tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55127681266780840722024-03-21T10:52:20.607-07:00Daniel Steeves Connaughtonfantasy author of Keeper of the Bones and ImoraDaniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-61587763733025217632016-08-21T08:09:00.000-07:002016-08-21T08:09:01.647-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What podcasts do you listen to? Any of these?<br />
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<b><i>THE LIST part two </i>(in <i>particular</i> order...)</b><br />
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<u>Wait Wait Don't Tell Me</u> - The best way to keep on on current events.</div>
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<u>Car Talk</u> - Two brothers laughing and answer car repair questions. Its a show with three halves- what could be better than that?</div>
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<u>Radiolab</u> - Another NPR show- this one usually has a science topic, and the hosts are entertaining, really bringing their stories alive.</div>
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<u>The Adventure Zone</u> - NOT an NPR podcast? Yeah, but I first heard about it on an NPR podcast. Three brothers play Dungeons & Dragons with their dad. This podcast is absolutely highlarious! They start out playing the 5th Edition starter set game and then embark on their own campaign- complete with re-occuring NPCs and all sorts of wild shenanigans.</div>
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Feed my addiction. <a href="https://twitter.com/dsconnaughton" target="_blank">Tweet me</a> your favorite podcast to add to my list.Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-33549720912455190142016-07-14T07:43:00.000-07:002016-07-14T07:43:01.628-07:00PODCAST ADDICTION - PART ONE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems like I'm always adding a new podcast to my ever growing "to-listen" to list! Yikes. What began as a fun way to take a break from enjoying audiobooks, to cleanse by ear palate, has turned into <i>hours</i> of podcast fun!<br />
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Don't get me wrong. I love audiobooks, They are great entertainment and as a writer, they can sort of subliminally keep my brain on "creative mode". But, podcasts are more for fun. I've found they can stimulate the brain in other ways, different from other modes of information and entertainment. Maybe not creatively, but certainly I learn something every now and then.<br />
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<h2>
<b><i>THE LIST part one </i>(in <i>particular</i> order...)</b></h2>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0.701961); color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25.76px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0.701961); color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25.76px;">The News from Lake Wobegon</span><br />
One segment of the <i>A Prarie Home Companion</i> show, Garrison Keillor tells a great short story each week. It has the fun feel of a rambling story but seems carefully plotted at the same time, and it's just full of hilarious bits.<br />
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<b>TED Radio Hour</b><br />
Not sure how I got into this one, I just can't stop listening! Don't blame me if you get stuck too.<br />
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<b>Snap Judgement<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Very entertaining stories, each with a related theme. Some snappy "sound design" included.</div>
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<b>Science Friday<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<o:p>It's science! Need I say more. Well, maybe. You don't have to listen on a Friday. And sometimes I learn something.</o:p></div>
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Sensing a theme here? There are plenty of non-NPR podcasts out there too. Next time I'll get into some of my favorites, including some actual play role-playing games!<br />
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Feed my addition. <a href="https://twitter.com/dsconnaughton" target="_blank">Tweet me</a> your favorite podcast to add to my list.</div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-12835294917014899222016-07-08T00:00:00.000-07:002016-07-08T00:00:15.845-07:00Blog Tour: Learning to Stutter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Welcome to my tour stop of "Learning to Stutter" by Sherm Davis, presented by Elite Book Tours.<br />
To follow the full tour, please visit <a href="http://elitebooktours.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Kenneth Kocher seems to have it all - a good heart, a sense of humor, decent looks, and lots of money. What he doesn't have is something most of us take for granted - freedom of speech. Kenneth lives with a severe stutter which has wreaked havoc with his life since childhood.<br />
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After much embarrassment, pain and soul-searching, Kenneth realizes that to free his inner self he must accept the fact that he cannot be cured, and that he must learn to stutter with grace. Along the way he meets another stutterer and a young widow who are both dealing with the stumbling blocks in their own lives.<br />
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Using an experimental syntax to portray the neurological component of the syndrome, the novel gives the reader a unique view of stuttering from the inside out.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
AUTHOR INTERVIEW</h3>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">What books have most influenced your life?</b><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As a child, <i>The Phantom Tollbooth</i>
by Norton Juster really rocked my world. It showed me the outer limits of what
a book could be, what it could do to an impressionable brain. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
Which writers inspire you?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K Dick have consistently been my favorite
authors, and I hav gotten into historical fiction as well, especially Gore
Vidal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
What is the book about?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In a nutshell, the book is about overcoming obstacles, but this book is
very specifically about the slippery syndrome of stuttering. 5000 years of
medical research is still inconclusive, and this book takes a look at
stuttering from the inside out as a neurological syndrome rather than a speech
impediment. There are two characters who stutter in the book, and each handles
his issues in different ways. This is intentional, as there is no catch-all
cure for stuttering, and every person who stutters needs to deal with it in a
different way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
What genre is your book? </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I call it self-help fiction, because there is supposed to be a simple
inspirational message – just keep moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
Where did the idea for this book come from?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My own experiences as a person who stutters formed the basis of the
book. I have been able to communicate effectively in spite of, or perhaps
because of, my stuttering. But others are not so lucky. This book was written
more for fluent people who have a loved one that stutters but have no idea how
to deal with the elephant in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>What was your favorite chapter or part to write and why? </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My favorite part was, ironically, not related to stuttering at all. It
was related to cheating. The third main character, Ilene, is a widow who is
staying at her sister’s house in Vermont. She is cooking and accidentally burns
the kitchen down. Her sister Jen calls her husband Greg, but he is nowhere to be
found, and this confirms all her suspicions and sends her marriage into a
downward spiral. This entire scene was “unpremeditated.” I was writing the
scene expecting Ilene to cook breakfast and all of a sudden there were flames
everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br />
What character stays with you the most now that the writing is done? And why?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I think Kenneth Kocher, the main character, stays with me most because
he stutters exactly like I do, and I took a lot of time and effort to invent a
lexicon of symbols to accurately describe his stuttering, and therefore my own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br />
Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp? </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To keep on keeping on – to never stop moving forward no matter what the
obstacles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
How do you develop your plots and characters? </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My characters are usually an amalgam of people I know, including parts
of myself. I try not to overwork my plots – I prefer to zone in on the
characters and let them develop personalities and make decisions organically.
