Saturday, September 29, 2007

October Issue of Lorelei Signal


Lorelei Signal is a bi-monthly on-line zine featuring science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. The only "rule" is that the story features a strong woman. Yea! on that. Fortunately, that's the type of story I write, so I've been privileged to have three stories published by Lorelei. The latest, "The Delegate," is in the October issue which will go live on September 30th. Nice illustration by Lee Kuruganti >>


All of my past stories are archived, so you can check them out now.




Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Google Book Search

When I published Tales of a Texas Boy, I had the option to place my book on Google Book Search. Well, here it is something like 12 weeks later. Still the presentation is kind of cool and if you want to sample the text, it's there for the tasting.

Tales of a Texas Boy on Google Book Search

I'm not sure who uses Google Book Search and to what purpose, but it might be interesting to find out if anything happens because of it. How will I know? I haven't a clue.

However, I'll say that GBS is interesting to browse. While looking for my own book, I searched for the generalized tag "Dasef". I found all sorts of interesting things. . .about my husband's family. Try it on your own family name if it's unusual enough. If found old year books from Michigan colleges from the 1920's. We discovered that one of my husband's uncles had lots of material produced in medical journals. I already knew about Grandpa Dasef's History of Montcalm County, but it was fun nonetheless. My original last name is Perkins and it doesn't get much related to me. But, it's fun to noodle around in GBS.

Monday, September 24, 2007

It's Alive!

Update: The Buy button is now live.

The ebook version of "Tales of a Texas Boy" now has its sales page up with my pretty picture on it. I'm going to keep that photo until the end of time. So what if I'm three four (grumble) years older than when it was taken?

Tales of a Texas Boy at Cantarabooks

See the Cantarabooks main page here.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Two New Reviews

Tales has received a couple of new reviews over the last week.

Womblin, an editor for the sadly-departed The Deepening, posted a review on her blog.
Womblin's World
Indeed, these tales are addictive. I challenge anyone to only read one without wanting to continue to the next. Overall, a lovely and valuable collection, I highly recommend it.

Ed Cox, author of Living Stone writes critiques for Sam's Dot Publishing. Read the entire review at Storyteller
All in all, there’s nothing to dislike about Tales of a Texas Boy. With the help of her father’s testaments, Dasef recreates the era with real clarity. She conjures the characters and landscape until you can hear that southern drawl, and taste the dust in your mouth. One day a scriptwriter will find this book, and discover that it lends itself just as entertainingly to a TV series.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Introducing Jo-Brew

I met Jo when she signed up for my Meet the Authors event. She's written five novels, with the latest, "Marge: Back on Track," just out. Jo's writing emphasis is on women's lives--how they cope with life-changing situations, such as a husband's stroke, a daughter's drug addiction, and mother's terminal cancer. The stories are touching and very real for those who have gone through these situations, but also uplifting in how Jo's heroine's handle life.

You can purchase Jo's books through Amazon. Visit her website for a complete list and links.


Now, on to the interview questions. By the way, I also want to thank Jo for coming up with good questions to ask herself. I'm just claiming credit for blatantly stealing the questions she asked me.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in the southeastern part of Colorado, left for California as a toddler and arrived in Southern Oregon to begin high school. Keeping my restless soul in a restricted area, I have managed to stay in the Eugene area since my older children, began high school. They are all grown and very independent now so my husband and I are on our own to chase our dreams. During those years I taught school, eventually left to delve into real estate sales, and then into a stint building and remodeling as a couple. All that time, I was writing, non fiction newsletters, articles, guides and a couple of undercover efforts at short stories. When I could officially call myself retired, I began taking the writing seriously with classes, workshops and critique groups. I’m still doing those.

Now I write fiction dealing with the issues contemporary women face in their lives. My fifth novel has just been released. "Marge, Back on Track," is the second in a series of women in retirement. Marge is an athletic and active woman who leaves the career she loves to take care of her husband after he’s had a stroke. His attitude soon makes her care an obligation and stretches the boundaries of her abilities.

I also write a weekly column for a newspaper in Creswell, a nearby small and growing town. The column gives me deadlines and puts me in front of the keyboard to keep me stimulated on a regular basis. The Creswell Chronicle also archives my columns on the web so they are accessible to anyone who is interested. My children keep track of me that way.

How has living in Oregon affected your writing?

It is the basis of all my stories, they are all set in Oregon. I’m grounded now and appreciate where I am. I find a rich environment here. When I take a character to Seattle, I suffer the pain of having to go visit and research. The same applies to San Francisco or the coast. In the first retirement novel, "What Next, Ms. Elliott?", Ruth Elliott sadly needed the make a mid winter trip to Arizona. Very nice for me.

Where do your ideas come from?

Something I see, a woman walking by my house daily in very short, shorts but using a cane, an isolated farm house, a woman sitting on the curb of a parking lot to cry. Anything that stimulates my interest. The three retirement stories started from a telephone conversation with a friend-I think the honest word would be gossip.

Was there ever a moment you thought you couldn’t write?

No. Not even when I didn’t really know how. There were lot’s of moments when I was afraid no one would be interested–there still are.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Between one and two years. "Marge, Back on Track" will be officially released next week and I am revising the first draft of the next book in the series, "Anne Marie’s New Melody" (The title is always subject to change.) I am hoping to be able to hold it in my hands next fall.
How do you manage time for writing?

Mostly, I get up very early. I am active in several groups as well as serve as chief chauffeur for my mother which all take a lot of daytime hours. I don’t watch much TV so I have do have free hours when my husband is involved and I can disappear.

How can readers learn more about you?

Visit my website, http://www.jo-brew.com/. Besides information about me and about what I write, there are links to all my connections.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Lots of New Stuff

My, but it's been busy around here lately.

Tales received a lovely review on Cocktail Reviews, which I've mentioned here before. Read the review here. Here's the summary:
A lovely set of tales, read in one sitting. I couldn’t put the book down. With a wonderful voice throughout, Ms. Dasef brought sadness, humour, and contentment to my day. I’m very glad I selected Tales of a Texas Boy for review. Delightful!

I received the proof copy for the ebook version of Tales of a Texas Boy, which is published by Cantarabooks LLC. Originally scheduled for a November release, it looks like it will show up within the next week or so. How fun is that!

Of course, today is the scheduled release date for Weirdly published by Wild Child Publishing. I've got a few stories in that, so I hope you'll buy a copy.

Jo-Brew posted about Tales and her interview of me on Women Writing the West. I encourage everybody to check out the site if you're interested in a writers' organization for western authors, those who live in the west and those who write about it.

And I invite you to check a new blog I found titled BitchAngelEditor. I read that as Bit Change lEditor, so I thought it must be French (l'editor). See what an editor would like to say about major problems with submissions--those show-stoppers that might keep your book from being published. Words to the wise.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Weirdly Gets Its First Review

The first review of the horror anthology Weirdly is on Cocktail Reviews.

Buy the ebook at Wild Child Publishing.

Being an egotistical writer, here's a quote from the review on one of my stories:

The Country Faire

Oh! Much delight with this one. Gritty, to the point, the voice in this story is punchy and spot on for the subject matter. MC has an unfortunate incident happen at the country faire. One that she insists on correcting year after year…

Payback is a bitch.

This tale got my evil side going. Yeah, now where’s my knife…?

Review written by White Russian of Cocktail Reviews.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Writers Meet

Not too many attendees, but the writers had fun yakking and exchanging books. I've posted photos on my website if anybody would like to take a look.

Writers Meet at Daneland - September 12th