Call for Submissions for a charity anthology

Call for Submissions for an anthology highlighting the capabilities and contributions of disabled people in science fiction. This will be a charity anthology with the proceeds and any royalties donated to the Special Olympics. We welcome involvement from disabled authors or those that would be interested in beta reading the final anthology.

Genre: is geared toward science fiction, however, science fantasy, urban fantasy, space opera, other types of fantasy and speculative fiction are  also acceptable as long as we're focused on now or the future instead of ancient history. Other planets and non-human characters are acceptable. Dark fantasy/SF and horror are also acceptable as long as disabled heroes are not turned into victims.

Theme: The main characters must be disabled and succeed through their own efforts and without normalizing (i.e. undoing their disabilities with technology). This book is about celebrating the people who exist today and making them represented in the future.

Age level: should be no racier than PG 13 and YA is not precluded but we will not be targeting a YA or underage audience.

Length: 1500-7500 words

Deadline: All submissions should be received no later than November 30, 2018 with expectation of a February 2019 publication date.

Send submissions to stephanieebarr at Dragonfaeriecreative dot org with the subject "Disabled Heroes"

Format: Word .doc/.docx file, 1" margins, 12-14pt Times (or other serif font), double-spaced, contact info and word count on first page, running header w/name, title, page #, etc. The usual stuff. And please include your name and the story title in the filename. I will accept reprints if you (a) have the rights and (b) it fits our criteria.

Please edit your story carefully. We're all busy indie authors and will not take the time to help you rewrite your work into something that works for us. Please make an effort to send something in finished form that meets the criteria we've set.

Title and cover are not yet finalized.

You can find out more on facebook by joining: https://www.facebook.com/groups/disabledheroes/

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Saving Tessa: Now it's Science Fiction!

I have reworked Saving Tessa to be a science fiction YA adventure (though it was close to that already).

In the year 2045, smart tech is everywhere, much of it devised by the teenage prodigy Dylan Chroz. But being at the top of the technical world means being in demand. Sometimes, by people who should be looking out for you. Sometimes, by people who won't take no for an answer.

Tessa alone makes Dylan's life more than schematics and computers, a spot of vibrant color and irrepressible life in a dreary world of users and frauds. 

So what do you do when someone steals your girl to make you perform your technical wizardry on their sketchy hardware? Do you curl up and cry? Do what they want? Defy them? Or do you outsmart them and do your damnedest to smoke out every one of them so they never can do this again?

That is, if Tessa doesn't beat you to it.

Also, as with Curse of the Jenri, I'm going to make it available in book form. Proof is on it's way to me now and I'll announce it when it's available. Eventually, I'll do this with all my books, but I'm excited about this one because I have a character frighteningly like me there.

Thanks for the gorgeous cover by Ryn Katryn.

Amazon

Smashwords

One of the things I did with this story when I moved it to 2045 is work on a post-Trumpian recovery. I found it therapeutic.

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New Release: Saving Tessa

I just released my personal favorite of my novels (so far) today. You'll be able to find it at the compelling price of $4.99 at your favorite retailer.

Dylan Chroz, high school senior, had a reputation as the unchallenged king of the technical world, a genius with dozens of patents to his name. He also had a reputation for being as cold and calculating as the supercomputers he could design in his sleep.

So he was unprepared when Maxcomm discovered what really mattered to him: the spunky girl at the center of his existence. Or when they stole her away so they could use her against him.

It was a mistake, of course, to make an enemy of Dylan, even if he was hampered by his fear for Tessa. After all, people who threaten Tessa were definitely not going to come out unscathed.

And Maxcom didn't appreciate what those around Dylan will do to help him save Tessa.

But the real mistake they made was thinking Tessa was going to sit quietly by and get used. As if Tessa would stand for that!

