I'M ON YOUTUBE!

I'M EXCITED. I JUST FINISHED A VIDEO INTERVIEW with Lorina Stephens, Publisher of Five Rivers Publishing. In it, I talk about my journey as a writer and how I came to write The Tattooed Witch, the first book in the trilogy. At the end of the interview, I read chapter one from the novel. If you have some time, grab an egg nog and give it a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3FZoJi-XXY&feature=share

IN ADDITION, and AS IT'S THE SEASON OF GIVING, I'm giving away 10 free e-books of The Tattooed Witch (through www.dropcards.com) to the first 10 people who ask me for a copy for their Kindle, tablet, or computer. (Sorry, Kobo users. I've tried to download the book onto my Kobo, and it balks. The Kindle and laptop aren't a problem.) If you send me a private message on Facebook requesting a copy, I'll send you the access code, so you can claim it through Dropcards. If we're not yet friends on Facebook, then friend me. If there are e-copies left, I'll be happy to send you one. 

Happy Holidays, everybody, and Happy Reading!

(And I should add, if you'd like to purchase the book (print or e-copy), just follow the links to Amazon, Five Rivers, or Kobo on the sidebar). Thank you for your support!) 

GUEST INTERVIEW WITH DAVE LADEROUTE, YA AUTHOR OF 'OUT OF TIME'

Cover Artist: Jeff Minkevics

A SHORT TIME AGO, I FEATURED DAVE LADEROUTE on Suzenyms. Dave wrote a guest post for me on the challenges of writing YA, which, if you haven't read it, you can review here. His post has been one of my most visited. Today, I interview him about his YA debut novel, Out of Time, which is published through Five Rivers Publishing.  

1. TO START OFF, DAVE, PLEASE GIVE US A SHORT DESCRIPTION of Out of Time. How would you describe the book in terms of genre? Is it a sub-genre? A blended genre? Out of Time is the story of two fourteen year-old boys—Riley Corbeau, a modern kid living in a small community on the rugged Canadian shore of Lake Superior, and Peetwonikwot, Gathering Cloud, an Ojibway boy from pre-European contact North America who lives in the same area, just hundreds of years earlier. Gathering Cloud—called just 'Cloud' in the book—is on his vision quest, a solitary, four-day vigil in which he seeks the spirit-inspired vision that will guide him through his life. His vision quest happens to see him holding vigil on a remote cobble beach on Superior's shore, and it is here, on this beach, that he and Riley will meet under circumstances that transcend time. Initially wary and suspicious of each other—they each find it hard to believe that the other boy could possibly even exist—they soon find that they must work together to deal with a dangerous spirit, the Wendigo, who threatens them first in Cloud's world, the past, and then in Riley's world of today.While it's obviously a fantasy novel, it's also targeted at young adults—kids not too different in age from Riley and Cloud. I guess in that sense, then, it's a 'blended, genre, a 'young adult fantasy'.

2. What was your inspiration (or inspirations) for writing Out of Time? First of all, I've lived most of my own life on or near Lake Superior. The big lake (and it really is big, as in huge; if you'd never seen it before, you'd find it hard to believe you're not looking at an ocean) has occupied a central place in my own life, so it only seemed natural to set a story around it. Some of my own childhood experiences—for instance, spending a summer when I was nine years old with relatives in a small town on Superior—definitely shaped and inspired Riley's part of the book. As for Cloud, his world is inspired by my long-held interest in the Aboriginal people of the Great Lakes region. I've had occasion, in my past work as a geologist and economic development specialist, to work closely with many First Nations people from the region and have developed close friendships with more than a few of them. That prompted me to learn more about them, and that led me to explore their pre-European contact history. That the distant, hunter-gatherer ancestors of today's First Nations people could not only survive, but actually thrive in the rugged wilderness around Superior has always deeply impressed me. The Ojibway also have a rich and complex culture, replete with a very spiritual way of viewing and understanding the world. It was this combination of an admiration for the people and a fascination with their cultural heritage that led me to develop Cloud into the character he became. The story that links the two boys was the final piece; I knew that I wanted to explore the coming of age of these two boys, and the story that resulted was inspired by a short story I'd actually written—and abandoned—quite a few years before. 

3. When did you start to write the book, and how long did it take you to finish it? Okay, so about that short story. What eventually became Out of Time began as a short piece about ten years ago, about a boy being forced to spend a summer 'stuck' in a small, remote town on Superior with his grandparents. He was going to encounter ghosts of people who had lived and died in the area, interact with them, learn from them, have some adventures, and grow as a character. But it didn't work. I couldn't get the story to come in for a 'soft landing', so I finally gave up and stuck the story in the proverbial drawer. Seven years passed, then I happened to rediscover the old story. It hit me immediately what was wrong—what I was trying to jam into a short story was actually a novel. So, two years ago, I launched into writing it—and got stuck again. This time, though, I knew why. Despite the longer format, I was still trying to do too much with the story. I went back and started again, only this time, I focused on only one of the 'ghosts' from the past—that of an Ojibway boy who'd died on his vision quest. It was about half-way through the first draft that it hit me—the Ojibway boy would be much more compelling if he was alive, not a ghost, and so the 'time travel' element of the story was born. That was about two and a half years ago. It took me another year to get the story to the point at which I was happy enough with it to start submitting it. So, I guess the quick answer to the question is, it took me a little over a year to write the book. The longer answer is that it took me about nine years, from its very first incarnation to a finished manuscript. 

4. How long did it take you to find a publisher? I was fortunate. I submitted Out of Time to two publishers in the U.S., and got two quick, but very encouraging rejections. I sent it to a third publisher and, despite repeated enquiries, never heard anything back. This happened over about six months. My fourth try was Five Rivers Publishing, and the time from initial submission, to being asked for the full manuscript, to acceptance, was just a few weeks. So, I guess it was about seven months in total, which is pretty remarkable, I guess, especially for a debut novel. 

5. What were your most difficult moments when writing the book? What were your best? As I mentioned, actually getting the story to make the transition from a short story that didn't work, to a novel that did, was tough—it happened pretty much organically over seven years. But as for the book itself, the hardest moment for me was writing the scenes leading up to Riley and Cloud parting for the final time, and then their actual goodbyes. For reasons that are pretty clear if you read the book, the friendship between these two boys can't possibly last; I became very fond of both of them, though, and really wished I could have found a way to let them continue being friends and learn more about each other's lives and worlds. But I couldn't. I had to have them part ways, and it was actually pretty tough for me to write that, because they'd become such good friends to one another and, I have to admit, to me. 

