Those who read this blog know that I try very hard to stay away from politics in it. This is not because I do not have very strongly held political beliefs, because I do; rather, it is because I wanted to focus this site on writing, reading, and other kinds of art.
Sometimes though, I cannot and will not remain silent. Today, there was another horrific school shooting at an elementary school, with, at last count, at least 18 dead. My level of shock and horror is almost impossible to fathom.
My disgust is also massive with the people who refuse to enact basic gun control legislation. We are the only nation in the world suffering from these all too regular shootings, and the so-called basis of the gun rights groups is that of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. Well, as a college professor and teacher of English, I…
Those who read this blog know that I try very hard to stay away from politics in it. This is not because I do not have very strongly held political beliefs, because I do; rather, it is because I wanted to focus this site on writing, reading, and other kinds of art.
Sometimes though, I cannot and will not remain silent. Today, there was another horrific school shooting at an elementary school, with, at last count, at least 18 dead. My level of shock and horror is almost impossible to fathom.
My disgust is also massive with the people who refuse to enact basic gun control legislation. We are the only nation in the world suffering from these all too regular shootings, and the so-called basis of the gun rights groups is that of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. Well, as a college professor and teacher of English, I…
A Four Day Celebration of Science Fiction In All It’s Various And Exciting Forms.
Balticon 56 is going to be fantastic this year. When I’m not hanging out at the Maryland Writers’ Association table, or this is where you can find me.
Fri 4:00 PMSt. GeorgeReadings: D.H. Aire and A.L. Kaplan D. H. Aire and I will read from our new and upcoming works.
Sat 10:00 AM Maryland Ballroom CD YA As Its Own Genre A. L. Kaplan, Nancy Springer, Gwendolyn Clare, Robert L. Slater YA is often set aside as its own genre in bookstores, libraries, and suggested reading lists. Like children’s literature, it is frequently categorized by expected reader age rather than its content. How does a book get classified as YA and what differentiates it from adult books? Is this classification beneficial to YA literature, or is it having a negative effect?
Sat 2:30 PM James Getting the Most From a Writers’ Association A. L. Kaplan, Joshua Bilmes, Jean Marie Ward, Carol Gyzander, Rosemary Claire Smith Genre association groups such as the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the Romance Writers Association (RWA), as well as more local groups like the Maryland Writers Association (MWA), can offer benefits and perks. Panelists talk about what different groups have to offer and how to get the most out of your membership.
Saturday 8:00 PM Maryland Ballroom The Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade I’ll be there as a Judges’ Clerk
Sun 2:30 PM 5th Floor Lobby Autographs: Amy Kaplan and Leah Cypess Autograph tables are located in the 5th floor lobby near the Consuite.
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
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.
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.
I created SHROUDED in June of 2020 as a memorial to those lost to Covid-19. This video shows the progression of the surrounding vegetation that is slowly covering the sculpture. As of May, 2022, Over 6.26 million people have died worldwide. 1 million in the United States.
“This novel grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go! The characters and setting were richly developed, especially the main character, Tatiana. I found myself rooting for her and the townspeople she encounters along the way, holding onto the edge of my seat along a roller coaster ride of a story. Bravo, I can’t wait for A.L. Kaplan’s next book!”
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
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 has a great progression from beginning to end, with wonderful description and overall themes to guide us through the story. I loved the way this story was written and how impactful it was despite its short length.”
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.
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
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.
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.
Wasteland Marshals: Volume One, by Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin, is a collection of four related novellas: The Wasteland Marshals,Witch of the Woods, Ghost of the Past, and Shutdown Crew. The stories center around Shane Collins and Lucas Maddox, a pair of best buds who have known each other since they were kids. They’re also the last pair of US marshals still trying to do their job after the Events which left the world in ruin.
Ghosts, demons, ancient spirits, renegade AIs, and werewolves are only some of the troublemakers that Shane and Lucas have to deal with. All the things that go bump in the night have come out of the shadows now that there are fewer humans on earth, and it’s no small feat to handle them. The two battle all sorts of bad folks and learn to embrace their unusual abilities which have become stronger since the world fell apart. (Lucas sees ghosts and Shane hears earth spirits.)
Gail and Larry Martin have cleverly woven bits of nerdy pop culture and humor into this exciting post-apocalyptic world with two awesome kick-ass heroes. It has a nice mixture of magic and technology. I look forward to volume two.
If you haven’t had a chance, check out these stories:
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.
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
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.
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.
Charles French is running a Self-promotion Party and you are all invited.
This is your opportunity to share what you have been writing and what you have written.
Celebrate Spring and promote your writing! Shout it out to the world! Let everyone know about your work!
To participate, simply give your name, your book, information about it, and where to purchase it in the comments section. Then please be willing to reblog and/or tweet this post. The more people that see it, the more publicity we can generate for everyone’s books.
Hello to everyone! We are now in Spring, and I thought it would be a good time to share what you have been writing and what you have written. I want once again to offer an opportunity for all writers who follow this blog to share information on their books. It can be very difficult to generate publicity for our writing, so I thought this little effort might help. All books may be mentioned, and there is no restriction on genre. This includes poetry and non-fiction.
To participate, simply give your name, your book, information about it, and where to purchase it in the comments section. Then please be willing to reblog and/or tweet this post. The more people that see it, the more publicity we can generate for everyone’s books.
alkaplan 