Kim Richards

Catherine Asaro at Writer' Chat tonight.

2009-07-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

7-9PM EST tonight - moderated chat with Nebula award winner, Catherine Asaro and lyricist Donald Wolcott at http://writerschatroom.com No password needed. I'm moderating. Nine prizes and some great music. Come join us!!

2009-06-21T20:55:00.001-07:00

My SF column at MyShelf is up: http://ping.fm/jbUQu

2009-06-17T13:59:00.001-07:00

http://ping.fm/M1lMt Blogging on being professional.

2009-06-16T07:08:00.001-07:00

Zombie hand mushroom http://ping.fm/s1dZt

2009-06-16T06:47:00.001-07:00

Trying out Ping. I feel organized, yet impersonal. Not sure I like this yet.

Setting & Description workshop

2009-06-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

June 14 - 20 - Setting & Description Workshop

Registration Fee: $35.00/ $25.00 for WRDF Members

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Description and setting are elements which can enhance or destroy your story. They are particularly effective when used together. In this workshop we’ll be exploring: setting and credibility; the pros and cons of write what you know and, “Show, don’t tell.”; How much is enough?; description and viewpoint.; and the story mood.

Registration fees can be paid through PayPal. (Be sure to stipulate which workshop you're registering for). Classes will be held via email.

Our contact email is: thetippingpoint@lyndacoker.com
Where: http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/THETIPPINGPOINTWORKSHOPS
Don't let the url scare you--this is not aimed only at romance writers.

First ebooks and now digital!

2009-06-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

A lot of readers and writers are waiting for the smoke to clear on the battlefronts of ebook reader affordability and cross-reader format compatability. Whether it's a stall tactic to jump on the ebook trail or real market place concerns, sales of both readers and ebooks are expected to soar higher than ever once those issues work themselves out. Ebook sales are already climbing as print sales drop.

Now it seems the war for the eyes of story lovers has expanded to the digital market place as well. Today's article in the Publishing Perspectives reviews and compares the new Palm competiton to Apple's iphone. http://publishingperspectives.com/?p=1188
Just this week the latest iphone was released and the price of the former best phone dropped to $99.00. Hey, that's getting affordable quick.

So, what's this phone business got to do with reading? Just that digital books are already available for purchase and viewing on iphones, Smartphones, Blackberries and now the Palm. I hear the paper traditionalists groaning already. All this technology is exciting but it in no way expects anyone to give up their paperbacks or hardcovers. Instead it is offering reading to younger generations. It's taking books to where the readers are and THAT's exciting news!

We're in the throes of reading evolution. Digital is new and fresh. How often have concerns been voiced over the lack of youth reading? They are...in their own way, on their own terms. It may not be your preferred way of devouring those books but I say, "Let them read!"

#1 mistake writers make during submissions

2009-06-03T14:54:00.001-07:00

http://writebrigade.blogspot.com/2009/06/number-one-submissions.html
Today's my turn to blog at The Write Brigade. I'm talking about the number one mistake writers make when submitting a story.

Workshops and the new company

2009-05-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

My worldbuilding workshop at The Tipping Point started today. I enjoy giving the workshops as much as I do taking them. Seems like I always come away with something new too.

For Damnation Books, I sent the artist contracts yesterday and today. And we're signed up to do kindle formats. Want to know a secret? We're looking to get into digital comics as well. Kind of cool idea if I do say so myself.

Meet Poet, C.E.Chaffin

2009-05-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm always a sucker for good poetry. Have been most of my life, so when C.E. Chaffin asked me to be part of his virtual blog tour, I said, "Heck yeah!"

C. E. Chaffin is a well-known poet, especially on the net, who has been publishing for 40 years. His new book, his first since 1997, includes a section of over 20 love poems, based on the miracle of his falling in love at 45. He's been in love ever since—almost ten years!

Why did you call your book “Unexpected Light?”

In a fallen world where we're often surrounded by darkness, as if in answer to prayer unexpected light often leaks through just at the moment when we fear we can no longer go on. It can be sunlight on a leaf or a late phone call from an old friend, but that's how most light comes in my life.

Furthermore the actual title is mentioned in the last line of the poem, “Prayer to la Virgen,” detailing how Christ was lucky enough to receive a donated grave. But more so, when I fell in love at 45 for the first time (and it has continued ever since), I was shocked out of my mind. It was truly unexpected light! A whole lighthouse worth of it.