Conversely, I think the most enjoyable parts to write were those when they were getting to know each other. They start out pretty wary of one another, and it was a lot of fun to have them each realize that the other was not only quite 'real', but then to begin getting to know one another. As it turned out, the two boys turned out to have a lot more in common than they did in terms of differences. And that was really a function of the characters coming to life for me, and telling me how similar they really were. It's a pretty special moment for a writer when his characters start to tell him their stories. 

6. I found many wonderful things about Out of Time, the story itself of course, but also aspects of First Nations spirituality, including the animal spirits of Raven, Turtle, Thunderbird, and Sturgeon, as well as the evil spirit, Wendigo. What drew you to include these spirit characters in Out of Time? What and/or who were your sources? Once I'd decided to incorporate Ojibway spiritual beliefs into the story, it was only natural to include some of the spirits themselves as characters. The main issue here was one of respect. The Ojibway beliefs are as deserving of being treated respectfully as those of any other culture, so I wanted to ensure that I portrayed the spirits in ways that were interesting for the reader, but also recognized the important role they play in the folklore. I wanted Turtle to be wise, but also a little ponderous as befits his nature as…well, a turtle, and also a little inscrutable. Part of that is because he's the messenger across time and space so, as he says himself in the book, he can see the past and the future generally, but he can't see details very well. Part of it, though, is to give the reader the impression that Turtle may actually know more than he lets on, and wants Cloud and Riley to figure things out for themselves. Thunderbird, on the other hand, is powerful, and a little arrogant about it, as befits such a mighty (and showy) spirit. And so on. To ensure I got things right, I drew on some internet sources, but most of all I relied on the works of Basil Johnston, an Ojibway elder, scholar, folklorist and linguist. His books Ojibway Folklore and The Manitous (Manitou is Ojibway for "spirit") were beside my keyboard pretty much the whole time I wrote and revised Out of Time. 

7. There is a 200 year time displacement in your novel, where both Riley and Gathering Cloud visit each other’s time and come to each other’s assistance. You never explain why this occurs, what the overall mechanism is for this connection. Care to share your thoughts on that with us? Actually, it's probably more like 600 years. That said, I'm going to be a little coy about this one. Although I never explain exactly why it occurs, there are some clues in the story as to how it comes about. I'll give you a hint—I've actually already mentioned it in my answers above. That said, there was a specific reason I didn't get, well, specific about the mechanics of the time travel in the story. For one, it's not really important to the plot. For another, it's a mystery to Cloud and Riley, so I wanted it to be a mystery to the reader, as well. I wanted to maintain an enigmatic, supernatural air to the story and, in particular, the workings of the spirits. They, and their world, are supposed to be strange and unknowable, so I thought that keeping the time travel aspect of the story essentially just there and not explaining it would help do that. 

8. Theme plays a very strong part in Out of Time. Among other things, it is certainly a coming-of-age novel for both Riley and Gathering Cloud, where both boys come to terms with what it means to be  adults. I would also suggest that the book explores other themes as well - what it is to be a good friend, what it means to be strong, what it means to have courage, even when you’re afraid. Did you set out to write a YA novel with these themes in mind? What other themes do you explore in the novel? And what advice might you give to writers (YA or otherwise), about handling theme well? I don't think I sat down to overtly have Out of Time address any particular theme. As a YA novel, certain themes lend themselves to the writing because they're timeless and very appropriate; coming-of-age is definitely one of them. Both boys are on the cusp of manhood—Cloud is actually on his vision quest, the very thing that represents his transition from boy to man and that will guide him on his journey through life. Riley's a little more complicated. In Cloud's world, kids can't stay kids for long; in a hunter-gatherer culture, you simply can't afford to have unproductive mouths to feed. A child only gets to be a child until about their passage through puberty, and then they have to become productive members of their society.

Riley, living in our modern world, is naturally still a kid at 14 and would be expected to remain a kid for a few years yet; our technologically-advanced society allows us the luxury of letting our kids stay kids much longer. That said, the ordeals to which I subject Riley are intended to make him grow up and push him into the coming-of-age situation. To put it another way, at the start of the story, Cloud is a young man with some kid left him, while Riley is a kid with a few flashes of the man he'll become. By the end of the story, both have definitely progressed and become much more mature. 

I guess this ties in with the themes of strength, bravery and loyalty. These are compelling themes for me anyway, having spent so many years in the army. I've seen both ends of the strength and bravery spectrum from soldiers, and have pondered at length what it really means to be strong, brave, and loyal. It's particularly interesting to me when people are put unwillingly and unexpectedly into situations where these qualities are being tested. To take a modern example, what sort of strength and courage did it take from Edward Snowden, for him to have blown the whistle on what the NSA was up to in the United States? Was fleeing the country into an uncertain future in Hong Kong or Russia a brave thing or a cowardly thing? I know there are as many answers to this as there are people offering them, but it's a great example of the sort of testing of these qualities that I mean. Riley and Cloud are both plunged into a pretty terrible situation, so I get to explore some of these questions and my own answers to them. I think that's one of the big things a writer gets out of writing—a chance to play with the world, bend it a bit, and see how it responds (or how he thinks it should respond!) 

I think the other theme I try to examine is that of evil. This may be somewhat more remote from the immediate narrative, but Wendigo, the main antagonist for the boys, is a bit of an exploration of evil. He gets called evil, but really, he isn't any more evil than people allow him to be. Turtle explains that Wendigo is really just an expression of human qualities like greed, lust, and excess, and that he can't be destroyed, only driven out of one's life. Although the boys both confront Wendigo directly and physically, I'm hoping that the reader picks up on the fact that perhaps their strongest weapon against Wendigo is their loyalty to one another, their willingness to make sacrifices for each other, and for the other characters in the story. This ties back into the other themes above, but it also tries to push the reader into thinking more about what Wendigo really is. His behavior is certainly evil, but it follows from his nature, and the role he plays in Ojibway folklore. Wendigo is the dangerous spirit that causes starving people to turn to cannibalism, a not-uncommon thing among hunter-gatherer peoples forced to live long stretches of winter with only whatever food they can stockpile, along with whatever they can eke out of the frozen wilderness. But is he really evil? Is human excess evil? Sometimes, perhaps it is. Sometimes, though, perhaps it isn't. This is what made Wendigo an interesting character to write in his own right—he's not just a 'bad guy'. I hope the reader will find his motivations just as understandable as any other character's in the book, even if he is a huge jerk about it. 

