Einar of Vindemiatrix by Michael E. Gonzales

As I write these lines, we are on the event horizon of the release of my latest novel, Einar of Vindemiatrix.

This story marks my first sojourn in to the genera of Fantasy and a temporary step back from Space Opera.

I found this story difficult to write because I have a logical thought process, and in Fantasy logic, and the rules of physics are overpowered by magic.

Fantastical creatures, monsters, powers that defy explanation, these combined with more comprehensible things like, envy, greed, lust, all of which merge to present an aging Knight with foes beyond his formidable skill as a warrior.

He will need help and receives it from the strangest places.

“When Good King Thurban the Great is murdered at the hand of his younger brother, very few of his loyal knights survive. Sir Einar, one of the fiercest knights of King Thurban’s realm, has lost his entire family in the carnage. Giving up on a life of his own, he chooses to travel and teach others the principles of chivalry. For those who believe in a knightly code, he will also show them the deadly way to wield a sword in battle—including Ascella, a young woman who convinces him she will make an apt student.

“Though many years have passed since Einar’s painful losses and King Thurban the Great’s murder, the knight finds a way to avenge his honorable liege—but he cannot do it alone. To return Vindemiatrix to the rightful heir and restore the holdings to their former glory, he needs magic—the most powerful magic he can find.

“With the help of a powerful witch, an army of centaurs, and beautiful Ascella, Einar is determined to find a way to make things right once more in the land he loves. But he’s never fought an enemy so prepared to hold Vindemiatrix in its powerful grip—and this is a battle to the death. Can he risk losing everything he holds dear a second time?”

Website - http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/

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Fire Star Press Blogspot - http://firestarpress.blogspot.com/

And look for me on MeWe too!

Book 5 The last of the series. By Michael Gonzales

You read book four in The Unborn Galaxy Series, The Vampires of Antyllus, you traveled millions of miles to join Earth’s first interstellar colony on a completely alien world.

There, you learned of the great evil stalking the land. You journeyed through and faced the incredible dangers of the blue forest. You trod the ancient streets of deserted cities once peopled with the dwindling indigenous population. Your mission ― to alert the commander to the proof you gathered at great risk.

Ultimately you found yourself in a war, outnumbered and out of options.

How you lived through it you cannot imagine.

You thought, as you closed the book on the last page, that you were leaving Antyllus, and its duel population, happy, and at peace.

You could not have been more wrong!

Dr. Eltanie Austrini, known as Tanny to her friends, had been among the last to arrive on Antyllus from Earth. She, and all the civilian non combatants were only released from their many safe rooms in the colony structure as hostilities ceased.

She was seeing this new world for the first time and she was overcome with wonder and curiosity.

Peace and happiness are defined differently by different people.

Recovery after the battle would take a great deal of work, there were wounded to care for, the dead to burry, and the colony facility was badly damaged and demanded immediate attention if the humans were to survive.

 Those who arrived here for reasons other than settlement, and who are now trapped on this alien world with no hope of rescue, see this peace as a life sentence at hard labor. They see themselves as slaves. But―they have a plan.

The relationships that spring up between Tanny and a former enemy, between a soldier and an E'meset woman, could just be collateral damage in the inevitable conflict to come.

Book five of The Unborn Galaxy.

Please visit my Website: mikegonzalesauthor.com

And follow me on Face: GONZOfiction

Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy

Conflict, by Michael E. Gonzales

The one common denominator in all fiction stories, regardless of genre, is conflict.

Whether it is the conflict brewing within the hearts of lovers, or the international conflict between nations, or even worlds, it is conflict that drives our stories.

It has been said that there are really only two stories; someone enters town, someone leaves town. Whichever your story starts with there must eventually (and rapidly) be conflict.

Why? Because it is conflict and its ultimate resolution that the reader craves.

The key is to invent a unique conflict and an even more unique resolution. In between the story must titillate, entice, direct and misdirect the reader. He must be entertained, amused, and often scared senseless. 

How hard can that be?

This is the job of the fiction writer.

Additionally, the more conflict in your story the better. A band of unlikely heroes departs on a desperate journey to save their world from a villainous despot. Among them are two whose races have hated each other since beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition. A man and a woman who despise one another. Another who holds all with him in low regard.

So, in addition to the obvious bad guy, the villainous despot, you have all that lovely conflict between the heroes. (The lord of the Ring comes to mind).

