She's Had Another Dragon Story Published

(I'm listening to Spies Like Us by Paul McCartney.)

This is a quick note to announce that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a new short story out there in the world for you to read. It's available in a magazine called Winter's Night with a variety of other authors and fantasy stories at http://lulu.com/wintersnight. This is the second edition of the magazine, although she has a non-dragon story titled A Legacy Protected in the first edition...

You can also find an edited version of the dragon story on Smashwords, for free. Look for Sandy Lender.

The story is titled Dragons in Crisis--Overcoming Neurosis, One Dragon at a Time.
(I don't come up with these titles; the crazy fantasy author does.)

All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: fantasy, Sandy Lender, dragon

She Sets Things on Fire

(I'm listening to I'll Be Home For Christmas sung by Bing Crosby.)

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, tried cooking again. The result, she nearly set things on fire in the kitchen. Now, I'm not an expert, but I had to tell her, even Chariss can boil eggs. Apparently, something with which she had nearly destroyed the kitchen a few days before had dripped beneath the burner and caused the problem. You can see in this image the calm aftermath...She got a little "loud" when I tried taking pictures during the height of the emergency.

I've suggested Sandy stick to writing and I'll see what I can do about keeping her fed.

All my best,
Nigel

Tags: sandy lender, fantasy

She Moved Her Dragon Blog

(I'm listening to American Science by Duran Duran.)

My Fantasy Author Sandy Lender is on my "naughty" list these days for the same reason she's getting "anger mail" from fans who demand Book III in the Choices series. She's stalled too long. Rest assured, I'm flogging her daily and will soon withhold chocolate until the book's rewrite is complete.

In the meantime, you can see her new-and-improved dragon blog on the Wordpress server. I hate to encourage such time-wasters, but she asked me so nicely...

Please visit http://TodayTheDragonWins.wordpress.com when you get a chance and click on the "Gimme Free Content!" button to get automatic updates when she's playing on the blog instead of finishing my bride's book.

All my best,
Nigel Taimain

Tags: dragon, Choices, Sandy Lender, fantasy

She's Stalling

(I'm listening to The Ghost in You by the Psychadelic Furs.)

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, got word today that her paranormal horror short story Desecrated Ring will be published by Keith Publications for their 13 Days of Halloween-fest this October. While I applaud her initiative and this ploy at marketing, I really want her to concentrate on my bride's story. She should be concentrating on Choices Made for All.

I'm sure I'll be asked to give you more information about all her publishing projects as they develop.

All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Desecrated Ring, Keith Publications

She's Getting Mail From Stress

(I'm not listening to music tonight; she has the television on.)

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, calls it a fitting end to a full and angst-ridden day. She received an e-mail from "Stress" with the subject of "Stress Doesn't Have to Win." It was sorely tempting to open, but she refrained. Too obviously spam, she said.

I'm turning the computer back over to her for writing purposes.

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, stress

She's Reminded Me To Do My Job

(I'm listening to 18 by Moby.)

And I've reminded her to do her job.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, had the gall to remind me after her online marketing presentation today that I haven't posted anything to this blog for a couple of months. In a move she referred to as "deflection," I informed her that I've nothing to promote because she hasn't refined the final novel in the Choices trilogy. My lovely bride, Chariss, is stuck in a sort of literary limbo as far as I know.

So while Sandy fixes a snack for me, I'm posting a little something here at the blog. When I'm finished, she promises to work on the Choices Made for All edits.

As it turns out, it's important that I continue to spread the good word about the current novels in which you can read Chariss's story. Choices Meant for Gods and Choices Meant for Kings are now available in Kindle format, as well as hardcover and pdf for Sony eReaders and smart phones and iPads and such. Both are rather important to ingest prior to diving into the third novel in the trilogy. Of course, I can't confirm that statement because Sandy won't let me read the third--

I'm being censored.

She informs me that it would be wise for readers to be familiar with the first two novels, thus I need to stay on topic. Personally, I think readers should get the novels just to read about Chariss, but Sandy has this hangup about the story being all-important. (These crazy writers.)

