Showing posts with label author extra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author extra. Show all posts
19 May 2016
Cosplay and my inspiration for "All 'Ships May Sail" - Part I
All ’Ships May Sail was, in part, inspired by a real incident. Years ago, while the show Xena: Warrior Princess was still in production, I attended a convention with my friends and fellow Xena fans. I was dressed as Gabrielle, complete with dyed strawberry-blonde hair and green contact lenses to complete the image. On the bulletin board in the con’s registration area was the message that Lori finds at the beginning of the story. I replied to it just as she does, but I never met that Xena so that was as far as things went. I still sometimes wonder who wrote that note and if they ever found the Gabrielle they were looking for.
28 December 2011
Rose & Thorn Release Day Extra!
It's release day! *happy dances* And you don't even have to go out in the cold to buy yourself a copy. Isn't that convenient? ;-) Just pop on over to Torquere Books and you can buy it right now! Whee!
Here, as promised, is a scene you won't find between the covers of the book. I hope you like it!
ROSE & THORN by Maia Strong
Torquere Press, December 28, 2011
"There's a new fellow in town for auditions," said Jasper.
His sister, Jade, looked at him with one eyebrow raised in challenge. "There's a hundred new fellows in town, and all for Rose and Thorns auditions," she reminded him. "And I only care about them if they're bringing their business to my pub."
It was in that very pub that the two of them currently sat. It was past closing time, and they were the only ones there. Even the boy who swept the floors had long since finished up and gone to bed.
Jasper shook his head and persevered. "No, I mean, I think this fellow's got potential, you know?"
Her reply was cautious. "What makes you say that?"
"Just something about him. He's got a presence."
"He'd be a damned poor actor if he didn't."
"No, no. There's an air about him that feels like the mountains."
Jade sighed with a weariness that was only partially due to long hours on her feet tending to customers. "You and your mountains."
"They're your mountains, too."
She shook her head. "We live here now, boyo. You need to let go of the past."
"I have!" he protested.
She turned on her seat and leaned an arm on the wooden bar. Her keen eyes regarded him closely. "Have you? Jasper, you're my little brother and you know I want you to be happy. I'm just worried about you, is all."
He knew what she meant. There was no way he couldn't. He looked away. "I'm fine."
"I'm sure you are." Her tone belied the words.
The empty bar room was quiet around them. The few lanterns that were still lit glowed warmly. The darkness beyond the windows was absolute. They might have been the only people left in the world.
It was Jade who finally broke the silence, her voice soft and kind. "I just don't want you getting your heart broken again. You open it up so quickly, and you hurt so much when someone disappoints you like that."
He met her gaze once more, and this time he held if fast. "I'll be careful. I promise."
Letting that subject go, Jade chose another. "And what about the job? If you don't get it? How will you be then?"
"I can handle it," he said firmly. "I'm an actor. I'm used to rejection. I know how not to take it personally." He gave her a little smile, which she returned.
"All right," she relented. "Maybe I'm worried about you for no good reason. You're a grown man, and I should mind my own business."
Jasper reached out and took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "You're family, and don't you dare."
They both chuckled at that.
"In that case, off to bed with you, young man!" scolded Jade, a twinkle of mirth in her bright blue eyes. "You need your sleep. You may well be starting a new job in the morning, and they're going to want your best work."
Grinning, Jasper called her on her contractions. "First, you say I won't get it, and now you say I will?"
She made a dismissive noise and waved a hand at him. "Since when does logic apply to theater, or to me, for that matter? Now off you go!"
He hopped off the bar stool and stood up especially straight. "Yes, ma'am!" Letting his amusement go, he reached out and hugged her. "Thanks, sis."
She returned the embrace warmly. "I'm always here for you, Jasper."
"I know."
*****
I hope I've managed to pique your curiosity. Why not pop over to Torquere's site and pick up a copy for yourself. And while you're at it, pick up a second one for a friend!
Happy (almost) New Year!
Here, as promised, is a scene you won't find between the covers of the book. I hope you like it!
ROSE & THORN by Maia Strong
Torquere Press, December 28, 2011
"There's a new fellow in town for auditions," said Jasper.
His sister, Jade, looked at him with one eyebrow raised in challenge. "There's a hundred new fellows in town, and all for Rose and Thorns auditions," she reminded him. "And I only care about them if they're bringing their business to my pub."
It was in that very pub that the two of them currently sat. It was past closing time, and they were the only ones there. Even the boy who swept the floors had long since finished up and gone to bed.
Jasper shook his head and persevered. "No, I mean, I think this fellow's got potential, you know?"
Her reply was cautious. "What makes you say that?"
"Just something about him. He's got a presence."
"He'd be a damned poor actor if he didn't."
"No, no. There's an air about him that feels like the mountains."
