tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184494442024-03-14T06:28:15.007-04:00Fran Friel's Yada FeastFran Friel's World of Writing, Genre Industry News and Yada, Yada...Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-75022184738600913822021-07-23T12:38:00.000-04:002021-07-23T12:38:26.051-04:00REVIEW: J.S. Morin - EXTINCTION REVERSED (series)<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34830064-extinction-reversed" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Extinction Reversed (Robot Geneticists #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491765318l/34830064._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34830064-extinction-reversed">Extinction Reversed</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6923531.J_S_Morin">J.S. Morin</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4130890132">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
First time reading J.S. Morin. I completed this series and truly loved it!<br /><br />Extraordinary, thought-proving series. Marvelous cast of characters. Brilliant concept, well-wrought, sustained, and satisfyingly completed. It’s one of those series I’m sad to see end. Some of these characters will stay with me for a very long time. Thanks, J. S. Morin for an awesome ride!
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2244266-fran-friel">View all my reviews</a>
Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-57971925543523697332021-07-15T14:14:00.003-04:002021-07-15T14:15:24.127-04:00THE DINER METHOD - A Little WooWoo<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDIKWZEOrVsKqCkRJe7oThNfT_FbN6dSQZo4mLUplGenPs3Fc-CjJ9oPMMhYoWF-3Raao4WdCcKgiY_8xuAPZwPxYVm1bLHl-nqEFFEeCmyRo4BLG14Ff8lCQey5hzG1mWTY_Cw/s960/6E554D25-51A8-41AE-90EF-BE1106975063.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDIKWZEOrVsKqCkRJe7oThNfT_FbN6dSQZo4mLUplGenPs3Fc-CjJ9oPMMhYoWF-3Raao4WdCcKgiY_8xuAPZwPxYVm1bLHl-nqEFFEeCmyRo4BLG14Ff8lCQey5hzG1mWTY_Cw/w570-h466/6E554D25-51A8-41AE-90EF-BE1106975063.jpeg" width="570" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Besides being a writer, most of you know I’m a little woowoo around the edges. Well, maybe a lot woowoo through and through. So, I’m going to share a little of my woowoo with you-oo-oo. ❤</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The pandemic and the madness of so many people have made it hard for me to hold my balance and keep my heart open, so I’ve been working on that. I’ve been studying and taking some courses (MIndValley.com) that have really helped me to refocus. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the Masterclasses was on Forgiveness. Here’s a very brief process that I found powerful in shifting my thinking from annoyance or anger to understanding/empathy. I wrote it up in the program community, and I’ll share it here with you:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE DINER METHOD</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the wonderful Forgiveness process Vishen shared in his Masterclass on Forgiveness this evening, later in the zoom call he mentioned The Diner Method.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Story:</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">He told the story of going to dinner with a friend, and having a server who forgot his coffee for 20-minutes, then brought it to him cold. Then she forgot his guacamole. She was having a rough night.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">When he paid the bill he left a $20 tip. His friend was shocked at the generous tip. "Why did you leave such a tip for such poor service?"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Vishen replied that she had given him stellar service. She kept coming back, trying and trying again. What helped to switch his thinking was The Diner Method which he based on Neale Donald Walsch's course, "Awaken the Species" in MindValley.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Practice:</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The practice is to recognize and function from the fact that we are all connected - All ONE. So the practice is to say to yourself, for example, when the coffee was forgotten: "Oh, there I go again, forgetting the coffee." Or bringing it cold: "There I go again, bringing the cold coffee." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This method helps us to identify our self as other. It creates a deep empathy and understanding of the other. Neale says, "Oh, there I go being human again." This really works, but I LOVE Vishen's specific way of saying this. It makes it more personal and easy to empathize with our Oneness/Sameness.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Walk-in Healing:</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the other thing he mentioned from Neale was the practice of whenever we enter a room, enter with the intention of it being healing. For example, when we walk into a work, we walk in with the thought of bringing healing into the room. What a wonderful way to shift our thinking about work or any environment.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Your life is not about you, but about everyone whose life you touch and how you touch it." --Neale Donald Walsch</span></div></div><p><br /></p>Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-21329078032564137002021-07-09T15:27:00.004-04:002021-07-09T15:33:13.142-04:00Stunning Anime: “The Aquatope On White Sand<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN9BUvfSQIGaiBuFn6nBlaRZKyQqExG5AQ3M6M2qGr-X1DjQNrhjHxQgwY3yjDUtIw4JqCs5N9JRouScnOZEzfLPnsjKyGrdvutT4vhiLTXgJ8R7xzllluYqWNiQtY0PbkwXPzA/s536/F580D88A-0D3B-4613-9B76-3165369F9BB4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAN9BUvfSQIGaiBuFn6nBlaRZKyQqExG5AQ3M6M2qGr-X1DjQNrhjHxQgwY3yjDUtIw4JqCs5N9JRouScnOZEzfLPnsjKyGrdvutT4vhiLTXgJ8R7xzllluYqWNiQtY0PbkwXPzA/s320/F580D88A-0D3B-4613-9B76-3165369F9BB4.jpeg" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stunning New Anime: </b></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">“The Aquatope on White Sand” 💙💙💙</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Gibbli movie-quality animation. Gently paced, mystical undercurrent, with gorgeous renderings of the seaside on the island of Okinawa. All combined with lovely characters and gorgeous music, I won’t soon forget Episode 1. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On CrunchyRoll (watched w/ Japanese subtitles - SO much better!):</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.crunchyroll.com/the-aquatope-on-white-sand">https://www.crunchyroll.com/the-aquatope-on-white-sand</a> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxw_fHJ5omsJ8r9rG_qnly_nNcRwG2cvGtPSsA5OUxtcEKtkIRIdSEf4yTGKBi-4pygwuJYKuMs0n0qn-hJyuvhSgNRGQxM2LqNyZuHPrp3noIKcjzndSGDWOQIoQ3vMOoHw-2ZA/s1920/954DC88C-D7DF-4E7A-A54A-42BE8BDDE5F0.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxw_fHJ5omsJ8r9rG_qnly_nNcRwG2cvGtPSsA5OUxtcEKtkIRIdSEf4yTGKBi-4pygwuJYKuMs0n0qn-hJyuvhSgNRGQxM2LqNyZuHPrp3noIKcjzndSGDWOQIoQ3vMOoHw-2ZA/w367-h247/954DC88C-D7DF-4E7A-A54A-42BE8BDDE5F0.webp" width="367" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-16308386441188880992021-07-05T07:03:00.003-04:002021-07-05T07:12:35.071-04:00PROJECT HAIL MARY Review: Loved the Heck Out of This Book<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eYrjoWUZHCoPZP0PEVwj_4RaRocIkktaKO4gffEM_rFArvfPL904KhAjGy5mRlm_nezZccqSD6uVlumLjmk_w5kUZMTBHQ1w_Ssgirk_rpd7zFTQ-fAje6u4E_CvOea3cCj94A/s500/8C1ADCBB-0E71-4801-BD54-1F146BB4BE50.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eYrjoWUZHCoPZP0PEVwj_4RaRocIkktaKO4gffEM_rFArvfPL904KhAjGy5mRlm_nezZccqSD6uVlumLjmk_w5kUZMTBHQ1w_Ssgirk_rpd7zFTQ-fAje6u4E_CvOea3cCj94A/s320/8C1ADCBB-0E71-4801-BD54-1F146BB4BE50.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">AUDIBLE REVIEW - Andy Weir’s, PROJECT HAIL MARY</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Narrator, Ray Porter, truly makes this already marvelous book, Magnificent! Highly recommended, even if you’ve read the book.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2Ukd0X8" target="_blank">PROJECT HAIL MARY</a> was hugely engaging for this science nerd, but less sciencey types will love Weir’s compelling story and brilliant characters (the kind you miss when you finish reading). The story gets better and better with a flashback devise that smoothly clues us in on the reason for our hero’s disastrous dilemma. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">This is accessible SF, not Hard SF, but I think there’s</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"> enough science to please most serious SF readers, as well. I loved the heck out of this book.</span></p><p> </p>Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-35514157358480834862019-08-29T15:32:00.003-04:002019-08-29T23:11:03.157-04:00Author Interrogation with John Buja aka. J. Edwin Buja<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">It was a privilege to interrogate, er...interview the magnificent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.buja" target="_blank">John Buja</a>. I hope you enjoy our time together as much as I have.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Here's a little bio from <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/J.-Edwin-Buja/e/B07WSFN2VX" target="_blank">John's Amazon Page</a> to get you started: </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/J.-Edwin-Buja/e/B07WSFN2VX" style="font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">J Edwin Buja</a><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> has spent his life surrounded by books and has written everything from children's novels to software technical manuals. With an MA in History, he discovered early on that researching and writing hold the key to happiness. Who else would think scanning through years of microfilm to index an old newspaper would be a dream job?</span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17); color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZA3vQx" target="_blank">The King of the Wood</a> is his first novel in the genre of magical realism, but it will not be his last.</span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17); color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember" , "arial" , sans-serif;">For more than thirty years, he has been married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. He lives in a small village somewhere in Ontario.