If the characters ring true, the reader is more likely to follow their progress
and the story will be more believable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
What was the hardest part of writing this book? </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The hardest part of writing the book was figuring out the ending. You
invest so much time in the characters and the story, and then you’ve got to
bring it all home convincingly. Some people read the ending and the want more,
but I don’t think life always gives you neat and clean endings, and I’d rather
leave a little to the reader’s imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
When did you decide to become a writer?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It wasn’t a decision, it was an imperative!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>
Why do you write?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Because I have to. There is a backlog of stories and experiences inside
me that I need to reorganize and give to the world. I write fiction rather than
nonfiction because I always try to scrape at the universal, the transcendent<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br />
Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Usually a computer. I used to do more longhand journaling, but the
technology is too easy these days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br />
How did you feel after writing the last page of the book?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Triumphant, but humble. I knew it was a huge accomplishment, and then
again I knew that it was only my first book, and that no one had ever read it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br />
What are your future project(s)?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I have just released a bilingual collection of short stories in English
and Spanish. Click on this link to find </span><a href="https://www.createspace.com/5970430"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Hair Collector and Other Stories</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;">.</span></span></div>
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Thank you Sherm for taking the time to answer my questions. Your responses have provided an even deeper insight into your world.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
David Howard Sherman Davis is a writer, musician and international educator who has taught in five countries on four continents. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Long Island, he currently lives by Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. His journalism and fiction have appeared in the United States, Canada, Guatemala, and online. </div>
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<a href="http://learningtostutter.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shermdavis13" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/ShermDavis" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://soundcloud.com/eyebox" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome everyone. If you are new to the blog and don't know me, I am Daniel Steeves Connaughton, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Imora-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36TY" target="_blank">Imora</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Bones-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36S0?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc" target="_blank">Keeper of the Bones</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;">I am writing my next book, </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><em><a href="http://us11.campaign-archive2.com/?u=05e82938b6b1b9260221cb021&id=7d3523625c" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">A Tale of Two Heroes</a>,</em></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"> and you can help! Don't worry it will be really easy. All you have to do is "Read and Vote" on the piece of writing as I get them done to decide how the story evolves to the next piece.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started on<em> <strong>June 26, 2016</strong></em>, but it's not too late to join in. Every other week I send out a piece from my novel in progress, <strong><em><u><a href="http://eepurl.com/bzOgL1" target="_blank">A Tale of Two Heroes</a></u></em></strong>. You read the piece and vote on what happens next. Keep up with each piece of writing as they are released to make sure you get a say in how the story unfolds. <a href="http://eepurl.com/bzOgL1" target="_blank">Join us here.</a><br /><br />Any questions or feedback, just hit <strong>{Reply}</strong> to the bi-weekly email or leave a comment.<br /><br />Until next time... *Watch out for the... !*</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daniel Steeves Connaughton</span></div>
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Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-778616274780379822016-07-06T16:40:00.000-07:002016-07-06T16:44:09.085-07:00ANOTHER WORK IN PROGRESS<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
While I
have many books plotted out in my head and wish they'd all get themselves onto
paper, my brain has taken an unforeseen side-track. In addition to <i><a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html" target="_blank">A Tale of Two Heroes</a></i>, I'm also writing about a once-hero named Tarku Bavi who now
scrapes by through solving other people's problems. He mostly causes new ones for himself and the people he's supposed to be helping. The
master of the Scribers' Guild hires him to persuade an opportunistic scribe to
give back the extra copies he's made of certain mysterious documents. When the
scribe ends up on the pointy end of a spear and the scrolls go missing, Tarku
finds himself in the midst of more trouble than he ever dreamed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From
getting involved in a tax collection scheme to being misled by other parties
trying to obtain the scrolls, Tarku is not having the easiest of times. Actually,
he just got stabbed in the back. Well, hacked, really. But he's
having a great time catching up and adventuring with some old friends again.
If they could just stop joking around and focus on what needs doing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I've been
having a fun time playing around with the magic in this new world. Tarku is an illusionist, so it is fun to
explore how that works mainly by having to "sell" the illusion to the
receiver. How believable do illusions
have to be? Can even a little doubt
totally crumple an illusion? What if the
receiver is distracted- will they not notice those difficult to add details are
missing?<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Back to it!<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-44412779507484480222016-06-11T11:15:00.002-07:002016-06-15T06:05:47.696-07:00ABOUT *A TALE OF TWO HEROES* .... a work in progress ....<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><b>One quest, two heroes, two stories.</b></b></div>
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A complex machine, lost to all memory, lies beneath the town of <st1:place w:st="on">Hawk Haven</st1:place> and the surrounding lands. Constructed as a great experiment when the world was new, designed to control the flow of time and sew together the fabric of reality. Left unmaintained for thousands of years, it was only a matter of time before something broke.</div>
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<b>Beetle Warrior Illarytl – a loyal and brave guard of Hawk Haven</b>. Duty and service is her mandate. When performers arrive in town and humiliate her, the chief guard puts her on reprimand leave. Now she needs a way to redeem herself to her fellow warriors and townspeople, and regain her honor. One thing is certain, she won't spend time watching the performers.</div>
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<b>Penk- a thief specializing in the art of the fence. </b> Fencing goods behind his master's back is a profitable side venture. When the master catches him, Penk realizes maybe it wasn't his best idea. Now he just needs a place to lay low for a while, maybe let the master's head cool. Maybe find a way to get out of town for good while his heart still beats.</div>
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The malfunctioning machine splits Illarytl and Penk into two separate realities, sending them on the same quest, at the same time, but not together. They each travel the same paths, accepting a friend's challenge to spend two nights in an ancient tomb. Two nights when the holy comet crosses the sky and raises the dead of old from rest. As the nights pass, Illarytl's and Penk's realities begin to overlap and they uncover the secrets of the great machine. Can they find a way to repair it and merge realities back into one before the machine tears the region apart? What will happen to their lives, their history, when things are fixed?</div>
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<i>SO WHAT?</i> <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-new-newsletter-read-and-vote-you.html">Well, do you want to help me decide how this story goes? See about how to read and vote as I write to determine the fates of my characters!</a></div>
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Any questions: Send me an <a href="mailto:jakoseto@yahoo.com" target="_blank">email</a> or leave a comment below!<br />
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Sign up for the <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html" target="_blank">newsletter</a> to join the adventure!</div>
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©2016 Daniel Steeves Connaughton</div>
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<!--End mc_embed_signup--><br />Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-89571955863792873862016-05-29T15:32:00.002-07:002016-06-15T06:04:52.016-07:00THE NEW NEWSLETTER - READ AND VOTE - YOU DECIDE HOW THE STORY WILL GO<div class="MsoNormal">
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Ever wondered how a writer comes up with and develops their characters, setting, and plot? Now you can take a peek behind the curtain and help me write my next book, <u>A Tale of Two Heroes</u>. <a href="http://eepurl.com/bzOgL1" target="_blank">Sign up here</a> to learn what <u>A Take of Two Heroes</u> will be all about.<br />
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In this choose-your-own-adventure inspired format, you, the reader will participate in developing the story from start to finish. Not only that, but you'll be able to vote on what will happen next time! Read the chapters as they develop and see how the actions you choose for the characters play out.<br />
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Simply read and vote.<br />
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The option with the most votes will be the one I write. Will you send my characters into danger or let them relax at the local tavern? Will you point them toward completing their goals or try to send them astray? Will you choose to develop their good qualities or their bad? <a href="http://eepurl.com/bzOgL1" target="_blank">Join me here</a> to experience the story as it unfolds.<br />
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Join my new bi-weekly newsletter to read <u>A Tale of Two Heroes</u> as I write it starting <b>June 26, 2016</b>.<br />
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Sign up for the <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html" target="_blank">newsletter</a> today so you don't miss out on the beginning of the story and making your vote count. Let the adventure begin!<br />
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Leave a comment below and let me know if you are joining me on this adventure.<br />
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Until next time... *Watch out for...!*<br />
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Daniel Steeves Connaughton</div>
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<!--End mc_embed_signup--><br />Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-91150584292962077562016-05-29T07:03:00.001-07:002016-06-11T11:16:17.275-07:00Keeper of the Bones - ABOUT<div class="MsoNormal">
Keeper Ormund is in charge of bringing the bones of dead soldiers who died in battle home to Kettle Hill for proper burial. When a Bone Whisperer, a cleric with the power to read the lives of the dead in their bones, joins him, Ormund fears what the readings will reveal of his own sins. The cost of his guilt will be his soul.</div>
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As Ormund and the Whisperer make their way to Kettle Hill, each of the fallen soldiers gets their own story told through their own eyes. In their stories, an evil forest spirit, an agent of the enemy, seduces members of the army. Her charms and the assignments she gives them threaten not only the sanity of the Kettle Hill soldiers, but also their lives. With each reading, the Whisper draws closer to discovering Ormund's involvement and the more determined Ormund becomes to keep his secrets hidden.</div>
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Daniel Steeves Connaughton - Newsletter</h2>
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<!--End mc_embed_signup-->Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-41888009072745370942016-04-03T14:39:00.006-07:002016-05-29T09:56:37.212-07:00Imora - FAQ<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h2>
IMORA – FAQ</h2>
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<u>Are there any epic battles between good and evil?</u></h3>
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Epic battles? Sure. Good and evil are sort of blurred lines in this book. Is the dragon evil for eating a village when she's hungry? Is a warrior evil for wanting to kill a dragon for glory and fame?</div>
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<u>Are there any noble warriors on an epic quest?</u></h3>
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Uh. No. That's an old hat I'd rather not wear. I find books like that boring to read, so I can't imagine writing one.</div>
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<u>Are there any farm boys with world saving destinies?</u></h3>
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Uh. No. No destiny.</div>
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<u>Who is the main character?</u></h3>
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That would be Imora, a dragon. The entire book is told from her point of view.</div>
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<u>What is your favorite part of the book?</u></h3>
