Cindy Tomamichel's Blog: World Building

It’s always a thrill to release a new book! My fantasy novel Wintersun is up for preorder and releases Oct 23rd, and my collection of fantasy stories is in all the ebook stores already. Both are 99c at the moment.

Wintersun was probably the most fun to write. It’s an epic fantasy quest, and I’ve got all my favourite elements of fantasy – barbarians, sword fights, dragons, earth magic and of course, sentient apes. I tried for Conan, but the hero Grieve ended up with a sense of humour, and a gentle heart which saw him giving his last coin to the needy and using his strength to help where he could. His sister Jana was a bit more assertive, as she battles with learning how to manage her magic of trees, while the dark side of magic tempts her with its power.

This book was inspired by my favourite authors – RE Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs, and I hope I do them justice. It started with a one word prompt in a writing group, then grew to a short story, then blossomed into a novel during one heady month of Nano. I had a pencil drawn map as a plot guide, and the words poured out, which as a writer I can say that is a glorious feeling and the main reason I write.

The short story collection of fantasy stories now completes my series – including Tales of Imagination, Romance and Science Fiction. I will do a box set collection with some bonus material at some stage in the future. There’s some weird stuff in there, so I hope readers enjoy it.

I’ve included an excerpt of Wintersun below, the first page. As Maeve would say “Time to die, demons!” I trust you enjoy it, and remember, authors need reviews!

Wintersun link

Wintersun youtube video

Blurb

In a land of endless Winter, two heroes are born. Jana has the magic of trees, Grieve has something…other than magic.

An oath to save their world will shape their destiny. End the Winter brought by the Ice Lord and his demons.

Enslaved by the ice demons, Grieve’s path to discovering his dark heritage will force him to become a gladiator, dragon rider, and pirate. Jana battles the lure of the dark side of power as she strives to control her magic.

It’s not going to be an easy journey. But there will be dragons.

Wintersun is an old school epic fantasy quest with fabulous beasts and extraordinary heroes.

Excerpt

An icy wind tore through the small mountain hut. It carried cold and the thin keening sound of hunger. “Maeve…” it called, “Maaeevvee…”

Maeve’s nostrils flared. Stronger than the stench of blood and birth was the scent of evil. Predators that hunted her once more.

Biting hard on the leather strap gripped in her teeth, she grunted, expelling the placenta onto the birthing hide. Glancing at her baby, she tied the cord and gathered her close. The blood smeared girlchild moved strongly in her arms, and a tiny fist batted her on the cheek.

“Be strong daughter. We have a battle to fight yet,” Maeve whispered. She wrapped the babe and tied her against her breast, making sure she was secure. She would need both hands free in the battle to come. “Do not worry, I will not let them get you.” She relaxed as she felt the babe suckle.

The wind keened again, and Maeve shivered. The hungry sound was closer. Not for a few weeks had she heard that sound, and she had hoped she would birth in the village far below. But yesterday they had found her, and a fall down a snowy cliff had hastened her birth time by a week.

One night a bride, nine months a widow. She looked down at the reddish hair of her daughter, she was so like Gareth, the babe’s father.

“Oh Gareth, why did you not let me die with you?” The baby cooed at the sound of her voice, and she whispered to her, “maybe you are the answer.” The tiny hut around her held memories of love and death, courage, and darkness. For a brief time, Maeve allowed herself to remember, wishing Gareth was here to see his daughter. The little girl in her arms was all she had left of her husband. Maeve, woozy from birth and blood loss, let her memories overtake her.

Wintersun link

Tales of Fantasy

Explore the strange journeys into different worlds in this collection. An eclectic mix of magic, the paranormal, hauntings, poems and experiences well outside the normal.

What did the dog discover? The son of Odysseus, A future museum, Spring, Shieldmaiden, A Victorian tale of horror, The ball on the road, Mist time once again, Silver as the moonlight, Observations on Earth, loyal furry friends, a different sort of werewolf, Charlotte’s children, a twisted tale of parenting, Goldilocks post bears, Flying over Oz, the heritage of a lost princess, a statue’s musings, a poem of relentless pursuit, a ghostly encounter, an unwished for superpower, money and power are not the whole of life, the sons of deities on Earth, and an epic poem of adventure.

Escape the everyday with twenty-five short stories, flash fictions and poems.

Buy link

Watch youtube book trailer

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, you will have to wait a while. My publisher has gone kaput, and I’ll be re releasing the box set of the series next year. Sign up to my newsletter to keep informed.

I have a fantasy fan fiction novel on Archive of Our Own. If a bold new adventure in Narnia, Middle Earth and the world of Harry Potter tempts you, check it out via this link . Be sure to leave a comment and some kudos! Check out the book trailer via this link .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.  Or hopeful speculative fiction? Check out It Takes a Village.

