Guess who got a two hour "interview" with Timothy Zahn? :) It was a slow morning at Orycon and we had a grand old chat. I will post the description of it tomorrow. 
Also met an astrophysicists and discussed the FTL in "Dying Embers". Got the scientist equivalent of a pat on the head and a "Sure that'll work for a science-fantasy novel!"
Handed out some business cards and crawled home to hibernate a few weeks.  

A bug moved into my sinuses and decided that I was not in fact going to Orycon 39 in Portland on its opening day.  So here is a picture of a pretty flower that does not have a sinus infection. Happy, happy flower. 
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Due to being down from a virus (internal physiology induced hypothermia is a fascinating experience) I got a lot of editing done. Now to anyone who has edited in Word before you know that there are just some things that the good old Microsoft software doesn't handle. For instance, those old bathtubs that are raised from the floor on four feet, are they bareclaw bathtubs, or bear claw bathtubs?
Well this involves a trip to your favorite search engine. 
It is bear claw by the way. 
Needless to say for a 153K word long document there were quite a few words that needed a context search. So I spent quite a bit of time searching terms.
Topo is the proper diminutive of topographic map.
Shiv is a inappropriately used tool with a preexisting cutting edge (as opposed to shank). 
Various species are native to the Pacific Northwest. 
I really must be giving the advertisement algorithms headaches today. 

Knowing the Goats From the Sheep

"The character was just one dimensional." 
"The characters just didn't feel real."

Why do readers fall in love with a story? Or watchers, or listeners? There are many reasons of course. There is good grammar. There is well described visual scenes. There is the action packed moments that make hears pound.

But first and perhaps foremost there are good characters, Real characters, characters that (no matter how fantastical the setting) make smile and say, "I know that guy." Surely we all had a bright and enthusiastic friend who was disillusioned with their simple home life and wanted to get out in the world.  We've all known a Luke Skywalker. We've all cringed in sympathy with that friend that just didn't get it socially. We've all known a Data. 
No matter how fantastical the setting the characters we expect the reader to interact with must be relatable. They must be human. Wile life experience is the best fodder for this, write what you know and all that, there are some tools out there  that help you build realistic characters. 
Here is a good site that describes what most psychologists call the BIG 5 character traits and shows how they can balance in a person.

​ https://www.understandmyself.com

One good way to use it is to take the test yourself and see how the five variables balance out in yourself. Then read the literature and tweak the numbers for your characters like you were building a D&D character.
For those who don't want to spend the money to take the whole test the variables are very well described in the associated literature and it is fairly easy to work from them. 
There are other measure out there to use but the big 5 traits and the ten subdivisions have some of the best science backing them up.

This author has finished a full first round on editing on the prequel to  "Dying Embers". Also there is now a formal working title (pending review by the publisher)  "Flying Sparks". 
A few more read troughs and I'll be read to submit it to my publisher. 
Speaking of book titles do you have any idea how many books have some version of "As the Sparks Fly Upward" as their title? There are a lot, quite a lot. 
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I said I Liked It
By Betty Adams

“Greetings and Salutations Friend Dodge!”  Quilx’tch called out as six of his legs scampered over the main countertop of the cafeteria.
Survey Core Ranger Mack Dodge turned to look at him and Quilx’tch clutched his tablet to his abdomen tightly. He was no expert in human physiology but Friend Dodge did not look good. The skin under his twin eyes was sagging in a way that would indicate the terminal stage of a rather horrific infection in one of Quilx’tch’s people. The broad span of Friend Dodge’s shoulders slumped several degrees down from the usual square he held them in. This made climbing his back to perch on them rather awkward. Quilx’tch did not know the proper protocol for asking humans to square their shoulders.  Furthermore Friend Dodge’s mouth was twisted into that odd expression – humans creepily flexible mandible coverings were so hard to read – was it a grimace?
“Friend Dodge!”Quilx’tch called out in shock. “Are you capable of keeping your eyes open?”
Even a new-molted fellow like Quilx’tch knew that humans needed to keep the fleshy coverings on their eyes closed for a good portion of their rest cycles. At the moment Friend Dodge’s were barely half open and twitching spasmodically.
“Hey Quick,” Friend Dodge slurred out, his cavernous mouth opening in a great gasp to draw in air. “Mostly I guess.”
Quilx’tch tried to make sense of this as he approached the human and kept pace with him.  “Are you  ill Friend Dodge?” Quilx’tch asked as they reached the section of the cafeteria bar dedicated to the human’s heated drinks.
“Ill?” Friend Dodge replied. “Nah, just up too late last night. Didn’t get to bed till o’dark thirty.”
Quilx’tch paused and tapped his hindmost let thoughtfully against the countertop. “I am not familiar with that temporal designation Friend Dodge.” He finally confessed.
“Eh.” The noise Friend Dodge made was indistinct and not followed by any clarification so Quilx’tch watched patiently as the human chose his drink elements and prepared them.
“Interesting,” Quilx’tch commented as Friend Dodge began sipping out of the cup of steaming water with a happy sigh. “The symptoms of sleep deprivation are fading.”
“Good old yellow bag tea,” Friend Dodge explained holding out the cup. “My favorite poison.”
“I have heard that statement before,” Quilx’tch observed. “However, forgive me, but I must doubt that what you are consuming is actually poison.”
“It’s a figure of speech,” Friend Dodge said with a chuckle.  “Just means that the item in question is my preferred stimulant,” he paused and tilted his head to the side. “But it is used for depressants too.”
“I see,” Quilx’tch said, rapidly taking notes on his tablet.
“Oh good heavens, how do you drink that swill?” A third voice cut into the conversation as another human approached.
Quilx’tch glanced up in surprise as the second human brushed paste on his way to the food counter, not stopping for an answer to his question.  Friend Dodge only grunted at the other human and resumed drinking his tea.
“He does not share your opinion of the quality of this beverage,” Quilx’tch observed.
“Sure he does.” Friend Mack said with a grin. “The stuff is swill.”
“But you just said it was the best,” Quilx’tch protested in confusion.
“Nope,” Friend Dodge said shaking his head.  “I said that I liked it, not that it was good. There’s a difference there.”
Quillx’tch stared blankly at Friend Dodge hoping that the human would at least try to explain that bit of nonsense but Friend Dodge only finished his tea and left with a cheery wave.  Quilx’tch watched him go and slowly entered his observations into his tablet.
Odd. Odd indeed. 

"Dying Embers" is still on sale at NW Food & Gifts on 3rd Street in McMinnville, OR. 

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However it is quite possible that they have changed the display so keep your eyes open. And buy a bag of doggie treats because you know that good boy deserves it, yes he does!

For NaNoWriMo I decided to edit my existing manuscript rather than start a new one but I just wasn't feeling it today. But as I set my mug of tea down to watch some vids I saw it...
The Disapproving Dinosaur. 
Get back to editing.
Do it. 
Now.

Only ten more days till Orycon and this authors chance to meet inspiration Timothy Zahn. Creator of such wonderful characters as Star Wars's Thrawn. 
I will be promoting my books (yes that will soon be a plural) and handing out business cards as usual. 

Once again the amazing artists at ERA7 have come through in spades. This is the cover art for the upcoming book "Discovery" 
Look at that!
Seriously, LOOK.AT.THAT!
I sent her a rough and ugly sketch and she turned it into this using...oh I don't know...computer magic I suppose. 
If you are an author looking for a cover artist I cannot praise ERA7 enough. Their work is amazing, their prices are incredibly reasonable, and they work at a good pace. You get what it says on the tin. And they are patient with mistakes and misunderstandings. 
Onward and upward. Time to get editing that book.