Trained as a medical doctor, I had always been rational about love, thinking (in C. S. Lewis's words) that love should be the result of, not the reason for marriage. All that changed when I met Kathleen. And right after I met her my second wife e-mailed me that she was leaving—such synchronicity!--leaving me a perfect opportunity to experience romantic love for the first time, a gift I wish for everyone. And true love is not just infatuation but an abiding love, a love that puts on overalls and boots in the service of the beloved.

How did you come to write “Unexpected Light?”

I've been publishing poetry for 40 years, and this is my second book. My first was published in 1997. This book was 12 years in the making. It deals with many themes, including the usual four in poetry: God, Death, Nature and Love. The last section of the book, in fact, is devoted to love poems. And that was a main impetus for the book. I had compiled a manuscript entirely of love poems but no publisher showed interest, so I limited the love poems to my very best 20 or so and added poems on other themes, and voila! I had a publisher go all the way for me, including royalties—for poetry, imagine!

Who are your major poetic influences?

T. S. Eliot, Robinson Jeffers, Robert Frost, Theodore Roethke, Mark Strand and Pablo Neruda, to name a few. None of these except Neruda is truly a love poet, and he has been the most influential on my romantic poetry. One of the poems in the volume is entitled, “To Kathleen, after Neruda,” for instance. As for poets in English, I like John Donne's love poems bests, though they are so intellectually dense one must assume the object of his love was some kind of a genius to consistently unravel his metaphysics.

Does poetry have a chance in this day and age?

Yes, for man does not live by bread alone, but by every word... There may be a smaller audience for poetry today, given the competition, and more poets publishing than ever. The Net has caused a proliferation of literary journals that is more democratic and participatory. There are probably more serious poets writing than ever before. And poetry is the miner's canary of the culture, in my opinion. It records the travails of the time and tries to connect them with eternity and history. Love is one of the four enduring themes of poetry and one of the most difficult topics to undertake.

Where can we get a copy of “Unexpected Light?”

It's available through Amazon.com and all the usual suspects and any bookstore will order it for you. Best to order it directly from the publisher. There's a page on my website where you can do that: http://cechaffin.com/light.html

It comes in hardback for just $20 and paperback for $12. I wish I could give it away but I can't afford it. Seven reviews have already been published, and I can say without embarrassment that they have all been glowing.If you join the facebook group, “Unexpected Light,” you will automatically be updated regarding readings and new reviews.

Here's a short excerpt from one of the love poems, “Valentine 2008,” where the speaker imagines his love as a waterfall:

Inside the moss-lipped haven of your granite

I hide behind your thundering skirt of water.

Your clarity dissolves all self-deception.

I would not recognize myself without you.

The shelter of trees is never so generous

As your pouring and thinning of yourself

Into the forest air. I kneel and drink

And like the alder rise up satisfied.

I'm one of five authors chatting live tonight.

2009-05-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

9:00 p.m. EST Join me in a mystery/Suspense Chat at CTR. There will be five of us chatting and givng away stuff.
http://coffeetimeromance.com/chat.html

Interviewing Ann Wilkes

2009-05-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

My next column for My Shelf is live now. This time I'm interviewing CA science fiction author, Ann Wilkes.

http://myshelf.com/beyondthewords/column.htm

An update on Damnation Books

2009-05-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

Sent out eleven acceptances for Damnation Books yesterday. We've got a couple more anticipated which means we're almost at the half way mark for the September launch.We've got some really interesting stories. For example, one of the novels I couldn't put down until I read the entire thing. Nice huh?

I spent most of the day on Thursday sending rejections. Talk about not fun. We need more erotica in dark settings though.

New writer's blog

2009-05-01T09:43:00.001-07:00

The Charge of the Write Brigade launched today. Nine genre authors taking on the writing world. I'm one of them (though I don't post until Wednesday). Gotta tell you about it now though. http://writebrigade.blogspot.com/

Interview at Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine

2009-04-09T09:54:00.001-07:00

Things have been SO busy with the April releases from Eternal Press, edits for the paranormal guide, my own writing, and more work for Damnation Books (we now have three editors and several artists on board). It's an exciting time for me.

I'm interviewed in the new issue of Dark Gothic Magazine. It just came out today. http://bloodtouch.webs.com/darkgothicmagazine.htm

Also, my erotica, Paper Chains (by me as Sharie Silva) is now in a print version too. I should have a link up on my Sharie Silva webpage later today. www.shariesilva.com

Geez, and I thought the SyFy thing was bad...what about internet free Wednesdays!

