September 2009 Blog Posts (169)

True Confessions

I wrote earlier about early works and what we'd like to change. It's time to confess, and I'll start.

I began with plays, publishing four of them before I switched to novels. Looking back at them now, I see WAY too many words. I'd like to pretend that it was Shakespearean creation of mood, the verbiage weaving a spell for the audience, but in truth it was inexperience, and I'd love to get my hands on them and pare them down, especially the first one. I did learn over time, and they… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 16, 2009 at 10:30pm — 1 Comment

Radio Interview

I’m the guest on the American Heroes Radio program tomorrow. Starting at 8 pm Eastern I’ll spend an hour answering questions about my writing, book promotion and probably my military time. They also break up the show with interesting news and commentary. And not only can you listen in, you can call in and be part of the conversation. I’d love to hear from all of you Thursday night.

Added by Austin S. Camacho on September 16, 2009 at 9:37pm — No Comments

Flutes and Flambeauxs

Flutes and Flambeauxs

What is this strange land

Of flutes and flambeauxs

Dancing in the streets

To musak with strange beats?

It is the collage

Of cultures mixed

With French, Spanish, Creole

And international flare.

Have you seen the Indians

Of this partying town?

Yes, they call themselves Indians.

Dressed in flamboyant costumes

With beads and feathers

And painted… Continue

Added by Roger C. Bull on September 16, 2009 at 2:29pm — No Comments

New Novelette up at Aphelion "Hazardous Material"

Hey all...got a new novelette up (it's a bit horror/thriller/sci-fi)...hope you like

http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/serials/2009/09/HazardousMaterials.html

Added by Matthew Quinn Martin on September 16, 2009 at 5:53am — No Comments

Wonderful Review for 'Legacy of The Ripper'

Following their very positive review of A Study in Red, Sonar 4 Publications http://www.sonar4landingdock.com/book10.html have also carried out a review of 'Legacy of the Ripper'. This is what they had to say:

Legacy of the Ripper by Brian L. Porter starts with the story of Jack Reid the nephew of Robert Cavendish who upon Robert’s death has inherited the mysterious ‘Jack the Ripper’… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on September 16, 2009 at 3:58am — No Comments

Novel Ideas

Ideas for novels come from a variety of sources: overheard conversations, stories relayed by others, personal experience, locations and the news. On my blog I recently mentioned the Windsurfing Festival on Hayling Island as a potential idea for an Inspector Andy Horton Marine Mystery crime novel, well here's another idea that popped into my Google Reader - Murder on the Hayling Seaside Express. For the first time since 1963 a steam passenger train is to return to Hayling Island.

Then… Continue

Added by Pauline Rowson on September 16, 2009 at 12:16am — No Comments

Writing contest RAIN STORIES – win cash with your story

Summer is about to end? Autumn is knocking at the door? Take advantage of the unpleasant rainy weather and enter the latest BookRix Short Story Writing Contest for free: Tell your rain story and turn your wordsmith powers into positive cashflow and fame.

Key Facts:

- Write a story that has anything to do with rain, or Mr. Rain, or a dog named Rain, whatever.

- Authors can win up to $1000

- Readers have the chance to win a Amazon voucher

- No entry fee required –… Continue

Added by Nils on September 16, 2009 at 12:02am — No Comments

Who is This Man and Why is He Smiling?

Meet Dan Brown, whose new novel, THE LOST SYMBOL, drops today with a print run of five million copies. Wow. No surprise, of course, as his previous novel, THE DA VINCI CODE, is the bestselling hardcover adult novel of all time. 81 million copies in print.

THE LOST SYMBOL will once again feature protagonist Robert Langdon. Brown’s longtime editor, Jason Kaufman, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday said, "Nothing ever is as it… Continue

Added by Jack Getze on September 15, 2009 at 10:45pm — 1 Comment

About a Writer's Confidence (R)

Exposing one's writing to the world is more terrifying than all the chainsaw massacre movies put together. Emily Dickinson said it: "How can you print a piece of your soul?" And yet, there is a compulsion in those of us who write to share that writing with others. We are tentative at first, but we can't resist handing that "piece of soul" to another person, hoping that he or she will say, "This is good." Often we're even okay with "This isn't too bad."

My first time story: I shared… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 15, 2009 at 10:28pm — 2 Comments

Author Update

I signed books at the Borders Express in Fair Oaks Mall Saturday but it was a bit disappointing because their shipment of books didn’t arrive. We had only the few leftovers from my last signing. But at least one new friend stopped by to say hi (Hey, Laura!) so it wasn’t a total loss.

