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Announcements

Happy New Year From No Wasted Ink

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Happy New Year from No Wasted Ink!

As 2019 closes, I am left with feelings of amazement and determination. I found focus and finished the poetry collection I had been working on and off for the past four years. It published last October and I’m pleased with how it turned out. I also had a great time at several science fiction conventions and an awesome writing conference this past fall. Thank you to all who I connected with this past fall. You all inspire me.

Winter is always a time of reflection and of prioritizing projects.  2020 is no exception. There will be a few changes to No Wasted Ink this year.  I have decided to scale back my posting to only twice a week instead of three times a week.  The posts will be more focused on writing and less on graphics, with the exception of my illustrated scifaiku.

I am going to be posting my newsletter once a month instead of being quarterly.  The newsletter with feature news of my writing progress, links to the various places where my work publishes in addition to No Wasted Ink, and recommendations of books I’m reading. From time to time, there will also be giveaways. If you are interested in what is going on behind the computer screen, the newsletter is where you should be.

No Wasted Ink will continue to feature my top ten lists, author interviews, my articles, my illustrated scifaiku poems, and guest posts about the craft of writing or posts of interest to science fiction/fantasy readers.  Instead of spending time on filler blog posts, I would rather put the time toward creating new books, short stories, and poetry.  It is time for a new direction in my writing.

Thank you all for following along here at No Wasted Ink, my little home on the internet. There are over 1000 posts on the blog, going back six or seven years. I never thought that I’d be writing this blog for as long as I have, but it has been worth it to me and I hope that you have also found the blog to be of some small value.

Enjoy the New Year!  May it prove to be rewarding and prosperous to us all.

Author Interviews

Author Interview: Madeleine Holly-Rosing

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Author Madeleine Holly-Rosing has a husband that likes to call her mono-polar manic. Whether he is right or not, this is one author who can turn out a rousing thriller of supernatural steampunk fun. Please welcome Madeleine to No Wasted Ink.

My name is Madeleine Holly-Rosing and I’m the writer of the steampunk supernatural series, Boston Metaphysical Society. It began as a six-issue graphic novel mini-series, but it has expanded to two graphic novel sequels (and another one coming), an anthology of short stories and novellas, and a novel.

I have an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA where I won the Sloan Fellowship among other awards. I’ve had a few scripts optioned and done some work-for-hire, but nothing produced yet. However, while I was there, I wrote the TV pilot for Boston Metaphysical Society which I then adapted into a graphic novel after I graduated. I also wrote a PSA which was co-produced by Women In Film. (The PSA won a Gold Aurora and a Bronze Telly.) And I’ve run six successful Kickstarter campaigns for Boston Metaphysical Society and wrote the book, Kickstarter for the Independent Creator.

I recently retired as a Fitness Instructor for LA Fitness after 18 years, and I’m working on rebuilding my right shoulder after having it replaced. With a titanium shoulder joint, you could say I’m steampunk from the inside out! I also love to bake, especially if chocolate is involved, and I like to garden. And I love dogs. My current favorite authors are Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) and Tomi Adeyemi (Children of Blood and Bone).

When and why did you begin writing?

I think I’ve been writing stories since I learned how to write. However, when I was in my early twenties I decided to stop writing until I got more life experience under my belt. And that’s exactly what I did. About ten years later I started writing again. It definitely made my writing better.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Probably when I optioned my first screenplay. It was great to have someone pay me for my work.

Can you share a little about your current book with us?

You bet. Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets is a prequel to the original six issue mini-series graphic novel. An alternate-history steampunk supernatural thriller, it dives into the lives of Elizabeth Weldsmore Hunter, her ex-Pinkerton husband, and her father as they deal with political intrigue and her growing psychic abilities.

The book also won a silver medal in the Feathered Quill Books Awards in the scifi/fantasy category as well being chosen as the overall top pick for Adult, YA, and Children’s categories.