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Fran Friel:</b> Welcome, John! Thank you so much for joining me for a little chat. So, what are you working on at the moment? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>John Buja:</b> Lots of things. I have two books of a proposed six-book set that I need to revise to make them less Canadian. They’re time travel/history stories for Grades three to six. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The main reason I did them was to be able to do a lot of research. I love to research. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There are two ghost novels that need to be finished, a humorous novel about mud that is an allegory for WW1, a YA book that is the first of a trilogy. All need to be cleaned up for submission.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Wow, you have your hands full, John. So much good stuff on the deck getting ready for your hungry readers. And heck, leave the "Canadian" in there. We love Canadians!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Now, tell us something about yourself that few people know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I like to cook. I wish I could dance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Yumm! Next time I'm in the neighborhood I want to sample <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">that Buja Canadian cuisine...and do a little dance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Now, some geographic nosiness. Where are you from? And where are you living now? Where would you love to live?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">JB:</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> I was born in England and moved to Canada when I was eight. I now live in a small village in eastern Ontario where just about everyone but Dianne and I speak French but it works. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If I could live anywhere, it would be somewhere that doesn’t have snow and sub-zero temperatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> I hear you on the temperature thing, John. I finally found my way to California for that reason. I'm getting soft though. 50 degrees <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Fahrenheit is starting to feel cold, especially when it's windy. Now, that's a fine California Whine for you.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Most writers have their writing haunts, so where's your favorite place to write? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">At my desk in the basement. It’s in a cozy corner, surrounded by books, and no one can see me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Sounds dreamy with a little Hobbit vibe. Nice. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">How about your dream place to write? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In a room with a huge window overlooking a lake and a forest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Even better, John. I can feel the peace and quiet of it. Perfect!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So, in what genre do you write and what drew you to it? Also, do you have any non-fiction titles? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I try to write horror because I’ve been reading it since I was very young. Most of it ends up being funny. The children’s books are historical with the only fantasy element being the time travel. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I have written about fifty software manuals that are incredibly boring but are sprinkled with references to Deep Purple because I don’t take things seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> HA! Deep Purple in your software manuals? Brilliant. No doubt the best software manuals ever!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What other work have you done besides writing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Fourteen years as a bookstore manager. Four years as an instructor for adults changing careers who thought there was tons of money to be made in high tech.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF: </b>I get the image of you in the mystical stacks of a little English bookstore, John, happy as a peach surrounded by all those delicious words.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When did you start writing? Has it always been a passion for you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The first stories I wrote were with a friend in school. We were about seven. They were about bomber pilots in WW2 and war in general. I’ve wanted to be a serious (?) writer since I was in high school, but I am easily distracted from writing by such things as full-time jobs, life, and food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Yeah, that food and shelter thing can be a drag, but I'm so thrilled you're a "serious" writer now. We're all lucky you made it to the other side. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What are your long-term goals or dreams for your writing and for your life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Long-term I’d like to put out horror novels and short stories and perhaps make a little money on the side to supplement my meager pension. Money isn’t the driving force.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> I suspect that money will flow faster and harder than you expect, John. I've read your work!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Do you have a family? Are they supportive of your writing? Pets?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I’ve been married to Dianne for almost thirty-seven years. No pets (ick) or children (even ickier). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Dianne was a grade school teacher for thirty-four years. She now makes amazing quilts and watercolor paintings. She acts as my publicist because I’m no good at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Shhh...I won't tell my pets about your "ick" comment. They were under the <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">illusion</span> that everyone loves them. But that Dianne--what a gem!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Besides writing, what do you do for fun?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I like TV shows (just about anything, especially if it has dancing) and schlocky movies. I just started building model kits after almost fifty years away from the hobby. And I collect all kinds of stuff – books, comics, records, cider and scotch bottles, Walking Dead action figures, toys, and other stuff I’ve forgotten about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Who would have thought--dancing and schlocky movies? Wonderful!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If we want to read your work, what would you recommend we start with? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB</b>: </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">My two children’s books are out of print. There is a novel out now,<a href="https://amzn.to/2ZA3vQx" target="_blank"> [The King of the Wood]</a>, that was supposed to be horror but turned out to be a sort of rural fantasy/magic realism thing. I have some short fiction that I’m willing to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> You and I do writing Sprints together each week at the <a href="https://wsw.mykajabi.com/join" target="_blank">Writer's Secret Weapon Accountability Club</a> (gah, that's a mouth full!). Why did you choose to <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">join</span> the WSWAC group? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I need someone to kick me in the ass and make me sit down and write. Also, this makes me feel like I’m part of a community. It’s good to be able to talk to other people about the craft.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Butt kicking and community is exactly why I started the WSWAC. I get to kick butts and and I have to show up and get MY writing done in order to do that. You all keep me accountable, as well. A butt-kicking win-win! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What has been your experience of sprinting in the WSWAC so far? Have you done sprinting before? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This is my first time sprinting. In the first session, I wrote over 5000 words. I like it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> No way! You beat my sprinting word count by a mile. Wow.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What is your biggest challenge as a writer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sitting down and doing it. I tend to want to get other things finished before I write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> What books for writers, tools, conventions, blogs or websites do you recommend for other writers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I’ve been going to Necon, <a href="http://campnecon.com/" target="_blank">[Northeastern Writers' Conference]</a> for over thirty years. My most important tools are a dictionary, a pencil and notepad, Word, and something to drink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF:</b> Necon is simply the best! Camp for Writers. And your <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">old school</span> writing approach is <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">beautiful, John. So many of us overcomplicate this thing to death. Yay, you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Describe your writing process for us. What’s a writing day look like for you?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2L7As2Z" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="960" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDfS0h5QpB58H30aprHsL4RBA2wVH50KQmVUz68r6XLvsrY1ifdYimN7jVbvZK01iJhjf-7E26P1MjnWForotr19WFjUOVeQybKRhjSOZ25fn-8l2cstvgFSnjn90xe1lm5LkIw/s320/58444910_696493474102083_233204646724763648_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When I’m on a roll, I start early in the morning then break for lunch. Sometimes I’ll do more writing in the afternoon and evening. I once did 20,000 words in a single day, but that’s rare. If I can do 2000 to 5000 a day, I consider it a good day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Before starting anything, I do an outline and character profiles. I’m a fanatic for timelines and correct geography. If a character goes west, it had better be the right direction based on other elements in the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>FF: </b>20,000 in a single day? Epic. I suspect you needed a nap after that one. