The Dark Province: Son of Duprin is an epic fantasy novel by William H. Johnson. The sprawling adventure is set in an originally created world and follows the journey of Calvin Gooding, a man forced to deny the strict religion of his homeland to follow his faith. It is his only hope to save his dying sister’s life.

Release Day: Saturday, March 13th at 12:00am EST.

The Story:

Sitting in the honored stalls of the Crystal Sanctuary, Calvin Gooding should be rejoicing in the message he receives from the Holy King of Duprin. But his heart is heavy. He awaits the carriage in which he must ride to deliver the fated news to his family. Time has run out.

In the midst of sorrow, exhaustion, and uncertainty, a sorceress from the Dark Province appears to Calvin. She promises to make his terminally ill twin sister, Marilyn, well again. As twins, Calvin and Mari share a special bond, and Calvin will do almost anything to save his sister’s life. But in order to free Mari from death’s grip, the sorceress claims that Calvin must travel to the Dark Province–a land where souls and flesh are devoured by the lawless and the spirit of man is bound in shackles. It’s a reckless land dominated by morally corrupt warlords and open sexuality.

Wrapped tightly in his religion, Calvin must make a life-altering decision. He can choose to follow the sorceress into the sinful abyss to save his sister, or he can accept a life of guilt and certain torment over her death.

READ AN EXCERPT!

Excerpt #1: “Forbidden Promise”

Excerpt #2: “A Game of Pleasure”

The Dark Province: Son of Duprin is set for release on Saturday, March 13th at 12:00am EST.
*Free Shipping starts 12:00am EST on 3/13/10 and ends 3:00am EST 3/15/10. Applies to U.S. states and territories only.

Once again, I learned about something amazing via social networking. A couple of days ago, I saw that namenick of PasswordIncorrect and a number of my #weblit acquaintances were tweeting about #ebookweek. It turns out, this awesome event has been around for years and I was just hearing about it for the first time.

Read an Ebook Week is a week-long annual event that runs from March 7th thru 13th. Many major ebook retailers and writers participate by sharing information about ebooks and offering massive discounts–up to 100% off numerous ebook titles.

Coincidentally, I already had a FREE ebook offering in the works. I only had to speed things up a little bit to make it available, in time for this week’s event.

Fancy a Free Ebook?

Download EARTHBOUND EXOTICA

EARTHBOUND EXOTICA is a small selection of some of my urban fantasy flash fiction and short stories. These stories are already available for online reading at www.tonyamoore.com but I wanted to make a small sampling of my favorite Urban Fiction pieces available for Free download.

You can download your very own copy in the format of your choice from Smashwords and it should soon be available from Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo (formerly Shortcovers) and Amazon.

EARTHBOUND EXOTICA will still be FREE to download even after Read an Ebook Week is over. Reviews and ratings are much appreciated though!

Read an E-Book Week educates and informs the public about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. Authors, publishers, vendors, the media and readers world-wide are welcome to join in the effort. We encourage you to promote electronic reading with any event. These could include: public readings, library displays, reading challenges, school visits, newspaper and blog articles, chat show appearances, internet radio interviews, e-book give-ways, and banners on your website.
~ www.ebookweek.com

You can find a list of more providers, participating in Read an Ebook Week here:
Read an Ebook Week Providers and Authors

Find more Read an E-Book Week offerings on Smashwords.

Nobody writes werewolves like Naomi.

Her style and her unique stories and striking characters are unforgettable. SILVER KISS, the brand spanking new novel by Naomi Clark follows somewhat closely on the heels of the success of the QUEER WOLF Anthology which includes her story, WOLF STRAP.

In “SILVER KISS” by Naomi Clark…

Ayla Hammond has come home. After years as a lone wolf in a self-imposed exile she’s rejoining the pack and trying to mend fences with her parents. She’s convinced them to accept her girlfriend, but can a lone wolf change her ways?