The original six-issue graphic novel mini-series is about an ex-Pinkerton detective, a spirit photographer, and a genius scientist who battle supernatural forces in late 1800s Boston. Bell, Edison, Tesla, and Houdini are also involved in the storyline.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to write Elizabeth Weldsmore Hunter’s story. We only learn a bit about her in the graphic novel, so I wanted to give old fans (and new ones) a chance to get to know her.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I go pretty deep into world-building, but make sure everything is character-driven.

How did you come up with the title of this book?

That was fun. I knew the core theme of the book was about secrets, but a friend and I brainstormed it together through Facebook messaging.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

A couple actually:

  1. Women have been saving the world forever and no one knows it.
  2. Secrets can kill.

Are experiences in this book based on someone you know or events in your own life?

Hahahaha. No. Since it’s set in the late 1800s and has paranormal elements, I can safely say it’s not based on someone I know or events in my life. However, I do use historical figures in the graphic novels and reference a few in the novel.

What authors have most influenced your life? What about them do you find inspiring?

Lois McMaster Bujold. Her characters rock and her sentences are beautiful.

If you had to choose, is there a writer would you consider a mentor? Why?

I’ve been fortunate to have had mentors for my comic book writing, but not really any for prose. However, I do have awesome beta readers that keep me honest.

Who designed the cover of your book? Why did you select this illustrator?

The amazing cover art was done by Luisa Preissler and the title graphics were done by Anke Koopman. I saw a painting Luisa had done on Facebook for a steampunk novella which I loved so I tracked her down. My original thought was to have three characters on the cover, but that was outside of my budget, so I settled on having her depict Elizabeth Weldsmore Hunter, one of the main characters. Turns out that was the best decision.

The cover won a silver medal in the Authorsdb.com cover contest.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Finish what you write. Then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. And find good beta readers.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Welcome to the word of Boston Metaphysical Society. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Madeleine Holly-Rosing
Los Angeles, CA

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Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets

Luisa Priessler – https://www.luisapreissler.de/

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Announcements

Happy New Year from No Wasted Ink

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new-years-victorian-woman

 

Every January 1st, I find that I’m in a juxtaposition between looking back at the previous year and looking forward to the next. I am grateful for each day and for the support and affection of my husband and the friendship offered by my local writing community. Thank you all for being there for me during this past year.

2018 was a difficult year for me in many ways. I spent most of the first half of the year healing from a major surgery that happened in 2017. It was not until August of 2018 that I felt strong enough to attend events with any sort of normality although, I did manage to squeeze in a few local events where I did not need to travel at the beginning of 2018. The end of the year saw me back out in the world at conferences and conventions. In particular, I am grateful for the new writing techniques I learned at the 20Books Vegas Writing Conference, and the fellowship of my fellow writers at both WorldCon San Jose and LosCon in Los Angeles.

It was a productive writing year since most of my time was spent at home. I worked on my novel Christmas in Kellynch (The sequel to The Curate’s Brother) and find that it is close to completion. I also wrote for publications on Medium, offering new stories, articles, and poems almost every month of the year. Most of my work there can be found in the following magazines: Writing Cooperative, Lit Up, and The Junction. My columns at Luna Station Quarterly resumed on their blog after the magazine took a long hiatus. It is great to be back there.

I am in a happy place with my writing this year. I am looking forward to participating in writing challenges via a few of my online writing communities. I feel established at Medium and intend to continue with my monthly submission process in the hope to publish a few items each month as I had during 2018. Via the new writing techniques I learned at the conference, I’m hoping to push forward with my Austen series and make progress on the three remaining novels of the series this year. I’m not sure if I can publish them all this year, but I’m going to make a good effort to try.

I am planning on attending conventions and conferences next year, but it will likely be a lighter schedule than I’ve done in the past. I want to find more time in my home studio to sketch and paint my poetry Illustrations and keep up with my writing schedule. One of Heinlein’s rules for writers is to finish what you start. It is time that I started getting more of my writing projects done and up onto Amazon for you all.

Happy New Year everyone!