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Have you had any game-changers as a writer? Something that changed your thinking or your process? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>JB:</b> The people at Necon make me feel legitimate as a writer. There are so many writers there that are willing to lend a hand and provide advice. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I attended three Borderlands Bootcamps in 2005, 2006, and 2017. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Mentors? Trish Cacek got me back into writing after a very long break. She’s determined and doesn’t take “I’m busy” for an answer. Craig Shaw Gardner has been incredibly supportive.<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>FF: </b>Well, I'm sure glad that Trish isn't taking No for an answer. We're all lucky that you're writing and sharing your storytelling gift with us, John. Thank so much for wordsmithing and for taking the time to have a chat with me. It's been a</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> privilege talking with you and getting to know more about you and your writing life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">_____________________________</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Be sure to visit John on his <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/J-Edwin-Buja/e/B07WSFN2VX" target="_blank">Amazon Page</a>, and stop by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.buja" target="_blank">Facebook </a>for a chat with the man himself. And be sure to have a listen to a Live interview with <a href="http://nickzaino.com/departmentoftangents/2019/08/01/dot-ep100-j-edwin-buja-on-his-debut-novel-king-of-the-wood-plus-new-music-from-tci-formerly-of-xtc/?fbclid=IwAR3zGeGSjD2i5LjKlAor_20GbOTMrC5oskNLIIf7sUgVUDKA5LPVvtxEyFo" target="_blank">John at The Department of Tangents, Ep100!</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Thanks for visiting the <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Yada Feast. See you again soon!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Wickedly Yours,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><a href="http://wyrdwoodproject.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></span></span></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-45479422782060384492019-04-29T13:05:00.000-04:002019-04-29T13:05:40.186-04:00Author Platform? Say What?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do You Need an Author Platform?</h2>
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<span data-offset-key="dj5e5-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Do you need an Author Platform? Yeppers!</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3uom5-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Let the remarkable </span><span blockkey="3uom5" class="_247o" contentstate="c { "entityMap": [object Object], "blockMap": OrderedMap { "dj5e5": c { "key": "dj5e5", "type": "unstyled", "text": "Do you need an Author Platform? 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❤️", "characterList": List [ b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": "8" }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": "8" }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": "8" }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": "8" }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null }, b { "style": OrderedSet {}, "entity": null } ], "depth": 0, "data": Map {} } }, "selectionBefore": b { "anchorKey": "4m86u", "anchorOffset": 11, "focusKey": "4m86u", "focusOffset": 15, "isBackward": false, "hasFocus": false }, "selectionAfter": b { "anchorKey": "4m86u", "anchorOffset": 11, "focusKey": "4m86u", "focusOffset": 15, "isBackward": false, "hasFocus": false } }" data-offset-key="3uom5-1-0" decoratedtext="David Gaughran" end="33" entitykey="7" offsetkey="3uom5-1-0" spellcheck="false" start="19" style="background-color: #dce6f8; font-family: inherit;"><span data-offset-key="3uom5-1-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2GdnWMS" target="_blank">David Gaughran</a></span></span></span><span data-offset-key="3uom5-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> tell you all about it! He'll convince you far better than I can. </span></div>
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<a href="https://davidgaughran.com/2019/04/08/how-to-build-an-author-platform%EF%BB%BF-website-email-facebook" style="font-family: inherit;">https://davidgaughran.com/2019/04/08/how-to-build-an-author-platform-website-email-facebook</a></div>
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<a href="https://davidgaughran.com/2019/04/08/how-to-build-an-author-platform%EF%BB%BF-website-email-facebook" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBhjlvPeCS53KVexskJ8rauypHcIZqH4p6vUOg5Z7xKp-QIhI0uSeiTrC9DlH3CM-SsLlUGvtWkBUSl1xV4rjm777gAfIHdSpPi8FHKThmGEfY5cuOTQKGQTF-XhWV2zk7bsEig/s640/Author-Platform-FB-2-1.png" width="640" /></a><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B0798PH9QT" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="272bd164bf643b69aa3df7bb84841705" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="david gaughran" href="http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Superfans-Marketing-Journey-Publishing-ebook/dp/B0798PH9QT/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=inyaradis-20&linkId=272bd164bf643b69aa3df7bb84841705&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_2854140" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">david gaughran</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_2854140" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=inyaradis-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=272bd164bf643b69aa3df7bb84841705&_cb=1554831292850" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Essential</span></h3>
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Your author platform will take time and imagination, but it's essential to success for both Indie and Traditional Authors and Writers. Today it's not just enough to write a great book or two or twenty, you have to find and engage your audience to keep them happy and to keep those book sales flowing. </div>
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Get 'er done. </h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember Done is way better than perfect but NOT DONE! </span></div>
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Just get that platform in place. Once it's up and running, you can tweak it and add to it to your heart's content. But do it!</div>
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Just like publishing, you can polish a book until the cows come home, but no one will care until you actually publish. </div>
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People NEED to read what you're writing, so make darned sure they can find you!</div>
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Happy Writing!</div>
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See you next time...</div>
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Your Pal,</div>
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<a href="https://www.franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran</a></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-8816774220949471432019-04-06T13:32:00.000-04:002019-04-06T13:32:11.598-04:00SUPER SECRET PROJECT - CLUE #1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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WHO LOVES A SUPER-SECRET PROJECT? </h2>
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I DO! And if you do, too, you're going to love this one!</div>
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It's hard not to talk about the project yet, but suffice to say, I'm Super-Excited about it, and I can't wait to share it with you. </div>
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Because of its super-secret nature, I can only release little bits and pieces about it to you, but it will be worth it in the end. Some lucky person will win the Grand Prize for following the clues to the Center of the Labyrinth!</div>
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It's early days and I promise this will be a fun and fascinating journey for you (and for US!)!</div>
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<b>CLUE #1</b></div>
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And for more Clues (Free Stuff, Fun Stuff and Discounts!), <a href="https://www.franfriel.com/join" target="_blank">Join the Horde!</a></div>
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Thanks SO much for stopping by. See you next time!</div>
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From My Tiny Office of Paradise,</div>
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<a href="https://www.franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-55448505891547839942017-07-07T21:17:00.000-04:002019-04-06T13:00:29.068-04:00Fran Friel at Squarespace!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: red;">VISIT FRAN AT HER NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME!</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We've moved to <a href="https://www.franfriel.com/" target="_blank">SquareSpace</a> where we can spread our wings and stay close to home at the same time at franfriel.com:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThbzWOih1oRXAqveYpbhYVt6kgSEzFvoGRfW-cDpCEIhyphenhyphenJAaB6rX5ZLtKKl9oz1jA9NXVgQ2_hk2rsyqgk2LB7rIch9Tl2E_GC3mJEBiben58o-7IFOMbW1SrdIY_WpnhpxtNcg/s1600/Cover+Beach+of+Dreams+-+orig+lrg+red+ombre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel's Darker Side of Fiction: https://www.franfriel.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Come on by and join the VIP Horde for FREE STUFF and Discounts and Giveaways, Oh My!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.franfriel.com/join" target="_blank">Join the Horde Here: https://www.franfriel.com/join </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.franfriel.com/vip" target="_blank">Or for more info: https://www.franfriel.com/vip</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As always, thanks so much for stopping by!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wickedly Yours,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.franfriel.com/join" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></span></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-1216816921144216352016-11-24T00:36:00.002-05:002016-11-24T03:14:00.595-05:00Unseen Dangers [Tee-Hee]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BE PREPARED! </span></b></h2>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-17827975647208375042016-10-05T14:47:00.003-04:002016-11-24T03:08:28.633-05:00Pantsing and Beating? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Help for Pantsers!</h2>
