Rauch and Frank are two down-on-their-luck roommates who just want better lives – Rauch for the two of them, Frank for other people. It’s why, when Frank isn’t working at the local comic shop, he prowls the streets as the costumed hero Lambda Man, using homemade tools to do whatever small good he can around his rough Philadelphia neighborhood, whether chasing purse snatchers or driving pimps out of town. It’s why Rauch runs small errands for the mob, using those desperate acts to pull himself out of an even more desperate situation – but when he accidentally bungles a hit, he finds himself desperate to escape that world, too.
Both get their chance when a mysterious woman named Keira shows up with an offer: Join Heroes2B, Inc. Train to become a real hero. Complete one job at Las Vegas Comic Con. After that, they’ll have all they need to get out. The offer may not be what it seems – Rauch suspects it, even if Frank doesn’t – but it’s their one good chance to disappear, and neither wants to let it pass.
J.L. Delozier’s Con Me Once combines the fun of Marvel with the darkness of DC and the mafia drama of Scorsese. It’s a strange, unexpected combination (especially in light of Scorsese’s recent comments), but Delozier pulls it off in a similarly unexpected manner.
First, one should know going in that it’s not a comic book story so much as a colorful drama set in the trappings of several different cons, comic and otherwise. Keira, we learn, has the financial resources to support a truly awesome training ground for her heroes, complete with her own tech guru and local convention celebrity, Pinball – a Samuel L. Jackson lookalike whose inventions are as wildly inspired as the comics that did inspire them. Keira’s other recruits are similarly colorful. Ruletka, the unofficial leader of the group, is as serious a hero as the Russian Roulette from which his name derives, but is also really into baking and general hospitality, and the final member, Deliverance, is a hyperactive gunslinger on a mission from God who looks like a combination of Howdy Doody and Chucky.
Despite the motley setup, lighthearted comedy this is not. Comic trappings aside, the novel takes an unexpectedly down-to-earth approach to the heroism, motivations, and psychology of its heroes-to-be and the woman who assembles them. One of Frank’s formative traumas, for example, gave him a perpetual terror of movie theaters that borders on PTSD – which becomes a problem when a spontaneous movie theater crisis requires his heroism. For Ruletka, costumed heroism is a way to overcome the darkness of his past, but in the specific case of Heroes2B – and its incentives – it’s also a way for him to complete his physical transition to male. Frank is gay and Rauch is bi, but in addition to the typical stresses of working for the mafia, Rauch in particular has to put up with harassment about his sexuality from the soldiers above him – this in addition to worrying about Frank, who is not as cautious as Rauch himself, and is so eager to join up with Keira and do some good through Heroes2B that he doesn’t even consider the possibility that the opportunity might not be what he thinks it is. Then there’s Deliverance, who might actually be insane, though as yet untreated, and when one considers that Keira is a psychologist pitching Heroes2B as a study for her doctoral degree – and thus, you know, someone who should be concerned about that – suddenly her offer looks a lot less like the stuff of comic con….and much more the stuff of an actual con.
It’s still more comic book action than psychological thriller, though. The book starts with a wrenching murder and, though it takes short breaks to set up its vivid characters and setting, its momentum carries right through to a blockbuster ending that wouldn’t be out of place in any comic shop offerings. Even so, it’s more likely to be enjoyed by thriller fans who like comics, as opposed to comics fans in general. The novel name-drops a lot of fan-favorite references, and comic culture is central to the novel’s characters and conflicts, but it’s not a novel about comics culture, which means that if you go in expecting a love letter to comic cons, you’re going to be disappointed. (Even the climactic comic con is only a small part of the climax.)
References aside, the book’s true comic book spirit is found in its fast pacing, colorful characters and scenarios, and high action. That it was able to fit all this into a mostly believable situation and balance it with realistic drama makes it that much more entertaining.
If I were to fault it for anything, it would be that it doesn’t lean hard enough into its psychological aspects. Granted, the book wasn’t meant to be a hard-hitting psychoanalysis of its characters, but the story sets up the potential for truly intriguing backstories and then only goes into a few of them. I would have particularly liked to see what shaped Ruletka and Deliverance into the people they became before the story started – but then again, this was Frank and Rauch’s story, not theirs. And when it comes down to it, Keira’s own psychology background is just a door she opens to reach a different, completely unrelated goal. My only other complaint is that the actual conclusion comes so quickly relative to the action-packed climax that reading it feels like whiplash, and because of that speed, certain elements of the end (avoiding spoilers) don’t really have time to settle in.