I welcome everyone to support my concept of placing great importance upon the lovely maiden. Hopefully it will influence Sandy. For now, I must turn the computer over to her and watch her like a hawk to make sure she stays on task. I've held up my end of the bargain.

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings, Chariss, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's Got a Dragon in the House

I'm listening to Stay by Me by Annie Lennox.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, says dragons are merely large lizards, thus no one should fear them until he or she gets to know them. This means the lizard seeking shelter in the other room is, by her definition, a small dragon.

The Story: Upon opening the front door earlier today, I let a small, dark-colored lizard scurry into the apartment. Sandy could easily have caught the reptile and tossed it back outside because it moved rather slowly due to the cold Florida day, but she took pity on it. And she said, with more enthusiasm than I think healthy, "Oh! He'll eat the bugs!" Is this a definition for a symbiotic relationship?

The lizard is lounging contentedly in a sunny window ledge, eyeing the butter-bowl-lid of water she set out for him suspiciously, and she's happily planning what she'll do with her free time that's currently consumed by killing bugs the apartment management seems unable to exterminate with chemicals. Personally, I'd rather see a troupe of small dragons eat the bugs than have the Truly Nolen personnel constantly gassing my author...

I'll report back when the lizard starts getting fat.
All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: bugs, lizards, dragons, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's Updating Kindle News

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, plans to be on the East Coast this weekend, and wishes to impart other news. At the moment, the lady who updates her Web site is working on putting all sorts of upcoming news and events in its appropriate places, but Sandy has a few things that are immediate...

For instance, the first novel in the Choices fantasy series, Choices Meant for Gods, is now available in Kindle format. If you're looking for a fantasy novel to read on your Kindle device, you can search through Kindle books at Amazon, or you can click on this easy link for the Kindle version of Choices Meant for Gods. At the time Sandy gave me this information to post, all the reviews from the hardcover edition hadn't copied over yet, but you can see some excellent five-star reviews at Choices Meant for Gods or at Sandy's Web site.

Since late August, the second novel in the Choices fantasy trilogy, Choices Meant for Kings, has also been available in Kindle format.

Fantasy Author Sandy Lender will be speaking and signing books at the Delray Beach Library event this Saturday, Jan. 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. If you're in that neck of the woods, stop by this free book festival and meet her, check out the cool display, get a free pen or dragon magnet, and pick up your hardcover editions of Choices Meant for Gods and Choices Meant for Kings before she sells out of them.

Later in the week, check out the Web site for additional updates.

Tags: kindle, kindle books, fantasy, kindle format, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, fantasy series, five-star reviews, Delray Beach

She's Injured Again

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, was excited to get to announce that her first fantasy novel has been released in Kindle format. To celebrate, she decided to make a pot roast. I thought I should prepare some ideas for marketing...like a fool, I left her to cook alone.

Surprisingly, she didn't swear when she sliced into her finger. In fact, her "ouch! Oh, man," sounded more like a moment of resignation or disappointed expectation. I hurried into the kitchen to check on her anyway and found her washing off this large knife photographed here.

Please help my fantasy author afford pre-cooked meals. Purchase and download her first two novels, which feature my lovely bride Amanda Chariss, in Kindle book format at http://tinyurl.com/CMFGkindle and http://tinyurl.com/CMFKkindle . The epic fantasy novels Choices Meant for Gods and Choices Meant for Kings are also available in hardcover formats.

Thank you for your help.

All my best,

Nigel Taiman

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, kindle, Choices Meant for Gods, pre-cooked meals, kindle book

She's Reading on the Radio for a Good Cause

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, encourages you to help the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit by listening in to the PIVTR broadcast of authors reading short stories. Here are the details:

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009
Times: 2 to 4 p.m., 5:30 to 7.30 p.m., 9 to 11 p.m. (all ET)

The authors involved include (alphabetically by first name):
Brenna Lyons, Cindy Spencer Pape, Cornelia Amiri, Jade Lee, Lillian Cauldwell, Linda LaRoque, Linda Nightingale, Loretta Wheeler, Mickey Flagg, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, Victoria Houseman

To Listen Live
http://internetvoicesradio.com/
Enter
In the Black Box, click on "Listen Live"
Sign in (there's a box for that)
Listen and Enjoy

To enter chat room
http://internetvoicesradio.com/
Look on the lower right under "In The Spot Light"
Live Chat Room... click on that.

