Friday, December 21, 2007

Miscarriage

My husband and I have not been able to conceive for about 7 years, and you cannot imagine my joy when I discovered last Wednesday that I was pregnant. It was such a relief to know that everything in my body was working correctly, and it was fun, calling my doctor to cancel my appointment for my fertility tests. Telling my family was also awesome because they knew how long we had been waiting.

Without going into too many details, we found out yesterday that I am having a miscarriage. When the signs first appeared, and especially after my trip to the emergency room on Tuesday, my first reaction was anger at God. How could He do this to me? How could He seem to answer my prayer for a baby and then jerk it away? Why was He toying with me? How dare He? I know those seem like horrible questions that no God-fearing woman should ask, but pretending that I didn’t ask them would be dishonest on my part. (Also, I figure that those questions are mild compared to some of David’s Psalms…)

As I sat there in the hospital bed, angry at God, I thought about a couple at my church who had trouble conceiving and went through a few miscarriages and tubal pregnancies about 20 years ago. I was just a child then, but I remembered how sad they were. I thought about how happy they must have been when they got pregnant, and then how crushed they must have felt when they lost their baby—multiple times. I realized that they probably had the same questions for God 20 years ago that I was asking on Tuesday.

Then, I thought about what would have happened if they had conceived. They would probably not have adopted their two sons, who might not ever have heard about Christ or had the opportunity to grow up in a home with loving, stable parents. In a sense, God chose those two little boys. He rescued them from their situation and put them in an environment where they could be nurtured and learn more about Him. How special are those two boys to God and how special is this couple to Him as well! And I’m sure that at the time when they were enduring the loss of their unborn children, they would never have known that God was preparing them to adopt their two sons.

hey also would not have known that 20 years later, their story would comfort me and help keep my own faith in God strong.

I know it’s so easy for us to ask why bad things happen and to blame God for allowing them, but one thing I’ve discovered through this is how many messages God sends us to comfort us during times like this. The nurse in the hospital had a few miscarriages, and she offered me words of comfort that only a woman who had gone through what I was going through would know to say. My mother lost a son three months into her third pregnancy. Did she know then that she would be able to use that situation to comfort her own daughter? Once we left the hospital, we ran into a friend we hadn’t seen in years along with her daughter. When this friend heard what had happened, she told us her story of her own miscarriages. What comfort to see someone who had a miscarriage still be able to have children. Another friend of mine went through a miscarriage just a few months ago, and she has been so helpful. And that night, we turned on the sitcom, Scrubs, just as a doctor and a nurse were arguing about the existence of God and whether or not things happened for a reason. At that moment, the CAT-scan tech discovered a tumor in a girl who had been stabbed, and made the comment that they would never have found the tumor if she had not been stabbed.

God does not promise that when we believe and follow Him that our lives will be perfect and trouble-free, but he does promise that He will not give us anything we can’t handle. I firmly believe that these instances are God’s messengers and messages to me, telling me that He is still there and that He loves me, and that though He cannot take away all bad things, He can engineer a few little “coincidences” to offer me comfort.

So if you have stumbled on this blog, and you, too, are going through a miscarriage (or something equally as horrible) and you’re wondering about what it all means and if God exists, and why He would allow this to happen, I understand exactly how you feel. I’m there with you right now, waiting for my own miscarriage to take its final course. And I can confidently say that yes, God exists, and yes He loves us, and yes, all things happen for a reason. Signs of His existence and His comfort are there, and I encourage you to look for them. Maybe I’m going through this in order to help you.

This is my favorite praise song, and I think it would be appropriate to show the lyrics (out of order) here.

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful,
Where the streams of abundance flow, blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name when I’m found in the desert place,
Though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be Your name.

Blessed be Your name when the sun’s shining down on me,
When the world’s all as it should be, blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering,
Though there’s pain in the offering, blessed be your name.

Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord! Blessed be Your name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord! Blessed be Your glorious name!

You give and take away. You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say: Lord, blessed be your name!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Beyond Writing: Keeping the Manuscript Alive

I've received a couple of e-mails asking me about writing--mainly about how I structure my time and stay disciplined, and other things that aid writing, and I figured I would answer them in my blog.

Disciplinary technique: I'm still working on this one. I think my biggest problem is that I want to be the perfect wife, the perfect business woman, and the perfect writer. Unfortunately, this means that I tend to put writing for last because it's "fun" and do the other stuff (promotion, cooking, cleaning the house) first. To solve this problem, I've begun developing a "to do" list, in which I spread out all of my non-writing to do things across the days so I can leave time for writing. For instance, every morning, I answer my e-mail instead of doing it throughout the day. I'm also a "big blocks of time" person, so I always try to make sure to schedule all my errands in one day to leave me the other days for just writing. I'll schedule coffee with a friend, grocery shopping, and a doctor's appointment all on the same day instead of getting interrupted by each one of those things every day of the week.

Concentration: I was born with this. It's a gift and a curse at the same time. It's a gift because I can focus out almost anything and write for hours without moving. It's a curse because I tend to ignore the people I love, and I also tended to walk around in my own little world when I was a kid. (Who knew that would be something that I use now?)

Recommended Reading:

  • Strunk and White's Elements of Style--a must for any writer.
  • Steven King's On Writing. (If you're going to learn, learn from the master.)
  • I also recommend Syd Field's The Screen Writer's Bible, but that's only because of the format he gives for screenplays, which is a good format for novels. It also teaches a lot about “show, don’t tell” in a way that most novelists don’t really portray. In a nutshell, your inciting incident (your central conflict) should occur one-fourth of the way through your novel. The point where your novel spins spins toward the story's climax (not the climax, but the point where the story starts heading there rapidly--kind of a point of no return) should occur three-fourths of the way through the novel. All movies use this format, and I use it in my writing. The difference between screenplays and novels? With screenplays, these rules are gospel and cannot be deviated from. With novels, they are like the Pirate Code--more like guidelines really.
Anything Else That May Prove Helpful: First, decide your purpose for writing. Are you writing for you? To create art? To get published? Whatever your purpose, make that your goal. I made my original goal “to write a good novel," and I forgot that my actual goal was "to get my novel published." Once I changed goals, I changed my behavior. Figure out your goal. Second, you've got to make writing a priority--especially if you want to get published. You may actually want to schedule "writing time" in your planner, and you may want to discuss your new priority and how to schedule your time with your spouse. If you have children, you may have to write after they go to bed or before they wake up. Setting a goal and making writing a priority is probably the first and best step toward getting that manuscript in working order.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Amazon.com Starts an M. B. Weston Forum

Check it out! Amazon.com has started an M. B. Weston Forum about me and my first book, A Prophecy Forgotten, at: www.amazon.com/tag/m%20b%20weston. If you decide to start a discussion, let me know, and maybe I'll join in...

Don't forget that I've changed my official blog to www.mbwestonblog.com.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Events for this Week

Here is a list of my author events this week:

  • Open Mike Night: Barnes & Nobe, Waterside Shops, Tuesday, December 4th, 7:00-9:00pm
  • Osceola Elementary School: I'll be speaking to the students at Osceola Elementary School all day on Thursday, December 6th.
  • Book Signing: Barnes & Noble, Waterside Shops, Friday, December 7th, 7:00-9:00pm
  • Book Signing: Hudson Library Author Fair, Saturday, December 8th, all day.

The Elysian Chronicle, December 2007

Inside Heaven’s Realm


At the end of A Prophecy Forgotten, Salla and Davian find themselves in need of officers—especially majors, colonels, and seraphs. Promoting from within, their only option, will force inexperienced soldiers into positions of power within Elysia’s military. Will Elysia remain strong, even with inexperienced soldiers taking command? And could these impressionable young men be easily swayed to follow someone sinister? This should leave readers with something to think about as they await Out of the Shadows, the newest installment of The Elysian Chronicles.