Jade sighed with a weariness that was only partially due to long hours on her feet tending to customers. "You and your mountains."
"They're your mountains, too."
She shook her head. "We live here now, boyo. You need to let go of the past."
"I have!" he protested.
She turned on her seat and leaned an arm on the wooden bar. Her keen eyes regarded him closely. "Have you? Jasper, you're my little brother and you know I want you to be happy. I'm just worried about you, is all."
He knew what she meant. There was no way he couldn't. He looked away. "I'm fine."
"I'm sure you are." Her tone belied the words.
The empty bar room was quiet around them. The few lanterns that were still lit glowed warmly. The darkness beyond the windows was absolute. They might have been the only people left in the world.
It was Jade who finally broke the silence, her voice soft and kind. "I just don't want you getting your heart broken again. You open it up so quickly, and you hurt so much when someone disappoints you like that."
He met her gaze once more, and this time he held if fast. "I'll be careful. I promise."
Letting that subject go, Jade chose another. "And what about the job? If you don't get it? How will you be then?"
"I can handle it," he said firmly. "I'm an actor. I'm used to rejection. I know how not to take it personally." He gave her a little smile, which she returned.
"All right," she relented. "Maybe I'm worried about you for no good reason. You're a grown man, and I should mind my own business."
Jasper reached out and took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "You're family, and don't you dare."
They both chuckled at that.
"In that case, off to bed with you, young man!" scolded Jade, a twinkle of mirth in her bright blue eyes. "You need your sleep. You may well be starting a new job in the morning, and they're going to want your best work."
Grinning, Jasper called her on her contractions. "First, you say I won't get it, and now you say I will?"
She made a dismissive noise and waved a hand at him. "Since when does logic apply to theater, or to me, for that matter? Now off you go!"
He hopped off the bar stool and stood up especially straight. "Yes, ma'am!" Letting his amusement go, he reached out and hugged her. "Thanks, sis."
She returned the embrace warmly. "I'm always here for you, Jasper."
"I know."
*****
I hope I've managed to pique your curiosity. Why not pop over to Torquere's site and pick up a copy for yourself. And while you're at it, pick up a second one for a friend!
Happy (almost) New Year!
26 July 2010
False Dawn - Author Extra!
Where did the weekend go? And on top of that, where did this morning go!? (Okay, I know where this morning went. It went to making two apple pies for the freezer. And there are still apples left for a nice crumble.)
It's the last day of my space barbecue and I've had great fun! I hope you have, too. To celebrate, I have the author extra I wrote especially for Release Day. Just because some lines got crossed and the book actually came out Saturday doesn't mean we can't keep the party going through today. Right? Right!
And along those lines, here's that Release Day Author Extra I mentioned. Hope you like it!
False Dawn by Maia Strong
Available from Torquere Press
EARLY NEWS HOUR THEME MUSIC RUNS AS TITLE TEXT AND GRAPHICS GIVE WAY TO:
SHOT OF MALE NEWS ANCHOR SEATED BEHIND DESK
IMAGE OF ENGINEER DAYAN ANDRUS, DRESSED IN STANDARD ENGINEERING COVERALLS, APPEARS IN UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF SCREEN
NEWS ANCHOR: Good morning. Here’s the early news. Our lead story, a senior engineer has vanished into thin air. Yoshiko Didier reports.
CUT TO FEMALE REPORTER STANDING IN CORRIDOR OUTSIDE DOOR MARKED “SECURE AREA -- AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY -- CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR ACCESS”
DIDIER: Thank you, Steven. I’m standing outside Section 4 of Sector AP-10 on Aconcagua Deck. It’s beyond here that Senior Engineer Dayan Andrus supposedly disappeared over forty hours ago.
DIDIER CONT. [IRONIC TONE]: Of course, we can’t access the area directly without authorization due to the security precautions around the File Room, and that authorization has not been forthcoming. But is it just the sensitivity of what’s behind this door that’s keeping us out?
SCHEMATIC APPEARS ON-SCREEN
DIDIER: What you’re looking at here is the schematic for the section behind me. You’ll note the lack of doors and internal access hatches. There aren’t even ventilation ducts in the area of the alleged disappearance.
CAMERA RETURNS TO DIDIER LOOKING SKEPTICAL; SCHEMATIC SHRINKS TO UPPER LEFT CORNER OF SCREEN
DIDIER: Security claims to have no leads in the case. Judging by the obvious inaccessibility of the location, one might not be surprised. But can Lažna Zora’s vaunted security force really be so in the dark as that? Or could there be more here than meets the eye? I believe there’s more to this story than we’re being told. Could this disappearance be a case of experimentation gone wrong? Might Engineer Andrus have been the subject, knowing or unknowing, of new technology designed to transport a human being from one location to another instantaneously?
