Recap of Tampa Comic Con 2015

By

Dora Machado 

Twilight Times Books Authors Scott Eder, Dora Machado and Maria DeVivo at Tampa Comic Con 2015

The rain, and the flooding that came with it, did not damper the spirits of over 55,000 folks who purchased tickets to attend Tampa Bay Comic Con. The place was packed, especially Saturday and Sunday, an exuberant celebration of the fantasy genre in all of its manifestations, comic books, video games, books, movies, TV shows, art and illustration.

But it is truly the people that make the con. Tampa Bay’s best and brightest showed up. I loved watching the awesome costumes that filled the exhibit hall. The convention center looked like some intergalactic hub teeming with the inhabitants of a million worlds, coming together to celebrate the human imagination. Characters were everywhere, some familiar, some truly original. 

I honestly believe there’s a connection between creative energy, imagination and intelligence. Fantasy lovers include some of the smartest people I know.  You could feel the excitement and creativity vibrating in the air, applied brainpower fueling the imagination, and the future, cloaked in the guise of pure fun.

The author panels are always my favorite part of the con and this year they were awesome. I sat on four panels, along with my fellow authors Scott Eder, Maria DeVivo and Tracy Akers. We had a fantastic time talking about the fundamentals of writing fantasy, what girls want in their fantasy, world settings and villains. The best part? We got to meet so many talented folks! 

I love the diversity of the crowd that attended the panels. People of all ages and different backgrounds came together to share a passion for fantasy. I particularly enjoyed talking to writers and aspiring writers about their projects and dreams. Writing is a challenging craft, but when a whole lot of us get together to figure it out, we are an unstoppable force.

One of the panels was called “So…do you want to be a writer?” It was standing room only. The energy of the crowd was incredible. I swear, from my seat on the podium, I could see the ideas zipping through the room like glowing fireflies. My only regret is that we ran out of time before we could answer everyone’s questions. But hey, we’re always around, available through email, FB, and Twitter, to share our journeys with our fellow writers. 

And to all my new writer friends, to those of you who dream of sharing your stories with the world, don’t forget: Keep writing and may the joy of the craft always sustain you.

TTB Authors Scott Eder, Dora Machado and Maria DeVivo, having fun at Tampa Comic Con 2015

Authors Tracy Akers, Dora Machado and Scott Aker enjoying the panels

Authors Scott Eder, Tracy Akers, Dora Machado and Maria DeVivo sat in several panels at Comic Con

Twilight Times Books sponsored our table at Tampa Comic Con 2015

. Thanks TTB!

A little fun at Comic Con: Waldo and Carmen San Diego

Lots of monsters, some big and scary, some small and cute

More Fun at Comic Con: Game of Thrones

 

 

Get a DEAL on An Unexpected Performance~!

I just checked the calendar, and An Unexpected Performance will be on Kindle Countdown Deals THIS WEEK. You do NOT want to miss it!!

Starting on Friday April 18 and going through April 25, my time travel YA fantasy will be out there for all you Kindle readers who have been waiting to get it.

Be a part of this promotion for my book. And check out the reviews on my Books page. I have gotten some new ones that I am pretty darn proud of.

and...since tomorrow is Good Friday and Easter follows that...have a blessed weekend! I hope it is warm and sunny where ever you are and that you have a chance to enjoy it.

TRIPLE JOY - Three new releases from Twilight Times Authors Heather McLaren, Dina Von Lowenkraft, and Scott Eder!

Hi, folks.

Today I'm breaking a rule - I'm doing a straight promo for three new books. And I'm not apologizing for it, LOL.

This is a big week for print book releases from Twilight Times Books, my own illustrious publisher. I know these authors personally, and I must tell you they are genuinely delightful people, with hearts of gold and stories that will entertain young and old.

Please check out these books if you can and help our writers thrive!

One more thing - aren't these GORGEOUS covers? I'll tell ya folks,  they have set a new standard in my opinion. 

MYTHOS by Heather McLaren

BLURB:

True love was the last thing David Cooley expected to find in the Bahamas, But the moment he laid eyes on Faren Sands, he knew he had found the girl of his dreams. How could he know she was a mermaid from the lost island of Atlantis?
 

Because of the strict laws regarding human contact, the couple flees the consequences of their forbidden passion, struggling to survive a conflict that has been brewing between the mermaids and sea demons for the last eleven thousand years.

Once the epic battle begins, fate forces David to make a decision that will forever affect his young life. Should he stick by the woman he loves, risking his mortality for a civilization that hates him?

AUTHOR BIO:

Heather McLaren is a Cherokee writer living in southern Illinois with her husband and four children. Mythos, the first of five books in the Mer Chronicles, is her debut novel. She is currently working on the second book in the series, Beyond Legend, and plans on bringing fantasy into the lives of young adults for years to come.