Breaking News

Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles Publication Delayed
Fans of the Elysian Chronicles will be disappointed to hear that ArcheBooks has pushed back the publication of Out of the Shadows a bit. It is expected out early in 2008.

If you want to receive a postcard, notifying you as soon as it’s released, click here and fill out the form!

Website Updates
http://www.elysianchronicles.com/


Final Updates to the Sample Chapters of OOTS
To check out the final updates to the prologue and first chapters of Out of the Shadows, click here.

Elysian Chronicles Blog
Check out my blog, To Elysia and Back Again, at http://www.mbwestonblog.com/. And don’t forget to find me on MySpace at www.myspace.com/mbweston.


New Fan Club Website & Contest!
A new fan club website is in the works. It’s so new that we haven’t even secured a permanent domain address yet. Check it out by clicking here. Please let me know what you think and give me a suggestion or two by e-mailing me at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, and I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a free signed copy of Out of the Shadows once it comes out! You’ve got to e-mail me by the end of December to be entered in the contest.


Author Events

Schools: I’ll be speaking to these schools in December:

  • December 6th, Osceola Elementary School

  • December 11th Somerset Academy

  • I’ll also be making a surprise appearance at the Corkscrew Elementary School Book Fair to sign books. Ask your teacher when I might be in!

Book Signings:

  • Barnes & Noble, December 7th, 2007,7:00-9:00pm

  • Hudson Library Author’s Fair: December 8th, all day, I’ll be at the Hudson Library selling and signing books.

Young Writers of Naples
I’ve canceled the Young Writers of Naples this month. Please join me and other high school students at Barnes & Noble from 10:00-12:00 on the 3rd Saturday of January.

Open Mike Night @ Barnes & Noble
Come join me at Open Mike Night at Barnes & Noble Naples on the 1st Tuesday night of each month! Bring your writing, your singing voice, or your instrument (or any combination of the 3), and let’s have some fun!

New Updates to Out of the Shadows Sample Chapters!

Hey everyone! I've updated the Prologque and Chapters 1 & 2 to Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles on the Elysian Chronicles website.

Click here to read the latest--and last edition.

To find out what happens next, you're going to have to wait for the book!

I'm Back!

I'm officially back! Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged. I apologize to everyone for leaving the blogosphere for so long. I was working on some major "tweaking" of Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles, and I simply had to put things on hold. I finished the tweaking the Monday before Thanksgiving, and I am officially back.

A few things I've done while I've been away:
  • I visited schools: Thunder Mountain Middle School, Corkscrew Elementary School, First Baptist Academy, Pine Ridge Middle School, and Brandon High School to be exact.
  • I visited the USS Midway: The Midway is a decommissioned aircraft carrier located in San Diego. I visited it with my in-laws, where I did research for Book III of the Elysian Chronicles.
  • I enjoyed Thanksgiving and went camping: Very fun, and yummy. I'm such a foodie.
  • I sold books at the Hillsborough County Book Fair: I just returned from that trip yesterday.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

New School Visit Confirmed: Pine Ridge Middle School

As posted on my author's blog, To Elysia and Back Again:

I have just confirmed that I will speaking at Pine Ridge Middle School on Monday, November 26th, from 10:00 to 3:45. I will also be signing and selling copies of A Prophecy Forgotten during that time.

Fan Art Photo Album Up

Be sure to check out my Fan Art Photo Album at the Official Elysian Chronicles Fan Club site. If you've drawn any pictures of The Elysian Chronicles and want to see your art on the site, please mail them to me at 2614 N. Tamiami Trail, Box 514, Naples, FL 34103.

Here is a link to the photo album: http://mbweston.typepad.com/photos/fan_art/.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Author Events for the Week

These are my events for the week, as per my author's blog, To Elysia and Back Again, at http://www.mbwestonblog.com/.

October 25th, Writing Workshop: The Art of Storytelling, 7:30-9:00: I'll be teaching a writers' workshop on the art of storytelling at Barnes & Noble in Naples, FL, and I'll be signing copies of A Prophecy Forgotten afterward. Come on out and meet fellow writers!

Friday, October 19, 2007

New Baseball Pics!

I just uploaded some of my favorite baseball photos. Check them out!
I had fun tonight at Barnes & Noble at my writing workshop, "Sensory Details and Landscape." I also picked up the 2008 Writer's Market and a lap desk for my laptop computer. When I went downstairs, a unique book caught my eye, Lost Worlds: Vikings. I opened it and found a beautifully illustrated book both inside and out with detailed, yet mystical pictures of vikings. I couldn't resist--I need it for future research, and it had sparkly red stones embedded in the cover!

(See how pretty it is? Now you know why I couldn't resist...)

Then I found two more books that I just had to buy: The Illustrated book of Sings and Symbols and Battles of the Medieval World.

I need these three books for research on future projects. Your job is to figure out why on earth I would need such books. (Tee Hee.)

Any guesses?

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Telivision Interview Canceled

My television interview scheduled for today was postponed. We shall probably shoot the interview sometime in December or January, which happens to be when Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles will debut, so the timing should be perfect!

Monday, October 15, 2007

Events for the Week: Oct. 15-21

October 16th, East Lake Library, 6:30-8:00: I'll be speaking at East Lake Library's Author's Showcase on the subject of "Show, Don't Tell."

October 17th, WRXY TV, 12:00: I'll be filming an interview on the Bridges TV show in Punta Gorda.

October 17th, Center Point Community Church, 6:00-7:30: I'll be speaking to the Center Point Community Church middle school youth group. Middle school students, come on out! Center Point is located right next I-75 exit 105. For more information, call 261-7486 and ask for information about the middle school youth group.

October 18th, Writing Workshop: Sensory Details & Landscape, 7:30-9:00: I'll be teaching a writers' workshop on Sensory Details and Lanscape at Barnes & Noble in Naples, FL, and I'll be signing copies of A Prophecy Forgotten afterward. Come on out and meet fellow writers!

October 20th, Young Writers of Naples, 10:00-12:00: Teenagers, join me and fellow writers at Barnes & Noble, Naples, FL to discuss writing topics and hang out. Please visit www.youngwritersofnaples.blogspot.com for more information.

Star Trek: Enterprise--It's Addicting

Oh dear. I've just discovered Star Trek: Enterprise on the Sci-Fi Channel, and just as baseball season is about to end. The writers of this are good. They're able to create great tension, and really draw the audience in. What great timing! It's addicting--one of those things that I'm going to have to try not to watch or my writing will suffer. I guess it's good that it has no reruns, or I'd never get any writing done.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

My Visit to Lely High School

Yesterday, I visited Lely High School, home of the Trojans. It was kind of fun, visiting one of my high school's rivals. I spoke to 10 classes about writing, the process of getting published, and "Show, Don't Tell"--one of the lessons I really enjoy giving. I loved meeting with the students--many of whom were extremely bright. One of the students had already written at 300,000 word fantasy epic. (He will probably turn it into more than one book.) That is an amazing feat for a student in high school!

I'm Sick of the Heat!!!

Okay, yesterday the temperature probably reached the mid 90s--as it has since June. Now I'm not trying to sound bitter or anything but for crying out loud! It's October! The rest of the world is enjoying hay rides and hot chocolate, and I'm sitting here sweating each tim I walk outside to get something out of my car. (This weather is so not good for my acne.) And the humidity is probably in the upper 80% to 90% range. Ugh.

If any of you are wondering what inspired the weather in Morvenia in Chapter 2 of A Prophecy Forgotten, well it was the weather down here in South Florida. Hot, muggy, stifling. Humidity like a sauna. Trust me, I didn't have to imagine it for too long; I just walked outside and started writing.

