Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Alex "Cosbolt" Cavanaugh: Knight of the Cosmic Table!


Friends and aliens, I bring to you a champion today, which many of you have come to know in this neck of the galaxy for some time.

Some know him as the Ninja Captain. Some know him as an Amazon Best-Selling Cosbolt pilot. Others know him as a guitar-strumming cardboard figure, but I know him as a willing and helpful friend. His infectious personality has reached nearly every inch of the writer-blogger community with pay-it-forward skills that are unmatched. For these and other innumerable, stalwart qualities, I hereby dub thee, Sir Alex J. "Cosbolt" Cavanaugh, Knight of the Cosmic Table!

AJC: I am honored to be included at the Cosmic Table and do not take this knighthood lightly. I shall uphold all that it means to be a chivalrous knight. I will defend the Kingdom, I will rescue the fair maiden, I will battle those who steal the Hot Tamales treasure …

DPK: Hot Tamales treasure? I'm not sure we have those ...

AJC: Wait, no Hot Tamales treasure?

DPK: *shakes head* I can order some.

AJC: Oh. Bummer. Do I still get to rescue the maiden?

DPK: Certainly! And since you mentioned it, I'm sure a trove of hot tamales is worth its weight in gold (now I'm hungry - note to self: order some hot tamales!). Thanks for letting me check out your dojo today. I look forward to learning the ways of the writing ninja!

AJC: There is much to learn, little grasshopper!

First there is teleporting. You do have a teleporter, don’t you? That is how a Ninja moves around so fast. Next, you need clones -

DPK: Would you mind looking at my teleporter? A fly got into it with one of my red shirts and ... Let's just say the medic's hands are full.

AJC: Sorry, hate to tell you, but the red shirt is dead.

DPK: *checks datapad* You knew my crewhand died before I did?! You really are a ninja! Well ... I guess the good news is there's a new job opening back on the ship ... Now, what was that about clones?

AJC: You need lots of them. You’ll exhaust yourself teleporting all over like that. I have a clone machine if you’d like to use it (don’t let Al’s dwarfs near it – they went a little crazy and almost broke it).

DPK: Clones ... I knew it! I suspected as much.

I'm curious to know how it all began. What led you to start what has become one of the most recognized author blogs in the universe?

AJC: One of the most recognized? Thanks, but I’m still just a small fish in a very big pond.

DPK: Your humility shines, metaphorical fish. Please continue!

AJC: What led me to begin my blog? My publisher told me to get my butt online. It wasn’t an option. I opted for a blog because I could combine my website with social networking and do it all at once. And I struggled to connect with other bloggers for months. It wasn’t until the very first A to Z Challenge that I finally found my groove.

DPK: Truth. Getting involved in the blogosphere certainly makes a difference when you're first starting out. I'm seriously considering taking the challenge myself for the first time this year. Any advice that would help a newbie survive this month-long alphabet soup?

AJC: Bring crackers.

Seriously, go with a theme. I winged it the first year and came up with brilliant posts – the lame movie “Q,” Q*Bert, and some band named Q-Tip for Q. You don’t want to go there. Select a theme.

Mine has always centered on featuring my blogger buddies and every year it’s a bigger challenge and so involved. This year I have something really cool planned…

DPK: Well blast my asteroids! That sounds easy. I'll be sure to have a theme ready before April springs (see what I did there?). Speaking of springs, how high can you jump while strumming a guitar?

AJC: Well, if you’re expecting one of those Eddie Van Halen jumps, you’ll be disappointed. I’d probably hurt myself.

DPK: You'd have to be a superhero to do one of those, so I don't blame you. I already lost one red shirt today. I'm sure the community will flog me if you get so much as a splinter during this interview ...

They say it's best to have a picture of yourself on your blog so people can get to know you better, but you managed your success without one! Will we ever get to see the man behind the mask?

AJC: Maybe someday! Until then, the photo of me in silhouette with my guitar will just have to suffice. Remember, Ninjas are supposed to be secretive ...

DPK: So if your publisher told you to start blogging, does this mean your first novel CassaStar was done beforehand? Tell us more about what inspired you to write this novel and the other Amazon Best-Sellers that followed.

AJC: It was done and part of the contract agreement was that I’d create an online platform.

CassaStar was a story I’d written as a teen about thirty years earlier. Found it in a drawer and decided to rewrite it. My wife prodded me to look for a publisher and the rest is history. That I wrote two more books and they all did so well still stuns me. I never even wanted to be an author (rock star, maybe!).

DPK: You're stories rock the stars, for sure! Did you know my first book is also about deep space and starfighters, and I wrote it as a teen? I should pull it out of the drawer and see what I can do.

AJC: You need to dig up that old manuscript!

DPK: Will do, but first you're going to have to tell us about your Insecure Writers Support Group (#hashtag: IWSG). How did this incredible group come about and where is it headed?