Theme-wise advice for other writers? I think that the most important is, don't get too hung up on the theme of your writing! To put it another way, it's fine to have a theme in mind, and to use it as a general, high-level sort of guidance while you're writing—but far more important is simply telling a good story that someone will want to read through to its end. So, if your theme is coming-of-age, say, then as you write your YA story, use that to guide your story as it evolves. At a macro scale, the actions of the characters and in the plot should be generally directed toward exploring how those characters are growing up, or not growing up. But don't dwell on it, or worry about making every single aspect of the story reflect it. You can think of it as a road-trip. If you plan on driving to, say, Chicago, then your route, and your stops, and your general approach to your trip, should all be about getting you to Chicago. Getting to Chicago is your theme. The actual trip, though, will consist of the details of driving your car, where you pull over, what you buy for snacks along the way, other drivers you encounter, the traffic, the weather, where you spend the night—these things all make up the story itself, the details of its characters and its plot. If you suddenly make a side-trip to Kansas City, then you're off-theme. That’s okay, though, as long the detour serves the story and ultimately makes it a more enjoyable experience…remembering that you still eventually want to get to Chicago. 

9. You also handle pacing very well, in that you allow yourself time to develop your characters, (giving the reader a vivid interior view of who Riley and Gathering Cloud are), yet we never feel bogged down by that; the pace moves along. How do you sustain dramatic tension, while presenting character depth? This is a tough one. I've had to think about this for a while, actually. The easy answer is, I don't know, I just do. The question forces me to examine my writing process more closely, though, which is a good thing. What I don't do is a lot of detailed outlining before I start writing; I just establish some key points of action/conflict/decisions, with each one being a little higher on the dramatic tension scale than the one before. Each becomes a pivotal scene in the story. The final, and highest, is the climax. This gives me a rough roadmap for the story, which will move from key scene to key scene. The 'space' between these key scenes is my opportunity to do the quieter things, like developing character. I'd hasten to add, though, that I always try to ensure everything I write either develops character, moves the story forward or, ideally, does both.  In any case, by following this scheme of rising points of action interspersed with 'quieter' sections, I think I have a pretty good format for keeping the pace going while also exploring the characters. 

To be fair, one of the editor's (this would be Lorina, from Five Rivers) main criticisms about the story after she accepted it was that I did a far better job of getting inside Riley's head than I did Cloud's. And she was right. Riley was a pretty well-rounded, believable kid; Cloud was a bit of a caricature, a 'noble savage'. I had to go back and rework Cloud, doing a better job of bringing him and his world to life. He might be from a very different culture, but he's also a fourteen year-old boy. One of the things that is true about these two boys is that, no matter how different they are, what's more important is how they're the same. I'd lost sight of that, so even having a 'scheme' like the one I described above isn't a guarantee that it's going to work perfectly. Of course, what this does do is underscore just how important a good editor is! 

I should also point out that I had some great assistance along the way to make sure it was all coming together. There was Lorina, of course, but also my wife, Jackie. She was my first reader and main editor (before Lorina bought the story) and I lean heavily on her for her criticism and revision of all my work. For Out of Time, I also had the critical eye of two good and trusted friends, Andrea Jacobsen and Tristan Maclaurin. Tristan was particularly helpful because he's a teenager himself, so he gave me a much-needed reality check on how I'd portrayed Riley, and generally how the story appealed to someone his age. It demonstrates that, no matter how solitary it feels, writing really is a collaborative process. I'd urge anyone who wants to write to ensure that they have some trusted readers, who can, and aren't afraid to, offer good, solid criticism, to help make sure you're getting things right. Schemes can only go so far! 

10. Out of Time is an enjoyable and satisfying stand-alone novel. What are you working on now, Dave? Do you have plans for a sequel? I’d enjoy seeing another book that brings Riley and Gathering Cloud together again. I've actually got two other, major works underway. The Great Sky is another young adult fantasy, again with Ojibway protagonists. It's a little grittier and harder, though, and targeted at an older audience than Out of Time—probably late teens. Your readers can check it out, if they wish, on Wattpad (http://www.wattpad.com/story/7819139-the-great-sky) where I've posted it as an experiment in building readership. The Great Sky is actually the first in what will be a two, and possibly a three book series which I'm hoping to sell as a series. My other big work, The Children's Crusade, also has young protagonists, but it's an adult, urban, contemporary fantasy. The story is quite violent and explicit and the whole tone of the piece, which revolves around an ongoing war between Heaven and Hell fought by proxy among street kids in a large, modern city, is quite dark. I'm currently looking for a  home for that one. Finally, I've returned to doing some short pieces, which I'm submitting to some anthologies. I think novel-length stuff will remain my favourite medium, though. I actually find it easier to write a novel than a short story—go figure! 

As for Riley and Cloud, well, I've certainly thought about revisiting them. The trouble is that their story is, to me, 'done'. I was sad to see them part ways (and hope the reader feels a little bit of that, too), which tells me that they should probably stay apart, each living his own life in his own time. "Always leave them wanting more", as they say. I'd be afraid that if I reunite them somehow, that I might dilute the impact of their shared experiences in Out of Time or maybe just not do them justice. That said, who knows? If a story occurs to me that would seem to work for them, I might give it a shot. That's something else they say, right—"never say never"! 

(Thanks, Dave - great interview and excellent advice for those of us who are writing YA.) 

Dave's Bio: Dave Laderoute and his wife, Jackie, live in Thunder Bay, Ontario, along with their three kids, Andrew, Mark, and Sarah, and their obligatory writer's cats. Dave has a Master of Science degree in Geology, has worked extensively in the mining and geoscience sectors, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Canadian Army Reserves. He's been writing off-and-on since 1990, and has had several short stories appear in various small press publications. He's also written extensively for role-playing games, particularly The Legend of the Five Rings product line. Dave's debut novel Out of Time was recently published by Five Rivers Publishing. If you're interested in reading Out of Time, you can preview (or purchase) it from Amazon, Five Rivers Publishing, and elsewhere. 

ON THE NATURE OF HUMOR and SPECULATIVE FICTION: A SERIES of UNSATISFACTORY EXPLANATIONS and COMPLAINTS by HUGH A.D. SPENCER

Artist: Richard Bartop

I LOVE IT WHEN WE GET FUNNY STUFF AT ON SPEC. Over the years, we've featured some very funny writers, one of whom is fellow writer and friend, Hugh A.D. Spencer. We first published Hugh's story Why I Hunt Flying Saucers in 1991 and later included it in On Spec's First Five Years anthology because it was that good. His more recent story (and one of my personal favorites), Sticky Wonder Tales, will appear in On Spec's upcoming 25th Year anthology through Tyche books. But first, a Guest Post by Hugh, on the slaps and tickles it takes to write humorous speculative fiction. 

