Fractured Horizon H.E. Roulo cover alternate

Artwork

Apparently I love to post when I have new images, and this month is no exception. Here’s another take on the Fractured Horizon book cover. Keep in mind, it’s a virtual book so the cover can be anything I want. How do you think this one compares?

Re-opening the Fractured Horizon Archive- Short stories coming up! 

The universe of Fractured Horizon, populated by feisty genetically engineered Adams and ambitious mystic Royals, along with our struggling heroine Kay, has been sadly neglected recently. But I’m booting up my ancient laptop, pulling up the old folders, and sorting through it for a hidden gem. I need just a small idea for the Podioracket Presents-Glimpses anthology. This is the second anthology we’ve edited, and this one will be available in both audio and ebook formats.

I haven’t settled on what story I’ll contribute to the anthology. I have a lot of material already available, including scenes from the near future when Kay awakens, when she sees David in the future (oh please, that isn’t a spoiler, you have to have expected it!) and about the rift and Ants. Alternately, I could explore side-stories with some of the other characters. Want to hear more about the Adam encampment? A particular character’s history?

If you have a preference, speak up now!

New Horror Short- Shockingly out there

I’ve been working on short stories for the last year, and it has been very rewarding. I’ve gotten published, and I’ve expanded my range. The latest piece, which will air on HorrorAddicts.net for their Valentine’s Day special was a huge stretch. It’s a shocking tale, intended for mature audiences, and may not appeal to all listeners. Feel free to check out this graphic horror story, or wait and know that I’ve got more of the sci-fi that you love coming soon.

Cover for Stripping the Zipper by H.E. Roulo

Here’s the blurb: Stripping the Zipper is the tale of an everyday woman who submerges herself in a world of latex and hidden obsessions only to discover that once she sees beyond prescribed normality even she isn’t what she thought.

I asked Devlin Donnelly for a cover in the new, minimalist style he’s adopted, for Stripping the Zipper and he really delivered. I think it’s very stylish.

Reader Response

I had a few GREAT comments come in, and your interest in Fractured Horizon makes me turn my attention back to that project as well. Thanks so much for taking the time to come to the site and comment. This comment by Robin I’m going to quote in full because it makes me so happy:

Heather, I just finished reading/listening to Fractured Horizon. I have to give you MAJOR KUDOS!!!

I’m usually disappointed by Sci-Fi novels written by women…not sure why, mostly I just feel they’re not technical enough & perhaps a bit too ‘mushy.’ But NOT YOU.

I love, Love, LOVED this book!!! I AM very excited to see you are considering a sequel. I will be EAGERLY monitoring your sight watching for it!

Thanks for sharing Your Talent,
Robin

Oh Robin, that’s music to my ears! I wrote Fractured Horizon to please myself. There have been, and will be, more changes as I come to accept the market that I’m writing for. It has been suggested that I need more of the ‘mushy’ stuff so that the reader understands what motivates Kay on her journey. I happen to like sentiment, and I’ve written several short stories for romance anthologies, but I want to make sure that it is appropriate. Fractured Horizon is, first and foremost, a sci-fi adventure.

You guys rock! I’ll be bringing you more as soon as it is ready. Keep reading.

Heather
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The worthy Rhonda R Carpenter was crowned the new Most Wicked. It’s great to pass along the honor and responsibility to my fabulous Podioracket.com partner. I’m sure she’ll have a blast running next year’s contest. Congrats, Rhonda!

This year’s contest inspired fan art for my winning story from a year ago, and I don’t want to miss a chance to post this great image by Devlin Donnelly.

If you remember, my story was about a guy who keeps re-burying a coffin which may or may not contain his lovely wife– a woman who sent heart shaped sandwiches and Twinkies in his lunchbox.
I like the art. What do you think?

You may also have noticed that on October 17th I added a short story to the Fractured Horizon Novel feed. It is the short story Great Asp & Little Death, which first appeared on HorrorAddicts.net. I thought I’d add a little fanfare and mention it here, in case you missed it on Horror Addicts and aren’t subscribed to the novel.

