Giant multi-author anthology on sale Tuesday, August 7 to benefit cancer fighter.

My story "Tangled Lines" is part of the charity anthology, Hazard Yet Forward. I'm glad to be asked to be part of such an elite group for a great cause. And I am in excellent company.

Matt Duvall, Natalie Duvall, and Deanna Lepsch compiled the nearly 700 page, multi-genre eBook with stories from seventy-six writers who are connected to the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction program. 

All proceeds from this project will benefit Donna Munro, a 2004 graduate of the program.  Munro, a teacher living in St. Louis, Missouri, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  An active member of the SHU WPF alumni committee, Munro helps organize the school’s annual writing conference, the In Your Write Mind Workshop.

To aid Munro and her family, faculty members, alumni, students and friends of the Writing Popular Fiction program quickly responded to compile this massive anthology.  The book features flash fiction, short stories and even a full-length novella.  In total, there are 75 works from various genres, which makes this anthology one that features something for everyone. Genres represented in the book range from horror to romance to mystery – and everything in between. 

Some of the notable writers in the anthology are:

World Fantasy Award winner Nalo Hopkinson

Bram Stoker winner Michael A. Arnzen

Bram Stoker winner Michael Knost

Bram Stoker nominee Lawrence C. Connolly

ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults winner Jessica Warman

Rhysling nominees John Edward Lawson and K. Ceres Wright

Rita finalist Dana Marton

Spur winner Meg Mims

Asimov’s Readers’ Award winner Timons Esaias

WV Arts and Humanities literary fellowships winner Geoffrey Cameron Fuller.

Hazard Yet Forward co-compiler Matt Duvall says, "It’s an unprecedented collection of stories from every genre imaginable." 

This large volume is available for purchase on Kindle through Amazon starting August 7 for just $9.99.

More information about the anthology can be found at http://hazardyetforward.wordpress.com. 

To learn about the unique and exciting Writing Popular Fiction program, please visit http://www.setonhill.edu/academics/fiction.

Contact:  Natalie Duvall - hazardyetforwardanthology@gmail.com

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday Snippet #3

         Hi again, all.  The bustle of summer keeps everyone extra busy but I wanted to get back into the mix and submit another snippet from the GreenGrass universe.  I appreciate all the comments from the previous entries and look forward to participating in this week’s fun.  Just for the sake of catching up, the past entries from my novel Welcome to GreenGrass had John Traveller, misplaced police officer from Earth, trapped in the alien city of GreenGrass and saving a newbie from a couple of street predators before explaining the new rules the city lives by.  Thanks for reading and make sure you check out all the other great Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday contributors!  

          As he walked back towards the market district, Traveller wondered how many times had he done this?  How many inserts had he escorted from their impromptu births into GreenGrass to whatever new section of this town they’d eventually call home?

          He crossed through the Technologist quarter with their shiny skyscrapers scaling up to the top of the dome, interlaced with corridors and walkways between the glass and steel behemoths, like one huge computer component entwined with wire and cable.  Hover crafts and humanoids harnessing personal propulsion systems floated down the street as if putting their feet to the ground would be an affront to them.  Traveller preferred moving around the city on his own power.  While everyone else opted for cyber enhancements and magical trinkets to help them get by, he was determined to stay the same as when he first portalled through.  If he allowed himself to become too immersed in the culture, he feared getting lost in this new life.

          He passed the twin offices of Kolan and Strakus.  The lights were dim in the upper floors of one of the towers but the other bustled with activity and burned bright, which seemed odd at this time of the setting.  Traveller felt the rhythic hum of generators and processors that kept this section of GreenGrass running.  Exiting the tech sector, he made his way back into the market, passed where he rescured Jerry earlier, and finally stopped in front of a brick and wooden two story structure.  Home.

Hanging with Raw Dog Screaming Press

     I attended the In Your Write Mind Writing Conference recently at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA and got to hang out with Jennifer Barnes and John Lawson from Raw Dog Screaming Press.  A nicer couple you'll never meet.  It was a great weekend and I enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new ones in the process.  The only down side was that John called me "shorty" the whole time.

The Most Interesting Writer In The World #16

He writes his own book forwards.

The Most Interesting Writer In The World #15

His dialogue gives advice on dialogue.

The Most Interesting Writer In The World #13

Even his snail mail is delivered instantly.

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday Snippet #2

          Hi, all!  This is my second snippet from the same series stemming from my novel  Welcome To GreenGrass.  Last week, I intro’d the main character, John Traveller, who was in the process of saving a newbie who had just been portalled into the strange new city of GreenGrass via a back alley.  In this week’s snippet, Traveller is giving Jerry, the man from the alley, an impromptu break down of the dynamics of his new home as he escorts him to the human quarter of the city.  Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!  This is a great site and I’m having as much fun reading all the other great snippets as I am submitting my own.  Be sure to check them all out.   

          “There’s a power struggle here between the enchanters and the technologists but Diandelia’s still the main man.  He’s an enchanter that’s said to have been here since the beginning but recently the technologists are making a power play to take control and they keep staking claim to more and more of what used to be run by the magic folk.  See, a lot of the people that wind up here from their home worlds come with some special abilities from whatever race they are, be it magic or some type of extra gift.  Humans, well, most see us as bottom rung because we don’t have anything special to contribute and we’re just taking up space.  Don’t step on the squid kids, Jerry.”  Traveller pointed in front of them.

          Jerry froze in mid step and peered down at four small amoebas slithering out from a shop door.  He cautiously stepped back as a high pitched wail emitted from inside the store.  A much larger squid wearing a red flower on its head stood at the counter and motioned a frantic tentacle toward her small ones, who obediently wriggled back inside, leaving a trail of yellow slime behind them.

          “Oh, I’m sorry… ma’am?” Jerry sheepishly waved an apology.

          Traveller shook his head and moved on.