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES associated with writing about humor is that it's just not terribly amusing to read about why certain things are (or are not) funny. Writing about humor and science fiction (fantasy too, but I really don't care about that genre very much) is even more challenging because at least 30% of all people who write or read science fiction suffer from serious cognitive and emotional deficiencies that render them incapable of understanding or appreciating humor. (Don't ask me where I get these statistics, you'll just have to trust me.) These are the sorts of people who think that laughter is some kind of secret language employed by those who were the cool kids in high school and who have actually had sex. (The SF people are mistaken in this belief. The cool kids at high school are also humor-handicapped and only laugh when they're inflicting pain on a smart unpopular kid, who ironically, is likely to be an SF person). Have I offended you yet? If I have, you're part of the 30% group and nobody worries about what you think, anyway. 

Pie in the Face.  Pie in the Face on Mars...  When I was young and embarked on the hopeless task of trying to convince people that SF was important, respectable, and above all cool literature, I used to say things like, “Science fiction is a way of looking at the real world from alternative perspectives, that helps us explore the limits of the possible, and even is a means of contemplating the nature of the universe and our place in it.” SF, of course, is none of these things. 

SF is where people go to escape the uncertain, the unsettling, and other stuff that makes us feel uncomfortable. (Fantasy even more so. People who read that crap are complete wimps.) That's why back in the 1980s and 1990s, they were able to sell all those unnecessary Rama, Foundation, and Dune books. I admit it, I was doing this, too. I was only going back to the later works because I was looking for the same buzz that I got from the original trilogies. But it was all in vain; it wasn't the same imaginative Blue Meth. (Nowadays, when I feel the need to revert to my childhood state and suckle at the literary breast of emotional reassurance, I read Winnie the Pooh or Wind in the Willows. The Alice books, on the other hand, are just too darned weird and scary.) 

Sigh. Bring back that pure Asimovian Blue Meth. 

Most SF works because it's able to engage your interest, but doesn't make you think too much and doesn't get you too upset or angry. The problem with humor is that it is fundamentally subversive and has to make you at least a little bit uncomfortable. 

Humor that's too safe, too mild, is like reruns of The Brady Bunch or The Red Skelton Show or all those kid sitcoms on the Family Channel. Sure, your mom will let you watch them but they just aren't very funny. Humor at its best, is like that T-Rex in Jurassic Park. It's unpredictable, impossible to contain, and really dangerous (to take the metaphor even further, humor should also have giant razor-sharp teeth, really small useless claws, and scientists shouldn't be able to figure out how it manages to reproduce.) Humor demands – as both a writer and a reader – that you surrender a great deal of control. Once you start turning things upside down, distorting your own perceptions, challenging your assumptions …well, you can never be sure where you're going to end up and what will still be standing when you get there. If you're unsure of yourself and what you're really looking for in your art and literature is reassurance, then humor may not be the way to go. 

Into the Mothership…  Why I Hunt Flying Saucers was my second story published in On Spec Magazine, way back in 1991. It is possibly my most popular story in that it was anthologized, nominated for an Aurora Award, and adapted for radio. Richard Bartop's illustration for the story (a Grey Alien slipping on a rubber glove as it prepares to administer a rectal probe) was incredibly funny and On Spec later used it as part of their marketing with the caption ‘Examine Us.’ 

I sometimes wonder why that one story had so much impact. Partly, I think it was because I was writing about something that really bugged me: all those alien abduction and ‘missing time’ stories that were coming into fashion as we were waiting for The X-Files to start up. If you read the story, my view is that the ETs' motives really suck. 

I have noticed that when I'm really annoyed I tend to get funnier. Or grumpier. I'm never completely sure how it's going to go. 

I think another reason Why I Hunt Flying Saucers had some legs was that it was a surprise attack. On Spec was still a relatively new venue back then and they had (and still have) a unique voice. It took over a year to sell that story. The usual (i.e. American) markets weren't touching it, and they gave me a very clear reason why: stories about flying saucers just aren't done by serious SF writers. I was very grateful that On Spec decided to publish a humor issue because doing things that just aren't done is usually what makes something funny. 

Which Way, Passworthy? (Check out the movie Things to Come if you're bored enough to wonder who this Passworthy person is.) Why I Hunt Flying Saucers was also the source of my favorite rejection letter. I pitched it as an episode of that second version of The Outer Limits they were making in the 1990s. The story editor said some very nice things about the script – that it was smart, witty, and well-structured. He then said that they couldn't produce the script because it was very funny and “The Outer Limits is admittedly, a humorless affair." Such candor! I loved that letter. 

Not everything I write is meant to be funny. Some of it is just plain angry. But I do take the surrender of control quite seriously. Often when I start a story, I'm not sure if it will be a comedy or a tragedy – it's only as the shape of things start to emerge on the page that I discover if I'll be laughing or crying at the end.   

Hugh's Bio: Hugh A.D. Spencer completed graduate studies at the University of Toronto and McMaster University where he conducted anthropological studies into the origins of religious movements in science fiction fandom. Worried that this field of inquiry might lead to actual paying work, Hugh decided to write some science fiction as a delaying tactic. Inexplicably twice nominated for Canada's Aurora Award, Hugh’s science fiction has been published in On Spec, Tesseracts 8, 11, and 6, Interzone, Descant and New Writings in the Fantastic. Many of his short stories have been dramatized by Shoestring Radio Theatre for the Satellite Network of National Public Radio.  His story John, Paul, Xavier, Ironside & George (but not Vincent) is scheduled for release in the new Ominous Realities anthology. Hugh is still confused why this body of work has not resulted in a Nobel Prize for Science Fiction. His latest project is training his dogs to type and copyedit. 

Coming in April 2014, from Brain Lag Publications: Extreme Dentistry by Hugh A.D. Spencer: Middle-aged, middle-income and lapsed Mormon, Arthur Percy felt his life lurch from a difficult normality onto the rails of a carnival ride heading somewhere too much like The Twilight Zone for his liking. Perhaps it is more the “Anti-Twilight Zone” that Arthur enters – where vampires, shape shifters, and ghouls are not gorgeous or glamorous but genetic parasites from a hideous communal intelligence known as the Hive. Who will save the human race? Arthur finds out as he joins a group of middle-aged, middle-income suburbanites (many of them Mormon dentists) who call themselves “the Project”.

(Thanks, Hugh. I'm sure you've made everybody's morning much brighter! I can't wait to read your novel.)