And then I found that someone had created a new web page for me on their web site! It’s on the American Heroes Press… Continue

Added by Austin S. Camacho on September 15, 2009 at 1:05pm — No Comments

A little shameless plugging

If anyone here is a member of Authonomy, the Harper-Collins writing site, then you can do me a solid. My novel JOE AVERAGE is currently up on the site, and so far the response has been really good. Actually the response has been great, but like Kanye West, I'm a…

Continue

Added by D.R. MacMaster on September 15, 2009 at 11:50am — No Comments

Backspace in Writer's Digest Magazine!

The writers organization I co-founded five years ago is one of four online writers' sites featured in the October Writer's Digest magazine with a full-page interview with me and my partner. Details on the Backspace blog. Exciting!

Added by Karen Dionne on September 15, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Writing and Parenting: An "excerpt from Trish"-- Part 1 of 3

As an author, wife, mother of 3 and office manager, I am often asked how I find time for my craft. On the surface, it seems to most people that being a parent takes a toll on one's ability to write, or at least on one's productivity. The following is Part 1 of a 3-part article that hopes to capture some of the essence of what it means to be a parent and a writer.

Trish was born in Ontario, and now… Continue

Added by Donna Carrick on September 15, 2009 at 9:47am — No Comments

Another Great, and unexpected review of 'A Study in Red'

I was delighted to be informed that Sonar4 Publications have reviewed A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper' and have placed the review on their site at http://www.sonar4landingdock.com/

Here's what they had to say:

By Brian L. Porter

Published by Double Dragon Publishing

ISBN: 978-1554045273

Review Posted: 9/12/2009

A Study in Red by Brian L. Porter and published By Double Dragon… Continue

Added by Brian L Porter on September 15, 2009 at 3:23am — No Comments

Death's Remains

Death's Remains 2000

Staring down at the remains

Mrs. Thomas' lifeless veins.

The blood not flowing

It's richness drained.

Blank eyes staring

At nothingness.

Makes one hold

Abated breath.

Pale the once proud cheeks

And dry the tongue of life.

Thoughts once flowing

Gone with her last breath.

Officials collecting evidence

Hold their thoughts

Of life's fragile balance,

Knowing that they, too,

Walk the… Continue

Added by Roger C. Bull on September 15, 2009 at 1:48am — No Comments

Buzzin'

Some books get all the publicity, marketing money—you know how this works. And I certainly have nothing against Dan Brown. The man worked hard to get where he is.

But to even out the odds a little, buy something else, M.J. Rose said in her cool blog. So for me #buy+brown: Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd.

Pass it on. Share a book you’re excited about.

Added by F.T. Bradley on September 15, 2009 at 1:29am — No Comments

Names Again

How do you choose names for your characters?

It often bothers me when two characters in a novel have names that are too similar, and I try not to do that in my own work. I also try to use interesting names, or at least names that interest me. I can't make myself do the name-symbolism thing, like "Brick" or "Steel" for the alpha male character. I suppose my choices are limited somewhat by my upbringing, which is among mostly white, mostly European descendants. Lots of German, Irish,… Continue

Added by Peg Herring on September 14, 2009 at 8:32pm — 9 Comments

Check Levinson's latest!

A good historical-fiction writer can transport the reader through a time machine back to the day. Believe me, it’s hard to do and I take great pains to succeed when I write a Lucien Caye or Jacques Dugas mystery and especially with the book I’m writing now (I’ve been living in 1814 for over a year). Robert S. Levinson makes it look easy in his latest, “Regarding Certain Occurrences In A Cottage At The Garden of Allah” (in the current issue of ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE – November… Continue

Added by O'Neil De Noux on September 14, 2009 at 11:53am — No Comments

Who Cries For The Slain Pro-Lifer?

by Earl Merkel

September 13, 2009, 2:40 pm

As a recovering journalist, I still find my decades-old j-school training occasionally reminding me how lazy --even cowardly-- I often feel these days. It nags particularly loudly when I catch myself personally avoiding that most rare of today's journalistic attributes: an impartial fairness in dealing with an uncomfortable story.

I try to ease that guilt by telling myself that I'm no longer subject to either unyielding… Continue

Added by Earl Merkel on September 14, 2009 at 9:42am — 6 Comments

YA Edgar Nominee: Torn to Pieces

I had originally put Torn to Pieces by Margot McDonnell aside, since I figured out the plot by page two. But the point of reading the YA Edgar nominees of this year was to get a full picture of what’s happening in YA mystery. So I felt I had to read this book, too.

And I’m glad I did. After a bit of a choppy start, I got absorbed by the story of 17 year-old Anne, whose mother goes missing. At first, Anne’s thinking it’s just another business trip (her mother is a ghostwriter… Continue

Added by F.T. Bradley on September 14, 2009 at 3:17am — No Comments