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Interview with Scifi/Fantasy author Anthony Reynolds

November 18, 2012 Uncategorized, Writing Tips  One comment

Hi Everyone,

Heres a quick interview I took with the totally awesome bloke and scifi/fantasy Author Anthony Reynolds. Hope you enjoy!!

Also, check out some of his great work which can be found at www.blacklibrary.com

Enjoy,

Simon Dewar
@herodfel

1. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and where you’re from?

My names Anthony and I’m an alc… no, wait, that’s not right. Let’s start that again.
Ahem.

I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, but buggered off in my early 20’s. I headed
to the UK and worked for 6 years in Games Worksop’s Design Studio, became friends
with lots of very cool folk and learnt loads, before heading back to Australia (I missed
the sun) and starting to write on a freelance basis.

I’ve since written seven novels, a handful of novellas and bunchRead More

Looking for Real Quality Fiction? Look Beyond the Bookstore

October 28, 2012 Uncategorized  No comments

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is the biggest book in the world right now. Everyone is either reading it or talking about it. Sadly, the talk isn’t as positive as the hype would suggest. Reviews from readers and critics have panned its repetition, weak storyline, and unrealistic characters. It’s an example of people confusing publicity for quality.

So if this is what’s selling, does that mean fiction has fallen to a new low? Not at all; there’s still a lot of great quality fiction out there — you just might have to leave your local bookstore or Amazon app to find it. Here’s a quick guide to finding quality fiction on the Internet and beyond.

Promising Quality Fiction Sources

The problem with looking for “quality fiction” is that quality is subjective. One person’s UlyssesRead More

Book Review: Roll the bones by Zoe E Whitten

September 23, 2012 Uncategorized  No comments

It’s been a while but I’m back with a book review.

Roll the bones is book 3 in the “Peter the Wolf” series by Zoe E Whitten.

It follows the  story of  Peter the werewolf as he tries to free his sister who is held captive by a nasty harpy who is torturing her and  feeding off her pain.  The harpy tasks Peter with assassinating a vampire to obtain release of his captive sister..  A long the way there are twists and turns, plenty of carnage and fight scenes, some self discovery, some werewolf-on-werecat romance, witches and magic.  Theres  vampire FBI agents and casino owners and gay/bi characters.

Normally a hardcore epic fantasy and scifi man, this foray into the realm of urban fantasy was an amazing change.

I agreed to read and review this story for Zoe, who I know on twitter.  IfRead More

Careful Creativity

September 23, 2012 Uncategorized  2 comments

Journalism is very different from most other types of writing. It is based in fact, people and timelessness. It also requires the writer to let go. Journalism writing requires detachment and, in some ways, the loss of the writers voice.

However, that doesn’t mean that journalism and journalists have to lose all the flare and creativity from their prose. That’s not the case at all. In fact, all that it means is that writers need to get more creative about the creativity in their writing. Just be careful and you will be fine.

See the thing is that journalism pieces should not include any of the writers personal viewpoints. Also, for the most part, the stories have to fit into a sort of format or formula. You have to start with a lede, follow up with a nut graph and layer quotes,Read More

Well, I’ve been a bad contributor

September 21, 2012 Success Stories, Uncategorized, Writing Tips  5 comments

Hi all! I’m sorry for being away and not posting anything of consequence. Life has happened to me in a number of interesting ways.

I started my own business, began working with a client, and something even more strange occurred shortly thereafter. I got an offer from a surprising source.

On September 15th of 2011, I epublished my first book “Blood-soaked and Contagious” (OMG it’s been a year!) Shortly after my insanity with Amazon’s KDP, someone who read my book tracked me down and sent me the most marvelously geeky fan letter. We tossed a few emails back and forth over the past year, and I didn’t think about it too hard.

Three weeks ago, he sent me an email with an offer. He wanted someone to ghostwrite autobiographical material for him. He proposed an hourly rate for my time, andRead More

My first attempt at a short story

September 16, 2012 Karen's Corner, Uncategorized  3 comments

Your email:

 

Hi Guys,

I thought I’d take the plunge and post  my first attempt at a short story. I wrote it nearly 6 years ago and rereading it now I’d certainly write it differently today. I guess that watching your writing develop and change over the years is what it’s all about. I wrote it for a short story competition which had to be about a topic relevant to “older people”. Each entrant was meant to get feedback from an acclaimed author and the winner was to get their story published. After waiting an eternity for any comments I finally had the story returned with a polite note saying the person judging the entries was seriously ill in hopsital and no stories had been read. I was really dispapointed! So, other than Damien, no one else has ever read this, so I’d love to hear yourRead More

Articles vs. Videos

September 16, 2012 Uncategorized  No comments

Writer’s blog:

Okay, so last week was a great introduction. I felt so welcomed and very eager to contribute something real to this wonderful. I only hope that what I have to say helps someone in some way.

So today’s topic: Articles vs. Videos

In a few weeks I will be teaching a 40 minute session at the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association’s annual high school journalism conference.  I am so excited to be going back to the conference for the fifth time! Yep, that’s right. I’ve taught at this conference for the past four years and every year I fall more in love with it.

What am I teaching the budding writers this year? Well, my topic this year is Rise of the MMJ: Multimedia Journalists and news presentation.

I am cannot wait for the convention! Now, I know that multimediaRead More

Miranda’s Introduction

September 8, 2012 Uncategorized  3 comments

Hi! Before I start my regular blog, I figured I should write an introduction blog post about me, why I love writing and experience in writing over the years.

My name is Miranda. I am currently attending Northern Arizona University where I study Journalism/Political Science and Hotel and Restaurant Management. I will be graduating with my B.S. this year and looking forward to moving to more exciting things and opportunities in my post-graduate life.

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. However, my interest in the activity really blossomed in high school, when I discovered journalism. I was a part of my high school newspaper for three years and was also the co-Editor-and-Chief my senior year of high school. During high school, I also had an short essay, The Girl Who Tempts,Read More

Hello everyone.

August 30, 2012 Uncategorized  2 comments

I was driving to meet with a client this morning, and I realized that I had something pertinent to say to everyone here at Newbie Writers.

I’m in the process of changing my career path, and that is something that can change your fundamental perception of yourself. I’ve also run into this same set of assumptions and perceptions as a writer. That’s what I want to share with you. Here we go!

Do you feel like writing isn’t something all that special?

You might be surprised to know that not everyone can write a book, a stirring poem, or a rollicking-good story. Not many people who dream of it ever do it. If they did, we would be awash in paperbacks, petabyte storage for ebooks (at home). By virtue of the fact you’re doing something that many people can’t or won’t, you are extraordinary. TakingRead More

Book Review – Celadonian Tales Vol 1 : Blood and Brass by Walter Shuler

August 19, 2012 Uncategorized  No comments

Book Review : Celadonian Tales Vol 1: Blood and Brass

 Book by Walter Shuler

Review by S. Dewar

I just finished this book a day or two ago and couldn’t wait to review it.  If you don’t know who Walter Shuler is you can check out an interview I conducted with him a few weeks ago.

Celadonian Tales is a collection of 3 short stories based around the in the city of Celadon, interspersed with a small story of two travellers, one telling the tales to the other.  Basically this a narrative device which allows the stories to seem as though they’re being regaled upon you as you wait by the campfire on your way to the city of Celadon.  I actually really liked the irascible brogue of the narrator between stories and it immediately hooked me. I had a feeling from the start that I was goingRead More