2009-04-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

This article came from the NM Book Coop (apparently originally from Book Awareness http://www.shelf-awareness.com/index.html )

Administration to Bail Out Book Biz

As the latest part of its effort to stabilize key sectors of the faltering U.S. economy, the Treasury Department this week is bailing out the book industry. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced a series of far-reaching measures in a surprise press conference late last night.
Among other measures, the government is making significant cash infusions into Borders Group, Baker & Taylor, a range of independent bookstores and selected publishers and taking ownership positions in the affected companies.

Another key element of the effort is "the toxic asset dispersal program," which has both bookselling and publishing components. On the bookselling level, the program aims to deal primarily with piles of unsold books, whose sales the government will guarantee in an effort to keep them from being returned to publishers--and thus causing "catastrophic" backward bottlenecks in the supply chain and collapse of publishers' and wholesalers' balance sheets.
At the same time, the government aims to defuse publishers' main toxic assets by covering all advances over $1 million on yet-to-be-published books. It is, however, planning to seek reimbursement of many recent "questionable" advances, among them, former President George W. Bush's $7 million, Audrey Niffenegger's $5 million and US Airways Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's estimated $2.5 million-$3 million. By demanding the voluntary return of most of those advances, the Obama Administration also hopes to fend off bills introduced in the House and Senate to tax such advances at a rate of 90%.

Geithner noted that it is not just book industry employees who might be affected were the book industry allowed to fail. The professional lives of loggers, printers, shippers, truckers, UPS and FedEx drivers, creative writing teachers, book bloggers and used booksellers are also imperiled. Many millions of ordinary Americans who list their titles on Amazon and other Internet services are at risk. Members of the publishing industry itself would lose the extra cash they earn at the Strand and by selling online.

Reaction has been varied.

William Ackman, head of the hedge fund that is Borders's largest shareholder, has offered to take a 10% discount from the $30 million retention bonus he has demanded for his firm. "I'm taking this gracious step in the spirit of cooperation, the spirit of everyone being in this together," he said. "My generous offer to lower the payment is a sign, too, that we value this industry as deeply as any of the others we target. Who else cares enough to make the tough choices about which costs to cut and which people to fire?"

Len Riggio, chairman of Barnes & Noble, noted that he had contributed millions of dollars to the Democratic Party over the years, and was seeking a contribution return bailout, considering that his major competitors are now receiving government assistance.

Representatives of Castle Harlan, which owns Baker & Taylor, had no public comment, but sources close to the private equity fund said that it is investigating whether in this era of contracts that are no longer ironclad, it might be able to reverse its 2006 purchase of the wholesaler from Willis Stein & Partners.

Among programs that will be put into effect by American Borders and Baker, Taylor & Geithner and the other federal-private enterprise book partnerships:
An effort to encourage retailers to remainder in place, which is being branded "Books: RIP." A stimulus element called Barack Book Bucks, consisting of electronic cards and coupons redeemable only at bookstores that will be distributed on Facebook, Twitter and Amazon, at Starbucks outlets, Apple and AT&T stores, movie theaters, shopping centers and warehouse clubs. "We're going where the people are," a Treasury Department spokesperson said. A special 50% "buy local tax"--a federal levy--on all online book sales. Internet-free Wednesdays, during which the government will shut down the Internet in an attempt simultaneously to boost reading, sales at bricks-and-mortar stores, social interaction and productivity in the American workplace. At a press conference this morning, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said that while the federal government has a reluctance about owning banks and auto manufacturers, book-related ventures are a different matter. "I love books," he said. "I can't wait to visit the facilities, find a couple good titles and curl up in the corner for a nice afternoon's read. Isn't that what booksellers do?"

Geithner's enthusiasm for the book business is shared by President Obama. A red-hot author, the "book dude-in-chief" is doing his part to help the industry bailout effort by writing several new books that will appear this fall. This reverses a decision he made earlier in the year not to write any more books until after his third or fourth "economic emergency" term.
In a similar vein, the State Department is working with the U.K. Home Secretary to persuade through magic or trickery J.K. Rowling to continue the Harry Potter series as soon as superhumanly possible.

Likewise, reacting to requests by German authorities, who are concerned about the longterm viability of Bertelsmann/Random House, U.S. officials are crafting a program with the code name Novus Opus Dei that aims to get Dan Brown to finish his next book, which has repeatedly been postponed. If the MS does not arrive by specified dates, an escalating series of "persuasions" will be used for the author of The Da Vinci Code, such as requiring him to wear a hairshirt, having an editor go over his book before publication and deportation to Vatican City.

