tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84110412024-03-12T20:35:00.369-07:00Pooka's TalesKathy Hurley's Thoughts on Writing, Life, and the Writing LifeKHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-59283745699256775502013-02-24T23:57:00.000-08:002013-02-24T23:57:01.110-08:00Alternate PathsGiven the current publishing climate, I've been exploring options. It seems that nowadays, many more people are self-publishing than ever before. Given that, and also given the fact that I've been working more on non-fiction than fiction lately, I've been considering the self-publishing option for the non-fiction.<br />
<br />
I've done a lot of homework. While it does seem that some of the former stigma surrounding self-publishing for unknown writers is beginning to relax, and more established professionals are self-publishing their own work as well, there still seems to be a bit of a question on the parts of some people as to what can actually be viewed as self-publishing and what can be viewed as "vanity press."<br />
<br />
From some of what I read, it sounds as though if you format and produce your book entirely under your own steam, it's seen as self-publishing. It also seems to be seen as self-publishing if you produce your book via a packaging service that simply incorporates your own formatting, your own cover art, etc. and then just prints exactly what you've provided to them exactly as you've provided it, in the form of an e-book or as a print-on-demand book.<br />
<br />
The place where the information began to get a little foggy was where it concerned paying to have your book produced by a book packager who actually gets more involved in the process--where you pay for services such as the procurement of ISBNs and LOC control numbers, formatting help and even cover design. For some reason, there are people out there who seem to view paying for these things as "vanity press."<br />
<br />
I have to confess, I have no idea why paying for professional help to bring a book to market would be seen as "vanity press" as opposed to "self-publishing." Whether you pay for help or do it all alone, you're still the impetus behind putting your own book out there. You're still the person who decided it was good enough for the public eye, and you're still the one footing whatever bills there might be. So why in the world is admitting you need a little pro help considered "vanity press?"<br />
<br />
This is one of the reasons it has taken me so long to even begin to consider the possibility of self-publishing in any capacity other than the one in which I run Pookatales Press. But now that I have a non-fiction book very close to completion, I have to begin to consider how I will go about getting it out there. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that I will be going with a very well-known, professional packager. I will pay for help with all those things that make a book look like a professionally-produced product. I care about quality, and I want to treat the upcoming book the same way I would treat it if it had actually been picked up by a traditional publisher. I want the book to look good and come across as a quality work. I don't think that constitutes "vanity" at all. Just the opposite, in fact.<br />
<br />
I think it constitutes humility--the ability to admit that one needs help to bring a book into the light and make it be the best that it can be. That, friends, is where an author lays his or her ego in the dust and humbly admits that it's time to change a paradigm--the very concept that has been drummed into all writers for decades. The concept that we aren't really writers unless someone pays us for our work.<br />
<br />
I'm challenging that concept now. I am a writer, and I am going to pay someone to help me put my non-fiction book out there. There, I said it. So far, I have not gone up in flames.<br />
<br />
We'll see what tomorrow brings.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-46964396764750099252012-11-05T00:09:00.002-08:002012-11-05T00:11:07.090-08:00Late For an UpdateOne of my critique partners reminded me that I hadn't posted here in a long while. I didn't mean to leave such a long gap between posts, but to be honest, life has been hectic in the extreme.<br />
<br />
By way of update, I've completed a new short story recently and have been sending it out to online magazines. This is a process that can take a considerable amount of time, with upwards of three months or so at each venue, unless they happen to be fast responders. I'm quite happy with the way the new story has turned out, and as with each story, I hope it will find the perfect venue for its debut.<br />
<br />
I'm still working on an urban fantasy novella, as well as continuing to work on cover art for the e-story release of "The Truth One Sees." Maybe, if the Universe is kind and I can manage it, I may be able to release it by Christmas. But I cannot promise this absolutely, because as I said, life has been hectic.<br />
<br />
I have several online businesses of my own, including Pookatales Press, RavenSidhe on Etsy, and a CafePress store, Wild Raven. In addition to that, I sell some of the RavenSidhe products on consignment at a local store, and Pookatales Press products on eBay. Between those and helping with my family's business, it can be a challenge to keep up with the writing.<br />
<br />
