Wednesday, September 13th, 2017

Stoned in Charm City - On Sale in a Bundle

If you’ve been on the fence about Stoned in Charm City, why don’t you try it as part of a bundle? It’s available with all the other authors listed below. For a minimum of $2.99, you get them all.

(Click the image to get to the sale)

Bump in the Night

Pockets of Darkness – USA Today Bestseller Jean Rabe

Scattered, Smothered, & Chunked – John G. Hartness

Stoned in Charm City – Kelly A. Harmon (Me!)

Rescue from Planet Pleasure – Mario Acevedo

Trifles & Folly – Gail Z. Martin

Fright Court – USA Today Bestseller Mindy Klasky

Heaven Painted as a Poker Chip – USA Today Bestseller Dean Wesley Smith

Chemical Burn – Quincy J. Allen

Southern Bound – Stuart Jaffe

Pay a minimum of $2.99 USD and receive all 9 ebooks. This option is also available at Kobo, Amazon, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble.

Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

Cloth and Paper Subscription Review

A round dish full of push pins.  Image Courtesy of DreamsTime.com.As part of my “obsession” with planning, I’ve tried a few planner subscriptions this year, using money I received for Christmas. I love getting things in the mail, so a subscription that delivered planning supplies right to my mailbox was doubly exciting.

A Cloth and Paper subscription appealed to me because they bill themselves as providing “luxury” planning supplies. The subscription was pricy: $100 for three months. But if I received quality, engraved, luxury items – as the advertisement seemed to imply – I figured the cost was worth it.

Short Review:

  • The items were mostly luxury, but often not planner related.
  • Some things appeared luxury, but were of poor quality.
  • Many items were not even useful.
  • Customer service is lacking.

All in all: Not recommended — especially if your objective is to outfit your planner.

I should caveat that my recommendation to stay away from Cloth and Paper has more to do with expectations than the quality of (most of the) actual items received. Also: I was very disappointed with my one customer service experience.

Now for a more detailed review:

When you sign up for a Cloth and Paper subscription, you’re asked what size planner you own (so they can send things to you in your planner size) and also for your name or initials (or whatever) you’d like engraved on the items that are mailed to you.

How exciting!

However, not once in my three-month subscription (January – March) did I receive an item that would fit in my planner. Nor, did I receive anything engraved with my name. All planner items received were “odd” sizes. Many of these items remain in their shipping box, as I have no idea where—or how—to put them to use.

The Boxes

In January I received:

January 2017 Cloth and Paper Subscription Photo: Scissors, Notebook, Purse, Small notebook

  • a pair of brass handled scissors – with a nut and bolt so large connecting the two halves it’s comical. The scissors do cut well, but are quite heavy and are not something I’ll carry with my planner.
  • a “hand crafted” change purse – made of a material I can’t identify. Because it’s constructed by folding, rather than sewing, there are gaps in the bottom two corners. The top folds over like an envelope, also creating gaps in the top corners. It’s “sealed” with a button.
  • a brass pen – which didn’t write. The pen is heavy, which I personally prefer, but others may find writing for long periods with it to be difficult.
  • a 5 x 8 notebook with unlined paper. I have a personal preference for lined paper, so this notebook didn’t appeal to me. It’s also “perfect bound” which means that it won’t lie open flat.
  • a smaller notebook- also unlined, meant to be kept in your purse or bag. In all these months, I haven’t had an occasion to use it, even though I carry it with me.

Note that none of these items are true “planner supplies.” All items are stamped or engraved “Cloth and Paper” or C&P — not my initials.

I was too lazy to send a note about the pen that didn’t write, but I remedied that when the February box came in.

In February I received:

Cloth and Paper February Subscription: Brass Ruler, Brass Pen, Brass Tray, Brass Clip

  • a 6-inch brass ruler
  • a brass desk tray
  • a brass binder clip
  • a gold-toned pen that looks suspiciously like a “Cross” knock-off.