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance and the latest Tales of Science Fiction.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is still free.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance and/or a scifi story Sign up here.

The post New Release fantasy appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

I am posting to let you know there is a marvelous new anthology out – It Takes A Village. Published by Purple Toga, it is a collection of speculative fiction authors. I am proud to be a part of this inspiring work. The world needs a few more stories that give us hope and inspire us to work towards a better future.

United by Care, Divided by Stories.

Discover how diverse tales of empathy and aid weave into the vibrant tapestry of human connection, challenging and changing us.

This speculative-fiction anthology brings together a compelling collection of science-fiction and fantasy stories that explore the profound impact of care on the human experience. From futuristic societies to intimate personal narratives, each tale delves into what it means to support one another in a world that’s often indifferent. Through the eyes of seasoned authors and fresh voices alike, this anthology unravels the threads of altruism that connect us, inviting readers to reflect on the ways we impact each other’s lives. Perfect for anyone who cherishes the power of giving and receiving care, these stories not only speculate but inspire.

With original stories by:Anaïs ChartschenkoAssaph MehrCindy TomamichelDouglas LumsdenEric KleinJane JagoJoyce C MandrakeKody BoyeMarie-Hélène LebeaultMeir Michael FogelUlff LehmannThe stories include:Assorted gods (old and new)A criminal trial and shadowy government agenciesColony ships and interstellar travelTangible benefits on the merit of care and compassionFantasy social justiceArtificial Intelligence (of various flavours)Utopian and Dystopian futures

So I encourage everyone to go buy a copy! But if that’s not possible, please ask for a free review copy via Story Origin just click on the link buttons below.

Buy linksFree copy for review

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

I have a fantasy fan fiction novel on Archive of Our Own. If a bold new adventure in Narnia, Middle Earth and the world of Harry Potter tempts you, check it out via this link . Be sure to leave a comment and some kudos! Check out the book trailer via this link .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.  

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance and the latest Tales of Science Fiction.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance and/or a scifi story Sign up here.

The post New Release Anthology appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

The laws of the land reflect history and past morals, and hopefully the growth of a society into one that cares for their citizens rather than punishment. Sounds utopian? Perhaps, but that is what books are for – to dream of a place to escape the realities of our times.

Laws are made in a few different ways. The system used by Commonwealth countries such as Australia are based on the rich history of legal precedent of the UK. That said, we used the structure, but it’s not a copy- Australia and New Zealand were the first to legislate for women to vote. But one law builds on another, with backup guidelines, various agencies and several levels of government to manage different parts of the laws.

There are benefits to historical legislation that eventually it is accepted as a societal norm. The problems lie in the change of acceptable behaviours and the slowness of changing legislation to reflect current norms. The status of women, child labour laws, human rights, and food standards are all things that seem to be have to be fought for and changed every generation. Each time money can be used to sway the opinion of politicians and the public.

So for writing, the world in a stable legal system can ignore much of it as a given. But it can be a vital part of a book that involves mystery, crime dramas, police etc as characters. For drama we can add in protestors, criminals within the system, all sorts of plot twists. Or even go a little into the past and explore the world in the 60’s before no fault divorce, women being unable to have their own bank accounts, or further back to even darker times. Or examine the way legislation treated the mentally ill, or the criminalisation of drug addiction, or the failed prohibition of alcohol. Or explore the more recent past, where the pandemic revealed surprising government powers to corral the population. 

 Star Trek epitomises the development of law into a stable world and even galaxy spanning government system. A world order of peace, where people work for the common good, not just to survive. A hard fought society, coming after eugenics wars and no doubt many smaller disputes. But it’s not all a bed of roses. Quite often the crew are endangered by local planet laws and customs. I recall reading a very old scifi short story (author escapes me) where the local laws involved eating visitors. Or laws develop on a colony planet based on a bastardized set of rules from the lost ship, as in Midworld by Alan Dean Foster.

Fantasy novels often default to a semi medieval system of crime and punishment. Often brutal with police or guards wielding power. Royalty is also often a feature, with power struggles and wars offering employment and drama. RE Howard’s Hyborian age with Conan was such a world, although he varied it with leadership by religious sects, proper kingdoms and more remote tribal laws. A travel quest can become entangled in many variations of local laws and customs, not to mention the ‘we don’t like strangers in town’ scenario.

Laws may also be on a smaller scale, limited to the word of the chieftain of the area. Solomon deciding the fate of the baby in the bible is one such type. Justice then depended on the morality and honesty of the law givers, or on the ability to provide a bribe or wield influence.

