writer’s break

February 27, 2013

My first Signing Event: Coffee, Books, and Tesla Coils

746px-Tesla_colorado

Nikola Tesla’s Laboratory in Colorado Springs circa 1900: Photo-Wikimedia Commons

On November 14, 2012 I had the great honor to participate as guest author for The Final Frontier Sans Polyester Book Club! This was my first ever signing for Stealing Time, my e-Book novella, and I was blown away by the experience! I’m such a lucky writer to have met these fifteen delightful ladies–all home school moms–and even a few of their kids.

The event was held at the Catalina Coffee/Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Redondo Beach and I’m pretty sure we ate up all the chocolate in the place, and tried every conceivable version of latte or frufi  coffee on the menu. I wound up the evening with a wee cramp in my fingers and a permanent smile which months later, is still in place.

What does an E-Book author sign, you ask?

Everything! Just kidding; I signed lots of bookmarks featuring Stealing Time’s beautiful cover art. Thanks Kelly Shorten at Musa Publishing!

The event was a splendid experience all around, and a special thanks goes out to Talitha Sherman, home-school mom extraordinaire, for inviting me to visit with TFFSPBC!

As promised, here is a link to building your own smaller version of a Tesla coil.

***Parental Supervision Required!!!

***  http://www.scienceexperimentsforkids.us/tesla-coil-experiments-for-kids/    ***

***Parental Supervision Required!!!

Tesla Coils are a real bit of science that I used in a fictional context in Stealing Time; leylines combine with Tesla coils used to power Time Traveler Pods. Well, that never really happened, no leylines, no time travel. Leylines were something that people in the late Victorian Era were interested in proving, or disproving. In contrast, Nikola Tesla’s Coils were actually invented in 1890, and the science behind them is quite real. Tesla coils were used in wireless transmission and can receive electromagnetic impulses.  Tesla Coil Receivers can be used to charge a storage device with energy, which can be used to operate various machinery.

I hope you’ll visit the link provided to learn more about Nikola Tesla’s experiments, but be sure to have parent, teacher, or a great group of home-school Moms as supervision for the experiment!

Cheers!

C.K. Garner 02/27/2013

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September 22, 2012

Welcome Autumnal Equinox 2012!

Photo of Napa, CA Vineyard:Brocken Inaglory

Bring on leaves in their gaudy-best colors

Let the air cool lungs from summer’s sear;

Break out the scarves and soothing hot toddies

Kindle a fire, bring loved ones near;

Rejoice in jacket pockets, savor the season

Autumnal Equinox 2012 is here!