With so many characters in conflict it is imperative you keep meticulous records on each. A detailed description of the character physically, a list of his strengths and his weaknesses, and a bio detailing who she is, where she has been, what she has done and of course, her antecedents.

You must also map out each conflict to its end. And keep in mind not all resolutions have to be happy endings. “Death come to us all.” I have read stories where the hero fails and dies in the end, but recent events in my literary life have proven to me that the timing of such deaths is of paramount concern.

In conclusion I submit that the conflict in our stories is our story.

“Nonsense!”

“Who said that?”

“I did! You could not be more wrong! I have enjoyed several novels that contained no conflict!”

“Name one.”

“The Mezzanine, by Nicholson Baker.”

“Okay, you may be right there. It’s a story entirely without a plot. It relates the thoughts of a man over the course of his lunch break. He snaps a shoelace, and by the end of the story, he manages to buy a new pair. That's about it. And even then, it could be argued, the conflict was between the man and his shoes.”

“Hmm…a man and his shoes?”

“Conflict. Learn it, embrace it, love it.” 

 Please visit my Web Site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

And follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869

Thank you!

 Dark Moon Rising, Battle of Broken Moon, Across a Sea of Star, The Vampires of Antyllus, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, FireStarPress, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, NewRelease, Romance,science fiction, syfy

Self-aggrandizement by Michael E. Gonzales

Ah, May. The month of my birth, but enough painful reminders.

A friend of mine, a former Special Forces NCO, (all my friends are veterans…hmm)

is today an outstanding professional photographer. He has offered to take a headshot of me for use on the back cover of my books.

As intriguing as that thought was, at first, I began to struggle with two thoughts. What if younger readers turn the book over and see a gray haired old guy.

Might that not cause them to turn away from my literary offering?

The second hits me a bit harder.

The thought of self-aggrandizement.

Some would say that is the very essence of advertising.

I don’t agree, my advertisements promote the novels, not the author.

The same with using quotes from your reviews. Is it really cool for an author to do that? Might not the reader conclude that the author has only selected the positive comments?

Example: a recent comment reads, “If you like to sleep then DON’T buy this book. It will keep you up at nights until you're finished.”

And platitudes like, “One of the best science fiction stories I have ever read! Non-stop heart pounding action from beginning to end!”

I mean…that stuff makes me blush.

And come on, a review like, “Fantastic story! Well written. Reminds me of the greats of the golden age of science fiction.”

Really? The greats…WOW. I am so humbled! (And I mean that, now!)

It’s one thing to read these things in the privacy of one’s own study, but to know they are out there for anyone to read, well―

And then a fan goes as far as to suggest: “His descriptions, at every turn, places you on the moon and in the room as the main characters struggle for survival. Intrigue permeates this novel as we are introduced to AI and aliens in a way that brings this story to life. I am excited about the next book and can't wait to see this sci-fi series in IMAX Technicolor.

IMAX? I truly feel that is going way overboard. Regular old 3-D will be just fine. No, really. (And not to put too fine a point on it, but…what’s not shot in technicolor anymore?)

At the same time, an astute observer will find hints to tell him what he’s doing right, and what he needs to improve on, “I feared a non-techie, such as myself, might get lost in scientific techno speak, but not so; there was just enough to explain what was going on, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by it.”

And of course, there are areas that need improvement… “I have never been a science fiction person, however, half way through this book I am already excited to read the rest of the series!” 

Half way? I certainly should have grabbed her far earlier than that!

Then, as we all know, come the personal attacks. One critic started with, “The world of science fiction authors and readers will welcome new author Michael Gonzales.” And with that the writer went on to accuse me of being a “world builder!”

I want to make it quite clear, right now, I have absolutely no political aspirations…none!

So, in conclusion, I feel I shall have to achieve considerably more fame before I post pictures of myself or stoop to quoting from reviews of my work in public forums.

I thank you,

Mike

(All quotes in this bit of protracted rambling can be found on my Amazon site. https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/1540645681/ ).

And while your there, do feel free to purchase any or all of my novels.

My Web Site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

Please follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869

Labels: Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, Romance, science fiction, syfy, FireStarPress, NewRelease, Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Adventure, Alien woman, Alien worlds, Aliens, Magic, Prairie Rose Pub, robots, Romance, science fiction, Space Opera, witches and wizards

An editor is an absolute necessity. By Michael E. Gonzales

Across a Sea of Stars by Michael E. Gonzales – April, 2018 #blogabookscene #Spaceopera #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub #FireStarPress #sciencefiction

I realize that for the most part I’m speaking to the experienced (“preaching to the choir”). I hope that this blog may be seen by new authors, and that they may benefit from it.