As if homecoming wasn’t hard enough, Ayla also can’t help getting involved in a missing person case.
With pressure to solve the case mounting from the pack alphas, Ayla is starting to question where her loyalties lie – and if a return to the pack she left behind is really what she wants.

Silver Kiss is now available from Queered Fiction.

Today is the big Release day, so don’t miss the Twitter release party for SILVER KISS. Tweet about SILVER KISS using the #silverkiss hashtag and you could be in for an awesome treat. Gifts include tarot readings, ebooks, and print books.

Now, I haven’t read SILVER KISS yet but that’s only because I am determined to hold out until I can get may hands on my very own print copy. Can I do it or will I break down and get the ebook before the week is out? Stay Tuned.

In the meantime, here are some essential links to get to know this awesome author a little better:

SILVER KISS Blog Tour Schedule | Naomi’s Homepage | Follow Naomi on Twitter

When Google Buzz first launched, I was eager to give it a try. Now that the novelty has worn off, I’ve come to the same conclusion as most. Google Buzz is undeniably powerful and has the potential to be very versatile. I think that Google Buzz is a great service that will definitely augment my web experience but I doubt that it will significantly affect my use of other services, such as Twitter or even Facebook.

It’s also very noisy.  A couple of days ago, I set out to de-clutter my stream. Twitter and any other micro-blogging sites from which I frequently broadcast, have been removed from my connected sites. The endless torrent of micro-updates is hard to follow. Since I happen to be a chatty Tweeter sometimes, I have no desire to add to the chaos. I then proceeded to unfollow a large number of irrelevant accounts that happened to be included in my stream, due to my bloated-by-Google-Wave contact list. Once I did that, my stream became a whole lot less chaotic and I find I’m no longer disinclined to use Google Buzz.

All I need now, is an option to Share/Note a post included in the iGoogle module for Google Reader and keeping on top of my subscriptions will be even easier. Before I started using Google Buzz, I would completely forget that Google Reader even existed. You can Buzz updates from sites to which you subscribe via Google Reader. Sure, I used to “share” occasional updates from Google Reader before Buzz but who was actually seeing them?

Now, I’m using Google Reader so much more frequently, that I’ve had to organize all of my feeds into categories so I can keep track of my subscriptions. Some of you might have even noticed that I’ve been commenting on more of your blog posts and sharing them over the past few days. Yesterday, I read a post from TechCrunch stating that sharing of updates from Google Reader has increased 35% as a result of the use of Buzz.

Here’s a crazy idea: Why not include Google Buzz in the tab for Google Reader also?

The very nifty Google Buzz icon displayed above is from unmatchedstyle.com. They’ve made 3 nice little sets of Google Buzz icons that many will find more appealing than the original and they’ve made them available for free download on their website.

I’ve always admired women’s ice skating. The deceptive delicacy of female ice skaters is fascinating. The success of their performances depends up their seemingly effortless economy of motion and grace, yet those movements require an almost brutish degree of physical strength, endurance and grit. Most of the competitors that I’ve seen so far, brought their best game faces to the Olympics. I was impressed with even those participants who weren’t quite at the elite levels but competed for the experience and for testing their own limits. Of all of these wonderful ladies, three stood out in my mind.

“Queen” Yu-Na Kim, the tremendously talented and idolized favorite from Korea was was a cool customer. Her performance was flawless, a confident display of grace and subtle ferocity.

Sixteen year old American hopeful, Mirai Nagasu performed exceptionally as well. While her inexperience might have cost her a few points, her exuberance was infectious and she firmly established that both the ice and spotlight are where she belongs.

Canada’s Joannie Rochette competing so closely on the heels of her mother’s unexpected passing, was a phenomenal display of sheer will and courage. She neither faltered nor allowed herself to shed a tear until her performance was over. She gave her very best performance–a profound homage to her loved one and even beat her own personal record. As she completed that last movement, she finally broke down and gave way to her grief. Was there even a single dry eye in the stadium at that point?

