Guest Post: Alex Bianchi Talks Alien Gift Giving

Alex Bianchi, main character of How To Date an Alien by Magan Vernon, is here today to talk about holiday gift giving.

The Holidays are coming up and you are probably all wondering, “What the heck am I going to get my boyfriend or girlfriend or domestic life partner or whatever?”

Okay, first off, you really shouldn’t complain because at least your boyfriend isn’t of a different species and you aren’t even sure if that species celebrates Christmas and if they do what you would get them.

Sorry, rant over.

Actually no it’s not. Do you know what it’s like shopping for an alien boyfriend? It may be hard trying to figure out what stupid action movie to get your human boyfriend or whatever people in normal relationships do, but it’s even harder when your boyfriend isn’t even from the same planet.

Alright this time I’m done. For real.

So you’re at the mall and  you’re thinking that you need to get something for this other person or alien or whatever you are dating. You want something that says, “Hey I really like you and thank you for saving me from dying.”  But then you don’t want it to be too mushy  because you haven’t been dating for that long, but they did save you from several alien attacks, so you probably should get them something nice. Does Hallmark have a card for this sort of thing? They really should.

You could always just go with the generic gift and get some Blu-Ray of a movie that you saw on your first date or an ITunes gift card, which is probably what you should do if you’re in a normal relationship.

If you are NOT in a normal relationship, well then you’re stuck in the same situation as me aren’t you? I guess you could always go out and buy a book. Books are always good gifts. Even if your boyfriend doesn’t read, he will at least look smarter with a book in his hand, and you might have something to talk about if you are reading the same book.

Hmmm…maybe I should just go and buy Ace a book. Okay, this post is over I’m scooting over to Amazon now. Bye!

___________________________________________________________

Magan Vernon is a geek-to-glam poster child and author of How to Date an Alien, coming from Darkside Publishing Fall 2011.


Add How To Date An Alien to your TBR pile here.

Who Are You Thankful For?

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's the season to be thankful.  This November, I'm going to list some of the things I'm super thankful for, starting with some amazing groups of people.

1. Book Bloggers and Reviewers. These amazing folks read your book and write clever things about it.  Then they tell other people. Can you say best thing since sliced bread! There is something magical about reading a well written review of your work.  Reviewers like Fiktshun, That Bookish Girl, Word Spelunking, Abnormally Paranormal Reviews, YA Book Haven, Lady Reader Bookstuff,  The Bookish Babes, Two Chicks on Books, I Devour Books, and Me, My Shelf, and I, as well as others, have meant the WORLD to me as a debut author.

2. Readers and Parents of Readers.  It's a beautiful thing to have someone read your book.  It's a supernova of joy to be contacted by a reader who just wants to tell you that your book changed them.  Or to be contacted by a parent to say your book is their child's favorite and they love it, too.  I've had the privilege of some great moments with readers this year and I'm so thankful for you.

3.  Fellow Authors.  I can't begin to tell you how my relationship with DarkSide Publishing authors Megg Jensen, Karly Kirkpatrick, Angela Carlie, and Magan Vernon have changed my life.  But I'm also thankful for the many authors I've known across the twitterverse who have openly shared their knowledge, experiences, and encouragement.  The FridayFlash community has been especially supportive and more recently, so have the group of authors whose covers are in the right margin. (They're called the Indelibles and you'll be hearing more about them soon.)

4. Librarians and Teachers.  How cool is it to find out libraries have ordered your books?  How much cooler is it to know your book is frequently checked out? I deeply appreciate those librarians and teachers who have ordered my books for their classrooms and libraries and told me about their success. And to the people who coordinate author fairs, you are amazing!

5. Writing and Critique Groups.  I've been so fortunate to be part of two amazing writer's groups in town, the Central Illinois chapter of SCBWI and Heart and Scroll, a local RWA chapter.  The members of these groups are a godsend, brimming with helpful information and experiences as well as writerly camaraderie.

So, who are you thankful for this holiday season? 

Next week, what I'm thankful for in technology!

Guest Post: Tony Graff on Juniper Crescent

Tony Graff's new novel Juniper Crescent comes out this week.  As a nurse I'm intrigued by the concept  of curing MD. As a writer, I'm interested in how the storyline strays from popular shapeshifter fiction but maintains its fantastical elements.  Here Tony talks about the idea behind Juniper Crescent.

*****

Juniper Crescent is about a girl who finds a cure for a genetic disorder through an operation that replaces defective genes with those of a cheetah. While she relearns how to live a life free of Muscular Dystrophy, everyone else is making the choice between whether she has sold her humanity to be cured, or if she has received a gift people have dreamed of for centuries.

I fell in love with this idea while I was watching an animal show. The show would spotlight a skill, like jumping or speed, then proportionately show what a human could do if they had the skills of the animals they showcased. The whole idea seemed odd that a human could jump over buildings or run at highway speeds seemed unbalanced. It all connected when I found a study that said that habits and instincts are genetically based. I went back to the TV show and listed out the benefits that people wanted, but also the mental habits they would have to deal with. That combination of ideas had me in its jaws.

I started outlining this story with the intent to draw it into a graphic novel. I had everything together until it came to the facial sketches of the main character, Oksanya. I spent five hours trying to draw her the way I saw her, and couldn't succeed. In frustration, I wrote out everything I had done online. So many friends came and wanted more of the story. They expressed the same intrigue that I had felt, and they encouraged me to write it as a novel, rather than a comic medium.

Oksanya became a hero to me as the story was unfolded. While Juniper Crescent was being written, the news was filled with tragedies that had resulted from bullying. I felt I had to pay my tribute to the people who dealt with bullies and prejudice. Many people have to deal with this on a daily basis and I wanted to offer some kind of hope. The people who have this operation became a perfect palatte for me to bring up the issue. Some people have very personal reasons why they like a particular animal, and getting this operation forces them to wear it on their sleeve. But no matter the animal they chose, it makes them unique but also a target.

But, despite some of the serious themes, writing Juniper Crescent was a lot of fun. I got to learn so much about animals, and what started as a comic idea has become bigger than I could ever have imagined. Every time someone told me about their favorite animal, it excited me to see what the Isis operation could do. There are so many stories in this world just waiting to be told.

*****

Tony Graff was born in Junction City, Kansas to the life of an army brat. Before settling in Colorado, he lived in Tennessee, Schweinfurt, Germany, Arizona, and Frankfurt, Germany. From a young age, he had a love of storytelling, expressed in drawings, poetry, short stories, weblogs, and a passion for reading. Along with writing, he enjoys travelling- this time he gets to choose where he goes.