Overall, though, Con Me Once is a fun, fast-paced, and unexpected blend of comic book mayhem and criminal drama.
***
Note: Holo Writing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and, as such, may earn a small commission from any product purchased through an affiliate link on this blog.
Also Note: I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Uncategorized
Recipes on Top – Sublime Beer Cheese Soup (Mark II – Veggie Bomb)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6B5KKEBhrC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Ingredients:
- 1 lb smoked bacon, finely chopped
- 1 medium red onion cut into ¼ in pieces
- 1 package celery, chopped into chunks
- 1 package carrots, chopped into chunks
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup skim milk
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 oz grated white cheddar
- 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup beer (preferably a dark Canadian), room temperature
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Bread of choice
Instructions:
- Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until lightly browned.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion is tender.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and stock, a little at a time, blending well to ensure there are no lumps. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and beer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with your favorite bread. (I usually like French or Italian bread.)
Babble:
This variation of the Mark I came about because every time I made the Mark I, we basically ended up eating a whole block of cheese in one sitting – and while our taste buds very much enjoyed that, our guts did not. Also, when I cook, I generally like to use complete packages of whatever I ingredients buy just so I don’t have to store them (i.e. forget about them and find them moldy and mutating in the back of the fridge months later).
Thus, to make a less overwhelming soup, I significantly cut the amount of cheese involved and then restored the soup’s heft with added bacon and vegetables. It’s far from a healthy soup – after all, we went from eating a whole block of cheese in one sitting to a whole pack of bacon in one sitting – but it’s certainly yummy as heck.
Recipes on Top – Sublime Beer Cheese Soup (Mark I – Cheese Bomb)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B55T9zCHDz2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Ingredients:
- ¼ lb smoked bacon, finely chopped
- 1 medium red onion cut into ¼ in pieces
- ½ cup finely sliced celery
- ½ cup finely chopped carrots
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 12 oz grated white cheddar
- 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup beer (preferably a dark Canadian), room temperature
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives for garnish
- bread of choice
Instructions:
- Cook the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed, non-reactive soup pot (cast iron Dutch oven works better) over medium heat until lightly browned.
- Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion is tender.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and stock, a little at a time, blending well to ensure there are no lumps. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and beer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with your favorite bread (Try a French baguette) and top with chopped chives.
Babble:
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love to cook. You know I also HATE SCROLLING DOWN THROUGH A MILLION ADS AND LIFE STORIES JUST TO GET TO THE GOTDANG RECIPE. 😤😤😤 Pro Tip If You’re Writing For Hungry People: NOBODY cares about your life when there’s the potential of food in the near future. Just sayin’.
That said, welcome to our newest blog feature, Recipes on Top, wherein I share my favorite recipes – at the top of the post, ‘cause ain’t nobody got time for the alternative. 😋
However, if you would like something to read in those small minutes when you’re waiting for your food to finish, I’ll include some thoughts on the recipe below the content itself. Sometimes it’ll be a cute story, sometimes a look into the process of developing the recipe – but always, it’ll come after the good stuff. ☺️
Now, for this first recipe, I have to give credit where credit is due:
This one actually belongs to Jacob’s best friend, Joe, who gave it to us as part of a wedding gift – a cookbook composed of handy recipes hand-chosen by the man himself. By day Joe is a music teacher, but by night he’s the foodiest of foodies and much of the cookbook is the result of years of love and experimentation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B58GOZPh0SF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
This particular recipe is one he based on the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup he tried at Le Cellier Restaurant in Epcot at Disney World.
We pondered trying the original when we went to Le Cellier several years ago, but then reasoned that this version was so yummy, nothing could possibly be better (so we gorged ourselves on poutine instead. And then got sick from Too Much Poutine. But it was worth it). 🥰
Holo Writing featured by Blue Ridge Public Radio!
Whew! It’s been a busy month already! We just returned from Electric City ComiCon in Anderson, SC, and before that, we were at A.A.R.C. – Asheville Anime Regional Convention in Asheville, NC.
While we were there, Blue Ridge Public Radio reporter Davin Eldridge took some time to chat with us and used a bit of the interview in his feature on A.A.R.C.
HERE IT IS if you’d like to give it a listen (or read)! 😀
H.P. at Liberty Con 30!, Part 2 (or, FAQ: Where’d you get that…?)
Last month at Liberty Con, I received so many compliments and questions about my table display in the Author’s Alley that it seemed prudent to compile all my answers in a blog post. So, without further ado, here’s my basic display:
And here are my answers to the oft-repeated question:
Where’d you get that/those…?
1) Bookrack?
