The Whole World Sat by and Did Nothing

Posted on January 3, 2016 by peggylchambers

maribeth shanley's avatarIndigo Sea Press Blog

I’ve spent the past few months researching the history of Rwanda for Edwin Sabuhoro’s autobiography, which he has asked me to help him write.

I knew very little about Rwanda; however, I did recall the horrific Genocide of 1994.  That was only because one Saturday afternoon, several years ago, I happened on the movie Hotel Rwanda.

As I watched this profoundly disturbing film, I wondered why I had never known anything about the Genocide, also referred to as 100 Days of Slaughter.  I pay pretty close attention to the news, yet, I was stunned and shocked by what the film revealed.  I recall feeling ashamed that I knew nothing of such a stunning and unimaginable historical event.  Yet, after doing my research and writing a short history of Rwanda which will be woven into Edwin’s story, I fully understood my ignorance.

As the genocide took place, it simply…

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Legends of New Pulp Fiction

Posted on December 27, 2015 by peggylchambers

Legends of New Pulp FIction cover    I am so pleased to say that I am involved in this venture with 62 uber talented writers and artists.  I have a short story along side some of the best.  Airship 27 works exceedingly well with writers and artists and this anthology is a perfect example of the type of publishers they are.  Check out the new benefit book and you will find 62 original short stories  (mine is one of them) with original art (no, I’m not an artist) attached to each.  Enjoy!

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS

Proudly Presents

LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION

Earlier in the year we learned that New Pulp writer/editor/publisher Tommy Hancock was suffering from congestive heart-failure.  A relatively young family man, this was a dangerous condition that threatened not only Tommy but his entire family.  Almost immediately after this news was made public, several members of the New Pulp community began putting their heads together to see if anything could be done to help the Hancocks.

“Jaime Ramos proposed the idea of doing a benefit anthology,” says Airship 27 Productions Managing Editor, Ron Fortier.  “It was such a great idea, I realized it needed to get done and we began planning such a project.” The first thing Fortier did was bring aboard his partner in Airship 27, Art Director Rob Davis. “There was no way this was going to fly without Rob handling the book’s overall artwork and design.”  Fortier then went to Hancock and informed him of their plans. With Hancock’s blessings, he then posted an ad on Facebook explaining the project and seeking submissions from both writers and artists.  “It was always our intention to do this as a traditional pulp tome and thus artwork would be a major element in the final product.”

Much to Fortier’s surprise, and delight, the first creator to volunteer his assistance was Douglas Klauba, one of the finest artists in the field.  Klauba volunteered to paint the anthology’s cover once the book was assembled.  “Honestly,” Fortier confesses, “I was in shock. Doug is an amazing artist and his offering to do the cover was very much an omen that we were about to put together something truly unique.”

Within 48 hours after posting his recruiting ad, Fortier had received 57 commitments by New Pulp writers while 36 artists in the field signed on to do the illustrations.  Amongst these creators were some of the most popular New Pulp writers and artists in the field. In fact, getting so many promised stories in just two days, Fortier begrudgingly realized he and his associates were being handed a giant book and he publicly closed the admission call.  “It was crazy,” he recalls.  “Fifty-seven stories in just two days!  Of course there were naysayers who warned me we’d never get all of them.  They were right, we got 62 instead.”

And so the project began with Fortier reading each entry and then assigning it to an artist to illustrate.  Each tale features one black and white illustration.  Ramos acted as his assistant editor proofing teach story after Fortier with them.  Then, months into the project, Ramos, who suffers from diabetes, found his own health in jeopardy and after having handled half the stories, was forced to sideline himself.  What looked to be a major set-back was averted with writer/editor Todd Jones, a protégé of Fortier’s, volunteered to take on the task of finishing the proofing.

And so, after months of ups and downs. Airship 27 Productions is extremely proudly to present LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION.  A giant treasure chest of some of the finest New Pulp fiction ever produced in an 830 page collection.  Representing the varied genres of pulp tradition, this volume features tales of horror, mystery, horror, suspense, pirates, fantasy, private eyes, crime-busting avengers and westerns to name a few.

“Rob and I kidded during the long months of production that we had everything pulp save for a romance story,” quips Fortier.  “Then in the final days of story submissions, we were sent a romance.  No lie!”

LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is now available at Amazon.com in both hard copy and on Kindle.  All profits earned by this amazing book are going to Tommy Hancock and his family.  Sure to become a valued collector’s item, LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION is a one of a kind title pulp fans young and old, will cherish in years to come.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCITONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now from Amazon and on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/Legends-New-Pulp-Fiction-Fortier/dp/0692601139/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450805945&sr=1-2&keywords=LEGENDS+OF+NEW+PULP+FICTION

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Spotlight on Authors

Posted on December 20, 2015 by peggylchambers

beach writing    Chantol Aspinall is a young blogger/poet/writer from Jamaica trying to make a splash in the literary world for herself and others. Exotic, huh?  I mean “Jamaica, no problem, mon.”  I was in Jamaica once when I was young and it was a fabulous place with fabulous people.  We snorkeled and shopped in the market buying things we did not need but we got into the laid back spirit of Jamaica. There was a little rum involved.

I met Chantol on Goodreads and she was spotlighting authors on her blog.  I contacted her and we got acquainted.  I think she is inventive and energetic meeting people from all over the world by showcasing their work and her own.  I applaud her spirit.  Go forth and blog, Chantol! Check out her blog here: http://www.chantolaspinall.com/authors-spotlight .  Read her work.  She is a free spirit – the world needs more free spirits. Thanks, Chantol!

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Books and Friends, Old and New

Posted on December 13, 2015 by peggylchambers

peggy and mary    Yesterday I spent the day with my books and good friends. Never a bad combination, this day was better than most.  I spent the morning with fellow author, Mary McIntyre Coley, teaching a workshop on Hint Fiction to a group at the Public Library of Enid and Garfield County.  We had a room full of participants eager to try their hand at tiny stories.

In case you don’t know what Hint Fiction is, it is a small piece of fiction with a hint of a larger story but told in 25 words or less.  It requires thought, but is fun to see what you can come up with in a short period of time.  Much like Twitter and 40 characters, tightening up your writing makes you work but it can be done.

In the afternoon Mary and I had a book signing together at Hastings in Enid.  We graduated from high school together and have become reacquainted again after many years because of our love of writing.  We had a wonderful time seeing familiar and not-so-familiar faces in the store and showing them our books.  Books for Christmas always make a good gift.

Next to us sat another author also from Enid.  C. M. Healy (Chad Healy) is originally from Enid and now teaches middle school science in Dallas.  He writes children’s books and Young Adult novels so we had something in common.  I introduced myself when I found out he had gone to school with my son.  Enid has a lot of talent and it is great when they come back home to showcase it.

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Hint Fiction Workshop

Posted on December 10, 2015 by peggylchambers

peggylchambers's avatarPeggy Chambers "Views from the Hammock" site

Hint fiction poster    Short fiction is becoming a passion for writers.  It is an opportunity to see what you can say in as few words as possible.  Unlike the six word memoirs of Hemmingway, (For Sale: baby shoes, never worn), or flash fiction which normally allows 500 words in which to tell a story,  Hint Fiction allows the author 25 words to give a hint to the reader of fiction yet to come.

The Public Library of Enid and Garfield County will host a Hint Fiction workshop on December 12, 2015 from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm.  The workshop is free to the public, will be taught by author Mary Coley and me, and will take place in our home-town library.

Twenty-five words are used up in a hurry in this exercise.  All stories have a beginning, middle and end and tell you who the players are and…

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Meet Peggy – A Writer Friend

Posted on December 8, 2015 by peggylchambers

Source: Meet Peggy – A Writer Friend

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Hint Fiction Workshop

Posted on December 6, 2015 by peggylchambers

Hint fiction poster    Short fiction is becoming a passion for writers.  It is an opportunity to see what you can say in as few words as possible.  Unlike the six word memoirs of Hemmingway, (For Sale: baby shoes, never worn), or flash fiction which normally allows 500 words in which to tell a story,  Hint Fiction allows the author 25 words to give a hint to the reader of fiction yet to come.

The Public Library of Enid and Garfield County will host a Hint Fiction workshop on December 12, 2015 from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm.  The workshop is free to the public, will be taught by author Mary Coley and me, and will take place in our home-town library.

Twenty-five words are used up in a hurry in this exercise.  All stories have a beginning, middle and end and tell you who the players are and where it is set.  The same is true of hint fiction.