Are you a frustrated "pantser" - writing by the seat of your pants and getting stuck, not finishing? Then, get your Beats on...</div>
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Click Here: <a href="http://thewritelife.com/how-to-write-a-novel-beat-writers-block/" id="id_d8a6_9aa6_6aa3_7b84">http://thewritelife.com/how-to-write-a-novel-beat-writers-block/</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2005198322"></span><span id="goog_2005198323"></span><img border="0" height="387" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRdh7qBPVdY/V_VKDrP1z-I/AAAAAAAADH8/jKD4kdU7iXMAEt7I2qRk-G3FNrkhLkmoQCPcB/s640/IMG_0913.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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#MonicaLeonelle #ProseOnFire #WriteBetterFaster</div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-10363638286326193132015-04-09T23:47:00.000-04:002016-11-24T03:10:59.140-05:00Vonnegut says...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b7ep3ayDa1s/VM5j6qCILBI/AAAAAAAACkA/QBBGCADtaA8/s288/iphone_photo.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="624" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b7ep3ayDa1s/VM5j6qCILBI/AAAAAAAACkA/QBBGCADtaA8/s640/iphone_photo.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="640" /></a></center>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Words to write by. Words to live by.</span></b></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-7972423532767915722015-04-09T23:46:00.003-04:002016-11-24T03:12:07.889-05:00Wise Twain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Wish you were here, Mister <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain" target="_blank">Clemens</a>!</span></b></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-21864698338597610332014-02-19T23:42:00.000-05:002014-02-20T00:15:09.759-05:00Writing Advice from "Franzen, King, Hosseini, and More"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/" target="_blank">How to Write: A Year in Advice from Franzen, King, Hosseini, and More</a></h1>
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<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/" target="_blank">Highlights from 12 months of interviews with writers about their craft and the authors they love</a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/" target="_blank">Photo from The Atlantic</a></td></tr>
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<b>WORTH SAVING</b><br />
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I've been saving the link to this article since December, because I wanted to be sure to share it with you (in case you missed it). I've been eager to get back to the blog, and what better way to do it than with a bang.<br />
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Joe Fassler of The Atlantic has provided a wonderful service to writers by gaining access to a magnificent gaggle of fine authors. Through his interviews with these generous folks, he collected their invaluable advice in the following article. Like I said, it's worth saving.<br />
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Of his collection of interviews, Joe Fassler says:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23.200000762939453px;">Taken together, these conversations were like attending an MFA program—I learned that much. Here are the best short pieces of writing advice I heard from writers in 2013, a whole year’s worth of wisdom."</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/">http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/how-to-write-a-year-in-advice-from-franzen-king-hosseini-and-more/282445/</a><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Wickedly Yours,<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a><br />
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-60034375322480399022013-07-27T00:45:00.001-04:002013-07-27T00:47:51.566-04:00The Haunted Mansion Project Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel and Fran Survive the Skeery<br />
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<b>WE SURVIVED</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Have a peek at my interview with the marvelous and talented, Loren Rhoads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We survived The Haunted Mansion Retreat together, along with a bunch of other intrepid writers and artists. Loren digs deep and makes me share the skeery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Visit Morbid Is As Morbid Does for the Interview:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://lorenrhoads.com/2013/07/25/the-haunted-mansion-interviews-fran-friel/">http://lorenrhoads.com/2013/07/25/the-haunted-mansion-interviews-fran-friel/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Wickedly Yours,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Fran Friel</span></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-48649246163425584412013-05-31T13:29:00.000-04:002013-05-31T13:35:35.264-04:00TREASURES To Come!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My dear friend (and brother from another mother), Bourn Archer, is doing something spectacular. He is creating TREASURES!<br />
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When the corporate world decided to eat up all the small businesses where his restaurant has been for over a decade, he decided it was an opportunity. Bourn took a sharp turn on the highway of life to follow his passion--Music!<br />
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Not only is he the lead singer for the great band, Locomotive Breath, he is opening a concert and rehearsal venue so he can be immersed in his passion while serving the incredible music and art community of Santa Cruz.<br />
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His new venue is called TREASURES!<br />
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This space is incredible! Bourn, Rhan Wilson, and Rick Zeek are hard at work renovating the space. The estimated unveiling of Treasures is sometime in August 2013.<br />
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0Santa Cruz, CA, USA36.9741171 -122.0307963000000236.8726396 -122.19215780000002 37.0755946 -121.86943480000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-50055284263164816432013-05-09T17:30:00.000-04:002013-05-09T17:30:22.430-04:00They're Baaaack...The Cyberman!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBC America - Neil Gaiman's Cyberman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>They're Back</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Squeee...!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://io9.com/how-neil-gaiman-did-away-with-the-clanky-clanky-steamp-496671542" target="_blank">From I09:</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">"This Saturday, renowned author Neil Gaiman returns to Doctor Who, with a brand new mission: make the Cyberman actually terrifying again. "</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">How Neil Gaiman did away with the "clanky clanky steampunk" Cybermen</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">This Saturday, renowned author "Neil Gaiman returns to Doctor Who, with a brand new mission: make the Cyberman actually terrifying again. We talked to Gaiman, along with some other reporters, and he explained how he became the new Cyber-controller.<br /><br />"Spoilers ahead --<a href="http://bit.ly/ZSdD5x" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/ZSdD5x</a>"</span></span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll be watching...and squeeee-ing the whole time!</span></span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Wicked Yours,</span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><a href="http://franfriel.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fran Friel</span></a></span></div>
Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-54341182447284025822013-04-05T02:21:00.001-04:002013-04-05T03:42:30.262-04:00ASM Blog Horde Interview with Daine Severson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Welcome to the Amazing Stories BLOG HORDE INTERVIEWS!</strong></div>
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The ASM Blog Horde is a diverse and wonderful species. I have the privilege of talking with all of them, and I get to share those chats with you. In this long-running series, you will have the opportunity to peek inside the minds of the ASM bloggers to to see just what makes them tick.</div>
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I hope you enjoy the series as much as I have enjoyed preparing it for you. Please feel free to ask questions, or just let the Horde know you've stopped by for a visit.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Bloggers live for comments, so keep 'em alive! </strong></div>
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<em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://franfriel.com" href="http://franfriel.com/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">--Fran Friel</a></em></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Tonight's Featured ASM Blogger:<a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2013/03/img_0372/" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2013/03/img_0372/" rel="attachment wp-att-12810" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="IMG_0372" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-12810" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0372-200x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0372-200x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: inherit; cursor: default; display: inline; float: right; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 1.625em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px;" width="200" /></a></strong></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.divadianes.blogspot.com" href="http://www.divadianes.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">DIANE SEVERSON</strong></a> is a professional singer and vocal teacher. She specializes in "Early Music," and freelances mostly in Medieval and Baroque music. She is also a wife and a mother, a podcaster, a narrator and blogger.</div>
