11/20/2009

News for November 20th, 2009

Johne Cook says:

Katie Weiland was kind (or reckless) enough to interview me for the AuthorCulture blog. She asked fun questions, and I replied with what may be considered provocative answers. In the interview, I talk about the genesis of Ray Gun Revival magazine and my “Adventures of the Sky Pirate” serial novel, as well as the challenges of writing a serial novel, the importance of writing out your million words of dreck, thoughts about the fine line between piracy and obscurity, and the vision I predict for for the future of the publishing industry. Go here for more.

Fred Warren has been interviewed at The Writing Career Coach and Writing Examiner. Comment to win a copy of his new book The Muse.

Grace Bridges has also been interviewed at The Writing Career Coach and Writing Examiner. Leave a comment to be in to win a copy of my science fiction novel Faith Awakened.

11/18/2009

News for November 18th, 2009

Karina Fabian says: I had a lovely book signing at Godspace, the Catholic bookstore in Thousand Oaks. I sold more books than I had in a long time. What did I do different?
Read more at her post Bookstore Efforts Led to Book Signing Success.

Also check out Karina's latest press release in response to the Vatican's conference on astrobiology: As Vatican Explores Idea of Extra-Terrestrial Life, Catholic Sci-Fi is Already There

G.K. Fields announces publication of Change at Digital Dragon Magazine.

Rick Copple also announces his new flash fiction title at Residential Aliens:
Life Intruders: The Voyages of Neptune 2

Kat Heckenbach is a freelance writer, homeschool mom, and magna cum laude graduate of the University of Tampa (Biology). Her short fiction ranges from light-hearted fantasy to dark and disturbing.
You can enter her world and learn about her novels and other writing at www.findingangel.com and www.kat-findingangel.blogspot.com. Here are two of her stories:
"The Artist" in Mindflights at http://www.mindflights.com/item.php?sub_id=5785.

Don't forget to keep an eye on all the other great ezines out there too, for regular new stories incuding many by Lost Genre Guild members and friends:
Mindflights
Digital Dragon
The Cross and the Cosmos
Residential Aliens
Wayfarer's Journal
RayGun Revival
Laser & Sword

11/16/2009

Guild Member Spotlight: Fred Warren

Welcome to our ongoing series of conversations with Lost Genre Guild members. Catch them here on Mondays!

Fred Warren

When did you join the LGG? How did you make the connection?

December 2008. It was kind of a convoluted path. I was lurking on an Orthodox Christian newsgroup, where I encountered Rick Copple, who caught my attention because Orthodox and speculative fiction just seemed like a really strange combination. That led me to RayGun Revival and RayGun Radio, which led me to Double Edge Publishing, which brought a variety of Christian spec-fic authors to my attention, including a few more in LGG. I checked a few profiles on the LGG website and discovered a lot of folks with reading lists very similar to my own, so it seemed like a good fit. I'd already connected with a secular writers' forum online, but was looking for a group with a Christian focus as well.

What's the first thing you remember that happened in the Guild?

Well, there was the first time I went to an LGG meeting in Second Life, and Frank Creed's avatar was wearing a fox suit. That was different.

Tell us some good things that have transpired from belonging.

Just being in touch with a lot of other like-minded folks who want their writing to glorify God has been an incredible morale-booster and challenge for me. Another unexpected blessing was that Grace Bridges discovered my novel when I was circulating the draft for critique, and liked it so much she wanted to publish it.

What's your genre and subgenre? Why do you think that is?

I hate to pigeonhole myself, but I mostly write soft science fiction and modern fantasy—putting human beings in extraordinary situations and then seeing what happens. Though I have an engineering education and love gadgetry, the development of technology isn't as interesting to me as what people do with it or how their lives change because of it. With regard to fantasy, I see magical or supernatural elements in much the same way—they're a vehicle for bringing characters and readers into a world where the rules are different than what they expect, then seeing how they react.

Do you like to read the same genre as you write? What other genres interest you? Favorite authors?

Yes, I enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy as much as I enjoy writing it. I read the odd mystery or Western once in a while, and nonfiction about science or nature. It's almost cliché for someone who writes stories with Christian themes to say they like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, but I do. They're the masters. On the secular side, Mark Twain, for his wonderful sense of humor, Ray Bradbury, who brought poetry and science fiction together, and finally, William Tenn and Fredric Brown, two great short-story writers with a gift for delivering a huge punch in a small package.

Tell us about your published work, and where we can go to find out more. I've had fifteen or so works of short fiction published in a variety of online and print magazines, both Christian-oriented and secular, and I keep a current list on my writing blog at
http://frederation.wordpress.com/publications/ . The stories are a mixed bag of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, usually with a little humor leavened in there somewhere. In November 2009, my first novel, The Muse, will debut from Splashdown Books. I'm also a regular contributor to the month Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour, and frequently post book reviews on whatever I happen to be reading at the moment.

What are you working on right now? How's progress? I've always got a few short stories in the works, but now that I've finished writing The Muse, I've begun two new novel projects--a sequel to The Muse, and a science fiction adventure story.

How has the LGG helped you in your work? Aside from the benefits I mentioned earlier, I'd have to say that the enthusiasm among LGG members is infectious. Even a couple of years ago, I would have considered “quality spec-fic with a Christian sensibility” to be a contradiction in terms. Now, I'm actually excited about trying to write it.

What are your dreams for the future of Christian speculative fiction, and for yourself within that?

I want to see Christian spec-fic become known for both its craftsmanship and its innovation. If we're going to prosper, we have to write well, be willing to take risks, and develop speculative visions that will catch people's imagination. We can't just follow established trends or conventional wisdom--we have to step out and lead. We follow a Saviour who knows how to tell an important story, and how to tell it in a way that nobody's ever heard before. If I can grab hold of a little bit of that mastery, I'll be a happy guy.

Your best writing tip? Write something every day. It doesn't have to be a story—even if it's a letter to your Mom or a page in your diary, just developing the discipline to regularly put some words on paper or into electrons gets you used to thinking like a writer.


What else are you up to that our readers would find interesting?

My day job is pretty interesting. I help run computer simulations that the Army uses for training, so they can practice their combat procedures without burning a lot of fuel or blowing things up.

Something you reckon not many people know about you?

I spent some time living in Korea, where I developed a taste for bulgogi and kimchee.

Your website or social media profile?

My writing blog, Frederation, is at http://frederation.wordpress.com, and there are links there to my profiles on Facebook, ShoutLife, Twitter, and LiveJournal.