AJC: It all started with an email exchange with Rusty – I told him he needed an insecure writer’s support group. And it hit me – why not start one? So I proposed the idea and on September 1, 2011, we did our very first post. As it grew, I was amazed by the posts and comments, and how many people were so grateful for the group.

When it neared the two year mark, I reached out to six awesome authors and we launched the IWSG website. It’s the database of databases on all things pertaining to writing, and we recently started having guest posts from major players in the writing world. We also have a Facebook Group that’s over five hundred members strong.

DPK: That's incredible, Alex. Congrats to your success!

AJC: Despite the success I’ve enjoyed with my books, the IWSG is my greatest achievement online and means the world to me.

DPK: The dedication shows. It's one thing to write great stories and have them available for others to read and enjoy, but it's another to form a group of this magnitude that aims to help fellow writers. That in itself is worthy of knighthood, which is why I present to you this custom badge to prove your humble valor however you wish.

Welcome to the table, Sir Alex! 

AJC: Thank you, Sir David! Honored to join the ranks of the Cosmic Knights.

DPK: Any chance we can ride your Cosbolt before we leave the dojo?

AJC: There’s room in a Cosbolt for two. You can navigate. Just don’t touch the telporter. Takes a certain skill. You never know where you’ll end up. Good thing Al’s Dwarves never found it or we’d have them popping in and out all over the universe …

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It's so good to see another seat at the table, and this tradition will continue to happen every last Wednesday of the month. Keep your swords sharp and your blasters charged. I'm always on the lookout for the next Cosmic Knight! Who's next? Find out next time!

I'm David, and in case you missed it, here's a CassaTrailer!


Friday, January 24, 2014

We Have A Deal: WOVEN Is Coming, Spring 2015!


If you haven't already heard from Facebook or Twitter (or Publisher's Weekly), Michael Jensen and I have signed with Scholastic! After months of waiting, we finally get to say, "Woven is happening!"

I'll have more in-depth details within the next couple of weeks. Right now I'd like to celebrate this moment and say a special THANK YOU for supporting and believing in us and this book. We can't wait to share this fantastical weaving world that we've woven, with you.

And a special thanks is in order for those who helped make this deal possible: To our incredible agent Meredith Bernstein, who fell in love with our story and auctioned it to Scholastic. To David Levithan and Zack Clark for catching the magic and offering Woven a home. To Natalie Collins who literally stepped in as our "temp agent" and helped us navigate the New York publishing waters. And to the countless authors, friends, and fans who have kept us going!

Now, if it's alright with you, my inner child would like to do something he's wanted to do since he first dreamed of publishing a book ...

YEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Thanks ... It felt good getting that off my chest. I know I keep saying this, but I'll say it again: thank you, everyone! Now for a celebratory cruller and an awkward happy dance. Keep writing, my friends!

I'm David, and this is what's going to be in my head all day ...

Monday, January 20, 2014

Releases: DEFY and TIMEBOUND, Self-Oxygenating Scuba-Diving Masks Coming Soon?, and Updates!


Before we get started on this week's action, I'd like to point out that this is the Laire's 600th post! *and there was much rejoicing* Now, then. A couple new books have caught my eye that's screaming to be shared. First is Sara B. Larson's debut YA fantasy adventure, Defy!

http://www.amazon.com/Defy-Sara-B-Larson/dp/0545597587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390190297&sr=8-1&keywords=Defy
*Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?


Up Next is Rysa Walker's time-traveling (I love me some time travel) thriller and grand prize and young adult winner of the amazingly awesome Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Timebound!

http://www.amazon.com/Timebound-Chronos-Files-Rysa-Walker/dp/1477848150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390192011&sr=8-1&keywords=timebound*When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

(*Blurbs from Goodreads) 

Congradulations, Sara and Rysa! I look forward to reading these.

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At a young age, I always thought it would be cool to breathe under water. This might become a reality soon! According to this article, a device has been developed that works like a mechanical gill - a mask that allows divers to breathe under water for long periods of time by drawing oxygen from the very water around them! If this is true, I'd stay under the water forever. Wouldn't you? What do you think?

*     *     *

Updates: edits are coming along, but I had to slow down because of some life business (long story, you don't want to know - trust me). However, I did find out that I'll be on a few panels - for the first time ever - at the Life, the Universe, and Everything Symposium this year. That's less than a month away! This is cool and unexpected. I look forward to being part of this incredible symposium. See you there!

"Back to work" time. Have a stellar week, my friends!

Who's planning on LTUE this year? Who's excited to pick up Defy and Timebound? How would you like to breathe under the water?

I'm David, and be careful when you're "transcending" people ...

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Kelly and Jenny's "Road To Somewhere" Cover Reveal!


I know. This has little to do with sci-fi or fantasy, but I must share this cover reveal for two of my favorite bloggers! Since people are carbon-based life forms, the characters relate to science, right?

Congrats to Kelley Lynn and Jenny S. Morris for their collaboration!