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July 29, 2012 Aside

I’m very exci…

I’m very excited to have cornered “The Book Geektress”, aka Christina Castillo for an interview!Image
For many years now, The Book Geektress has been friend and companion on a trek to prove that real girls like comic books, eat Zombie movies for breakfast, like a good whiskey, and read horror novels before bedtime that would make Freddy Kruger share a bed with Frankenstein’s monster and sleep with the lights on.  Not only that, but she was the catalyst who got me to sit my ass in the chair and bust out a novel or two for publication; I couldn’t have done it without her!
On any given day you might catch her reading Harry Potter or Wil Wheaton’s ‘Just a Geek’, catching up on the latest ‘Preacher’ graphic novel, or turning the pages of the ‘Hunger Games’ to see if it holds a candle to ‘Battle Royal’ (not) …all while listening to io9 podcasts of her favorite authors and dishing the down low on her latest reads.  Come with me through the labyrinth of her library to meet her. Careful–don’t lean on that! The towers of books are most carefully balanced; this is not a game of Jenga.
Q: Book Geektress, Years ago, I had suspicions you were a book fiend with a dark penchant given that you were managing a gothic-themed coffeehouse named after a character in a book; namely, Lestat.  I know you’ve read Anne Rice’s books, but did you ever get to meet her?
Book Geektress:  You know, unfortunately I never did get a chance to meet her. I know she lived in La Jolla, CA which was about 20 minutes away from the coffee house, but I think she was a bit of a recluse. If she had come in I am not sure how I would react. I have served a few well known people over the years and being a attendee of San Diego Comic Con for almost 20 years I have had run ins with people I admire, but I really have never been good at the running into celebrity things. Last year at SDCC I didn’t know what to say to tv writer Jane Espenson, so I blurted out that I loved her! Luckily, instead of being freaked out she told me she loved me too! J
Q:  Lol! I love you more.  Something that struck me from the moment I met you was your keen sense of trend spotting whether it’s games, books, graphic novels, horror or technology. How and where do you find this stuff?
Book Geektress:  Haha! Trying to steal my secrets, eh? Actually to be perfectly honest I pay attention. I am constantly on sites like Facebook and Twitter and various blog sites around the web. I also listen to quite a lot of podcasts for my geeky news. I love research and that is basically what it all comes down to. I was always the kid that if I came across a word or a concept in a book I didn’t know I would look it up. The same applies today.
Q:  You have a penchant for reading books that walk on the darkside, and urban fantasy featuring heroines that not only kick butt, but have brainpower. What are a couple of your favorite darker reads?
Book Geektress:  Wow. That is actually a hard question because there are so many good ones. I really enjoy the Kim Harrison Hallows series. Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series is an excellent urban fantasy which has some dark tendencies considering you are dealing with some occasionally nasty fae. And if you are so inclined, Seanan McGuire’s alias Mira Grant writes an excellent series about zombies and government conspiracy. In fact, that is my next review for the site. Vicki Pettersson’s Sign of the Zodiac series is also good. Of course Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series is a must read. I could spend all day talking books and books suggestions!!!
Q:  Oh, Lady, I quite agree; books are food for the brain and soul, what’s not to like? For those of us who enjoy a classic Jayne Eyre along with our Zombies, are there any authors or books you can recommend to fill that need?
Book Geektress:  Well, there are the obvious ones like Pride Prejudice & Zombies, which incidentally there is a sequel too as well. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer was an excellent book. I can’t wait for the movie to come out! There is also a series of books starting with Jane Bites Back, where Jane Austen has actually been turned into a vampire. I haven’t read that one yet, but it is on the list.
Q:  Love the classics and the zombie twists! Jayne Slayer is another that comes to mind. Now, aside from books, I know you play pool competitively on a local scale, but are you still actively engaged in games such as Halo and —?
Book Geektress:  I am still an extremely avid video game player although admittedly it gets harder and harder to find time to do so. I honestly haven’t played Halo in a long time. My favorite series right now is probably the Assassin’s Creed games. And of course one of my all time favorites is the Resident Evilgames . There is a new one coming out this fall and I can’t wait. I love playing games that can scare the bejesus out of me!
Q:  Nothing like enjoying a good scare your pants off game or book! A geek-girl requires knowledge of all things Firefly and Doctor Who, both written and on screen. If you had to, which show would you give up? Lol! Come back here, I’m kidding!
Book Geektress: Hahaha!  I am glad you added that last line!
Q:  Blue police-booth lands in front of you, Time-Lord steps out and invites you inside for a few years of danger in good company with the right Doctor. Do you get in or play it safe?
Book Geektress:  You get in of course!!!! Can you imagine what it would feel like if you played it safe and went back to your boring old life when you could have gone to see other planets and the edge of the universe, not to mention the events in history you could be there for!? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
Q:  Correct answer. What’s your favorite Doctor Who quote, and do you own a sonic screwdriver?
Book Geektress:  There are so many good Doctor Who quotes!!! Here is a good one:
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause-of-effect…but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it’s more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly…timey-wimey…stuff
I actually own a couple sonic screwdrivers.
Q:  Lol! The Doctor Who and Joss Whedon series feature some pretty adventurous heroines. What are some of your favorite book heroines and why do they hold your interest?
Book Geektress:  Alex Craft from Kalayna Price’s series by the same name is probably one of my current favorites. She is a badass witch who Death himself just happens to be in love with. I like her because she has a lot of power, but she isn’t perfect and some of the sticky situation she tends to get in reminds me of me.  [Kim Harrison’s] Rachel Morgan is much like Alex Craft; Badass witch who has a penchant for getting in trouble. But that is what makes her more of a real character.
I enjoy heroines who are strong and have a good sense of self, but are not all powerful and have certain vulnerabilities. Several of the characters in Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Underworld series are like this.  Phédre from the Kushiel’s Dart series is another one. She is a woman born to a certain circumstance that she cannot change, so she learns to live and work with it and it is all on her own terms.  Again, this list can go on and on, but I don’t want to bore you!
Q: Phaedre and Rachel are two of my favorites from your list, and immensely engaging! Okay, when you are not reading or doing book reviews, you listen to Podcasts.  What’s the draw, or appeal of Podcasts to the booklover?
Book Geektress:  Mainly to keep up with what is going on in the book world and finding out what interesting books that I may not have thought to look at before are floating out there. I really enjoy it when the Podcasts have author interviews. It is always fun to hear what the author was thinking while writing the book or how the idea may have popped into their head.
Q:  Nice. I listened to the Podcast with Cherie Priest: terrific, and I could get stuff done while listening! About your own site, you have some pretty detailed book reviews there.  What was the driving force behind making the decision to share your knowledge of the books you read with an audience?
Book Geektress:  Honestly, I love talking about books, thinking about books, being surrounded by books. I think if I could craft a bed made out of books I would do it! My office is a cluttered mess of books everywhere and I love it! It makes me feel safe. But, I mainly started the blog so I could focus on reading different types of books and put a bit deeper thought into what I was reading and to share my thoughts. I would like people to read what I am writing, but at the end of the day I did it for me as a catalyst to write more and to read more!
Q:  With all that you’ve got going on, do you see yourself hitting the keyboards with your own novel anytime soon?
Book Geektress:  I really hope so! I have a lot of ideas floating in this brain of mine that are just dying to get on paper, but it is a game of finding and balancing the time to do it. I honestly don’t know how other authors do it! I am in constant awe.
Q:  Well, I don’t know about you, but all this talk of books and Nerd-vana makes me ready for a good night’s read. Let’s share a nightcap to ease into a relaxing evening with a selection from the Book Geektress’ shelf; whiskey or wine?
Book Geektress:  Ha! Depends on the night (and the book). Tonight is feeling like a very red wine type of night.
Q:  Red wine it is. *clink!* It’s been lovely spending the evening amongst the towering shelves of your library, Book Geektress, I hope you’ll visit again very soon!
Book Geektress: Thanks for having me! Hopefully you won’t find me buried underneath any of those towering book shelves.
Q:  Stop it; you’re teasing the Zombies with delicious talk like that, pinned human and all sounds like dinner!
Now, how can we contact you and where do we find your book reviews?