That last mistake was really going to cost them

Contains some language and violence. You can find Saving Tessa on Smashwords

In the iTunes store

On Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

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I Don't Get the Big Deal About "The Hunger Games"

I don't do reviews, as a general rule (manga/anime is an exception but that's on a different blog). Several reasons for this, not the least of which is that my tastes are eclectic (VERY eclectic) and I'm generally focused on one aspect of the story to the exclusion (and forgiveness) of all others. And, let's not forget, I'm weird.

But, I do bring things up if they make me pause, especially if they have the potential to entice me to write again. There are two things that do that - a story/character I adore that makes me want to do something better with my writing or inspires me on a hitherto unforeseen writing path...and a story that is quite successful commercially that makes me roll my eyes and wonder what the heck is going on. 

My daughter is a fan of The Hunger Games, and she's one of many many others. People love the book (disclaimer, I haven't read it) and gush about the movie, too. My daughter loved them both when she was quite critical of the movie Twilight despite her delight in the books (which she no longer has). I liked the Twilight books myself (and the movies, I might add) though not in the everyone-should-love-this sort of way but more in the this-is-an-intriguing-character sort of way. And, for those of you who know me, one character I really enjoy is all I need to forgive plenty of other things (including some "science" that still makes me cringe if I think about it).

She's got a decent batting average, actually, on introducing me to stuff I really like and hit a homerun with the anime Bleach I've spent the summer addicted to. Loved a number of characters, the premise, etc. But other stuff she wants me to try, well, it's hit or miss.

Now, if you love the books and haven't seen the movie or haven't delved into either but want to and don't want spoilers STOP READING NOW. 'Cause I can't tell you what bothered me without telling you about the story, so there are spoilers galore out there. And I'm not saying you can't like it for whatever reason you liked it. I, however, did not.

First off, it's depressing. I know that's in with YA literature right now, but I don't like being depressed unless there's a good reason for it, so you get a pass from me with an oppressive air talking about the holocaust (which was depressing and gruesome but a good lesson to remember) and not one on a notional fictional future that, as far as I could see, made no damn sense at all. Not that there isn't plenty of SF that doesn't make sense, but often the characters made sense or there was a point, or, at least, it was funny (think Demolition Man).

We start off with our oppressed people, tormented for 74 years due to uprising against what was, apparently, Big Brother, direct from 1984 (I guess he showed up late). The punishment for this effrontery was to take people at random from the areas that rebelled and make 'em fight it out to the death, Gladiator meets Survivor style and the winner gets glory and riches and stuff. Now, first off, that's a stupid punishment. What government's gonna care, even a local one? The whole dingy shanty-town area (replete with coal miners in the enlightened future) is surrounded by lush landscape which no one is farming or making of use of in any way, while the shanty-town inhabitants stave off starvation by working for Big Brother and killing small game.

Old concept, which, as a die-hard historian and SF reader, I've read versions of at least a dozen times. A handful of cliches, obvious (and, truth told, effective) emotional manipulations (like kill the twelve year old friend so, when we take out the "bad guys" at the end because we had no choice (kill or be killed), the reader/viewer will nod their head and say, "Serves 'em right." Same tactic has been used in at least half the James Bond movies). In the end, they "outsmart" Big Brother and she doesn't have to kill everyone, but even that doesn't make sense. (It's all about giving hope while reminded the people who's in charge WHILE still getting great ratings. Letting the two commit suicide fits way better (and is far more eye-catching) than letting potentially dangerous renegades get off scott free.)

But I'd likely forgive all this if I just liked somebody. I like strong female protagonists, so you'd think I'd like this one, but she's not particularly savvy, she's willing to use people and, in fact, has only the fact she's willing to go in her sister's place to recommend her. Nice gesture but not enough to make her a likeable character.

Or, if there was a point. I know, lessons are not supposed to be in stuff today, but I gotta say, when I spend a couple hours watching something, I either want to be entertained or intrigued. I need a point or an interesting character to be intrigued, or at least something original. I seriously didn't see the point. I'm glad it was just a couple of hours wasted rather than taking the time to read it.

Or maybe I just missed it. In any case, whatever makes this the delight of thousands if not millions, I don't get it.

Note - I might be oversensitive. I have a survival type story, in fact, two novels. No cameras but survival is still the name of the game with some internal hostility. Ah, but in mine, people have to work together. Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong. 

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Collaboration

I've mentioned before that I write with my husband. In our particular case, writing together means I write it, then read it to him and we discuss what needs to be changed. If it's "my" idea, I get to decide the big decision. If it's "his," he does. Except, if one of us hates something, we can each veto.

You'd be surprised how often a veto actually comes into it. And several ideas that were veto material have been compromised away from what either of us thinks is optimum to reach an agreement (if not an approval). Lee is not fond of dark things and hates torturing characters he likes. Pity because that's kind of part of the deal for novels.

I have to be convinced the characters, stories, etc. make sense. Lee does that too and frequently points out something I missed.

So, why am I mentioning this? Well, for the last week or so we've been wrangling. Ever since I had the idea, I've been wanting to give the prime character from my first novel (Beast Within) primary amoebic meningitis, only let him live through it in the sequel. My husband has hated, ever since I got the idea, inflicting parasites on the shapeshifter who becomes a dragon. HATES. IT.

No explanation or protestation was enough. No clever cure or redemption was sufficient. No need or drive was justification. He HATED IT. Period.

I'll be honest. I was thinking I couldn't find something else that did what I wanted:

a) deadly
b) adversely affecting the brain, preferably with delirium, hallucinations and or involuntary body movements
c) non-chemical so that our talented healer couldn't just cure him and be done
d) uncontagious so everyone else didn't have it (though I wanted them to wonder if it were)

Fortunately for me, The Mother was kind enough to point me toward arborvirus forms that cause meningitis/encephalitis or even combinations. Since it's a vector, it's still not communicable. And, although my original intent was to have one character do something clever, I thought of a different clever way of curing it that used actual medical science (if only to repay The Mother's patience with my magical healer).

So, there you go. Compromise. Everyone's happy. And, though I haven't gotten a lot done this weekend, I've now updated it so I can move forward. And with my collaborator still a willing partner.

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So, You Tell Me

I appreciate the encouragement on the last installment. Here's a sample of the stuff in question, that was excised from an earlier draft. What do you think? Too technical?

Bridge recording of the Converted Transport Ship (CTS) Goliath, commencing 3125:255:14:91.23 as relayed via beacon 492 before transmission was interrupted.

CAPCOM: Captain! There are reports coming through that three Mil spaceships have come within Command's sensor range

CAPTAIN: They headed for us or the planet surface?

CAPCOM: Neither, Captain. Word is, they're bearing down on the Lunar base!

NAV: No!

CAPTAIN: Steady, Nav. The whole planet has children there. Damn it! They weren't supposed to attack the base. They've never attacked the Lunar base before. What does Command want us to do?

CAPCOM: Command says to abort the lunar landing, try to stay out of range of the new ships.

CAPTAIN: Have they called up defenders? Strikers?

CAPCOM: They didn't say, but I can hear talk on another band, Captain. There's a hell of a battle raging on the other side of the planet.

CAPTAIN: And at Rega or we wouldn't have had to lift like that. We can't go back to Rega base, we can't land on Luna while they're being attacked. How long does Command think we can stay out here? How long before the Mil take us out?

CAPCOM: Command says to wait for further orders.

CAPTAIN: They're hoping Luna's automatic defenses will hold. That the kids will be alright. Science, are there any ships defending Luna at all?

SCIENCE: None on sensor, Captain. (pause) Captain, there is the new shield on Luna. Many think it can repulse even a full Mil onslaught.

CAPTAIN: Hell of a way to test it. Science, can you spot the Mil ships yet?

SCIENCE: Aye, three large landers using energy shields, stronger readings than usual. Perhaps they've beefed them up since they haven't proven useful against our laser cannons.

NAV: Or they're trying to negate the Lunar shield. Are they going in together?

(pause)

SCIENCE: Together, very close. I-you're right! The Mil shields appear to be coupled.

