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Cover of "Blade of the Samurai" by Susan Spann shows a Japanese short sword on a wooden table with blue-and-white porcelain, a purple orchid, and writing tools. The subtitle reads "A Shinobi Mystery.

a review: Blade of the Samurai

Cover of Blade of the Samurai, by Susan Spann, a Shinobi Mystery

Last night I dreamt of Faery. Thanks to everyone who came to the virtual release party and/or acquired Fae!

In other news, I had the woot-factor of winning a copy ofย Blade of the Samurai by Susan Spann (released July 15, 2014), and I awardย it 4.5 stars!

One thing Susan Spann does well — and I can’t believe how fashionably correct this is going to sound, but it’s true — is to write marginalized characters who act powerfully. In Claws of the Cat it was a woman taking a man’s role in society; in Blade of the Samurai it’s a boy on the cusp of genpuku (ceremonial coming of age). Neither is an adult male in this hierarchal patriarchy, yet both are active and interesting characters. I’m taking notes.

Promotional graphic for Digital Book Day with a stack of books, a computer mouse, and text offering free ebooks from bestselling authors on July 14th at www.DigitalBookDay.com.

Today is Digital Book Day!

It’s here! It’s Digital Book Day! Go toย Digital Book Dayย to find lots of titles in lots of genres by lots of authors. All free, todayย only. My free title today isย Con Jobย (follow link to download),ย but there are all kinds of books available. But hurry, because the free downloads end… 

by Kristie Good of Crash Bang Labs

Achievement Unlocked: Art

I have a short list in Evernote titled “Unofficial Goals Indicating I Have Arrived :D”. There are only a few entries, formatted as a checklist, of cultural ripples I have observed around successful stories.

I keep the list a secret, because I don’t want to influence the process. I want to see the organic ripples — I want a reader to tweet my title on #FridayReads because she was enthusiastic about the book, not because a friend did it just to make me feel good. Only once an achievement has been unlockedย do I allow myself to share that it was ever a goal. (Yep, a #FridayReads appearance was one!)

And today I can check off another. Fan art.

Of Music and Scrooge McDuck

The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Collected...
The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Collected Edition cover. Art by Don Rosa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m listening to a comic book soundtrack, and I’m nowhere close to ashamed.

Tuomas Holopainen — you might know him as the founder of symphonic metal wizards Nightwish — has released an album “inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.” And it’s pretty darn good.

the West Baden angels, restored

The Angels of West Baden

Inside the atrium at the West Baden Springs Hotel.
Inside the atrium at the West Baden Springs Hotel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may not have heard of the West Baden hotel, which is a shame. It was built in the town of West Baden Springs, near the better-known today French Lick, and was a luxury hotel to offer the wealthy leisure and access to the natural phenomena of the area — mineral springs considered medicinal.

Today’s travelogue is a bit different, since while I’ve visited West Baden, this isn’t that trip. It’s just the necessary backdrop.

A young girl in a pink hoodie holds a frying pan up to a person dressed as a zombie, who is wearing a dark hoodie with face paint and fake blood. They are standing near playground equipment outdoors.

Zombies on the Playground

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I don’t do Wordless Wednesday much, but sometimes you’ve just got something to share.

Zombies on the Playground

My friend the talented Amanda Irwin of Elemental Photography wanted to recreate this fun image of children fighting off zombies on playground equipment. She issued an open call for predators and prey, and this happened.

Several old and worn doll heads and one eyeless doll torso are displayed on a wooden Pepsi crate outdoors, with green leaves in the background and part of a metal chair visible above.

Where Do Plot Ideas Come From?

There’s a joke among fiction writers about people who offer, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a book. You write it and then we’ll split the profits.”

There are a few problems with this, but one of the most obvious is that the idea is the easiest bit. It’s the writing that actually takes time. Ideas are everywhere.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a walk and look for plot ideas. How about last week’s Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio?