cover unveiled!

We have finally decided on the final cover, and here, for the first time, is the cover for “The Artifact: An Anthology.”                                       

                                                                   

The Artifact, Indiana Jones and Cleopatra

What does The Artifact novel have to do with Indiana Jones and Cleopatra?

In real life, Dr. Zahi Hawass, an archeologist known for wearing an Indiana Jones style hat, believes that he has uncovered the tomb of Cleopatra. If he has (and he believes he may find Mark Anthony as well), it would be one of the most significant archeological finds of our century.

In the fictional world of The Artifact, archeologists, Sean Tyler and Jan Fisher, set out to find the tomb of another ancient lady, Sahlek. What ensues is pure fiction, but the adventure rivals the mystery surrounding the Egyptian ruler, Cleopatra.

While novels often mirror events from real life, The Artifact’s reflection on current events is purely good timing. Hmm. Maybe it’s an artifact thing. And if you’re wondering what that means … you’ll just have to read the book.

Final edits are in the works. So be sure to check back for a publication date.

Churchill looking over our shoulders

‘Writing a book is an adventure.  To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement.  Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant.  The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him to the public.’

Winston Churchill

Churchill has always been one of my favorite historical figures. He was a man of character and wisdom, and led a nation through it’s darkest hour and into it’s finest hour.

And then I read this quote last night.

Now, he is my absolute favorite!

fiction writer’s cheat sheet

This is an article from Dakota State University I found a year ago. It is simple, yet a fantastic reminder for the experienced writer, and a great cheat sheet for the beginner. Enjoy!

Fiction writers learn to write by writing. Although writing is an art, there are skills, tools, and techniques that can be learned in order to develop talent. And constructive criticism and feedback can help this process.

To be a good writer you need to read a lot, listen and observe everything about you carefully, and write a lot. Writing a lot takes discipline, because writing can actually be hard work- but very satisfying. Setting up a routine for writing is important; it is very easy to find something else to do besides writing. A compulsion to write is very useful.

Fiction writers should have a good grasp of the language, but most of all they must be storytellers. A really good story can compensate for less-than-brilliant writing, but brilliant writing will not save a bad story.

Readers of fiction want very much to find the writer’s work to be believable. It is the task of the writer to produce a story that does not jolt the reader into recognizing that the narrative is just the writer talking, just fiction. The writer should write about what he or she already knows through experience or can learn about through research. The narrative should read as if the writer really knows what he or she is writing about.