Who among us has not prepared a story for publication and in doing so read it dozens upon dozens of times? Checking spelling, punctuation, making those endless little tweaks. Perhaps even rewriting a few pages, scenes, whole chapters?

Have you not come to a point where you almost had the entire manuscript memorized? Were you not absolutely convinced that your work was as polished as it could be. Perfect, in every aspect, and ready for the printed page!

Yet, your publisher, in her infinite wisdom, insists you employ the

talents of a professional editor!

"Outrageous!"  I, as a neophyte writer declared.

I decided to do that which I knew for certain was unnecessary, because I was willing to do anything to see my words in print, I succumbed and sent my precious manuscript off to the recommended editor.

I was surprised at how long the editor took to respond. I had assumed I would almost instantly receive an email praising me for fabulous work, expounding on my brilliant elucidation of complex scientific principles, raves on my unique story, my ability to develop a character, to build worlds in the reader's mind.

Impatient, I sent out an email casually inquiring how she was proceeding, to wit, “What the Hell’s take’n you so long? Don’t you recognize genius when you see it?”

Almost a month later I received my manuscript back. Though in ‘word’ I was amazed at all the virtual blood she bleed on my poor story. “This is not a murder mystery!” I shouted (awaking my poor wife who was not quite yet accustomed to the eccentricities I was to develop as a writer).

As I went through my perfect manuscript, now reduced to emergency room waste, I was shocked to discover misspellings, and punctuation errors. To compound my embarrassment, she’d gone as far as to suggest countless little tweaks and recommend the rewriting of entire pages, scenes, and whole chapters!

I was aghast.

I had to reread it twice, then submit myself to a cool down period. And a few days in the company of Lord Glenlivet.

Then epiphany befell me as does a ton of brick! She was right. Absolutely right on ninety-eight percent of her calls (no, not a hundred percent, I did a few things right).

I accepted the recommended corrections, this made the publisher happy. The book was published and so I am happy.

The moral to this tale is…listen to your publisher when she demands an editor and listen to your editor when she suggests changes.

My story is still my story and published. And we writers know how difficult that is in this day and age.

I submit all my manuscripts to my beloved editor now. Trust between a writer and his/her editor is essential. Once you have it, hang on to it.

###

Below is an excerpt from my novel, Across a Sea of Stars. This is a scene that on its face seems quite simple, but one I mused over for days. Still, there was something about the finished product that just didn’t work. I could not see the problem, but my editor saw it instantly and I could not have been more pleased with her suggestion.

You save me from the morka, and if you hadn't volunteered to

assist me, I feel sure I would have died in those woods."
"No Cris, I did not see that in your future."
"My future? You saw my future?"
"Not as you think, more like when you see clouds that you know will bring rain."
"So, what did you see?"
"Just possibilities. This event with your leg almost brought those possibilities to a harsh end. Nothing is carved upon the side of the mountain that cannot be eroded away, Cris."

Cris had trouble getting to sleep that night. The world around him was filled with strange sounds. The light of the dancing flames from the torches and fire pots created bizarre shadows against every surface he could see.

###

Order Across a Sea of Stars here:
https://www.amazon.com/Across-Sea-Stars-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1984038060/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=httpliviajwac-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=b14117cef21e9d34ec121910787c5d19&creativeASIN=1984038060

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Rising-Unborn-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B01CBNSAEG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Broken-Moon-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1540645681/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Web site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html
Follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869


Labels: Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, Romance, science fiction, syfy, FireStarPress, NewRelease, Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Adventure, Alien woman, Alien worlds, Aliens, Magic, Prairie Rose Pub, robots, Romance, science fiction, Space Opera, witches and wizards

Across a Sea of Stars by Michael Gonzales

Across a Sea of Stars by Michael E. Gonzales – February, 2018 #blogabookscene #Spaceopera #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub #FireStarPress

I sat editing another story the other day when I stopped to consider just how many times I have read, reread, and read this story again and again (was that redundant? It was meant to be.) Then it dawned on me, I will never know what it is to read any of my stories for the first time. And no, I don’t count all the work that went into creating the story as the first time.