CAPTAIN: Are all the passengers secured, Cargo? This may get bumpy.

CARGO: We didn't have enough jumpseats for them all. All available seats that could be converted have been, even the extra bunks in sickbay. The last few refugees...

CAPTAIN: Don't call them that!

CARGO: (pause) Three evacuees are having to manage.

CAPTAIN: Manage what?

CARGO: (pause) They're holding on to straps in hold B3.

CAPTAIN: Straps? This isn't the monorail, Officer. You should have known better.

CARGO: They didn't seem to mind.

CAPTAIN: When have teenagers ever acknowledged mortality? Call down to whoever's on duty there and make sure everyone's secured. I don't care how, even if they have to be strapped to the wall.

CARGO: Aye, Captain. [Command has noted ½ demerit for Cargo Officer Tinder]

PILOT: Screen three, Captain. The Mil are directly in our path and approaching the Lunar shield.

CAPTAIN: Son of a bitch. Science Officer, what about weapons? Anything we've got strapped on going to make a dent in those Mil bastards?

SCIENCE: (pause) Historically, laser cannons have been used to good effect on the Mil ships. We have several that appear to be in good working order, but they do not have their own power supply.

CAPTAIN: Hell of a way to test that kluged weapons console. The power drain going to be a problem?

EO: The power from the cannons will be taken from propulsion and other electrical uses, Captain. We are low on fuel because we didn't get a good reload during the-uh-expedited lift.

CAPTAIN: Noted. Historically, we have power to burn and a dedicated weapons officer, not an overworked EO and a misused Science Officer, but this wasn't a military ship, the freakin' Mil aren't supposed to be attacking and the strap-on weaponry aren't supposed to be needed. Will we still have enough juice to get to Lunar base, EO?

EO: (pause) If I assume this trip to use twice the normal fuel because of the delay and other maneuvering, we will have less than 10% reserve, less than regs allow. Sir.

CAPTAIN: Officer, we got kids here and there's nothing but kids on Luna. Regs aren't my worry. Science Officer, if they fire on Luna, let 'em have everything we've got. Charge 'em.

EO: And shields?

CAPTAIN: Science, you've got the weapons console. What do you think? Keep it brief.

SCIENCE: Those ships are armed to the teeth, Captain. I think we may need the shields, too.

CAPTAIN: Make it so.

EO: Aye, Captain.

PILOT: Do you think that, if we can take out one, the others will blow as well as close as they are?

CARGO: Captain, the passengers and all crew are secured.

CAPTAIN: You might have something, Crestor. Navigation, set a course for the cluster, top speed, and let's let 'em have it.

EO: Captain, if we run shields on full with cannons blazing, our margin drops to nearly 5%.

CAPTAIN: Noted. Crestor, have we got bearings?

PILOT: Aye, Captain.

CAPTAIN: Science?

SCIENCE: Ready, Captain.

CAPTAIN: Hold on, everyone. They're about to attack Luna's new shielding. There's going to be some backlash between their shielding and ours, so it might get bumpy.
(pause)

CAPTAIN: Fire at will.
(various alarms and some scuffling sounds, then an apparent explosion)

EO: Loss of command system 1. System 2 is holding. Shielding at 1/3 capacity.

PILOT: There goes one! And another! I think we stopped them, Captain!
(additional alarms)

EO: Another energy wave, Captain!

SCIENCE: Shields are collapsing!

CAPTAIN: Brace yourselves!

[end transmission]




So, what do you think?

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RS Classic: Setback for a Science Geek

In the novel I’m working on, which is clearly percolating in the back of my mind because I keep bringing it up here, I started out with a space accident. Now, when it comes to science, I am mostly a dabbler in most of the heavier sciences: biology, chemistry, quantum physics, particle physics, electromagnetics, etc. I have an excellent grasp classical physics and orbital mechanics as well as a good understanding of most of the engineering fields. I don’t write really hard science fiction for the very good reason I’m not qualified to do more than try not to through the laws of physics, etc. out the window if I can help it. But, once in a while, something I write wanders into my bailiwick and I go to town.

