First Duty Now in Kindle

My YA science fiction novella, First Duty, is now available on Amazon in Kindle format.

First Duty - Kindle Edition

Of course, if you don't happen to own a Kindle reader, you can buy the trade paperback of First Duty from The Genre Mall. The print edition was published by Sam's Dot Publishing - a great place to find all of your science fiction, fantasy, and horror reading.

If You Could See Her - on ISSUU Site

I'm posting stories which were already published here and there on the ISSUU site. Here's the mini-viewer. Yeah, you can't read it, but you can click on the link at the bottom to open it on a larger screen. I've also published a story titled "Fish Story" on ISSUU. Find it here.

Get your own - Open publication

Why Am I Even Thinking About This?

NANOWRIMO: Write 50K in one month. This is an enforced exercise on writing. Don't dwell, don't think, don't edit. Just write like a sumbitch to get to 50K words. I got 50K in 2006, but only 35K in 2007. I've got an outline going with lots of fun stuff. Enough for the magic 50K? No clue as yet. I think I'll do this just to get a jump start on the next segment of the adventures of Katya, the arctic witch. I'm querying the first two books as a single volume. It could be two short books or one long one. I'm going with the double-book just because I've not got good response on the first (which was last year's Nano). The agents are congenital idiots, of course. Just kidding, dear agents.

This series is funny, full of accurate real world info, full of funny stuff, full of great cultural references. What can I say? Agents look at a query and say "no" before they have a clue about the book. So, I will forge ahead. I will find a publisher for the wonderful world of Katya. The third part will get a head start during November.

Here's the basics so far:

Katya decides to go to Stonehenge for her winter abroad. Yeah, witches from the arctic island of Galdorheim take winter instead of summer. They can't get off the damned island unless they do. The teen witch heads for Stonehenge via Scotland and gets hung up in the Highlands with a variety of Scottish legendary characters. I'd say more, but I've not worked out all the details yet.

The first two books are "Bad Spelling" and "Midnight Oil." The series is titled "The Witches of Galdorheim."

Nebula Nominee Mary Turzillo Interview

Mary Turzillo's story, "Pride," was nominated for a Nebula. The Nebula awards are awarded yearly for Best of several categories, including novels, novellas, stories, screenplays, etc. It's a major award in the Science Fiction community.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mary for the Nebula Interviews page of the SFF.

About the Award

The Nebula Awards ® are voted on, and presented by,active members of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Founded as the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1965 by Damon Knight, the organization began with a charter membership of 78 writers; it now has over 1,500 members, among them many of the leading writers of science fiction and fantasy. Click here for more.

See also:
There's a Dragon in My Soup - Part 1
There's a Dragon in My Soup - Part 2

In Memorium: Darren Patrick Perkins

My nephew, Darren (age 30) was killed on October 6th in a single-car accident. Today is the Celebration of Life. I made my own card for his parents and included this quote.

"Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you: whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone: wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same that it ever was: there is absolutely unbroken continuity. What is this death but a gateway? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near just around the corner. All is well."
Henry Scott Holland

"First Duty" Review

Reviewed by Ed Cox for Beyond Centauri issue 22

Beyond Centauri is a magazine of fantasy, science fiction, and ewww-gross for younger readers [for readers of all ages], published quarterly on the 1st day of January, April, July, and October. Beyond Centauri publishes short stories, poems, illustrations, puzzles, articles, and movie reviews.

FIRST DUTY

by Marva Dasef

Dilemma is an important part of storytelling. There must be a problem for characters to first discover, then explore, and finally overcome. From historical fiction to tales of the far future, the dilemma, the quandary, the catch-22, is always present. With her science fiction novel First Duty, Marva Dasef weighs in with a dilemma that might just change the rule of the universe.

Nyra is a recent graduate of the Space Service. She is eager to prove her worth within an interstellar police force that is controlled by the mighty government-cum-corporation IncPlan. Nyra’s service begins in a baptism of fire when her first mission is to guard the transfer of the infamous criminal Caspar. Caspar is the head of a rebellion fighting against IncPlan, and he is just about the most wanted man in the universe. But when he escapes from custody, Nyra’s troubles begin, and not in the way she expects.

Dasef has researched her novel well, and the plot and landscape are developed and presented clearly. Earth’s population had spread to colonise a multitude of other planets. On occasion, human physiology has been adapted to survive in differing atmospheres, and this ensures the side characters who enter the story are interesting and often unique. Space Service’s primary function is to police the huge gulfs of space between the human colonies, and to ensure that IncPlan’s law is followed to the letter, without question. The universe is safe under IncPlan’s rule, but nothing is ever as it seems.

When Nyra next meets Caspar, it is as his hostage. She comes to learn that he is far from the savage criminal IncPlan has drawn him to be. Caspar is a gentleman, a man of morals, fighting what he claims is the good fight against the injustices of the hierarchy. Nyra is intrigued by Caspar, but not convinced by his reason, and she’s willing to play along for now. However, when certain facts arise concerning IncPlan, and her family, Nyra’s beliefs and loyalties are shaken up. But where does her first duty lie? To the pursuit of truth? Or to the laws of her masters which she has sworn to enforce?

Although First Duty has depth and detail, Dasef ensures that her first duty is to entertainment, as this kind of science fiction demands. The plot and characters have their dilemmas and intricacies, but this tale never forgets to have fun. Dasef has created a universe here, a future for an ever-changing human race that’s just begging to be filled with more stories.

The Winners Are (drum roll)

First place draw was for Lorrie Struiff. She chose a large print edition of "Tales of a Texas Boy."

Lorrie Unites-Struiff lives in West Mifflin, near Pittsburgh PA. She has published short stories in various genres, but her favorite is humor. Lorrie is now working on a paranormal novella titled Gypsy Crystal.

Second place draw was for Ruby Blotzer. She chose "First Duty."

Ruby is a SAH Mom that loves to read, write, and just hanging with her kids. I write lots of poetry and fan fics. Mostly though, she wants to be a full time writer. You can read a bit of her work on

http://memoirsofafallenangel.blogspot.com/

and just her general opinion on the world around us at http://rapidhotdog.blogspot.com/

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH BOOK WINNERS!

Book Drawing Complete!

The two winners have been notified. When I hear back from them, I'll post a little bio of each. Hey, how cool! Both are writers. Hmm. Maybe all the entrants are writers. I think I know a lot of authors.

Anyway, to those who entered, I'll be sending an email to confirm that you're a big, fat loser. That wasn't nice. How about winner-impaired?

If either of the winners chooses to not participate, I've got all the little pieces of papers saved and will draw another.