Dark Brothers of the Light Books One and Two, Blood Rites and Blood Heresy are now up at Scribd for a dollar each until the revised and expanded versions come out.
Thursday 11 November 2010
Monday 1 November 2010
New Science Fiction Audio Drama series: Edict Zero
This just in from long-time friend of Daverana and possessor of intimidating levels of talent and the fifth most macho name in the English-speaking world Jack Kincaid:
NEW SCIENCE FICTION AUDIO DRAMA SERIES : EDICT ZERO - FIS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: slipgate9{AT}gmail.com
PHILADELPHIA, PA, OCTOBER, 9 2010 – Edict Zero - FIS (http://edictzero.wordpress.com), the new monthly science fiction audio drama series produced by Slipgate Nine Entertainment, launched on September 9, 2010, with its first two hour-long episodes, "2415 (Part 1)" and "2415 (Part 2)". Its third episode, "Dead Canaries", released on October 1, 2010, and the next episode "Beautiful Lies" is slated for release on November 1.
'Edict Zero - FIS' is the debut production of Slipgate Nine Entertainment, a not-for-profit production endeavor dedicated to the release of free speculative media under Creative Commons Licenses. Releasing one hour-long episode per month, this daring new series could be said to be a mix of futuristic science fiction, suspense/mystery, law enforcement procedural, and dark fantasy. The story surrounds agents of the "Federal Investigative Services" (quasi-25th century FBI) on a New Earth setting. It is a strict modern audio drama (sans narration) with a rich soundscape of professional technical quality. This is an orchestration of talented voice actors, extensively employed sound effects, and meticulous scoring to create the movie-in-the-mind experience in the audio drama form like never before.
Only at the foot of its first season, the series touts an amazing powerhouse of talent. Among those involved :
Jack Kincaid (www.jack-kincaid.com) is not only the series creator and executive producer of the series, but plays a multitude of roles, including Assistant Director Dockstader and the unforgettable "Captain Socrates". He is a wildly diverse voice artist with a character-actor theatrical background, a musician, and a sound designer, among many other things. With a deep bank of novels under his belt, he is an experienced novelist of speculative fiction, who has chosen the audio drama form to redirect his creative energies and find an audience on his own terms. He is also a published author of short stories which have appeared in such venues as Insidious Reflections, Surreal Magazine, and the paperback anthology 'Exit Laughing' from Hellbound books. His voice and music have appeared in various podcasts (including io9's Geek's Guide to the Galaxy), audio drama shows (such as 19 Nocturne Boulevard), and other places (such as the book trailers for the anthologies "Seeds of Change" and "Wastelands : Stories of the Apocalypse"). He is also known for the horror podcast "audiobook drama", Hoad's Grim (2008-2009), and also as a pioneer of machinima with his early alter-ego work: 'The Seal of Nehahra' (2000). In addition to his pursuits with Slipgate Nine Entertainment, he also handles podcast mastering for the major science fiction publication: Lightspeed Magazine.
James Keller (www.avoiceforanycharacter.com) is a co-founder of Slipgate Nine Entertainment, a producer of Edict Zero - FIS, and also plays a main role of Special Agent Nick Garrett. He is a professional voice actor who has starred in dozens of animated series and feature films, mostly in cartoons. He directs for TV, Film, and other audio projects.
Julie Hoverson (www.19nocturneboulevard.net) plays a main role of Special Agent Jewels Kircher, and is an associate producer to the show. She is the writer and producer of the wildly popular and award winning audio drama anthology, 19 Nocturne Boulevard. She is also an actress whose voice can be found throughout productions of the audio drama community and a screenwriter, who has had a script optioned for a feature film.
Phil Rossi (www.philrossi.net) plays a main role of Special Agent Marcus Briggs. He is a professional singer-songwriter, and is also known as one of the major podcast authors on the scene, known for his popular novel, "Crescent" and other works such as "Eden" and "Harvey".
Other cast and crew include Tanja Milojevic (Producer of Lightning Bolt Theater of the Mind) who plays Special Agent Kora Reznik and other roles, Russell Gold (actor in various audio dramas, and on stage), Glen Hallstrom, and the list of those involved from the podcast and audio drama community grows with each episode!
