Showing posts with label adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adventure. Show all posts

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Debut novelist has cyberspace humming


Canadian author, Kenna McKinnon, has just released her debut novel SPACEHIVE under the Imajin Books banner.
SPACEHIVE
"Wickedly funny and brimming with satire—a strange and quirky twist on the science fiction genre that will leave you in stitches."—Derrick Hibbard, author of IMPISH


An excerpt from Canadian author Kenna McKinnon's debut novel SPACEHIVE

Earth was in danger.

Jealous eyes gazed toward our Sun from a planet called Jive Hive in another star system, black compound eyes that peered without compassion as though we were flies caught on sticky paper ready for the fire.
The first of their suns was setting as blood-orange light spilled into the valley. Three female worker bees, two over seven feet tall and the other not quite five feet, sat under a purple-flowered tree, sorting through various blossoms, while other bees worked nearby.

"We can't go on like this much longer," Banter said. "There are too many of us. The hive has to find a new home. The Black Watch wasps, vicious as they are, know what they're doing. They've been scanning the skies for hundreds of years and keeping a check on our population."

She sat next to her cousins, Zibb and Bipp. They had worked all day collecting pollen for their hive. Now they rested and talked of the Imperative—to colonize. The whole Jive Hive planet was abuzz with the news.

"Yes," Zibb agreed. "The queen said this one is a plum ripe for the picking and only eight light years away. We'll be tired from the long sleep when we arrive. It'll be a brand new adventure for us. A new Jive Hive."

"Too bad there are beings there." Banter selected a fresh flower and began culling its nectar.

"Too bad we have to kill them all," Zibb said.


"Sometimes humorous, sometimes terrifying, and always imaginative, this high-tech, interplanetary tale will keep you buzzing through page after page. You will never look at bees the same way!" —Val Muller, author of Corgi Capers: Deceit on Dorset Drive


"Highly recommended for youngsters and their parents alike!" – Derrick Hibbard, author of Impish


"Many novels have a sting in the tail, SPACEHIVE is literally full of them! I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. SPACEHIVE is not only imaginative, but also extremely thought provoking. An absolute credit to this first time author. Bravo!" —Philip Parry, author of Wishful Thinking


"SPACEHIVE is a fast paced, cross-pollination of a plot populated with invading giant wasps and bees sure to sting the imagination of its target audience." ~ Paula Shene, author of Mandy the Alpha Dog


"Don't get stung and miss this. You'll hive a great read and get a buzz." —Alan Place, author of Pat Canella: The Dockland Murders



Kenna McKinnon is a freelance writer/photographer and self-employed medical transcriptionist who lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. SpaceHive is her debut novel, published by Imajin Books.

Kenna has lived for many years with schizophrenia. She is the proud mother of three wonderful children and three grandsons. Follow her blog or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.







       
Eileen Schuh, Canadian author
www.eileenschuh.com

FATAL ERROR on Amazon.com
FATAL ERROR in the UK

THE TRAZ on Amazon.com
THE TRAZ in the UK

SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT

Friday, October 12, 2012

FATAL ERROR - Now on Amazon!


What does an author do on the day of her book’s release? As with many aspects of a writer’s psyche and behaviour, my response to this day may seem...a little odd, perhaps.
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Kindle Price: $3.99 includes free international wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
Kindle Price: £2.54 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Firstly, I clicked the Amazon link my publisher emailed me-- to confirm she wasn’t lying about FATAL ERROR being available. This despite the fact she has never lied to me before and has no motive to lie to me now.


I then stare at the Amazon page for 3 minutes. Still disbelieving, I hit purchase and download it to my Kindle. Ah ha...FATAL ERROR magically appears on the eReader in my hand. (I’m a baby boomer, so yes, this is magical.) And, almost simultaneously, the invoice for it magically appears in my inbox.

Then...well, it’s kind of like getting a positive pregnancy test result (not that that has happened to me in decades). I do nothing, wallowing in this secret knowledge, savouring it.  I do that for about 10 minutes. Then, (still like the pregnancy test scenario) I try to decide who to tell first. In my mind, I rehearse my announcement. I create a list of those to tell and beside the names, note how I will tell them...phone? email? Facebook?

Then I savour that list for 10 minutes.

Then I realize that for some very good--well, at least some very ‘cleverly-designed’--reasons I do not have my blogs, guest blogs, tweets, or other promo materials ready! About then I notice my craft bag in the corner and realize that in just a few short weeks my next grandbaby will be here and I haven’t started that crocheted bunting bag. I have the Mary Maxim pattern, bought the wool... I rummage through the bag to make sure it is all still there (although in my entire life nobody has ever taken anything from my craft bag and would have no motive to do so now). I confirm that I did buy the colours I want.