With the economic crash of 2008 and the recent trend toward e-publishing, the traditional publishing industry has seen quite a few changes, many of them negative. Not as many books are being acquired in general, and publishers are less willing to take a chance on new or unknown authors. More and more authors, both well-established and unknowns, are turning to e-publishing and self-publishing as a way to get their works out there. From what many people are telling me, self-publishing is becoming much more widespread and accepted in the writing/publishing community.<br />
<br />
I've been working on both fiction and nonfiction of late, and particularly with the nonfiction, I've had to begin considering self-publishing as an option, so lately I've been doing a lot of research into that. However, as this is my fiction writing blog, I won't be going into much detail about the nonfiction here.<br />
<br />
In any case, that's the update in a nutshell, and I'll be sure to post when I have release details for the e-story. I hope this finds everyone well, and I with you all luck with whatever you're working on.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-21895212178658958252012-08-14T12:51:00.001-07:002012-08-14T12:57:03.146-07:00100 Words a DayWell, time has certainly gotten away from me this year, and here we are in August already!<br />
<br />
Writing-wise, what have I been up to? I've been primarily working on non-fiction, but I have also completed a new short story that I'll be submitting to various places for potential publication soon. I should have the last polishing done no later than Sunday.<br />
<br />
Aside from writing, I've been doing contract work for my husband's company, building wired adapters for injectors. I've also taken up archery.<br />
<br />
Each day is just a series of choices, really, and that pertains to writing as much as to anything else. Work, of course, is rarely much of a choice; it must be done. But what about the work of one's heart--the work that doesn't necessarily bring in much money? At the end of a long day of working with my hands, I've also tried typing for three hours, and have learned that there are limits to what my muscles can endure. However, if I could just do 100 words, that would be far, far better than nothing.<br />
<br />
I agreed with my critique partners that I'd do that much, at least. If you're writing short stories, 100 words a day will lead to a new story on a regular basis, as most places prefer stories 4000 words or less, and many places would be happier with 3000 or less.<br />
<br />
Problem: I can't easily write a short story of less than 3000 words. I've tried, and found that I have enough plot that to do less than 3000 just wouldn't serve to tell the story properly. Even with everything trimmed and shaved, sentences tightened as much as possible, my stories all seem to want to be between 4000 and 4500 words in length. Nevertheless, even at roughly 4000 words in total length, that 100 words a day would indeed net me many more short stories per year. 1000 words a day would get me a novel in just 100 days, but let's say I halved that figure and got 500 words a day. In 200 days, that's a novel, and easily fits into the ideal framework of one novel a year, plus a novella or several short stories.<br />
<br />
When you think of it like that, it's not all that daunting, really. It's just a matter of doing that 100 to 500 words.<br />
<br />
I've talked myself into it. It's just like with archery practice the other night, when I decided that as soon as I put all of my arrows into the target, I could stop for the night. No matter how many shots that took, as soon as each arrow went into the target, it could stay there. If I had to retrieve it from the grassy slope, then it had to be shot again.<br />
<br />
I don't know how many shots I took before all six arrows were sticking out of the target, but it was a lot more than six shots total. Nevertheless, I stuck with it until they were all in the target. And one of those arrows was in the center--a bullseye. I can't help but think that's a good analogy, except for the part where I quit for the night at the end. Otherwise, it's great. Fire enough stories out into the world, and keep putting them out there, and eventually one will hit the bullseye.<br />
<br />
After that, the next logical step is to write new stories and start the process over again, until the next bullseye. And all that sustained effort would take is just 100 words a day.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-41473469415180329302012-07-05T02:26:00.004-07:002012-07-05T02:27:18.809-07:00Happy Independence DayIt's interesting that the notion of independence is becoming more accepted in the world of publishing as well. More and more people are publishing their own works in the e-pub arena, and others are self-publishing print-on-demand books via various services. In short, people are doing pretty much everything that new writers were told, even as recently as ten years ago, not to do if they wanted any credibility.<br />
<br />
Maybe this is another instance where rebels end up creating something entirely new.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-85690683335466192162012-06-15T10:10:00.002-07:002012-06-15T10:10:45.192-07:00Checking InIt's amazing how much time goes by almost without notice!<br />
<br />
I'm trying to work on nonfiction and fiction both at once, so while my posts here are sporadic, I journal daily. I'm partway through writing a short story and have some on submission. And I'm working on the cover art for the e-story I plan to release soon.<br />