An episode of Edict Zero - FIS will be released the first of every month through its website in partnership with The Internet Archive, and the features on the site will multiply as time goes on.
One existing feature is the Series Extras page which includes bonus tracks and also musical tracks from the series, including all the Edict Zero - FIS theme tunes, which are remixes of Creative Commons Licensed music of Nine Inch Nails. More will be added as time goes on!
The story summary on the website is as follows:
EDICT ZERO was its original name, a codename assigned to a destination planet and the mission to reach it. New Earth, like Old Earth, is a planet of mostly water, but with even less land. It is a small world of five islands, each island a state in The Federation : the democratic entity otherwise known as 'Edict Two' which governs the bulk of humanity.
Under the broad authority of its Attorney General, the civilian law enforcement utility Edict Three is a cluster of collaborating agencies such as the FIS – an initialism for Federal Investigative Services. Like other agencies in Edict Three, the structure of the FIS is an amalgam of the Old Earth law enforcement agency models deemed most effective by historians and E-2's founding fathers.
In response to the cataclysmic events on New Year's Day of the year 2415, the FIS assembled a task force at their headquarters in Capitol City to find the responsible party, eliminate the danger posed to the public, and deliver justice for the victims.
In acknowledgement of the severity of the threat and the accordingly devastating consequences which could arise from the slightest oversight, Assistant Director Alan Dockstader authorized a special unit of the task force to pursue unusual leads and the alternate outside-the-box theories those leads may support.
"Edict Zero - FIS" focuses on this small team of special agents and their investigations, which will put them at odds with the highest authority of humankind:
Edict One.
SHOW CREDIT SUMMARY (as of 10-9-2010):
SERIES CREATOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Jack Kincaid.
PRODUCERS: James Keller. Jane Eastman.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Julie Hoverson. C. Edward Reed. Thomas Gland.
STARRING: James Keller, Julie Hoverson, Phil Rossi, Russell Gold, Tanja Milojevic, Jack Kincaid, Glen Hallstrom, Mike Campbell, Danar Hoverson, Kim Poole.
Contact:
Jack Kincaid
slipgate9{AT}gmail.com
Tuesday 19 October 2010
Yo-yo Knickers Plagiarist Caught with his Knickers Down
Monday, October 18th, saw some of the upper echelons in genre fiction weigh in against plagiarist David Boyers (aka Iron Dave, David Byron, Leo Wolfe among a scant few of his numerous alternate personae).
Among the the excellent articles alerting the public about his misdeeds has been the HWA Newsletter and Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware.
As Ms. Strauss notes, plagiarism of this nature is rare. Therefore, it is often a shock when someone commits plagiarism, much less becomes a serial plagiarist to this degree. Mr. Boyer used the stolen stories and in some cases the stolen names (he attached the names of better known authors to his own fiction as collaborators and sometimes as sole authors) to create a level of credibility which then enabled him to approach many people for interviews connected to his book Cinemassacres.
The layers of deceit will probably require months and months of careful research to completely reveal the full depth of Mr. Boyer's misdeeds. For the time being, the investigation continues.
Among the the excellent articles alerting the public about his misdeeds has been the HWA Newsletter and Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware.
As Ms. Strauss notes, plagiarism of this nature is rare. Therefore, it is often a shock when someone commits plagiarism, much less becomes a serial plagiarist to this degree. Mr. Boyer used the stolen stories and in some cases the stolen names (he attached the names of better known authors to his own fiction as collaborators and sometimes as sole authors) to create a level of credibility which then enabled him to approach many people for interviews connected to his book Cinemassacres.
The layers of deceit will probably require months and months of careful research to completely reveal the full depth of Mr. Boyer's misdeeds. For the time being, the investigation continues.
Tuesday 12 October 2010
A Plagiarist, A Thief, and Definitely NOT a gentleman.
A few weeks ago, I received two new comments on a blog post I had made in January. It concerned a writer/editor named ‘Iron Dave’ Byron. At the time, I was too inundated with work and having some health issues. So I went to the best place I could think of to post an alert, The Rusty Nail. Rusty's snark blog is one of the closest things we currently have, at least in our little corner of the publishing community, to an investigative reporter. Warnings from Rusty have been picked up by upper echelons like Writer Beware and at Absolute Write Water Cooler. Rusty came in like the cavalry with guns blazing, now has two posts up about ‘Iron Dave’ and deserves a loud cheer.