LINKS:

Barnes and Noble

OmniLit

All Romance eBooks

Twilight Times Books

 ***

 DRAGON FIRE by Dina Von Lowenkraft

  

  

BLURB:

Some choices are hard to live with.

But some choices will kill you.

When seventeen-year-old Anna first meets Rakan in her hometown north of the Arctic Circle, she is attracted to the pulsing energy that surrounds him. Unaware that he is a shapeshifting dragon, Anna is drawn into a murderous cycle of revenge that pits Rakan and his clan against her best friend June.

Torn between his forbidden relationship with Anna, that could cost them both their lives, and restoring his family’s honor by killing June, Rakan must decide what is right. And what is worth living – or dying – for.

AUTHOR BIO:

Born in the US, Dina has lived on 4 continents, worked as a graphic artist for television and as a consultant in the fashion industry. Somewhere between New York and Paris she picked up an MBA and a black belt – and still thinks the two are connected. Dina is currently the Regional Advisor for SCBWI Belgium, where she lives with her husband, two children, three horses and a cat.

Dina loves to create intricate worlds filled with conflict and passion. She builds her own myths while exploring issues of belonging, racism and the search for truth... after all, how can you find true love if you don’t know who you are and what you believe in? Dina’s key to developing characters is to figure out what they would be willing to die for. And then pushing them to that limit.

LINKS:

Website

FaceBook page 

Twilight Times YA; NA Books on FB

Twitter

Goodreads

Pinterest

Amazon

***

KNIGHT OF FLAME, by Scott Eder

 

 

BLURB:

Fire. The most chaotic of the primal elements. When wielded properly by the Knight of Flame, it burns like the sun. Otherwise, it slowly consumes the Knight, burning away his control, driving him towards dark deeds. 

Stationed in Tampa, FL, Develor Quinteele, sixth Knight of Flame, waits impatiently for the predicted emergence of the last Gray Lord, his Order's ancient enemy. Hampered by a centuries-old tragedy, Dev knows of only one way to control his elemental power—rage. It broils just below his surface, waiting for the slightest provocation to set it alight.  

Anticipating Dev's transition from asset to liability, his commander assigns a young guardian, Wren, to report on Dev's actions. Torn between duty and love, Wren struggles to save her Knight; but, after a brutal attack by the Gray Lord's minions for which Dev is wrongly blamed, he's stripped of his freedom until he regains control.

With the help of his fellow Knights, can Dev regain his balance and unlock his full elemental potential in time to prevent the destruction of all life in Tampa?

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Since he was a kid, Scott wanted to be an author. Through the years, fantastic tales of nobility and strife, honor and chaos dominated his thoughts. After twenty years mired in the corporate machine, he broke free to bring those stories to life.

Scott lives with his wife and two children on the west coast of Florida.

Buy Links:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Kobo

Contact Links:

Website: www.scotteder.net

Twitter: @Scotteder

Blog: https://madmuncleforge.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knightselementalis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18888170-knight-of-flame

 

 *** 

And here's one little toot on my own horn: Don't Let the Wind Catch You is also now available in print and audio book! ;o) 

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Aaron Lazar
www.lazarbooks.com

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love My Writing Gig

by

Dora Machado

People are always asking me why I write. The truest answer has something to do with the fact that I can't stop writing. But I love what I do, and just in case the benefits of my chosen profession aren't obvious to the  rest of the world, here are the top ten reasons why I absolutely love my writing gig:

1.      My daily commute entails a thirty-second shuffle from bed to desk.

2.      It's nine p.m. to five a.m. and I like it that way.

3.      My supervisor is a cat.

4.      I can spend hours surfing the Internet, learning about ancient curses, medieval remedies, magical spells, curse givers and mythological goddesses, and nobody gives me grief about it.

5.      The water cooler is out back. If I really need cooling, I swim in it.

6.      I get to daydream and that's okay. My third grade teacher was so wrong about daydreaming!

7.      Business casual = yoga pants. Casual Friday may occasionally involve flannel pajamas.

8.      I have to read a lot to write a lot. Well, if someone must make the tough sacrifices….

9.      During work hours, I live in my own world. Literally.

10.  I get to share my work, life and passion with amazing readers like you.

****

Dora Machado is the award-winning author of the epic fantasy Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books. She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a fascination for writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She lives in Florida with her husband and three very opinionated cats.

To learn more about Dora Machado and her novels, visit her website at www.doramachado.com or contact her at Dora@doramachado.com.

For a free excerpt of The Curse Giver, visit:  http://twilighttimesbooks.comthingsTheCurseGiver_ch1.html.