<br />
I'm thinking that an anthology of Sidhe fiction would be a very good future e-book release. I have a novella and several short stories, and that would be enough to fill the word count, so that is something I will be seriously considering over the next few months.<br />
<br />
I have ideas and basic plots figured out for a fantasy romance novel as well as a YA steampunk, but they may be some time in coming because there are also a short story and urban fantasy novella that I think should be finished first. So onward....KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-89676416459829120252012-05-06T22:50:00.001-07:002012-05-06T22:51:31.783-07:00Moving ForwardOn the fiction writing front, I've got a new short story underway and a couple of already-written ones submitted to online magazines.<br />
<br />
One theme in the new work is the notion of sacrifice. Just what might you give up in order to be with the people you love most? A job, perhaps? A calling? Money, status, fame? Those things would be more of a sacrifice to some, less to others. It's all in what you truly hold dear, right at the very core of your being.<br />
<br />
What if your sacrifice was something that some people think of as the Holy Grail? We're speaking, of course, of immortality. If you were an immortal, would you give that up to share one brief lifetime with someone who was not? Then again, that might depend upon your personal definition of immortality. Perhaps it is really love, after all, that defines immortality in the first place.<br />
<br />
Thoughts to ponder.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-33202362486274932932012-04-19T23:54:00.001-07:002012-04-19T23:58:06.712-07:00The Mini Les Bois Miniature Show, 2012The miniature show went on last weekend, bigger and busier than ever. We had quite a few vendors there, and a good number of customers. Some of our customers at the Pookatales table were repeat customers from last year; a big thank-you to all those who came to see us again and collect a few new items!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_W0bsJPTmuA/T5EHkOvcKlI/AAAAAAAAAjM/4u1TW7LJDtQ/s1600/Mini+Show+2012+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_W0bsJPTmuA/T5EHkOvcKlI/AAAAAAAAAjM/4u1TW7LJDtQ/s400/Mini+Show+2012+020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-19031994224139201182012-03-05T14:42:00.000-08:002012-03-05T14:42:05.321-08:00Mini Show's a GoPookatales Press is officially part of the local miniature show for 2012. With about a month and a half before the show weekend, we're looking through our stock, checking out all the parts of our displays, and figuring out new products that we want to include this year. I'll have more on that as things develop, and there will most likely be photos.<br />
<br />
Now it's just a matter of knocking things off the to-do list, one at a time.<br />
<br />
Writing-wise, I've been doing more journaling than fiction writing, but that's about to change as I work my way through edits and re-writes of my most recent urban fantasy novella. Just a teaser: it involves paranormal researchers and Sidhe, a recipe for all sorts of shenanigans. What's not to like?KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-37924475815393775002012-02-13T14:17:00.000-08:002012-02-13T14:17:28.312-08:00Invitations and New ProductsPookatales Press has been invited to attend and be a vendor at a miniature show in Stockton, California. Unfortunately, we most likely not be able to attend due to the distance and travel expenses, but it was great to be asked.<br />
<br />
We will, however, be attending the local show in Boise put on by Mini Les Bois in April. We have lots of great new products this year, including a few more varieties of mini greeting cards, masks, planespheres and whatever other intriguing items we come up with before then.<br />
<br />
It's been fun to develop this business, and as a result of all our efforts and attendance at the two mini shows, 2011 saw our biggest sales year since 2001. A nice cap to the ten-year anniversary.<br />
<br />
We have a new mini title in our line of medieval miniature books--a mini Book of Shadows/grimoire. So those who have all of our other titles might want to check this one out and add it to your collections! If you're searching for it prior to its inclusion in our store catalog, just use the store or blog's contact button and we'll be happy to set you up with one.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-42322656633995056942012-01-12T01:36:00.000-08:002012-01-12T01:36:47.866-08:00New Year's ResolutionsYikes! The whole month of December went by and I haven't updated the blog! This is a sure sign of a distracted writer.<br />
<br />
An update, then. The only thing stopping me from getting the science fiction short story, "The Truth One Sees" released for e-publication is the cover art. I'm able to draw it myself, but I've been working a lot at our family-owned company and haven't managed to get this done yet. I will be making efforts in this next couple of weeks to take some strides forward on the cover art so that this first e-release can happen.<br />
<br />
Following this first story release, I want to also release in electronic format several other short stories that have been previously published by my own miniature book company, Pookatales Press.<br />
<br />
