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A to Z Challenge – T is for Thulukan

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Okay so another obvious one. But one of the things I remember as a kid was when our enormous family all got together for barbecues and dinners. I remember chasing fireflies with my cousins, while adults sat and chatted on the back patio, eating steak and hamburgers and watermelon. And sneaking sips of my Uncle John’s bourbon and coke. You can read more about that in my post Mint Juleps and the Time Machine.

I tried to capture that feeling with the Thulukans. La Fi’s husband is Erik Thulukan, III, but started calling himself Thulu at a young age and it stuck. While La Fi has only her grandmother, Nana Fae, Thulu has this gigantic family. One brother, two twin sisters and a large assortment of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Their Saturday afternoon barbecues are an important part of the family dynamics. It’s where La Fi got her nickname. It’s where she met her best friend, Ally, Thulu’s cousin and Ally’s friend Lynda-Jean, who figured so prominently in Relics. 

When I write those barbecue scenes, my own memories of summer nights out in the backyard, running and yelling with my cousins bring back the smells of fresh-cut grass and the ease of a simpler time. I wanted that for my series – a respite from the chaos that surrounds Thulu and La Fi.

 

What will  tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “U” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – S is for Savor

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When I used to read, I’d tear through books, turning pages as fast as I could to get to the next bit. I’d often re-read books I loved with that second read much slower, savoring each and every word. One year my brother gave me a hard copy of an Anne Rice novel,  Taltos, for Christmas. A couple of weeks later he asked me how I was enjoying my book. I told him I’d read the book the day after he gave it to me.

He was in disbelief. “The whole thing? You read the whole thing already?”

I was pragmatic, “Well, of course, I did. I read it the day after you gave it to me.”

He was quite put out, letting me know that hard copy books were not cheap, and he expected me to have not finished it for a couple weeks.

I just shook my head. “Sweetie, I read 5-7 books a week, depending on how long they are. I’ve probably read 10 books since then. But I loved it. I really did!”

I felt bad, but I think he felt worse. “I’m never buying you another book. I wanted to give you something special.”

“But you did!”

And I meant that with all my heart. I really did enjoy my present. I even re-read it at some point. But I did tend to read quickly.

These days I rarely get to re-read a book so I tend to read slower the first time. I try to savor each book because I’m pretty sure I won’t be getting back to it any time soon, if ever.

I love being able to get into the story and into the characters’ minds to figure out what makes them tick. I take a lot more breaks, and think about what I’ve read more so than in days past, letting the words sink into my subconscious. Scenes and phrases stay with me longer and seem to be more vibrant than those days when I raced through. And those days when I’m tempted to just tear through a book, I remind myself that I need to slow down and savor each and every bit. Savor…such a lovely word.

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “T” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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In the Spotlight – John Hazen

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John Hazen

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maersiteinthespotlightToday we feature John Hazen, author of Fava, an edge-of-your-seat military thriller, released early 2014.

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John Hazen came to writing novels relatively late in life, but once he started he hasn’t looked back. Degrees from Rutgers, The New School and New York and NYU buttress a lifelong passion for learning and a love of history. Inspired by Lynn, his wife of over thirty years, he pursued the dream of becoming an established author and is now working on his fifth book. John and Lynn love to travel, and the experiences of those travels find their way into his writing.

 

Read on for more about John and his new novel…

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A to Z Challenge – R is for Reo

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One of my fave characters to write is Reo Malone, aka Brandy Malone. Reo is an empath, telepath and psychic whose abilities make for an impressive track record. Hiding in plain sight with a show at a 5 star hotel in San Francisco, Reo masquerades as the delightful chanteuse, Brandy Malone. The wildly popular show covers magic and singing, with Brandy weaving her way through the audience and those who come for help.

But one of the things I love most about Reo is that when the show is over his work just begins. Shedding his alter ego, he wanders through the seamier sides of San Francisco helping those he can. Using his abilities and his dynamic personality to help those who need it most, he makes a difference where he can.

Reo is one of the most popular characters form The Thulukan Chronicles, and I hope to one day tell more of his stories.

 

What will Monday’s word be? Come back for the letter “s” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – Q is for Quest

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I like quests. I do a lot of them when I play MMOs (online games with other people). In fact, those gaming quests probably influenced my writing. Each book and story I’ve written has quests/mysteries to solve. But there are other influences as well.

I particularly love reading books that have group quest story lines. The Lord of the Rings hooked me on those when I was back in college. There’s just something about a bunch of diverse people banding together to accomplish a goal that appeals to me. Judging by the popularity of group quest books, I’m not alone in my love affair with them. To name every one of those books/series that I’ve read and loved would take forever. Suffice it to say there have been hundreds.

One of the more recent ones that caught my attention is Robin Hobb’s Rain Wilds Chronicles. That has the added attraction of dragons, so it’s a double win for me.

So whether I’m reading about them or actually doing them in a game, quests have a special place in my heart.

 

What will Monday’s word be? Come back for the letter “R” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

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A to Z Challenge – P is for Portals

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Yes, yes, I know you saw that one coming. 🙂 But hey! It fits! In Relics, Thulu, La Fi, Reo and Jones need to find the ancient relics to close a dangerous portal. Meanwhile other portals start opening all over the world and the magical Elder Races come back to Earth on TV!

In the second book of The Thulukan Chronicles, appropriately name Portals, our heroes go off-world for the first time…using portals of course. Once again portals begin to arbitrarily open all over Earth, making our heroes rethink their previous theories.

In Magics, the third book, portals are again used to get around, but that’s all I’m saying about that. Spoilers and all, you know?

So portals are an integral part of the series and not just as modes of transportation. They figure into the story in ways I never expected when I first began the series. I love the idea of portals and wish I ahd Jones’s ability to create them. It’s one of his handier talents for sure.

 

What will tomorrow’s word be? Come back for the letter “Q” in the challenge.

Be sure to check out the rest of the cool blogs in the challenge!  A to Z Challenge.

 

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Book Blast – Firestorm by Kyra Dune

Firestorm by Kyra Dune

 

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Angel meant to stop a war. Instead, she may have caused one.

With everyone out for her blood, Angel is forced to hide in the last place she wants to be. But hiding will only be an option for so long. Somehow, she must make amends for her mistakes and find a way to save Southern Archaides from those who seek to destroy it.

But matters are more complex than she knows. Angel thinks she has all the answers. She has no idea how wrong she is. And as the lines between enemy and friend begin to blur, she finds her heart drawn to two different men, both of whom have betrayed her in the past. But how can she choose between them when each owns half her heart?

With millions of lives at stake, Angel has to make some tough choices. Choices which could cost her everything she holds most dear.

 

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Kyra

Kyra Dune was born in Oklahoma, but spent most of her life travelling with her family. She is the author of more than a dozen fantasy novels, including: Shadow of the Dragon, Elfblood, and Firebrand. As a child, her favorite stories were those that told of ordinary children being whisked away to magical lands. She has yet to find her own secret wardrobe or rabbit hole, but she hasn’t given up the search. You never know what might be waiting over the next rainbow.

 

You can buy Firestorm: Sequel To Crossfire (Crossfire Duology) at Amazon.

 

 

You can find Kyra at these links:

Kyra’s Website

Kyra on Facebook\

Kyra on Twitter

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