I have literally spent a week writing a single paragraph, to get it just the way I want it. A paragraph that a reader will gloss over in a second or two.

I’ll never know the reaction of hitting that first plot twist, never know the feeling of tension that I worked so hard to build.

And the climax, as well as the ending. What did if feel like for them?

Book sales and reviews are a measure of how well I’ve written, but I will never know the feeling of that first-time reader.

Makes me a little sad. What better way to judge your own work than to read it for the first time?

Across a Sea of Stars

From an inexplicable anomaly on the surface of the Moon, an astronaut, Captain Cris Salazar, is mysteriously conveyed to a distant planetary system halfway across the galaxy. At the insistence of a strange old man, he departs on a trek across the planet thinking he is seeking someone with the ability to send him home, but he is being manipulated, and soon his strange situation becomes immensely complicated.

His epic quest sees him ally with an alien woman, a near giant, and a robotic intelligence.

With these three he must face a vast army with no fear of pain or death, an enemy with supernatural powers, a madman with a vast armada, and a dark secret. How can Cris possibly hope to return home…Across a Sea of Stars?

EXCERPT:

Tattie simultaneously hit the launch button and the violent detonation threw Cris against the padded wall just under the hatch. The escape pod hurtled away from the ship. Instantly, Tattie saw that they were about to collide with the rear of the spinning ship. "Brace yourself!" she called back to Cris, and then fired her engine at full throttle. In her monitor, she saw the stern coming closer. The great ship appeared to be ablaze as the friction with the atmosphere increased. The G-forces on their bodies climbed to incredible proportions as Tattie pushed the little pod to get out of the way. It looked as if she were not going to make it. They had cleared the hull, but one of the extended engine housings was now headed right for them, a collision was inevitable. There were only seconds remaining. Tattie shouted over her shoulder, "I love you, Cris!"

The moment Tattie looked back at her monitor, the heat from the reentry melted through the engine's support, and the entire housing broke loose and was pulled down into the planet's atmosphere. The escape pod then bolted free and into open space.

"Cris—Cris, we are free!" Tattie screamed.

"We made it? We're still alive?"

Now Tattie's voice was much more serious, "Cris, come here and look at this."

Across a Sea of Stars is available on Amazon.

 

Images by Mike Gonzales.

Order Across a Sea of Stars here:

https://www.amazon.com/Across-Sea-Stars-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1984038060/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=httpliviajwac-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=b14117cef21e9d34ec121910787c5d19&creativeASIN=1984038060

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Rising-Unborn-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B01CBNSAEG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Broken-Moon-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1540645681/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Web site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

Follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869

Labels: Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Alien worlds, Aliens, battle, Dark Moon Rising, Michael E. Gonzales, mikegonzalesauthor.com, Romance, science fiction, syfy

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Labels: #FireStarPress, #NewRelease, Across a Sea of Star, Action, Action Adventure, Adventure, Alien woman, Alien worlds, Aliens, Magic, Prairie Rose Pub, robots, Romance, science fiction, Space Opera, witches and wizards

Across a Sea of Stars by Michael E. Gonzales – February, 2018 #blogabookscene #Spaceopera #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub #FireStarPress

Across a Sea of Stars by Michael E. Gonzales – February, 2018 #blogabookscene #Spaceopera #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub #FireStarPress

Blog-a-Book-Scene is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePub.

My third novel, Across a Sea of Stars, is now available, and I can’t tell you how excited I am. I hope everyone who reads my story enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Almost all the main characters are based on actual people I have known, some I served with. I miss the time I spent on Nazer, and hopefully, you will too.

February’s theme is All you need is love.  The excerpt below is from my Science-Fiction novel, Across a Sea of Stars.

EXCERPT:

"Wow." Cris said.

"Is that an oath?" Tattie asked.

"No—it's just—wow. The moonlight off your face is really bewitching,"

"You think me a Sorgina?"

"No, Tattie, I—"

"You think I've cast a spell on you?"

"I didn't say—"

"Then I'll have to break that spell, won't I?"

Her arms slowly encircled his neck and she kissed him, pulling her body into his. His arms, slowly at first, engulfed her. In their embrace, they slowly sank below the water. Cris hardly noticed. The warmth she brought now exploded inside him. He felt a joy he'd never known, he felt stirrings deep inside his soul that he had never felt or even imagined possible. His desire for her was bound to another feeling he did not recognize; their combined heat melted the two emotions, and together they combined into one. The seething heat of his passion fired a furnace within him that powered a new engine whose pistons hammered in his chest and in his mind.

