Writer’s High

Posted on November 21, 2015 by SharonJoss

dreamstime_m_27083216loresAfter the upheaval of moving, I’m finally back in the groove of my daily writing schedule and and gratified to see steady progress on the new novel. CHAOS KARMA is the third novel in my Hand of Fate urban fantasy series. It’s been almost a year since I was writing a first draft of a novel. I’d forgotten how satisfying it is to torment my characters, discover new plot twists, and write new words in this ever-expanding story world. Right now, I’m totally immersed in the quirky town of Shore Haven.

My new novel, STEAM DOGS, launched last week, which gives me an incredible sense of accomplishment. While I love writing, I love having written more.

I’m also in the process of updating the covers for the first two books in the series and reformatting them to reduce the price on the paperback versions. As a former art major, I confess that I love designing covers. Just for kicks, here’s all three covers (including the sneak peek at Chaos Karma):

Destiny BluesloresLegacy SoulloresCHAOS KARMAlores

And as if this wasn’t enough fun, this year I was invited to participate as panelist at OryCon, one of those milestones I’ve always associated with being a’real’ writer. I confess, I was a bit nervous on Friday, but I needn’t have been. I knew half the people on both of the panels that day, and the audience was friendly and and (hopefully) as interested in the session topics as I was. I got to participate in some lively discussions on writing and craft (always my favorite topics), meet some terrific people, and see some friends I’ve only met online or rarely see in person. At the end of the day, I drove home feeling energized and glad to be part of the experience. Today was even more fun, and I can hardly wait until tomorrow.

All good days here.

Posted in 2015, accomplishment, ambition, Annie Bellet, authors, Convention, Cover Reveal, Finance, Gra' Linnaea, Hand of Fate, Jessica T C Lee, Leah Cutter, new words, Orycon, panelist, Parnormal Noir, Peter Wacks, Sharon Joss, STEAM DOGS, Tending the Garden, Writers High | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Release Day – Steam Dogs

Posted on November 11, 2015 by SharonJoss

000 STEAM DOGSlores

Wootie-woot, it’s release day for my new novel, STEAM DOGS.

In this alternate history thriller, 19th-century technology and the supernatural collide outside London, when airships and aerialists from across Europe converge on the Isle of Dogs for an air show. Among the crowd, a master thief with his eye on the Queen’s jewels, a Metropolitan Police inspector, and a former royal wizard dead set on kidnapping the commander of the most powerful army in the world—Queen Victoria of Britain.

Here’s the links:

Paperback edition here

Kindle edition here

Kobo edition here

Nook edition here

Or wherever you buy books!

 

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OryCon is Coming: Here’s Where I’ll Be…

Posted on November 6, 2015 by SharonJoss

orycon37I’m pretty excited to be a panelist this year at OryCon 37 at the Waterfront Portland Marriot. Guests of Honor are Tanya Huff, artist Alan M. Clark, Ryan Wells, and Jason V. Brock. A little star-struck too, several of my co-panelists are people who I’ve met at other workshops, classes, or Cons; or through Cascade Writers or Writers of the Future. Here’s my schedule:

Friday, November 20

  • 4-5pm      I’ll Be Watching You: From vampire assassins to wizard private eyes to undead thugs, crime has been mixing it up with fantasy for years. What is it about crime, noir, and the paranormal that’s so appealing? Also – what are some really good titles? I’ll be moderating this one with Annie Bellet, Ken Lizzi, Alex C Renwick, and Kristi Charish
  • 5-6pm      Writers of the Future Reading: Past winners read their work. With Lori Ann White, K.C. Ball, Stoney Compton, Peter Wacks, Grá Linnaea

Saturday, November 21

  • 12-1pm  The internet: How Do You Keep Anything Private?   In this day and age, can you recognize when your information is secure? Do you know at what points your data may be available to either innocently casual or fiendishly intent scrutiny? With Mark Niemann-Ross, Sean Robinson, Edward Stiner
  • 4-5pm  Finance for Creatives  How do professional writers and artists handle accounting, paperwork, taxes and the IRS. Who gets paid what? Who deducts what? Can I really write off that trip to Belize and do I have to keep every receipt? When can I start treating some of my hobbies and start-ups as real businesses? With  Leah Cutter, John Hedtke, William Hertling
  • 5-6pm  Piracy: Fight It or Embrace It?   Piracy is everywhere, and creators hate it. Except when they don’t. HBO, for instance, says pirating of “Game of Thrones” is the best free advertising ever. Should creators learn to embrace the Jolly Roger, or fight it? With Erik Wecks, Shawna Reppert, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Grá Linnaea

Sunday, November 22

  • 11-12pm   Spaceships, Colonists, & Castaways  How small communities function in isolated conditions with minimal resources. With Susan R. Matthews, Lori Ann White, Alex C Renwick, Bart Kemper
  • 12-1pm   The Gender Talk   Is it really that hard to write someone of a different gender?  I’ll be moderating this one with J. A. Pitts, Rhiannon Held, Esther Jones, Dale Ivan Smith

Should be loads of fun!  Hope to see you there.

 

 

 

Posted in #WOTF31, 2015, Cascade Writers, Convention, Orycon, panelis, panelist, Sharon Joss, Writers of the Future | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cover Reveal: STEAM DOGS

Posted on October 28, 2015 by SharonJoss

000 STEAM DOGSloresWootie-woot! I’ve been waiting a long time to show you this, but here it is, the reveal of my upcoming thriller novel, STEAM DOGS.