GUEST POST BY LORINA STEPHENS, PUBLISHER of FIVE RIVERS PUBLISHING

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED BY PEOPLE WHO DECIDE to get into the publishing business as small press publishers. I've wondered at what their initial motivations were, what prompted them to take on such responsibilities, and what the depth of their business acumen must be in order to ensure their house is a success. Over the next while, I plan to host a number of small press publishers on Suzenyms, to offer you their stories. Since Five Rivers Publishing represents my own work, it made sense to start with my publisher, the talented and formidable Lorina Stephens:

WHEN FIVE RIVERS LAUNCHED INTO PUBLISHING in 2008, it was with humble beginnings and a small catalog, primarily my own works. It was never my intention for Five Rivers to be a vanity house, yet in those first two years we were very embryonic, soliciting manuscripts and developing our mandate, which was to be a showcase of new and established Canadian voices. We tested the waters with two of my books: Shadow Song (August 2008), and And the Angels Sang (September 2008), also Elephant's Breath and London Smoke, by Deb Salisbury (February 2009). In July, 2009, we also published another one of my books, From Mountains of Ice.

Why publish these four books? Shadow Song had been the rounds of major publishers, often garnering positive comments, but always falling just short of that illusive publishing contract, mostly, it would seem, because of its hybrid nature. I decided to venture out on my own, given there was enough response to make me believe a small house and sufficient marketing could bring in a reasonable expectation of success. Turns out that decision was sound, and while Shadow Song has not hit bestseller, it has certainly performed better than the majority of self-published books which usually only see a maximum of 200 units sold.

Since I'd already decided to commit the, then, sin of self-publishing, I figured I'd publish a collection of my own short stories, And the Angels Sang. (For those of you who have or are reading Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda, you may find the title story of this collection of interest.) If nothing else, it would gain me experience in the publishing world, in all of its facets from creation to the business of distribution and accounts collection. 

Around about that time an old colleague of mine, Deb Salisbury—who researched and created historical sewing patterns under her business, The Mantua-Maker—told me about a dictionary of historic colour names on which she was working. That piqued my curiosity, and after several discussions with her I asked her to let me publish the book. I knew very well Elephant's Breath and London Smoke would be an ultra-niche market book. But for those who were after this kind of esoteric historical material, it would be invaluable. And given my life-long penchant for ignoring the status-quo—that became a recurring theme in the publishing house—the decision to publish the dictionary just seemed logical. It was impeccably researched, well-organized, an ease to layout and publish. During that time I also took on several books on the business of writing by freelancer, Paul Lima. Paul went on to take control of his own publishing. 

By 2010 the pattern for Five Rivers was cast; remember that statement about ignoring the status-quo? Yeah, pretty much. I found myself keeping company with blissful renegades who scoffed at the concept of warehousing inventory and print runs, who giggled at the accepted policy of book returns whenever and wherever, who mined the reality of online sales and marketing through the major online booksellers on a global scale. Small publishers, after all, stood an almost non-existent chance of gaining space on the expensive real estate of bricks and mortar store-shelves. So why compete? And why bleed funds into expensive distribution which would only target a limited market with limited success? Why not target online global booksellers amenable to the kind of guerrilla marketing we happy few employed? 

There was an attendant cost, however, to that new-age thinking; it meant we sank or succeeded on our own nickel, without the floatation devices offered through government arts grants and funding. It meant reviewers and awards jurors having a problem with a curling lip when our print-on-demand, micro-press books showed up for consideration. That’s fine. A problem is simply a solution waiting to happen. We went to grassroots reviews, rather than critical reviews. (Ask yourself, does the average reader ever open the pages of a critical review journal?) We mostly eschewed literary awards which required a fee or some proof of pedigree. Instead, we again went to the people. And therein lays another phenomenon: there is no such thing as bad publicity. So even when one reader trashes a book, another reader purchases that same book just to find out about the hype. 

By 2010 I’d acquired a few orphaned titles from authors with a backlist, broadening our base, and through them other manuscripts, both non-fiction and fiction, started appearing in my email. That all seemed a little weird somehow, and there were days I felt like the kid wearing the superhero costume playing Let’s Pretend. But through it all was an honest desire to create something unique, to build relationships of trust and common purpose, so that author and publisher could work together toward a greater ideal. 

I knew what it was to be the writer in the dark of the closet, stuffing pages under the door. I knew what it was to sit on the other side of a desk as an editor, and find an endless repeat of errors from authors, and how to wield that blue pencil with both compassion and uncompromising standards. And now, I knew what it was to be a publisher, balancing a writer’s dreams with the imperatives of profitability. I felt, and still do, as though I’d found my life’s work, that I could still be the writer, but I could also share and put to good use my experience as an editor, and now as a publisher. But I get ahead of myself. The most pivotal event of 2010 was when I made the acquaintance of Dr. Robert Runté, whom I met through SFCanada. Our relationship, and subsequent friendship, developed around a query he sent me for a review copy of that hybrid novel of mine, Shadow Song. I’m sure, if Robert’s honest, he was expecting to find some sort of drek. He didn’t. And so a relationship of mutual respect and trust developed, so much that by 2011, Robert’s name was on Five Rivers’ masthead as Editor in Chief. Robert brought with him an immense body of knowledge and editorial skills. He believed in the vision I had for this crazy publishing house, and was willing to work alongside me as my Wing Man. How great is that?  

After that, things grew exponentially. Manuscripts flooded in. The usual two week or less turn-around for reading submissions expanded into weeks, then months. We went from those initial two books in 2008 to 32 now in publication (34 by the close of 2013.) And the beauty of the business model we embraced ensured all titles remain in publication until the agreement is terminated by either the author or Five Rivers. So, in essence, our titles earn money while we all sleep. 

In 2012 Jeff Minkevics came aboard as Five Rivers’ Art Director. Jeff’s background as a graphic artist and his own extraordinary vision and skill, marked another evolution for the publishing house. He has an ability to take an author’s vision and translate it into some of the most dynamic cover art we feel we’ve ever seen. 

Our publishing docket now projects forward eight years, with approximately 50 titles scheduled and under contract. Late in 2012, I had to make the painful decision to close our doors to submissions, simply because it was unfair to authors to ask them to wait so long for a response to their queries and to push publication dates out so far. I never wanted to be one of those houses. But there are attendant responsibilities to success. I am toying, however, with the concept of opening to submissions for a brief window every year, perhaps a two week period, just to keep the literary gene pool fresh. If we do, our mandate, however, still remains: to give voice to Canadian writers. 

