Monday, June 25th, 2012

Story Available, Award Winner, and The 3Six5

Cover of On the Path featuring a pagoda on a mountanside.I’m just full of newsy bits of newsy-news this afternoon, it seems.

On the Path available at Smashwords!

On the Path is finally available at Smashwords in multiple formats.

It was first published in the Parsec Ink Anthology, Triangulation: Dark Glass. It’s full of neat things like soul-powered plows which blow up, and Chinese ancestor-ghosts who come back to haunt their children and take over bodies of the living. Fun for everyone!

It’s priced at 99 cents for now, but will likely increase later this year. Here’s the link to On the Path at Smashwords.

 

The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal is an Award Winner

Cover of the Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal

The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal (Dragon Moon Press) won a Book of the Year Gold Award in the Writing Category at The Foreward Reviews.

From the Web site: “ForeWord Reviews’ Book of the Year Awards were established to bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors. ForeWord is the only review trade journal devoted exclusively to books from independent houses.”

Neat!

I have a chapter in the book on joining (or starting) a critique group, along with a short essay on how to critique.

 

You Should Be Reading The 3Six5 Blog

There’s a fascinating blog called The 3Six5. Each day is written by a different writer and is a slice of their life of what happened on a particular day. Each entry is 365 words or less and includes a picture of what happened on that day.

The writers come from all over the world, and every day is so different than the last.

Today was my day: I talked a bit about my job at the National Agricultural Library and how (strangely) Jack FM played Christmas Carols all day today. You wouldn’t think the two would join for a decent essay, but come together they do.

Read it (and others!) on The 3Six5.

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

New Bad Ass Faeries Web Site and Blog

Bad Ass Fairies BooksWhen you say the word “fairy” aloud – many folks conjure up a Tinkerbell-like apparition: magical, cute, helpful. It’s the Disney-sanitized version of the myth.

Most traditional stories of the fae reveal a world of mischievous, cruel — even outright harmful — creatures who like nothing more than to bedevil man.

The Bad Ass Faeries books take fae story-telling back to its roots, showing the faeries for who they are, and often in the modern world.

If you’re at all curious about the Bad Ass Faeries™ series, you need to check out the new Bad Ass Fairies Web site. There’s an associated blog as well.

Some pages are still empty, and there’s a glitch or two to work out, but the editors wanted to make the page live — and advertise it — as soon as possible.

I’ve got a story in the Bad Ass Fairies 3: In all Their Glory anthology, called Selk-Skin Deep. It takes traditional selkie mythology and stands it on its ear, putting the main character (the selkie) on a Navy ship during the Vietnam War.

If you like:

  • Faeries (or fairies!)
  • Military stories
  • Alternate histories
  • Action (Fire! Bombs! Explosions! Death! Destruction!)

… then you might like my story.

Read the first five pages here. (Warning, it ends abruptly in the middle of a scene. Sorry!)

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Do You Tagxedo?

Have you seen this nifty program called Tagxedo? Just give the link to your Web page or Twitter account or news site and it whips out a tag cloud of appropriate terms.

It will even force them into a shape. And you can pick and choose colors to match your style. Here’s the tagxedo cloud for my Web site (April, was a pretty big month for me, apparently…):

Tag Cloud of Kelly A. Harmon's Blog

I’m fascinated by how the seemingly random words fit together…and I’m curious about the algorithm used…I only did one post about Frog and Toad and yet Toad features fairly prominently in the graph. You can him in bright yellow in the upper left leaf of the clover. Frog doesn’t get half as nice the recognition.

Here’s the tag cloud for my twitter account:

Tag Cloud of Kelly A. Harmon's Twitter Account

It looks like I should go edit out the “Published a Blog Post” reference I have on the auto-post to twitter when I update my blog. But, I do like how my #FollowFriday friends are featured.

There seems to be a few inconsistencies in the system. Because of the date format on my blog “th” is a big hitter in the cloud (today is the 7th of September…see?) and the word “the” is very tiny in the graph. Realistically, it ought to be the focal point of the graph with everything else wrapped around it, as much as it’s used. Ideally, the program should bar it (and other oft-used words) from the pretty picture. I think that would make it more accurate.

Still, it’s a fascinating snap-shot. I think I’ll try it again in a few months to see how things change (or if they don’t)!

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

The Appeal of Fantasy

I’m over at Rachel Brimble’s today, talking about the appeal of the fantasy genre.

Please stop by and leave me a comment. I’d love to know what you think.

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Odds and Ends and More Touring Today

The Dragon's Clause
It’s rainy and wet and I’m home from work today ostensibly trying to cut through some of the email in my mailbox and submit a few short stories for publication, but I’ve been too busy reading. Rainy days are made for that, right?

I did get some good news:

I learned that I’ll be reading at the Launch Party for Bad Ass Fairies 3 at Balticon. I need to go through the my story in the anthology — Selk-Skin Deep — and find a suitable passage to read. I’ll probably choose a scene where Cade either sheds his seal skin and becomes human, or dons it and becomes a seal. Do you have a preference?

The blog tour continues, too! (Only a few more stops left!)

Today I’m at Jacqueline Paige’s blog Normal, Paranormal and Everything in Between talking about writing, my favorite story that I  wrote and Christmas cookies. I’d love it if you dropped by and left a comment.

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Blog Tour Continues!

Spider
I’m at mystery writer KJ Roberts’ blog today talking about writing and my fascination with spiders.

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Cinco de Mayo

Cover of Blood SoupHappy Cinco de Mayo! The blog tour continues…

I’m over at The Amber Scott Project talking about my favorite fantasy movie and my favorite writer’s tool.

Leave a comment over there and you’re eligible to win a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card!

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Choosing the Right Word

Cover of Blood SoupThe blog tour continues!

I’m over at Ginger Simpson’s Dishin’ it Out blog today, talking about Choosing the Right Word. I never thought this would get such a response!

Marianne Atkins interviewed me for her Read-Write blog. I poke a little fun at not being able to talk about myself…just ask me a direct question, ok? In the interview she asks me to “fill in the blanks,” so you can find out what has (_______) improved remarkably since (_______)!

Leave a comment over there and you’re eligible to win a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card!

Friday, April 30th, 2010

How Could I Forget??

Cover of Blood SoupIt just goes to show you just how crazy a day was yesterday that I also forgot about my interview over at Amber Leigh Williams’ Cozy Page.

I talk about finding a title for Blood Soup and a smidge about my reporting days.

Please mosey over to the Cozy Page and leave Amber some comments!

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Yesterday was one of those days…

…when the proverbial poo hit the fan. Then I met up with my writer group after work to crit our latest WIPs. I drove over 200 miles yesterday (I’ve done it before, but it’s always tough on a ‘school night.’) and my eyes were practically crossed when I walked in the door around 10:00 p.m.

Needless to say, I didn’t turn on the computer.

As a result, I neglected to post that “WriterTracy” over at Rambling Roses, Purple Prose and other Asinine Alliteration excerpted Blood Soup on her journal. She also wrote a very nice interview with me here in which I reveal where I met my Husband of Awesomeness™.

Please stop by and comment.

Today, I’m over at Authors by Authors where I reveal my favorite snack.

I’d love to see you there!