A road trip. A singing competition. And super-hot cowboys.

What could be better?

For Charlie, a post-high school road trip isn't just a vacation, it's life changing. While her parents think she's helping a friend move, a chance at fame is the real reason to grab her best friends and drive to L.A. But when her super annoying, uber-responsible, younger sister, Lucy, has to tag along, it isn't quite the summer of fun she imagined.

Add in a detour to her grandparents' ranch in Texas, and between mucking the stalls, down-home cookin’, and drool worthy ranch hands, this could just turn into the best, and most complicated, summer of their lives.

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As part of this "hop" I was asked to share a little something about a sibling. Seeing as I was the baby of the family, I can empathize with Lucy from that blurb. Sometimes it was a drag taking the "little bro" around. That's okay, though. It probably helped them stay out of trouble, and I was a fairly easy kid to get along with. I love my sibs. It's hard being away now that we're adults, but I still love them.

Want to see who else has to say about their siblings? Check out the list below. And before you go, sign up for this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm David, and when it warms up, I'm up for a road trip too!  

Monday, January 13, 2014

Releases: Control and Dragonfly Warrior, Commercial Space Travel Coming Soon In 2014?, and Updates!


Good morning! I hope you're hungry for science, because there's two new releases that's sure to whet your appetites. First up is Control, a new YA dystopia by Lydia Kang that's just loaded with ... chemistry!

http://www.amazon.com/control-Lydia-Kang/dp/0803739044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389539085&sr=8-1&keywords=control+lydia
*When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.


Sound's sweet, doesn't it? Congrats to your debut, Lydia ... and to Jay Noel for his debut steampunk adventure, Dragonfly Warrior!

http://www.amazon.com/Dragonfly-Warrior-Mechanica-Wars-1/dp/0991235606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389539115&sr=1-1&keywords=dragonfly+warrior*At the age of twenty, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him.

Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns and somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

*(Blurbs from Goodreads)

Now that's exciting! It's so cool to see my two blogging buds releasing their debuts. I have both of these books on my reading list. Man - it's times like this I wish reading books was a full-time job!

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Have you heard the news? According to this article from space.com, commercial flights into space will be available soon, if not before the year is over! The advantage of traveling this way means you could travel to the other side of the world faster than we conventionally do. The question remains: is this really going to happen or will the tickets be too much for the average traveler? Then again ... experiencing Zero-G for a while might be worth the bucks. What do you think?

*     *     *

Updates: I took a short break from writing to entertain family last week. Now it's back to the proverbial grindstone. Thankfully edits on The Undead Road are coming along. Should be halfway through the manuscript by the end of the week. All I have left to decide is should I start something new or dust an old story off the shelf and see if it's salvageable? Either way, I'll be busy. That's exactly how I like it!

The manuscript is quite literally screaming at me right now. Better get to work or it'll never leave me alone. Till next time, my friends!

Who's excited for Control and Dragonfly Warrior? Want to take a flight into suborbital space? What's your plan for the week?

I'm David, and if you need to speak to Caesar, bring warpaint ...

 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

IWSG: Happy New Year, Winners, and Opening Up!


Need A Little Support?Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer's Support Group gives bloggers a monthly chance to express their concerns, worries, and insecurities without fear of reprisal. It's a seriously big group now, and with well over 300 participants, it shows no signs of slowing down! I'd like to thank Alex for keeping this group going for so long, as it has proved wonderful in the supporting of fellow authors and the revealing of needed and sound advice.

*     *     *

Before we begin, a belated Happy New Year! And for those of you who said stuff on my "Merry Gathering" post, the winners are:

and

I'll email your Amazwesomenesss soon. Claim your prize. Claim it!

*     *     *

While I was away, something felt amiss in my blogging. After mulling about it for a while and a few conversations later, I realized the blog WAS missing something: myself - or rather, my personal side.

Yes, I love highlighting books and writing reviews and I will continue to do so, but if an author blog is also a means for others to learn of and get to know an author, I haven't provided that for some time. It might have to do with this fact: I don't like talking about myself. I mean, it's fun to answer questions when asked, but not for long. I'll give short answers and direct the conversation back to others. 

That's weird, Dave. Why don't you like talking about yourself?

I'm anxious that doing so comes across as being self important and egotistical. This is why I'm the quiet one in the group or I'd rather talk about what you're doing and writing (which I genuinely do).

That's going to change. This year, I'm going to open up a little more and occasionally share thoughts and stories from my life that have made an influence on me and who I am. I'm not sure when I'll post these. Maybe weekly or monthly. It's more or less an experiment to see how it goes - and I promise to keep it short/writing related. Not advice, but life lessons and what they've done for me. Stay tuned.

And, if you'd like to ask questions about things you'd like to know about me, that will keep me on my toes. What do you think?

Do you worry about talking too much about yourself? When is enough enough? What's the balance between yourself and others?

I'm David, and liverwurst isn't recommended for jellyfish.