We shoud be getting a cold front this Friday, so maybe things will cool off...

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

I've Moved My Main Blog to TypePad!

Hey everyone! I've moved my blog to TypePad, and I've divided it between an author's blog and a news blog. (That's two blogs.) My new author's blog, To Elysia & Back Again, is at www.mbwestonblog.com, and my news blog is www.mbwestonnews.com. If you're suscribing to this blog, please visit To Elysia and Back Again and change your feed. Thanks!

New Uploaded Photo Album--NecronomiCon

Check out my NecronomiCon Photos on my blog, To Elysia & Back Again! Here is the link: http://mbweston.typepad.com/photos/necronomicon_07/index.html.

Check Out Info on A Prophecy Forgotten's Audio Book at MP3 World

Check it out! The MP3 World blog has a link to A Prophecy Forgotten's new audio book just underneath the Fergie's new album, The Dutchess. At least, I think the album is called The Dutchess. The song is "Big Girls Don't Cry."

Monday, October 08, 2007

NecronomiCon: Meeting Science Fiction Author, Stuart Clark



This weekend I attended NecronomiCon where I sold my books at a table next to science fiction writer, Stuart Clark, whose first book, Project ULF, debuted about the same time A Prophecy Forgotten did.


Project ULF's Jurasic-Park-meets-Alien storyline intrigues me. It's about a company that captures alien life forms across the universe and brings them back to Earth for their zoo in Chicago (500 years from now). The company perceives one of its "trappers" as a threat and sends him on a bogus mission to a planet from which no one has returned. I can't wait to begin reading it.


You'll probably see Stuart and me selling books together at DragonCon next year! To find out more about Stuart, visit http://www.stuartclark.net/. He also has a MySpace at www.myspace.com/author_stuart_clark, in which he did a nice write up about A Prophecy Forgotten on his MySpace Blog. Give Stuart some clicks and check out both his blog and his book!

M. B. Weston to Speak at Thunder Mountain Middle School

I've just confirmed that I will be speaking to the 7th graders at Thunder Mountain Middle School in Phoenix, Arizona on November 12, 2007. (It's been a busy day...)

M. B. Weston to Speak at First Baptist Academy

I've just confirmed that I will be speaking at First Baptist Academy of Naples, FL on Friday, November 16th, 2007. The administration and I are still working out which grade levels I'll be speaking to as well as the subject matter I'll be speaking about.

M. B. Weston's Events for the Week: Oct. 7th-13th

October 10th, Lely High School: I'll be speaking to the students at Lely High School about writing and the process of getting published.

October 11th, Barnes & Noble (Naples): I'll be holding my second writing workshop about character development from 7:30 to 9:00, and I'll be signing copies of A Prophecy Forgotten afterward.

M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles. She speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.

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A Prophecy Forgotten Available in South Africa

I've just discovered that A Prophecy Forgotten is available in South Africa on Jump Shopping. (You can find out more about Jump Shopting at http://www.jump.co.za/.) For those of you in South Africa, please visit http://www.jump.co.za/Product/A-Prophecy-Forgotten-M-Weston-7376910.htm to purchase A Prophecy Forgotten.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Oops! I Left a Few Events Out of The Elysian Chronicle

I left a few things out of The Elysian Chronicle. I really appologize; I must have been interupted while I was composing it. Here they are:

Schools: I’ll be speaking to the students at Lely High School on October 10th.

Television: I’ll be filming at TV interview with WXRY TV in Punta Gorda. They have not yet given me the date it will air.

Book Signings: October 16, 6:30-8:00pm, East Lake Library. I’ll be holding a workshop on Show, Don’t Tell and signing books afterward.

Monday, October 01, 2007

The Elysian Chronicle, October 2007

M. B. Weston’s Author Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 5

Inside Heaven’s Realm
“Times have changed. The tyrant of your Runes is about to rise to power. We seers keep our prophecies secret to keep them safe from him and the one who commands him,” Cassadern told Davian just before the third battle. Though Davian killed the leader of the Third Battle Conspiracy at the end of A Prophecy Forgotten, even he believes that the true dictator predicted by the Runes must be out there biding his time and waiting for the opportune moment. But who is he? Can Elysia, with its government and military leadership nearly destroyed, defeat another attempted coup? And what did Cassadern mean by “the one who commands him”? This should leave readers with something to think about as they await Out of the Shadows, the newest installment of The Elysian Chronicles.

Breaking News
Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles now with the publisher
OOTS is now with my publisher, awaiting publication in December 2007. If you want to receive a postcard, notifying you as soon as it’s released, click here and fill out the form!

M. B. Weston a Guest at Necronomicon in Tampa!
If you happen to be attending, please drop by and say hi!

Website Updates (www.elysianchronicles.com)
Changes to the First Chapter of OOTS
I made a few changes to some of the already posted prologue and first chapter of Out of the Shadows. Click here to read the newest updates.

New M. B. Weston Blogs!
I’ve done some overhauls in the blogosphere. First, I’ve changed my main author’s blog to http://www.mbwestonblog.com/. It’s called To Elysia and Back Again. I’ve also added an M. B. Weston News blog and a baseball blog. (I blog so much about it anyway… Here is a list of my current blogs:

Stay Tuned For:

  • Updated book signings & speaking events. Keep checking here to see if I’ll be in your area!
  • A new fan club website!

Author Events
Writing Workshops at Barnes & Noble
Each Thursday night this October, I will be teaching a writing workshop at Barnes & Noble from 7:30 to 9:00 on these subjects:

  • Oct. 4th, Plot & Structure
  • Oct. 11th, Character Development
  • Oct. 18th, Sensory Details and Landscape
  • Oct. 25th, The Art of Storytelling

Book Signings:

  • Necronomicon: October 5-7, 2007. Necronomicon is a fantasy, gaming, sci-fi convention. I’ll be speaking on panels and signing books there all weekend.
  • I’ll also be holding book signings after my writing workshops at Barnes & Noble.

Young Writers of Naples
Join me and other high school students at Barnes & Noble from 10:00-12:00 on the 3rd Saturday of each month. This month, we are meeting on October 20th. Check out our blog at http://www.youngwritersofnaples.blogspot.com/.

Open Mike Night @ Barnes & Noble
Come join me at Open Mike Night at Barnes & Noble Naples on the 1st Tuesday night of each month! Bring your writing, your singing voice, or your instrument (or any combination of the 3), and let’s have some fun!

New Updates to Out of the Shadows Prologue

Hey everyone! I've just updated the prologue and first two chapters of Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles on my website, http://www.elysianchronicles.com/.

Check it out here!

(www.elysianchronicles.com/oots_sample_ch.htm)

M. B. Weston to Speak at Corkscrew Elementary School

I've just confirmed that I will be speaking at Corkscrew Elementary School on Monday, November 5, 2007 and on Monday, November 19, 2007. On November 5th, I'll be speaking to the 5th grade classes, and I'll speak to the 4th grade classes on November 19th. The schedule and subject matter has not yet been confirmed.

Corkscrew Elementary was the first elementary school to allow me to speak, and I'm excited to speak to them again.

M. B. Weston's Events for the Week: Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2007

October 2, 2007, 7:00 to 9:00pm: Join me and actress Jillian Windham at Barnes & Noble in Naples, FL where they will be hosting the monthly Open Mike night.

October 4, 2007, 7:30 to 9:30pm: I'll be teaching the first of four writing workshops at Barnes & Noble, Naples, FL. In this workshop, we'll discuss Plot and Structure. Booksigning to follow.