Sportsmanship is perhaps, one of the most revealing and honest gauges of human ability and spirit. It’s uplifting and fascinating to watch these amazing men and women compete and test the limits of their abilities. I probably won’t be blogging about the Olympics again this season but I’ll still be watching and keep silently cheering them on.

Photos: Associated Press

Inspiration propels our endeavors. For many, there’s no greater feeling than that moment when unexpected words arrive in a great deluge. Much as we love it when the cup runneth over, it becomes necessary to switch mental gears and approach the creative process in a disciplined and methodical manner.

The fertile mind is a constant battleground. The transient and unpredictable nature of the creative drive can be as much of a hindrance as a boon to our craft. Striking a comfortable balance between inspiration and productivity a common dilemma. The challenge therein, lies with determining when and how to effectively silence that wayward muse.

Lately, I’ve been wondering how others writers walk this particular tightrope. How often do you find yourself tempted to set a work-in-progress aside to entertain a new and exciting story idea? Do you go with the flow or firmly tighten the reins on your enthusiasm? To what degree does your current approach to writing affect the evolution of your craft?

I tend to waver between compartmentalizing and multitasking. Being methodical only works for me between spurts of inspired writing. Approaching writing intuitively means recognizing that it’s okay to set on-going projects aside when I get stuck or when some persistent notion becomes a distraction. Alternatively, there are times when I feel a need to choose practicality over self-indulgence. At those times, I make an effort to ignore or delay the flood of ideas.

I have a desire to be more productive, perhaps even to the point of becoming a prolific sort of writer. Still, I wouldn’t ever want to sacrifice my personal authenticity for the sake of being more productive. While there’s something of a haphazard method to my madness, I’m still searching for that middle ground.

Have you managed to strike that comfortable balance yet?

Purple Magazine Issue #9: Finding the Bliss Lense is one of several planned bonus offerings of the otherwise, bi-annual publication. Highlights include featured afro-punk musician, TreZure the Empress, as well as a glimpse into the fertile inner-worlds of Dwayne White, and Anyabwile Love & Aki Hirata-Baker.
Part 6 of Valjeanne Jeffers‘ The Story of Eve: A War from Within is in good company with a review of Basanta Kar’s The Unfold Pinnacle and Dara and the Dream Engine–an excerpt from Dazjae Zoem’s afro-steampunk fantasy omnibus, WonderDark. This excellent issue is a tantalizing offering of bold and unique works of art, poetry and literature.

Independently launched in 2006, Purple Magazine started as a grass-roots endeavor to overcome the narrow scope and prejudices of mainstream publications and expectations. In addition to the efforts of a growing number of artists, photographers, designers and spiritualists, creative works showcased by PurpleMag run the gamut of Speculative Fiction genres–including but not limited to esoteric cosmology, Afro-centric fairy tales, steampunk and modern interpretations and futuristic permutations of oral lore.

Editor in Chief of Purple Magazine is Dazjae Zoem, author of Afro-centric and Steampunk works such as Books of Zambaru – Maji Omnibus and Wonderdark. Her passion for creative experimentation extends to her socially responsible and activist approach to life. Her projects fall under the umbrella of  The Ultraviolet Underground, a kaleidoscopic projector for the voices and visionaries of under-represented cultures and ideologies.

The power of perception is in itself the only power at play in much of the confusion run amok in current society, but it’s not a hopeless situation. In reality, all of the power lays in the viewer/interpreter of any media that reaches them. Likewise, one’s own creation whether of life path, art, and/or both is dependent upon their control or desire to share what they are seeing from their own induplicatible lense.

The hope through the tellings of photogs—folks who dedicate their craft to the power of the lense—,the glimpses of alt-eras in POC Steampunk lit and updates, grassroots diets/philosophy extended in this issue, and the lightpoints earned (RPGstyle) after reading a particular passage, is that the importance of establishing a self-determined pattern that reminds us to reach for the lense that raises our vibrations to our higher-levels through the dimensions of feeling and thought, will be come by.