There are plenty of things in the works; it's just that daily life has intervened in many cases. But as this is January of 2012, it seems high time to move forward on some of these projects that have been hanging fire.<br />
<br />
My apologies for ignoring the blog for over a month; time just seems to slip by me lately without my notice. I will work on paying better attention.<br />
<br />
I wish all of you who read this a very happy belated New Year, and I send out hopes for a very peaceful and prosperous 2012 for everyone.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-24032074515501015992011-11-23T01:02:00.000-08:002011-11-23T11:12:00.674-08:00Farewell, AnneAnne McCaffrey crossed the veil yesterday (Monday). I am saddened by her passing. It's always sad to me when the truly great writers pass on, leaving some very large shoes to be filled, if that's even possible.<br />
<br />
"Annie Mac" as she was affectionately called by friends, and I actually communicated via email once or twice, and she was very gracious to me. Also, years ago when I was 24 and in need of direction, she communicated some wisdom to me through a friend we both knew, saying that it really didn't matter what she or anyone else might think of my writing. If it was bad, she said, no one could help it but me, and if it was good, it would stand on its own strength and not someone else's. I have never forgotten her words to me, nor her gracious reply when I reminded her of the advice she'd given to me and thanked her for it, years later. She was the very first published writer to be kind to me, and I took her advice very much to heart.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Dragonlady Anne, for your words and your kindness to a young woman who did not yet understand who and what she was. You and your fabulous stories fired my imagination and drive to write and write well, and though the arena has changed, your advice is still valid. You will be missed.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-27658180265058833922011-10-18T00:10:00.000-07:002011-10-18T00:15:35.473-07:00Plastic Steampunk?A brainstorm that came on suddenly one day seems likely to result in a new novel, a YA fantasy steampunk. Steampunk isn't exactly my usual thing, but I certainly can't knock it because of that. The last time I went outside my usual venue, the story I wrote got published, so maybe this is exactly the direction I need to go.<br />
<br />
As a sort of fun activity related to the concepts behind steampunk, my older daughter and I decided to look into the notion of crafting a few steampunk objects d'art, in the form of jewelry, and possibly miniatures. We knew we'd need a few things like gears and cogs, etc.<br />
<br />
Now, you'd think one of the most obvious places to find gears and cogs would be to look inside an old-fashioned windup clock, wouldn't you? We had one that no longer worked because something had broken inside it, so we thought, "Great; we'll take that apart and there will be all sorts of cogs and gears inside it that we can mine for parts."<br />
<br />
No, not exactly. We got it apart, sure. But once it was apart, one particular thing which really bugs me about the modern world became immediately obvious: most of the innards of this clock were plastic. Nasty, white plastic. Obnoxious, cheap, and no doubt the primary reason the clock had broken in the first place. Clearly, if we want metal cogs and gears, we'll have to look elsewhere.<br />
<br />
Cheap white plastic cogs and gears. In an actual wind-up clock. Meh.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-38200969625980406392011-10-07T09:26:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:27:50.262-07:00On the RoadPookatales Press recently participated in a miniature show in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd. It was a long drive, but we made contacts and handed out many business cards, and got to meet clients face-to-face.<br />
<br />
Perhaps one of the biggest new developments for the business was the release of our newest mini book, the "Book of Shadows," also known as the Book of Magic or Mini Grimoire. Content, much of which takes the form of tables of magickal correspondences and the like, was written by me over my years of study. Illustrations are primarily public domain images from Dover, although my own distinctive Wheel of the Year drawing is also included. This is the first new release from Pookatales Press in ten years, and celebrates our ten-year anniversary.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lx1ev5wIVME/To8oNaCSHyI/AAAAAAAAAQs/CnQGRPSUSBo/s1600/Miniature+Show+Portland+141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lx1ev5wIVME/To8oNaCSHyI/AAAAAAAAAQs/CnQGRPSUSBo/s320/Miniature+Show+Portland+141.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We're about to unveil a brand-spanking-new shopping cart, which will include all our original mini books, mini maps, and mini readable greeting cards, as well as other new mini collectible designs to be added as soon as they're ready for release.<br />
<br />