Should that happen, what would snag our attention? In non-fiction we’re always looking for well-researched and documented material in a conversational tone. We’d likely be quite partial to meticulously documented experimental archeology, biographies of forgotten (or otherwise) Canadian figures, and First Nations issues. We are very unlikely to be interested in self-help, how-to, or religious offerings. In fiction, we always gravitate toward strong characterization, and focused point of view, elegance and precision in the use of language, and quirky twists and fresh insights. Whether literary fiction, or genre, there should never be a compromise in the beauty of the written word. Just write the most honest, compelling tale you can. Put it all out there, the beauty and the beasts, the subtlety and sometimes vagary of life. Capture us. Compel us to read the next word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, page. Hold us willing prisoner to the skill of your story-telling. 

Tell us a story. It’s that simple. And that hard. 

If you’re at all curious about the kind of work Five Rivers publishes, simply visit our website at www.fiveriverspublishing.com. You'll find our catalogue there. You will also find a series of posts under the Why We Published tag; those posts will give you further insight as to why a particular title snagged our acceptance. We can also be found on Facebook as both a group and page, and on Twitter under the handle @5rivers. 

Lorina's Bio: In 2008, Lorina established her own indie publishing house in direct response to the changing face of publishing. She brings with her over 20 years of experience as a freelance writer, author, and editor, and a commitment to publishing new Canadian voices which might otherwise remain silent. She has worked as editor, freelance journalist for national and regional print media, is author of seven books both fiction and non-fiction, been a festival organizer, publicist, lectures on many topics from historical textiles and domestic technologies, to publishing and writing, teaches, and continues to work as a writer, artist, and publisher.  She has had several short fiction pieces published in Canada’s acclaimed On Spec magazine and Marion Zimmer Bradley’s fantasy anthology Sword & Sorceress X. Her book credits include Stonehouse Cooks, Five Rivers Publishing 2011, From Mountains of Ice, Five Rivers Publishing 2009, And the Angels Sang, Five Rivers Publishing 2008, Shadow Song, Five Rivers Publishing 2008, Recipes of a Dumb Housewife, Lulu Publishing 2007, Credit River Valley, Boston Mills Press 1994, Touring the Giant's Rib: A Guide to the Niagara Escarpment, Boston Mills Press 1993. She is presently working on two new novels, The Rose Guardian and Caliban. She lives with her husband of nearly 40 years, and cat, in an historic stone house in Neustadt, Ontario. Lorina can be found at her website lorinastephens.blogspot.ca, Facebook and Twitter (@LorinaStephens).

(Thanks, Lorina. You're awesome!)

GUEST INTERVIEW WITH SALLY MCBRIDE, AUTHOR OF INDIGO TIME

THE FOLLOWING POST IS A GUEST INTERVIEW featuring Sally McBride and her debut novel, Indigo Time. I first learned of Sally's work when On Spec published her short story Softlinks in the 1991 Spring issue (coincidentally, the year I started as an editor with On Spec) and again, in On Spec's anthology, The First Five Years. I had the pleasure of meeting Sally for the first time in Toronto at the World Fantasy Convention in 2012. I'm very happy to feature her here. 

 1). To start off, Sally, please give us a short description of Indigo Time. How would you describe the book in terms of genre? Is it a sub-genre? A blended genre? A hybrid? Indigo Time is a hard book to describe, which made it a hard book to pitch. It doesn’t have a tag-line, like “Buffy meets Tarzan” or anything sound-bite-y that allows people to immediately understand what sort of read they’re getting into. Technically, I suppose it’s science fiction (lost colony world of a galactic empire, genetic engineering) but it reads more like a fantasy (primitive society ruled by a mad queen, psychic powers in evidence). It’s a story about a world dominated by a woman so immersed in her past and her quest for revenge that she is willing to sacrifice her own children to satisfy that lust. And about a genetically engineered horse which carries in his blood the means for her to do so. So, yeah, I’d call it a hybrid.

2). What was your inspiration (or inspirations) for writing Indigo Time? The book started as a short story that went nowhere, written when I was still learning that it takes more than a few pretty scenes to make a story. Some critique group friends read it, and one in particular liked it a lot and remembered it years later, giving me an injection of enthusiasm to revisit the tale. The original story was about a woman married against her will to the wrong man, and how she took her revenge. It was sentimental but I thought it had promise. I wanted to expand the lives of the characters I invented in the original short version, place them in a more wide open setting (a new world in an ancient and corrupt empire of worlds), and let them run free. Novel length seemed right, since I wanted to stick with my characters for several years of their lives, and take them into the heart of my evil queen’s long-term plan.

3). When did you start to write the book, and how long did it take you to finish it? I took an extraordinarily long time to finish it… I worked on Indigo Time, in its various incarnations, for 15 years, off and on. Mostly off. During that time I moved several times (in Canada and the US), my parents died, I got divorced, I got remarried… life tended to get in the way. Not that “life” is an excuse not to write, but it does tend to take up a lot of bandwidth. I’ve always worked slowly, but pretty steadily, and if I don’t write at least a couple of hundred words every few days I get a little antsy. When I get an idea, I start out “pantsing” (seat-of-the-pants writing), then when things get complicated I turn into a plotter. Using brief scenes, I generate an outline. I know what should happen, and the order of events leading to a climax and resolution, but along the way ideas, plot twists, characters, and embellishments pop into my mind. I work on several projects at once, switching from book to book as my enthusiasm and inventiveness wax and wane. I’m very glad to see Indigo Time in print at last.

4). How long did it take you to find a publisher? I actually found a publisher for an earlier draft of the novel over 10 years ago. It languished there, unattended, and I got interested in several other projects. I’d think about it now and then, but it kind of dropped below my radar until a friend said, “Why not talk to Robert Runté at Five Rivers? He’s looking for manuscripts.” Since Robert and I were both attending the 2012 World Fantasy Conference in Toronto, it seemed like a great chance to talk about the book. Robert expressed an interest in seeing it and I was thrilled. Not only is he an experienced freelance editor of science fiction and fantasy, he also serves as Five Rivers’ Editor-in-Chief. He acquired the manuscript and put it on the fast track.

5). What were your most difficult moments when writing the book? What were your best? Overall, the fact that this story sat around for years in an unfinished form, nagging at my subconscious, was the worst. I went through periods of just wanting to forget it, call it a practice novel, and move on. The realization that other people—whose opinions I respect—might find merit in it was the best. As far as the manuscript itself—it was that darn opening few pages that brought me to my knees. Not without a fight, mind you. Robert Runté showed endless patience coupled with an iron will (and the sharp eyes and ears of a born editor), and finally a new opening scene grew out of his insistence that 'no, someone sitting on a horse thinking' does not constitute an action scene. 

