Pay It Forward Friday: Amos M. Carpenter

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Amos M. Carpenter and yes, this is his avatar. Amos is shy.

He says of himself:

“So. About me. (I refuse to write about myself in the third person.)

Private me

There’s not too much about the private me that I want to share (yet?), though you may get some idea about my personality from my posts. First and foremost, I’m a family person. I married my high-school sweetheart, and if anyone ever found out how insanely happy we are together, they’d probably find a way to make that illegal. (So… sshh!) We have three very bright kids, each of them awesome in different ways, two great dogs, one of them calm as a cucumber, the other one skittish and neurotic, and two tomcats.

I’m a perfectionist, a bit of a grammar Na… er, grammar nasty. I lament the fact that “the days of good English have went”, that too many people can’t spell “definitely”, can’t tell “their” from “there” or “they’re”, consider “whom” to be dead, keep using “there’s” with plural nouns, and that modern writers fear long sentences. The number of spelling/grammar mistakes I spot (I am biologically unable to read past them) in everyday life, from websites to TV to even books, is mind-boggling.

Public me

Publically, I’m a web developer with way too many interests. Work keeps me busier than I’d like, and my other interests mean I never have as much time as I’d like to devote to blogging and writing. For now, it has to be that way, though, because the fact that I work, and that I’m good at what I do, means I can afford (though barely) to provide my kids with a good education.

One of the primary interests I intend to write about is, well, writing. (Guess that makes this a meta-writing blog, in a sense.) I’ve always loved writing and being creative, but mostly it’s been software and websites rather than actual prose. Similar, in a way, but in late 2013 and early 2014, I’ve had a bit of time to really write… and fallen in love with it. One of the main reasons for starting this blog was to get a web presence for my “author persona” out there, to document my journey as I struggle with finishing my manuscript, then queries, submissions, and rejections, and to encourage myself to not lose sight of my goal of one day being able to share the story that’s been spooking around my head for so long with the world.”

Amos has been published. His story Big Bang was published in the anthology by Nicholas C. Rossis, The Power of Six.

 

(note: click on cover to buy)

Amos has his own very professional site: amosmcarpenter.com

With a very unique sense of humour, Amos is a bright young author full of talent who’s also a grammar guru. Why not check out his site?

Karma

Pay It Forward Friday:Part Time Monster

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Part Time Monster.

Part Time Monster is “Part Time Monster is a collaborative and personal blog focusing on books, girls, monsters, and sociocultural commentary.” However, the main ‘Monster’ is Diana Gordon. She’s the mom in the picture.

 

She says of herself: “I am the mother of a five year old son (the Little Jedi), partner of an independent filmmaker, and guardian of a rescue pup (Tank). I’m also a tremendous nerd trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life. I am a sufferer of panic disorder, a curator of the weird, a lover of the beautiful, and a pop culture aficionado. Writing here will thus feature an array of content; I am sometimes a monster.”

However, Part Time Monster also has contributors who need recognition. They are: “Brandie Ashe, Annie Bass, Jeremy DeFatta, Gene’O Gordon, Dawne Kennedy, Lyn Vicknair and Cat Whigham.” For more on them, go here.

This blog has several really amazing features that happen every week:

* Top Ten Tuesdays

* Wordless Wednesdays 

* Thursday Thirteen

* The Friday 56

* Weekend Coffee Share

As well, it also discusses Pop Culture topics with everything from books to gaming, has Series on LOTR and amazing photography and has been Featured on Freshly Pressed because of its incredible talent and content.

If that were all, this would be an amazing blog, but there’s actually more. Part Time Monster wants to encourage healthy interaction and acceptance. Check out their policy on comments:

“We rarely delete comments or flag people without explanation. But we do reserve the right. It’s about maintaining the safety and friendliness of the space.

We believe in freedom of expression, but in the event you trigger the More Robust Policy, don’t waste your time submitting a dozen messages and comments about your freedom of speech. If it happens, and you really want to work things out, it is best to disengage for awhile and come back later.