October 5-7, 2007, All Day: I'm attending Necronomicon, a science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention in Tampa, FL where I will be on three panels and will be selling and signing my novel, A Prohecy Forgotten, all weekend.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Hope Solo Bad for the Female Gender and US

It's not often that a women's sport takes center stage in the news (unless it includes sparkly spandex leotards and a pair of ice-skates or uneven bars). Every four years, however, the entire world watches as women duke it out on the soccer field. It's our moment to shine. Nike has even jumped on the advertising bandwagon by proclaiming that the US women's soccer team is "The Greatest Team You've Never Heard Of." (By the way, thanks a lot Nike. Way to really insult sports fans who actually watch ESPN. We knew who they were long before you decided to tell us.)

The US Women's Soccer Team has given us some great Women's World Cup moments, included but not limited to championships and shirt tossing. Unfortunately, the reputations of both America and women suffered a heavy blow this week when United States goalkeeper, Hope Solo, insulted both the decision of her coach to sit her and also the play of Brianna Scurry, the teammate who replaced her. ESPN reports Solo as saying, "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves." Thank you, Hope. It's our time to show men what great sports we are and how we, too, have class, and you go and screw it up by behaving like one of the villains in a teenage chick flick. You basically made the world think American women are nothing but spoiled, selfish, little brats. Star Wars fans everywhere and I agree that you do not deserve the right to bear the last name of Solo.

ESPN also reports that the US soccer team coach and the captains decided to bench Ms. Solo--not just to bench her, but also to ban her from the game against Norway, thus showing the world that we Americans find that behavior unacceptable. I would like to offer my thanks to them for preserving American female dignity.

As for Hope Solo, I found a verse in Proverbs she might want to read. Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

(Yes, I know. This is a slightly bitter blog for me, but I despise women who make the rest of us look bad.)

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Thursday, September 27, 2007

Yankees Clinch Playoffs--to the Shock of May's Sportscasters

And Why That Matters to Writers

I would like an honest show of hands. In May, how many of you believed that the Yankees would make the playoffs?

I was engrossed in writing Out of the Shadows at the time, and I tried not to think about it. I did, however, notice one thing—which I often screamed at the ESPN reporters who continued to trash both the players and Joe Torre. All right, I noticed two things. First, not many Yankees (sans Jeter and Posada) were playing to their potential. (Remember the sub-300 batting averages?) Second, all of the Yankees’ starting pitchers came from AA ball. Come on sports analysts! Don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming! A team with high potential that’s not being reached and sick pitchers? Did you honestly think the Yanks would stay down that long? Or were you just wanting to stick it to them because you were sick of their success?

Still, 14 ½ game deficits are hard to make up.

So what’s the lesson here? Obviously, not giving up. Grinding it out, as many pitchers might say. Those words are easy to speak, but how often do we really believe them during some of our most difficult times?

Writing is a tough business. Traveling, speaking, not much money available for advertising, hearing that people love A Prophecy Forgotten but feeling frustrated that most of the world doesn’t even know the book exists… Many times, I’ll do a bunch of self-promotion but never really see it working. As a novelist with a goal of becoming an international best seller with a movie deal, those things wear me down. (Presumed fruitless labor rarely encourages anyone.) Often, I feel like just giving up on the dream and getting a day job.

I try to remind myself of all the lessons found in baseball. No one is supposed to be able to come back from a 3-0 game deficit in the ALCS (yes, ’04 was painful), no one was supposed to beat Lou Gehrig’s playing streak, no one could ever beat Babe Ruth’s lifetime home run record, and in May, the Yankees were never going to make the playoffs.

So here’s to you ’04 Red Sox, Cal Ripken, Hank Aaron (Barry who?), and ’07 Yankees. I’m still in the ring, my towel will not be thrown, and I will refuse to stay down. Out of the Shadows and Book III of the Elysian Chronicles are for you because as Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.”

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A Prophecy Forgotten Making a Splash on Digital Blogs

This is an example of how doing something new can create a bit of buzz over the Internet. My publisher, ArcheBooks Publishing, Inc. decided to use new text to speech technology to create an audio book of A Prophecy Forgotten. After we released the audio book, ArcheBooks and my publicist sent out separate press releases about Archebooks's new audio book. The press releases did not necessarily tout ArcheBooks creating an audio book. Many publishers create audio books--nothing newsworthy there. They instead focused on the technology that ArcheBooks used to create the audio book. As a result of these press releases, many blogs about text to speech and audio books have included articles about the audio version of A Prophecy Forgotten.

For example, on September 17th, the Text to Speech Blog posted an article about how my publisher used Neospeech to create the audio book. Also, on September, 21st, the Art Audio Books Blog also discussed the new audio version of A Prophecy Forgotten.

Tons of publishers create audio books, but ArcheBooks decided to do something newsworthy by trying something new, resulting in increased publicity for Archebooks, me, and A Prophecy Forgotten. Click here for more information about A Prophecy Forgotten in audio. Also, stay tuned. I'm going to be producing a separate audio book of A Prophecy Forgotten in audio read by yours truly pretty soon.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

On Cutting Your Darlings

I must vent! I've been spending the past three days TOTALLY REDOING the first three chapters of the Earth section of Out of the Shadows. On one hand, the changes do a much better job of showing a few things that needed to be shown, and they also make my earthian hero much more of a sympathetic character. (No, not a pathetic character!) However, I've had to eliminate some pretty nice scenes with funny dialogue, and I'm about to eliminate one more. Oh, it's so good. But it must be gone... eliminated... destroyed... (Just like all the evidence from the Patriots' Spy-Gate.)

Oh, the humanity!

The good news is that I'm putting it in my deleted scene folder, so I can always put it back!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Check Out the SciFan Site!

Hey Science Fiction Fans! I've discovered a new website that lists great Science Fiction books, and it just happens to include yours truly, along with A Prophecy Forgotten and The Elysian Chronicles. Because they were so nice to include me, I want to let everyone know about them. Check out www.scifan.com. Also, check out their listing on me!

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Saturday, September 22, 2007

My Three Days at East Naples Middle School

On September 17th-19th, I had the privilege of speaking to the students at East Naples Middle School. To the 8th graders, who had heard me speak last year, I spoke about sensory details, explaining how I tried to get inside my characters’ heads and see, feel, taste, touch, and hear what they do in order to provide an adequate word picture for my audience. I read the prologue of Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles to them, explaining how I used sensory details in the passage—and how I was able to describe the emotions of Davian without actually telling them. After that, I asked the students to imagine themselves at the beach and then asked them for sensory details. They came up with some amazing ones, including nacho burps for smells and 105.5 The Beat for sound.

To the 7th and 6th graders, I spoke about writing and the process of getting published. I also gave them the opportunity to ask questions. My favorite question was, “Why is the angel riding on a unicorn instead of flying?” Well, there is a very good answer to that question, and you’ll have to read A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles to find out. A hint, however. If you were a fighter pilot, would you want to fly over enemy airspace—especially if the enemy owned a bunch of anti-aircraft guns?


The 8th grade teachers had their students each read the first chapter of A Prophecy Forgotten and draw a picture a scene from it as well as write the sentence that inspired them to draw the scene and circle the descriptive words. They taped the pictures on the walls, shown below. I almost cried when I saw them. I'll be posting some of my favorites on my website soon.


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Friday, September 21, 2007

Press Release: MB Weston Scheduled as Panelist at Necronomicon Convention in Tampa

Naples Author on Panel at Tampa's Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Convention October 5-7, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(September 20, 2007 - Naples, FL) Naples-based author M. B.Weston will be participating as a panelist at the 26th annual Necronomicon Convention. This convention includes a wide range of events including literature, video, art, dances, trivia contests and more and will be held at the Hyatt Downtown Tampa. For more information, go online to www.stonehill.org/necro.htm.

MB Weston will participate on three panels on Saturday, October 6th: Best Sword & Sorcery You Might Have Missed at 11:00am, Crafting Believable Characters at 1:00am, and Most Common Writing Mistakes at 5:00pm. Weston will also be available for book signing during the weekend event.