Also President Obama, an avid reader, is launching a book club with Oprah Winfrey. Called the Double O Book Club, the joint venture will feature titles from "distressed" publishers and be tweeted from the White House.--by John Mutter, Shelf Awareness

My BIG announcement

2009-03-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have opened a new ebook company called Damnation Books. We launch in September 2009 with twenty-five titles and are open for submissions now. You can see the guidelines at http://www.damnationbooks.com/

Damnation books wants dark fiction. Horror, dark fantasy, thrillers, paranormals, science fiction and erotica (in horror, dark fantasy, paranormal and science fiction settings). We want stort stories, novellas and novel length works.

Please check us out. If you're at KillerCon in September, we plan to host a launch party at the convention.

Just two weeks until my first workshop--on Celtic Magic

2009-03-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

There's still room. The class is based upon the research I did for a chapter in an upcoming book on writing fantasy magic. My chapter is about--Celtic magic. I will share it with my students. I learned a lot I'd like to pass on to you.

April 12 - 18 Class # 1 - Celtic Magic Workshop
Registration Fee: $35.00Registration Fee for WRDF Members: $25.00

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Every writer wants to ‘get it right’ with respect to cultures and background. Weaving Authentic Celtic Magic is an academic view of the Celtic culture, with respect to its practical applications of magic in Celtic life. We’ll be touching on basics for magic in any story; power words, names and songs; spells, runes, tattooing and numerology; and the deities with the colors and symbols related to them plus their realms of influence.
SEATING IS LIMITED FOR ALL CLASSES. REGISTER EARLY. The class will be presented via an email group.
http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/THETIPPINGPOINTWORKSHOPS

I'm editing my brains out.

2009-03-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

The guide for writing paranormals is going well. Tina and I are working through the first round edits. Once we're done with that I'll be putting out the call for submissions for a similar guide on writing horror.

Sephera Giron is guest author tonight at Writer's Chatroom. I'm moderating.

2009-03-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

Sephera Giron is an erotic horror author responsible for unleashing many published books into the world!

Sephera is now donning a new hat as the author of 12 erotic romance novels based on the signs of the zodiac and set to be released once a month from http://www.Ravenousromance.com These are e-books and very reasonably priced. They are also available as mp3s that you can download onto an ipod to listen to in the car or at the gym.

Sephera also edited the SEXSTROLOGY ANTHOLOGY which are erotic romance stories written by a variety of authors including Yvonne Navarro, Lisa Mannetti, Monica J. O'Rourke, Sandra Kasturi, Michael Colangelo and others.

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY from Neon Books is the story of a young wench, Hester, who dreams of running away with the gypsies

The Kama Sutra Seductions Deck is out at a book store near you.

MISTRESS OF THE DARK from Leisure Books is the diary of a bisexual serial killer who works as a waitress in New York City and is obsessed with Johnny Depp.

BORROWED FLESH from Leisure Books is about an aging witch who slaughters virgins to keep her youthful looks.Other books include HOUSE OF PAIN, HOUSE MAGIC: THE GOOD WITCH'S GUIDE TO BRINGING GRACE TO YOUR SPACE and ETERNAL SUNSET.Sephera lives by the lake near Toronto.

WHEN?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Eastern USA Time.....7 PM
Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com
WHERE?
The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm
Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Login. No password needed.
Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.

We lost "Doc"

2009-03-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

I’m saddened to hear of Keith "Doc" Herber's passing. I know it was sudden but nothing further.
Many of you know his works from the gaming, horror and Cthulhu communities.

I first met him through Dark Tales. He's one of those awesome folks who was kind to a newbie writer full of stupid questions.

Thanks to Sephera Giron for telling me.

Death Masks in print

2009-03-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Death Masks is now available in a paperback version. There's a click link to Amazon on the right here. I'm thrilled.

EPICon

2009-03-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

I'm back from EPICon and, admittedly, a bit disappointed that Death Masks didn't win an EPPIE. I've yet to recieve a bad review on it. But that is life. This is the book an agent laid out for me why she couldn't sell it so I came home and reworked it. It's also the one I wrote as horror; it got released as thriller. Many people claimed it's a thriller because it's about a serial murderer and there's no supernatural element in it. However the reviewers have for the most part called it horror. Sigh. I still have hope for the book's recognition in the Dream Realm Awards. It's been submitted. We'll see.

Because I was at EPICon, also representing Eternal Press, I was only able to sit in on two workshops. Both were great. I will definitely be restructuring this blog based on some of that advice.

The weekend was fun. I put faces to some internet names and everyone was kind to me. I got my first try at gambling. Eh, I would have rather spent the money on books. ;)

If you write and you've never been to a conference, I highly recommend that you do. I always come home inspired to write.