In short, we’re not the government, and our front page is not a public street corner. The Monster is a little more like a house party to which everyone on the Internet is invited. All are welcome, but no one is allowed to break furniture or demean other guests.

Comments deemed unproductive or inappropriate due to flaming, harassment, name-calling, trolling, or spam will not be published. Comments that add to the conversation in thoughtful and engaging ways are encouraged.”

It’s a blog that encourages self-acceptance and promotes equality. They have an incredible feature for women called Feminist Friday. It’s a very important topic and this blog treats it with both dignity and respect. I had an insight into what drives someone to choose this topic when I read this beautiful post by Diana. I can’t paste the entire thing in here but I want to give you a taste of the incredible posts from this blog.

“…At 31, my body is scarred. I’m heavier than I’ve been probably ever in my life. My ankles and knee swell after high-impact exercise, and though I’ve stopped smoking, I’m still out of shape enough to be breathless after exercising in small bouts.

But I’ve come to see the value in what my body has been able to do, and I can forgive it for its shortcomings.

I’m choosing not just body acceptance, but body compassion and body love.

For me, this means holding myself accountable for what I put into my body now but not punishing myself for my past. It means that when I make a mistake (or 5 days of mistakes, like when Mardi Gras happens and then my birthday happens), I don’t beat myself up over it.

I have to re-choose body compassion every day.

My instinct is to get discouraged when I don’t meet the goals I set for myself, especially as concerns diet and exercise. But body compassion sets me up to say “oh well” and move along after a screw up. In some ways that’s more difficult for me.

But I choose body compassion.

I choose it because I need to be compassionate with my body before I can truly love my body. I choose it because I have to remember the life that my body has been through before that I can get to the life I want.

I choose body compassion. I choose me.”

Isn’t it incredible? I was so moved by this post. And that’s just one example of many on this blog. Why not check it out?

Pay It Forward: Heather B. Costa

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Heather B. Costa.

I apologize for the tiny picture but Heather is a little shy. This is her avatar.

She says of herself:

“My name is Heather B. Costa and I am an aspiring writer who one day hopes to have her own book published. I only began writing seriously in 2012 and it has gone from being a hobby to a way of life.

I devote as much time as I can to learning my craft and developing my skills and I am now taking my first serious steps towards achieving my goals and becoming a published author in my own right.”

Heather is an aspiring author who’s working hard at her dream. She has an awesome blog that has several amazing features.

Check out her Writing Resources. She also does music and media film reviews here.

Heather is even open to reviewing other books, indie or traditionally published.

Heather has a fantastic sense of humour. Check out the section in her blog dedicated to silly, fun stuff.

Most importantly, Heather is incredibly talented. Check out one of the fantastic pieces of fiction she published in her blog. Here was her prompt: “I’m telling you this story because you are the only person I can trust not to judge me . . .”

“I’m telling you this story because you are the only people I can trust not to judge me. Ever since we first met, when your eyes met my own, I knew we had a connection. You looked at me with such trust that I felt some of the walls I’d built around my heart crumbling and falling away.

We’ve known each other for long enough for me to tell you the truth. This may be hard to hear, but knowing this will save you a great deal of heartache in the future.

There are bad people out there, some closer than you think. Even people who were meant to love and protect you will be the ones who’ll hurt you the most. Who knows what drives the darkness in their hearts, but know now that your trust and respect should be earned by those around you. Make sure that, whoever you open your heart to, you choose wisely, for once a heart has been broken it can never be truly mended. Those scars will stay with you for the rest of your life, fading with time, but a painful reminder of past hurts.

For some, you will never be good enough, no matter what you do. There are people in this life who want to hurt you for no good reason. Don’t give them the time of day and NEVER let them know that their cruel words have left their mark. Look those people in the eye and know that you are better than they will ever be.

Life is full of mistakes, but learning from them is what counts. Trust me, I’ve made a few of my own. When something goes wrong, use the experience to do better in the future. Don’t blame yourself for mistakes made, for that is how we learn and grow as people. Have courage in your convictions and stand up for what you know is right. Your heart is pure and untainted – keep it that way.