An example might be:  “Hot cocoa cooled like the fireplace embers as the lights twinkled on the tree.  Presents remain unopened until he returned.” Two sentences tell you where who and what.  We know the weather is cold, the season is Christmas, cocoa is being consumed and he is not home.  A hint at what is to come. Short and concise.

If you would like to try your hand at Hint Fiction we’d love to have you.  There will be a contest and the winners will have their hint fiction masterpiece printed on a bookmark and handed out to the public.  Published in a flash!

Size does matter.  What can you do with 25 words?

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Thankfulness

Posted on November 29, 2015 by peggylchambers

turkey    I am thankful.  I had a LARGE Thanksgiving dinner this week with more people than my house could handle.  I didn’t get to talk to all of them because there was so much to do.  My sister and brother-in-law drove in from Arizona; my other sister came by for a few hours before having to go to work.  All-in-all there were thirteen people in a 1700 square foot house. The turkey cooked all night.  My sister and I made pies the day before.  Everyone brought something to eat.  I MAY have enjoyed the wine more than anything else I consumed.  There was a little stress.  We had three tables set with two sets of dishes.  I have no idea how many times I ran the dishwasher.

The turkey was in an electric roaster out on the dryer to cook. The doorknob fell off the utility room door – overuse?

Then my sister came down with a migraine as the weather became worse and travel to Arizona became impossible.  The ice is still building up outside but so far the electricity is on. I am doing laundry to make sure we have plenty of warm clothes in case the power goes out.

I ran to Staples on Black Friday and bought a new computer that I desperately needed.  Because of the weather, the crowds weren’t too bad. Thankful once again.

I am thankful to be able to see that many people even if I didn’t get to talk to them as much as I wanted.  I should probably be thankful that many people wanted to see me!  I am thankful that we are all still safe and warm and we still have turkey.  The last four pieces of pie slipped out of my hands and hit the floor mixing with the glass pie pan.  No more pie. My hips are thankful that I didn’t consume anymore calories.

Families and Thanksgiving; we should all be thankful we have them.  We love each other even when the weather turns bad and stress gets high.  Most of us have more food than we can possibly eat. Thankful once again.

How was your Thanksgiving?  Do you still have leftovers?

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Ancient Trees

Posted on November 22, 2015 by peggylchambers

Ancient Trees 2    Fall is one my favorite times of year.  I have trouble deciding between spring and fall, but there is something about the crispness of the air as the sun shines down that makes it impossible to ignore.

I spent last weekend traveling to Keystone Lake with my friend and fellow author Martha Draper.  We hiked the Ancient Forests http://www.sandspringsok.org/index.aspx?NID=175 located near Sand Springs, OK.  The park is now owned by the City of Sand Springs and is just north off Highway 412.  They are only open on Saturdays, spring through fall, and is a well-maintained park.  The trails – there are three of different degrees of difficulty – begin with a poem titled “Lost” by David Wagner poem lost    and are manned by volunteers who love to show you their forest and even offer a cup of hot chocolate or cookie as they tell you tales of the trees.  They are part of a forest that starts in Kansas and paints a swath through eastern Oklahoma, then into Texas.  The oaks and cedars are from 300 – 500 years old and have seen a lot of changes in the world.

This week I prepare for Thanksgiving and out-of-towners.  I have a huge turkey in the freezer that needs to begin its journey toward thawing and pies to make.  There will be twelve of my favorite people in my house on Thanksgiving.  The tables will be full and we might have to set up another.

The weather went from crisp to cold this week and it is only a month until Christmas.  I don’t know how gracefully I will travel from fall to winter. I haven’t started my Christmas shopping. How about you? Ready for the holidays?

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A NEW BEGINNING 2015: Author Mary McIntyre Coley

Posted on November 15, 2015 by peggylchambers

marys pix   I would like to introduce you to award winning author Mary McIntyre Coley.  A few years ago at a writer’s conference someone came up behind me and called me by name.  I kept thinking all day long she looked familiar, but I just assumed it was an author I met before.  I was right.  I’d met her many years ago (I won’t say how many years ago) in high school.  Since that time we’ve become reacquainted and found we have something new in common.  We are both published authors.  Having lost track of each other for many years, I’ll let her tell you what she has been doing since  19 ___ (you know).