As people began digging Iron Dave's alternate online identities and crimes came tumbling out, among them are plagiarism and theft. I feel that a writer’s name is just as important as a writer's words; it can be considered as his brand and as a recognizable seal of quality. It tells people what they can expect from the writing they are considering buying or looking at free on the web for pleasure. When it comes to producing collaborations, one writer's name always seems larger. This perception is not often considered and it is challenged even less.
Matters that came to light today have shifted me from being an interested observer of the chaos, dropping a comment here and there, to an active participant. I was alerted to an old blog in which ‘Iron’ Dave added Jane Timm Baxter's name to one of his tales as "co-author" even though she had never had any contact with him personally. On looking more deeply into the matter, we also found that he had included her stories in some of his anthologies without her knowledge or permission.
Jane is one of our authors. Her books are currently in the care of C. A. Keller, one of our best editors. These thefts affect more people than just our author. It also affects the company that publishes her. The publisher pays the author royalties and the editor either a fee or a salary depending on how the agreements are set up. The publisher also pays the cover artist. Theft compromises the ability of the company to pay these people and afford to pay people in the future. This is especially true for the small press. None of the pieces ‘Iron Dave’ published collaboration or otherwise, were authorized by Jane or Daverana’s staff.
I heartily suggest that you hop on over to Rusty and witness the full extent of the damage that Iron Dave has caused.
Tuesday 31 August 2010
The impact of Cluster Bs: an 'idiot's' guide
When I started Daverana Enterprises two years ago, I swore I would never publish a memoir. James Frey had sullied the entire genre in my estimation. Then I read Sarah Tate's book, Web of Lies, and was struck by the honesty and intensity of it. I knew about her situation from some of my editors who became involved in efforts to rescue her poetry site. This is a magnificent book about a journey into Hell and her emergence from it.
With that said, here is an article by Ms. Tate that relates to the subject matter of her book.Janrae Frank,
Publisher
Daverana Enterprises.
It doesn't matter which disorder it is. Each disorder of the Cluster B variety displays similar or identical symptoms, and invariably, where one of the Cluster Bs exist, so does at least one other co-morbid (that's overlapping, to you and me) disorder.
Just for reference, here's the list of the Cluster Bs.Don't try to over-analyse which one of the other three your partner has. The chances are, if he/she exhibits the traits of one, then he/she will have at least some elements of others. At the end of the day, the impact on you is going to be the same for each of these disorders, and it's the impact on YOU, the partner, that I wish to focus on.
You're going to go through five distinct phases. During the initial phases, you're not going to realise what's happening to you, as you're going to believe wholeheartedly that this person is the answer to all your prayers, and he or she can absolutely do no wrong. What's important here is to be able to recognise the initial stages (with the benefit of hindsight) because when you reach stage four, you must make a decision, and for that you need understand what you're up against.You can save yourself a lot of distress (and possibly even long lasting, or even permanent damage) if you are able to look back and acknowledge what has been happening to you, and YOUR PART IN IT ALL. We all have a role to play in a relationship. It's never, ever a one way street. You don't suddenly just lose all your personality traits when you meet a Cluster B, and it's important to acknowledge this early on if you're going to gather strength and move on. There are certain aspects of your character which your Cluster B will exploit. You have to recognise this before you can move away, and this can sometimes be the hardest test of all.
Cluster Bs all require their 'supply' or 'source'. They use relationships in order to feed their own desires and needs. Without a supply, these people cannot function. Every person they meet must in some way feed their requirements, and satisfy their desires and aspirations (be they, emotional, sexual, financial or professional). You are no different. You are the 'supply'. You are there only to serve a purpose. You just won't see this in the beginning.Here's a guide to the stages you can expect to travel through on your Cluster B roller coaster:Stage one: Euphoria
In the beginning, you are in a prolonged state of emotional elevation. It is better than any class A drug, and I can only describe it as 'euphoric'. This is clearly non-sustainable, but you won't be in a position to recognise this yet.You are head over heels in love. You have never been treated so well by another human being. It is as though you have blown this man (or woman) completely off their feet, and all they can see is you. You are adored, you are worshipped, you are understood, you are believed, you are trusted. For him/her, only you exist. It's a giddying sensation and the chances are it will knock you right off balance. You feel completely overwhelmed by all the attention and you truly believe you have found your 'soul mate'. When he/she tells you that they cannot live without you, it's real. You feel exactly the same. The world will stop if you're ever apart again.