Time is precious so spend it with the ones you love and don’t be afraid to tell them how much they mean to you. Live and love with all of your heart; you can be anything you want to be.

You’ll grow, get older and probably outgrow my company, but know this: I will be with you every step of the way, teaching you, guiding you, supporting you to be the best that you can possibly be. I’ll be there for every birthday, every Christmas and every life event in between.

I’ll be there to remind you of your aunt and how much she loved you, how delighted she would be in the progress that you’ve made and everything you’ll ever achieve. I can never replace her, but I can try to fill some of the void that her passing caused.

She’ll live on through us all – in our hearts, in our minds and in our memories.”

Wanna know more? Want to give her some support? You can follow her on Twitter @HeatherBCosta or check out her blog Trials of a Wanna-Be-Published Writer.

Karma

Pay It Forward: Callum McLaughlin

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Callum McLaughlin.

He says of himself: “Born and raised in the Scottish countryside, Callum McLaughlin works as a freelance content writer and in November 2013, published his first book, The Vessel. His next release came in October 2014 with False Awakening.

Outside of fiction, he is a keen poet and released his first collection in 2015.

A lover of all things literature, music and nature, he takes his biggest inspiration from the world around us.”

His influences are: “Thomas Hardy, JK Rowling, Henry James.”

A very talented author, Callum has already published two books.

The Vessel is a suspense thriller and Callum’s first book. Here’s the blurb:

“The story follows nineteen year old Eva Cole as she struggles to expose the truth in a world equally as ravaged by famine and disease as it is ruled by corrupt government. With extreme measures being taken to try and save the dying population and innocent people becoming embroiled in secrets and lies, she could be the only chance the people have to obtain justice.”

It is available to buy now via Amazon UK, both as a paperback and a Kindle download here or in the same formats via Amazon USA here. You can also find it on Goodreads here.

False Awakening is a mystery thriller and Callum’s second book. Here’s the blurb.

“The story follows teenager Abi Watson, who wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of the incident that put her there. She must strive to uncover the truth from the depths of her own mind while dealing with the various complex relationships with the people around her.”

It is available to buy now via Amazon UK, both as a paperback and a Kindle download here or in the same formats via Amazon USA here. You can also find it on Goodreads here.

But that’s not all. Callum is also an amazing poet. His first poetry collection is available now. Check out the incredible cover.

You can click on it to find out more or head to Goodreads. It’s also available for purchase at Amazon.com or Amazon.uk.

You can also check out his site callummclaughlin.wordpress.com Callum is also incredibly supportive. Contact him at this link! He loves to hear from “readers and writers alike”. Why not check out this talented author?

Karma

 

Pay It Forward Friday: Wanted

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

So far, I’ve been picking people but it occurred to me that some might not appreciate it or the timing might not be what they want. Instead, I thought I’d ask.

Are you interested in getting a little attention? Is there a date that might suit you? My blog is humble but I promise to give it all my shouting power. You can contact me through the Contact tab and keep your comment private. Or you can suggest someone else who might be too shy to speak for themselves.

Or you might be sick of this feature, ask that I stop, in the name of all the gods above, and get a new idea. I’m good with that too.

Karma

Pay It Forward: That Montreal Girl

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on That Montreal Girl.

She says of herself: “Just a girl born in Quebec City and have been living in Montreal since I was a toddler.

I am a full time cube occupier by day, part-time blogger and amateur photographer by night.

I love to travel and explore new places.

I have a BA in Sociology which goes a long way in explaining my fascination with how people behave in society.

My interests are:

– photography
– food
– fashion
– make up
– travel”

That Montreal Girl has amazing photography. Check out some of it here and here.

She’s on Pinterest, on Twitter and on Instagram.

One of her top posts “What who you piss off on the bus” has a story accompanied by rather unusual photography. There is tons of examples of why she’s behind that camera on her blog.