I did not expect my bookrack to be the belle of the ball (er, Author’s Alley), but when one displays at a convention that is approximately 1000% authors, many of them indie, I guess that’s bound to happen.
Like most everything I own, this sweet baby came from Amazon: 4-Tiered 18” Wire Rack for Tabletop Use, 2.5” Open Shelves, with Header – Black 119362 (ASIN B018V6XAYM)*.
I’ve been using it for a little under a year and have been quite pleased with it. It’s sturdier than it looks, quick and easy to set up, and holds our 6” x 9” x 1.25ish” books well. At roughly $30, it’s not a bad price, either. My one complaint against it is that, for us, the length-wise fit is a little snug. It’s not tight enough to cause easy damage to the books, but enough to make one slightly nervous when a customer tries to put one back on their own. You’ll also want to keep the box it comes in for transport; though the legs are sturdy once set up, they flail like a muppet before set up.
*Unfortunately at the time of this post, the 4-Tiered version is unavailable, but then brief unavailability is almost a marketing strategy at Amazon. It’ll come back. However, if you’re looking for the 6-Tiered version, you’re in luck! (I have no experience with this one, though, so comment below if you have.)
2) Lollipops?
Now that we have 6 books out, these lovelies have been wonderful for expressing the gist of each title, and if the bookrack was the belle of the ball, the lollipops were its date.
I can’t take credit for the name; that brilliance goes to Dave Schroeder, but that’s absolutely what I’m calling them now.
As for where I got them: ME. I just whipped them up in Adobe InDesign, printed them out on cardstock, laminated them, and cut them out myself. If you’d like to make some for yourself, I’ve attached various files for your use below.
Blank PDF: Lollipops PDF
Blank PNG: 
3) Banner?
I design our banner displays myself and have www.858graphics.com produce the finished banner. We paid a not-insubstantial sum for our 3’ by 8’ roll-up display (roughly $350 plus tax and shipping), but considering the attention it draws to our table, it’s more than paid for itself. The banner is huge but rolls up fairly easily and comes with its own carrying case. (I say fairly easily because you have to be extra careful about holding the banner straight when you lower it down into its base, lest it brush against the side and potentially damage itself. But that mostly comes down to user error, not production quality.)
858 Graphics also earns a special Customer Service mention:
We rush-ordered our banner for The Wizard’s Way close to Anime Weekend Atlanta last year, but a few days before the con, the box arrived at our local UPS center…empty, with absolutely no record or idea of where the banner inside had gone. I called 858 Graphics to check in about that, and they’d literally been on the case before I even called, printed and rushed a new banner at shipping cost only, all in less than 2 days, and such that it arrived literally 2 hours before we were set to leave for AWA. Now that’s service!
4) Bookmarks, Business Cards, Postcards, etc.?
I design all of our promo materials, too, but all of our printing is done through www.gotprint.com, usually on paper type “14 pt. Gloss Coated Cover (C2S) with High Gloss UV” for that shiny flair. They offer a huge variety of print products (and downloadable templates) at very reasonable prices, especially for the quality. We’ve never been disappointed with them.
5) Bookmark, Business Card, Postcard, etc. Holders?
Literally just went to Office Depot and grabbed something cheap-but-professional-looking and probably on sale. I couldn’t find the particular ones I bought on their website, but any business card holder without sides should do the trick. They hold all of our paper promo materials equally well.
6) Buttons?
I design our buttons, too, and have www.purebuttons.com produce them. We’ve always been pleased with them as well. Like Got Print, they offer detailed downloadable templates for you to use when designing your buttons, and they also print runs as small as 50 1.5” square buttons for approximately 55 cents a button (one of our previous orders). Cost, of course, will vary widely by button size, type, print run size, etc., but for author purposes, that’s a very reasonable price.
They also offer a number of other products – magnets, key chains, coasters, etc. – but we haven’t tried any of these yet. Again, if you have, comment below with your thoughts!
7) Book Easels?
Also Amazon: Gibson Holders Two Wire Display Stand, Set of 2, Black (6A-B) (ASIN B000RO6CEC)! They’re pretty simple and durable, so there’s not much to say about them except that they get the job done and fold up well.
8) Tablecloth?
Ok, no one actually asked about this at Liberty Con since I never had reason to use it, but I have been asked about it at other cons before. Here’s a pic of it in action at A.A.R.C. this past weekend:
It’s listed rather clunkily on Amazon as LinenTablecloth 90 X 132-Inch Rectangular Polyester Tablecloth Black (ASIN B008TLJZXK) and prices vary widely by the seller, but generally fall in the under-$20 range.