To set up an RSS feed (to listen on mobile)
RSS feeds. Click on middle box RSS/PODCAST. Put "Soup" into description. Pay $3.50. Your donation will be acknowledged.
To donate to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen with or without listening either:
PAYPAL
lsaracauldwell@gmail.com
Memo "Soup"

or:
visit http://www.cskdetroit.org
Click on Click_And_Pledge or Donate Online
to donate using a credit card (https ... secure site)

More details:
Cindy Spencer Pape will be reading Christmas at Mort's
available for free on Cindy's website, as a holiday gift to her readers.
http://www.cindyspencerpape.com/
Cindy is currently promoting her novel Mistletoe Magic, available in print from Ellora's Cave

Victoria Houseman will be reading Rachel’s Light from Holiday in the Heart published by The Highland Press.
http://www.victoriahouseman.com

Loretta Wheeler
http://www.lorettawheeler.com/
http://www.lreveaux.com/
http://www.myspace.com/southernnuances

Brenna Lyons
http://www.brennalyons.com http://www.myspace.com/brennalyons
"I found the world Ms. Lyons created to be realistic. Both main characters had humanistic characteristics but also the genetic makeup of their Xxanian ancestors as well. I blushed more than once, that’s for sure. CLOSE ENOUGH TO HUMAN was an exceptional read." Reviewed by Natasha Smith for Romance Junkies 4.5 Ribbons

Linda Nightingale
http://www.lindanightingale.comhttp//www.pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.coma Black Rosette, Black Swan Available from The Wild Rose Press Best of Week at The Long & Short of It Reviews

Linda LaRoque will be reading Goat Heads and Yellow Roses - Childhood Memories of Visiting Grandma in the 1950s. Unpublished.
Website: http://www.lindalaroque.com
She is currently promoting her novel Time Travel Romances - My Heart Will Find Yours and Flames On The Sky available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble. com and The Wild Rose Press.

Mickey Flagg
http://www.mflagg-author.com/
Retribution! The Champion Chronicles: Book One
Available at www.thewildrosepress.com

Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
From 9:30 p.m. (Eastern time) to about 10:15 or so, Sandy will be reading her paranormal short story "A Legacy Protected," which was recently published in the Winter's Night Magazine, edited and published by Richard Bray.
You visitors all know that Sandy is the author of the 2007 fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods.
ArcheBooks Publishing has released the intense sequel Choices Meant for Kings at http://tinyurl.com/CMFKamazon Also in Kindle format at http://tinyurl.com/CMFKkindle
Visit Sandy's Web site to read excerpts and testimonials about her work.
"Some days, you just want the dragon to win."

Cornelia Amiri
Long Swords, Hot Heroes & Warrior Women
http://www.myspace.com/CelticRomanceQueen.com

Lillian Cauldwell.
The Anna Mae Mysteries -- The Golden Treasure

JADE LEE
Jade Lee
http://www.jadeleeauthor.com/
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Dragonbound April 09

Your host:
Rowena Cherry
http://www.rowenacherry.com/
Heroines get more hero than they bargain for....

We thank you for listening and for your generosity. Have a Merry Christmas!
From Nigel Taiman
Tags: Capuchin soup kitchen, authors, short stories, Rowena Cherry, PIVTR, Sandy Lender

She Welcomes Jamieson Wolf to The Blog

Today, I have the honor of hosting Author Jamieson Wolf at the site to discuss his newest book, Hard, and some writing process items. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, was supposed to assist me in preparing this interview for Sunday, but she's so scattered these days that she failed to do so. That means you all must please join me in offering Mr. Wolf a warm welcome today.

Nigel: Good morning and welcome to the blog, Mr. Wolf. You'll have to forgive me for using caution with your name. I have personal reasons for it. Now, I know I've interviewed some lovely characters of yours before, but I don't think you've been a guest at this site before. Could you tell me a bit about where you're from?