Why not check it out? thatmontrealgirl.wordpress.com

Karma

Pay It Forward: Winter Bayne

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Winter Bayne.

Now usually, I have a picture for you, but Winter is…well she’s shy. So, instead I have this:

This lovely fellow is Kashmir, her cat, who’s standing in for Winter.

She says this of herself:

“I was a closet writer that shredded or burned her stories hours after finishing them, never allowing another set of eyes to chance a read. After spending a year in the hospital surviving NHL cancer, I met my Other Half, West. He replaced my lack of faith in myself with his own unrelenting encouragement. Now, we’re living our own happily ever after while adopting a little girl, Bella. I’ve set my compass towards my dreams and I’m going after them.

During the day I can be found with my Ragdoll cat in my lap and a book in my hands or spending time with my motley family. After the sun goes down and the stars come out, I release the characters in my imagination to cause chaos in fantasy worlds.

I’m somewhat of an antisocial hermit, but I can be coaxed from my writing nook with B horror movies, yarn, or Shiraz.

I’m living proof that it is indeed always the quiet ones that are the naughtiest.”

Winter is one of those people who’ll give you her last dollar but has trouble buying herself gifts. Want proof? I mentioned something about my book, she created a banner to celebrate and a header. Just like that.

She’s also an incredibly gifted writer. Check out the story of how she and West met. I couldn’t stop reading.

Winter Bayne’s work appears in two anthologies.

The first one, Secret Identities Anthology, has her story Heroes For Hire: Striker and is coming out in February 3 from Breathless Press.

 Blurb:

“Shade is an average woman until the government uses her as a human guinea pig, forever changing her life with new superhuman powers. Striker is an ex-military man who sees the benefit of genetically altered humans and turns his vision into a multi-million dollar security business, Heroes for Hire. On opposing sides of the legal use of the genetically altered, passions flare for Shade and Striker leaving one unanswered question – how good can sex get?

Rating: Two stubborn super heroes on opposing sides with light super power bondage.”

 

The other is The Knight Temptress Anthology from DKC Publishing and has Winter Bayne’s story Tiera. Tiera is none other than the paranormal/fantasy short story that won First Place at the 2014 Dragon Knight Chronicles Contest.

You can find Winter just about everywhere (especially in Nanowrimo) but also at her site Winter Bayne. Why not check out this highly talented author?

Karma

Pay It Forward Friday: Mishka Jenkins

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Mishka Jenkins.

She says of herself:

“Mishka Jenkins lives in the UK with her family and fluffy muse, a rough collie named Harliquin, who she couldn’t write without.

Mishka has a penchant for writing love stories in a variety of exciting genres, and plans to keep writing them for as long as she can type.”

When asked for advice to aspiring writers, she says: “Write. Ignore what anyone else says, what the ‘rules’ say you should do to be a proper writer, what is currently popular.

Write what you want, what makes you happy. That is what is most important and will keep you writing.”

I love that advice.

Mishka is a prolific writer. She’s the author of not one, not two but five awesome books!

Blurb:

“Successful businesswoman Alex is content with her life in London, and any ideas of romance have been left on the back burner. But when her fairy godmother, FG, waltzes into her office one morning announcing she has come to help Alex rekindle a passion for life and love, she is about to check herself into therapy!

The fairy godmother’s incessant wand-flicking soon lands them in the isolation of the Scottish highlands, where Alex’s next client, Mal Ross, not only stirs her professional interest but her romantic ones too.

Tasked with the enormous challenge of turning a historic castle into a flourishing hotel, the pair must work closely together whilst attempting to avoid the awkward situations the rom-com obsessed fairy godmother keeps forcing them into.

But the path of love is never smooth, no matter how much magic you throw at it.

‘The Magic Spark’ is a light, enjoyable read, full of fun and romance.”

Blurb:
“The bond of love can conquer all, but only if it is accepted. 

Prophecy states that three champions imbued with the best virtues of the mortal race: heart, strength and soul, will be the ones to save them all from an enemy which threatens to steal the life from their world and those who live upon it.

