Crossing the Streams contest “super winner” announced

Posted on March 16, 2012 by ECunningham

David J. Fortier entered author Jon Sprunk’s contest and ended up winning a signed book from each of the participating authors.  He has chosen the following:

Star Wars – The Old Republic: Deceived by Paul S. Kemp
Daggerspell and Darkspell (paired) by Katherine Kerr
Conqueror’s Shadow by Ari Marmell
Honor Among Thieves by Elaine Cunningham
Black Chalice by Steven Savile
The Birth of the Dread Remora by Aaron Rosenberg
Queen of Stone by Keith Baker
Shadow’s Son by Jon Sprunk
Bloodforged by Nathan Long
Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Beauty Has Her Way anthology from Joshua Palmatier
Carpathia by Matt Forebeck
Legacy of Wolves by Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell
King of RPGs Vol 1 by Jason Bradley Thompson
The Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones
Returning My Sister’s Face by Eugie Foster
Lion of Cairo by Scott Oden
Downshadow Erik Scott de Bie

 

That’s a big ol’ honkin’ pile of books right there. Congratulations to David, and thanks again to Ari Marmell for organizing this contest!

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SEVRIN LORE: No Damn Chowder taverns

Posted on March 15, 2012 by ECunningham

Sevrin is composed of seven main islands and many smaller islets. Predictably, fishing is a common occupation and an vital part of the economy. But as important as fish is to the Sevrin diet, there are nights when fisherfolk would rather kiss a selkie than face another fish. And so when a tavern in the fishing village of Whalespout renamed itself No Damn Chowder and altered its menu accordingly, it became an instant success.

Before long, No Damn Chowder signs were common sights along docks and in seaside villages. Typical fare includes spit-roasted fowl and stewed rabbit pies, goat or mutton, and small loaves of bread served warm with a wedge of cheese and small bowls of meat drippings for dipping. No fish is served. Ever.

Everyone knows about the  storyspinner who was tossed through a window for singing a sea chanty at a No Damn Chowder tavern, though no one can agree on exactly where that happened.

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SEVRIN LORE: Selkies

Posted on March 14, 2012 by ECunningham

Seals are a common sight in the waters around Sevrin, but they are most likely to be found sunning on the rocks surrounding the forest island of Sveonis.  Tales of selkies–seals that can take on human form–are common fireside tales, but few people in Sevrin believe they truly exist.

Still, even naysayers can’t help but notice that the fisherfolk of Sveonis tend to have dark eyes and dark, ashy blond hair that’s suspiciously close in hue to a grey seal’s pelt. Most shrug this off as just another peculiarity of the insular community.  In the tales, selkies maidens are incomparably beautiful, slight and winsome and graceful. Most women from the Sveonis fishing villages are not, to put it kindly, fashioned from the fabric of legend. They tend to be short and stout, dwarf-like in silhouette and temperment.

But it has never occurred to anyone, not even the storyspinners, that the old tales might have gotten it wrong. Human legends might speak of selkies lovers, but elves and dwarves know the selkies as warriors. The fisherfolk of Sveonis are, in fact, the remnants of a very old civilization, the descendants of guardians who fell in defense of the lost elven kingdom of Sveonis. The children escaped into the sea and returned many years later to an island deserted by elves and depleted of magic. Each generation, fewer selkies are born with the ability to take on sealskin. They believe that one day the elves will return with magic that will restore selkies to their former strength. Until then, they pass along old tales, secretly train each new generation in the fighting arts, and bide their time.

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March contest

Posted on March 3, 2012 by ECunningham

March is all about the Thorn trilogy. The third ebook, Word of Honor, will be coming out late this month. Honor Among Thieves and will be available in print format.  A second print book, to include both Honor Bound and Word of Honor, is in progress, and so is a one-volume Thorn trilogy omnibus in trade paperback.

The contest this month is simple: write a review of one of the Thorn books, then send me an email (or post a comment) with a link. “Reviews” can be as  simple as a facebook post or a re-tweeted twitter comment. The contest will run through the end of March, and reviews posted before March are eligible as entries.

Please see the Contests page for more details and a list of prizes, and thanks, in advance, for helping to spread the word!

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Flames Rising interview

Posted on March 2, 2012 by ECunningham

Flames Rising is a website devote primarily to dark fantasy and horror, but they’re running a series of interviews with Pathfinder authors. Dave Gross, the author of Prince of Wolves and Master of Devils as well as the co-author of Winter Witch, led off with a two-part interview. My chat Jeremy L.C. Jones went live today. You can read the interview here.

Here’s my response to the “parting words of advice” question:

Take risks, be flexible, create characters you care about and put them in the sort of stories you want to read, and never, ever miss a deadline. If you don’t take risks, your stories will be predictable. If you aren’t flexible, working with editors will result in frustration and writing in a shared-world setting will make you batshit crazy. If you don’t love your characters and enjoy spending time with them, why should anyone else?  And if you miss deadlines, nothing else matters.

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Crossing the Streams contest

Posted on March 2, 2012 by ECunningham

The contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

The winner for Best Name was Robert N. Emerson, who suggested “Mewlanx.” This struck me as a perfect name for a cat-sized dragon.  A signed copy of Winter Witch is on its way.

To chose the second winner, I used the random number generator on www.random.org to pick a number in the set {1…96}.  Shawn Liebenberg submitted the 45th entry and has chosen a print copy of Honor Among Thieves as his prize.

Contest mastermind Ari Marmell has compiled the numbers–there were 1359 total entries–and chosen a super-winner using random.org. The winner will be announced after all the participating authors have announced the results of their individual contests.

The success of this contest has convinced me to make contests a regular part of my website. There’s a new one coming March 15, so please check back then. I hope you’ll stop by from time to time to see what’s running on the Contests page and take part in any that catch your interest.

Again, thanks to all who entered. I enjoyed hearing from you and reading so many clever and creative suggestions. But then, that’s to be expected from people who spend their spare time expanding their imaginations. In all candor, sometimes writing for fantasy readers is like performing for a hall full of opera singers;  you’re never quite sure you’re on the right side of the curtain!

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