“I’m honored to have been chosen as a panelist and excited to be included with such distinguished guests,” says M. B. Weston. “I am pleased to have another opportunity to discuss writing skills and share my writing with science fiction and fantasy fiction fans in Florida.”

A Prophecy Forgotten is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy. It’s a Tolkien-meets-Clancy fantasy novel about guardian angel warfare and treason that embodies the themes of faith, hope and living according to your purpose through the fantasy fiction story of Davian, a battle-hardened major in the special operations division of the cherubian military. While Davian is on assignment deep in enemy territory, he is called and sent to Earth to guard seven-year-old Tommy – a boy who has been prophesied to save Earth. Tommy is just trying to survive the second grade, persecution from bullies and the strain of his parent’s divorce. He has no idea he could be the chosen one, or of the spiritual forces at work surrounding him. A Prophecy Forgotten (ISBN-10: I-59507-I69-5; ISBN-13: 978-159507-169-9) is available now.

Her next book, Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles, will be available in December 2007.

Weston is also available for book signings or speaking engagements. M. B. Weston can be reached at 239-821-3769, by email at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, or online by visiting http://www.elysianchronicles.com/.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Press Release: Author M.B.Weston Co-Hosting “Open Mic Night” October 2nd at Barnes & Noble - Naples

For Immediate Release

(September 19, 2007 - Naples, FL) On Tuesday, October 2nd from 7:00 – 9:00 PM Naples-based author M.B.Weston will share “Open Mic Night” hosting duties with Get Reel’s actress Jillian Windham. This FREE event happens at Barnes & Nobles in the Waterside Shops located at 5377 Tamiami Trail North in Naples.

“Open Mic Night” is an opportunity for the public to come out and share their talents whether it be reading poetry or playing music. Here in Naples, “Open Mic Night” has evolved into a venue for those in middle and high school to showcase their bands’ talent. Each act gets 5-10 minutes on stage (depending on the amount of acts) to perform and get more comfortable in front of a crowd while building their following. In between scheduled performances, Weston and Windham will keep the evening going through a variety of different acts.

Weston graduated cum laude from USF with a BS in Accounting, but she knew writing was her true passion. She broke into print in November 2004 when her poem, “Message in a Bottle,” was published in the Arizona Literary Magazine. Two years later, she landed her first book contract with ArcheBooks Publishing, Inc.

Weston released her first book in April 2007 entitled A Prophecy Forgotten, published through ArcheBooks Publishing. A Prophecy Forgotten is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy.
Weston is known as a gifted orator and often speaks to writers conference workshops and panels, classrooms, and writing organizations about the craft of writing and the process of getting published. She has a passion for teenagers and leads the Young Writer’s of Naples—a teenage chapter of the Florida Writers Association

A Prophecy Forgotten (ISBN-10: I-59507-I69-5; ISBN-13: 978-159507-169-9) is available now. Weston is also available for book signings or speaking engagements. M.B. Weston can be reached at 239-821-3769, by email at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, or online by visiting www.elysianchronicles.com.

For more information on Open Mic Night contact Barnes & Noble at (239) 598-5200.

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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Remembering September 11th

When it comes to September 11th, I’m kind of like Forest Gump. “That’s all I have to say about that.” Today, I’m positing an essay that I wrote about September 11th—and how I became a Yankees fan. The two are intertwined.

THE UNLIKELY YANKEES FAN
M. B. Weston

Most people say I don't seem like a typical New York Yankees fan. I have to admit they're right. I've only spent twelve hours of my life in New York City. I don't know where the Holland Tunnel goes, and I don't know the difference between the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, or Brooklyn--except that Brooklyn used to be the home of Ebbets Field, Jackie Robinson, and the Dodgers (before they were kidnapped by L.A., but I digress). It's true I don't have much in common with people from New York, but if you put me inside Yankee Stadium, I'll feel right at home. Inside the famed House That Ruth Built, we all share the same passion: a love for the team that wears the pinstripes.

I haven't always adored the Yankees or their fans. I grew up in Naples, Florida, a quiet beach side community trying desperately to be the town time forgot. Naples took great pains to fight against such hideous evils as unsightly billboards, tall buildings, public transportation, and spring training baseball. Its balmy weather and sandy, white beaches made it a winter haven for northerners. Every January, February, and March, people from the big cities up North--especially from New York--flooded our quiet town, clogged our roads, and filled our favorite restaurants. They also bought our products and kept our economy running, so we didn't mind the inconvenience--much. It was during these winter months that I began to sense an almost unbreachable chasm that stood between me and New Yorkers--between our lifestyles, our cultures, our fashions, and especially our baseball teams.

Baseball, the great American pastime, may be the only thing able to simultaneously pull Americans together and tear us apart. My father, and therefore I, loved the Atlanta Braves, and we despised the New York Yankees more than any other Major League Baseball team. The Yankees always got the best players because they had the most money; they thought they truly were the greatest thing in Cooperstown; and they always managed to beat the Braves in the World Series. Watching a late 1990's World Series was like watching a rerun of Gone With the Wind, with the damn Yankees destroying Atlanta and thousands of southern baseball fans shaking their fists yelling, "With God as my witness, I'll never watch baseball again!" I viewed the New York Yankees with the same disdain I usually reserved for politicians and divorce attorneys.

Everything changed in 2001, the year I decided to spread my wings of individuality and choose my own baseball team based on something other than my father's personal preferences. That was the year right after the presidential election that went awry and almost tore our nation apart. The recounts, protests, courtroom battles, and arguments over dimpled chads, hanging chads, and pregnant chads pitted American against American in ways many of us had never before witnessed. Hatred and mistrust spread deep from the floor of our divided Senate to our homes, our churches, and our classrooms. That political battle for the presidency left America's spirit of unity in seemingly irreparable ruins.

Something else happened in 2001 that changed the hearts and minds of Americans forever. That something was September 11, the day that not only went down in infamy, but also passed it by. That was the day the impossible happened. I remember it all too well. I remember my disbelief when mother called me at work telling me the World Trade Center had been attacked. I remember huddling around the television with my coworkers wondering how New York's firemen would ever stop the flames and how those poor people on the top floors would ever get down. I can still feel that horrible, hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach when all hope of rescue came crashing down in a heap of dust, smoke, and rubble.

For a brief moment, it seemed hopelessness had won. But out of that dust, that smoke, and that rubble emerged a new America with a new sense of unity. Blacks, whites, liberals, conservatives, northerners, southerners, males, females--after September 11, we all became Americans again. We supported each other; we cried with each other; we gave blood for each other.

We emerged from that tragedy to find the fight for our freedoms far from over. Each passing day, radio commentators and news programs over-saturated both the airwaves and our minds with new death statistics, new high alerts, and new details of every aspect of our impending counter attack. Suddenly, the umpire's pre-game "Play ball!" took on a brand new meaning. "Play ball!" and forget about the dust floating around Ground Zero and the air strikes overseas. "Play ball!" and enjoy peanuts and cracker jacks, and don't worry how you'll ever get back without using an airplane. "Play ball!" and for a moment, just a moment, pretend that everything is normal again.