This stage will last for one, possibly two years. Most likely the euphoria will begin to dissipate once the relationship has in some way been cemented (by marriage, kids, or some other long-term commitment).Stage two: Disquiet
Your Cluster B partner has had a difficult life. He or she has had many a disservice done to him/her, and is probably carrying emotional scars from either failed relationships, business dealings which collapsed, or other disasters which have befallen him/her. You are the person who is there to help your Cluster B overcome these issues. You have accepted the 'baggage' your Cluster B brought into the relationship without question, and you feel it is your duty to help him/her overcome these problems and achieve their (amazing) potential.Nothing bad which has ever happened to your Cluster B was his/her fault. They are always the innocent victims in any mishap. Other people resent your Cluster B because he/she is in such an enviable position. Nobody understands your Cluster B, except you. It is down to you to support your Cluster B and help keep both your lives on track.
By now, the initial euphoria is gone and you are starting to have some niggling doubts about things. It could be that certain 'stories' aren't adding up, or the level of attention is starting to wane. If there are children on the scene, you may feel as though the balance of the relationship has been upset by their arrival. Whatever it is, there is something unsettling going on in the back of your mind. It stays in the back of your mind though; because that's the only place your psyche will allow it to be, for the time being.A gap is opening up between you, and you don't understand why. You blame circumstances (because despite everything, your Cluster B is still having incredibly bad luck at every turn).
You lie awake at night, and confusion starts to cloud your mind.Stage three: Denial
Your Cluster B is withdrawing, and it's your fault. You're putting too much pressure on him/her and you're not 'giving' enough of yourself to the relationship. Your Cluster B is suffering as a result of your inability to support him/her. You are suffering, because your Cluster B is draining your energy and you feel completely impotent. You want to help but you don't know how .Your Cluster B is always on the verge of 'making things better.' He/she has so many plans, and they are always about to come to fruition. Your Cluster B just needs you to stay strong and give as much support as he/she needs. By now you are forced to admit to yourself that all may not be as it once seemed, but you remain convinced that you can get things back on track with patience and understanding for your Cluster B. Whatever is going wrong now, it's all your fault. You may have moments where you secretly admit to yourself, that perhaps you have made a huge error of judgement about this person. You quickly put these doubts aside, however, when your Cluster B tells you that everything he/she is doing is to please and to benefit you.
Your Cluster B always convinces you of his/her selflessness, and by this stage you would rather admit that it's you letting your Cluster B down, than acknowledge the fact that you don't actually mean that much to him/her.Stage four: Despair
I called this an 'Idiot's' guide. You are NOT an idiot, but when you reach stage four with your Cluster B, you will most certainly feel like one.By now, you no longer recognise your Cluster B. He/she is so far removed from the person you first met, you can barely remember how it felt back then when life was a beach.
Your Cluster B can no longer bear to be in the same room with you, and when he/she is, they hardly acknowledge your existence. You feel you are being 'tolerated' and you feel complete and utter isolation. You'll feel your sanity starting to slip now, and this is why it is important that you LOOK BACK during this stage and try to analyse what has actually happened to you.You are now at a critical crossroads, and what you decide to do during the despair stage will have far reaching implications for your future life.
Your Cluster B will NEVER end the relationship. He/she does not acknowledge that he/she wants the relationship to end. It will always be down to YOU to end it. Your Cluster B does not believe you will ever have the strength to go. He/she believes you are bound to him/her. You may now find yourself in a situation where you are being physically abused, or the abuse may be emotional (but no less damaging). At this stage you MUST acknowledge your mistake and get out.It's the hardest thing to admit we've chosen the wrong person. It's even harder to face up to the fact that you never really knew this person, but face up to it you must. It can only go one of two ways now. You either 'pull the escape cord' or you condemn yourself to a life of misery.