IMAGE OF SCHEMATIC IS REPLACED BY PICTURE OF DARK-HAIRED MAN IN ENGINEERING COVERALLS
DIDIER CONT.: I spoke earlier today with the Assistant Chief Engineer Alan Zamyatin who assured me, quite emphatically, that no one in Engineering was performing any experiments along these lines. He denounced such ideas as, and I quote, “ridiculous” and “absurd science-fiction”. Doth the gentleman protest too much? Chief Engineer Johnston was unavailable for comment.
IMAGE DISAPPEARS AND CAMERA RE-CENTERS ON REPORTER
DIDIER CONT.: Given such vehement denial of even the possibility of this new technology, one is forced to wonder what we aren’t being told. Whatever happened here, whatever Engineering’s involvement, or not, in the alleged disappearance, it seems highly unlikely that Security would be completely ignorant of that department’s activities--whether those activities are “secret” or not. Yet, if they aren’t ignorant? I, for one, don’t like to consider the alternatives. This is Yoshiko Didier reporting.
END REMOTE FEED
*****
Remember, just comment to be entered to win one of two FABULOUS PRIZES! You have until midnight Pacific Time tonight to enter! I'll announce the winners in the next couple of days. :-D
It's the last day of my space barbecue and I've had great fun! I hope you have, too. To celebrate, I have the author extra I wrote especially for Release Day. Just because some lines got crossed and the book actually came out Saturday doesn't mean we can't keep the party going through today. Right? Right!
And along those lines, here's that Release Day Author Extra I mentioned. Hope you like it!
False Dawn by Maia Strong
Available from Torquere Press
EARLY NEWS HOUR THEME MUSIC RUNS AS TITLE TEXT AND GRAPHICS GIVE WAY TO:
SHOT OF MALE NEWS ANCHOR SEATED BEHIND DESK
IMAGE OF ENGINEER DAYAN ANDRUS, DRESSED IN STANDARD ENGINEERING COVERALLS, APPEARS IN UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF SCREEN
NEWS ANCHOR: Good morning. Here’s the early news. Our lead story, a senior engineer has vanished into thin air. Yoshiko Didier reports.
CUT TO FEMALE REPORTER STANDING IN CORRIDOR OUTSIDE DOOR MARKED “SECURE AREA -- AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY -- CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR ACCESS”
DIDIER: Thank you, Steven. I’m standing outside Section 4 of Sector AP-10 on Aconcagua Deck. It’s beyond here that Senior Engineer Dayan Andrus supposedly disappeared over forty hours ago.
DIDIER CONT. [IRONIC TONE]: Of course, we can’t access the area directly without authorization due to the security precautions around the File Room, and that authorization has not been forthcoming. But is it just the sensitivity of what’s behind this door that’s keeping us out?
SCHEMATIC APPEARS ON-SCREEN
DIDIER: What you’re looking at here is the schematic for the section behind me. You’ll note the lack of doors and internal access hatches. There aren’t even ventilation ducts in the area of the alleged disappearance.
CAMERA RETURNS TO DIDIER LOOKING SKEPTICAL; SCHEMATIC SHRINKS TO UPPER LEFT CORNER OF SCREEN
DIDIER: Security claims to have no leads in the case. Judging by the obvious inaccessibility of the location, one might not be surprised. But can Lažna Zora’s vaunted security force really be so in the dark as that? Or could there be more here than meets the eye? I believe there’s more to this story than we’re being told. Could this disappearance be a case of experimentation gone wrong? Might Engineer Andrus have been the subject, knowing or unknowing, of new technology designed to transport a human being from one location to another instantaneously?
IMAGE OF SCHEMATIC IS REPLACED BY PICTURE OF DARK-HAIRED MAN IN ENGINEERING COVERALLS
DIDIER CONT.: I spoke earlier today with the Assistant Chief Engineer Alan Zamyatin who assured me, quite emphatically, that no one in Engineering was performing any experiments along these lines. He denounced such ideas as, and I quote, “ridiculous” and “absurd science-fiction”. Doth the gentleman protest too much? Chief Engineer Johnston was unavailable for comment.
IMAGE DISAPPEARS AND CAMERA RE-CENTERS ON REPORTER
DIDIER CONT.: Given such vehement denial of even the possibility of this new technology, one is forced to wonder what we aren’t being told. Whatever happened here, whatever Engineering’s involvement, or not, in the alleged disappearance, it seems highly unlikely that Security would be completely ignorant of that department’s activities--whether those activities are “secret” or not. Yet, if they aren’t ignorant? I, for one, don’t like to consider the alternatives. This is Yoshiko Didier reporting.
END REMOTE FEED
*****
Remember, just comment to be entered to win one of two FABULOUS PRIZES! You have until midnight Pacific Time tonight to enter! I'll announce the winners in the next couple of days. :-D
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