These three, along with their scribe, his bond mate, and an overly sarcastic oracle, must set off on a journey which will take them through forest, city, swamp and mountain. On this quest they activate the magical stones which charge the only weapon powerful enough to defeat Tildar and his cult of Dwell.

Yet the closer they draw to journey’s end, the more it seems that it is not the evil which will be their downfall, but the fear of a champion unwilling to accept the bond of their destiny.

Prophecy of Stones is a tale of adventure, love and magic.”

Blurb:
“Stolen away from her humdrum life, Imogen is thrown into a dark world where the creatures from tales are not only real, but rule the realm.

Vampires.

In this world of dark, moonlight is Imogen’s only source of safety, but the moon’s glow reveals a lot more than she ever realised. She soon learns her heritage and bloodline are what put her in danger, and the reason these vampires are keeping her hostage. But with a father who doesn’t even care enough to call, how was she supposed to know?

Held captive by the vampire leader, Bane, and his brother, Caden, Imogen must find a way to keep herself alive. Yet, the longer she remains, the more she wonders whether those she feared are the ones she should trust, as new truths continue to shine through.

When Bane shows Imogen that life in a world of dark can be more enlightening than her own sunlit realm, it seems that, though he may have stolen her from home, she risks him stealing her heart as well.”

Blurb:

“An exquisite wedding gift. A husband whom she loves. A Jester who she craves. A Kingdom in peril.

After receiving a beautiful emerald amulet at the celebrations of her wedding, new Queen Marie finds solace in the stunning, yet strange amulet. A warm comfort that fills the hole that her husband has left with his distance at her every affectionate touch.

That is until the new Jester arrives, his presence fuelling in Marie an instant burning need.

The more she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic man, the quicker she realises he is anything but the fool.

Marie must make a choice, one that could not only affect her marriage and her life…

But her entire Kingdom.”

Blurb:
“Ancient Rome is a dangerous place, in more ways than one.

Captured by slavers, distraught but determined Sabina is thrust into the world of gladiators. Disguised as a man, she struggles to remain undetected whilst navigating through her new life.

But love forces its way into her focus again and when a haunting figure from her past remerges, the couple’s fate is to be decided in the Heart of the Arena.”

Incredibly talented, Mishka has her own Newsletter and makes her own book covers!

I actually can’t remember how or when I first met Mishka but I’ll never forget how kind and genuinely supportive she is. An amazing author, you can find her at her site: A Writer’s Life For Me.

Pay It Forward Friday: Victoria Davenport

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Victoria Davenport.

She says this of herself: “Victoria is a 19-year-old student, artist, and writer. She has been telling stories since before she knew how to write, and can’t imagine life without it. She is a full-time college student majoring in psychology. A few months ago she decided to start seeking publication for the first time.

She lives with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and an immune deficiency that have significantly impacted her life, but she is determined not to let her health stop her.

While Victoria has written four complete manuscripts across different genres, her current manuscript is young adult fantasy, and she is currently seeking representation. As an artist, she has been recognized locally for several pieces, and has also been involved in musical theater, choir, and modeling. She drinks (at least) two cups of coffee a day and loves all things weird, nerdy, and creative. Preferably she would live in her hometown of Seattle, Washington, or as an elf on Middle Earth.”

She might be busy with college, but Victoria doesn’t let that stop her. Here are her writing projects:

*The first is a YA fantasy titled: Nightfire. It is 67,000 words long and it’s completed.

Here’s a little blurb:

“Sixteen year old Kera has been trained to survive, in a world where shadows kill as easily as bullets. With her mother and sister, she carves out an existence in the far north of the wilds. Humanity has locked itself away from the shape-shifting monsters called Shadows, but Kera has been taught to believe humans are even more dangerous than the monsters.