Religion is often a powerful influence on legislation. The Ten Commandments, the decisions of the Druids, the words of the Delphic prophecy, the results of entrail divination. These all reflect the balance of power of the time and can therefore cause some ghastly consequences for some segments of society. The personal battle of a lawgiver against a lawbreaker in the family for instance. Do they sacrifice their child to the letter of the law, or do they realise it’s harshness and run? Stephen Donaldson explores this anguish in his Thomas Covenant series quite often. The conflict often breaks the person into madness.

It’s been interesting and horrific to see the changes in the USA because of underlying religious and political beliefs and probably a lot of dark money. A system that looks superficially like the more stable Westminster system, yet is based on elected judges, sheriffs, etc that vary judgments based on their political and personal beliefs. A system based on individual rights rather than the more socialist taking care of people. Interesting and horrifically close to the post apocalypse genre in many ways.

Some of the darkest times in history are when a powerful leader controls a regime and makes more laws that crush human rights. In many parts of the world this is still the case. We as a world have fought against these people, and out of those times comes examples of heroism, of bravery against the odds, and horrors too. But stories emerge, and ones that explore the darkest aspects of what it is to be human.

So legislation can be a dull topic, but within it is the past, when people fought for change. It also holds the seeds of the future, a society of balance and peace, and growth for all beings.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

I have a fantasy fan fiction novel on Archive of Our Own. If a bold new adventure in Narnia, Middle Earth and the world of Harry Potter tempts you, check it out via this link . Be sure to leave a comment and some kudos! Check out the book trailer via this link .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.  

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance and the latest Tales of Science Fiction.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance and/or a scifi story Sign up here.

The post World Building: Law appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

A hard topic to cover as it has been so much of a current issue that inflames egos, ideals, and often prejudices. However, once people get together, they will form groups with the primary intention of telling others how things should be. Politics, money, and power play a large role in most societies, and it is hard to avoid even in story books.

A word of warning to authors. Your political views are not the theme to explore in a book, unless you are writing specifically to that. Animal Farm, 1984, anything by Solzhenitsyn and often post apocalypse novels all have a barrow to push in terms of “this system is bad, my one is better”. If you can make a decent story out of it, then go for it. Otherwise, it becomes a heavy handed effort that will turn readers off any of your books. Not all people, or indeed countries, will think as you do. But a good effort will get readers thinking, and that’s always a good thing.

Historical fiction, including time travel, well, you might think that’s easy because we know what was happening. But do we? As the old saying goes, history is written by the victors. Ancient Roman men writing about Boudicca’s revolt frame it into their own mindset and miss important details such as where the battle was held. History also tends to whitewash out the contributions that are made by women and minorities. It is also a fact that in most respects, society has moved on. No one now thinks slavery is a good idea, or food regulation is a bad idea. But they used to – and this can be hard to work into a novel without diluting the attitudes of your characters or making them sound terrible if you don’t.

Interpretation of history or archaeology is also changeable. The bias of a researcher may give you the impression that women don’t contribute past reproductive age, whereas more recent research suggests that surviving elders are important for the generations to learn and survive. It’s not all stone tools, sometimes a story may be just as important.

Research for any genre is essential. I’d suggest getting a firm understanding of political systems if your book needs details. Know how the world manages itself, and how it does not. Learn about things outside your local experience – although this is good advice generally for any writer. You may discover some cherished beliefs are not as widespread as you thought. Ask questions that relate to your book – a multi novel series may need info on the changing political system over the span of the fall of the Roman Empire, whereas another may explore the politics of power at a tribal level.

For fantasy – research might be the key to a believable world if you base it (like many others) on a semi medieval system with castles, lords, peasants and wandering heroes. But these all run the risk of sameness. At the most basic, there will be some system of power, and someone (with associated toadies) in control. The character may have an important role inside or outside the system, based on the level of corruption, crime or otherwise.

Fantasy can have the tendency to be an intensive world build. Look at Tolkien, spending years creating an immense history of the world of middle earth – races, songs, wars, genealogy. It can all get very laborious to write and read. Still, if that’s your thing, go for it. A detailed made-up world is a joy for others to enter.

Fantasy can also have a message that can be slipped in. Pratchett has an immensely detailed world, full of inter species conflict and harmony, politics and schemes. While brutal, the logic of Vetinari is a lesson to all in running a city where everyone is vying for power. The evolving job of Vimes teaches us about living in relative harmony with different folk and accepting those differences as every bit as valid as your own quirks.

Science fiction can look forward to a future that spins out the threads of the present. That of course may be a good or a bad thing. An apocalypse based on the worst aspects of current politics of the USA ends up violently bad, with militias controlling the innocent, and the innocent dying or becoming something they dread. Adding religion into this mix gives you Heinlein’s dead hell scape in “The Number of the Beast” where the future of the USA ended in a nuclear war.

Alternatively, we have a more optimistic view of the future in Star Trek, where people no longer labour for profit but for the common good. Humanity faces a constant battle to improve and learn, but overall harmony and cooperation is the key theme. The concept of a global government system is clearly something to work on, and whether such an administrative nightmare can exist is something to ponder.

Another scifi theme is a utopia. Born often out an AI system that controls the weather, food etc, it is often seen as a bad thing for humanity. Without the conflict and struggle of existence, are we still human and evolving? From Wall-E, Rousseau, to HG Wells to Star Trek, Gattaca and Logan’s Run, many authors have toyed with the idea. Once again, the story should triumph over the message.

Romance can happily avoid politics altogether, unless a source of conflict is needed. Can a left leaning match with a far right? Two worlds, and two very different ideologies. I am not sure that politics is a great fit for romance, for after all, romance is the one we read most for escapism. The author runs the risk of alienating readers and pleasing no one.

Adding politics into a novel also runs the risk of massive info dumps. While it can be explored via dialogue, this can create very weird conversations. Are you writing to blow your horn, or entertain? Remembering that while you are interested in a battle six hundred years ago that influences the pattern of gown Princess Hortense wore to the ball, I fear these sections are the ones most skipped over by readers. A light and deft hand is needed to insert politics into a novel.

So politics in your novel can be a balancing act. Too little and the world lacks some basic foundations. Too much and your reader may fail to accept the message you are inadvertently promoting. Like many human invented activities, everyone has an opinion on it. There is a good reason politics is avoided in dinner table discussions.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

I have a fantasy fan fiction novel on Archive of Our Own. If a bold new adventure in Narnia, Middle Earth and the world of Harry Potter tempts you, check it out via this link . Be sure to leave a comment and some kudos! Check out the book trailer via this link .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.  

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance and the latest Tales of Science Fiction.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance and/or a scifi story Sign up here.

The post World Building: Politics appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

I’ve been writing about world building for several years now, and nearly at fifty blogs. However, I am thinking of ending the blog this year and turning them into an ebook. This will then be a part of my Organized Author series on helping authors and writers.

So, to get to the point of this blog! As a reader and probable writer, I am asking if you have any topics that you would like to see covered this year. What part of world building gives you problems? Or is there some area that you would like some more research and thoughts on?

Or perhaps you write in a genre I haven’t covered? I myself write under the blanket term of ‘speculative fiction’ which covers scifi, fantasy, and time travel, but leaves my contemporary romantic comedy out in the cold. I’d like to include you if you feel left out!

If you have some ideas or questions, please hit reply to this email, or comment on the website below. All replies will get a free ebook copy of the World Building book when it releases. If you have something published, I’ll happily do a spot of promotion as well.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

I have a fantasy fan fiction novel on Archive of Our Own. If a bold new adventure in Narnia, Middle Earth and the world of Harry Potter tempts you, check it out via this link. Be sure to leave a comment and some kudos! Check out the book trailer via this link.

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.  

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance and the latest Tales of Science Fiction.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance and/or a scifi story Sign up here.

The post World Building: Reader Query appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

I’ll keep this one brief, I am sure everyone has more things to do than read another email!

World building blogs will resume next year. If you are a writer struggling with some aspect of world building, feel free to reply to this email and suggest a topic. If you need help with marketing graphics and such, remember I do this as a side hustle, and have gift cards available for that struggling author in your life. All proceeds go to an animal charity.

I’ll wrap up the year with a series of links to free books, which is always nice after the expenses of the holiday season.

All my self published books are free on the Smashwords end of year sale, so nip along and grab up some bargains. There are a heap of different genres from a huge number of authors. Click on this link for the general promo. Here is another link for my books. You can also gift these to people, so surprise everyone with a nice ebook!

If you are interested in signing up for my newsletter, I usually have a few other authors books in each one, as well as any news about my own books. There are two freebie short stories on offer with the newsletter, a scifi ‘When Earth needed heroes’ and a two story set of romance in the later years in ‘New Beginnings’. Sign up here.

After a free fantasy read that will take you back to the books of your younger years? Spend Winter again fighting the White Witch, journey through darkest Mirkwood, and see Voldemort defeated once more. A genre blend like no other! Free fantasy fan fiction: “The Unexpected Journey” on ArchiveofOurOwn. Feel free to comment.