Jamieson Wolf: Hello, Nigel! Don’t worry about the name thing, I know Lord Drake well, having read and loved Sandy’s two previous books. I’d be afraid of using my first name if I had known someone like the sorcerer!

I was born in Ottawa Ontario Canada and I live there today. Even though I frequently go away, I always come home.

Nigel: Sandy tells me it's cold there.

Jamieson Wolf: That would be an understatement. Just last week we had our first winter storm. We got roughly thirty centimetres of snow in one day and temperatures of minus fifteen degrees Celsius; and that’s nothing!

The worst we had last year was seventeen inches in one day and the coldest I can remember was minus sixty something degrees Celsius with the wind chill. Obviously on that day, I stayed home with a good book.

Nigel: Interesting. Maybe that's why she's avoided going there so far. Now, as I said, I've only interviewed your characters at this site before, but I get the impression, from what I've read of your new book, that there's quite a bit of yourself poured into one of the main characters. What can you tell me about this gentleman and how much he mirrors you?

Jamieson Wolf: Well, much like any writer, there’s a lot of me in what I write. The character of Owen Wolfe, for example, first started to appear in my short stories. Then he appeared in a novella I wrote for Cobblestone Press. Then he appeared in The Written Word series. Now he’s appeared in the Hard series.

But what most people don’t know is that Owen is me.

Whenever I was writing a short story that was based off of a true event, or writing a short story based around something that happened to me, I used Owen as my mouth piece. Later, as I got to know Owen, I realized that he was me and wasn’t me. As I continued to write, he continued to grow as a character.

Now he is more what I want to be, rather than what I was or what I could be. Usually, if you’re reading one of my novels or short stories and Owen appears, it means that the story is either based off of a true event, a dream I had or I’m saying something I’d like to say, but feel more comfortable saying it behind the guise of fiction.

Nigel: No kidding. So this story is based on true fact?

Jamieson Wolf: Hard is indeed based off of true events.

When I was a randy young lad, I did indeed look at pornography magazines with my male chums. Name one guy that doesn’t when he’s younger (never mind when he’s older). But I always found myself looking at the guys in porno magazines.

I knew at a fairly young age that I was gay. I was brought around to this realization with a little help from my best friend at the time, a young man I will call Jason (that’s not his real name, in case you were wondering).

As young men are wont to do, we did explore each others bodies. We even pressed our crotches together, much like Owen and Daniel in Hard. But the true-life story ended much more horribly than the novel I wrote.

One afternoon, while Jason and I engaged in what could loosely be called an extra curricular activity, I got hard. Even worse, I got hard while we were rubbing crotches together.

I remember the look on Jason’s face when he realized I was hard. And the way the look deepened when he realized it was not the pornography magazines that were making me hard; it was him.

“You're hard,” he said. There was a note of accusation in his voice.

”No I’m not.” But he knew that wasn’t true. So did I.

The damage was done. Jason and I kind of drifted apart. We no longer hung out after school, we no longer talked. But I would see him from time to time in the hallways of our high school. Each time I saw him, I got a feeling that made me warm inside and slightly sad at the same time.

Years later, I realized that I was more than likely in love with Jason at the time. But I didn’t really know what love was. Heck, I didn’t even know what being gay was, not really. I just knew I was different; I just didn’t know how different.

When I sat down to write Hard, I had only one thought in my mind: what would have happened if my own story had gotten a happy ending? What would have happened if things had gone differently?

And the story of Hard was born.

While I was writing it, it was impossible not to think of Jason. I think of him every now and again and wonder what ever happened to him. He was the first boy I ever loved but, thankfully, not the last.

I can only hope that he’s found happiness as I have; and that he thinks of me every once in a while not with shame, but with pleasure.

Nigel: What a tragic story! But you've found real happiness in your life now, haven't you? Are you willing to share a bit of what real life is like, a bit of your bio, for visitors?

Jamieson Wolf: I’ve been very fortunate. I’ll give you a bit of an informal bio. I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada with my cat Mave (who thinks she’s people) and my husband Robert.

Robert and I met when I had completely given up on men. I had decided to check out some personal ad’s on line and was in the mood to fool around. I don’t mean bodily, I just mean hurting someone as I had been hurt.