Even during the despair stage, you may still have moments when you want to cling to your Cluster B. This is normal. You've been made to feel you could not possibly cope in the outside world without your Cluster B, but you can. At this stage of the journey, you MUST get outside help. Friends, family, neighbours, it doesn't matter. Reach out.Your Cluster B is probably already cultivating another relationship by now, but still he/she will not release you from their clutches. There will be the odd moment of attempted emotional blackmail, but you have to remain strong.
In order to escape a Cluster B, you MUST get into the driving seat. Your Cluster B will do all he/she can to put obstacles in your way, but you have to just put your head down and roll with the punches.Even if your Cluster B is not an axe wielding maniac by now (not many turn into Jack Nicholson), don't underestimate how dangerous he/she can be to your long term well being.
Get the hell out, as fast as you can. Go as far away as possible, and DO NOT look back.Stage Five: Release
Assuming you've made the break (if you haven't, you'll be stuck in stage four indefinitely…or worse), you will quickly be catapulted into stage five. Once your Cluster B realises you've gained the strength to walk away, he/she will cut you loose…completely. You will find this both shocking and possibly even hurtful at first, but believe me, it's by far the best thing.Once you have rejected a Cluster B (you always reject them, they never do anything to drive you away… remember, they are always the wronged party), there is no going back. You will be dropped, and left high and dry. This is the stage when it becomes clear that you were never loved. You realise during the release stage that your Cluster B is not capable of feeling love. He/she lacks empathy and emotion. If there are children involved, it becomes painfully apparent during this stage that they too are just objects to a Cluster B. It's a devastating realisation, and it will send you into free-fall for a while, but you MUST accept it as the truth.
The person you fell in love with never existed, it was all an illusion.There's no easy way to deal with the release stage. You may feel elated one minute, then terrified the next. Again, get support from wherever you can. Look back over your time together and try to pin-point and acknowledge the different phases. This will help you to come to terms with what has happened, and accept the role you played in your Cluster Bs life. Don't turn the anger in on yourself. It was NOT your fault. Your Cluster B had this problem before you met, and he/she will continue to have this problem long after you're gone.
Cluster Bs rarely go to get help for themselves. They cannot acknowledge that they have a problem. Psychologists treat the Cluster Bs victims, rarely the Cluster Bs themselves.I strongly recommend that you get professional psychological support during the release stage. The only way you can let it go, is to understand it. And to do this you need expert guidance.
Draw comfort from the fact that you are not in this alone… and be proud that you managed to escape. Many don't.Wednesday 7 April 2010
Endings and beginnings
All of the Lycan Blood books can now be purchased at smashwords and kindle.
Book 5: The Exile Returns. Kindle Smashwords
Book 6: Kady's Vengeance. Kindle Smashwords
Book 7: The Shadowed Princes Kindle Smashwords
Susie Hawes Dragon Creed is out in kindle and smashwords.
Book 5: The Exile Returns. Kindle Smashwords
Book 6: Kady's Vengeance. Kindle Smashwords
Book 7: The Shadowed Princes Kindle Smashwords
Susie Hawes Dragon Creed is out in kindle and smashwords.
When you're the only dragon in a country where magic is illegal, what's a dragon gonna do? Fechum is an old dragon, lonely and crippled. Farquarte is his human apprentice. The society they live in is oppressive, over-regulating its citizens and suppressing its magical people. Farquarte decides the government needs an attitude change.
Join him and his beleaguered cohorts as they lock horns with the system. Viva La Revolucion!
Sunday 28 February 2010
Restored and Expanded
The new editions of the Lycan Blood series are expanded and revised. There is something here for both old fans and new readers.
Threads that were dropped by the original publisher, Renebooks, have been restored.
What's new?
Find out what Jordan Sinclair was doing prior to his late arrival in the saga following the death of his father.
Discover how Faerwald Davies and Lairgan Yates first ran afoul of Jordan.
Meet the people that Belgair Doherty was sending all those letters to.
And, best of all, you can now purchase the books in all popular ebook formats through Smashwords.
Sunday 21 February 2010
Kindle Editions Out Now!
We've made our first venture into the realm of Kindle publishing, with a quartet of Janrae Frank's books. Get them now!
Sunday 14 February 2010
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