Other newsletters of interest are the Scifi Roundtable newsletter, which showcases indie scifi and fantasy authors. You can sign up here. Another one which sends out a daily short read and is currently running a free book advent calendar is the Working Title blog spot. You can follow them here. It’s run by the talented authors Jane Jago and E.M. Swift-Hook and is always worth a read.

Anyways, have a gentle holiday season, and wishing you a new year that brings joy and happiness.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available for preorder. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet for a special preorder price of 99c via this Link .

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

The post Christmas 2022 appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

Death is as much a part of life as it is a plot twist in fiction. Authors can use it to grab the heartstrings of their readers and tear apart expectations. If that character can die, who is safe?

Matthew Reilly writes in his author notes for one of the Scarecrow novels, that the death of a main character is deliberate. While it is part of the plot, it is his way of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. If a main character dies and the hero can’t rescue them in time, then no one is safe. The mask of superhero immunity is torn away, and every action sequence can result in death or disablement. Even a child – one of the teens gets an amputation, which is probably a step too far for many authors and readers. However, the character shows their courage in continuing, giving themself first aid, and then living without too many hangups about it. One other character, Mother, with a titanium foot, lost it saving the hero, then uses her lack of foot to imaginatively fake death later on.

Sci-fi gets an interesting opportunity to explore future technology and emotions. Star Trek often has a character sacrifice themselves for the ship and the crew. In most cases this is a chance for an emotional farewell as their body is spaced. In Strange New Worlds we have the Pike conundrum (spoilers sweetie!) where the audience and he knows his eventual fate. Can he escape it? How can he live ten years knowing he ends up with a terrible and painful fate? What sort of person can deal with that fore knowledge? In the best traditions of Trek, we know Pike can, but also it is a double sacrifice. Amping up the agony, he not only knows who he cannot save, but that he must let his future unfold because otherwise the galaxy is plunged into war. He faces that he is less important in changing the world and must take a back seat to others. Not an easy task, and it provides a great deal of thought and plot twists to manage this successfully, particularly as the audience want him to escape his fate, all the while knowing he will not.

Historical fiction must deal with the lottery of life in the past. A shorter life span, a high infant and mother mortality rate, and various disgusting diseases can put a character down faster than you can say syphilis. But it is a chance to contrast modern society’s sanitisation of death. Death was a close part of life in the past. From bodies being left in the house for a wake and realistic photos of the dead, to actual ancestors in the walls of the house, the dead were with the living. The line between death and life was blurred rather than sharp. Yet the pain of grief was the same sharp, deep wound that we feel today.

As the Queen passed recently, she was quoted as saying that “grief is the price we pay for love.” It is another of the shared emotions that make us human, and one that an author can use to bond with the reader. In this, perhaps more than other ways, the author may be closer to the reader than at any other stage, such is the personal nature of grief. Readers cry over books when a character dies, and how others react may help a reader cope with grief in their own lives. The processing the character goes though is important. Do they wail and let it out? Lock it down to be dealt with later? Change their own path in homage to the deceased? Reilly and Shaver both have their characters going through therapy to deal with PTSD. Conan often loses companions, and has a short period of revering their strengths, or avenging their deaths, both cathartic reactions in a time without therapists.

Stephen Donaldson in his lengthy Covenant series uses death as a vital part of the plot. Not only does the death affect people and events in the far future, the emotions of guilt, grief and how people react as a result are also woven tightly into the plot. The death of past characters also plays a big part in shaping the person, and consequently their actions. That this shaping is not immediately apparent to others is yet another layer of impact. The characters working through their understanding of this trauma and pain is a powerful and integral part of the plot. As is the reason for death – self sacrifice places a powerful burden of survivor guilt and Linden Avery gets a barrow load of it from the Bloodguard.

So, people dying is one thing. If you are a reader of Game of Thrones or Terry Goodkind, or the EMP series Nightfall by Kevin Partner, then continued death in many varied and horrible ways eventually becomes a bit numbing. But one type of death never does – the death of an animal. Who watched or read Aliens and ignored the cast dying while watching frantically for the cat? It is a plot action authors should think carefully about, as many readers stop reading at that point, and may never trust you again on the issue. But it can be a feel good moment as well, such as Data finding his cat Spot after he thought him lost. We saw an android cry, people. Powerful stuff.

Another novel type is where the animals are anthropomorphized so they are almost people with some animal characteristics. In this way, an author can get away with the wrenching heartbreak of an animal death, although it’s still not easy. Several books come to mind – Watership Down by Richard Adams and A Dog’s Purpose by Bruce Cameron. Both highly recommended, but still emotional reads. Animal Farm by George Orwell is similar, although it is so much a metaphor that they are scarcely animals. Charlottes Web by EB White is another that allows children to come to terms with the death of a beloved character, even if they previously disliked spiders. Although it skirts the whole liking bacon problem. Perhaps the answer is the animal must become a hero like Rheepicheep in CS Lewis’s The Dawn Treader, in order to sooth their passing.