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When Imora is at her weakest, struggling to survive as a huge creature bound to the land and having to adapt to a new way of living without her wings. There is a point when she is forced to find a new cave to sleep in for a hundred years and it's in a warm place, which for an ice dragon is very uncomfortable. A hundred years later she wakes to find the landscape drastically altered into a swamp, in which she has become a feature.</div>
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<u>Who is your favorite supporting character?</u></h3>
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I'd have to say it is the scribe she encounters. While she doesn't eat him (she doesn't eat everyone in the book!) she still finds a way to use him to further her own glory in a sort of selfish, but at the same time nice way. This historian/scribe manages to meet her on a level playing field intellectually.</div>
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<u>How does the setting relate to a place you have been?</u></h3>
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Any <st1:place w:st="on">New England</st1:place> day with LOTS of snow and ice around!</div>
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<u>What is Imora the Ice Dragon's favorite color?</u></h3>
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Any of the shiny ones! You know, like gold, silver, rubies, sapphires- those are colors right?</div>
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<u>What is Imora the Ice Dragon's favorite food?</u></h3>
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Believe it or not, fairies are not only a very tasty treat, but extremely nutritious.</div>
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<u>If Imora the Ice Dragon could go on any vacation she wanted, where would it be?</u></h3>
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She would definitely go to the North Pole and spend a couple decades just lounging on a glacier and hanging out with polar bears. She'd need a few thousand servants to supply her with a constant stream of fish.</div>
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<u>What does Imora the Ice Dragon do for fun? I mean, she's got decades of being awake; she must have some sort of hobby to fill in the years?</u></h3>
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You're right. Even Imora needs to take a break from showing off how powerful she is to the locals so they don't think they can mess with her. Hunting takes up a lot of her time, but when she's chillin' in the ice cave with a full belly, she likes to make ice sculptures. When she really needs to relax, she crochets with hooks made from bones and really, really, really big skeins of yarn.</div>
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<u>Does this story have a central lesson?</u></h3>
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If there is any central lesson, its that dragon's are not humans. </div>
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<u>At what point did you decide to continue writing this book?</u></h3>
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As soon as the outline was done. I like plotting everything out before I start writing. I don't always stick to the outline 100%, but I like to know what's coming so I can think about and take notes on parts I know are upcoming so I'm ready to write them when I get there.</div>
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<u>Did the book turn out the way you wanted it to?</u></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The biggest problem I had with Imora, was trying to make sure she couldn't easily be replaced with a human character, both physically and in the way she thought or made decisions. She had to be alien enough, that is different enough, from a human character but also be sympathetic to the reader.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<u>Did you face any obstacles when writing this story with plot problems or character development?</u></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The biggest problem I had was how to order the chapters. Part One is really the middle part of the story. Part Two is the beginning. Part Three is the end. The reason for this is Chapter One of Part One has the strongest introduction to the dragon, with her waking up in an ice cave after a hundred years asleep. I struggled with this order a lot and had a hard time finding a better way to introduce her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<u>Have you read books similar to this? </u></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Conn Iggulden's historical fiction Conqueror series about the Genghis Khan gives the reader a hard, stone-faced character you just don't mess with or defy. Likewise, the main character in Bernhard Cornwell's Saxon Stories is brilliantly arrogant and sees himself as an awesome, teeth kicking warrior. Of course, Game of Thrones gives the reader many "villain" POVs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are plenty of fantasy books too. I remember reading the beginning of a Piers Anthony book that started in a goblin's point of view and the idea of an entire book told this way really struck my imagination. I don't remember the name of the book or if I even finished reading it after it dropped the goblin's point of view. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Orcs trilogy tries to give us the orc's point of view but mostly could have been about a band of human mercenaries instead of monstrous, other-worldly orcs. We really didn't get a good idea of what it was to be an orc as much as it was to be a team of mercenaries working for the bad guy. We do get a good glimpse at other non-human characters though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I've yet to encounter a book that gives the reader the true experience of being in the dragon's point of view- a <u>real</u> dragon- the kind we all grew up learning were big scary monsters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27QiopwSLmNcyx2moW_UOoaS-_299HX_738hF7W6RrcPliKQPWpH1ZmIg80DPQIvWUKJjPckEtbJP0AFbJ_qDm36ik5Foo8jM88lzy5RSJAtifwzyRPD8JiXOypuIE6RE6dXHnrajnPk/s1600/51Fp2wSr7uL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27QiopwSLmNcyx2moW_UOoaS-_299HX_738hF7W6RrcPliKQPWpH1ZmIg80DPQIvWUKJjPckEtbJP0AFbJ_qDm36ik5Foo8jM88lzy5RSJAtifwzyRPD8JiXOypuIE6RE6dXHnrajnPk/s400/51Fp2wSr7uL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Imora-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36TY" target="_blank">Grab your copy today to read Imora's story and you decide, </a></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Imora-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36TY" target="_blank"><i>is Imora the Ice Dragon good or evil</i>?</a> </h2>
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<!--End mc_embed_signup-->Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-49099235169818983262016-02-21T04:29:00.002-08:002016-04-03T14:38:39.238-07:00IMORA – INSPIRATION<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Imora is a story told entirely from
a dragon's point of view. A <u>real</u>
dragon. You know those huge flying
creatures with evil streaks that the little people run in fear from? Yeah, that's what a <u>real </u>dragon is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
There are plenty of stories written
from the "bad guy's" point of view, from dragon and other monster's
points of view. These quickly turn into
stories about the misunderstood bad guy and worse, they human-ize the monsters
to the point where a "goblin" could easily be called a "human"
and the reader wouldn’t know the difference.
Even then, it seems like most books give only glimpses of the dragon's
point of view while the human characters get all the attention.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
With Imora, I wanted to do
something different and experience what it really is to be huge, powerful, and
a little evil. I wanted Imora to be a <u>real dragon</u>. Real dragons don't shy away from eating
humans (hey, they have big belly's to fill!).
Imora is awake for decades at a time.
She's selfish, sure, but, you know, who isn’t a little bit? She knows she's powerful and has no problem
using that to her advantage. And it
makes her, I hope, wonderfully arrogant.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The challenge was making a
character like this sympathetic and show the disadvantages of being a dragon as
well. When she sleeps it's not for eight
hours, it's for a hundred years. Where
can she sleep safely for that long without some monster hunter coming to kill
her in her sleep? How would you hide
something the size of a jet liner for a hundred years and protect it at the same
time? Imagine how much the world changes
in a hundred years. What if you went to
sleep in the year 1900 and woke up in 2000?