We bought it in 2014, and it’s held up through every convention we’ve done since without any visible wear. Folding can be a little awkward because of its rounded edges – and I do recommend folding, because just tossing it in a box results in a lot of wrinkles. The wrinkles do smooth out with relative ease, but the less wrinkles you have to smooth to begin with, the better your display will look.
Honorable Mention: T-Shirt?
Finally, it’s not part of my display per se, but I frequently wear it at cons and author appearances, and every time someone asks where I got it because, let’s be real, why wouldn’t you want a T-Shirt featuring a space cat shooting laser beams at the earth while farting a rainbow?
Fortunately for everyone, this beauty is also on Amazon as Laser Eyes Space Cat T-Shirt (ASIN B00C1KAX0Y), though you’ll want to be careful which seller you buy from, as some are selling janky bootlegs, according to the reviews.
Whew! That said, I hope you curious minds find this mound of info helpful. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask away in the comments! 😀
***
Note: Holo Writing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and, as such, may earn a small commission from any product purchased through an affiliate link on this blog.
H.P. at Liberty Con 30!, Part 1
Whew! Liberty Con 30 ended a week ago, but it’s taken me this long to recover from it – which is a sign of a great con, if I say so myself. (Also a sign that my hotel room had some of the worst soundproofing in the world. To my next door neighbors, congratulations on the child you will inevitably have in nine months.)
Liberty Con in Chattanooga, TN is a unique sci-fi and fantasy convention in that it limits attendance to 700 or so members and nearly half of those members are authors, which means that the fan half has a pretty significant chance of, oh, just running into John Ringo or David Weber or Kevin Hearne or [Insert Other Bestselling Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author Here]. There’s even an event on Sunday (the Kaffeeklatsch) that literally boils down to “Sit Down and Have Coffee With Your Favorite Author.” (I didn’t have coffee with Kevin Hearne, but I totally picked up every Iron Druid Chronicles book I didn’t already own and now have signed copies of EVERYTHING YESSSS.)
The con’s also a smorgasbord of smaller-name-but-equally-awesome authors, like Terry Maggert, whose Banshee I reviewed earlier this year and whose series starters I picked up in the Author’s Alley; Lydia Sherrer, who wrote the other wizard-with-a-talking-animal series at the con – Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus – which I picked up in full; Dave Schroder, who wrote the Xenotech Support series, which I basically picture as “Office Space In Space With More Tech Support” and so of course picked up the first book in that as well; and Edward F. McKeown, whose Maauro Chronicles I started solely because of that cool anime-styled character on the cover DON’T JUDGE ME.
This was also the first con where I had the opportunity to be an active participant as well as an active nerd, so I did my first reading ever with Beth W. Patterson (author of The Wild Harmonic, which is about shapeshifting were musicians. SHAPESHIFTING WERE MUSICIANS, GUYS). I also shared a panel on “YA SF & F Literature – How to Keep The Young Mind’s Attention in the Age of Video” with Michael J. Allen, Taylor S. Hoch, Nan Monroe, and S. Andrew Swann, wherein I mostly said “Yes!” and “I agree!” because it was Sunday at 1 and I was zonked, y’all. I apologize to all who came to that panel to see me, but I promise, find me at any other convention and I will talk your ears off and probably the ears of your neighbor, too, so bring extras.
I also somehow got lured into scoring the final round of the Killer Cutthroat Spades Tournament at 10:30pm on Saturday night, despite only learning how to play Spades three weeks ago, but such is the surreal experience that is Liberty Con.
If you ever get a chance to go to Liberty Con, whether as author or fan, I highly recommend it. It’s that rare convention that feels less like a hyperactive mob, more like a family reunion where everyone is a nerd, some are authors, and some are literally rocket scientists or nuclear physicists – so, the best and smartest family reunion ever.
Also, if all the questions I got about my Author’s Alley display are any indication, I can apparently hook you up with some sweet goods that will make your author table pop at a con – so many questions, in fact, that I promised a blog post compiling all my answers. If you’re one of those inquisitive authors, keep your eyes on our feed. Part 2, or “FAQ: Where’d you get that…?” is coming soon!
Note: Holo Writing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and, as such, may earn a small commission from any product purchased through an affiliate link on this blog.
Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! (S1) – Anime Review
One of my favorite emerging genres in anime is Cute Boys Doing Stupid Things, so you can imagine my delight when I came across this commercial:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPPAyNY0DeA&w=560&h=315]
At this point, despite an uncharacteristically serious ending, Ouran High School Host Club is my gold standard for this genre, as it was not only entertaining but a truly intelligent play on the conventions of the genre (that is, an unexpectedly adroit combination of smart and ridiculous).
Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! is no Ouran, but it is a short, sweet confection that has the added appeal of being a glorious, glittery train wreck.
The show’s setup is a strange combination of ideas we’ve already seen and weird twists on those ideas. First, it fills all the bishounen slots – Yumoto Hakone is the cute little one with a big brother, Ryuu Zaou is the ladies’ man, En Yufuin is the handsome slacker, Io Naruko is rich and financially-obsessed, and I’m not sure what slot Atsushi Kinugawa is meant to fill except maybe the average guy with glasses.
The show’s “cute mascot” is actually an absurd pink alien wombat with a heart-shaped cutie mark who blends in by posing as the pet of the reanimated corpse of a teacher he accidentally killed. Also he has come to earth to protect it and fill it with love. Since the boys are already members of the “Earth Defense Club (lol)”—a.k.a. their BSed name for a BSed school club—he figures they fit the bill. And so, color-coded magical boys happen, complete with the best transformation sequence ever (or worst, depending upon how much pandering you can take).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2sk-XfiyOc&w=560&h=315]
Also Yumoto’s family owns a bathhouse, so literally every episode is a hot springs episode.
By this point, you already know if you’re part of the audience for this show.
As pure ridiculous fun, Cute High succeeds, primarily when it makes fun of itself. Episode 1 of the show clearly establishes that most of the group is not into this magical boy thing AT ALL, least of all because they transform into froofy costumes, shout “Love Making!” before each transformation, and as a group are known as the Battle Lovers. Yumoto becomes the leader by default since he’s the only one remotely excited about the power, and the others go along with him against the episode’s monster not out of a sense of love and duty, but because they literally just want to get it over with and get out of costume.
Each episode’s monster is amusing, too, if not very complex. Each is a student with some negative trait amplified by the series’ antagonists, the all-powerful student council (a.k.a. Earth Conquest Club), led by Lord Zundar, a green alien hedgehog from Planet Evil who seeks to conquer earth. Often the traits translate in ridiculous ways—a shut-in turns into a giant kotatsu, a rejected ballerino turns into a giant swan with the ability to shoot love feathers, etc.
Underneath the flashy absurdities, though, the series is a little lackluster. Each episode is basically a Monster of the Week story and the climaxes generally follow the exact same formula—The whole group transforms to fight; only Yumoto actually does anything; the monster is hit with a Love Attack and Love Shower and all is solved without any real meaning at all. The characters also have only one defining trait each, and though they play off of each other well, this only works for one particular character, whose personality is literally a joke making fun of one-dimensional characters. Unfortunately, in a show full of one-dimensional characters, the joke doesn’t play as well as it could, and though some do gain some complexity later on, it’s not even enough to round them up to two complete dimensions.
It’s good that this show was only twelve episodes long because I didn’t think it could have sustained anything longer. (Yet somehow it got a second season, so maybe I missed something?)
Really, the only thing this show does better than Ouran is its ending, which is much more tonally appropriate. Its twist—yes, there’s a twist—comes totally out of left field, but really this whole show comes out of left field, so that’s not out of place. And while I wouldn’t call it a completely satisfactory ending, it definitely takes the series to new heights. The last three episodes are easily the most fun in the series, though ultimately I can’t think of an episode I didn’t like.
All this said, if you enjoy colorful, flamboyant, absolutely absurd anime, Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! is a fun watch. It’s nothing more than that, but really, it isn’t meant to be.
The Wizard’s Way Playlist – Part 3
Welcome to the last entry in The Wizard’s Way Playlist series!
If you’re late to the party, you can find Part 1 and Part 2 here, and, of course, the YouTube playlist below.
Now, without further ado, read on for Part 3!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqPPaxDp0Wc?list=PLo3lKhIPo_aTUVVxNmjCM-KIROSf5dYqt&w=560&h=315]
Part 3: Ambristar
“Booty Swing”
by Parov Stelar (The Paris Swing Box)
When Milon Artur’s not being a whimsical sociopath, he’s actually a pretty fun guy who, I imagine, would listen to a lot of electro swing in his hot air balloon. So, Milon’s theme in Chapter 26. xP
“You’ll be Back”
by Jonathan Groff (Hamilton)
The lyrics have little to do with anything in Chapter 26, but the spirit of the song is definitely in keeping with how Milon handles diplomatic relations – or at least his negotiations with Chaucey in this scene. xD
“Discombobulate”
by Hans Zimmer (Sherlock Holmes)
If a whole street of inventors is going to equip for a disaster (in Chapter 28), this is the kind of music it does so to.