Again, nothing for my planner, and all the engravings are “Cloth and Paper” or “C&P.”

I was quite disappointed with this shipment. I’m not likely to use any of these items, except perhaps the clip just to try it out. I suspect that it will fall off in my purse and relegate itself to the “useless” pile. Brass is not my thing, so I won’t be using these items on my desk.

Because I didn’t like the shipment, I contacted Cloth and Paper via email to ask if I could exchange the box for something else. While I was at it, I asked if they could send me a refill cartridge for the January pen which didn’t write.

A C&P representative wrote back promptly. There were a few back and forth messages to verify which pen cartridge I needed and the rep said that I could exchange the box.

Happily, I wrote back and asked how we could make the swap.

In the next email exchange, the rep changed her tune: she said that she had made a typo. She’d meant to type “can’t” not “can” about being able to exchange the shipment, and that no exchange of the February box was possible. And that was that. She did send two refill cartridges for the pen (about a week later) however.

In March I received:

ClothAndPaper2

  • sticky notes, all of which have the company name “J’adore” printed—large and bold in black ink—across the top. These are neither luxurious nor plentiful (containing about 20 pages on the pad). They’re small—and the logo takes up a lot of space. I wonder if these were a “freebie” that the C&P people received from elsewhere and charged their subscribers for? They’re neither luxury nor quality. Frankly, I’ll have to use these as “throw aways” because they really can’t be used with correspondence with the large logo on top.
  • Phone Message Pad – which is printed on VERY high quality card stock. But the cards are white and the printing is gold and that makes the form very difficult to read. These are so wasteful, when you consider their use.
  • Expense Pad – This is one of the places where C&P could have gotten things right by sending me something in 5 x 8. Instead, the pad is 4 3/4 x 7 which doesn’t fit well in my planner.
  • Weekly Agenda Cards – Again, printed on heavy card stock. These might be useful on special occasions, such as when you’re at a conference and want a quick schedule you could use at a glance. I don’t think I’ll find these useful on a weekly basis (although some other folks might).

All in all, I was highly disappointed with the subscription. My expectations were that I would receive planner supplies to match the size of my planner and that some of the things would be personalized.

Overall: not recommended. While the luxury of most of the items is not in question, the functionality is. Spend your money elsewhere, where you can choose the exact items you want or need and which will fit in your planner.

Monday, September 11th, 2017

Remembering 9/11

911RTRS

Sunday, September 10th, 2017

Published in Starward Tales II

Cover of Starward Tales IIJust a quick note to say that I have a reprint published in Starward Tales II, a collection of short stories, poems, legends, myths, and fairy tales as science fiction. It contains my story, All for Beauty and Youth.

I share the Table of Contents with many fabulous writers, including: Monica Rose Song, D.A. D’Amico, squiddosnazz, Mike Lewis, Michael Harris Cohen, Virginia Frances Sterret, Eddie D. Moore, Richard King Perkins II, Dianne Williams, Robert Tokley, R.W.W. Greene, María Castro Domínguez, Patrick S. Baker, Virginia Frances Sterret, Halli Lilburn, Chanel Earl, Dick Yaeger, Benjamin West, Tod McCoy, Marsheila Rockwell, Ashleigh Gauch, squiddosnazz, Karen Bovenmyer, and Vonnie Winslow Crist.

(This is the third anthology that Vonnie and I share this year, which is simply amazing. She and I are also co-editng an anthology, Dark Luminous Wings, which will be available in October!)

Starward Tales II is only available on Amazon right now. You can find it in Kindle and Paperback editions here: Starward Tales II: Another Anthology of Speculative Legends

I don’t have a story in the original antho, but if you’re interested, here’s the link for Starward Tales, Volume 1.

If you prefer an audio version, Volume 1 is out: Starward Tales, Volume 1: Audio Edition.

Saturday, July 8th, 2017

Published in July: A New Charm City Darkness Short Story

Occult Detective QuarterlyThe latest edition of Occult Detective Quarterly contains a new Charm City Darkness short story called Light from Pure Digestion Bred.