http://thebookgeektress.blogspot.com

C.K. Garner: We’ll see you there! And remember; after you visit The Book Geektress’ Blog, check out my steampunk novella “Stealing Time” releasing August 10, 2012 at http://www.musapublishing.com
December 15, 2011

Can you take the Heat?

A good Critique hammers out the bumps in your manuscript!

If someone asks for a critique, or for you to go over their writing, should you?  Would you be kind or let ‘er rip and tell them what’s  not working for you? On the receiving end, how do you handle being Critiqued? Today, I read a  manuscript from an acquaintance, then related what I felt worked and what didn’t. Instantly I became public enemy #1.

In nicer words than those here, I pointed out a lack of tension causing the story to flag and my interest to wane. I tried for constructive criticism— because I want very much for my fellow writers to keep working at it and not give up– applauded parts that flowed to the concept of the tale; but mentioned disconnects between actions of the characters and the reader trying to comprehend the flow of the story. The key here is, what I took in was what the writer conveyed in their manuscript.

The writer decided I am too much of a novice to critique them and could not see the picture they conveyed. Au contraire; I was picturing Giovanni Ribisi, one of my favorite actors, in the Protagonist role, and I tried to see scenes in full realization as they stuttered past in my mind, Giovanni looking for direction. I presented a few suggestions that might improve the MS, but the writer rejected any alterations, fearing tidier segues would change it too much; if they introduced more  feeling of the place, tried to build a bit more on the characters, then it wouldn’t be their story anymore. Topping off the list of backpedaling the writer expressed they shouldn’t have to personally explain each scene for a reader to get it.

On the last gripe I agree. The writing itself should speak to me. Setting, conflict and resolution should convey to me, the Reader, what is happening in the story. Tension should keep me wanting to turn the pages to find out what happens next, and each scene should ease into the next instead of me flipping back and forth to find a connection; bringing to mind Giovanni: all apologetic, his character says, “I’m sorry, but can you point me to the nearest segue?”