6). I found many wonderful things about Indigo Time, in particular, the complexity of your characters and their relationships, ie., the difficult marriage and frustrated tensions between Grae Tarlannat and his wife, Kael, the conflicted feelings between mother and daughter, Kael and Nikkolue, as well as others. Your portrayal of these relationships is potent and honest. Why explore difficult emotional situations? Do you feel they draw the reader? What is your process for building such characters and relationships? Stories are about people. Interesting stories are about complex, troubled people doing things that complicate their lives. Resentment, jealousy, and unrequited love drive the stormy relationship between Grae and Kael. A twisted obsession with her stunted (literally) past makes my villain, Marrula, do what she does. Without conflict, a book is just a recitation of who does what to whom. As soon as you ask why they are doing it, things start to liven up. Why does my protagonist hate her husband? Why does one of my main male characters feel like a useless coward? Remember the TV show Ugly Betty? About a plain but feisty Latina girl trying to make it in the fashion world? Betty gave me a quote: “Find your way in, by making it personal.” It’s a good rule for starting an opening scene, and it’s good to remember to keep it personal all through the story. Readers are interested, generally, more in what believable people are doing and thinking than in descriptions of scenery, lumps of back story, and narrative explanations of politics or whatever. If I have a scene that’s dragging, I try to find a way to tell it in dialogue, or in a different point of view, while watching out for the dreaded, “As you know, Bob” trap. If I can get a view of my world through someone’s eyes and heart, rather than just describing it, then I know I’m succeeding.

7). Your antagonist, Marrula Tamara, immortal, ruler of Strand, and great-grandmother to Nikkolue is one of the most evil and psychopathic antagonists I’ve ever encountered. I suspect this is because you play on our sensitivities—grandmothers are not supposed to take advantage of their grandchildren. When you create an antagonist, what are your building blocks? How do you make them so memorable? I love to hate my antagonists, but they are my literary children too, just as much as my stalwart hero or my pure-of-heart heroine are. If I have any tip at all on how to create a truly nasty character, it’s, don’t hold back. I tend often to be too nice  (the Canadian in me perhaps); I have to remember that the villain usually thinks they are right—that is, their chosen course of action makes perfect sense to them. They aren’t trying to be evil, per se, they are trying to win, or at least survive. When driven into a corner, the meekest rat will fight, so a clever, driven villain must fight as hard as possible to gain what they want. If they trample others in the process—well, that’s part of doing business. I do think that Marrula Tamara gets a bit carried away with enjoying being bad… but she is half-crazy. She has a cherished goal in mind, and it has taken over her thoughts too much. I’d really like to give her a chance to redeem herself.

8). Your use of a character’s interior dialogue is very well done, reflective of how most people think. As writers, we’re encouraged to write prose that is lean, vivid, and strong. In Indigo Time, you do this remarkably well, even when your characters’ thoughts skip from topic to topic as your immortal wizard/veterinarian Olren Warrek’s do, in particular. What tips do you have for writing great interior dialogue? It helps if you spend a lot of time inside your own head, rummaging around. I often find myself having lively conversations with imaginary, or remembered, people. It’s good practice for dialogue both interior and exterior. People’s heads are full of misinformation. Resentments fester, lies take hold, imaginary slights grow large. There is also truth in there, things people know but would never admit. In a character who is virtually immortal, things get forgotten, twisted, mashed up, or misfiled. Interior dialogue is a good way to reveal character, for you can show hidden facets that wouldn’t come out in narrative, or regular dialogue. The thoughts of a young, innocent girl are very different from those of a jaded, immortal scientist, or a brooding, self-pitying mother.

9). What themes were you personally exploring in Indigo Time? Why? Learning or finding personal courage. Forgiveness. The dynamics of a family in stress. How people can hang on to hate, however irrationally, because somehow, it's a comfort. Hate can be a stalwart friend who tells you that you’re right, even when in your heart you suspect you are wrong. The pitfalls of immortality, which sounds great until you have to live it.

10). Indigo Time works well as a stand-alone novel, but you’ve left the way clear for more of the story to come. I would love to read a sequel. Any plans for one? Yes, I have a sequel plotted out, very loosely. It follows many of the main characters of Indigo Time and starts about 16 years later. It involves contact—at last—with the Empire that stranded them on their beautiful, lonely world so long ago, and introduces several new characters. One of the main characters from Indigo Time undergoes a complete change. Its themes are revenge, love, and lust, and how they can be mistaken for obsessive hatred, and the healing power of forgiveness. Quite similar in theme to Indigo Time, but with more spaceships. 

11). Where can readers find Indigo Time, and what other books of yours are available? Indigo Time is available directly from the publisher, Five Rivers Publishing, as a print or an e-book. It can also be found at the usual online venues where readers can take a peek inside (see below). I had an exciting summer - another novel, Water, Circle, Moon, came out from Masque Books, a new e-book only imprint of Prime Books. Water, Circle, Moon is an expansion of a short story published by On Spec Magazine - it's a romantic fantasy set in modern day England, and features shape-shifters. Horse shape-shifters. Do I detect an equine theme? People are welcome to check out my (rather lame, I'm techno-challenged) website at sallymcbridesf.ca. I'm currently working on The Nightingale's Tooth, a fantasy set in an alternate medieval France, and Unconfigured Stars, a science fiction novel about shape-shifters, but without any hint of horses. As usual I have lots of other projects at various states of completion.

Thank you, Sally! If you'd like to read Indigo Time, you can find it in print or for e-books, here:

From Amazon: 

From Kobo:

From Five Rivers Publishing:

SEVEN SPOTLIGHT QUESTIONS - MY WRITING LIFE and THE TATTOOED WITCH

THE FOLLOWING POST APPEARS SIMULTANEOUSLY on Graeme Brown's website on his Author in the Spotlight page. Graeme is a Winnipeg artist and fantasy writer. I met him in Calgary at When Words Collide when we shared a panel on Hybrid books. He interviewed me a few weeks back about my life as a writer and my debut novel, The Tattooed Witch. Today, I'm the featured writer on his blog. I thought I'd share my responses to his questions here.

SEVEN SPOTLIGHT QUESTIONS: 

#1: Why do you write? I think anyone who is creative needs to express that creativity. Another way to put this question is to ask, “What happens when I don’t write?” I can go for about a week at most, before I become disgusted with myself for not writing. Everything else begins to look like fill, or fluff, or a waste of time (especially if I’ve had to tend to domestic needs). The same thing happens when I’m blocked, usually when I’m not sure how to write a difficult scene. That fuels even more self-disgust and a frustrated edginess because I’m not meeting the problem head-on. Writing is my fix that satisfies my need to create. I have other creative outlets, but none fulfill me as much as writing does. When I write, I’m the creator of my world. 