That year the New York Yankees played ball with more heart than they ever had before, and they made it to the World Series playoffs. It was during those playoff games that I discovered my small town prejudices had disappeared. I began turning off my father's Braves in order to watch New York's Yankees, and I found myself cheering for very team I used to despise--more than I had ever cheered for a team in my life. In my mind, if the Yankees could make it to the World Series, they could bring money to New York's collapsing economy, and somehow poetic justice would be served. Questions such as "How on earth can Andy Petitte see with his hat pulled so low?" or "Can Jorge Posada catch with that new glove?" and "Who's on first--next year?" offered temporary, blissful escape from other more somber ones that tormented my mind. "Have they found any survivors?" "Will our economy make it?" "Have you seen my husband? He worked on the hundred fifth floor of Tower Two." It made so much more sense to pray, "Dear God, please let the Yankees get a double play to stop this rally," than "Please, God, please don't let my little sister at Princeton get anthrax, please." Horrifying images of advancing dust clouds and burning people jumping out of buildings were erased that glorious moment Derek Jeter hit a home run out of the park, ending game four and keeping the Yankees' hopes alive. The Yankees battled through that World Series all the way to game seven. By the eighth inning, they were up by one, and on their shoulders rested the hopes of ten million New Yorkers and New York's newest illegitimate child.

Those hopes came crashing down in the ninth inning. That was the inning the impossible happened. The other team managed to score against Mariano Rivera, and the Yankees lost the World Series that year. However, instead of going to bed angry, I fell asleep with a new sense of excitement. A new season lay just around the corner, and I could hardly wait for the fine April day when the umpire would again yell those magical words, "Play ball!" giving the Yankees--my Yankees--another chance at the world championship.

America lost a lot that year, too. We lost three thousand of our men and women. We lost our innocence and our sense of security, but instead of letting those losses pin us down, we stepped up to the plate and began our own new season with a new set of priorities and a new love for each other. In a way, the year 2001 really was the year the impossible happened. That was the year our divided nation became the United States again. That was the year a small town girl from heart of Naples, Florida fell in love with the New York Yankees.

© M. B. Weston, 2001

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Sunday, September 09, 2007

I Found the End of the Rainbow!

But No Pot of Gold…

I’m not joking on this. Today, I actually drove through the end of the rainbow!

Most people say it’s not scientifically possible to find the end of the rainbow. These people have never lived in Florida—a state where torrential rainstorms can create the perfect environment for actually finding the rainbow’s end.

Let me explain. In Florida, you can drive down the street in the dry sun while only fifty yards away, driving rain is falling in sheets to the ground. It’s also one of the only states where you can drive through the rain and get blinded by the sun setting in front of you and also reflecting off the water on the road. (A double blind—ooh the pun of it!) Fun for hours—or fifteen minutes, the average time for one of these downpours.

Today, I was driving down the interstate toward a literal wall of rain. The sun sat low in the sky behind me and reflected off the rain in front of me, making a rainbow. As I approached the rain, the rainbow seemed to get closer, and as I entered the rain, the end of the rainbow literally reflected off the raindrops that hit my windshield. The rainbow disappeared as the rain worsened, and suddenly I could see less than 15 feet in front of me because the rain fell so hard. (And while I was going 80 miles per hour—a slightly tense moment.)

No, I did not see any leprechauns. And no, I was not under the influence of anything but Red Bull. Wait a moment…

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Saturday, September 08, 2007

Dragon*Con Installment 4: Making New Fans

& Meeting Old Ones

Each time I sell a copy of A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles, I create a potential fan, and I received enough fan e-mail and letters to know that the chances of making a fan are pretty high. I had two awesome experiences with fans at Dragon*Con.

First, I sold a book to a boy on either Friday or Saturday of Dragon*Con. He came back to my author booth on Monday and said, “Is the author here?” I said yes, and we started to talk. He told me that he came all the way down to the dealer room just to tell me that he absolutely loved the book—he had read most of it in only two or three days!


Second, a woman approached my table and asked me if I lived in Naples. It turned out that her father had read my book in one sitting and invited me to speak to his classroom! Her mom actually works for my dad. She bought a book from me and let her husband read it, then passed it on to her daughter—the woman who approached my table.


Small, small world…

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Friday, September 07, 2007

Dragon*Con Installment 3: Making New Friends at Cons

One of the things I love about Sci-Fi/Fantasy Cons is making new friends and then seeing them again at other Cons. I was fortunate enough to meet Rachel and Damian at BabelCon last month. We really hit it off, and I was really excited to find out that both of them would be attending Dragon*Con.

Rachel and I, over e-mail, planned our cherubian costumes for the parade. Then the three of us sat up until 2:00 in the morning in a hotel room on Friday night rolling my first chapter brochures and rubber-banding them to Smarties for the parade the next day. They also entertained me at my dealer table, Damian gave me some good selling advice, and they passed out brochures to people at the Con. These are true friends—the kind of friends who go out of their way to help you, and I can’t believe I only met them a month ago.

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Thursday, September 06, 2007

Author M.B.Weston To Speak to East Naples Middle School Students

Scheduled dates are September 14, September 17 and September 19

(August 31, 2007 - Naples, FL) Naples-based author M.B.Weston is scheduled to speak to students at East Naples Middle School on Friday, September 14th, Monday, September 17th and Wednesday September 19th.

M.B. Weston, a 1994 Naples High School graduate and author of the book A Prophecy Forgotten, will speak with students about her book, what it is like to be an author, and much more. She will also be signing copies of her first book, A Prophecy Forgotten, which will be available for purchase.

Weston has a heart for children, and though her original audience for A Prophecy Forgotten was the adult reader, she found that her book resonated with younger readers as well who were excited by the fantasy world she created with undertones of good versus evil. "I’ve written since I was small, and it has been very gratifying that I am able to reach the younger readers," says Weston.

M.B.Weston is not only an award-winning writer, but also a very talented and motivating speaker. She has been scheduled as a guest speaker at many schools and events throughout Florida. One of the teachers who attended last year’s East Naples Middle School event was Pam Prochaska, a Language Arts teacher. Prochaska commented, "Her personal experience with the writing, revision, professional review, and publication of her novel offers our students a realistic look into the world of successful publication. Many students were in awe that a "real author" related her sometimes frustrating experiences in such a simplistic and succinct manner. Most importantly, they identified with her in her continuing trial and error challenge of writing and revising which students experience every day. I can't imagine a better experience for young writers to witness first-hand."

Recognizing that it is not easy to gain then keep the attention of middle schoolers, Weston’s energy and enthusiasm for sharing her writing experience is inspiring. “My students thoroughly enjoyed their special day with M.E. Weston. Her presentation was extremely well prepared and interesting for the students. It was obvious that they enjoyed it from all of the questions they asked and the positive comments they gave when I had them review the day. It is also exciting that she is a local graduate. I am looking forward to having her come back this year,” says Dottie Hendershot, another Language Arts instructor at East Naples Middle School.

Like many who enjoy the fantasy genre, Weston started reading it as an adolescent. She started off with fairytales, then Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. She currently enjoys reading works by Clancy, Grisham, and of course, Rowling. She enjoys making up characters and striving to give them lives that readers will care about knowing. “My goal is to create a world that people want to visit again and again and characters that readers constantly want to read about. People want to go back to Middle Earth, Narnia, and Hogwarts. I want readers to feel the same way about Elysia.”

Weston broke into print in November 2004 when her poem, "Message in a Bottle," was published in the Arizona Literary Magazine. Two years later, she landed her first book contract with Archebooks Publishing, Inc. She currently speaks to middle school and high school students about writing and getting published, and she leads the Young Writer’s of Naples - a chapter of the Florida Writers’ Association for teenage authors. “The key to writing fantasy is to make it magical, yet believable. Too much of either can ruin the story. These workshops are designed to help find the balance between the ordinary and the extraordinary,” says Weston.

Available now, A Prophecy Forgotten (ISBN-10: I-59507-I69-5; ISBN-13: 978-159507-169-9) is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy It’s a Tolkein-meets-Clancy fantasy novel about guardian angel warfare and treason that embodies the themes of faith, hope and living according to your purpose through this fantasy fiction story. Her next book, Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles, will be available in December 2007.

