The Golden Cord's cover

Hello,

Here it is, the official cover of The Golden Cord. I love how it came out and am so excited to finally see it. The cover designer, Ed Vincent, did a great job and the art is fabulous--the work of Ciruelo Cabral. I was just stunned when I first saw it, but since it's my first book I guess that's to be expected.

I just ordered a bunch of promo materials from Vistaprint.com for my signing coming up on September 14 at the biggest Barnes and Noble here in Salt Lake--really the store is in Sugarhouse. Please come and visit me. I'll be there from 6PM to 9PM with a few other local authors.

Life is good and if I'm proof that things can come true if you just dare to dream.

Paul Genesse

Author of The Golden Cord
Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Releasing in hardcover April 2008

Fellowship Fantastic

Here's the cover of Fellowship Fantastic from DAW Books, edited by Kerrie Hughes and Martin H. Greenberg, featuring my short story, Almost Brothers. It comes out January 2008. My story happens to be the lead story in the book! (insert sound of me cheering here)

When I first saw the back cover I said, "Why is my name first?" Then it hit me when I saw it first in the title listings. Wow. I'm still in shock a little.

I'm so excited about this anthology and am so pleased that my story was chosen to be first. It's my third published short story, I have five more coming out over the next year and a half, and I feel like it's some of my strongest work. I had some great help with it, but I worked really hard on this story.

Anyway, the cool thing about this book for me is that I'm in there with some amazing writers that I've been reading since I was a kid. I've been reading Alan Dean Fosters's books since I was a twelve. Also, Nina Kiriki Hoffman is a World Fantasy Award winner and I love her work. Then there are also several up and coming writers like Brad Beaulieu, Chris T. Pierson, Steven Schend and Don Bingle. Russell Davis is a great writer as well, and I'm feel very blessed to have my story in such good company. There are also stories by Jody Lyn Nye, Brenda Cooper, Fiona Patton, S. Andrew Swann, and Alexander B. Potter.

The back of the book says it best: "The true strength of a story lies in its characters and in both the ties that bind them together and the events that drive them apart. Perhaps the most famous example of this in fantasy is The Fellowship of the Ring. But such fellowships are key to many fantasy and science fiction stories.

Now thirteen top tale-spinners offer their own unique looks at fellowships from: a girl who finds her best friend through a portal to another world . . . to four special families linked by blood and magical talent . . . to two youths ripped away from all they know and faced with a terrifying fate that they can only survive together (that last line is about my story) . . . to a man who must pay the price for leaving his childhood comrade to face death alone . . . to a group of urban mages playing the “True Game” for high stakes indeed . . .

There are memorable tales of those brought together by necessity, by friendship, by family bonds, and by twists of fate, joined—willingly or not—in fellowship that can change their futures and their worlds."

Cool description, eh?

So, I read the first 13 pages of Almost Brothers at Gen Con and it was a very emotional experience. I almost cried while reading it--I teared up a few times. I had forgotten how brutal I was to the characters in the story and reading it out loud to twenty-something people brought out my emotions."

Even when I was reading the proof pages the other day as the final check before publication I got emotional. I think this story just brings out things because of the harshness. Being brutal to your characters is a good idea in fiction. It makes the reader keep going and obviously, it makes the writer cry. Sniff.

Be well and good luck with your own writing.

Paul Genesse

www.paulgenesse.com

Author of The Golden Cord
Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Five Star Books (April 2008)

Below is a review featured in the Romantic Times Book reviews for Pandora's Closet, an anthology featuring stories by several friends of mine, namely Kelly Swails', who wrote a fabulous story. She read it at Gen Con last week and many people in the audience cried. One even had to run out of the room. I just love Kelly and I'm so proud of her. She wrote a really great story, please check it out. There are so many excellent stories in this book. I've read most of them now and just loved them. Read the review:

Fantasy, Anthology

Pandora's Closet

Martin H. Greenberg & Jean Rabe Editors

Three Stars

Readers can stretch their imagination with this collection of 19 original stories. Established

authors as well as newcomers explore the surprising properties of items you might find in an enchanted closet. Each eerie tale builds anticipation for the next in this enjoyable book.

Summary: A pair of glasses once owned by John Lennon opens up the imagination in "Revolution: Number 9," by Judi Rohrig. Cursed clothing creates problems in "The Ring," by Timothy Zahn, and "Cursory Review," by Donald J. Bingle, while ghostly inhabitants wreak havoc in "Ancestral Armor," by John Helfers, "Jack's Mantle," by Joe Masdon, and "Irresistible," by Yvonne Coats.

More than one love story has a happy ending thanks to magical clothes in "The Travails of Princess Stephe," by Jane Lindskold, "Loincloth," by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, "What Quig Found," by Christopher T. Person, and "Off the Rack" by Elizabeth A. Vaughan.
Meanwhile, magic spells go awry in "A Clean Getaway," by Keith R.A.DeCandido, and "Seamless," by Michael A. Stackpole.