“Jim Saves the Crew”
by James Newton Howard (Treasure Planet)
Or rather, “Chaucey Tries to Save Everything But Ends Up Crashing Spectacularly Again,” as he does in Chapter 29.
“Song of Elune”
by Jason Hayes (World of Warcraft)
The grace and ethereal wonder of this song provided perfect inspiration for for scenes in Chapters 29-30 where the characters are exploring the mysterious Ambrist.
“Lights (Remix)”
by Ellie Goulding and Bassnectar (Divergent Spectrum)
I have no idea why this song lodged itself in my head as the “craziness is happening on Ambrist” theme for Chapter 31, but there it is.
“Collapse and Rescue”
by Steve Jablonsky (Steamboy)
If “Lights” is the “Ambrist is Sorta Awesome” theme, this is the “Ambrist Sucks and We’re All Going to Die” theme for Chapters 32-33.
“Manners Maketh Man”
by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (Kingsman: The Secret Service)
Also, pug. Pentalion’s theme, for reasons I assume are obvious if you’ve seen Kingsman: The Secret Service and read Chapter 33.
“Many Mothers”
by Junkie XL (Mad Max: Fury Road)
For Chapter 35. No mothers involved, but the funereal sound and raw emotion is perfect for a chapter titled One and a Half Funerals.
“Little Lion Man”
by Mumford & Sons (Sigh No More)
Basically, Chaucey’s theme song for the series as a whole. While not all of the lyrics suit him, most of them highlight the themes and struggles that follow him through The Wizard’s Quartet. Plus there’s the lion motif. (BTW, though I think the original version’s more relevant to the character, I’ve included the clean version on the YouTube list so you can listen without getting a scandalized glare from your mom.)
That’s all for this list! 😀
As a parting question, what music did you imagine when you read The Wizard’s Way?
$.99 eBook Deal – Time Reavers
Hey, everyone!
Just in time for the holidays, we’re running an eBook deal on Time Reavers!
Now through Wednesday, December 28th, you can download Time Reavers for just $.99 on Amazon, so if you’ve been pondering dipping your toe into our weird, weird world of super-powered teens and giant time-ripping robot insects, now’s the perfect chance. 😀
Happy Holidays!
H.P. at YALLfest 2016!
Every November, I make my annual pilgrimage* to Charleston, S.C. for YALLFest, a YA reading festival organized by indie bookshop Blue Bicycle Books.
*not as an author. Just as a fangirl.
“YA reading festival” does not do this event justice, though. In actuality, it is a 2-day-long flurry of panels and signings and general book nerd mayhem revolving around the 80+ bestselling YA authors and thousands of fans that somehow manage to pack onto a few streets in Historic Charleston. It is NUTS, but it is the best kind of nuts.
The one downside to the event is that, between all the panels and signings, there’s no hope of being able to do even half of everything, even if you skip lunch. Or even if you just eat macaroons all day, like I did.
(BTW, if you go to Charleston and don’t go to Macaroon Boutique, you have wasted your trip.)
Usually I focus on panels, but this year a bunch of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE IN THE WORLD EVER authors were in the lineup, and like heck was I not going to get some books signed.
First in the day was Jason Reynolds, who has the distinction of being one of the few non-fantasy authors that I enjoy. When I Was the Greatest and The Boy in the Black Suit rank among my favorite books, and if you haven’t read them, you’re missing two quite affecting pieces of literature. Plus the author makes faces like this:
Next in the list of great faces is Cinda Williams Chima, who looks like she knows she just murdered a character I liked.
The Grey Wolf Throne was my weekend read, and if you’re into well-designed high fantasy with wizards and Kick-Butt Independent Princesses Who Don’t Need No Men (but like them anyway), her Seven Realms series is a treat. (Currently I’m trying to plow my way to the end because she just started a new series called Shattered Realms, so you know some wild stuff had to go down between these two, and I don’t want to be spoiled. 😛 )
Then came the Adrenaline Rush Authors.
See, in previous years, YALLFest was a pretty chill event for me. But then, in previous years, I didn’t have my own book. And in previous years, the authors who influenced my writing were generally not present.
This year, however, included Eoin Colfer and Maggie Stiefvater.
