to keep in your head so there's never any boredom.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

Jack Vance. I just loved his ironic details and grotesque imagination. I wanted to be just like him...all my teenage work is one big Vance pastiche.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

You have to find a way to show yourself through your words.

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

The waiting. Months, sometimes even years, to get an answer from a publisher or a magazine.

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

The Yde Girl was an actual bog corpse found in my country.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

My protagonist, because she tries so hard to fit in and to be loyal, and she has to make a choice to leave her family.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

A near-future, optimistic sf novel/series of shorts. I took up the challenge to write utopian instead of dystopian for a change....

Read Bo's story, Bog Trade, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

..About the Author..

Bo is a freelance writer who lives and works in the ancient Dutch city of Utrecht, close to Amsterdam. When she isn't writing, you can find her madly designing knitwear, painting, or reading anything and everything from Kate Elliott to Iain M. Banks or Jared Diamond.
Her fiction has appeared in Penumbra, Electric Spec and quite a few anthologies. Her sf novel, The Wan, will be published in 2015 by Pink Narcissus Press.

..Connect with the Author..

Twice Upon a Time Blog Tour: Interview with Dale W. Glaser

CONTRARY to the title of this anthology, working with such a talented cast of writers is an opportunity that usually comes once in a lifetime. From best-selling to greenhorn, independent or traditionally-published, the authors in this anthology span all ranges in addition to spanning the globe—from England to Australia and all over the United States. I've had the privilege of getting to know each and every one of them, and they have become a part of my extended family. I've even caught a glimpse of a secret side of them that only another writer...editor...is privy to witness through their words.

Through this series of posts, I plan on introducing you to my new family through a mini-interview of each. You may not get a chance to see their secret side, but you'll get a sneak-peek into their minds, their passions and inspirations, and what made them the writers they are today.

..The Mini Interview..

1. At what age did you start writing?

I always answer this question with "seven," which is approximately right, and as close as I'm going to get since I don't remember specifically. Maybe as young as six, maybe not until I was eight, somewhere around there. I can remember sitting at the kitchen table, writing and illustrating stories about an anthropomorphic raccoon and squirrel who were detectives/crimefighters, but not exactly how old I was. I can also remember writing a text-only fantasy story about warriors slaying a monster, specifically using the phrase "blood and guts," which I was so proud of I asked my teacher if I could read it to the class. I'm reasonably sure that was third grade at the latest.

2. Which book introduced you to Speculative Fiction?

I feel like speculative fiction was always all around me. Star Wars came out before I turned three, I had a steady supply of superhero comic books as I was learning to read, and my favorite Saturday morning cartoons were things like Space Ghost and Thundarr the Barbarian. It's probably more apt to say that speculative fiction was my gateway to reading grown-up novels at a young age, to get my fix of alternate world-building, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was my entry point.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? What about it makes it your favorite?

It's a toss-up between The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. In both cases I love the overall sense of humor of the work. They're written by people who know and love spec-fic, and therefore recognize many of the things inherent to the genre which are fairly ridiculous. So they poke fun at the tropes, not mean-spiritedly, but while embracing them. It's a neat and highly entertaining trick.

4. Which author and/or book inspired you to start writing?

When I was very young I started writing down the stories in my head just because it felt like the thing to do, but when I was a teenager I became utterly addicted to Stephen King. I had been reading novels by various authors for years, and I thought of short stories as assignments for English class, but King's collections like Night Shift and Skeleton Crew made me realize that writers didn't have to spend years cranking out doorstop epics. That was the point at which I started getting serious about my own short fiction again.

5. What would you say is the most important lesson all writers should learn?

First drafts are supposed to be terrible, and no story can exist without running that gauntlet. I have heard other writers lament, and know I have felt the pains myself as well, how they start a story and can't bear to finish it because it isn't turning out as well as they'd hoped. An unfinished, abandoned story is such a shame. Better to plug away at the first draft and recognize it as one step in the process, finish it, take a breather, and come back to it. Alone or with help, a first draft can be reworked into a second, and ultimately into something worthwhile. It's not easy, but if it were easy, everyone would do it, right?

6. Of the entire publishing process, which would you say is the most difficult aspect to endure?

Waiting for feedback, or in some cases having to live without it. In my ideal world, every time I started to write a story it would be because of a pre-existing demand, and every progress update I gave would bring a rapturous response, and once I got the story done I would be spoiled for choice of people with whom I could discuss the results. Instead, a story is written mostly in isolation, submitted blindly, and often as not rejected without comment. If it's accepted, it still remains unseen for a long time during the production process, and then once it's unleashed upon the world, it's extremely unlikely to receive one percent of the attention that its creation took from me. Fortunately I tend to see having a story published at all as its own worthwhile reward, because if I waited for spontaneous praise I'd be in a near-constant state of disappointment.

7. From where did the inspiration for your submission arise?

To name-check the fairy tale that inspired my submission would give away one of the twists it's built around, so I will coyly avoid specifics here. I will say that the concept of the anthology, not only re-telling fairy tales but mashing them up with other genres, was an inspiration itself, as I decided to take things in a dark science-fiction direction in order to create a rational explanation for the fantastic elements of the original. The original fairy tale is an old favorite of mine, largely because it was never Disney-fied. (I think it was probably adapted by other animation studios, but I never sought those out.) Nothing against the Disney classics, but there's a lot of appeal in working with less well-covered source material.

8. If applicable, did you have a favorite character (to write) from your story? If so, what sets them apart from the others?

My story is largely a one-woman show, so obviously she's my favorite. I did enjoy writing Melise, given her unique position as essentially a blank slate, not being acted upon by other characters, only reacting to her environment and driven by her internal desire to figure herself out.

9. On what projects are you currently working?

I have a story in the editing process now for the upcoming Pro Se anthology PIRATES AND MONSTERS. I'm also working on the next adventure of Kellan Oakes, private investigator and son of a druid, a sequel to his holiday adventure from the PulpWork Christmas Special 2014, which should be part of the 2015 edition. Lots of other unofficial stuff in the hopper, too. These days I'm never not writing!

Read Dale's story, My Name is Melise, in your very own copy of Twice Upon A Time today!

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..About the Author..

DALE W. GLASER is a lifelong collector, re-teller and occasional inventor of fantasy tales. His short stories have previously been published in How the West Was Weird (Volumes II and III). He currently lives in Virginia with his wife and three children, none of whom have been definitively proven to be changelings (yet).

..Connect with the Author..