So it is worth thinking through the impact of a character death, as it can reverberate through a series and affect events far in the future. It also affects your readers, and the way it is handled may determine if they continue reading your books.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available for preorder. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet for a special preorder price of 99c via this Link.

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

The post World Building: Death appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

A special blog to let readers know that my science fiction action adventure novel Underground Planet is now available!

Now who wants a little taste? Here is the blurb:

Renegade female mercenaries and hired killers.

A treasure hidden for a thousand years.

But old secrets never die – and some treasures should remain hidden.

Inside a planet wide labyrinth of mining tunnels, metal processing, acid waste levels, and abandoned cities is a thriving, genetically engineered ecosystem of predators, prey, and mutant humans. Constantly evolving and always hungry.

It’s a race against time as the teams fight to survive the planet and each other.

There are no prizes for coming second.

Get there first – or die.

You can grab a copy at bookstores here It is ebook now, and will be in paperback soon. You could also gift a copy to friends – get that Christmas shopping done early!

Here is a sneak peek.

Underground Planet: Chapter 1

Chagar took a long look up and down the crowded street of brothels, drug dens, and pubs. On this planet, everything had a price. All the known sins, and quite a few he wished he was still ignorant about, could be bought here.

At least for the moment no one seemed interested in him. He had shaken off his pursuers, but for how long?

“Watch yourself, mutant.”

 Chagar dodged, but not fast enough. The limp body thudded at his feet, splashing him with the putrid slops from the gutter. Automatically calculating the microbe count, he cursed. Sometimes ignorance would be preferable.

The pub doors slammed against the walls as a tall woman in worn army fatigues shouldered them aside. “That’ll teach ya to talk nice to a lady,” she snarled, giving the body a solid boot in the ribs. “You lost, mate?” She glanced up at Chagar, her mass of braids swinging around her dark brown face.

 “No ma’am,” Chagar chanced a smile.

 “Ma’am, eh? I like you, c’mon in.” She used her ample hips to swing the doors aside as she went back into the pub.

 Chagar grimaced as he followed her. His inbuilt nose filters struggled to cope with the stench of old urine and beer slops that oozed from the doorway. She is just what I need. Two months on this terrible planet, searching through the endless pubs and brothels. Rest and recreation planet indeed, the things he had seen here he would need brain bleach to forget. For a moment, the memory of his quiet lab far underground tugged at him, then he pushed through the doors and went in, trying to ignore the moist carpet sucking at his bare feet.

He glanced around. This pub was even seedier and more disgusting than the rest he had seen. There were quite a few people, most skulking in the dark corners, with a few lying on the floor near the kitchen moaning quietly to themselves. He ordered a beer and looked around. A thin man with the gaunt face of the drug-addled eyed him. Chagar flexed his armoured shoulders, and the man slipped away. Chagar smiled. It wasn’t the first time his appearance had scared people off. On this terrible planet of mercenaries, even his genetically engineered modifications didn’t stand out in the mix of cyborg parts, body weapons and scars. He sipped his beer, holding it carefully so he didn’t crush the glass.

Female laughter sounded from the corner near the kitchen, and he signalled the barman for a bottle of whiskey. This had to be the group he had heard about, the only team brave or foolhardy enough to sign up for a job against MineCorp.

 He sat the bottle on their table and stood back. He had learned a lot about soldiers in the two months he had been away from home, more than he was comfortable knowing. He would be glad to get back. This planet was so alien, nothing had tried to eat him for the entire time, and he never thought he would miss that. He cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Well, well Sarge, look who followed you home,” the stocky man slurred. His visible eye was bloodshot, red veins woven across the white like the web of a crack addict spider. His remaining eye was covered by a metal eyepatch that was pop riveted to his face, partially obscuring a large, jagged scar crossing his forehead. He was seated between two women, blonde-haired and identical. They belched in unison and then collapsed into giggles. The man had one hand on the table, and Chagar had no doubt the hand under the table held a weapon.

“Shut up, Jock,” the dark woman replied and Chagar guessed she was Sarge. Yes, this was the group he had been told about. Women mercenaries, led by…he frowned.

 “Who’s the boss here?” He glanced around, stepping closer to the table. “I don’t have much time. I have a job for you. I repeat, where is your boss?”

Sarge raised an eyebrow at him, and the twins stopped giggling.

 “That would be me,” said a voice behind him.

Chagar turned, relieved.