A much younger me read Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series around the same time that I was beginning to feel my way around writing. As a result, it had a pivotal effect. I often credit Terry Pratchett (Rest in Peace) with inspiring the comedic fantasy style of my present writing, but in truth it was Eoin Colfer who lit the initial spark. All the fantasy, comedy, action, and sass in The Wizard’s Way – even the novel’s fascination with language – all comes back to seeds that were planted by Artemis Fowl.
Maggie Stiefvater is a more recent influence. Though I was initially put off by Shiver (I’m not a fan of romance, werewolves, or romantic werewolves), both The Raven Cycle and The Scorpio Races struck me in a profound place. They’re all artfully written pieces of literature that, despite being ultimately paranormal, are also very human – and, beyond that, beautiful to read. Whenever I encountered a rough spot when writing or just needed a little bit of inspiration, I’d play the audiobook versions of any of these; the cadence of her writing would drift and weave into my brain, and somehow in the rhythm of her words, my words would find their way out.
It’s safe to say that The Wizard’s Way wouldn’t exist without the influence of either of these writers.
Which is why Last Weekend H.P. had the brilliant idea to show them some fruit of their inspiration.
Have you ever tried to 1) write a letter to one of your favorite authors on 2) the front page of a book that you wrote, knowing that they may very well read the book and hate it OR not read the book at all OR just think you’re weird OR OR OR…? D: D: D:
It turns out that you can absolutely get an adrenaline rush from signing a book.
You can also walk around in a state of half-panic-attack while waiting to deliver it.
But now two of my favorite authors have copies of The Wizard’s Way, so that is kind of exciting.
In the end, I was so nervous that I didn’t snap any Maggie Stiefvater photos, but I did get to take a photo with Eoin Colfer! 😀 😀 😀
Speaking of whom, his was the first panel that I was able to sit in on. While much of the time was devoted to his latest release, Iron Man: The Gauntlet (Also, how cool is it that Marvel’s seeking out YA authors to expand its universe? 😀 ), he spent a surprising length of the program talking about his failures as a writer.
The discussion stemmed from a question about what projects he most regrets taking or wishes he could revisit. I was fascinated (though not entirely surprised) to learn that his biggest regret was his contribution to the Doctor Who short story collection 11 Doctors, 11 Stories, primarily because he’d written it without any real knowledge of the show or the then-rabid enthusiasm of its fandom. It was also intriguing to learn that he hadn’t wanted to write …And Another Thing, the coldly-received closer to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series – because really, how can any writer hope to compare to Douglas Adams? – but accepted the offer when Adams’ widow asked him to – because, really, how can you turn down a compliment like that?
Now that I have such context, it actually makes me curious to give …And Another Thing a try.
The discussion was an unexpectedly inspiring one. It’s not common for authors of Colfer’s caliber to talk so candidly about failed pieces of published writing, except perhaps in panels specifically devoted to them, and so to hear him speak about it in such detail – to hear that even your bestselling inspirations have recent works they regret – was strangely uplifting.
I also made it to the wonderfully titled “SPAAAAACE” panel, wherein the authors Veronica Roth, Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff, Nnedi Okorafor, and S. J. Kincaid discussed – you guessed it – outer space in YA books.
I’d initially come to the panel for Nnedi Okorafor (my fangirlery for whom is well-documented), but once the group as a whole started weaving an impromptu epic about stale donuts in space, I was pretty sure I’d found some awesome new authors to add to my reading list.
Overall, though I spent more time in signing lines than panels, it was still a fun festival – I was able to meet many of my favorite authors, make new nerd friends while waiting in line, and buy more new books than I probably should have. 😀 And ultimately, for a reader, there are few things more fun than being caught in a press of thousands of other people who are just as nerdy as you. YALLfest has been one of my favorite festivals since its beginning, and it will continue to be so.
H.P. at the Pugs & Pals Picnic 2016!
I’ve wanted to go to the Pugs & Pals Picnic in Stokesdale, NC for YEARS but never could for various reasons. This year, I finally had my chance, and since I’d written a book starring a pug, I figured why not do a book signing, too?
Thus began the day’s adventure.
The Pugs & Pals Picnic is a fundraiser and adoption event held by Pug Rescue of North Carolina Inc., wherein visitors can meet all the pugs up for adoption, bring their own pugs for some play time (Pug Rule #1: All time is play time), and generally revel in the delights of all things pug.
Let’s be real: Faced with all that furry cuteness, I spent about 2% of the time actually signing and the rest of it meeting ALL MY NEW ANIMAL FRIENDS.
One was Papa Pug, mascot and spokespug for Compassionate Pug Rescue in Florida. He lost one eye when he was hit by a car, but that hasn’t stopped him from strolling about in his luxurious pram or pausing for photo ops with the little people. (Dude has like 6000 followers on Facebook!)