Space accidents fit. I understand, as I mentioned, orbital mechanics and was kind of stoked about doing something really science-y after my sword and sorcery novel was completed.

I had a binary planet system (like Pluto and Charon, only larger, more earth sized), with some gravity fluctuations as a result and other wobbles and quirks. I played with a magnetic field and unusual radiation (which helped screw up the ship as it crash landed, solved some problems for me and accounted for missing on the landing by several km). Finally, a little candy for the geeks.

Only, when I had a few people read it in a forum, they all said the same thing: lose the prologue it sounds like Star Trek. Aside from the fact that my physics is better on any given day than Star Trek’s (OK, that hurt a little), I was using my mission control console as a guide, not a show. In fact, one reader decided to chastise me having the captain call out commands to positions not names (though this is standard practice for Mission Control and, according to my understanding the Navy, too). I still maintain, as much as I love Star Trek (not for its science), every space oriented story is not the same..

So, in the end, I had to excise it. Painfully. My geek moment, set aside. *Sigh*. I kept a quick blurb so people had some sense of what was happening and kept the original in a different file. I figured I could add it as an appendix for those wanting a geek fix.

Still…

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RS Classics: Shapeshifting

There was a time when I thought about pursuing genetic engineering. I was a kid; I didn’t realize how important it was or would become. I just found it fascinating. Well, as usual, my innate lack of practicality won out so I became what I am (dummy). However, I still find it fascinating.

One way I indulge my fascination is with fiction (Haha, you thought I would be talking science again, today, didn’t ya?). I think Dune might have started it with their talk of breeding lines. I did some dabbling with it in the finished novel, what with my “tribe” where only female children can be conceived. It’s fun to play with.

However, in my new novel, it’s more prevalent. I have again a tribe where there are unusual traits. For all members of this group (effectively another tribe), everyone has some sort of psychic power, but some, called the Prime, are also shapeshifters, sometimes involuntarily.

Yes, it’s not pure science fiction. I don’t like to limit myself and shapeshifting is almost as interesting to me though not for scientific reasons. I don’t know why it appeals to me, but it always does. There’s something about the power of changing into something else, different emotions, different strengths. I’ve played with it before, although that character could change into any shape, but, in this case, each of the Prime can only change into one other creature, including a protohuman. When human, they share some of their animal traits (like night vision) or temperament (like hissing for the snake individual and purring for the cat). They are all predatory animals of the fiercer variety and it appealed to me to play with the traits while they were human, too.

What does this have to do with genetics? Well, I added a quirk. Prime can’t mate with prime (or really safely with others of the same tribe) without a good possibility of death, much like a Manx cat is generally bred with a “normal” cat as two Manx genes makes a dead kitten. So, our shapeshifters must find mates from outside a tribe in a world where shapeshifters and psychics are considered demons. Makes it tough to be honest with mates, find love, or breed a new generation. So, yes, I play with sociological stuff, too.

Yep, writing is a “what if” type person’s playground. Any quirk of society, science or fancy that crosses my mind is apt to find itself explored in a novel. I just can’t be trusted with any idea. Heck, I once had a conversation with a friend of mine, talking about that irritating voices they were using in some car that said things like “The door is ajar.” I said, “Could be worse. It could be saying, ‘You drive like an idiot.’” Now I have a story called “Back Seat Driver.”

If I could just figure out a way to work out the mass question, how they can change mass without cheating science, nothing could stop me.

Not that anything can really stop me now. :)

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Ironies about "real" science fiction

Two days just on the one novel, but real progress. I'm making good progress so I won't worry about what I'm not doing on the other. Straight science fiction, it's kind of fun because this bit is all about the technical details of orbital mechanics.

Not for the non-SF freaks, more than likely, but those that are will love it. It's kind of interesting that, as a rocket scientist, I so rarely actually do the hard science fiction, because it's interesting and, of course, I have a real feel for the physics.