High-res-ftcover cobwebs final Ant Dens front cover Coley card Beehives

PC: First of all, Mary, tell us a little bit about you. What have you been doing all these years?

MMC: Wow. That’s a loaded question. __ years in ___ words? I graduated from OSU; I lived in the Oklahoma City area and worked for the Tourism Dept.; I got married; I moved to Ponca City; I had a daughter (Heather) and a son (Brian); I divorced; I worked at the local newspaper and as the PR director for the hospital; I went back to OSU and got my masters degree; I moved to Broken Arrow to work for the Nature Conservancy in Tulsa; I got married again (Daryl); I moved to southwest Tulsa; I went to work for the City of Tulsa’s communication dept.; I retired and switched careers; I am a full time writer/marketer/editor!

PC: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

MMC: I love to be outdoors, so hiking and enjoying nature is big on my list. My husband and I also love to travel; my favorite trips include two trips to Ireland, and a trip to Italy. We are semi-residents of New Mexico and spend about one-third of our time in northern New Mexico, traveling around and enjoying the sunsets, the mountains and the gorgeous scenery. If the weather is inclement, I read books of all kinds, but a lot of mysteries. I also love to watch movies.

PC: Your latest book is titled Beehives.  Where did you get the idea for this book?

MMC: I am an environmental scientist/educator, so I’ve been very interested in the decline of honeybees, the primary species which pollinates the fruits and vegetables we eat. I wanted to incorporate a little ‘bee’ info into an Oklahoma mystery along with some of our state’s fascinating history. When I stirred it all together in my mind, I came up with the plot and characters for Beehives. That book is the third in a mystery series that began with Cobwebs (2013), continued with Ant Dens (2014) and concludes with Beehives (2015).

PC: What is your favorite piece you’ve ever written?

MMC: I was a feature story writer for the Ponca City News for four years back in the late Eighties, and I had a great time researching and writing those stories. Three of my favorites come to mind: a story about the Saturday morning English riding/fox hunting club in Marland, south of PC; a story about Spring Hill Farm natural area in Kansas; and my personal favorite, the story of my dog, Cindy, and life with a litter of seven puppies from birth until departure from home six weeks later.

PC: What would you call your writing style?

MMC: I try to write as if I was telling someone a story. I like writing in third person, because then you can tell a story from the viewpoints of several characters, but, in my mysteries, I find that writing in first person, as if I was the main character, provides a more emotional story, and adds to the suspense.

PC:  Who is the publisher for your latest book?

MMC: Wheatmark, out of Tucson, AZ, has published all three of my mysteries to date. For more than a decade, I found the process of finding an agent or editor for any of my writing very frustrating and time-consuming, as is true for most writers. The mystery genre is an especially hard nut to crack. I ended up using one of the best ‘author-assisted’ publishers. But believe me, the books were all extensively edited and reviewed before they ever got to the publisher, and again after they had been accepted for publication. And they are quality books. Cobwebs won an ‘Oklahoma Creative Woman’ award for me earlier this year, and both Cobwebs and Ant Dens are finalists in the 2015 New Mexico/Arizona book awards in two different categories.

PC: Mary’s books always center around a cause that is near and dear to her heart.  What is the cause your hero is up against in the newest book, Beehives?

MMC: You are right about the ‘cause.’ In Cobwebs, the main character, Jamie, was discovering her family’s hidden past and righting a wrong; in Ant Dens, she was searching for a missing step-daughter and unraveling her deceased husband’s secret life. In Beehives, it’s all about a secret from Jamie’s mother’s past, which might get both Jamie and her fiancé killed. And the reader gets to learn a little bit about the importance of bees.

PC: What’s next on your agenda?

MMC:  Actually, I’ve got another book coming out soon, this one published by Wild Rose Press. The Ravine, another mystery-suspense, should be available in early Spring 2016. Briefly:

A neighborhood preoccupied by secrets and lies … a small child in peril … is a stray dog her only hope for survival?

And as far as new writing, I’m working on a companion book to The Ravine, set in the same neighborhood. It may become another trilogy or a series. Who knows?

The third in Mary’s family secrets trilogy Beehives is coming out this fall.  I can’t wait to see what’s next.  Check out her books and as always write a review if you love a book.

 

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