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After finishing her Bachelors of Music Degree in Vocal Performance in Madison, Wisconsin, Diane moved to Germany where she lived for twenty years. She recently relocated to Paris with her family—an Italian husband, and their 3-year old linguist son.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Fran Friel for Amazing Stories: Welcome to the ASM Blog Horde Interview Series, Diane. I’m thrilled to be here with you. So, let's start with how you became interested in blogging for Amazing Stories Magazine.</strong></div>
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DS: I saw Steve Davidson’s post calling for bloggers for Amazing Stories over on the StarShipSofa Facebook Page. Since I’ve been Science Fiction poetry’s self-appointed spokesperson for a while now, I thought blogging for ASM would be a perfect opportunity to expand that to a wider audience.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">ASN: As you well know, Amazing Stories Magazine has quite a wide variety of blogging categories. In which categories will we find your blogs?</strong></div>
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DS: I blog about Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction poetry. My main focus will be to review SF poetry – chapbooks, collections, anthologies, online poetry zines and the like. I plan to throw in the odd interview with a prominent or favorite SF poet every once in a while.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">ASM: Diane, who are your favorite authors, and what keeps you coming back to their work? Any book recommendations for us?</strong></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2013/03/asm-blog-horde-interview-with-diane-severson/diane-severson-asm-interview-4/" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2013/03/asm-blog-horde-interview-with-diane-severson/diane-severson-asm-interview-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-12815" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Diane Severson ASM Interview 4" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-12815" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Diane-Severson-ASM-Interview-4-200x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Diane-Severson-ASM-Interview-4-200x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: inherit; cursor: default; display: inline; float: left; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-right: 1.625em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px;" width="200" /></a>DS: My favorite author within or outside of the genre is <a data-mce-href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/" href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Ursula K. LeGuin</a>. I haven’t read all of her work, not by a long stretch, but I’m trying to space it out, so I don’t run out of things to look forward to, if you know what I mean.</div>
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My favorite novels by UKL are <a data-mce-href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-LeftHandOfDarkness.html" href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-LeftHandOfDarkness.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">The Left Hand of Darkness</a> (SF), <a data-mce-href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-OtherWind.html" href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-OtherWind.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">The Other Wind</a> (part of the fantasy, <a data-mce-href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-Earthsea.html" href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-Earthsea.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Earthsea Cycle</a>) and <a data-mce-href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-LatheOfHeaven.html" href="http://www.ursulakleguin.com/Index-LatheOfHeaven.html" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">The Lathe of Heaven</a>. Her short stories are also incredibly powerful, but there are too many which have affected me to name here. Long before I discovered SF poetry, I fell in love with UKL’s style. It’s slow and melodic and beautiful, just like poetry. I think that might be just what turns some people off of her work.</div>
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There are a number of other authors that have inspired me to read book after book: <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FOctavia_E._Butler&ei=X4cwUdyaGsXPtQb-8oGACA&usg=AFQjCNFOhQnPDh0pVPpYtjbmm-TLWnkDMg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FOctavia_E._Butler&ei=X4cwUdyaGsXPtQb-8oGACA&usg=AFQjCNFOhQnPDh0pVPpYtjbmm-TLWnkDMg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Octavia Butler</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRay_Bradbury&ei=hYcwUdWTOMftsgasmoHQCQ&usg=AFQjCNFxK4PmnfhvQQm6m3bTzlpFEXyW0w&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRay_Bradbury&ei=hYcwUdWTOMftsgasmoHQCQ&usg=AFQjCNFxK4PmnfhvQQm6m3bTzlpFEXyW0w&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Ray Bradbury</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FJames_Tiptree%2C_Jr.&ei=s4cwUem4KITUsgbrrYCADg&usg=AFQjCNFo0VAn6z4r1Xr1UXeOPrPn-OW05Q&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FJames_Tiptree%2C_Jr.&ei=s4cwUem4KITUsgbrrYCADg&usg=AFQjCNFo0VAn6z4r1Xr1UXeOPrPn-OW05Q&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">James Tiptree, Jr.</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLois_McMaster_Bujold&ei=3IcwUc3IA8bntQaD7oDgAw&usg=AFQjCNGpF3Lmdte2YiDIvQ68fRiR-jZoXQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FLois_McMaster_Bujold&ei=3IcwUc3IA8bntQaD7oDgAw&usg=AFQjCNGpF3Lmdte2YiDIvQ68fRiR-jZoXQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Lois McMaster Bujold</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRobin_Hobb&ei=BogwUaCoPJDVsgaK9oHwBw&usg=AFQjCNHfNdfvb6hHPAodYgpasNBdq79L8A&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRobin_Hobb&ei=BogwUaCoPJDVsgaK9oHwBw&usg=AFQjCNHfNdfvb6hHPAodYgpasNBdq79L8A&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Robin Hobb</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCharles_de_Lint&ei=K4gwUeqrCsftsgasmoHQCQ&usg=AFQjCNFb8Wstm-Th-PEzoL1ElfIdLrYgwA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms&cad=rja" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCharles_de_Lint&ei=K4gwUeqrCsftsgasmoHQCQ&usg=AFQjCNFb8Wstm-Th-PEzoL1ElfIdLrYgwA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms&cad=rja" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Charles DeLint</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMarion_Zimmer_Bradley&ei=VYgwUeP6A8iOtQbptIDICg&usg=AFQjCNEEMlvDU0EtiytcN4Od_g42IPt7Rg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMarion_Zimmer_Bradley&ei=VYgwUeP6A8iOtQbptIDICg&usg=AFQjCNEEMlvDU0EtiytcN4Od_g42IPt7Rg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Marion Zimmer Bradley</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNicola_Griffith&ei=cYgwUeG1N8jdsgb_lYA4&usg=AFQjCNGcH050wZEy376ePPdGWG2AtID9Ig&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNicola_Griffith&ei=cYgwUeG1N8jdsgb_lYA4&usg=AFQjCNGcH050wZEy376ePPdGWG2AtID9Ig&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Nicola Griffith</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMarge_Piercy&ei=oogwUY2pCIzdsgaw5IGIBw&usg=AFQjCNE4j_AUoK6TEAf1NPTXtelLshB3VQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMarge_Piercy&ei=oogwUY2pCIzdsgaw5IGIBw&usg=AFQjCNE4j_AUoK6TEAf1NPTXtelLshB3VQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Marge Piercy</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAnne_McCaffrey&ei=vYgwUZSBNcTuswa7o4Eo&usg=AFQjCNGe3P382U71ZDdgJUOK68up_01fFw&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAnne_McCaffrey&ei=vYgwUZSBNcTuswa7o4Eo&usg=AFQjCNGe3P382U71ZDdgJUOK68up_01fFw&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Anne McCaffrey</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSheri_S._Tepper&ei=2YgwUbLQIMqQswbDp4GYCg&usg=AFQjCNEpNpd167vC4Kx_yqfXHnpMBYYA1g&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSheri_S._Tepper&ei=2YgwUbLQIMqQswbDp4GYCg&usg=AFQjCNEpNpd167vC4Kx_yqfXHnpMBYYA1g&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Sheri Tepper</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNeil_Gaiman&ei=B4kwUdz2Ds7otQaYz4G4Dw&usg=AFQjCNF4nW0yrzkzVercALkNJKfcDIueLg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNeil_Gaiman&ei=B4kwUdz2Ds7otQaYz4G4Dw&usg=AFQjCNF4nW0yrzkzVercALkNJKfcDIueLg&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Neil Gaiman</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FPhilip_K._Dick&ei=IYkwUaKwEIjbsgaQlID4Aw&usg=AFQjCNFKrE9Y_SFcVAyYxNrwONn9KXGCoA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FPhilip_K._Dick&ei=IYkwUaKwEIjbsgaQlID4Aw&usg=AFQjCNFKrE9Y_SFcVAyYxNrwONn9KXGCoA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Philip K. Dick</a>, and <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMargaret_Atwood&ei=NokwUdSxJ4jRsgaMnoHACg&usg=AFQjCNHwU1Qady3E_O0C6LInqXIhpS_YQA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMargaret_Atwood&ei=NokwUdSxJ4jRsgaMnoHACg&usg=AFQjCNHwU1Qady3E_O0C6LInqXIhpS_YQA&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Margaret Atwood</a>.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">ASM:</strong> That’s a juicy list for sure, Diane. I would happily get lost in your bookshelves. Now, how about new or lesser-known authors? Is there anyone you would suggest to our readers?</strong></div>
