The Realms of a Fantastical Mind

Welcome to another Blog Ring of Power Friday.  Hold on to your seats as we interview Sandra Saidak.  First I would like to thank Sandra for taking the time to answer all of BRoP long questions.  Part 1 with T.W. Part 2 rocking out with me Part 3 with Sandra Part 4 with Dean Part 5 with Terri SANDRA SAIDAK graduated San Francisco State University in 1985 with a B.A. in English.  She is a high school English teacher by day, author by night.  Her hobbies include reading, dancing, attending science fiction conventions, researching prehistory, and maintaining an active fantasy life (but she warns that this last one could lead to dangerous habits such as writing).  Sandra lives in San Jose with her husband Tom, daughters Heather and Melissa, and two cats.   Her first novel, “Daughter of the Goddess Lands”, an epic set in the late Neolithic Age, was published in November, 2011 by Uffington Horse Press.  Learn more at http://sandras...

My feet hit the soft littered floor of the forest.  All around me were the sounds of birds. At least, I thought they were birds.  The forest opened up to a path, dark with heavy foliage on one side.  The light of the sun broke in streams on the other.   Beautiful to behold.  I took another light step. "Magical or Mundane?"  The words echoed in my head.  I looked around. Did I imagine that? "Mundane or Magical?" I flinched, the voice deepened.  What was it asking me? If I was magical or mundane? I stumbled trying to think.  Should I answer it? "Um... mundane?" The trees hissed while a flock of birds scattered above.   A roar, louder and deeper than any voice in my head, made my knees shake.  Crashing through the thick woods a bear came into view.  It stopped when it spotted me.  Raising up on it's hind legs it roared again.  Holding my ears I took a step back.  The beast was taller than I had ever im...

So I wanted to give another Shout out Sunday to the things I like. I can't get enough of gaming, and there is no reason for me to stop.  D&D has a special place in my heart because I can share a good time with other like minds.  The game becomes the reason why everyone visits, but it's their company that makes it the best.  To brave the fantastical worlds together, then joke about the ogre we just shot down with a bolt from a sling.  Yup that is what I call a good time. Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons By Mazzanoble, Shelly (Google Affiliate Ad)

Welcome to another Blog Ring of Power Friday, and a warm welcome to Suzanne Lilly.  Thanks for joining us in the Realm.   For the rest of her interview, don't forget to check out my BRoP buddies Part 1 with Terri Part 2 with T.W. Part 3 is right here with me Part 4 with Sandra Part 5 with Dean Author Bio : Suzanne Lilly writes lighthearted young adult stories with a splash of suspense, a flash of the unexplained, a dash of romance, and always a happy ending. Her short stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print, and she has placed and received honorable mentions in writing contests. Her debut novel is Shades of the Future , (July 2012, Turquoise Morning Press) followed by Untellable , (February 2013.) She lives in Northern California where she reads, writes, cooks, swims, and teaches elementary students. Section #3: The Creative Process BRoP:  Where do you get your story ideas? SL:  My stories come from all a...

I stepped up to the bridge. The blue flowers around it spread across the grassy land.  Beyond there was dark forest.  Did I dare to walk the bridge to the unknown?  It seemed welcoming enough. Noises from beyond made my heart flutter.  Footsteps shifted on leaves and sticks.  Twittering noises from the forest floor and around the canopy, called to me.  There could be anything between the human civilized world on this side of the bridge and what lived on the other side. Everyone who had ever crossed the bridge were never heard from again.  Did they find a new world that they now live in joyous contentment, or were they now lost souls wondering the beyond? I couldn't stand there much longer. I couldn't walk away either.  It was time to decide.  Easing one foot on the bridge, I settled my hand on the old course wood.  I slowly moved across. Gripping the railing with each step, my feet led me over.  The smell of flowers flowed ...

This week's Shout Out Sunday goes to  Terri Bruce . You all know her as the Blog Ring of Power mastermind!  She's a great online friend and soon to be real life friend.  I met her on AQC , yep, the best place for writers. She's just published her novel Hereafter, which I've been reading this week.  I have to say, I may only be in the beginning but it flows so well.  I love how it draws me in. Terri has a blog tour going on this month, till her Book Party on September 15th.  Each blog has some sort of giveaway and more about Terri.   Don't forget to check them out and leave some comments.   So here's to you Terri, thanks for being such a great person, and a talented writer. Terri Bruce has been making up adventure stories for as long as she can remember and won her first writing award when she was twelve. Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can do either. She produces fantasy...

There are times when everyone gets burnt out.  Yes even in writing. When words seem to come get you instead of singing sweet songs in your ears. It's not writers block but something more, as if the fire of writing has left ash in its wake.  As the forest fires of nature, seeds are left under the grey dust, but only time will bring forth the sprouts of new words, new ideas, and reinforce thoughts to old ones. Everyone gets burnt out at some point.  Thinking too much on a Manuscript, revising and rewording over and over. The words get jumbled together.  Thoughts fade in the mind before they get on page. The only cure is time.  This is why it is not always good to write every day. Rest from the words, read a book, or if that is also too much, play a game, watch a few movies.  Take a week or two off to refresh your mind.  Do anything else.  I would suggest not even thinking about the MS, but I can't even succeed in doing that, so I wont push th...

Showing a little love to my favorite game and the t-shirt link that plays around with sayings.  You got to admit some of these are epic! D&D Womens T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad) Cartoon Larp T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad)    Run Dungeons And Dragons Role Playing Humor Rpg D&D T-Shirt (Google Affiliate Ad) Come on, giggle with me, you know you want to... No? Ok, I'll just give a bit of a giggle all by myself.  Tehehehe A little ode to LARPing as well.  I couldn't resist.  Now back to your regularly scheduled blog surfing.   

Greetings all of my Blog Ring of Power followers.  Today we will be talking with James Garcia Jr to find out a little more about him. I met him through Author Karma on Facebook.  I then followed him on Twitter and we've been chatting ever since. He's a great guy, a family man and a dedicated author.  Cheers Jimmy! James Garcia Jr. was born in the Central California town of Hanford. He moved up the road to Kingsburg with his family as a child. After graduating KHS, he attended Reedley College where he met his wife. They, along with their teenage sons, still make their home in Kingsburg which is also the setting of James’ debut vampire novel. “Dance on Fire”, was published in 2010. James is an Administrative Supervisor for Sun-Maid Growers of California.  Let's get to some questions, shall we. :-D BRoP:   When and why did you begin writing? James: I have been writing fiction since Junior High School. Several factors collided to spark somethi...

It's another Blog Ring of Power Friday, hold onto your hats as we welcome Susan Quinn to the Realm.  You can find the other parts of the interview on my fellow BRoP host blogs Part 1 T.W. Part 2  um Me! tehehe Part 3 with Sandra Part 4 with Dean Part 5 with Terri Susan Kaye Quinn, Author Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. She pursued a bunch of engineering degrees and worked a lot of geeky jobs, including turns at GE Aircraft Engines, NASA, and NCAR. Now that she writes novels, her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she doesn't have to sneak her notes anymore. All that engineering comes in handy when dreaming up paranormal powers in future worlds or mixing science with fantasy to conjure slightly plausible inventions. Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much a...