How would you cope with and adapt to these changes? How can something the size of a jet liner
sneak around if it needs to? And you
know those pesky good guys always have an "instant kill" weapon specifically
designed to take out the bad guy. Well,
if you’re the bad guy, the monster that eats whole villages, well, that’s a
problem. How do face something like
that? How do you remind the pesky good
guys you are the power in the neighborhood so they don't come knocking on your
door hoping to steal all that treasure you love to horde?</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
How do you make a character like
this sympathetic? Well, that’s where the
plot takes us. It’s a story about a
mother trying to save her son. It’s a
story of survival not just against the hordes of good guys, but against nature
and time.</div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-81168142794464071132016-02-07T09:23:00.005-08:002016-02-07T09:23:48.660-08:00Imora - About<div class="MsoNormal">
IMORA</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For centuries, Imora the Ice
Dragon Imora has watched the fierce Dengals expand their empire across the
high, cold mountain ranges. While she
works to drive them back, claiming the mountains as her own, each time she
sleeps for a century, they regain their footing. When they kill her son, she finds his heart
struggling for survival in a pool of its own blood. First, she must find a way to preserve the
heart while she prepares to resurrect her son.
Her journey takes her deep beneath the mountains and to the highest
cloud tops. Forced to surrender to the
long dragon sleep once again, a thief steals away with the heart. When she loses her wings in battle, she must
not only find a way to exist as a creature of the ground, but find the thief
and save the heart before he uses its powers for himself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more information, see <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/p/imora.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-62903089184486402842016-01-31T16:02:00.000-08:002016-01-31T16:02:11.089-08:00Back to paperback_ Is this the end?
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlAlI-xSwOG6iWKQDiz5yjY-LrlKqJy94NI63QzeYk_DGYLejS4Px8QoBBQ5XhQEQmseQakLWHcMBNFAG93nv9sxuUcmlzQ_WleTcOwOcfRm5YqUGTF2aSgNNLw5AP0qhBDqwjA5dPPY/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlAlI-xSwOG6iWKQDiz5yjY-LrlKqJy94NI63QzeYk_DGYLejS4Px8QoBBQ5XhQEQmseQakLWHcMBNFAG93nv9sxuUcmlzQ_WleTcOwOcfRm5YqUGTF2aSgNNLw5AP0qhBDqwjA5dPPY/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlAlI-xSwOG6iWKQDiz5yjY-LrlKqJy94NI63QzeYk_DGYLejS4Px8QoBBQ5XhQEQmseQakLWHcMBNFAG93nv9sxuUcmlzQ_WleTcOwOcfRm5YqUGTF2aSgNNLw5AP0qhBDqwjA5dPPY/s640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">For 2015, I conducted an experiment. <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2015/03/back-to-paperback.html" target="_blank">You can read about the start of my journey here.</a> After several years
of reading only eBooks on the Nook, I wanted to see what it would be like to go
back to reading those "old-fashioned" paper books. You remember those? Those books made out of paper and backs.
Those books that you had to actually had to manually lift the page to turn. Anyways,
I knew I'd feel a certain amount of nostalgia and as the months and books went on,
I started to feel the urge to get back to the Nook. Hey, it's convenient as long as I can charge
it, it’s easier to look up words in the dictionary… and be distracted by the
internet. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7F0uzjk73rxGMGKgxkRi6TXtngtwywkcfcrE9MO0fdqdhRX3q0Ye14kUyjxZjysaO-_oZfwzdFYvpfbZhvlwgbx19VJDT3gX9_TgRAs7mOghiQaQ0y9UMpRYBwAt2R0urdqoJTXQgQM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="back to paperback, daniel steeves" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7F0uzjk73rxGMGKgxkRi6TXtngtwywkcfcrE9MO0fdqdhRX3q0Ye14kUyjxZjysaO-_oZfwzdFYvpfbZhvlwgbx19VJDT3gX9_TgRAs7mOghiQaQ0y9UMpRYBwAt2R0urdqoJTXQgQM/s320/1.jpg" title="Back to paperback" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to Paperback</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7F0uzjk73rxGMGKgxkRi6TXtngtwywkcfcrE9MO0fdqdhRX3q0Ye14kUyjxZjysaO-_oZfwzdFYvpfbZhvlwgbx19VJDT3gX9_TgRAs7mOghiQaQ0y9UMpRYBwAt2R0urdqoJTXQgQM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">However, let's just say the
Nook is now merely a mobile Netflix device and mostly a dust collector. Yeah, I'm back on the paperback wagon. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7F0uzjk73rxGMGKgxkRi6TXtngtwywkcfcrE9MO0fdqdhRX3q0Ye14kUyjxZjysaO-_oZfwzdFYvpfbZhvlwgbx19VJDT3gX9_TgRAs7mOghiQaQ0y9UMpRYBwAt2R0urdqoJTXQgQM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7F0uzjk73rxGMGKgxkRi6TXtngtwywkcfcrE9MO0fdqdhRX3q0Ye14kUyjxZjysaO-_oZfwzdFYvpfbZhvlwgbx19VJDT3gX9_TgRAs7mOghiQaQ0y9UMpRYBwAt2R0urdqoJTXQgQM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's 2016 and I'm still reading paperbacks. There's just something about a book...</span></div>
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Leave a comment. What are you reading? Is it in ebook or paperback?</div>
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-57047730651142937012015-09-09T03:02:00.001-07:002015-09-09T03:02:36.192-07:00Back to the Paperback: Sharpe's Prey<div class="MsoNormal">
By now, I thought I'd be running out of things to say about
reading paperbacks. Turns out, not quite
yet. Less, yes, but there is still the
experience to talk about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Richard Sharpe series is great. I've always read them in paperback even after
I bought a Nook, mainly to keep my collection going. The newest covers are just fantastic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was a little wary about bringing my precious new copy of
the book with me on a camping trip.