Also on the docket is the upcoming release of "The Truth One Sees" in e-story format, which will soon be available from Pookatales Press as well as other e-retailers.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-66962688903648126192011-09-07T04:08:00.000-07:002011-09-07T04:08:41.669-07:00Back Up and RunningI have a new-to-me PC to replace my old PC that died two years ago, and the big laptop that just recently died. The new machine is a refurbished former business machine, and seems to be doing a great job so far. Did you know that Linux can run a Windows virtual machine that works almost as well as a real machine, and both operating systems can run on your actual machine at the same time? Amazing and mind boggling, both. So I now have Windows to satisfy the publishers who want any and all manuscripts submitted as a .doc file created by a genuine Word for Windows program and not by a clone like OpenOffice, and I also have Linux to satisfy the huz, who prefers Linux as an operating system.<br />
<br />
Plans to release my previously-published short story for e-book readers are underway. I'm one title page, one disclaimer page, and one cover illustration away from an actual release of the story for your e-book readers, so stick with me and I'll get it done ASAP. Yes, I'll be doing the cover art myself, so we'll see how that goes.<br />
<br />
My general plan is to release it on the Autumnal Equinox. It sounds like a reasonable plan, provided the cover art doesn't prove trickier than I already suspect it will be. I've done all the interior illustrations for all of the Pookatales Press books, so I think I can come up with something that will work just fine. And given the Tarot-reading background of events in the story, I think I've got just the idea to suit the story.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-828090039844358082011-08-09T12:48:00.000-07:002011-08-09T12:51:23.880-07:00CrashMy big laptop crashed last night, after two years of trying to take the place of my main PC. It only had half a gig of memory. I bought it in...2004, I think it was, after I'd gone to Donald Maass' week-long Breakout Novel Intensive course, which the Moxie affectionately dubbed "boot camp." The old laptop I had at the BONI had shutdown issues; it sometimes took multiple tries to get it to shut down properly. So after I returned home, I bought my big laptop especially for the purpose of going to writer's conferences with it. It weighs 8 pounds and is a chore to lug across an airport concourse, but it has a nice large screen and multiple USB ports, and was the best thing for the money at the time I bought it.<br />
<br />
Since I never intended to use it all that often at home, and because I'm not as tech savvy as I should be, I never made a recovery disc for it. I never expected to need it; it was only supposed to be my travel computer for writing, and I never expected it to hold all of my data and function as my main computer. So now it's toast. It passes the hard drive test, but will not boot up Windows. I lost some data there--not my writing, it seems; because I use the little red laptop just often enough, I had copies of the writing files on it and on thumb drives. But until we see if we can recover the data on the hard drive, I've lost email addresses, about two years' worth of emails, and some pictures, not to mention a few downloads of songs on Windows Media Player purchased from Amazon, plus all my playlists that weren't on the red laptop.<br />
<br />
When the PC was about to die, it gave me warning, and I had everything backed up in time and lost virtually nothing. This time, however....not the same situation.<br />
<br />
The little red laptop is a wonderful computer. I love it. But it doesn't even have a CD drive, so I can't rip or burn CD's, play DVD's, or make backups on CD. Everything has to be transferred via thumb drive. So I'm off to buy a new 8 gig thumb drive while they're on sale, because after the PC died, I learned from experience that the entire contents of my writing folders, etc. can be contained on two 8 gig thumb drives. <br />
<br />
Talk about traveling light....KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-87925647857605610992011-07-17T06:59:00.000-07:002011-07-17T07:04:14.228-07:00Dubious TrendsI was cruising the Web last night and found <a href="http://dangerousromance.com/?p=1434">this article</a> about current trends in urban fantasy and romance. I think this blogger has pinpointed the current problem exactly. Everything she mentions in her article is something I've seen time after time in both genres, and I'd have to agree with her; each of these trends is becoming very, very old. For writers, this is definitely worth a look, and publishers might do well to take a look themselves.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-21926278419818392442011-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:002011-07-14T21:55:36.994-07:00InspirationPeople have asked from time to time where writers get their ideas. Of course, there's no one answer that works for everyone. One old gem of wisdom (read: one opinion as stated by one writer in the past but which may not work for everyone) that is often bandied about as advice to new writers is "Write what you know." That's fine, sort of. We do tend to write what we know, or we tend to write about what is familiar to us or what, in modern parlance, "resonates" with us. However, that old bit of advice to "write what you know" is a bit limiting, in my opinion. If a writer is drawn to something strongly enough, be it a locale, job description, way of life or belief system, the dedicated writer will do the necessary research to learn enough about it to write about it convincingly. You don't have to have known or practiced something for decades in order to write about it, though you should obviously care about your subject. Caring shows in the writing. Attention to detail shows. Writers write about what they're drawn to or what fascinates them. Just about anything in this world can spark enough fascination to inspire a book or story. If we could only write about those things with which we were already familiar, we'd miss out on so many opportunities for learning new things!<br />