E-mail:Dora@doramachado.com

Website: www.doramachado.com

Blog: http://www.doramachado.com/blog/

Newsletter: http://doramachado.com/newsletter.php

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoraMachado101

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoraMachado

Amazon: http://amzn.to/13oVu2P

Introducing Kim Smith, founding member of Mb4

So, here I am, how ya like me now?

Something big rises. It stirs the darkness. The occupants in the room feel it pressing against their shoulders, crushing them beneath its weight. Four inhabitants of the swirling creative gases stand together.

That's really how it felt back in February of 2008 when I started this blog with my three buddies, and together we birthed Murder by 4.

At that time, we were all into mystery, suspense, and thrillers. We knew there were few blogs geared specifically to a genre at that time, and our idea was a great one. Mb4 took off and has never looked back.

We've made changes through the years -- but you, dear Murderer has always known you would find us here. I, personally, have been talking to you for nearly five years now. That's longer than some marriages last!

But because of the recent addition of Dora, (isn't she just precioussssss, Murderers?-oh no you don't- no biting-we need her)- and a wealth of new readers on the blog, I am posting this week as if I were a new member.

Some of you have no idea about me, who I am, what I do, how I love the taste of blood...ha.

Back in 2008, I was just releasing the first book of my mystery series, Avenging Angel, book one of the Shannon Wallace Mysteries I called it a cozy, but truthfully, it is more of a New Adult zany mystery. Shannon is a recent college grad looking to situate herself in the career market. She loses her first real job and when her boss is murdered, well, she takes off on an adventure that will make you laugh out loud. Very much in the vein of Janet Evanovich.



Avenging Angel by Kim Smith
I also started up a radio show called INTRODUCING WRITERS (still archived out there). It garnered great author guests(Charlotte Hughes, Katherine Center, Robin Burcell, etc) and a ton of great books were presented to my fans and followers. But after a couple of years of hosting the show, Shannon and Dwayne were slapping my muse around and I realized that I hadn't written anything in a long time. I held shows nearly every night. It was grueling and a bit devastating to my writing career. So, I stopped the show.

In the following years, Shannon and her sidekick, Dwayne, get into two more books, Buried Angel


and Crooked Angel


making a whole trilogy of their adventures. You can still get them, Murderers. They are on Amazon. I also penned A Will to Love, Love Waltzes In, and a slew of short stories.

I guess you could say I was in transition. Something new stirred in the darkness. My heart longed to follow after a different love. I called it my first love, because the very first book I ever penned was a YA fantasy. At least, Victoria Strauss told me so, waaaaaay back in the early 2000s when I first started writing.

Confession time. When the light pierced the darkness, and Murder by 4 really took notice by such greats as WD's 101 Best Sites, and the blog was going great guns, I silently switched genres.

I published a YA fantasy, A Mirror in Time, but lost the publisher who closed her doors. I did what so many indie published authors have had to do. I rewrote the book, re-covered it, and self-published it. http://www.amazon.com/An-Unexpected-Performance-Kim-Smith/dp/1484887514 An Unexpected Performance was born.


Blurb:
A drama award, a theatrical mirror, and two teens destined to be great actors. If they can survive their part in ... An Unexpected Performance.

I also started up a new radio show. Writer Groupie is alive and well, and in the new year will be looking for guests. I host my shows on Friday nights at 10 PM CST.

I have a new website, with a shiny new blog as well, at Kim Smith, author -- I hope you will take time to check it out. I post mini-podcasts about once a week, talking about sorts of subjects.

Some things never change, Murderers, and the fact that I am here, posting, back in the saddle as it were, is one of them. You will get a new book from me in 2014, as Loran Rudder and the Secret Key is about to be born. I have several short stories as well, one is free on my website, for you, if you choose to get it. It's a weird experimental thing called Anenome Hanks.

I don't know what the future holds for this blog, or my writing life, (I am not THAT good, pal)- but one thing is for sure--it will be interesting. I believe it will be stellar. After all, we are Mb4-after all.

I hope you will hang around to find out!

_____________________________________________



Steal this banner!


Kim Smith is the author of Ten Tips for Getting that Book Written, a tiny tome to tweak your muse and get you in the writing chair. A founding member of Mb4, an exciting voice in the writing community, Kim has penned tons of articles about writing and the writing life. She has six books in print and ebook, including the wildly popular Shannon Wallace Series. She can be found every day on her website and blog at http:/www.kimsmithauthor.com-on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mkimsmith and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mkimsmith or @mkimsmith- she also has a tumblr and linkdin account as well as her writing appears on wattpad pretty regularly. She welcomes your interest in Writer Groupie radio show you can email her to be a guest at kim smith@ kim smith author dot com (no spaces)