But there was something about Robert’s eyes in his picture. I answered his personal ad and we chatted online for about two weeks before talking on the phone. It turned out he had lived literally right down the street from me for years. We had been shopping at the same grocery store, going to the same 7 Eleven; but we had never met.

Well, when Robert opened his apartment door for our first date, all I remember is his eyes. I fell in love with him then, I think.

Nigel: I think that’s the story we were waiting to hear today. I’m pleased for you. Now I must ask you a few writing questions. For instance, how much of your time do you spend writing?

Jamieson Wolf: Not as much as I would like. I work full time Monday to Friday doing work I love, but it’s not writing. I usually write for about three hours every evening and more on the weekends.

Nigel: And how much of your time do you spend marketing what you've already written?

Jamieson Wolf: I would say double the time I spend on writing. In fact, during this book tour for Hard, I haven’t written at all. I’ve written blog posts, but they don’t count. I’m craving, needing to write. I haven’t written in a week! This is causing me to be crazier than normal.

Nigel: And do you find yourself irritated by the amount of time marketing and promotion takes away from your writing time?

Jamieson Wolf: Oh, I get irritated about it, sure, but I know that as an author promoting myself is as essential to my writing career as the act of writing is. Most people don’t realize that writing, and all the elements of it, is a job. You have to be dedicated and want to get your name out there.

So sure, I’d love to be writing all the time and leave the hard stuff to a PR company. But then I wouldn’t be challenged and I certainly wouldn’t be having any fun.

Nigel: Can you offer any advice to visitors concerning the balance between the creative writing time and the marketing/promotion time?

Jamieson Wolf: I would say try to find a balance.

Normally I promote for an hour a night and then spend the rest of it writing. Obviously during a virtual book tour, things are a bit different and the balance is thrown off, but on a normal day, just promote when you can and write for the rest of it.

Promoting can be simple too. If you don’t have time for a lot of promoting, make sure to use Twitter and Facebook; easy and simple to do.

Nigel: You realize I'll be sharing that insight with Sandy because I think she spends entirely too much time away from the creative writing. I have many tasks for her in that arena and I thank you for your advice there. Now, I must let you get back to your writing. Mr. Wolf, it's been a pleasure to share some time with you. Could you let our visitors know how to track down your newest book before you go?

Jamieson Wolf: It’s been an incredible pleasure talking to you Nigel! I can’t wait to read your third adventure, Choices Meant for All. When you’re talking to Sandy Lender, tell her that I was very upset at the cliff hanger ending of Choices Meant for Kings. I know you’re supposed to leave the book open ended but still!

Readers can buy a copy of Hard (and read reviews and excerpts) by clicking here:

http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/hard.html

Nigel: Wonderful. I encourage everyone to look up Breathless Press. Thank you for sharing your insight with us today.

Tags: Jamieson Wolf, Breathless Press, Hard, self awareness

She's Solving Your Holiday Bonus Issues

I'm listening to Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is doing something quite clever in her efforts to spread my lovely bride's story all over the world. She's offering human resources departments a way to solve their holiday bonus woes this 2009 season. After a difficult year for many companies around the globe, presidents, CEOs, chief financial officers, etc., might be telling human resource directors that holiday bonuses will have to be scrapped. Rather than giving up on gifts entirely, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender suggests you send all your employees on an all-expenses-paid Christmas vacation, courtesy of her publisher and her. Here's how:

NAPLES, FL--ArcheBooks Publishing Author Sandy Lender suggests giving your employees a paid vacation for Christmas. For less than $30 each, you can send them on a fantasy journey courtesy of ArcheBooks Publishing and Author Sandy Lender because high-quality, hard-cover, first-edition, copies of Choices Meant for Kings are currently available for delivery.

This family-friendly tale of heroism, good-versus-evil, sweet romance and hope offers an ideal action adventure now that the Harry Potter series is complete. Lender's stories offer enjoyment for older teens as well as adults so the children your employees are encouraging to read will also benefit from your well-thought-out gift. Order before Thanksgiving and the author can provide autographed book plates to personalize each gift for free.

