Never Forget

9/11/2021

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Writing vs. Marketing—Balancing the Scales

Check out this great article by Andrew McDowell.

Andrew McDowell

It seems that there are two sides to the coin of being a writer. The first side is writing process and everything related to the it, such as conducting research, sharing drafts with beta readers and critique groups, and editing. The second side is marketing. Writers need to build a network and an online presence so that potential readers will know of the writer and their creative output.

When I started writing as a kid, I didn’t give much thought to marketing. Perhaps I thought the publishers would do all of that, or it would magically take off. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had to learn that without marketing, people outside of my family and friends would never hear of my work. If the general public isn’t aware of a book’s existence and if they don’t leave reviews, there will be no sales. Fortunately, I was…

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Maryland Renaissance Festival Appearance — September 5, 2021

Come to the the Maryland Renaissance Festival on Sunday, September 5, 2021.

I’ll be there all day at the author table by Page After Page – Books of the Renaissance on White Stag Lane. This charming little shop has some wonderful books in a variety of genres.

Here is your chance to chat and get a signed copy of my books.

This is their only storefront, so come support a local business. Grab a pint, your costume, and swing on by for some fun.

September 5, 2021: Maryland Renaissance Festival
1821 Crownsville Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

If you are concerned, know that all MRF employees and venders are required to be fully vaccinated for covid-19. Many vendors also require masks to enter their shops.

Maryland Renaissance Festival tickets are being sold ON-LINE ONLY this year and there is an limit on how many are sold. 

It is highly recommended that the tickets be purchased in advance. There are indications that there could be sell-out crowds. All tickets are date-specific and non-refundable since we are open rain or shine. 

Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.

One step toward understanding.

One stride toward survival.

One leap toward flying free from the past.

A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

Awesome Con Appearance

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?

Come to Awesome Con

I’ll be on the Other Realities: An Introduction to World Building panel with Joab Stieglitz and Jennifer Povey.

The panel begins at 5:45 PM on Saturday, August 21, 2021

Mask up and come on by.

Awesome Con
August 20-23, 2021
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mt Vernon Pl NW
Washington, DC 20001

STAR TOUCHED

Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

Hummingbird: A Star Touched Story

Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history. One step toward understanding. One stride toward survival. One leap toward flying free from the past.

WOLF DAWN

A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

Writers–Believe in Yourself!

charles french words reading and writing

 

To all the writers who might see this blog, please remember to believe in yourself, in your writing, and what you are doing.

Never listen to naysayers, including that voice in your head. Stay positive, and enjoy the journey.

Above all, keep writing!

 

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When Facebook AI Runs Awry, Oh My!

Here is a great article on AI glitches by my friend Kathy Steinemann.

Make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/facebook-ai/?fbclid=IwAR3yuqCegDOvtwf5aAEvNTPW8l-E81TRCnI4ZfYKff6ZOsNLnPbBNSFWlVw

Hummingbird: A Star Touched Story

Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history. One step toward understanding. One stride toward survival. One leap toward flying free from the past.

STAR TOUCHED

Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

WOLF DAWN

A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

HUMMINGBIRD FUN FACTS: THE MIGHTY BEAST

Earlier this week, as my husband and I sat on the deck, I noticed a wasp hanging out on our hummingbird feeder. Our growing flock of hummers haven’t hesitated to divebomb other, much large birds, for sampling nectar, but on look at that tiny wasp sent them running for cover.
Why? — Because wasp and bee venom can kill a hummingbird.

alkaplan

Don’t let their diminutive size fool you. Hummingbirds can be very aggressive and have been known to attack much larger birds. They are also extremely territorial and will guard their food sources fiercely.

Photo by Joshua Cotton

Even so, hummingbirds have many predators that would be happy to make them a meal. More than half of all hummingbirds die within the first year of life. The average life span is about 4 years but it varies by location and species.

Here’s a short list of predators:

Domestic cat

Hawks

Wasps

Blue jay

Snakes

Bees

Praying mantis

Large spiders

This hummingbird has more than regular predators to worry about.

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Live at the Maryland Renaissance Festival September 5, 2021

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Me with Maria V Snyder in 2019

Plans are underway to open the Maryland Renaissance Festival live on August 28, 2021 through October 24, 2021. Grab your costumes and prepare for fun.

Most of you know about the food, music, shows, artisan, and assorted shops at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. (I’m particularly fond of the leather workers, blacksmith, and glass blowers.) Amongst all this revelry, there is a hidden gem. Page After Page – Books of the Renaissance resides on White Stag lane. This charming little shop not only has some wonderful books, they also bring in a variety of authors. I’ll be there all day on Sunday, September 5.

This is their only storefront, so come support a local business. Grab a pint and swing on by.

September 5, 2021: Maryland Renaissance Festival
1821 Crownsville Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

I’ll be on White Stag Lane outside Page After Page – Books of the Renaissance all day.

(If you are concerned, know that all MRF employees and venders are required to be fully vaccinated for covid-19.)

Maryland Renaissance Festival tickets are being sold ON-LINE ONLY this year. 

It is highly recommended that the tickets be purchased in advance. All tickets are date-specific and non-refundable since we are open rain or shine. 

There are indications that we could/should expect sell-out crowds.

The Billionaires’ Space Race

Will science fiction become science fact? It’s happened before.

America the Beautiful

Alan Zendell, July 20, 2021

This morning’s Blue Horizon launch of four people into “near space,” was perfect by every standard. It went off precisely on time, going straight up, as advertised, to a maximum altitude of seventy miles, flying a perfect parabola after the engines shut down. The booster made a vertical landing exactly where it was intended to, two miles from where it took off. The occupants in the mostly glass capsule, designed for optimum viewing, got to experience three minutes of weightlessness, floating around and whooping with joy before they strapped in for the descent back to Earth.

Coming down, the capsule and its passengers were in free fall until it reached the altitude at which an airliner would be in its final landing approach, when its main parachutes deployed (perfectly.) The numbers displayed on our television screens said it touched down in the west Texas desert…

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MORE FIVE STAR REVIEWS FOR HUMMINGBIRD: A STAR TOUCHED STORY

Kalak S.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating glimpse into a surprising perspective from the world of Star Touched

I can say with certainty that this short but exciting vignette makes for a great read whether it is your introduction to the universe of Star Touched or if you are already a fan of the preceding novel. Author A.L. Kaplan crafts immediate intrigue in the first lines that holds your attention captive until the final words with an excellent pacing and a compelling atmosphere of some urgent mystery. I truly felt myself drawn into the perspective of the character, helpless to do anything but read on.

If you find yourself enjoying this taste of the lore of Star Touched, then you will surely enjoy the novel that started it! If you have already had the pleasure of reading it, then this brief return to that shattered world will have your heart racing like the wings of a hummingbird!

J. Cotten

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative short story

I love the creativity captured in the form of a hummingbird. The ups and downs of life in a small but fast creature, not sure of what may come next.

Order Your copy today

Hummingbird: A Star Touched Story

Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history. One step toward understanding. One stride toward survival. One leap toward flying free from the past.