I'm teaching workshops at The Tipping Point

2009-03-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

Here's what I have to offer. There will be another on on writing paranormal stories added later.
April 12 - 18 Class # 1 - Celtic Magic Workshop (20 seats available)
Aug. 16 - 26 Class # 2 - Celtic Magic Workshop (20 seats available)
Registration Fee: $35.00
Registration Fee for WRDF Members: $25.00
Instructor: Kim Richards lives and writes in Northern California. She attributes her success to two mentors she met online and a myriad of writers willing to share their advice over the years. Now it's Kim's turn to pay it forward. She has chapters in several how-to guides from Dragon Moon Press: The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy and an upcoming guide on writing fantasy magic. She is co-editing a similar guide about writing paranormals. Additionally, she has taught workshops at The Muse online for two years and at the recent, Catholic Writer's Workshop online. She also works as the marketing manager for Eternal Press, writes a science fiction column for My Shelf online and is on staff at The Writer's Chatroom. Her website is at www.kim-richards.com

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Every writer wants to ‘get it right’ with respect to cultures and background. Weaving Authentic Celtic Magic is an academic view of the Celtic culture, with respect to its practical applications of magic in Celtic life. We’ll be touching on basics for magic in any story; power words, names and songs; spells, runes, tattooing and numerology; and the deities with the colors and symbols related to them plus their realms of influence.

May 17 - 23 Class # 1 - World Building (scifi/fantasy) Workshop (20 seats available)
Sep. 13 - 19 Class # 2 - World Building (scifi/fantasy) Workshop (20 seats available)
Registration Fee: $35.00
Registration Fee: for WRDF Members: $25.00
Instructor: Kim Richards lives and writes in Northern California. She attributes her success to two mentors she met online and a myriad of writers willing to share their advice over the years. Now it's Kim's turn to pay it forward. She has chapters in several how-to guides from Dragon Moon Press: The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy and an upcoming guide on writing fantasy magic. She is co-editing a similar guide about writing paranormals. Additionally, she has taught workshops at The Muse online for two years and at the recent, Catholic Writer's Workshop online. She also works as the marketing manager for Eternal Press, writes a science fiction column for My Shelf online and is on staff at The Writer's Chatroom. Her website is at www.kim-richards.com

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Based off of her chapter in The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, Kim Richards discusses the building blocks of creating worlds for science fiction and fantasy. Aspects of the workshop include: Why we need to world build? Where and how to get started. Research, organization and motivation, along with names, how to handle technology and the process of world building.

June 14 - 20 Class # 1 - Setting & Description Workshop (20 seats available)
Oct 11 - 17 Class # 2 - Setting & Description Workshop (20 seats available)
Registration Fee: $35.00
Registration Fee: for WRDF Members: $25.00
Instructor: Kim Richards lives and writes in Northern California. She attributes her success to two mentors she met online and a myriad of writers willing to share their advice over the years. Now it's Kim's turn to pay it forward. She has chapters in several how-to guides from Dragon Moon Press: The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction, The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy and an upcoming guide on writing fantasy magic. She is co-editing a similar guide about writing paranormals. Additionally, she has taught workshops at The Muse online for two years and at the recent, Catholic Writer's Workshop online. She also works as the marketing manager for Eternal Press, writes a science fiction column for My Shelf online and is on staff at The Writer's Chatroom. Her website is at www.kim-richards.com

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Description and setting are elements which can enhance or destroy your story. They are particularly effective when used together. In this workshop we’ll be exploring: setting and credibility; the pros and cons of write what you know and, “Show, don’t tell.”; How much is enough?; description and viewpoint.; and the story mood.

Registration fees can be paid through PayPal. (Be sure to stipulate which workshop you're registering for). You may also pay by personal check. Checks will take ten days to clear. If using this method, allow for the extra time. SEATING IS LIMITED FOR ALL CLASSES. REGISTER EARLY.
Our contact email is: thetippingpoint@lyndacoker.comWhere: http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/THETIPPINGPOINTWORKSHOPS

EPICon, Death Masks and Twitter

2009-03-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

I'm all ready for EPICon. Wish me luck that Death Masks wins. I'd love to sell a few copies. It's not out in print yet (any day now) but I do have some on CD for the con signing.

Have you bought your copy yet? I'll make it easy for you: here's the link to the book's page at Eternal Press http://www.eternalpress.ca/deathmasksnew.html

Hey, while your at it, Twitter me!! http://twitter.com/Kim_Richards