The story takes place in the time frame between Book 2, A Favor for a Fiend, and Book 3, A Blue Collar Proposition. This is important because in that time period, Assumpta is still demon-marked. How the mark works is key to the mystery here.

I won’t say too much more except in the story, Pournelle (the demon!) comes to Assumpta and asks for her help. Doesn’t get any better than having your enemy coming to you, eh?

If you haven’t read the magazine before, I urge you to read it! The stories are terrific, and the artwork is phenomenal. Digestion includes a fantastic drawing of Pournelle and Assumpta sitting at a table in the Charm City Brewery.

Buy now at Amazon.com.

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Blue Collar Proposition - Featured Over at Novelisty

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00001]A Blue Collar Proposition–the third book in the Charm City Darkness series–was featured over at Novelisty.com on October 1 as part of their 31 Days of Halloween!

(It’s lovely to be featured, but I wish I’d known about it! I’d have dropped a link here much sooner!)

Novelisty featured a “heat-rating” and a few pertinent details about the book, as well as included the back cover copy and an excerpt. If you want to read the first chapter or so, head on over to Novelisty’s 31 Days of Halloween.

Tuesday, September 27th, 2016

Cover Reveal - In a Cat's Eye

In a Cat's Eye, Edited by Kelly A. Harmon and Vonnie Winslow Crist

Isn’t she a beauty?

Here’s the cover for the new anthology I’m co-editing with Vonnie Winslow Crist.

Authors included are: Gail Z. Martin, Jody Lynn Nye, Alex Shvartsman, Gregory L. Norris, Steven R. Southard, Jeremy M. Gottwig, A. L. Sirois, Oliver Smith, A. L. Kaplan, Doug C. Souza, Christine Lucas, K. I. Borrowman, Joanna Hoyt, R. S. Pyne and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

Character Guest Post - A Few Words from Pournelle Ahb— : A #HoldOnToTheLight Post

#HoldOnToTheLight - Hold On to the Light

Today’s guest post is by Pournell Ahb—   Well, we don’t know his full name, since he’s a demon. That would give us too much power over him. He first turned up in the Charm City Darkness novel, A Favor for a Fiend, and has been around ever since. Lately, he parlayed himself into an alliance, of sorts, with Assumpta. He’d like to talk to you today about battling depression.

He’s got a lot on his plate. He’s a demon, after all. He’s not looking forward to the afterlife. Just because he is what he is—a demon, have I mentioned that? And because he’s a demon, he’s going to Hell when he dies—there’s no two ways about it. Like many things in life—and death—it’s not an easy thing to get over.

Here’s Pournelle to tell you about it in his own words…

It’s easy to become depressed when you’re damned to Hell—just for being born.

I’m not talking about the kind of sadness you feel when your day just falls to pieces or you don’t have enough cash to buy the latest iPhone.

I’m talking about soul-crushing depression: the kind that plagues your mind All. The. Damned. Time. You can’t think of anything else. You can’t concentrate. You want to curl up in a ball and sleep. Or eat. Or not eat, if that’s your thing.

Suicide haunts me. Tempts me. But it’s the one thing I won’t do: because I’ll wind up in Hell. Literally. And it’s the one place I don’t want to be. I can endure anything to avoid that. As long as I can keep on living, I’m good.

Assumpta helps me. She doesn’t know it, because I could never admit this to her. (Show my emotions to a human? Never.) But she’s got me practicing good will. Her way of getting what she wants from me without selling her soul, but she doesn’t even realize how beneficial it is for me.

Here’s how it works: I give her all the information she needs about what the other demons are planning down in Hell—the stuff I know, anyway—and don’t make her sign a contract ceding her soul to me. I do her this favor, asking nothing in return. I’ve created good will in my good will bank.

Now she owes me.