Problem was I already started reading it. These books are addicting. I wasn't going to be able to go three days
without reading it. Therefore, I packed
it up in a safe spot and brought it along.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to say it was neat reading this adventure story while
on an adventure. I've brought the Nook
camping before and had to worry about it getting wet in rainstorm. The same happened here as well, only there
wasn't the same concern over losing something expensive to water. In addition, reading a paperback while out in
the wild felt more natural than when reading on the Nook in the same
setting. Can't really explain it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book survived mostly intact (just a bent corner on the
cover) and is now safely home on my shelf next to the other Sharpe's novels.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>My review of
the actual book content can be found on my Goodreads page here: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8294147.Daniel_Steeves_Connaughton" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></i></div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-82688297416638484432015-08-24T17:34:00.001-07:002015-08-24T17:34:18.863-07:00Back to the Paperback - The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothuss<div class="MsoNormal">
The addictive nature of this book combined with the
traditional paperback doorstopper-sized copy equaled an overall good reading
experience. Not too much to say about
reading a paperback versus reading an eBook this time around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, as I read the last words, closed up the book, and
put it in the return pile for the library, I realized I am engulfed in the
paperback reading experience. That is to
say, I had no desire to return to reading on the Nook while I was reading this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I thought about that some more. And some more. And a little more. Not on purpose. It just kept popping into my head that
reading eBooks on the Nook is not really too different. While reading paperbacks has its nostalgia,
the eBook mostly the same. Except of
course worrying about battery power. And
not having to need light to read by. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is indeed a part of me that is eager to get back to
reading on the Nook again. That being
said, I'm not ready to give up on reading paperbacks for the rest of the year.
I think I'm going to enjoy that nostalgia for a while longer.<b><i><u><o:p></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you want to see my review of the actual book content, it can be found here at Goodreads:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/822854551" target="_blank">The Name of the Wind</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-35430710017938973602015-06-16T17:25:00.002-07:002015-06-16T17:26:48.996-07:00Back to the Paperback - THE BARROW by Mark Smylie<div class="MsoNormal">
Another library book this time. The cover and binding was reinforced with
tape so it felt old and used, which is a good feel for a fantasy novel. It’s the 6x9 paperback size and at 600+ pages
it’s somewhat cumbersome to read at any angle or position. It is a good size to read in the car though,
just hard to fit in the glovebox, especially when the wads of Dunkin Donuts napkins don't want to share the space.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The experience of reading this book boils down how long it
took me to complete. It took me quite a
while to read this one. Long enough that
I had to renew it twice and recheck it out twice to get through it. Three main things contributed to this. The first is that the book itself is chock
full of exposition that really slows down the pace. The second is all Netflix's fault for
releasing the third season of Longmire along with some other shows I've been
waiting for, which I just had to watch.
The third is that I lost interest a couple times in the plot. I did finish it though and the ending was
well worth it. I returned it to the
library for the last time just in time to pick up my next read.</div>
<br />
For a somewhat more serious review of the actual of book, you can read my review at Goodreads here: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1137425838?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Review of The Barrow at Goodreads</a><br />
<br />Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-87435990964720724342015-06-01T17:57:00.001-07:002015-06-01T17:57:41.590-07:00Back to the Paperback - VIPERHAND<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">As I wrote in the first post for “Back to
Paperback”, this is not a review of the novel. This is about my
experience reading it in paperback.</span></div>
<div class="yiv6688157727msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv6688157727msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
you would like to read my review of Viperhand, it can be found at <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/291626.Viperhand" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</span></div>
<div class="yiv6688157727msonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">This was a nostalgia read for a two
reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, it’s a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dungeons & Dragons</i> novel and I
haven't read one of these since I was a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, it’s a standard paperback mass-market/pocketbook size
which I haven't read since I got the Nook.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The copy I read was from the library, so it
looks as if it was well-used/read over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The binding was somewhat creased and a little torn and wrinkled
in places, the pages tinged that aged grayish-yellowish color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One page had a tear in the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, this is no fault of it being a library
book, but Chapter 13 had the title "Chapter 3".</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">When I purchase a paperback I like giving
it some TLC such reading it in a way to carefully make sure no pesky creases
show up on the binding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone else do
this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, I didn't feel the
urge to treat the library book quite the same way, which I'm going to attribute
to its already well-used condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was careful enough.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I was somewhat expected the feel of the paper to
bring back some memories or feelings, but that didn't really happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did evoke feelings of familiarity more
than anything else was the size of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was handy to carry around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was able to read in bed on my back while remain comfortable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There's that saying about curling up with a
good book and that certainly pertains more to a paper than it does to the Nook
for a reason I haven't figured out yet.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">One big difference I noticed was that I read
more while reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as I
stashed the Nook away in another room, I was able to avoid the pull of the
internet and the desire to just watch some Netflix instead a few nights a
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, it feels like it's
taking forever for me to get through Season 2 of Ripper Street!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I really can't wait to watch Turn now
that it's finally on Netflix.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">That’s it for </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viperhand</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Next up, I'll be