I also met Chopper as he made his rounds. He’s a senior pug whose aging legs couldn’t contain the weight of his own awesomeness, so he either has to use a doggie wheelchair or just sit in someone’s lap all day. I was happy to oblige.
As of this post, he’s available for adoption! I couldn’t adopt him (see: sis above. Also I travel too much to give a pug the necessary attention), but if you want to adopt him in my stead, have at it! Pug Rescue’s application form is here (scroll down once you click).
Finally, Chewie already has a person, but I guess he could sense my desire to PET ALL THE THINGS, as he camped out by my chair for a while and gave plenty of pug kisses.
I met several other adoptable pugs, too, but was unable to snap good pics of them. Still, Simon is a cutie (just wook at that widdle tongue!) and Emma is a sweetheart who perked up every time someone visited her pen. Somehow I missed Sid, the remaining dog on the adoption page, but his adoption is already pending anyway, so hooray for him. 🙂
Finally, I totally missed her while I was there (see: PETTING ALL THE THINGS), but there was another pug author at the event, too!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9sM3GAiLv8&w=560&h=315]
Rhys Ella is the author of the pug-centric Kato and the Fountain of Wrinkles and My Human Survived Kindergarten, so if you’re into cute books about animal mischief, give them a look! I haven’t read them yet myself, but they’ve definitely been added to my ever-growing to-read list.
The next Pugs & Pals Picnic is scheduled for October 21, 2017, and I’ll probably be there again! 😀
Holo Writing at AWA 2016!
We’re back and recovered from Anime Weekend Atlanta! This year was a little slower than our last year, but apparently election years always are (Thanks, Washington). Still, we had H.P.’s favorite location ever.
RIGHT NEXT TO THE FOOD TRUCKS.
And that was hardly the best thing about the con! Last AWA, only the first two books of the Seraphim Revival trilogy had been released. A lot of readers came to the Dealer’s Room looking for us specifically, and for a while Disciple of the Dead – the third in the trilogy – was our top seller! Naturally, we’re delighted that all of you liked the first two enough to seek us out.
AWA also saw the convention debut of The Wizard’s Way, which SOLD OUT halfway through the con!
Never has a box been so happy to be empty.
Several readers who bought it also came back the next day to say it was their new favorite series. Looks like we have a winner on our hands! If you’re among those who loved it, you’ll be delighted to learn that H.P. plans to start work on the sequel, The Wizard’s Circus, next week!
Speaking of writing, we had a lot of questions about upcoming books and projects, so for the benefit of those who weren’t able to be at the con, here’s are some answers.
Will there be a sequel to…?
We had lots of sequel questions, especially about our earliest books!
The Dragons of Jupiter – Jacob intends to follow Dragons with two sequels, The Dragons of Mars and The Dragon Revenant. Each book is roughly planned out in his head, but it’s just a matter of finding time to put it on paper!
Time Reavers – We’ve planned two sequels to Time Reavers, too – Mind Reavers and Slayer of Reavers. Jacob has already outlined Mind Reavers, but in efforts to get it out a little faster (and because collaborating on The Wizard’s Way was so much fun), he’s going to write it with H.P. once the first sequel to The Wizard’s Way is done.
Seraphim Revival (Bane of the Dead, Throne of the Dead, Disciple of the Dead) – For now, the trilogy is complete. However, if Jacob finds the time, he’d like to write a follow-up trilogy set 20 or so years after the main storyline that follows the children of the main characters. Again, finding the time is the challenge!
The Wizard’s Way – Officially, the series is called The Wizard’s Quartet, so four books are planned. H.P.’s project for the moment is the first sequel, The Wizard’s Circus – basically, Chaucey Goes to Wizard College – but it will eventually be followed by The Wizard’s Citadel and The Wizard’s End.
What are you working on now?
Jacob has several projects up in the air right now. His main project is splitting Humanity Machine into two books. You may recall that novel from a few years ago. Beta readers (and most importantly, his wife) wanted to see the end of the first draft expanded, and said expansion ended up requiring a second book to do it justice.
More excitingly, Jacob is also working on a SECRET PROJECT with David Weber, though, given that it is a SECRET PROJECT, you’re not supposed to know about it just yet. 😛
Where are the cosplay pictures?
Ok, no one actually asked this, but if you were perchance looking for the cosplay pictures H.P. usually takes at cons, they’re over on our Instagram page!
Well, as you can see above, there’s plenty of writing to be done, so we’re off to work on some books! See you next post! 😀