But the thing is, that’s not what drives me to do it. I don’t care about her owing me. It feels good to help her. (Again, I’d never tell her that. Did I tell her when I healed all her demon-wrought wounds? Lucifer’s balls! The infection alone would have killed her. No—I didn’t tell her. Punched her instead—that felt good. Healing punch. She never knew what hit her. She’s smart though—figured it out—but never throws it up in my face.)

When she finds something that will help me, whether it’s a secret or a demonic artifact gone missing—or something like that—she’ll call me. (Yeah, I gave her a calling card with my true name on it. It burns up in her hand after she reads it, and I come running—sometimes with blood all over my hands—but I’m there.) She tells me what she knows, or hands over the piece.

Scales are balanced.

Gives me a purpose. Options.

Keeps me out of Hell.

About the campaign:

#HoldOntoTheLight is a blog campaign encompassing blog posts by fantasy and science fiction authors around the world in an effort to raise awareness around treatment for depression, suicide prevention, domestic violence intervention, PTSD initiatives, bullying prevention and other mental health-related issues. We believe fandom should be supportive, welcoming and inclusive, in the long tradition of fandom taking care of its own. We encourage readers and fans to seek the help they or their loved ones need without shame or embarrassment.

Please consider donating to or volunteering for organizations dedicated to treatment and prevention such as: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Hope for the Warriors (PTSD), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Canadian Mental Health Association, MIND (UK), SANE (UK), BeyondBlue (Australia), To Write Love On Her Arms and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

To find out more about #HoldOntoTheLight, find a list of participating authors, or reach a media contact, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/276745236033627

Tuesday, September 13th, 2016

Baltimore Landmarks and Locations: The Phoenix Shot Tower

By Bruce Andersen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1033526

Photo by Bruce Andersen

Since I’m asked fairly regularly about the places featured in my Charm City Darkness novels, I’ve decided to share some of my research. (Yes, I do research, even in my own backyard.) When you grow up around local landmarks, you tend to pick up the basics via osmosis. But to talk intelligently in books, I find it’s best to get my facts straight…)

This is the first of a series of posts about Baltimore landmarks and locations.

The Phoenix Shot Tower

I grew up knowing the tower simply as the old Baltimore shot tower. It’s a red brick tower, 234 feet tall located in East Baltimore, nearby to Little Italy and Jonestown. It was the tallest structure in the United States when it was completed in 1828. The cornerstone was laid by Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The tower was used to manufacture both drop shot—for use in pistols and rifles—and moulded shot for cannons. Molten lead was poured through a sieve at the top of the tower into a vat of cold water at the bottom of the tower to produce the drop shot. After it hardened, it was dried, polished and sorted into 25 pound bags. The tower produced 100,000 bags annually, and was capable of doubling that output if necessary. It stayed in production until 1892 when this method of producing shot became obsolete.

It remained the tallest structure in the US until 1846, when Trinity Church was erected in New York on Wall Street. It remained the tallest in Baltimore until 1875, when the spire of the First Presbyterian Church (on West Madison and Park Avenue) was completed. Still, from the top, the view of the city—and beyond—is unobstructed.

The tower is one of four that used to stand in Baltimore, and was very nearly destroyed in 1924 by the Union Oil Company. They’d purchased the land, and wanted to erect a gas station. City residents objected and raised enough money to buy back the land and present it to the City of Baltimore. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

The tower is open limited hours on the weekends, though visitors haven’t been able to go to the top since about 1997, due to the safety of the staircase. This is soon to change, however! The city has designated $240,000 to fix the staircase, and estimates visitors will once again be able to walk to the top (all 305 steps) as early as mid-2017.

Although the tower is one of my favorite places in Baltimore, it’s not a prominent location in the Charm City Darkness novels. But the tower is the main location in one of my Charm City Darkness short stories—called Giving a Hand—in which Assumpta helps the tower’s resident ghost. Giving a Hand has been published in the Hides the Dark Tower Anthology, and will be available as a single later this year.

Sunday, September 11th, 2016

Requiem

2nd Airplane about to strike the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

Never forget.