Weston is also available for book signings and speaking engagements along with youth and adult writing workshops. She can be reached at 239-821-3769, by email at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, and her website is www.elysianchronicles.com.

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Win A Prophecy Forgotten on Author Island!

Hey everyone! Author Island is doing a free book giveaway, and one of the books is A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles. Check it out at Author Island's Contest Page.

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Dragon*Con Installment 2: How Far Would You Go…

…To Sell Your Book?

Would you dress up like your heroine and walk down the streets of Atlanta throwing candy attached to your first chapter brochure at the crowd? How about handing out free e-books? And what if your character just happened to be a cherubian (a guardian angel) dressed in a black breastplate and tunic, black boots, and a maroon kilt?

Ah yes, the desire to promote my books has overcome my inhibitions. My friend, Rachel, and I dressed up as Gabriella and joined the Dragon*Con Parade with Sandy Lender, and we marched down the streets of Atlanta in full costume. I threw candy attached to the first chapter of A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles to the crowds, and when we ran out of candy, we asked the crowds who liked to read, and handed those who answered cd’s. I have no idea if it worked or not… I had a great time marching behind all the people dressed as Harry Potter.

Rachel, Me, and Sandy in costume, ready to astound future fans....

Rachel & me, covering both sides of the street.


Here are a few things I learned about making costumes and marching in a parade.

1. Making your own wings takes forever—especially when you craft them with chicken wire, cover them with plaster, paint them, and feather them.
2. Plaster wings are stinking heavy. I had to attach them with a metal harness that attached over my shoulders. My collarbones will never feel the same.
3. No one makes plastic breastplates made for women. I had to buy a Roman breastplate (see below), cut it, and paint it.
4. Marching down the streets of Atlanta in heeled boots is painful.
5. If you make really good wings, everyone will want to take your picture.

Below, I have some more pictures…

The breastplates before I got a hold of them (tee hee)

Here are the be breastplates for scale... (Go Yanks!)

I took feathers from about 5 feather dusters and divided them by size and color.

This is the skeleton--the wires I used to shape the wings.


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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Dragon*Con Installment 1: My Time at Dragon*Con

Or, Where I’ve Been All Weekend…

From Friday until Monday, I attended Dragon*Con as a guest author and sold my novel, A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles, down in the Hilton’s basement. Dragon*Con is the biggest Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Gaming/Anime/LARP festival in America, and I must say it was amazing.

First, I drove to my author friend, Tracy Akers’s house in Dade City, FL on Thursday night. That took some doing because Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles was due to ArcheBooks the next day. I finished the manuscript at 7:00pm on Thursday, sent it to my agent, and then skedaddled out the door. I arrived at Tracy’s at 11:00 PM. (At this point, I had had only 8 hours of sleep in 3 days.)

We woke up at 4:00 to drive to Atlanta, GA. (Total sleep: 3 hrs after my shower). Then we set up our tables in the dealer room, and ran around trying to get settled. Sandy Lender, the other author who shared a table with us arrived around 4:00. For four days straight, we sold books. Then Sandy flew home on Monday (smart woman), and Tracy and I drove home on Tuesday. Nine hour drive for me. Ouch!

For the next week—or two, depending—I’m going to post about my experiences at Dragon*Con, so keep checking the blog!

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Meeting Dr. Molly Barrow

Yesterday, I got to meet Dr. Molly Barrow, PhD at a book signing she did at Borders in Ft. Myers. She is a psychologist who wrote a book on relationships called Matchlines. Unlike sites such as E-Harmony or Match.com, Dr. Molly’s site and her book focus on mending, healing, and improving relationships that we already have—especially those relationships with our “someone special.”

Dr. Molly is a friend of mine, and we are published by the same publisher (ArcheBooks). We chatted about websites and blogs, and she gave me some incredible tips and ideas for future business ventures that I have in mind.

Check out Dr. Molly’s website at http://www.drmollybarrow.com/.

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(Me & Dr. Molly. Not the most flattering pic of me--especially with the bug eyes, but that's what happens when you're up day and night working on a sequel.)

Author M. B. Weston To Attend and Exhibit at Dragon*Con in Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(August 10, 2007 - Naples, FL) Naples-based author M. B.Weston will be attending and exhibiting at Dragon*Con, America's largest, multi-media, popular arts convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the event held over the Labor Day weekend, August 31-September 3, 2007, in Atlanta.

Dragon*Con was launched in 1987 as an outgrowth/evolvement of a local Science Fiction and gaming group, the Dragon Alliance of Gamers and Role-Players (DAGR), founded by Ed Kramer. The name "Dragon" for both the club and the convention was derived from Ed's Dragon Computer (a European version of Radio Shack's venerable Color Computer), which hosted a local Bulletin Board System ("The Dragon") that initially served as a central hub for both organizations. For more details, go online to www.dragoncon.org.

M. B. Weston will have a table displaying her current book, A Prophecy Forgotten, in the Exhibit Hall. Attendees will browse amongst the latest new products and releases from a wide variety of gaming, comic and book publishing companies. “This is an exciting time for me to meet with fans who have read my book, as well as talk to people who might not have heard about me yet!” says Weston.

A Prophecy Forgotten is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy. It’s a Tolkein-meets-Clancy fantasy novel about guardian angel warfare and treason that embodies the themes of faith, hope and living according to your purpose through the fantasy fiction story of Davian, a battle-hardened major in the special operations division of the cherubian military. While Davian is on assignment deep in enemy territory, he is called and sent to Earth to guard seven-year-old Tommy – a boy who has been prophesied to save Earth. Tommy is just trying to survive the second grade, persecution from bullies and the strain of his parent’s divorce. He has no idea he could be the chosen one, or of the spiritual forces at work surrounding him.

Her next book, Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles, will be available in December 2007. A Prophecy Forgotten (ISBN-10: I-59507-I69-5; ISBN-13: 978-159507-169-9) is available now.

Weston is also available for book signings or speaking engagements. M. B. Weston can be reached at 239-821-3769, by email at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, or online by visiting www.elysianchronicles.com.

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Author M.B.Weston Co-Hosting “Open Mic Night”--September 4th at Barnes & Noble

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On Tuesday, September 4th from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Naples-based author M. B. Weston will share “Open Mic Night” hosting duties with Get Real’s actress Jillian Windham. This FREE event happens at Barnes & Nobles in the Waterside Shops located at 5377 Tamiami Trail North in Naples.

“Open Mic Night” is an opportunity for the public to come out and share their talents whether it be reading poetry or playing music. Here in Naples, “Open Mic Night” has evolved into a venue for those in middle and high school to showcase their bands’ talent. Each act gets 5-10 minutes on stage (depending on the amount of acts) to perform and get more comfortable in front of a crowd while building their following. In between scheduled performances, Weston and Windham will keep the evening going through a variety of different acts.

M. B. Weston recently released her first book entitled A Prophecy Forgotten, published in April 2007 through ArcheBooks Publishing. A Prophecy Forgotten is the first in the Elysian Chronicles trilogy. Weston is not only an award-winning writer, but also a talented and motivating speaker. She has been scheduled as a guest speaker at many schools and events throughout Florida.

Weston’s next book, Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles, will be available in December 2007. A Prophecy Forgotten (ISBN-10: I-59507-I69-5; ISBN-13: 978-159507-169-9) is available now. Weston is also available for book signings or speaking engagements. M. B. Weston can be reached at 239-821-3769, by email at mbweston@elysianchronicles.com, or online by visiting www.elysianchronicles.com.

For more information on participating in Open Mic Night contact Barnes & Nobles at (239) 598-5200.