I have come to the conclusion that some folks don’t really want a critique.  They want you to read their work and tell them it has points so well-formed they stab you in the eye while perusing the brilliance of their  DARLING bit of fluff, and now you must wear an eye patch and become a pirate, you are so blown by the wave of their stature.

Give me an effing break.  Better still, don’t ask for a critique if you can’t take the heat.

Here is my take on how to handle a Beta Reader‘s POV: Welcome the harsher voices, the gulls of Criticism if you will; their opinion is as valuable, perhaps more so, than the sweet voiced variety of Critique.

The best Authors and Writers, or at least my favorites, are happy to have people read and share their thoughts of the characters and settings and how these work with each scene.  Equally, they welcome the point where you fell asleep reading their  tale. This is because they want to kill that bit of needless fluff  to make it read better, and take their writing to the next level.  They crave, I crave (!) to know what interferes with the flow of the story, where the bogs are that suck away the action, when it is too candy coated and needs added complexity, or where the story has too much description and wants a good conversation between the prime characters, or even the comic relief to ease darkness, just a little, see?  A good Critique gives you possibilities.  

The best thing about encouraging your friends and acquaintances to read your work, to critique it, is that they are your first audience!  *applauds beloved Beta Readers* If you pay attention, really take their constructive criticisms to heart, you will discover that their eyes are invaluable, because they are not in your head. They are Joe Reader. If they get it, chances are your future audience will, too. If they are struggling to wrap their heads around a passage, perhaps you should revisit and make that concept clearer.

It is human nature to balk at criticism, but if we unplug from our initial negative reaction, we open ourselves to the Reader, gleaning that pearl of wisdom that makes our story have luster. So, leap into that boiling cauldron with a smile. Find some Readers to critique your work, then tell them to please, turn up the heat, you can take it. Your work will be better for it, and your naysayers will at the very least respect you for being able to swim in the deep end of the pool of magma.

Well folks, my manuscript calls…a great friend of mine red-inked the heck out of it…for which I thank her!  I’ll take the advice and change what needs tending, toss the rest…that, too is valuable. 🙂

Keep writing!

See You Around,

C.K. Garner

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July 30, 2011

And the Blog played on…

Coffee Break!

This weeks Blog is dedicated to Tunny, who gave me props for focusing more on the Writing of my manuscript and less on my Blog.  So, it is a little ironic  that I’m here blabbing to all the world about it, but it got me thinking about all the ways in which I procrastinate about hitting the keys.

If you are like me, it’s really hard to make yourself write more and visit with folks less.  There always seems to be one more person you can share with, one more funny email you can respond to, eight more things you could Blog about, someone who needs an answer to a text message, etc., right?

However,  all the texting, visiting or emailing with any of those wonderful people are sucking up time you could be spending on your manuscript.  You wanna get those idea down on the page?  You need to detach a little from your electronic umbilical cords, and tell everyone to sit tight, you’ll get back to them after you’ve written the next chapter.

Now that I know I can begin a story, craft a middle, and have a notion of an end, from where I’m at now, the point is to COMPLETE my manuscript .  Completing my manuscript needed to become, and has become more important to me than socializing.

If I spend a majority of time Blogging, my manuscript writing time suffers for it, period.  But, because it is my Blog about my writing, it’s okay to take a break now and then and Blog for a little while.  Did y’all catch that, NOW & THEN .

I am Blogging now because I took a bit of Writer’s Break.  I was on a writing roll for the last several hours, body starting to grow sore and stiff, and my eyes feeling a bit dizzy.  Good time for a break and a cuppa Joe.  So, I decided to check my email and I noticed a comment on my Blog.  This being my break, I allowed myself to follow it, and here’s why:

I’ve a new rule about breaks:  During a Writer’s Break, all socialization and attachment to the electronic umbilical cords must be solely to people who are Authors or Writers.

I know that other Writer’s understand the need to be mostly absent from the world so you can write, and you don’t expect me to Blog or contact you every day.  You expect me to have my nose to the proverbial grindstone, churning out the pages and mixing my metaphors.  I expect the same of you…except the part about hashing up the metaphors.