I also have countless hours of console work in NASA to draw from. (I had a scene where I followed protocols and command team patterns in Beast Within during a spacecraft crash, but many complained about the technical dialog. Lee loved it but it wasn't in keeping with the rest of the novel so I took it out. Strangely, someone who'd read just that bit complained that "real spacefarers" would never talk that way. *Sigh*)

Ironically, unlike the other scene, this isn't how astronauts and ground control talk at all, so, of course, I suspect people will like it just fine.

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Progress. Progress - What fun!

I'm updating my sidebar with the progress on the two projects I'm jumping into. Hopefully, this weekend, I'll be adding some info on the short stories. I've got to get off my duff and start marketing some of those. I have a few I think are good to go, or thereabouts.

I'm particularly pleased with my progress on Lee's. It will probably drag and leap as I'm able to incorporate this and that of the huge wealth of writing I'd already gathered, but this is a completely new beginning for it, so it's starting slow. On the other hand, I read the first chapter and Lee is thoroughly thrilled. Apparently, I have just the voice, just the aspect of the main character he wanted, so, if it's going slowly, it's going well.

I'm just as pleased that my old Regency Romance (in the Georgette Heyer style) was further along than I remembered. It's so completely different from the other, it gives me a great change of pace when I run aground. And, since I have nearly every Georgette Heyer the poor lady ever wrote (including nearly a dozen on my ereader), I can immerse myself in her world whenever I want. And that's pretty cool, too.

Damn, I LOVE writing!

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New Project That's an Old Project

I'm working on something special at the moment.

See, although my husband and I write together, I usually do the grunt work. And, to date, the majority of our finished works have been built on my ideas. There's a reason for that.

Lee's brilliant, of course. And he had ideas he's played with his whole life.

The thing was, when we tried to implement those, build them into a story, we couldn't get anywhere.

Part of it was that they were still somewhat immature. Sort of Tenchi Muyo in the perfect spacecraft, but with even more sarcasm. There was a definite streak of comic book. The hero had implausible details and was too good at everything. His female crew was a little too devoted. And there wasn't a conflict. Everything was too easy for this hotshot, his exemplary crew and his super fabulous spacecraft.

We'd start and then, when we got to where we really needed a story, it would peter out, partly because Lee's idea kept growing up, getting more mature. Evolving.

I wrote (and rewrote) well over a hundred thousand words on this book. But we didn't get very far.

The cool thing is that there was some good work in there. Some spectacular battles, some very very cool speculative science in the ship and the weapons, some wonderful snarky dialog, and some very powerful passages that I would hate to lose forever.

So, Lee wanted to work on this project again. I told him he needed a plan, put it in writing so we'd have a solid (unchanging) base to at least build a draft.

And he did it.

So, we're going to see if we can salvage some of those cool scenes and fabulous speculative science, snarky dialogs and truly interesting (and now more interesting/less perfect) characters as well as a bit more gender diversity.

After all, I have to put in a bit of myself in there, too. I wonder how it will come together.

More on this later.

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Finally, Moving Back Into My Groove

Well, that was fun and it got me to thinking. Time to get to work on more writing. I have a bunch of novels in the hopper. What to do next?

My husband has a pet product that would probably be a good idea to pursue. This was one of his ideas and he seems to have finally settled on a plot. Now, Lee is the gadget guy, and he has this fabulous space ship envisioned with fabric drive and hydroponics and, well, everything.

And Phoenix, the artificial brain that drives this craft and its eclectic command crew. He has armor and little fighter craft and weapons all picked out. That's what he does best. He had the crew, of course, when I got there.

But I'm the one that fleshes 'em out, gives them voice and history, makes them work together. I've written probably twenty chapters on these folks already, but he kept changing the story he wanted to tell. Time at last to put all these interesting folks together, from the ugly amphibious alien deathly afraid of cats to the tiny Captain, leader by default.

Can't wait.

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