I’m a huge fan of action and adventure in both my reading and movie preferences. I’ve been wanting to write a paranormal thriller for a very long time. Inspired by the likes of Dean Koontz, Dan Simmons, Scott Lynch and others, I finally decided to take a crack at the genre myself. Of course, being me, I can’t seem to color within the lines of one genre. I think of it as a supernatural-heist-crime-detective-magic-action-adventure-with-horror-elements. That’s probably confusing to most people,  so here’s the blurb:

In this alternate history thriller, airships and aerialists from across Europe converge outside London on the Isle of Dogs for an air show.   Among the crowd, a master thief with his eye on the Queen’s jewels, a Metropolitan Police inspector, and a former royal wizard dead set on kidnapping the commander of the most powerful army in the world—Queen Victoria of Britain

Some might call it steampunk. I like to think of it as Mission: Impossible with magic. Coming to a bookseller near you in November.  Sign up for my mailing list (on the right-hand side of this page) and you’ll be the first to know (and get a free short story, too).

Posted in 2015, action, adventure, Alternate History, Cover Reveal, Crime, Dean Koontz, favorite authors, heist, horror, joy, novel, Sharon Joss, STEAM DOGS, Steampunk, supernatural, Thriller | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mystery Sculptures & Story Prompts

Posted on October 22, 2015 by SharonJoss

One of the really surprising things I’ve discovered about my new setting in Lake Oswego, is that there are statues and sculpture around just about every corner. Big and little. I live about a block from the town’s central plaza / park and there is a stone wall I pass on the way which is largely covered in vines and vegetation. But there are little clefts in the wall with small bronze basins for water. They’re weathered and some are a little worse for wear.  It was only today that I really started thinking about the details…

turtlefountain1

 

They’re odd little sculptures.  But neat. In a creepy sort of way. Like this one, which I call turtle boy.  It’s kind of hard to see, but there’s a turtle hanging over the head of a little boy, who is leaning over the basin.

 

 

fountain2

 

 

The conjoined twins.  There’s a girl leaning back with her mouth open, and her watery hair is joined to a another girl’s face.  This one is only a few inches off the ground, so as I pass by, I’m looking down into the long-haired girl’s upside down face. I can’t tell if she’s asleep and dreaming of the other girl, or if she’s moaning…

 

 

 

fountain3

 

 

The angry man. The water stains coming from his mouth make me think he’s screaming or vomiting his wrath.

 

 

 

 

fountain4

The bearded man. He kind of looks like a fellow from 18th century England, to me. Sort of staid and disapproving.

These heads are smaller than my fist, and the basins are about the size of a bread basket. Charming. Interesting.  They draw me in with their character and expressions and their intriguing setting. There is no plaque or anything which tells me who or why they are there. I find myself daydreaming about them quite a bit, which I suppose is their purpose. Thought-provoking.

Story prompts.

 

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The Glitter of Falling Leaves

Posted on October 15, 2015 by SharonJoss

fall6These are the very best days of fall in Oregon. The temperature hit 79 degrees today, and the aspen trees in my neighborhood have started dropping their lemon yellow leaves like confetti.There’s a light breeze out, and the deep, resonant chimes (Chimes of Apollo) I’ve hung on the from porch are bonging softly–a restful and melodious sound. I’m sitting on the front porch, reading a book, with the dog, Rowan, snoozing at my feet.

fall5

This morning as we walked by the lake, a little kingfisher followed the dog and I, alternately scolding at us from the top of a tree as we passed beneath or diving into the mirrored surface for tiny silver fish. There’s a big blue heron I see most days, stalking prey from the shore–still as a statue until he strikes.  When we walk past, he glares at us with his golden eyes in distinct disapproval, as if to say, keep moving, this is MY spot.

fall7The weekend promises to bring wetter, chillier, and more typical seasonal temps, but I don’t mind.  The writer’s life gives me the freedom to grab the days of glorious sunshine whenever they come.
Spending time outside when the weather is this perfect is more than just enjoyable, it’s research!

 

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Phobia Season: What Are You Afraid Of?

Posted on October 5, 2015 by SharonJoss

‘Tis the season of the witch…also the ghost, the goblin, and all things that go bump in the night. You probably know quite a few people with phobias–or perhaps you even have a few of your own. There’s the common fears: flying (aerophobia), snakes (ophidiophobia), heights (acrophobia), spiders (arachnophobia).

But this time of year is ripe for other fears to emerge. I started thinking about it, and decided to have a bit of fun with identifying some not-so-well-known-but seasonal fears.

Alliumphobia – Fear of Garlic. Vampires are often afflicted with this. Yes, this is a real thing.
Astrapophobia – Fear of Lightning
Ballistophobia – Fear of Bullets
Batrachophobia – Fear of Reptiles, Amphibians, Newts, & Salamanders
Blennophobia – Fear of Slime
Bogyphobia – Fear of Demons and Goblins
Chilopodophobia – Fear of Centipedes
Coulrophobia – Fear of Evil Clowns
Emetophobia – Fear of Vomiting
Entomophobia – Fear of Insects
Haemophobia – Fear of Blood
Helminthophobia – Fear of Worms
Kenophobia – Fear of Voids
Kinemortophobia – Fear of Zombies
Lupophobia – Fear of Wolves & Werewolves
Necrophobia – Fear of Corpses
Odontophobia – Fear of Teeth
Parasitophobia – Fear of Parasites
Phasmophobia – Fear of Ghosts
Rhabdophobia – Fear of Magic
Samhainophobia – Fear of Halloween
Sanguivoriphobia – Fear of Vampires
Scotophobia – Fear of the Dark
Somniphobia – Fear of Falling Asleep
Stygiophobia – Fear of Hell
Taphephobia – Fear of Being Buried Alive
Teratophobia – Fear of Giving Birth to
Monsters
Triskaidekaphobia – Fear of the Number 13
Wiccaphobia – Fear of Witches & Witchcraft

Are you feeling it yet?

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