MGOC Contributor News: Tim Waggoner and Mary SanGiovanni on Literary Mathem's 2012 Top Reads

Many Genres, One Craft contributors Tim Waggoner and Mary SanGiovanni made it onto Literary Mayhem's 2012 Top Reads List.

Tim's book The Men Upstairs was published through DarkFuse.

He finds her crying in the lobby of a movie theater and takes her home to his apartment, a strange, beautiful woman with no last name, a mysterious past, and a powerful sexual allure. He wants her, and she wants him. There's only one problem: the Men Upstairs. She used to belong to them—and they'll do anything to get her back.

"Waggoner delivers a tale of cosmic and body horror at its most disturbing. The Men Upstairs is a fascinating study of the ancient tension between repulsion and desire." – Laird Barron, author of Occultation

Mary's book For Emmy was published through Thunderstorm Books.

Sometimes no matter how vigilant you are, you can't keep loved ones save. Dana McCluskey and her father know very well that there can be dangers around every corner. They wanted to keep Emmy safe. But it is impossible to see some dangers coming. And there are those corners that you'd never see, out-of-the-way places just beyond our grasp where loved ones can get very lost -- and the danger there is very real indeed.

"chilling, heartbreaking, and quietly terrifying"
- Kevin Lucia, SHROUD magazine

MGOC Contributor: Penny Dawn

PENNY DAWN

EXCERPT from "eFabulous: Publishing in a Paperless World" by Penny Dawn in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

In the early 80s, the Betamax went the way of the dinosaur. For those of you who weren't around to witness the war between Beta and VHS, these were home video media, predecessors of the Laserdisc (an obscure, LP-sized video alternative the size and shape of a frozen pizza). The Laserdisc, while wildly popular in Japan, didn't hold consumer interest in the United States, and was replaced by hip, smaller DVDs, at a time the word Blu-Ray might have conjured images of marine life. With the emergence of internet streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, the Blu-Ray may soon find itself a shell on a sandy shore, too. You have to roll with the changes, baby.

It's easier said than done. I confess I still house my collection of original Disney masterpieces on VHS, as well as the platinum, anniversary releases on DVD. And while working in the field of home interiors, I still design, upon request, entertainment centers housing slide-out shelves for these bulky dust-collectors. Yet there will come a time when even the few lingering, diehard fans of these should-be-bones-by-now media will eventually forfeit their relics for one reason: no one produces VCRs anymore. Nothing lasts forever.

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Penny Dawn is the author of seven novels, seventeen eBooks, and countless poems and trade articles. She teaches her craft at two colleges in the Chicago suburbs, volunteers at elementary school writing centers, and edits the work of hopeful writers through The Calliope. When she isn't writing, or teaching others to hone their ability to do so, she immerses herself in other passions: parenthood, the discipline of dance, home improvement, and her yellow lab. Visit her online at www.pennydawn.com.

MGOC Contributor News: Maria V. Snyder's Scent of Magic

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Maria V. Snyder has a new novel out in The Healers series--Scent of Magic.

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As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of friends and foes alike, she no longer exists.

Despite her need to prevent the megalomaniacal King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confidant, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon's opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon's most horrible creations yet: an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible…again.

MGOC Contributor News: Dana Marton's Deathscape

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Dana Marton has a new Thriller out--Deathscape.

He will do anything to put her in prison for her crimes...even if he's falling in love with her.

After a near-death experience, artist Ashley Price is compelled to paint visions of the dead. Then she paints a man buried alive and, recognizing the surroundings, she rushes to save him.

Instead of being grateful to her for rescuing him, Detective Jack Sullivan accuses her of being in league with a serial killer. He swears he will put her behind bars. Except, the more time he spends with her, the more he falls under her spell. Can he trust her, or is he walking into another deadly trap?

"... sucked me in from the beginning and kept me guessing... the characters are real people--with histories and motivations and interesting quirks. Add a scary killer, some romance and you have a perfect read!" Susan Mallery, NY Times bestselling author

MGOC Contributor: Ginger Clark

GINGER CLARK
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EXCERPT from "How to Get an Agent" by Ginger Clark in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

Write a really good book.

I know that sounds like a knee-jerk suggestion, but it is true. Now, really, a good book can mean both a well-written, lyrical literary novel or a commercial idea done well. You do not need to write the second coming of The Great Gatsby—it can be a fun, juicy tale of a werewolf and a vampire and their forbidden love. But it does need to be well done, with a well-paced plot, fleshed out characters, and believable dialogue.

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Ginger Clark has been a literary agent with Curtis Brown LTD since Fall 2005. She represents science fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal chicklit, literary horror, and young adult and middle grade fiction. In addition to representing her own clients, she also represents British rights for the agency’s children’s list. Previously, she worked at Writers House for six years as an assistant literary agent and was as an editorial assistant at Tor Books. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, a member of the Contracts Committee of the AAR, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and pet chinchillas.

Event: Jason Jack Miller and Preston Black's Opening Act

EVENT

Many Genres One Craft contributor Jason Jack Miller launched the paperback of his second novel The Devil and Preston Black at Black Bear Burritos in Morgantown, WV, on Saturday, December 8, 2012. The book is set in Morgantown.

The event, appropriately named Preston Black's Opening Act, included a book signing, a performance by Abacus Jones, and a raffle to benefit two environmental charities: Friends of the Cheat and Friends of Deckers Creek.

This is Miller's second book in the Murder Ballads and Whiskey series, published through Raw Dog Screaming Press. Book three, The Revelations of Preston Black, will be released in Spring 2013.

MGOC Contributor: Shelley Bates

SHELLEY BATES
EXCERPT from "The Seven Habits that Got Me Published" by Shelley Bates in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

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One of the longest journeys a writer will take is the road to that first sale. Whether you’re sweating it out under the broiling sun of rejection, or running headlong into a cool, refreshing valley of editor or agent interest, there are seven practical habits you can adopt that will help you reach that faraway gleam in the distance: a book contract.

Establish relationships
In the publishing trade, it’s not who you know, it’s how well you write. At the same time, the industry is still small enough that relationships are crucially important. The person whose shoes you criticize in the restroom line at a writers’ conference may be your dream editor—and she’s got a long memory.

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Shelley Bates holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California and an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She sold her master's thesis to a major commercial publisher after she graduated in 2002, and has sold 17 more novels for the romance, women’s fiction, and young adult markets since then. Grounds to Believe, her first women’s fiction novel, won the 2005 RITA Award for Best Inspirational Novel of the Year from the Romance Writers of America. The sequel, Pocketful of Pearls, became a RITA Award finalist the following year. Writing as Shelley Adina, she has a six-book series called All About Us for teenage readers. Between books, Shelley enjoys playing the piano and Celtic harp, making historical costumes, and trying not to satisfy the urge to possess just one more handbag.

Event: Karen Lynn Williams at NCTE 2012

Many Genres One Craft contributor and Children's book author Karen Lynn Williams was a guest speaker and panelist at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2012 Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

The annual event brings together librarians, educators, parents, writers, editors, and publishers to discuss the future of education in English Studies, Literacy, and Language Arts.

Among her many appearances, Karen served on the panel Books That Make a Difference: Kids Taking Action for Social Justice with author Deborah Ellis and illustrator Floyd Cooper.

Karen has written many multi-cultural picture books, including Circles of Hope and Galimoto.

For more about Karen's time at NCTE and to read an excerpt from her speech, visit her blog, Williams Writes.