“I am Johanna.” The voice was creamy and deep and oozed femininity. She pronounced her name like a title, the two syllables and the hard H sound hanging in the air with the dignity of a queen. She was tall, dressed in the same army fatigues as the rest, filling them with lush curves and firm muscles. Her hair was red brown and tied back in a long plait. Colourful tattoos wreathed her forehead; intricate lacy floral patterns disappeared into her hair. His eyes travelled up her body, stopping at her green eyes, which glittered like chips of glass in the smoky atmosphere.

“I am Chagar. I need to hire your team.”

“We are not desperate, but a new job would be welcome. Sit down and tell us your story, but remember, we get bored easily.” She introduced the group. Sarge grinned and shook hands, easily matching his for size. Jock and the twins — Daisy and Jasmine Longshanks — smiled, and Chagar swallowed hard. They were the most menacing smiles he had seen, and they were the good guys.

 “I don’t have much time.” He glanced back at the doorway.

“Yeah, you said. Get on with the story.” Johanna kicked a chair towards him, turning her own chair so she could watch the crowd.

He sat, hoping the flimsy chair would hold him. Glancing at Sarge’s size, he was reassured. Her body didn’t just hint at womanly curves, it screamed. He cleared his throat. “My planet is a mining planet. My people are gene-enged for mining, we are slaves to our creators. MineCorp…”

 “Shh,” Johanna hissed. “We hate them too, but we are not stupid enough to yell it out it in a pub.”

 There was a commotion at the door as a tall man with the too perfect face of a god walked in. Elegant clothes and a long jacket set off his well-muscled figure; thick, reddish hair flowed down to his shoulders.

“Their body weight in gold for anyone who brings me the mutant and the females.” He pointed to Chagar. Like sharks sensing fresh prey, all eyes in the pub focused on Chagar.

“Come get some of this good stuff, McAllister, if you’re man enough,” Sarge yelled back, pulling out a handgun.

Grab your copy and make sure to leave a review.

Book link – all stores

The post New Release: Underground Planet appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

Oh no! The main character has been injured! Help! Getting hurt is an experience we can all relate to, whether it is a paper cut or something far more disabling. The experience of a character and how they react, as well as how it impacts on the story is a vital part of a novel. Ouch!

Let’s start small. A burn, cut or blister can all impact the action. I read an apocalypse style novel recently, and in the escape from the immediately violent city dwellers, the well-equipped heroine got a blister on her heel. Wincing in sympathy, I continued as she fought off a rapist and headed to the woods. However, the blister vanished, never to be mentioned again. Did this annoy me? Yes. Firstly, she was supposed to be a prepper, so having boots she had never worn was a lack of foresight, plus we all know blisters don’t disappear. Certainly, she had a lot on her mind, but things like blisters are not easily forgotten, they tend to take over thought as they are painful and get worse. That small detail was enough to make me give up reading the book and hence the series. Details matter.

The effect of a small injury differs with genre. A sci-fi novel may have a magical hypospray that fixes it instantly. A romance may use it as a way to show the sympathetic nature of the hero or heroine. A fantasy, well, a sword and sorcery barbarian would hardly notice a small injury. However there is a good chance for infection and later delirium or they may encounter a witch, exchanging sexual favours for healing as Conan often did. It’s a good chance to slot in a bit of world building, with sterilising a knife to lance something, using flax linen torn from clothes, or even a handful of broad-leafed comfrey or plantain leaves or some herb laced poultice.

Major injuries are a bit harder to handle, as they can slow or stop the pace of the story. Do they need time to recover? Where? What do the rest of the characters do in the meantime? In Stephen Donaldson’s Covenant series, he was injured quite often, and each time the healing was a revelation in terms of plot, problems, or the use of magic in the Land. Quite often an injury became a sacrifice for the greater good. The old healer in the forest died treating his poison and broken ankle. With the giants, Pitchwife caused the death of his wife’s father as he saved the ship. Horror in death was tempered with the joy of sacrifice life for the rest of the ship. With a healthy dose of survivor guilt.

Injuries can be a way to show character. In an action adventure, injuries are expected as part of the plot, yet can become quite unrealistic. Many action movies have stepped way past the realism line, with a face punch going from one to dozens and they are still upright. Normal people can’t relate to that, and it becomes entirely unrealistic superhero stuff. There is little chance to show how being hurt affects the characters as they shake it off, maybe bleeding a bit for show. They become plastic figures and lack depth.

The best movie for a real treatment of injuries in the Die Hard series. We can flinch along with John McClane as he runs barefoot on glass, and later we see the horrifying glass extraction. There is a is a nice bit of foreshadowing in the action starting so fast he can’t pause to put on shoes, and then the dead bad guy is the wrong shoe size. We know lack of shoes will mean something nasty. He also looks wrecked by the movie end and gets in an ambulance. We can sympathise, but also that he is so tough he presses on in pain to be the man that is a hero.