When a Shadow attack leaves Kera with fragmented visions, her mother half-dead, and her sister missing, she must turn to the enemy–humans–for help. The commander of their army takes her in, though she can’t understand a human that doesn’t want her dead. She must survive in the heart of a civilization in turmoil, ostracized and alone, and forbidden to leave. Her escape lies in becoming what she hates most–a soldier. But being a soldier isn’t enough. To get what she wants, she’ll have to join up with the commander of the army himself. They set out to find her sister and find the truth about the Shadows, but there is much more to the Shadows than humanity wants to believe.

With her visions and the world of Shadows haunting her every step, Kera must become the enemy and make allies out of foes in order to find her sister, and find home again.”

* The second is titled: Ember. It too is a YA fantasy. It’s 80, 400 words long and Victoria is currently querying it.

Here’s the blurb:

“Seventeen year old Falcon has spent her entire life running. Locked outside the glittering empire of Aurata, survival is a numbers game, measured in stitches to seal a wound or minutes to make a drug run that keeps her family fed. But the streets are not safe for a girl with magical Amaranthine blood when she’s worth more dead than alive.

Crow’s arms are etched with scars, and a hundred eyes haunt his dreams. As an assassin for his thirteen year old sister, the leader of the Dregs’ most violent gang, his mission is to purge the Dregs of men as vile as their father. But when Falcon becomes his latest target, his black and white world blurs to gray, and he must choose to kill this innocent Amaranthine girl, or leave everything he knows behind.

After her sister’s murder, Electra fills her role as empress but the real power lies with the corrupt Sovereign. She must cross the Barrier to join Falcon’s family in exile, in order to convince the young street rat girl to claim her birthright and forge her into the leader the empires need.

On the wrong side of the Barrier that locks the Dregs into exile, a fear of magic sparks violence and the Dregs becomes a trap. In the face of civil war and genocide, these three must find a way to survive and fight back as their world falls apart around them.”

* Her third is titled: Blaze and is a companion to Ember. It’s a 50 000 word YA fantasy and Victoria is currently working on it.

Here’s the blurb:

“After two years in the work camps, Falcon believes she has lost everything: her pack, her life, and her humanity. When she lashes out and kills her overseer, she is taken to be executed–but is brought instead to the palace of Aurata, where an old pack member awaits her. Falcon learns her ties to royalty, and the role she must play in the rebellion.

She is the Eve–the sacrifice destined to be harvested, in order to keep the Sovereign alive. She enters a deadly dance with the volatile Sovereign and the restless people, earning both sides’ love and trust without revealing her purpose, and trying to keep the empire from exploding into violence before the rebellion can carry out its plans.

On the other side of the world, her best friend and two other members of her pack have freed themselves from slavery and escaped to the empires across the ocean. Now, they must unite the four empires and rise up in another Great War, to free Aurata from the Sovereign, and bring peace to the empire forever.”

A very talented artist and author, Victoria is certainly going places. Check out her blog to find out more about this promising young author!

Pay It Forward Friday: Natacha Guyot

Pay It Forward Fridays came from this post by Emily Guido. The idea is to feature a blogger or author on Fridays and give them a little shoutout. Anyone goes as long as they’re interested.

I’ve received an incredible amount of support from bloggers, authors and people I’ve met on line who didn’t know me and were just very kind, supportive souls. And, when I read that post by Emily Guido, I thought: time to give back.

I loved this quote from Emily’s mother:

“I cast a couple of pieces of bread on the water and the waves bring me back a ham sandwich.”

Karma is a beautiful thing.

Today I’m focusing on Natacha Guyot.

She says this of herself: “I am currently self employed as an independent scholar in France, where I work on several research and writing projects, mostly nonfiction. I blog regularly and also am a feminist, a vidder, a geek, a fangirl, and bookworm.

I earned two Master’s in Media Studies and Digital Culture & Technology from Sorbonne Nouvelle University and King’s College London. I primarily work on Science Fiction, Transmedia, Gender Studies, Children Media and Fan Studies.

As of 2014, I have been published and was a guest speaker in several countries. I have a couple of books upcoming in 2015, Women in Science Fiction Television(Rowman & Littlefield, USA) and A Galaxy of Possibilities: Representation and Storytelling in Star Wars (Self Published).