<br />
When I sat down to write my short story "The Truth One Sees," I'd just been looking for a new deck of tarot cards. I read tarot professionally, and I've tried quite a few different decks. I'd learned about a new deck that would be released before long, called "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764330039/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=poostal-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0764330039">The Transparent Tarot</a>." The concept completely fascinated me. The cards are made of transparent plastic, as thin as normal cards but allowing for hundreds of additional possibilities. They can be stacked on top of one another to present a multi-layered picture of events in a normal layout, or they can be drawn one at a time and then arranged in order, giving the impression of a series of events and symbols. The possibilities and potentials for ways to use this deck are many, if not endless. <br />
<br />
As I looked at the preliminary information about that deck, the clear, stackable cards made me think of holograms. That got me wondering what a holographic tarot deck would be like. What would a Tarot reading be like if one could go into a holographic theater such as a holodeck from Star Trek, and experience the reading there? The notion intrigued me so much that I sat down one night and wrote "The Truth One Sees," in which my psychic main character uses an interactive holographic tarot deck for her readings. However, in the story, some of the hologram figures are not simply holograms, but sentient beings with an agenda of their own. Turns out my fictional aliens had phase-shifted themselves and all of their cities into another dimension so as to avoid potential bloodshed and conflict with the invading humans. As I explored the concept of humans colonizing a planet without being aware that they'd just displaced an entire native civilization, I soon found myself with the first and only science fiction story I've ever written.<br />
<br />
This story made me stretch my boundaries in ways that my fantasy fiction hadn't done. Suddenly I found myself writing about a world where what I'd previously viewed and written as magic had to be explainable with science. Suddenly I needed to use terms like "quantum decision points" and "temporal interface," and come up with a possible cause of sudden death for a pilot whose shuttle had malfunctioned. It was a far cry from my usual fare, but all my usual metaphysical underpinnings were still there. After all, what is a spirit or a ghost to the typical human but just another being who is not currently in the same dimensional or vibratory phase that we are? And does it really matter whether people in a future society could transmit information mentally to one another via actual telepathy or through a special implant in the brain? As long as the effect is the same, it doesn't really matter whether you view it as science or magic. So despite the fact that it was a definite departure from my usual writing fare, I completely enjoyed it, and it took me to places where I'd never gone before--or at least not quite in that way.<br />
<br />
There have been a couple of reviewers who stated that they wanted to see more of the world of this story. As a primarily fantasy writer, I suppose actually writing a whole science fiction novel would be my equivalent of skydiving. At this point, I'm still standing in the open hatchway of the plane, wondering whether to jump. Science fiction would be my wild blue yonder, and the fantasy I truly love would be my perfectly good airplane.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-78104443965549178412011-06-14T01:29:00.000-07:002011-06-14T01:31:57.491-07:00SkypeThe conference call worked for Sunday's crit group meeting. Val and I had to lean in close enough that the webcam on the red laptop could pick us both up, but we got to see Stef, live and in real time, for the first time since she moved to Florida.<br />
<br />
Skype was remarkably easy to set up, and getting connected was far easier than I'd dared hope. Also, along with the built-in webcam on my laptop is a built-in microphone, so we didn't have to jury-rig anything in order to be be heard as well as seen.<br />
<br />
I highly recommend distance crit group meetings via Skype, if you can't all live in the same place. The only issue is that we can't just pass her a paper copy of our work to read at the meeting, so in future, we'll have to make sure she gets a copy ahead of time so she can do her crit prior to the meeting and send it to us. We'll do the same for her, and then then at the conference call/meeting, we can discuss any questions any of us has about the others' crit and impressions.<br />
<br />
I'd still rather we were all here in person, but barring that, Skype was a relatively trouble-free way to compensate for the lack of proximity.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-14580042321725722762011-06-10T14:28:00.000-07:002011-06-10T14:28:34.068-07:00Conference CallingNow that only two of the Moxie remain in town, we're trying to figure out how to organize videoconferencing for our critique group so that we can continue to have meetings. In our case, this means Skype and webcams. If we do this, our original fourth member may also be able to join us for meetings.<br />