The reaction to an injury is all interesting. How do the others react, or are they facing it alone? Do people panic, or start tearing off their shirt for a bandage? Reacting in a competent way makes any further hard choices more believable. The flip side is someone panics. They may go into shock or faint at the sight of blood. If this is the beginning of a novel, then there is a good chance to show character growth. Alternatively, the character may be a weak part of the team and get killed by panicking at danger, or possibly redeem a villain with an unexpected sacrifice. In Stranded by Theresa Shaver, the teenagers were stranded at Disneyland by a grid down EMP. One character progresses from a makeup obsessed girl to one that kills her rapist and eventually is a complete badass by series end. Another starts as popular and successful sports star, and once this is stripped away, revealed as an incompetent panicker and dies.

So it is well worthwhile exploring the role of injury in a novel. Everyone is affected, including the reader. How the author exploits that can turn a novel from entertaining to gut wrenching realism, which is remembered long after a superhero is forgotten.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My newest scifi book is now available for preorder. It’s a scifi military action adventure, with a good dose of snappy one liners, and an environment that is out of this world! Pick up Underground Planet for a special preorder price of 99c via this Link.

My latest romance book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

The post World Building: Injury appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

Finishing a long project is always a momentous occasion whether it’s a novel or it’s a project of your own. The sense of accomplishment should not be under rated. From a reader’s perspective, the ending of a novel can also be of interest. Certainly, it is another area to agonise over for the author.

Writing “The End” is really just the start of a whole list of other jobs that need doing before the reader gets a book. What has ended is the fun, creative phase – which is why some novels probably never get finished. There are so many different things that need to be done to create the book that often the author can lose enthusiasm and energy. They might be dealing with creative burnout. Then there’s several rounds of editing, and a cover to consider, crafting an enticing blurb, as well as marketing and really it never ends.

It becomes even more difficult with a series. An author has to (or probably should do) work out from the very beginning how each of the novels will end. Of course, some just wing it, but this can cause problems if they are publishing them as they go – what if you need to change something in book 1? Then the ending itself – a cliff hanger, or a smooth transition to the next? A cliffhanger is exciting, and theoretically should prompt a reader into purchasing the next book.  But then I’ve seen reviews that say they feel gypped because it ended on a cliffhanger and they don’t like being forced to buy the next book. Either way you can’t win.

Another way to finish off the book which is when an author kills off the main character. I am looking at you, Charles Dickens. It happened to me recently when I was reading a historical romance and it had the main character get nearly all the way through the novel and then she died of fever which is quite unusual for romance.

It can also happen that an author really dislikes his character. Arthur Conan Doyle was notorious for disliking his creation of Sherlock Holmes so much he pushed off the Reichenbach Falls. With the incentive of buckets of cash of waived under his nose he did resurrect him. However, there are there many that say that Holmes has never the same after that – and of course a character being written by reluctant author will reflect in the writing. Or if it is a long running series, perhaps the author farms it out to ghost writers. Leslie Charteris did this with his Saint series. I was thrilled to find out Harry Harrison wrote “Vendetta for the Saint’ and did a good job. He also wrote the Stainless Steel Rat series, which I often thought was like The Saint in space/the future, so I do wonder which inspiration came first.

 Of course a novel or series might not be finished for a number of reasons. An author may pass away unfortunately before the series is finished, such as the River of Time series. Or the author needs to do enormous amounts of research, such as the Clan of the Cave Bear series where she was researching for decades to write those books and finished the last one when she was well into her 80s or 90s. So you can imagine the enthusiasm for writing the last book must be quite low by the time you get to that stage. Then you have historical fiction writers who, because people now nitpick every single thing you write, spent hours researching a paragraph which might get reduced and edited into a sentence and sometimes not even used it all. The Thomas Covenant Unbeliever series is massive, and I read the author Stephen Donaldson was afraid to write the last book in case it did not live up to the rest of the series.

There are various reasons why it can be a long time before somebody gets to the end and then it gets out to the reading public and of course if it gets pirated they also never sees any profits. So readers are strongly advised not to pirate books if they’d like to see the author write more. Join a library if money is short, but most books are the price of a coffee. It’s always very disappointing to see a book stagnate, as it affects the next book, and any small amount of money the author makes.

So while The End is not strictly part of world building, it is part of the world of the novel. Does the end have a long draw out phase of appendices or does it end abruptly? A happy ever after or is the last page the first part of a zombie apocalypse? The ending can affect the readers perception of the writer for long after the book has been forgotten.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of   DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance .

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

The post World Building: The End appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.