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DS: I’ve been introduced to so many authors through podcasts, specifically <a data-mce-href="starshipsofa.com" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-admin/starshipsofa.com" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">StarShipSofa</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcastle.org%2F&ei=lYkwUZ_rM4eitAat54HADg&usg=AFQjCNHSSeE4Y8KzwnEpcPLrT2zWAnGk8g&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpodcastle.org%2F&ei=lYkwUZ_rM4eitAat54HADg&usg=AFQjCNHSSeE4Y8KzwnEpcPLrT2zWAnGk8g&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">PodCastle</a>, that I’m losing track of who is well known and who is not. However, I feel fairly confident that <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.larrysantoro.com%2F&ei=rYkwUcW5BszLswbB24A4&usg=AFQjCNHN3wbh-_v75hOAnLDj67B2yTga5w&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.larrysantoro.com%2F&ei=rYkwUcW5BszLswbB24A4&usg=AFQjCNHN3wbh-_v75hOAnLDj67B2yTga5w&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Lawrence Santoro</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheonethousand.blogspot.com%2F&ei=yokwUZvACsHXtAassIE4&usg=AFQjCNHBgk907eO0dtR2u_ZNEavBo1-UkQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" href="http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheonethousand.blogspot.com%2F&ei=yokwUZvACsHXtAassIE4&usg=AFQjCNHBgk907eO0dtR2u_ZNEavBo1-UkQ&bvm=bv.43148975,d.Yms" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Matthew Sanborn Smith</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://d1sc0r0b0t.blogspot.fr/" href="http://d1sc0r0b0t.blogspot.fr/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Grant Stone</a> might not be household names.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">ASM:</strong> Discovering new talent is like finding buried treasure, so thanks for the recommendations. What are you reading now, and how is it so far? </strong></div>
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px;">Thanks for reading, gang! Please pop on over to <a href="http://wp.me/p2T3WE-3kA" target="_blank">Amazing Stories for the rest of Diane Severson's ASM Blog Horde Interview:</a> </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://wp.me/p2T3WE-3kA">http://wp.me/p2T3WE-3kA</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>Wickedly Yours,</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></b></span></span></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-60170085222646976762013-03-08T22:02:00.003-05:002013-03-14T06:13:38.280-04:00An Amazing Stories Interview with C.E. Martin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12347" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12347" rel="attachment wp-att-12347" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Blog Horde Interview Logo" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-12347" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Blog-Horde-Interview-Logo.jpg" height="200" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Blog-Horde-Interview-Logo.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; color: inherit; cursor: default; display: block; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin: 0.4em auto 1.625em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px; width: auto;" width="500" /></a></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Welcome to the Amazing Stories BLOG HORDE INTERVIEWS!</strong></div>
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The ASM Blog Horde is a diverse and wonderful species. I have the privilege of talking with all of them, and I get to share those chats with you. In this long-running series, you will have the opportunity to peek inside the minds of the ASM bloggers to to see just what makes them tick.</div>
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I hope you enjoy the series as much as I have enjoyed preparing it for you. Please feel free to ask questions, or just let the Horde know you've stopped by for a visit.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Bloggers live for comments, so keep 'em alive! </strong></div>
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<em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://franfriel.com" href="http://franfriel.com/" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">--Fran Friel</a></em></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Tonight's featured ASM Blogger:<a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12340" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12340" rel="attachment wp-att-12340" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Martin Interview Author Pic" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-12340" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-Author-Pic-300x290.jpg" height="290" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-Author-Pic-300x290.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: inherit; cursor: default; display: inline; float: right; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 1.625em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px;" width="300" /></a></strong></div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/troglodad" href="https://twitter.com/troglodad" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">C.E. MARTIN</strong></a> left the Midwest in 1990, after joining the USAF. After serving two years in Germany and then two more in California, he returned to Indiana, settled down, got married and is now the proud father of two girls.</div>
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Toiling by day as a civil servant, C.E. enjoys the classic pulp novels and B Movies in his spare time.</div>
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When not writing, C.E. can be found lurking around the Internet, as <a data-mce-href="http://twitter.com/#!/@Troglodad" href="http://twitter.com/#!/@Troglodad" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">@Troglodad</a> or even on Xbox Live—when his kids let him have the TV.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"> FF: So, Chuck, please tell us how you became interested in blogging for Amazing Stories Magazine.</strong></div>
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CEM: I've been blogging for about six years now, and in 2012 started up in the Indie Author biz and saw a post at a writer's forum asking for bloggers.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">FF: As you know, Amazing Stories Magazine has a huge variety of blogging categories. In what categories can we find your blogs at ASM, and what is your special interest in those topics?</strong></div>
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CEM: Well, I try and write about SF/F from a family, fatherly angle. It seems like a lot of SF/F has gotten very mature in the 21st Century. A lot of great stuff my kids cant see until they're older. Much older. But, because they're kids, they've missed out on a lot of classic stuff from before their time. I hope to share my education of my kids in Classic SF/F with other parents out there.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">FF: Can you tell us a little bit about your previous work in the publishing or genre industry?</strong></div>
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CEM: I'm an Indie Author- I have three novels out now on Kindle, Nook, etc. I'm planning about five more this year. Hopefully, they'll come out of the shadows and into the spotlight and I'll be able to consider myself a professional writer.</div>
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My first professional writing gig was in 2007- I landed a freelance bit with a local newspaper doing opinion pieces. Alas, they went under shortly thereafter (totally not my fault) and I only made enough money to buy my kids an Xbox. I then was recruited by the paper's former editor to do opinion pieces for a regional blog, mythoughtworld.com, which had a decidedly political bent. I also blogged for myself, under the pseudonym, Troglodad. But like Sasquatch, my work there remains elusive to the Internet at large.</div>
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I was big into amateur filmmaking in the 1980s. If back then we had YouTube and all the fancy editing and HD stuff the kids have now, I'd be as famous as Freddie Wong or Zack Finfrock of Wayside Creations. Instead, my work often remained unfinished or in the form of cool VHS doorstops.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">FF: Chuck, how might you categorize the type of blog you enjoy writing? </strong></div>
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CEM: Well, I enjoyed my sarcastic, right-leaning political digs as Troglodad, but it (politics) started getting a little too nasty and personal a few years ago. Today I enjoy talking about what's good in SF/F for kids. If I had my dream blogging gig it would be reviewing movies with an honest everyman's approach. As long as I got free tickets to them, that is. And popcorn. Gotta have popcorn.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12341" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12341" rel="attachment wp-att-12341" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Martin Interview Xanth pic" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-12341" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-Xanth-pic-171x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-Xanth-pic-171x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: inherit; cursor: default; display: inline; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-right: 1.625em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px;" width="171" /></a>FF: One of the things I love about Amazing Stories Magazine is that they’re focusing on multiple genres—Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. Do you have a favorite?</strong></div>
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CEM: Tough question. I prefer reading Science Fiction. I prefer watching schlocky "horror" B Movies. Fantasy can be okay—I'm a big fan of Piers Anthony's <em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Xanth</em> series. I guess over all, I like them all equally.</div>
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I actually enjoy Monsters more than all around horror. I like the cheesy ones and the well done ones. I think it's because I prefer to see non-humans get killed in movies. I feel zero guilt cheering when Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward trick a graboid into diving off a cliff. Watching people kill people, even bastards that deserve it...well, that just isn't cool.</div>