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Waxing Philosophical Part 2: On Being Part of a Story

Read Part I First…

If you ever hold a conversation with me—especially if it’s about writing, you’ll probably hear me say, “It’s all about the story.” I’ve always been the one to find an old arrow head and wonder about its story, or to find a shell on the beach and wonder how it got there. For me, the story is everything. Even with artwork, I’ve found that the more successful artists have a story behind each scene they create. It’s not just a picture of a dress; the picture of the dress tells a story—if you catch my meaning. Why else are people fascinated by the Mona Lisa? The woman has a story to tell, and all of us want to figure it out. Actually, that’s one of the reasons I think that movies with a lot of CG components sometimes lose their luster (excuse the cliché). All too often, the CG characters lack soul—they lack a story.

I also have a suspicion that each of us wants to be part of a story. When we read books, we put ourselves into the story—we become the characters. (I know that I used to imagine myself as one of the Fellowship of the Ring because I wanted so much to be a part of it. And come on, how many of you really wish you could go to Hogwarts and already know exactly what house the Sorting Hat would put you in?) We attach ourselves to actors and actresses, sports heroes and teams (go Yankees, by the way), movies, video games, and politicians because we want to be part of something great—something more exciting than what we think we’ve got on our own. We want to be part of a great story. I think sometimes, we look at our real lives, and we don’t want to be part of them at all. We feel as though they are a waste. After all, who wants to forecast land sales or clean toilets (Can you guess some of my former jobs?) when we could be fighting evil wizards, destroying powerful pieces of jewelry in lava streams, or fighting mornachts?

But what if…?

What if there really is a story being told beyond that of our own lives? What if there is a power struggle between good and evil? And what if the fate of the world lies in the balance? What if you could be a part of it? Would you jump at the chance to make a difference? Would you fight for good, even if it required some sacrifice?

Design implies a designer. And if that designer has a story, do you want to be part of it?

Waxing Philosophical Part 1: Symmetrical Rock Stacking

A few weeks ago, I was in North Carolina with my mom and dad, taking a break from the road. We went on a couple of hikes through the Blue Ridge Mountains—one of my favorite places to hike. (I especially like hiking to waterfalls. I don’t know… I’m not one for “scenic” hikes. If I’m gonna bust my butt hiking up some hill, I want a cool destination. It’s about getting to the destination, not the journey—and yes, that should tell you a whole bunch about my personality right there.) Anyhow, on one hike (to the waterfall above, by the way), the trail happened to wind next to this river. I looked at the river and gasped. “Look at that,” I said, and I pointed to the river bed where we saw almost fifty towers of river rocks that had been stacked vertically. I’ve included a picture because I took a whole bunch (and because I don’t want to waste 1000 words describing it).



Immediately, my twisted little mind remembered The Blair Witch Project. Then I quoted Dan Ackroyd on Ghost Busters when he said, “Look, symmetrical book stacking…” I especially remembered Bill Murray’s sarcastic comment, “Yes, no human being would ever stack books like this.”

That, of course, is the point. When I saw the symmetrically stacked rocks, did I think: Wow, look how amazing the river is! It stacked the rocks just like this using perfect timing and currents? Heck no! I immediately assumed a human being stacked the rocks. My mom confirmed my suspicions when she said, “Yeah, Dad and I saw someone doing it last week.”

Design implies a designer. When we walk along the beach and see Brad Loves Angelina written in the sand, we don’t think, Look at what the waves did, or, Look at what a bunch of seagull feet created. When we see a cake sitting on the counter, we immediately assumed someone baked it. Symmetrically stacked rocks imply a stacker. Words written in the sand imply a writer. A baked cake implies a baker. Design implies a designer.

So why is it that when we look at the intricate designs of our own bodies, we think that nature did it?

Monday, August 20, 2007

I'm featured on Another Blog!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that my author friend, Sandy Lender, author of Choices Meant for Gods, is featuring the first chapter of A Prophecy Forgotten: Book I of the Elysian Chronicles on one of her blogs: www.fromthestart.wordpress.com. She's also got my bio posted, so check it out!

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

Out of the Shadows: Installment 5 of the Prologue & First Chapter

For those of you new to my blog, I've been adding pieces of the first chapter of Out of the Shadows: Book II of the Elysian Chronicles. Cleck out the link if you want to read the beginning of the Prologue. Also, if you want to receive notification of Out of the Shadows' release, sign up here.

Chapter One
Davian raced through the Palace of Ezzer’s quartz gates and into the palace courtyard. Down the main path he flew until he reached the fifty-foot, quartz Statue of Ezzer. Davian knelt and crossed his fist over his chest in salute. He kissed his hand and touched the base of the statue. “I wish you were the one we were electing,” he whispered. He glanced at the inscription on the statue’s base. In times of darkness, let faith be your guide. Let your hope never fail. Immediately, Davian’s worry increased. The statue’s inscription matched Cassadern’s message, and the last time Cassadern told him not to give up hope, the Third Battle began. Davian stood up and flew through the palace’s crystal doors and down its ornately-carved quartz halls. He passed through the sapphire encrusted Command Chamber doors, barely noticing the two guards who saluted him.

Davian paused a moment as he stared at the hall. Two rows of quartz pillars supported the vaulted ceiling and led from the doors, past the quartz statues of Elysia’s ancient rulers, and all the way to the empty crystal throne that sat upon the a dais. It won’t be empty for long, Davian thought. He turned to the immense forty-person conference table in the center of the room where High Seraph Salla and the other seraphs perched. Children, thought Davian. After Eric and his conspirators had assassinated most of Elysia’s high ranking officers, Salla promoted the remaining lieutenants and captains to positions far beyond their experience. Most of the seraphs sitting around the table had taken orders from majors only three months ago, and they held onto Salla’s words the way boys hold onto candy.

Davian landed in front of Salla and knelt.

Salla frowned. “You’re late. I expected my senior arch-seraph to set a better example.”

“Something came up, sir. I need to talk to you alone as soon as possible.”

Salla lifted an eyebrow. “If you wanted to talk to me, you should have come to the policy meeting on time—not continued research on a project you know I’m going to order you to stop tomorrow.” He turned to the rest of the seraphs at the table, who stared at Davian with disdain. “That concludes this meeting,” Salla said. He hopped off his perch, turned away from Davian, and headed for the door. The rest of the seraphs exited as well.

Davian looked around the room for something he could punch instead of Salla, but he dared not touch anything in what he still considered the hallowed hall of Ezzer. He flew after Salla. “Sir, I really need to talk with you.”

“I’m a busy cherubian, Davian. I only ask that you respect my time, which you can’t even seem to do.”

Don’t give me that, thought Davian. You’ll be spending most of your time frolicking about in the Treetop two hours from now. Davian flew in front of Salla. “I was late, sir, because I just discovered a possible threat on your life. Now, I could have arrived at your meeting on time and allowed you to be assassinated, or I could have traced the threat to make sure it was valid. Which would you prefer me do next time?”

“I’d prefer you’d adjust your tone and show me proper respect.”

Any other seraph would have cowered and immediately apologized. Davian crossed his arms. “Fine. When you have time to realize that you don’t want to die tonight, find me.”

Davian turned to fly out of the Command Chamber, but Salla blocked his path. “You have five minutes.”

“Thank you. Remember how you and I originally assumed that Eric led the Third Battle Conspiracy? Well, sir, we were wrong. Eric was a blind—the face of the leader, but not the leader.” Davian reached in his pocket and pulled out a charred note Harley had given him. He passed Salla the note, which said:

Eric, proceed with your plan to keep Davian on Earth—but do not harm Gabriella more than necessary. Either recruit her, or make it look like an accident. I want Davian out of our wings, not on rampage. And be patient. You will have the pleasure of killing him once everything settles down. Give the senator my command crystal and tell him to take those who have joined us out the northern canaf before the sun sets on Friday. Once you finish with Gabriella, return and await my orders. The letter had no signature.