<br />
I have a laptop with a built-in webcam, and wi-fi is readily available, so all that remains is for me to make sure I'm set up to do this. I've never used that webcam before, so it will be something new to try. I have all of two days left in which to figure it all out, but I'm sure I'll get it done.<br />
<br />
Some days, with e-books and tech gadgets everywhere, I feel like I'm being dragged kicking and screaming into the...ah...which century is it, again?KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-16713914236188540192011-05-17T03:23:00.000-07:002011-05-17T03:23:33.288-07:00RevampI've finally acquired a copy of FrontPage, so I can finally edit the Pookatales website. I have now gone through and made quite a few changes, including updates to item description pages and the news page. I've made an announcement there that I might as well also make here.<br />
<br />
Pookatales Press has been in business for ten years. That seems amazing to me, as if the time flew by almost without notice. But as it has in fact been a decade, I think Pookatales deserves the ten-year anniversary gift of a brand-new book release, our first in a very long time.<br />
<br />
This August, my first traditionally published short story, "The Truth One Sees," will have been out in print for a year, at which point the rights to publish it elsewhere revert back to me. So rather than search for a venue that may want it as a reprint, I've decided to claim it for Pookatales Press and release it as one of our miniature book titles. I'm hoping to present it as a hardcover, but we'll see how it goes. I'll have all summer to work on formatting it and getting it ready to be a mini book. My intent is also to package it as an e-story that will be available for download from Pookatales Press for e-book readers like Kindle and Nook.<br />
<br />
It's a great story, it's gotten some very nice reviews...this seems like the right thing to do with it. And of course, it will continue to be available as part of the "Warrior Wisewoman 3" science fiction anthology--a collection of such thoughtful and well-written stories that it's easily worth buying a copy or three.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-82350247309631877862011-05-04T01:39:00.000-07:002011-05-04T01:39:54.463-07:00SuperheroesI recently found out that Samhain Publishing has put out a call for Superhero romance novellas for an upcoming anthology, and with superheroes on my mind lately--the new Thor movie comes out this week--I'm beginning to contemplate whether there's a way to present supers in a way that hasn't been done before.<br />
<br />
Marvel, seemingly, has done it all. We've had mutants, gods, aliens, ordinary people with unusual talents, people who have been bitten by spiders or exposed to strange substances or radiation...you name it and it's probably been done.<br />
<br />
The trick here isn't so much finding something that hasn't been done, because it looks like that would be a near-impossible task. The trick would be in finding something that's been done but doing it in a different and fresh way.<br />
<br />
I know people still like superheroes. If I want evidence of that, all I have to do is look at how many hits my old "Why We Need Superman" post has gotten over the more than two years since I wrote it. The idea of a superhero romance is an intriguing one, since that's an area that so often gets overshadowed by the action and combat. There have been a few famous superhero romances, sure, but still it seems a relatively undervalued subject when you look at the sheer number of superheroes that have been invented over the last few decades. Also, I confess I've read a lot of storylines wherein the superheroes I hoped would end up or stay together simply...didn't. Disappointing, if you like romance.<br />
<br />
This call for submissions sounds like a challenge, but I still have a couple of other fiction projects in the works, so we'll have to see what calls the loudest.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-22309766103760954802011-04-19T01:48:00.000-07:002011-04-19T19:28:22.586-07:00Mini Les Bois ShowThe miniature show was this last weekend. It went pretty well for us; my older daughter helped me at our table, and she also helped with production and packaging of some of the items we had for sale.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dkhSLOgzPZc/Ta1IaYAvmDI/AAAAAAAAAKw/6GQiKPAYOgw/s1600/Miniature%2BShow%2B015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dkhSLOgzPZc/Ta1IaYAvmDI/AAAAAAAAAKw/6GQiKPAYOgw/s400/Miniature%2BShow%2B015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our table</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2Y90ub0wzY/Ta1InKOzfjI/AAAAAAAAAK4/aYsmsMCEMl4/s1600/Miniature+Show+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2Y90ub0wzY/Ta1InKOzfjI/AAAAAAAAAK4/aYsmsMCEMl4/s400/Miniature+Show+011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">display of miniature 1/12th scale greeting cards, faux daguerrotypes, and old-fashioned theater posters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tV_mWP6Qa5U/Ta1Ix_hlIBI/AAAAAAAAAK8/ptHS882Dx54/s1600/Miniature+Show+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tV_mWP6Qa5U/Ta1Ix_hlIBI/AAAAAAAAAK8/ptHS882Dx54/s400/Miniature+Show+012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">display of books, sheet music, prize ribbons, postcards, and old-world maps</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1uJrqK-zN8w/Ta1I1ssMznI/AAAAAAAAALA/9ZP0YEy0kxk/s1600/Miniature+Show+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1uJrqK-zN8w/Ta1I1ssMznI/AAAAAAAAALA/9ZP0YEy0kxk/s400/Miniature+Show+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pookatales Press catalog</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lf87x8U6sMI/Ta1I6Pq3-HI/AAAAAAAAALE/1mGr0aPWZ_I/s1600/Miniature+Show+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lf87x8U6sMI/Ta1I6Pq3-HI/AAAAAAAAALE/1mGr0aPWZ_I/s400/Miniature+Show+023.