One of my favorite Authors, Seanan McGuire said, “Writing a book is a solitary exercise, actually finishing it is not.”

She is referring to all the people who helped her in getting her manuscript through all of the stages of proofing and the many people it took to read and reread and hack out the stuff that she couldn’t see through to edit out herself, along with those who hosted her when she was writing abroad, and folks who simply listened to her whine.  Notice that even on the home stretch there is still a lot of writing to do?  I highly recommend McGuire’s Blog  50 Thoughts on Writing for her best Writing tips.  Check it out.

So, our writing Blogs are important for us as Writers aspiring to be Authors.  They are a place where we can get writing advice when we are crumpling up the 20th false start.  They are a safe venue for venting our frustrations and cheering ourselves and each other on when the going gets tough and the tough want to quit and take an aspirin and a shot of whiskey, or to offer the same to another Writer in need.

All of this until the day we become an Author.  That’s when our Blogs become part promotion and part lesson, where we answer questions about how we got there to our fans, and why we didn’t off ourselves instead to our worst critics.

Right.  Time to get back to my manuscript, folks.  Thanks to you all for reading this Blog, and may you get right back to your manuscripts; my coffee is finished and this Writer’s Break is over!

What?  Are you still here?  We’ve got work to do!  Ciao,  C.K. Garner  😀

June 20, 2011

In memory of Great Aunt Annie

Annie!
Who wasn’t afraid
To risk
Or to play
Who kept Independent
To the very last day
Always the first mouth to smile
Or travel the miles
A friend where’er she stayed
The Last of the Old Country
Who spoke the language
Blessing our homes
In the arms of the Holy
Now in Grace of Heaven
Annie!
In your footsteps I stumble
But try anyway
For I’ll keep you within me
Say your name every day
Annie.

Rest in Peace.  I love you.  C.K Garner

June 5, 2011

Batton Lash in Good Company at ArtLabs Studio

Durante el panel de Troma, comentando sobre el...

Batton Lash: at Troma Panel

Batton Lash, The Author of Supernatural Law and one of the writers of Radioactive Man comic strip among many other hats (mentor and friend to C.K.Garner among them) launched his new studio this evening!  See his comic book series here: Batton Lash/Supernatural Law

Located within ArtLabs Studio on San Diego’s famous Adams Avenue, a street long known for its antique galleries and Street Fair, Lash’s new studio found perfect company with four other artists who share the ArtLabs Studio space, and whose works were featured on every wall.

The opening of the new studio coincided nicely with the annual Art Around Adams event, here’s the link:
Art Around Adams

A constant crowd of folks flowed into the Art Lab building from the two mile long Art Around Adams Walk, which features art and music incorporated into local businesses, a truly unique format in San Diego, checking out the art on every wall, chatting with the artists, and sharing champagne toasts all around, accompanied to live music.

I had the opportunity to meet and chat with James Hudnell author of “Aftermath: Humanoids” who gave me a great mini lesson about “theme” and “character arc” in writing, which I will be thinking about as I continue scribbling my own manuscript, you can see his work here: James Hudnell Aftermath: Humanoids.  I enjoyed the fine company of one of Batton’s long-time artist assistants, the charming Madame Melissa, as well as meeting Batton’s famous wife, at least famous for all Geekdom and comic book fans, Jackie Estrada.

Though though you may not have met her, if you are a Comic-Con International fan, you’ve likely seen Estrada’s name and work.  Jackie is the administrator of CCI’s Eisner Awards, which represent an Oscar equivalent for best of the best in the Pop Art and Comic industry, and has for years been the editor of several Comic Con related titles as well as holding the position as co publisher of Exhibit A Press.  So, this was a night of high falutin’ company indeed for this very new Writer!

Hats off to Batton Lash and Jackie Estrada; pioneers of the small press industry!  Congratulations on the new studio!

C.K. Garner

May 10, 2011

Writer’s Break: >I think today deserves a big fat beautiful quote…about writing, of course!

Ray Bradbury

Image via Wikipedia

>”If you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out of it make fine stories — science fiction or otherwise. Which finally means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.”
— Ray Bradbury