Visit the author's Web site for more information about Choices Meant for Kings or visit Amazon to order. Contact the author directly at sandy_lender at yahoo.com to request autographed book plates.

Tags: holiday bonus, Christmas vacation, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's Very Busy

I'm listening to Slave to Love by Bryan Ferry.

I'm surprised by all that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has going on right now. First, this strange picture of her is courtesy of her author friend Bob Bair. She was leading some workshop about blogging over the weekend (instead of writing) and he snapped this picture.

She's also been promoting the release of Choices Meant for Kings in Kindle format as well as hardcover. She's checking with her publisher to see how difficult it would be to go ahead and get it in nook format.

What else is she doing instead of writing? Well, let's see. She dropped off these postcard-like flyers at Barnes & Noble this afternoon to promote the book signing for next weekend. (If you're in Southwest Florida, be sure to stop in to see her sometime between 10 a.m. and noon Halloween morning at the B&N in Naples.) Then she's editing a novel for ArcheBooks Publishing that deals with reincarnation. I really need to get her to focus...

All my best to you,
Nigel

Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Kindle, nook, Barnes & Noble, halloween, signing, blogging, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's in Some Magazine

I'm listening to Whenever I Say Your Name by Sting.

True to form, my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been penning things that have nothing to do with my lovely bride. You can catch her latest work in the innaugural issue of Winter's Night magazine, available now at Lulu.

Her short story A Legacy Protected was selected to be published alongside other fantasy authors such as Richard Bray, Todd Diel, Judith W. Huey, and many others. You can order a print version of this 84-page, family-friendly magazine, or download an electronic version of it at that Lulu site. Personally, I don't think we should encourage her in this maddening habit of writing things unrelated to the finale of the Choices series, but, apparently, there's nothing to be done for it. I shall continue to badger her. I promise.

All my best to you,
Nigel
Tags: Winter's Night, fantasy magazine, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's "Nudged" Me to Market

I'm listening to Beautiful Thieves by AFI.

So my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, suggested I post something here to let everyone know I'm not ignoring her. Apparently, she's been talking about me (and this blog). She had a radio interview Tuesday, which aired again very early this morning. Then there's a guest blog post at LASR all day today that mentions me and this site. Last weekend she had an interview at Helen's Heroes that mentioned me ad nauseum. I keep telling her that her focus should be on Chariss...and, of course, finishing Chariss's story.

We're a bit sidetracked this week because Sandy's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. She had a couple of basal skin cell carcinomas removed from her shoulder and arm yesterday, and the pain set in during the night. (She can really be pathetic when she starts that moaning...oh...wait...sure enough...she's censoring this.)

As it turns out, she's not feeling sorry for herself; she's merely being cautious so as not to pull her stitches out. (Personally, I think she's sitting around feeling sorry for herself. I should probably fix her a piece of cake or something to be nice.)

Everyone have a lovely day and check out TodayTheDragonWins for some not-Chariss's-story contest she's holding. (Oh, more censorship: she says she can hold contests that aren't focused on the Choices trilogy and still work on the Choices trilogy.)

All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices, basal skin cell, contest

She's Writing Like a Fiend on the Wrong Book

I'm listening to nothing because she's watching Eureka on the SyFy channel.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is doing something quite upsetting to me this weekend. It's a holiday weekend in your society and she's planning to spend it writing. While this should make me happy, it doesn't. She's participating in the 3-Day Novel Contest, which forces her to write a whole book this weekend. Unfortunately, the book she's decided to write has NOTHING to do with my lovely bride Chariss from the Choices trilogy.

She has just informed me that I should relax. It turns out that the novels created during this contest have to be submitted and then "ignored" while the contest judges read them. In the event Sandy's work gets selected for something, it can't be previously marketed somewhere. So she really can't prepare something from the Choices series or the world of Onweald.

All right then. I'll "relax," as she puts it, and plan what I'll be feeding her this weekend...

Tags: 3-Day Novel Contest, Fantasy Author, Sandy Lender, Choices trilogy

She Announces the Release of Choices Meant for Kings

I'm listening to Michael Buble...his entire catalogue, it would appear...