Finally, Kelly Swails' "Cake and Candy" is a touching exploration of a connection to the hereafter. (DAW, Aug., 320 pages, 7.99)

Review by Gail Pruszkowski featured in the Romantic Times Book Reviews

Imaginary Friend Story

Hello,

It's been a good week. I made my deadline and managed to finish my short story for the Imaginary Friends anthology for DAW Books. I sent it off to my editor tonight, before I went to work. It turned out to be 9,500 words, about 33 pages double spaced. It's called, "Greg and Eli." It's about a six year old boy named Greg and his imaginary friend, Eli. There is quite a bit of autobiographical stuff in the story, but I've changed quite a few things to be sure. The reality of my childhood was worse in some ways to what happens to Greg, but better in others. Its a tough story, with lots of bad things happening to a little kid.

Anyway, my goal was to make the reader cry at the end. I read it to Tammy, my wife, and she cried. So I'm one for one so far. The story turned out well, but it needed a good rewrite after my friends Pat and Brad read it and gave me suggestions. I had such a short deadline (about two weeks to write it) that I had to push it out quick, in about two weeks, but I think it came out pretty well.

I had three short story deadlines this month and I'm happy to say that I met them all. Now I'm going to write another short story--this one for the Catopolis anthology--and it should be pretty funny. Then I can focus on my current novel, Medusa's Daughter.

The next big thing for me is a signing at the biggest Barnes & Noble in Salt Lake, the Sugarhouse branch, on Friday September 14, from 6:00 PM to 9:oo PM. It's going to be great and I'm going to be doing some pre-promotion for my novel, The Golden Cord.

Then on September 21-23, I'll be a guest at Mountain-Con III, a convention here in Salt Lake. I'm doing a bunch of panels and it's going to be so fun.

Well, life is good for me--though I feel very behind with my reading list--not to mention my novel. Writing all the short stories has slowed me down, but I've sold eight short stories now, five to major publishers and three to a small press publisher.

I'm looking forward to this coming week and I hope you're all doing great.

Paul

My Gen Con Author Signing

Linda Baker, Paul Genesse, & Brad Beaulieu

at our Author's Alley Book Signing at Gen Con 2007

Hello,

I'm back from Indianapolis and Gen Con 2007. I had a great time with my Writers' Symposium friends. My book signing went well and I sold out of all my Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms books, so that was great. I should have got a few more books from the publisher, doh! My signing was with my great friends Brad Beaulieu and Linda Baker. We had a good time and met some cool people who came by to see us. Then my editor and fellow writer, John Helfers asked Brad and I to stay an extra hour and hang out with him. We stayed for a full two hours and kept busy with folks coming by--though I was out of books to sell.

My author reading went well later that night. I read from my short story, Almost Brothers, which is featured in the DAW anthology Fellowship Fantastic edited by Kerrie Hughes, coming out January 2008. I can't wait. I'm in the book with some great authors, like Alan Dean Foster, who I've loved for so many years. It's great being in a book with authors that I've grown up reading.

I met a lot of great people at Gen Con and it was my best Gen Con ever. I've been going for ten years now and just love Gen Con. Getting to see my friends is the best part. There just wasn't enough time to visit everyone long enough!

I'm just so happy that a bunch of my friends are breaking into writing. Kelly Swails got in with her short story Cake and Candy in the Pandora's Closet anthology, which also features Anton Strout. Anton has his first novel coming out soon and I can't wait to read it. Brad's story in the Man vs. Machine anthology is amazing and his career is starting to take off.

I of course bought lots of great books, some amazing art prints, and some other cool stuff. Gen Con just goes by so fast.

I really enjoyed being on the Writers' Symposium panels, which I think I was on seven? It was a good time. I attended the panels for years and now being on them is cool.

It was great meeting a ton of new friends and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again. The Writer's Symposium Ezine is about to get off the ground as well.

Well, I need to get back to writing a story due at the end of the week, then I'm off to work at the hospital tonight. Life is good and I hope all of you are doing great.

Best wishes,

Paul Genesse

Author of The Golden Cord
Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Five Star Books (April 2008)

Gen Con Indy 2007

Hello,

I'm at a convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. It's called Gen Con and is attended by about 25,000 fans of science-fiction and fantasy. Every game that involves boards, cards, computers, role-playing, and miniatures is here. Plus a ton of artists, game designers, fans and of course, writers.

Gen Con is a big writing convention and has a strong writing track for beginning writers. I'm giving six seminars, (perhaps more) on writing. I'm also doing a signing and a reading.

The best part is meeting with three of my editors, John Helfers, Kerrie Hughes, and Jean Rabe. I was just out with Kerrie and John. They are so cool. Earlier tonight, Jean threw a party for me and Anton Strout. Anton and I had just sold our first novel and they wanted to celebrate. It was so fabulous. I got to hang out with about 18 of my writing buddies and we had a wonderful time. I was surprised with a gift bag full of great stuff and I'm so thankful for the people who have mentored me along.

