Xenolith: Contemporary Fantasy

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by Moe The Cat

Xenolith? Xtraktiv? Shouldn't Lethe be Xethe?

Ew. You have a point there. But it's just a working title. "Xtraktiv" is actually the name of the fictional corporation that specializes in rigging resource contracts in favor of foreign (non-African) interests, and is not averse to contracting assassins.

Other possible titles:

"Vultures in the Playground" (which came to me because I drove by some vultures in the playground of an elementary school in Accra yesterday).

Or: "The Art of Darkness", which I'm hesitant to use because folks might find it pretentious.

I'm in Amsterdam now with a long layover.

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by dreams

Thank you for letting us know you are safe and well. It's great that you are finding some down time to write, and your new book sounds exciting.

Stay save and well and pop in to us again.

Thanks! Ghana was actually cushy compared to Ethiopia, where I'm headed for a longer trip in August. Last summer they had water AND electricity rationing. The hotel had water one day and electricity the next, the only time they had both (= hot showers) was when they ran the generators, which was not always predictable. But I hear the rains came early this year, so maybe we won't have to worry.

[Moe The Cat]

Originally Posted by ASparrow

Other possible titles:

"Vultures in the Playground" (which came to me because I drove by some vultures in the playground of an elementary school in Accra yesterday).

Or: "The Art of Darkness", which I'm hesitant to use because folks might find it pretentious.

If I had a vote, I would support "Vultures In The Playground". It's evokes some pretty vivid images.

And, rather than being pretentious, I think "The Art Of Darkness" is a little corny. Unless one of your characters is actually called "Art".

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by Moe The Cat

If I had a vote, I would support "Vultures In The Playground". It's evokes some pretty vivid images.

And, rather than being pretentious, I think "The Art Of Darkness" is a little corny. Unless one of your characters is actually called "Art".

Yeah, I think you're right. The second title (which shall no longer be mentioned) makes me wince.

Vultures, it is. (or should that be Xultures?)

[ASparrow]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand the logic of all this thread moving. I offer my book as a freebie and get moved out of Deals and Freebies, while "Shameless Self-promotions" get left behind in Deals and Freebies. I'm not complaining, I just want some help understanding the logic. Can someone please explain?

[dreams]

I'm sorry for the confusion. As we are an international forum, there is no down time while changes are being made. We are in the process of re-thinking some Forums, due to the constant commercial spamming and inappropriate posts.

Admittedly, this may be a time of confusion, but things will be sorted out soon and it will be much easier on what Forum a post should appear in.

The Shameless Thread has been successfully reopened and moved to the Author Self-Promotions forum.

There is a sticky thread on top for authors with additional information.

Thank you for your patience while changes are being made.

dreams
moderator

[ASparrow]

I apologize for my whiny tone. What you did makes perfect sense. I should have shut up and let you all do your job.

Peregrin = 44/61 revised. I think it will make a nice companion to Xenolith.

[ASparrow]

51/60 Chapters of Peregrin revised. Might any Beta readers be available in mid-August (August 15) perchance? I'm going to Ethiopia on the 16th (to a place in the boonies with no internet).

[ASparrow]

54/60 done. I'm getting excited to get this one finished. I'm looking forward to writing some completely new work, some of it fantasy, some of it not.

Xenolith is completely free now. No more "You Set The Price." I'll be doing the same to Peregrin when it's ready. I don't see the point of asking for money for something that's simply a labor of love. I feel the same way about my music.

I don't recommend that anyone download Lethe just yet. Although it's clean, copy-wise now, thanks to Beta readers, I've gone and covered a print-out with red ink correcting some clunky descriptions and dialogue as well as some redundancies and logical inconsistencies. I'll get it fixed and put up once I get back from Ethiopia. Don't even bother to look at Lethe unless you're among the small minority of readers who can stomach first person, present tense (otherwise known as reader repellent).

[ASparrow]

Back from cold and rainy and muddy Ethiopia to find that Xenolith has been vetted and approved by a panel of reviewers for a new ebook promotion site called PoDhouse UK for basic spelling / grammar / punctuation. They pass on making judgments of literary quality. That's up to you guys.

Here's a link:

http://www.podhouse.co.uk/Book_pages...y/xenolith.php

[astra]

Originally Posted by ASparrow

Back from cold and rainy and muddy Ethiopia

I thought it dry and hot over there in August...

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by astra

I thought it dry and hot over there in August...

Nope. Not in the highlands anyhow. It's always hot and dry in the Danakil desert up north and in the Somali regions down south (hot and damp in Omo and Gambela), but Addis Ababa was downright chilly and damp and Jimma (aka Mudville) was only slightly warmer. I had to take cold showers half the time, on top of it. Slept under a thick, fuzzy blanket and still shivered. Dry (warm) season doesn't start until mid-September but lasts all the way until May.


Although not a word is mentioned of Ethiopia in Xenolith, the land of Gi and its people are partly inspired by my experiences in Abyssinia.

[alvico]

Welcome home, ASparrow!

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by alvico

Welcome home, ASparrow!

Thanks!

I see you have a new book. Wonderful! I'll have to check it out.

[alvico]

I'm waiting to check out your non-fantasy thriller. How's that going?

Cheers
Vicki