reading </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Barrow</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> by Mark Smylie.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">Anyone out there prefer the </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333330154419px;">standard paperback mass-market/pocketbook size book? Any recommendations on some oldy but goody D&D novels?</span></div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-57618131230893633742015-03-25T09:32:00.000-07:002015-03-25T09:32:08.254-07:00BACK TO THE PAPERBACK<br />
This year I've decided to give my Barnes & Noble Nook a rest (well, ok, I'm still watching plenty of Netflix on it at the gym). Usually I read three books in a row on the Nook and the fourth in paperback (reserved for my in-progress collection of the Richard Sharpe series). Reading an eBook versus a paperback is a whole different experience and there's plenty written about it on the internet I'm sure. What I am going to do this year is write a short first hand account of what it is like reading each book on paperback and at the same time see if I have the urge to go back to the eBook.<br />
<br />
March is almost over, so I've already got a head start. Here are some things I've noticed so far:<br />
<br />
<u>No Features</u><br />
I need to stop touching the edge of the page and expecting it to turn itself. I only waited a half hour the first time I tried this on a paperback before concluding it was not going to magically flip to the next page. Next time I try, I'll press harder and give it an hour to see if it happens. I'm guessing glaring more sternly at the page might help.<br />
<br />
No matter how hard I press on a word, the paperback won't look up the definition for me or allow me to make notes (unless I get a tool like a pen or pencil, but hey, I'd never deface a precious book like that, even if I'm never going to read it again (oh, and these are library books so I can't do that anyway!).<br />
<br />
<u>No Internet Access!</u><br />
This is a good thing. There is no internet access on those paperbacks which means less distraction and more reading! I can go to sleep after closing the book instead of looking up stuff on the internet for another half hour. And even better, I don't pause reading to look up stuff either so I get more reading done.<br />
Does anyone else have this problem? How much time do you spent on the internet when trying to read?<br />
<br />
<u>Having to read with the lights on!</u><br />
Well, even with the Nook set on a black screen and the back-light turned down all the way, its still murder on my eyes to read in the dark with the thing, so no change here- I read with the lights on anyway.<br />
Does anyone else have this issue?<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Reading in the Car</u><br />
Not much difference here except I can toss a book up on the dash and not worry about stowing it away. I doubt anyone will break into the car to steal a book. At least I hope not! And by the way, I'm talking about riding in a car and reading, not reading while driving. Just saying.<br />
<br />
<u>Falling Asleep While Reading</u><br />
Waking up with drool all over the Nook screen is an easy clean up. On a paperback, its just gross.<br />
Reading laying on my back and holding the Nook over my face can be mildly dangerous when I doze off and said Nook slips from my fingers to land on my face (and makes me feel like a moron).<br />
I'm not the only on that does this, right? Right? I've never had this happen with a paperback- have you?<br />
<br />
<u>Here's the paperbacks I've read already this year:</u><br />
<i>Sharpe's Trafalgar</i> (by Bernard Cornwell)<br />
<i>Empire in Black and Gold</i> (by Adrian Tchaikovsky)<br />
<i>Shaman</i> (by Kim Stanley Robinson)<br />
<br />
<u>NEXT POST</u>: I am currently reading <i>Viperhand</i> by Douglas Niles. Yes, it is a Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons novel. When I'm done reading <i>Viperhand </i>I will write about why I'm reading it in addition to my experience reading it for my next post on "Back to the Paperback". <br />
<br />
In the meantime, what are your thoughts about reading an eBook versus a paperback?Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-7143476425906271252014-10-06T18:14:00.002-07:002014-10-06T18:26:51.687-07:00Author Event / Book Signing - Monson Free LibraryI will be at the Monson Free Library in Monson Massachusetts on Thursday, October 23rd at 6:30 to discuss my two books <i>Imora</i> and <i>Keeper of the Bones.</i> Copies will be available for sale and signing. You can check out the library at <a href="http://monsonlibrary.com/">http://monsonlibrary.com/</a> for location and directions. They can be found on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monson-Free-Library-and-Reading-Room-Association/191135440896544">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monson-Free-Library-and-Reading-Room-Association/191135440896544</a> Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-24441366558812996922014-09-16T18:34:00.003-07:002014-09-16T18:34:46.957-07:00Book Signing<div id="yiv6253978753yui_3_16_0_8_1409950132148_25" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;">
I will be at the Maclure Library in Pittsford VT to sign copies of <i>Imora </i>and <i>Keeper of the Bones</i> on Saturday, October 4th from 9:30 am - 12 noon. You can check out the library at <a href="http://www.maclurelibrary.org/">http://www.maclurelibrary.org/</a> for location and you can also read about its interesting history. Their Facebook page is here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maclure-Library/426539224047429">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maclure-Library/426539224047429</a>.</div>
Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-62571518483888055382014-08-12T18:18:00.000-07:002014-08-12T18:18:05.694-07:00<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/101802-keeper-of-the-bones">Win a copy of KEEPER OF THE BONES at Goodreads.com</a>
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
If you want to enter the giveaway for a paperback copy of <i>Imora</i> over at <a href="http://goodreads.com/">Goodreads.com</a>, just click here to find out more: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/101802-keeper-of-the-bones">http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/101802-keeper-of-the-bones</a>.Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-25087282735691607772014-06-30T19:32:00.000-07:002014-06-30T19:32:08.643-07:00Win a copy of Imora at Goodreads.comIf you want to enter the giveaway for a paperback copy of <i>Imora</i> over at <a href="http://goodreads.com/">Goodreads.com</a>, just click here to find out more: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/97651-imora">https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/97651-imora</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-7410514599426191742014-06-05T20:51:00.002-07:002014-06-05T20:51:54.832-07:00It is official! My first two novels have been published!<div class="yiv7435888369 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32066 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_36446 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_40997 yui_3_16_0_1_1402025791688_3563" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_23517" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 10.6667px; font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_23516">My first two novels, <span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_28244" style="font-style: italic;">Keeper of the Bones</span> and <span class="yiv7435888369" style="font-style: italic;">Imora</span> were published
earlier this week by Double Dragon Publishing.</span></span></div>
<div class="yiv7435888369 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32070 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_36450 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_41001 yui_3_16_0_1_1402025791688_3567" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_23887" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 10.6667px; font-style: normal;">
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<div class="yiv7435888369 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32086 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_36466 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_41017 yui_3_16_0_1_1402025791688_3583" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12693" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 10.6667px; font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12692">Please check them out at the publisher's site
