Recipe for Success

Ingredients:
- 4 inspiring and collaborative co-writers
- 1 talented illustrator
- 1 supportive and insightful publisher

Sift these and mix slowly with:
- 8 quirky stories
- an eye-catching cover
- a network of interested speculative fiction fans

Let mixture stand in a pleasant, sunny room above the library, near the neighborhood farmer's market.

Throw in an assortment of deliciously home-baked goods, coffee and refreshments; beautiful flower arrangements (generously donated by friends); a selection of excellent illustrations and art; and a display of Canada's leading speculative fiction magazine, On Spec.

A dash of good media coverage including a videographer whose camera and microphone allow the rising of profiles.

Invite friends, family, colleagues and people off the street.

Don't forget a generous dose of gratitude for friends, family and spouses who helped with set-up and clean-up.

Warm mixture for three hours on a Saturday afternoon, and you will have a successful book launch!

***

In a nutshell, it was a fantastic book launch.
Thanks to those who were able to come out. And for those who couldn't, I hope you'll buy the book online and perhaps, even write a review on the website!

Check out the video coverage (a ten part series) by D. Jeffrey Buchanan, an exceptional documentarian and host of a radio show on CJSR here in Edmonton. He does great work and you should check out some of his other pieces too.

It was loads of fun to have people from different corners of my universe (i.e. work, family, university friends) gather -- for writing is the one thing that crosses all of my different "worlds".

I guess you could say writing is my wormhole. It's what brings my worlds together.

And for all the 180 minutes of networking and visiting, I thought I did very well for an introvert (not liking to be the centre of attention) and a Pisces (always worried about how everyone else is doing).

I have to admit, I was tired after it all. But it was a satisfying tiring. Satisfying and surreal. I don't think the impact of this whole thing has really hit me until I posted this piece.

Isn't that funny - my book launch isn't a reality for me until I write about it.

What is Seven Deadly Sins about?

Here is some local TV coverage we got to publicize our book and our launch tomorrow!

It was produced by a lovely friend and colleague, Marina Michaelides, from City TV here in Edmonton.

Seven Deadly Sins

It's not just a digital image. I've been published!

If you're a regular reader of my blog, then you were there at the beginning. It started out as an innocent challenge between writers / readers of speculative fiction and it grew into a bonafide publication. Billie, Eileen, and Tina are long-time fellow writers and members of my writing critique group. The challenge was issued to us by one of our colleagues and publisher, Brian Hades, of EDGE Science Fiction and Absolute XPress.

The result? A flash fiction anthology.

It has been a real collaborative project and my friend, Herman, did the cover work.

(I've provided links to all of their webpages, but they've been on my blog-roll for a long time now!)

Our book launch is this upcoming weekend. I'll be sure to post pictures.

And, I'd love it if you would purchase your own electronic or hard copy.

If you think you'd like to participate in a challenge like this yourself, enter the next flash fiction challenge on the topic of creatures of the night. The deadline isn't until August 1, 2009. AND it's a great way to exercise creativity!

Ringside

The two things I hadn't expected to see that night were chandeliers and worried mothers. But I suppose those things can be at boxing matches too.

A friend and I decided to go and check out the Junior Canadian Boxing Championships being held in my city. The venue? A ballroom in one of the hotels. (Hence, the chandelier).

Our seats were pretty close to the ring. And the rules are different for amateur boxing. Points are recieved for clean shots -- points of contact -- not for power.

But if power was a criteria for winning, there certainly was lots to be had. I was impresssed by these young women boxers. The bell would ring and BOOM - out of the corner they strode, no hesitation. Just determination to get that first punch. One two, one two. My awe was not just at how they reached with such strength, but at how they evaded the blows with such speed.

The Man in White (referee? I don't know the proper term) had a sign language of his own. Everyone else knew what directions he was giving even though I didn't. And he needed the sign language. The shouts around us were deafening.

"Keep it tight!"
"Breathe"
"The jab, the jab!"
"Straight punches"
"In and out!"
"Hands up!"

The audience was as equally fascinating as the boxing match itself. As I looked around the room, I tried to identify the different roles that women played here. Former boxer? Coach? Girlfriend? (though these were the easiest to identify from the bored expressions on their faces).

And then I spotted a woman in the front row, her hand nested in the crook of her husband's arm, a distressed expression in her eyes. Later on, my suspicions proved corrrect. One of the finalists showed up at her side, her head gear and mouthpiece gone, boxing gloves removed, but still in her boxing attire. The girl had done well in the match, but she had lost. It was close. She had her head on her mom's shoulder, while her mom stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. I guess boxers need an encouraging word every once in a while too.

We watched some good matches. Some were close. Others, not so much so. In one instance, the coaches threw in the towel (literally, I saw it fly into the middle of the ring). In another, the man with the flashlight looked into the eyes of the competitor and, clearly against the young man's wishes, declared the match over. And others were just what I hoped to see -- a good bout of boxing.