#2: What was your earliest writing experience? My earliest experience was as a nine year-old ghost writer for my seven year-old sister who was supposed to write a story for her Grade Two class. As we talked about her story, I became so enthusiastic about it, I took over the project.  We had no idea this was wrong at the time. (We got an ‘A’, I think.)

#3: Describe a day in your writing life: This is an embarrassing question. I waste so much time dithering about with e-mail and perusing Facebook when I should be focusing on my writing. I blame this on summer, kids at home, grass to cut, other chores, etc. Now that fall is here, I hope to waste less time. A good day starts after I’ve read my mail (around 9:30). I write for about four or five hours, usually finishing around 2:00 to 2:30. Then it’s time to take the dog for a walk or handle family/house requirements. 

#4: What authors influenced you and how? One of the first fantasy books I read as a teenager was The Compleat Enchanter by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt which included three novellas, The Roaring Trumpet, the Mathematics of Magic and The Castle of Iron. I still love this collection, even though the stories were originally published in 1940/41. I’d never read a fantasy novel before, but I picked it up because I liked the cover (which depicted a guy riding a hippogriff I think - I can’t be sure. Three kids later, I still have the book, but no cover). Reading The Compleat Enchanter started me on my journey as a fantasy reader and then writer. I ran into L. Sprague de Camp at a convention years later, and stammered my thanks for both the book and setting me on my writing career. I’m sure he thought I was deranged. Since that time, I’ve also been influenced by David Eddings (the Belgariad series), Anne McCaffery (Dragon Riders of Perne), and historical writers like Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind), Phillipa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl), and Diana Gabaldon (Outlander series). I also adore Scott Lynch and Guy Gavriel Kay.

#5: What are some things you learned to help with your success? Never give up. Like any profession, writing requires an apprenticeship – it takes time (years) to learn the craft. Promote your work, (but be thoughtful about it). Believe in yourself and trust in your voice, especially if you’re delving into unusual or unpopular themes. Trust that you have something worthwhile to say, and say it. 

#6: Describe your writing method: I start with a plot outline, knowing the major points I want to hit. It might take me up to two weeks of scribbling notes and thinking about plot, character, etc. to come up with a decent outline. I know enough not to hurry this process or be impatient with it. The fun and frustration comes when I need to work out lesser points (for example, points b, c, and d, while trying to get from A to E). With the first draft, I edit as I go, tweaking the language, choosing a better word, rewriting dialogue, fixing typos. I will often review a scene I wrote the day before in order to get my mind into the work before moving ahead. Sometimes, at the quarter point (about 25,000 words mark), I may have a brilliant idea for a new character, which means I have to go back to rewrite. This happened in my trilogy’s second book, The Tattooed Seer. Subsequent drafts seem to go in the following stages: 2^nd draft is about structure, what’s working, and what needs to be cut, where major shifts in plot occur, and if they occur in the right places, etc. 3^rd draft is about chapter dynamics (chapter ends to keep the reader reading, combining chapters that are too short, etc.), and polishing – looking for word repetitions (especially on the same page), similar sentence structures that need to be varied, making sure earlier ideas are reflected properly later, and so on. The 4^th draft is the final go-through, where I make sure the book flows, has proper tension, presents strong visuals and has just the right amount of emotional impact. I usually get a better feel for this after some time has lapsed, at least a month. Eventually, the book ends up with my editor, who suggests further changes. Then it’s more tweaking until we’re both happy with it.

#7: Tips for aspiring writers: Write every day. Read critically, paying attention to how the professionals you admire handle plot, tension, dialogue, setting, etc. Read as many ‘how to’ books as you can, because even if you’ve been writing for some time, you can always afford to learn from the experts. Don’t release any work too soon: instead, get constructive feedback from others, especially if they write at a higher level than you do. And always, always – strive to be better.

About The Tattooed Witch: The Tattooed Witch had its infancy in a family myth. For years, my mother’s side of the family contended that their people, the Frankos, were originally connected to Spanish royalty but were kicked out of Spain by the king. The more likely story was that we were either Jews or gypsies who had been forced out of Spain for religious reasons. In 1492, after Ferdinand and Isabella defeated the Moors in Granada (the Reconquista), non-Catholics (Jews, gypsies, and Moors) were told to convert to the true faith or leave. I suspect my mother’s family opted to convert, and then later to flee to Austria (now part of the Ukraine) rather than face the Inquisition. I learned through further research that Franko (or Franco, the Spanish spelling) is a Jewish converso name. As for a possible gypsy link, one of my ancestors, Ivan Franko, novelist, poet, and Ukrainian social activist, wrote in great support of the Roma people at a time when they were much reviled in his adopted land. His outward support may actually reflect a deeper familial connection. 

The Tattooed Witch delves into a number of themes: I wanted to explore the ideas of religious persecution vs. religious freedom, personal spiritual experience, and brushes with the occult. I wanted to paint a bigger reality than what we normally experience with our five limited senses. Finally, I wanted to look at the different kinds of love we experience (physical and emotional/platonic and otherwise), and how love is defined by the people involved. Mix in a little magic, tattoos, flamenco, and history that's reflective of actual people and events, and you have The Tattooed Witch.

Elevator Pitch: When Miriam Medina and her father are accused by the Inquisition of murdering a high priest, Miriam knows justice is impossible. Their accuser, the Grand Inquisitor, is in fact, the real murderer. Miriam’s only hope is to resort to her long dead mother’s magical legacy: the resurrection of the dead through a magical tattoo.  

I've previously posted the first two chapters of The Tattooed Witch on Suzenyms. You can find them here: http://suzenyms.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-tattooed-witch-first-two-chapters_1.html

If you want to read a bit more, you can read most of the first four chapters at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tattooed-Witch-Susan-McGregor/dp/1927400333/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379521184&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tattooed+witch#reader_B00DZ25XAC

FINALLY, if you'd like to support me as a writer and haven't yet bought a copy of The Tattooed Witch (you'll have my undying thanks if you do - with all the hundreds of thousands of choices of books out there, it's so important for debut novelists like myself to get as much help as they can), you can buy my book from Amazon, Kobo, or Five Rivers Publishing, below: 
 
For the Kindle at only $3.66 - a steal! Or $19.57 paperback: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tattooed-Witch-Susan-McGregor/dp/1927400333/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379522874&sr=8-1&keywords=the+tattooed+witch
For the Kobo at only $4.99: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/Search?Query=The+tattooed+Witch
For either print or e-books from Five Rivers Publishing - Support your local small press! ($25.99 for print and $4.99 for e-book) Go half way down the catalogue list, and you’ll see it: http://www.fiveriverspublishing.com/p/fiction-adult.html

Thanks for your support! Next post, we're back to regular programming.