– Dazjae Zoem ~ Editor in Chief of Purple Magazine.

Silverthorn Press Ezine is a free bi-monthly paranormal fantasy ezine. Corbin Silverthorn and  Staff brings us writing industry news and highlights, as well as Creative Writing advice and inspiration. Each issue of Silverthorn Press Ezine features authors and artists of the speculative fiction and fantasy genres.

The Bleeding Pen Writer’s Showcase presents proactive writers of paranormal fantasy. The aim is to help spread the word about their work and engage readers and industry professionals alike. I was recently interviewed by Corbin Silverthorn for the January 15,2010 issue of Silverthorn Press Ezine. It was a really interesting experience which prompted a fair amount of introspection and set me thinking about things that hadn’t crossed my mind in years. You can read my interview here.

Corbin is also a talented paranormal fantasy writer. He blogs at The Raven’s Beak and you can follow him on twitter @CorbSilverthorn. If you’re just learning about Silverthorn Press for the very first time, I heartily recommend signing up for the Ezine, so that you can get bi-monthly updates on future featured writers and artists, as well.

While it should be well known by now, that I’m personally an advocate of all manners and new mediums for presenting fiction, it’s only fair to give a nod to good old fashioned Literature at its finest.
In the spirit of encouraging and promoting the Art of Writing, The MAG has brought forth it’s first annual Short Story Writing Contest. The contest which is open to all genres of fiction, will focus on the talent of participants and the quality of their entries.
This is a great opportunity for writers who are seeking to garnish a little literary cred. I hear there may be a small bundle of cash for the winner too. The Short Story Writing Competition will run from 10th January 2010 to 31st May 2010. Visit The MAG’s  Short Story Writing Contest page for more information.

As an avid reader, I prefer my books in print be it paperback or hard cover. I love books for what they are, the texture of paper, the smell of old books. I love that feeling you get from leisurely flipping through the pages of a very old and very well-written piece of work. Sadly, the physical space I would need to accommodate all of my books is simply not available. Luckily, I also have a certain fondness for technology, the convenience and fun of using nifty gadgets.

It wasn’t such a great leap to consider purchasing novels in electronic format as an excellent alternative, until I realized how many restrictions some of these companies attach to a purchase. The mainstream publishing industry’s latest weapon against piracy (and readers alike) is Digital Rights Management (DRM). Basically, these are controls hard-coded into various technologies and software in order to tightly control the manner and frequency of a buyer’s access to the electronic media they purchased.

One company wanted me to use my credit card number as a password every single time I tried open their eReader software and nothing else would do! So not happening.

I for one, refuse to “buy” any product hampered by DRM. The whole concept of DRM bothers me to begin with and now these companies’ mercenary attitude is just a complete turn-off. I understand the need protect a writer’s rights to his/her work. If that were simply the case, I’d be there with bells on.

I don’t dispute that there needs to be some reasonable way to prevent piracy of works of fiction. For a writer, the possibility of making money from one’s writing is quite attractive. The prospect of getting tangible rewards for one’s work always is. Let’s face it; no one relishes the idea of being taken advantage of. It’s natural to be wary of those who would seek to profit unfairly or undermine those efforts by pirating and distributing our work without permission. That still doesn’t make it right to punish readers or treat them like cars on a never-ending gravy train. Should they really have to bend over backwards to just gain access to the written word?

Ease of access is what readers need. I–for one, will certainly not rent the right to read a book at what is often the same or more than the price of a paperback or hardcover book. I’ve never had the urge to pirate a book or magazine that I’ve purchased in electronic format but I do love the security that comes with knowing that what I’ve purchased is indeed, MINE. That’s not asking too much is it? I am not a thief – I just want to be able to keep what I paid for.

I’m sure that there’s a reasonable solution or middle ground out there. I sincerely hope that we find it before either taking unfair advantage of consumers or rampant piracy becomes the order of the day, once again.