Magic of the Muses: debut novelist

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.

http://kennamckinnon.blogspot.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/KennaMcKinnonAuthor

http://www.twitter.com/KennaMcKinnon

SpaceHive on Amazon.com

SpaceHive on CreateSpace

CHECK OUT the SpaceHive video trailer

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

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Rink rat to writer....

DEAD MAN'S HAND is now available on Amazon FREE from 26 - 28 June 2013

Novelists often have past lives that both distract from and enrich their writing careers. While my alternate life shall remain shrouded in mystery because it involves either a top-secret position with Canada's spy agency or several decades of cleaning house and raising children, first-time novelist Luke Murphy willingly reveals his youthful and exhuberant chase after his dream to wear NHL colours.

Thanks, Luke, for sharing. Welcome to the world of writing.

Luke Murphy author of DEAD MAN'S HAND

This is my first guest blogging experience, so I’m a little nervous—“first day jitters”. Thanks Eileen.

My transition from professional hockey player to published author was surprisingly smooth. Hockey and writing have many things in common:

For both, it takes hard work and practice. There are many critics, and you need to be thick-skinned. Both the hockey and writing worlds are small communities, filled with people who want to help you succeed. In order to find success, in both you need to be persistent and confident.

It’s all about taking a chance, putting yourself out there to be evaluated by your peers. That’s the scariest part.

I was born in a small rural community in Western Quebec, where you either worked in a mill or on a farm. But I aspired to be an NHL superstar (set the bar kind of high).

My mother’s death in 1992 (cancer), opened my eyes, and I realized that if I wanted to pursue my dreams, I was going to have to leave home. But in the mid ‘90s, the NHL had transferred from a fast-paced game of skill, to one of “bigger is better”. I was only 5’9’’, 160 pounds, so my goals shifted. I accepted a hockey scholarship to Rochester Institute of Technology.

Hockey : Hockey player makes a strong shot on goal rival;

After graduation, I received an invitation to the Florida Panthers Camp. I showed up in the best shape of my life, and scored the game winning goal against the Ottawa Senators (my claim to fame, as my friends say). Unfortunately, I broke my hand that ended my camp, but the Panthers offered me a Minor League contract, $500 a week to play the game I love. I spent six years in the minors, and retired in 2006.

I’m from a family of avid readers, so I’ve always had a passion for books. I just never knew this would become my future until the winter of 2000, while playing hockey in Oklahoma City.

After sustaining a season ending eye injury, I had a lot of free time on my hands. I remember walking by my roommate’s open computer one day and stopping. I sat down and stared at the screen. Then, without a plan, I began to type.

Some of my favorite authors are Greg Iles, Michael Connelly, and Harlan Coben, so it only made sense that I write in the suspense/thriller/mystery genres, write what I knew. I wrote a little everyday, around my rehabilitation schedule and before I knew it, I had completed my first manuscript.

I didn’t write with the intention of being published. I wrote for the enjoyment. I’ve been accused of being a perfectionist, and I didn’t see my novel at the level to compete with best selling authors. I continued to hobby write through the years, honing my craft, making time between work and family obligations.

I’ve never been one to take things lightly, or jump in halfway. So when I decided to get serious about writing, I took a full year off just to study the craft. I constantly read, from novels to books written by experts. I researched, reading up on the industry and process. I made friends (published and unpublished authors), learning what it took to become successful.

Feeling that I was finally prepared, in the winter of 2007, I started to write DEAD MAN’S HAND. It took me two years to complete the first draft of my novel. I then worked with editors and joined a critique group, doing anything I could to learn, to improve my writing and my novel.

Aces and Eights--"The dead man's hand". Legend says this was the hand held by
Wild Bill Hickok when he was murdered.

I hired the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency and in May 2012, I signed my first publishing contract with Imajin Books. DEAD MAN’S HAND is scheduled for release this fall.

My goal was to please anyone who loves thrillers, sports, or a walk on the wilder side of Las Vegas in writing DEAD MAN'S HAND.