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Pookatales Press currently produces four mini book titles: <i>Tam Lin</i>, <i>Mer Treatise</i>, <i>A Perfect Irony</i>, and <i>The Wolfhound</i>. However, we have some new projects in the works, with a possible new mini book release scheduled for this fall.<br />
<br />
The good news is that several of our books sold during this weekend, to discerning collectors who told me repeatedly that 1. the books were underpriced, 2. they didn't think people realized just what I had here, and 3. they went to miniature shows looking for things like this that were truly unique.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u-CnRim6PdE/Ta1I_aw9aRI/AAAAAAAAALI/-9VtJjU4afQ/s1600/Miniature+Show+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u-CnRim6PdE/Ta1I_aw9aRI/AAAAAAAAALI/-9VtJjU4afQ/s400/Miniature+Show+032.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fab four Pookatales Press mini titles. Each is roughly the size of a postage stamp, and all are readable. Notice the complimentary magnifier included with the purchase!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I was very pleased with the outcome of the weekend, and we're looking forward to going back next year. In the meantime, if you want to purchase any of our mini books, feel free to click on the Pookatales Press link above in the sidebar, and it will take you to the business website. We happily accept credit cards via our PayPal shopping cart.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-88891951760953199242011-04-12T22:42:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:42:21.393-07:00ProductionI've been frantically producing miniature printed media. Valentines and St. Patrick's Day cards are completely done, and Halloween and Christmas cards will be done soon as well. I'm still formatting the Easter cards, and there are a whole lot of things to be printed out and cut, but all the product is turning out great.<br />
<br />
For the most part, the miniature books are printed out and just need to be cut and bound. It's a busy week; the miniature show is this weekend.<br />
<br />
It's been a while since I had to ramp up production for my mini book business, and with the sole proprietorship, I'm the whole one-woman production team. But it's fun, at least.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-43533732901487621322011-04-03T23:40:00.000-07:002011-04-03T23:42:53.061-07:00PreparationsWe're still in the midst of preparations for the upcoming miniature show, cranking out product for Pookatales Press and getting display racks ready, etc.<br />
<br />
The Pookatales Press banner arrived today from Vistaprint, and it looks great. Slieb Greeley, the artist who originally designed it for me, reinvented it in slightly different colors; it's now primarily black instead of electric blue, but the Pooka's mane and tail still have that blue-red color-changing flamelike quality. It shows up beautifully on white, and the size is perfect to hang off a display table. It's quite the professional look. Between the banner and updated business cards, about the only thing I don't have is a Pookatales logo T-shirt. Holding off on that, however, as I'd hate to spend more money on prep for the show than I'm going to bring home from it in sales.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411041.post-72056467446623332382011-03-14T21:59:00.000-07:002011-03-14T21:59:26.993-07:00Trade ShowI've got a spot for Pookatales Press at the Mini Les Bois miniature show in Boise in mid-April. Now I'm in the middle of producing a bunch of the standard Pookatales printed media to take to the show--mini greeting cards, postcards, music sheets, maps, and of course, the mini books.<br />
<br />
Most recent business expense: a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QCTKU6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=poostal-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002QCTKU6">printing calculator</a> that actually calculates change...perfect for math-challenged me to use.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31IThD5HY%2BL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="300" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31IThD5HY%2BL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
One of the first things I've noticed about it is the clarity of its print; rather than being light and hard to read like many of the ones I've seen before, this one prints dark and clear. It also comes with its own power adapter, but will also run on standard AA batteries. I'm quite pleased with it so far.KHurleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10037210619121206845noreply@blogger.com0