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, announces the exciting release of her latest fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Kings. The latest installment in my lovely bride's story of adventure and intrigue is now available at the front page of the ArcheBooks Publishing site at a 25% publisher's discount. (This is if you're interested in having a first edition hardcover pressing.) If you're interested in saving trees, as my dear mother Kora Taiman is, you can get the electronic version for only $3.99 from that same link.

I'm pleased to provide you with this information about Choices Meant for Kings.
There’s no doubt: Chariss is in danger. Her geasa is hampered by the effects of a friend’s marriage. The dashing Nigel Taiman hides something from her, yet demands she stay at his family’s estate where he and her wizard guardian intend to keep her safe. But the sorcerer Lord Drake and Julette The Betrayer know she’s there, and their monstrous army marches that way.

When prophecies stack up to threaten an arrogant deity, Chariss must choose between the dragon that courts her and the ostracized kings of the Southlands for help. Evil stalks her at every turn and madness creeps over the goddess who guides her. Can an orphan-turned-Protector resist the dark side of her heritage? Or will she sacrifice all to keep her god-charge safe?

All my best,
Nigel Taiman
Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Fantasy Author, Sandy Lender, fantasy novel

She's Unveiling the Cover for Choices Meant for Kings

I'm listening to Don't Get Around Much Anymore by Harry Connick, Jr.

I'm very pleased to announce that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is unveiling the cover for her new fantasy novel Choices Meant for Kings this evening. I was going to make you go over to Today The Dragon Wins to check it out, but why?

Notice the lovely and sun-tanned Amanda Chariss, my beautiful bride-to-be, is featured up front there. I think that's as it should be. Of course, no artist can capture Chariss's charm and beauty, so this rendition is as close as one could come. Pity. But it pleases me that Sandy let someone try. I'm hoping she'll let someone like Megan Kissinger (the talented, award-winning artist from Southwest Florida who produced the map of Onweald for the Choices series) prepare a proper portrait some day. And perhaps a miniature portrait that I can carry in my pocket when Chariss is off running around taking care of unworthy gods...

If you'd like more information about the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings fantasy novel, which is off to the printer now, please visit the Books page of Sandy's Web site. If you still need to get your copy of the first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, visit Amazon or ArcheBooks right away. You're going to love Chariss as much as I do as soon as you start reading about her. Just a beautiful young woman. Just beautiful.

All my best to you,

Nigel Taiman

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Kings, fantasy novel

She's Home Again

I'm not listening to music at the moment, so I can't report on the moment's iTunes selection. I'm watching The Transporter with my fantasy author. Quite the violent movie, I must say. She's transfixed by it, even though she's seen it before.

On to the blog post.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is home from her crazed Duran Duran vacation in Orange County, California, where she and two of her girlfriends, Christine and Jennine, enjoyed all the chaos and mayhem that a Duran Duran vacation entails. Now that she's home, I've got her on a strict writing schedule in the evenings so we can complete Book III of the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy. Luckily, she can write while watching this Jason Statham person in The Transporter.

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Duran Duran

She's Being Unreasonable

I'm listening to No More Words by Berlin.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, will soon find herself chained to the writing desk in the den. I don't think I can stress just how irritated I am. She finished her online book tour July 3 and was to then focus her evening and weekend time on completing the editing of Book III of the Choices trilogy. Has she done this?

No.

Instead, she's made corrections to the galleys of Choices Meant for Kings. She's approved ads for magazines and Web sites. She's sent poems and first-chapter files to test readers for critique. She's fiddled around with Twitter and facebook so she'll have people to announce book release and signing dates to. She's even put together additional content for her Web site. But the thing that's really angered me is this sudden interest in some story about a young lady named Lace. By the gods! I've spent the past three years helping her promote and market my Amanda's story and here she is working on a story about some strumpet from some other world? I'll have no part of such nonsense while...wait.

I'm being censored now. Isn't that just dandy. Apparently, my fantasy author thinks she can work on multiple stories simultaneously.

We'll see about that. These chains that I have for the writing desk will keep her out of reach of the reference books she's using for the "Lace" story, I can tell you that much.

Tags: Twitter, facebook, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Kings