where you can find more information and sample the first few pages for
free. Just click here for <a class="yiv7435888369" href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-77115-177-3" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_24968" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keeper of the Bones</a> and here for <a class="yiv7435888369" href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-77115-178-1" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_24715" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Imora</a>. You can also view the sample pages at Amazon.com. Just click here for <a class="yiv7435888369" href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Bones-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36S0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1401930054&sr=1-1&keywords=9781771151771" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32218" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">Keeper of the Bones</a> and here for <a class="yiv7435888369" href="http://www.amazon.com/Imora-Daniel-Steeves-Connaughton-ebook/dp/B00KQR36TY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1401930006&sr=1-1&keywords=9781771151788" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_28243" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">Imora</a>.</span></span></div>
<div class="yiv7435888369 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32086 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_36466 yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_41017 yui_3_16_0_1_1402025791688_3583" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12693" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 10.6667px; font-style: normal;">
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<div class="yiv7435888369
yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_32096
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12696">They are also available at <a class="yiv7435888369" href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=daniel+steeves+connaughton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kobo</a> and <a class="yiv7435888369" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/daniel-steeves-connaughton/id885557145?mt=11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>-
just explore the links on my author's page at the publisher's site at <a href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/eAuthor.php?Name=Daniel%20Steeves%20Connaughton" target="_blank">Double Dragon Publishing</a>, or explore my blog a bit (there are now pages for each book).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12700">Paperback copies of both will be out later this month.</span><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_1_1401928758041_12703"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_16_1401928758041_81">Thank you so much for your support!</span></span></div>
<span class="yiv7435888369" id="yiv7435888369yui_3_16_0_16_1401928758041_88"></span>Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-34329038093131751882013-08-11T19:07:00.001-07:002013-08-12T03:31:55.020-07:00Publication Date for Imora<em>Imora</em> will be published in August of 2014 by Double Dragon Publishing. More information about the publisher can be found here: <a href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #473624; font-family: inherit;">http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/</span></a>. And more information about <em>Imora</em> can be found here: <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2013/05/publication-announcement-imora.html">http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2013/05/publication-announcement-imora.html</a>.Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-80521619732661890162013-08-11T19:04:00.000-07:002013-08-12T03:29:00.708-07:00Publication Date for Keeper of the BonesMy first novel, <em>Keeper of the Bones</em> will be published in June of 2014 by Double Dragon Publishing. More information about the publisher can be found here: <a href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #473624; font-family: inherit;">http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/</span></a>. And more information about <em>Keeper of the Bones</em> can be found here: <a href="http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2013/01/publication-announcement.html">http://danielsteeves.blogspot.com/2013/01/publication-announcement.html</a>.Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-82697508638556530612013-05-11T17:15:00.000-07:002013-05-11T17:15:41.015-07:00Publication Announcement - Imora<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am pleased to announce that my manuscript for <em>Imora</em> has been accepted by Double Dragon Publishing and is on their 2014 release schedule. More information about Double Dragon Publishing can be found here:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #473624; font-family: inherit;">http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>ABOUT </u><em><u>IMORA</u>:</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For centuries, Imora the Ice Dragon has watched
the fierce Dengals expand their empire across the high, cold mountain
ranges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While she works to drive them
back, claiming the mountains as her own, each time she sleeps for a century,
they regain their footing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they
kill her son, she finds his heart struggling for survival in a pool of its own
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, she must find a way to
preserve the heart while she prepares to resurrect her son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her journey takes her deep beneath the mountains
and to the highest cloud tops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forced
to surrender to the long dragon sleep once again, a thief steals away with the
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she loses her wings in
battle, she must not only find a way to exist as a creature of the ground, but
find the thief and save the heart before he uses its powers for himself.</span></span>Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5512768126678084072.post-14105452017067719732013-01-05T05:39:00.001-08:002013-01-16T15:36:30.660-08:00Publication AnnouncementI am pleased to announce that my manuscript for Keeper of the Bones has been accepted by Double Dragon Publishing and is on their 2014 release schedule. More information about Double Dragon Publishing can be found here: <a href="http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/" target="_blank">http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/</a>.<br />
<u></u><br />
<u>ABOUT <em>KEEPER OF THE BONES</em></u>:<br />
Keeper Ormund is in charge of
bringing the bones of dead soldiers who died in battle home to Kettle Hill for
proper burial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a Bone Whisperer, a
cleric with the power to read the lives of the dead in their bones, joins him,
Ormund fears what the readings will reveal of his own sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cost of his guilt will be his soul.<br />
As Ormund and the Whisperer make their way to Kettle
Hill, each of the fallen soldiers gets their own story told through their own
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In their stories, an evil forest
spirit, an agent of the enemy, seduces members of the army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her charms and the assignments she gives
them threaten not only the sanity of the Kettle Hill soldiers, but also their
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With each reading, the Whisperer
draws closer to discovering Ormund's involvement and the more determined Ormund
becomes to keep his secrets hidden.<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />Daniel Steeves Connaughtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844585693652430922noreply@blogger.com