The water around them seemed to boil and a light formed where their breasts met. The light grew in intensity until the entire pool was aglow.

Tattie and Cris were both blinded by the light's brilliance. Their eyes closed tight, but their lips never parted and the water seemed to evaporate around them. Then the rocks, the forest, and the planet itself all dissolved until they floated free in a swirl of stars. A yellow light ripped the firmament apart and Cris's eyes opened. It was dawn and he and Tattie lay naked upon the water's edge, where they had slept.

Across a Sea of Stars is available on Amazon.

  

Images by Mike Gonzales, one by NASA.

Next month’s theme, “Beware the Ides of March."

Until then,

Mike

Michael E. Gonzales

Order Across a Sea of Stars here:

https://www.amazon.com/Across-Sea-Stars-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1984038060/ref=as_sl_pc_as_ss_li_til?tag=httpliviajwac-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=b14117cef21e9d34ec121910787c5d19&creativeASIN=1984038060

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Rising-Unborn-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B01CBNSAEG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Broken-Moon-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1540645681/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Web site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

Follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869

Happy, Marketing, New Year! by Michael Gonzales

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

Wow, 2018, and still no flying cars.

I missed posting last month, I was celebrating my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with my beautiful bride, Katie.

We went east to lovely Cape May, New Jersey, where we stayed in a B&B that was built in 1863!

Cape May is right on the beach, and is better known as a summer vacation spot. But in December they decorate the nineteenth century village to look like a Christmas Card. It was magical!

I want to talk briefly about marketing. I’m new to this so, I’ll not be offering a silver bullet that will bring your work to the attention of millions. Sorry, but if you know where the Lone Ranger

may have dropped some of his precious ammo, please, let me know.

What I have learned thus far is that marketing is difficult, expensive, and dangerous.  

“Dangerous?” you ask, “Mike, how is it dangerous?”

Being expensive, marketing has its charlatans. There are people out there who will offer you thousands of book buyers, and hundreds of positive reviews, for a given price.

Some will even openly sell you reviews. The more you pay, the better the review. Then they publish it to their website, which, they claim, is seen daily by tens of thousands.

Sound to good to be true? Well, just remember grandma’s advice, “If it sounds too good to be true…”

Thankfully, Cheryl, of PRP, has steered me away from a bunch of these.

I am sure there are legitimate individuals, and companies, out there who will effectively market for you.

I am also sure it will not be cheap.

The trick is to avoid the bogus, and then select from the real marketers, those that will provide the best bang for the buck.

I’m sure that, like me, you get dozens of unsolicited emails daily with marketing offers, and other writing/publishing related deals that are guaranteed to put you and your book at the top of the NYT best seller list, and keep it there for weeks.

My guess is that 99.99% of all that is garbage.

After giving this problem considerable thought, I have figured out how to actually accomplish all that; thousands buying your book, hundreds of positive reviews, and eventually, weeks at the top of the bestseller list.

That’s right, a jewel of wisdom for certain success…and for only $29.95!

No, just kidding.

But there is a method, it’s not easy, in fact it may be the hardest way of all.

The secret is…write a good book.

                               Be the best writer.

To do this you have to go back to school, you have to learn the art, the trade, the techniques. For many of us this means a return to basic English. Not all of us, mind you, I am well aware that some of you are masters of the English language, to rival Winston Churchill himself.

Anyway, that’s my advice, gleaned from my limited experience thus far.

I would dearly love to hear from others. What have been your experiences, have you had success marketing your work, if so, how, who did you go with, if you went with anyone?

Did you attend any seminars on writing that other might seek out? How about online courses?

Well, there’s my rant. I hope it starts a discussion. Post your comments here so that we might all help one another.

Speaking of marketing, I would be remiss were I to fail to mention the pending release of my third novel, Across a Sea of Stars. If you like action, adventure, space opera, and romance, I believe you’ll love number III in The Unborn Galaxy series ― Across a Sea of Stars.

Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Read books I and II of The Unborn Galaxy -- before the release of book III, Across a Sea of Stars.

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Rising-Unborn-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B01CBNSAEG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Broken-Moon-Unborn-Galaxy/dp/1540645681/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Web site:  http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html

Follow me on Face Book:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010275572869