Life is good and the convention hasn't even started yet. Tomorrow at 8:00 AM it gets going full force. I have two panels tomorrow, then four on Saturday. I'll probably get asked to do some on Friday as well, but we'll see. It was cool to see my name in the Gen Con program book.

I'm still a little fish, but it's fun to have arrived in the place I am. I got to speak with two of the writers who have stories in Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms, Kathy Watness and Marc Tassin, tonight. I really liked their stories and they are Gen Con goers who have been coming to this con for years, just like me. Coming to Gen Con made it happen for me and I'm really excited about the next four days.

Wish me luck!

Best wishes,

Paul Genesse

www.paulgenesse.com
Author of The Golden Cord
Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Releasing in hardcover April 2008

Author of The Pirate Witch
Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms
available now on my website
or from the publisher at
www.popcornpress.com

Imaginary Friends Anthology

Hello,

Well, just when I thought I couldn't get any busier, I've been invited as of August 7, to do a short story for an anthology called Imaginary Friends, from DAW Books, editors John Helfers and John Marco. The kicker is that the deadline is August 25. I'm going to have to get going fast to make this one, but I'm going to do it. I have Gen Con next week, August 15-19, but I'll make time and get it done somehow.

The description for the anthology is this: Many people have had them as a child--or perhaps even into their teen years or adulthood. This collection about those "real" imaginary friends would run the gamut from light and funny children's tales to dark fantasy and horror. The "friend" could be a ghost, a pet, a machine, something existing completely in the mind of the protagonist, maybe even a twisted take on something like a snowman, who only comes alive when a certain person is nearby.

So, my task is to get going and get a lot done in the next two weeks. I need a rough draft done soon. I have a rough story outline at this point, but the story is far from done. I've been prepping for the convention I'm going to in a few days. I'm on six panels on writing, and will be doing a signing and a reading. I'll be hanging out with three of my editors as well as a bunch of writing buddies, plus meeting the publisher of my Pirate Witch story. It's going to be great, but I need to write the Imaginary Friend story!!! So far, my idea involves a set of twin boys, hence the picture above. I don't want to write any more, but suffice it to say that something terrible might happen . . .

If any of you have had imaginary friends, send along your memories of them.

Oh, here's a writing update: I got two critiques back on my newest story, The Queen's Ransom. The second one came from my buddy Brad tonight. I've got to implement the corrections, but it's looking good. Then I have to send off the story tomorrow. The deadline is August 15, so I'm okay. Three deadlines in August. August 1 was my God Pays story for the Dimension Next Door anthology, then August 15 for The Queen's Ransom, now August 25 for Imaginary Friends. Ouch! Wish me luck.

Best wishes,

Paul Genesse

Author of The Pirate Witch
in Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms
www.popcornpress.com

Author of The Golden Cord
Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Five Star Books, April 2008

The Queen's Ransom

Hello,

I was trapped on a desert island infested with scorpions and roaches. That's why I haven't blogged for two weeks. In truth, I wrote a short story that takes place on the afore mentioned island where the creepy crawlies live.

I just finished the rough draft of the sequel to my Pirate Witch story. I'm calling it, The Queen's Ransom. It starts out where the first one leaves off. It's about 29 pages, just over 8,000 words--the same size as the first one. It will be coming out in Specters of the Blue Kingdoms, around October of 2007.

Three fourths of The Queen's Ransom were done this week, after outlining and getting it started last week. I haven't been that productive, but things happen. The deadline is August 15, so I've got time to get it to my first readers, Brad and Patrick for a critique.

I just read the first 93 pages of Brad's novel, The Winds of Khalakovo. It kicks ass and I can't wait to read more. Patrick just finished his novella, Dayhunter and I love the first chapter. I have to read it now and finally have time. Pat sent it in to a writing contest and I hope the editor loves it. Check out Pat and Brad's blogs on my blogroll for more--Brad's link is obvious, and Pat's is Wolfhawkwind.

Life is good and I was just able to hang out with my old friend Jason Wilson, who was in town for a statistics convention. He's getting his PhD and after hearing his presentation for the conference I know he is one of the smartest people I've ever met. He's hard core and both of us like to do things at full throttle. When we jump in, we jump head first and don't look back.

Passion is a good thing and when I die I want people to say that I had great passion for whatever I did. For me, writing is about harnessing your inner passion and bringing words on a page alive for the reader. Good writing is hard to quantify, but if the characters come alive, you've done well.

Peace and happy writing,

Paul Genesse

Author of The Pirate Witch

in Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms

http://www.popcornpress.com/

Author of The Golden Cord

Book One of the Iron Dragon Series

Five Star Books, April 2008