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I greatly enjoy the sciency aspects of Science Fiction, but I find that as I get older, my nitpicking skills have increased and I find most SF/F to be implausible and that kind of ruins it for me.</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">FF: My husband says the same thing. I guess that’s one of the dangers of getting older. It’s harder to forgive those messy details. How about your favorite authors? Who do you read and what keeps you coming back to their work?<a data-mce-href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12345" href="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/?attachment_id=12345" rel="attachment wp-att-12345" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Martin Interview End of World pic" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-12345" data-mce-src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-End-of-World-pic-200x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://amazingstoriesmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Martin-Interview-End-of-World-pic-200x300.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: inherit; cursor: default; display: inline; float: right; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.625; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 1.625em; margin-top: 0.4em; max-width: 97.5%; padding: 6px;" width="200" /></a></strong><br />
CEM: My all time favorite author would have to Warren Murphy. Lester Dent, ERB, and Robert E Howard would all tie for second place. I say this based on the enjoyment factor—how much I enjoyed reading all of their works. Warren Murphy, and his late writing partner, Richard Sapir, wrote the best series ever, <em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">The Destroyer</em>, and it never disappointed. (Well, there was the one time, but that was a ghostwriter). The series also had some closely supervised ghost writers that were fantastic, like Jim Mullaney and Will Murray. But what really sets the books apart from others is the combination of humor, tension and just all around fantastic ass-whoopery.</div>
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The latest Destroyer novel, #150, <em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/End-World-Destroyer-150-ebook/dp/B00AJXLZXO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362078043&sr=1-1&keywords=destroyer+150" href="http://www.amazon.com/End-World-Destroyer-150-ebook/dp/B00AJXLZXO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362078043&sr=1-1&keywords=destroyer+150" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">The End of the World</a></em>, is out and is just like reading the series in the 80s. Incredible.</div>
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There's a new Destroyer spin off series, Legacy, written by Warren Murphy and Gerald Welch. It is SO good. First book is <em style="color: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/LEGACY-Book-1-Forgotten-Son/dp/0615724167" href="http://www.amazon.com/LEGACY-Book-1-Forgotten-Son/dp/0615724167" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;">Forgotten Son</a></em>. Five Stars, people. Read it!</div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">FF: Great recommendations, Chuck. You had me at “fantastic ass-whoopery.” How about new authors? Have you read any new or lesser-known authors you’d like to bring to our attention? ... </strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://wp.me/p2T3WE-2YM">http://wp.me/p2T3WE-2YM</a></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #990000;">If you've enjoyed reading CE Martin's interview, please go to my blog at Amazing Stories to read the second half:</span></b><b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px;"> </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b><a href="http://wp.me/p2T3WE-2YM">http://wp.me/p2T3WE-2YM</a></b></span></span><br />
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Thank you so much for reading, folks! Please come back next week for another featured Amazing Stories Blog Horde Interview.</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">We'll keep the light on for you!</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;">Wickedly Yours,</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.625;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" style="color: #1b8be0; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.625; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></strong></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-7673080487801274372013-01-05T22:37:00.000-05:002013-01-18T02:52:50.550-05:00Your Brain on Storytelling: BOOM!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wikipedia.org Edmund Dulac The Mermaid The Prince.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Story Horder</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a child, I was a story horder. I couldn't get enough of them. I was very fortunate to have parents who read to me, and looking back, they were saints in this regard. I was voracious. I always wanted more, and I wanted my favorites again and again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The original story of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid" target="_blank">The Little Mermaid </a>and its illustrations enthralled me. I can still feel the excitement and the magic of reading that story. I'd get lost in it. What a gift my parents gave me by reading to me, but I must have driven them mad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was the same with music. I became obsessed with songs. I needed to hear them over and over again, so that I could memorize them--somehow making them a part of me. "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(How_Much_Is)_That_Doggie_in_the_Window%3F" target="_blank">How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?</a>" was one of my early obsessions. We would sing the song inserting the names of every family member I could think of in place of "that doggie." It was no doubt a bedtime stalling technique, but it was also delightful. I recall a lot of giggling, thinking of my family members in the pet store window.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suspect my parents were relieved when I finally learned to read and learn my own songs, but it was short lived. They then had to endure my reading and singing to them endlessly.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wired for Stories</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turns out that my parents gave me a bigger gift than I thought. According to the article, "<a href="http://blog.bufferapp.com/science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains" target="_blank">What Listening to Stories Does to Our Brains,"</a> we are actually wired for stories. Telling them and and listening to them lights up our brains in powerful ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-neuroscience-of-your-brain-on-fiction.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">Researchers in Spain</a> say that, "<span style="line-height: 21px;">Not only are the language processing parts in our brain activated, </span><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">but any other area in our brain, that we would use when experiencing the events of the story are too</span><span style="line-height: 21px;">." In addition, the brain of the person listening and the brain of the person sharing a story can become synchronized in the process of storytelling. You can imagine the ramifications of these brain responses, and likely one of the reasons we fall in love with comics, musicians, actors and writers--they're storytellers lighting up our brains and helping us feel what they are describing far more deeply than we realize.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"><b>In Practice</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">There are real world applications for this knowledge, and the article suggests a few:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; line-height: 21px;"><b>--To bring others on board with your idea, tell them a story (Writers - Think synopsis and project pitiches!).</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">"According to Uri Hasson from Princeton, </span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a story is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">The next time you struggle with getting people on board with your projects and ideas, simply tell them a story, where the outcome is that doing what you had in mind, is the best thing to do. According to Princeton researcher Hasson, storytelling is the only way to plant ideas into other people’s minds."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; line-height: 21px;"><b>--Create greater impact and credibility (Bloggers!).</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"...ask for quotes from the top folks in the industry or simply find great passages they [have] written online</span><span style="line-height: 21px;">. It’s a great way to add credibility and at the same time, tell a story."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; line-height: 21px;"><b>--Simple is better.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">"Using simple language as well as a low complexity is the best way to activate the brain regions that make us truly relate to the situation and happenings in the story."</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Esku826t8h_9ijcVUNOjOPm8E3UhcVilD5qj4__j88u4QTy0i3eBkBmwDqM3jQChAizGM3LSxNlpRK9Xbt-JsBBNYHq4pThcj7Ms6BC_8m-bZImSge2-2pimbosCeFpZVqfZA/s1600/The_Shadow_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Esku826t8h_9ijcVUNOjOPm8E3UhcVilD5qj4__j88u4QTy0i3eBkBmwDqM3jQChAizGM3LSxNlpRK9Xbt-JsBBNYHq4pThcj7Ms6BC_8m-bZImSge2-2pimbosCeFpZVqfZA/s320/The_Shadow_Cover.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Some good advice, don't you think? When I consider these suggestions, it makes me think why the phenomenon of LOL Cats and the like on the Internet are so successful. These little vignettes are engaging our brains with a visual story, using simple words to invite us into a common experience with which we can identify. Add a little humor and we're hooked!</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">It may also be why story podcasts like <a href="http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/podcasting/" target="_blank">Lightspeed, </a>and radio shows like <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank">This American Life</a> and <a href="http://snapjudgment.org/" target="_blank">Snap Judgement</a> are more popular as they become so easy to access online. They're the modern day version of sitting around the old RCA radio listening to The Lone Ranger and The Shadow. Mostly what I come away with in this article, is to be engaging as a storyteller--to unabashedly share my enthusiasm of the story with my readers. I want for them, the excitement and joy that a great story brought to me as a child and still brings to me to this day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">Happy Stories to you, my friends!</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">Yours Always,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: Thank you to <a href="http://chickenscratches.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ginger Hamilton Caudill</a> for the link to the original article; The Shadow cover borrowed from: <a href="http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-shadow-by-martin-grams-jr.html" target="_blank">booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com</a> </span><br />