In the fantasy story Great Asp and Little Death, Death stalks a woman-warrior of near mythic proportion fresh from battle and dealing with her husband’s death and her own imminent demise. Will she achieve hero status and be made immortal? Or will the wounds to her heart and body give her over to Death first?

Waiting to hear about the new stuff? I’ll do another post before the end of the year talking about upcoming projects and responding to the FANTASTIC COMMENTS some of you have left. Love it!

As Most Wicked 2009, I helped host this year’s contest. Six horror short stories by the lovely but cruel Wicked Women Writers appear on HorrorAddicts.net for listeners to vote on by November 16th. Contest rules are at the end of each story. You could win prizes donated by each of the women!

Emerian Rich and I add our comments at the end of each story.

Each story is very different from the last, so if you enjoy horror please check them out and remember to vote.

Thank you for valuing on my work. You inspire me to continue writing.

The result will be an appreciable improvement in my writing so I can’t be accused of going to the convention just to have fun (and if you’re one of the many that I danced with while there, thanks!)

Fractured Horizon

I’m getting a renewed number of requests for the sequel. Can it be that I’m reaching the end of your patience? With Podioracket.com going on hiatus at the end of this week, I hope to have the time I need over the summer to finish the sequel.

A print version of Fractured Horizon isn’t really in the works any longer. I’d rather move on to more writing than further attempts to get this edited for print. It takes energy away from new projects. 

However, if you would like a digital copy to read you may email me and I will provide it with the caveat that it has only been edited by the author (I do a decent job, really, but things are bound to slip through when the author edits herself). Also specify if you want the original story, which matches the audio, or the ‘new and improved’ shorter version. I really do think the shorter version is better–Devon’s visions are more cohesive, they’re consistently third person, and extraneous material throughout has been stripped away along with 20,000 words and a few surprisingly disposable characters.

The publisher’s complaint was that I don’t get to the crux of Kay’s reasons for traveling forward through time soon enough, and the love story isn’t well developed enough. These are solid points and I’ll consider addressing them. . . in yet another version. But for now, I’m going to look forward instead of back.

How else will I get that sequel done?

Podioracket

As I mention above, Podioracket.com is going on haitus for the summer. It can’t come soon enough, quite honestly. After more than a year of interviews, tips, and news, Rhonda and I are still looking for ways to keep the show about Podiobooks.com authors interesting for the listener– and ourselves.

Podioracket Presents- Visionaries

The anthology is complete. The LIVE Blog Talk Radio show for PRP-V, where we’ve invited the final 8 authors, airs on June 9th at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern at www.blogtalkradio.com/podioracket. We moved the show from its previously scheduled date due to conflict with Balticon. It should be a fun show. I hope you can join us. I’ll be there.

Short Story

A new short story will air on HorrorAddicts.net around June 20th.

I’m the ‘Most Wicked’ winner for 2009. Naturally, feeling the pressure that such a title entails, I took my assigned theme and then completely screwed around with it. It’s possible that my experiment fails utterly, but no one will accuse me of delivering the expected. My first story was the sci-fi piece, “Undergrowth” dedicated to the host of horroraddicts’ dislike (and allergies to) all things green and growing. The second was contemporary with suspenseful mysticism in “Graveyard Shift (& re-shift)” where I met the theme of ‘how to kill a husband’ with visions of graveyards, live burials, and twinkies.

The newest piece is fantasy horror on the theme of Death entitled “Great Asp & Little Death”. I anthropomorphize Death (who is neither Hades nor the Grim Reaper) as he stalks a woman-warrior of near mythic proportion fresh from battle and dealing with her husband’s death and her own imminent demise. Will she achieve hero status and be made immortal? Or will the wounds to her heart and body give her over to Death first?

Is that blurb intriguing? I never know what to say about these things. I have an upcoming interview for HorrorAddicts where I suppose I’ll figure out what to say.

Submitted

I submitted two new short stories to paying publishers. Now the waiting begins.

At the convention I attended one of the panelists had 59 stories in rotation going to and from potential markets. Evidently I need to write more.

That’s it for this update. If I didn’t touch on something, it is likely because there are no updates to give. But, as always, feel free to email me or leave comments.

My short story, Undergrowth, will be released on Podioracket Presents-Visionaries as story #15 in the anthology. The final story, #16, will be a new piece by Phil Rossi. Then the anthology is complete! Check it out at www.podiobooks.com if you want to hear short stories by Podiobooks.com authors.

I’m announcing it here first– there will be a live Blog Talk Radio show for the last 8 authors in the anthology and we’ll be offering book give-aways to promote the show and running a contest to get more comments on the stories. The show will air, LIVE, on Thursday, May 27th at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern. More details will be available on Podioracket.com in the coming weeks. I will also be talking with Brian Holtz about whether we want to announce a new anthology.

Conventions

I am planning to attend Baycon at the end of May. I will be joining Emerian Rich, the host of Horror Addicts. There will be a Podioracket table for us to offer materials from the various Podiobooks.com authors. Let me know if you will be there!

Fractured Horizon the novel

I heard back from Dragon Moon Press, and the book Fractured Horizon has not been picked up. They suggested changes, such as making the love story more prominent. I will consider it. I like the revised version that I sent them (I had to edit it down to 120,000 words) but I will likely not release a new audio version here or on Podiobooks.com.

None of the changes I made should affect the sequel.

Projects for Others

Working creatively for other people adds to the complexity of every project. Unfortunately, since this is a side business for most of us, it means that life gets even more in the way.

I have inquired about the script that I wrote for Necropolis Studio Production’s Omega Road Chronicles, but I haven’t heard back. I’ll let you know more once I hear. I believe that all the voices were recorded according to my script. I’m sure the story will be released eventually. It is too good to let die.

The short story that I wrote for The Tales of the Children also has taken a back burner following the live reading. I am not sure whether P.G. Holyfield plans to release an edited audio version in the future. I know he is very busy with the print release of his book, coming in May.

Coming up?

HorrorAddicts.net has had a theme this season of old-school style monsters. I will be writing a story about Death for release in June.

I will also be hosting the Wicked Women Writer’s challenge this year. We’re hashing out the details now. And I’ll shamelessly plug myself by mentioning that last year’s winning story high in the running for Best in Blood, which is awarded to the story that gets the most downloads for the year. If you haven’t listened to it, help me out and download Graveyard Shift & Reshift.

I have a humorous sci-fi piece I am submitting to magazines. It is about a man who born to a small colony who is mistakenly given the dedicated career of pirate– in a world without open water or crime. That’s A Pirate Stranded in Paradise.

I also have a sci-fi/horror piece called Shadow Plagued about a planet where underdwellers come out when darkness falls. An alien species strategically creates an unexpected eclipse that sends the planet into shadow, leaving the people to fight enemies from above and below. Strange alliances, games of strategy, and one historic sacrifice may bring mankind back from the brink of extinction.

Sound interesting?

Fractured Horizon- Is there more?

I have recently received some wonderful comments on my novel, Fractured Horizon. They mean a lot to me and I thank you for your comments, ratings, and questions.

A listener, Steve, made some great observations about the novel. He also asked me a very timely question:

“I always leave a story that I enjoy wanting more, whether in print, audio or film. And that is the way it should be. Then, as so often happens, ‘more’ is when you finally get it ‘less’. So I hesitate to ask … is there any more of Katherine Downs?”

I did not want to make any premature announcements. However, I know that I have been saying I’d have a text version available at the end of this year and planned to have an audio version of the sequel available at the start of 2010. The text version is delayed. In the course of searching for an editor, the partial of Fractured Horizon came before an editor who loved it. The full text is now being considered for publication by a small publishing house.

Naturally I am excited, but it would be premature to celebrate. I do have 40,000 words of the sequel but I have put it aside to work on another book. If Fractured Horizon is chosen to be published it will go through their editing process. It is also quite long, so I know there would be cuts. I think it best to hold off on the sequel until I know what changes are involved.

(and Steve, your other observations were great. I’ll address them in their own post in the near future)

Tales of the Children

My short story “Feverfew” was accepted by P.G. Holyfield, author of Murder at Avedon Hill, for his Tales of the Children anthology. He plans to do a live vidcast of himself reading the tortured fantasy tale on the evening of Wednesday, December 30th. Following the live reading, after editing, the story will be available  on his RSS feed. I’ll see if I can get a copy for us on this web site. At the very least I’ll post a link.

P.G. is fun, and at the live reading you have the opportunity to interact and ask questions. If you’re expecting my no-nonsense approach to podcasting, such as my Fh episodes or the 20-minute Podioracket.com interviews, then consider this fair warning. P.G. Holyfield moves at a much easier pace.

I’ll get you more details as P.G. makes them available.

The Killer with Eyes of Ice

Necropolis Studio Productions closed auditions for my sci-fi/horror audio drama “The Killer with Eyes of Ice” on December 13th and we’re eagerly waiting for cast announcements. I know that Alex White, talented author of The Gearheart, tried out for a role. If you haven’t listened to his work, you should.

Once the cast is announced they will begin recording. I do not know dates, but am hopeful we can hear the full production, with cast and special effects, some time in February. And if it lives up to my expectations it is going to be award-winning GOOD!

The Rest- Podioracket & Podcrafters

Podioracket.com remains on hiatus, though we’ve scheduled interviews and blogs during this time so you’ll hardly know that Rhonda R Carpenter and I are gone.

Podcasting in Second Life is about to get a boost from the new group Podcrafters. I expect that I’ll be announcing opportunities in the coming year. I believe that several members are having open office hours for anyone who wants to drop by, but I’m sticking sincerely to this hiatus so that I can get more writing done! No new projects for me until 2010.

I’m particularly excited to hear this story because it is new ground for me. Besides a wonderful story (I try to be modest, really I do), I’m counting on the excellent cast and skilled special effects editing that I’ve heard in previous works by Necropolis Studio Productions. I wouldn’t be able to produce this on my own.

Necropolis Studio Productions produces Call Me Jack and The Age of Zombies, a 2009 Parsec Finalist.

The Killer with Eyes of Ice is a sci-fi/horror piece that will be about 40 minutes long (probably). They have not yet announced auditions or an estimated air date but I’ll keep you informed.

BLURB:

Julius Benz, the universe’s greatest humanitarian, builds a dome on the poisonous planet of Regulus to house the undying shells left behind by mankind’s newest disease. When this savior makes an unscheduled stop at the dome, a reporter follows and secretly records the stunning consequences of illicit research– and his own murder. Driven by the video, Samantha seeks justice for her brother and hope for herself. Because she is already infected. Will she succeed before madness takes over?

Thanks to Emerian Rich of HorrorAddicts.net for hosting the competition. You can go to Horror Addicts to find my short story.

I was unable to attend Dragon*Con where the Parsec Awards for 2009 and were presented. Twowire kindly agreed to supply Podioracket with live updates and would have accepted the award for me if I had been fortunate enough to win. In gratitude, I sent him a couple t-shirts and he responded by sending this picture. What a great guy! And stylish, too!

It really is the interaction and support of fans and friends that keeps Fractured Horizon growing. Fractured Horizon is currently featured on the main page of Storycasting.com and fans have created six dream casts for the book. I love seeing how you guys envision the characters! Check it out and see whether you agree. Add your thoughts.

I’m participating in the upcoming Wicked Women Writer’s contest and I’m really hoping you’ll come listen to the tales, love my entry, and vote for it! The host of Horror Addicts, Emerian Rich, is planning a special live Second Life event to kick off the contest. The Live taping of Episode 31 takes place on October 7th at 7:30 pm PST in Second  Life at 22 Gutenberg Ave on Book Island.

In addition to my work on Podioracket.com, I’m currently working on a short story for Tales of the Children for P.G. Holyfield as well as an audio drama for Necropolis Studio Productions. I’ll let you know more about those as we get closer to publication.