Knit Snuggle Bag & Hat  (99791999)

I go back to my computer and visit Amazon again. I decide to announce the release to my fans on my facebook author page. I do so. I then try to check my email and realize Yahoo has locked me out of my account (possibly because I switched to a new laptop so they think I’m not me. This has happened before. Their motive is to prevent strangers from hacking into my email account—which has also happened before.) I fight for an hour to try to reset my password, to no avail. I find an emergency contact email address for Yahoo service and fire off a pleasantly-worded letter of protest and plead for immediate assistance. I get an auto-reply email saying I’m locked out until this time tomorrow. I check my hotmail and gmail accounts and receive my facebook congratulatory messages. I do some more wallowing.

I realize it is noon and I’m still in my pjs and have not eaten anything yet. I spend 5 minutes deciding which is my priority. I opt for the shower and dressing. Just as I step out of the shower, my daughter phones, congratulating me on the release and filling me with wonderful grandbaby stories while I attempt to keep my towel wrapped around my sensitive parts. I give up, hit the speaker button on the receiver and pretend I’m listening to her as I rummage in my closet for clothes.

The phone call ends and I’m dressed...but still hungry. I remember the leftover chilli and bee-line it for the kitchen.  I stuff the chilli in the micro and return to my computer, try once more to hack into my yahoo email, all the while wishing Katrina, the young protagonist of FATAL ERROR and computer geek extraordinaire, could pop out of my books and help me solve this issue. I click on the Amazon link to my new book once more and stare at the cover. I really like the cover.  The micro dings and I head back to the kitchen.

As I eat I ponder my next moves. I will write a couple of blogs, design some tweets, post notices to my online groups, email my real-life buddies, replace my profile pic with a cover shot of FATAL ERROR...right after I check that craft bag, one more time.

Eileen Schuh, Canadian Author
www.eileenschuh.com

FATAL ERROR on Amazon.com
FATAL ERROR in the UK

THE TRAZ on Amazon.com
THE TRAZ in the UK

SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT

Monday, September 10, 2012

Tweeting THE TRAZ for free


 I have a very special guest blogger today, Katrina Buckhold. Perhaps that name rings a bell? 
 
Katrina as she appears on the cover of THE TRAZ

 Katrina is the young protagonist in THE TRAZ. Although she is immature and abrasive and isn't perhaps all that reliable, I did agree to let her open her own Twitter account (https://twitter.com/KatrinaBuckhold).

Although I had to do a lot censoring and censuring for the first while, she seems to be growing up somewhat. 

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Free!


Free! 
 
3 days only
Monday, 10th September 2012
to
Wednesday 12th September 2012 inclusive
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In celebration of this week's special promo, she's pulled together some of her fave quotes from THE TRAZ and here they are in 140 characters or less: 
 
Perhaps he had some use for her genius.The thought that he wanted her for something when no one else did...> #Free THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkT

THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkSTy She tucked one of her dad's shirts around her face so she could catch the scent of what once was. FREE today

#FREE today: She was cold when she got home, despite the heat of the August sun. She listened to the silence calling to her. THE TRAZ http://ow.ly

"Please?" She tilted her head and searched his face, as she knew he liked her to do.>THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkRZ5 Free today 

The cool moonlight was sparking off eyes that, in the sun, shone blue and bright. She stood on her toes and... Free today >THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkS5o

The day started not all that badly—a warm June morning. By seven o'clock the summer sun was already high... THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkS8q Free 

She thought of electrons & photons, the intertwining of space, speed & time. In 2 weeks she'd be a teenager > THE TRAZ Free today! http://ow.ly/dkSjh

 Colours & numbers could be digitized. Someday the human mind would be etched on a silicon chip >THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkSjh Free

Katrina felt faint and distant and dizzy. Words swirled about her. Someone said, "Dead. Everybody dead. Dead." THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkSDe  Free

"You're 13, running around 'til the wee hours of the morning & coming home drunk. I won't put up with it." THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkSKS  Free

Katrina slipped from her chair and grabbed his arm. "Grandpa! Grandpa! Are you sleeping or are you dying?" THE TRAZ ow.ly/aXtbK  Free

The parts of her that were cold began stirring, moving, pulsating, synchronizing with the beat of the pistons  >THE TRAZ http://ow.ly/dkTVR  Free

THE TRAZ  "How far do you want to ride?" Shrug's voice broke into her reverie. "Forever," Katrina answered.  Free http://ow.ly/dkTVR

THE TRAZ "...The man dropped to the ground. His eyes slid closed. The remnants of a smile still twisted his lips..." FREE today http://ow.ly/dkTVR


















Eileen Schuh, Canadian writer www.eileenschuh.com