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-24636085781501100042012-12-21T15:56:00.003-05:002012-12-21T16:00:59.528-05:00"...On Behalf Of One's Obsessions"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: small;">"The refusal to rest content, the willingness to risk excess on behalf of one's obsessions, is what distinguishes artists from entertainers, and what makes some artists adventurers on behalf of us all." --John Updike</span></span></h5>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: small;">Wishing you all a very Merry Little Christmas!</span></span></div>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: small;">Yours Most Sincerely,</span></span></div>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://franfriel.com/" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></span></span></div>
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-65597315836137285312012-12-15T13:42:00.000-05:002012-12-15T13:44:35.681-05:00In Times of Disaster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoY0QA6QV6uY-ce1OuSzqPjJcJA3yaoqbN673x4rtYL9pd-akidZ-QNyOgfIJ2AyjpyMK3L_MQeQswCHP0evVBvmhV1EYmPn_AtxMYNwxNSUqZYbgjbOCQUACYKyV6tta-dn8lmQ/s1600/411234_10151136084895493_2092870717_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoY0QA6QV6uY-ce1OuSzqPjJcJA3yaoqbN673x4rtYL9pd-akidZ-QNyOgfIJ2AyjpyMK3L_MQeQswCHP0evVBvmhV1EYmPn_AtxMYNwxNSUqZYbgjbOCQUACYKyV6tta-dn8lmQ/s320/411234_10151136084895493_2092870717_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17.999998092651367px;">“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” - Mr. Rogers</span><br />
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-23101834957680133982012-11-09T02:22:00.001-05:002012-11-09T13:46:13.949-05:00Wild Life in Santa Cruz<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcTcaFlXiYHNCpR3Zw-qbmJktpdBep3h7Gq9G-hO6bYZcvvA-4upZwBVTl4VITsil_Xc0lEKHPEw-DtoOswMEYNMd8EXK0Rogl6Lci6HFSNraSsjoGA0PqIMWqCJt9dfEPWw6Eg/s1600/IMG_2907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcTcaFlXiYHNCpR3Zw-qbmJktpdBep3h7Gq9G-hO6bYZcvvA-4upZwBVTl4VITsil_Xc0lEKHPEw-DtoOswMEYNMd8EXK0Rogl6Lci6HFSNraSsjoGA0PqIMWqCJt9dfEPWw6Eg/s320/IMG_2907.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Fran Friel 2012</td></tr>
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With so much of the country struggling with flooding, snow, frigid temps, and disaster clean-up after epic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Sandy" target="_blank">Hurricane Sandy</a>, I thought I'd just offer a simple little glimpse of beauty. This gorgeous orchid is just one of many I had the pleasure of viewing this past weekend at the <a href="http://www.santacruzorchidsociety.org/" target="_blank">Santa Cruz Orchid Society</a> show.<br />
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I was dazzled and inspired. To me she looks like an exotic beast ready to come alive and fly around the room, swooping and diving. Hide your children!<br />
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I hope you've enjoyed this solitary beauty as much as I have.<br />
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Wickedly Yours,<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></div>
Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-18419630951907076042012-10-07T15:58:00.000-04:002012-10-07T16:09:49.369-04:00Super-Duper LOOPER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTTFSuW1LnAr2ztypSpcmYonEbYD1f4CGDC1win4xxDEVsHknELV3B9ewv29lUvni3TMZffLn05Bq7fpUHGzPs2X0VqrB4h7AYKUbzoB9h7qucmNhXpoZD60CkgSIJ1Vtq_DZPw/s1600/Looper_poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTTFSuW1LnAr2ztypSpcmYonEbYD1f4CGDC1win4xxDEVsHknELV3B9ewv29lUvni3TMZffLn05Bq7fpUHGzPs2X0VqrB4h7AYKUbzoB9h7qucmNhXpoZD60CkgSIJ1Vtq_DZPw/s320/Looper_poster.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">GO SEE IT!</span></b><br />
Yes, it's as simple as that--Go see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looper_(film)" target="_blank">Looper</a>. The only reason not to go to see this film, is if you're hyper-sensitive to violence. Otherwise, the violence isn't worse than you'll see on most television police series. There's also a little nudity, but it's brief.<br />
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Anyway, with all the caveats out of the way, <a href="http://www.loopermovie.com/" target="_blank">Looper</a> really is an excellent science fiction film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/" target="_blank">with a great cast</a>, but mostly, it's an excellent story. The foundation of the story is based on time travel and the altering of reality [I'm not telling you more--1) because I'm a lazy reviewer, and 2), because it will spoil the story you, and I hate when that happens], but the characters are deliciously complex and faithfully drawn, the story threads are all artfully tied together (in a time travel tale, that's saying something!). Basically, this is just excellent storytelling, directing, and acting. I'm telling you, kids, Looper is worth the price of admission--one of my favorite films of the year! <br />
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Go...See...<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/" target="_blank">LOOPER</a>...Now!<br />
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Wickedly Yours,<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a><br />
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PS - Let me know if you enjoyed the film! What did you think of the kid's acting (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3163952/" target="_blank">Pierce Gagnon</a>)? Amazing, right? If you didn't, I might have to send out the compliance squad...but that's another blog. ;-)</div>
Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-43001192731762275582012-10-04T21:04:00.000-04:002012-11-07T19:00:10.984-05:00"Spidery Black Objects On Mars"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>FODDER</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yahoo's news headline reads, "<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/spidery-black-objects-mars-surface-raise-speculation-184239849.html" target="_blank">Spidery black objects on Mars surface raise speculation</a>." Hmm...my thought is that might just be the understatement of the year, especially considering "<span style="line-height: 22.450000762939453px;">they appear when the surface of Mars begins to warm, showing up in the same location most of the time. And then when the Martian winter approaches, they disappear with the same precise regularity." Heck, I'm having flashbacks of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandworms_of_Dune" target="_blank">Dune's Sandworms</a>, aren't you? </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.450000762939453px;">All that said, for me, this information is a treasure trove of story fodder. Maybe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Herbert" target="_blank">Mr. Herbert</a> was doing more than storytelling. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.450000762939453px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.450000762939453px;">Wickedly Yours,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.450000762939453px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a></span></span></div>
Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18449444.post-35123741658041360922012-09-30T15:01:00.002-04:002012-10-04T21:07:29.962-04:00Remainder of the Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: medium;"><b>Our Walking Shoes</b></span><br />
It's the last day for our motely crew at the <a href="http://hauntedmansionwriters.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Haunted Mansion Writers' Retreat 2012</a>. We're reluctantly packing up and putting on our walking shoes, getting ready to head back home. It's been an exciting weekend, but most importantly, it's been a weekend full of friendship and creativity.<br />
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The ghosties were an eventful addition to our activities, but this was truly a writers' retreat with abundant inspiration at every turn, especially the opportunity to be surrounded by other working writers. It's really fantastic to have company for a change!<br />
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A few of us still remain in the salon, soaking up the ambiance and the camaraderie. Our fearless leader, <a href="http://raingraves.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rain Graves</a>, continues the rally the troops and entertain us with excellent stories and her amazing energy. Thank you, Rain, for an awesome weekend!<br />
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Wickedly Yours,<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/franfriel" target="_blank">Fran Friel</a><br />
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PS - Thank you, <a href="http://www.sff.net/people/seph/" target="_blank">Sephora Giron</a>, for the colorful walking shoes/socks inspiration.<br />
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Fran Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11779189702107014516noreply@blogger.com0