Besides my nonfiction and academic projects, I am also working on a Fantasy short story series, Clairvoyance, whose first volumes I hope to see published mid to late 2015.

I am seeking to expand my career in the USA or in the UK, either in university teaching or in the media and creative industries.”

Natacha is a busy lady. Here are her publications, recent and upcoming.

Publications

• March 2014: Stories in Post-Human Cultures, co-edited with A. Brackin, Ph.D., Inter-Disciplinary Press (UK).
• January 2014: “Revisiting Indian Traditionalism in Shabd“, in Pennsylvania Literary Journal Volume V, Issue 3, Fall 2013, Anaphora Literary Press (USA).
• October 2013: Gender Dynamics in Star Wars: The Old Republic: A Focus on Female Characters, Thought Catalog (USA).
• September 2013: “Sam Worthington: Hybrid Faces”, in Navigating Cybercultures, edited by Nicholas van Orden,  Inter-Disciplinary Press (UK)
• July 2013: “Alternate Universe Fan Videos and the reinterpretation of the media source“, in The Phoenix Papers (USA).
• December 2012: Cultural Perspectives of Video Games: From Designer to Player, Co-edited with A. Brackin, Ph.D, Inter-Disciplinary Press (UK).
• December 2012: “Dragon Age: Offered and Created Womanhood“, in Cultural Perspectives of Video Games: From Designer to Player, Inter-Disciplinary Press (UK).
• June 2012: “Boomer: the Feminine and Cyborg Metamorphosis“, in From Cyborgs to Facebook: Technological Dreams and Feminist Critiques, Sophia (Bruxelles, Belgium).
• May 2012: “Vidding: Blending the Fannish and the Academic“, in the Litartco (Montreal, Canada).
• April 2012: Star Wars: de la multiculturalité au ‘culte’, Éditions Universitaires Européennes (Germany).

Upcoming Publications 

• 2015: A Galaxy of Possibilities: Representation and Storytelling in Star Wars, Self-Published.
• 2015: Women in Science Fiction Television, Rowman & Littlefield (USA).
• TBA: “John Winchester – the orchestrated fall from grace“, in an edited collection, Edwin Mellen Press (USA).
• TBA: “Sam Worthington: Negotiating Humanity“, in Visions of Humanity in Cyberculture 7 and 8 (hard copy volume), Inter-Disciplinary Press (UK)
• TBA: “Talyn, the heroic journey” in an edited collection on Farscape, Rowman & Littlefield (USA).

She’s also very busy online. Check out some of her best contributions:

Academia

• April 2014: Academia and Social Media: Defining Presence and Consistency
• April 2014: My Writing Process Blog Hop

Fandom

• June 2014: Discussing Fandom And Its Past And Future Impact
• May 2014: Why I Don’t See Emma And Regina As A Couple In Once Upon A Time (But Hope That Mulan And Aurora End Together)

Feminism

• June 2014: Feminist Friday: In Case People Still Wondered Why Feminism And #YesAllWomen Are Needed
• June 2014: Why #WeWantLeia Is Another Proof Of Why We Need #YesAllWomen and #YesAllGirls
• April 2014: Feminist Friday Discussion: Children and Youth Media

Internet

• May 2014: The Evil Genius Council: The Beauty (And Craziness) Of Friendship, Creativity And The Internet
• February 2014: Conversation about Life and the Evolving Internet: Musings of an (almost) Thirtysomething

Star Wars

• May 2014: Continuing the Discussion on Star Wars, Symbolism And Amputation
• January 2014: A Few Thoughts On The Star Wars Expanded Universe

Vidding

• August 2013: Eight Years Of Vidding

 

Recently, she’s had a very important addition to her life in the form of:

Kenzi and her are already best friends.

A big Star Wars fan, Natacha is one of those incredibly kind people I’ve had the great fortune of meeting online. Check out her blog and see what I mean!