Shore Leave 38 - Sunday

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Sunday July 17, 2016

Finally. The last blog post about Shore Leave 38. And it's a good thing, too, because we're only days away from the start of reservations for Shore Leave 39!

Sunday always feels like a let-down. Vendors are starting to pack up, the art show is over, and the guests are hauling luggage out of their rooms to load their cars and check out. Still, there are a number of activities in progress.

Many of the actors and actresses were still around signing autographs...

John Noble signs a picture for a fan

Michael Trucco doing the same

There were interviews being done.

Star Trek actor Anthony Montgomery
being interviewed at Shore Leave 38 

Starting at 1:00 PM, I attended three writing workgroups: Building an Anthology, Wrapping Up a Series, and Connecting with Readers in the Modern World.

Building an Anthology

  Panel members:

•     Michael Jan Friedman
•     Joshua Palmatier
•     Phil Giunta
•     Mike McPhail

A lot of the discussing in this workgroup concerned the flow of the editing. They also talked about what they look for when accepting work from authors for an anthology. The major points given were to:

1. Read and follow the guidelines
2. Make sure your take on the theme is unique

The unique part may be what will get you in. If two (or more) authors submit a story following the same idea, the editor will most likely take the story from the writer they know they can work with or has the biggest name draw—even if there story is not as good.

One bright note for beginning writers is that often the best stories come from unknown writers and not the big names. It's good to hear they are at least reading our work!

Wrapping Up a Series

  Panel members:

•     Russ Colchamiro
•     Michael Jan Friedman
•     T. J. Perkins
•     David Harten Watson
•     Danielle Ackley-McPhail
•     Jo Graham
•     Kelly Meding

I've never written a series, but they are very popular among readers. The authors emphasized that the writer should know what they want to accomplish with a series and makes sure they resolve the primary story line at the end. When they do, the series is complete no matter how many parts/books it requires. You want to take the reader on a journey, but make sure each book resolves itself for that installment or it will leave the reader dissatisfied. Don't try to hold the reader hostage to the story requiring them to get the next one to resolve the issues of the current story.

Connecting with Readers in the Modern World

This was without a doubt the most boring and worthless panel I attended. Yes, social media can come back to bite you. We know that. There was little else of value. I'll make a note to avoid this group should it be offered in the future.

After the workgroups finished, I caught up with my cohorts and went down to listen to Michael Trucco. He has a lot of stories and a great voice with which to tell them. He mentioned that he likes (or would like) doing period pieces where he gets to dress up in costume. Getting dressed for a part—even if it's just a business suit—is part of the process he goes through to prepare for a role. I can certainly see him as a pirate. Yes, he would make a good one...

Michael Trucco answering questions
at Shore Leave 38

Michael Trucco receives his Shore Leave "bunny"

That's all for Shore Leave 38! Thanks for reading!

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It'll be a while before I start writing about Shore Leave 39. In the meantime, you can read my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology! Note: The proceeds for this book go to the charity Water is Life.

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Terri Deno's New Book: Haunting Melody

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Terri Deno has a new book out titled Haunting Melody. It's not a lengthy story, but it should be good for quick read! It's a mix of romance. mystery, and suspense that's built on the Kindle Worlds  "The Callaways" platform.

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

Pop star Melody is getting ready to work on her next album with the help of musician Sean Callaway at Ashbury Studios. She feels like she has it all: a great career, a fabulous love life with dancer Austin Eckhart and friends she can rely on. But strange things are happening at the studio—equipment failures, accidents and strange voices. Rumors start spreading that Ashbury Studios could be haunted. Will Mel be able to help her friends figure out what's going on before something bad happens?

It's available on Amazon (US) for only $1.99.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Month's Free Photos - National Harbor

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My original plan was to wait until October to post these (don't want you to get spoiled!), but I didn't have anything else ready for the blog. So here they are! Consider them an early treat for Halloween.

These were taken after the Airmen of Note concert on September 17, 2016. It's the Ferris wheel at National Harbor, brightly lighted in dazzling colors. They change as the wheel turns, so the two pictures have slightly different hues. The second picture is just the reflection in the water.

The Ferris wheel at National Harbor,
Fort Washington, Maryland, USA

The reflection of the Ferris wheel at National Harbor,
Fort Washington, Maryland, USA

Well, that's all for now. Maybe in a month or three I'll post some new pictures!

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Images IMG_20160918_NH-FW1.jpg and IMG_20160918_NH-FW2.jpg ©2016 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used, in whole or in part, with attribution.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - Saturday - Pictures and People

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Sorry for the diversion. Now, back to the happenings at Shore Leave 38...

...and yes, it seems like ancient history by now.

Saturday July 16, 2016

After getting my picture taken with Barbara Bouchet and Michael Forest, my group went downstairs for the talks given by Karen Gillan and John Noble.

Karen Gillan

Although I had seen Karen in Doctor Who (as Amy Pond) and in Guardians of the Galaxy (Nebula), I really didn't know much about her. She has done a lot of work, and much of it is sci-fi. Unfortunately, I had trouble getting a good picture of her. There were lots of questions about Doctor Who, of course, and the usual ones about her favorite roles and similar things.

Karen Gillan answering questions
Shore Leave 38, Hunt Valley, MD.

Karen Gillan about to receive her "Bunny" award.

After that, it was time to grab a bite to eat. Once we finished, we waited in the foyer area where many of the actors and actresses were signing autographs. Below are Zoie Palmer and Anthony Lemke.

Zoie Palmer (Lost Girl / Dark Matter)
and Anthony Lemke (Good Witch / Dark Matter)
at Shore Leave 38, Hunt Valley, MD.

John Noble

John Noble was the next speaker to take the stage. I knew him mainly for the few episodes of Fringe I had viewed, but like most actors and actresses, I'm seldom familiar with their full range of work. Many of the questions for John were about Fringe and Stargate, though he did relate a good number of personal stories. He was one of the more entertaining speakers at Shore Leave 38.

John Noble answering fans' questions.

John Noble getting a laugh from one of his fans.

At the end of John's talk, they auctioned off a property deed for charity. The "deed" was for Moor Land Homes at Amy Pond. A fitting location since Karen Gillan was in attendance!

John Noble holds up the prize
for the charity auction at Shore Leave 38,

That's all for now. I'll wrap up the happenings at Shore Leave 38 in a future post!

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In the meantime, you can read my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology!

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Temptation, Get Thee Behind Me!

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One of my biggest problems as a writer is that I am easily distracted. It could be anything: colorful baubles, the latest motorcycle, videos on Emergency Kittens, or worst of all, a new request for submission. I'm always looking for the next place to send a story when I have over 20 in the works I need to finish. I see the posting and say, "Oh, I have an idea for that!" Within seconds of those words being spoken my current work-in-progress gets shoved to the back burner.

Like this one:

Bring us the weird, the wicked, and the strange 

in the town of Red Leaf Hollow!

It’s fall in the small New England town known as Red Leaf Hollow. It’s not on any map but it’s been around as long as the sun and the moon. The first snow is coming, but for now, the town is getting ready for All Hallow’s Eve and preparing for the harvest festival – a huge celebration before winter’s grip. Red Leaf Hollow is known for its strange happenings, its odd occupants, and the things that slither and haunt and howl in the night.

The sleepy town of Red Leaf Hollow is divided into two sides by the large and bustling (and sometimes blood red) Crescent Moon Creek.
Crescent Moon Creek, named after the river that separates it from the other half, is the only place where one may view the moon clearly through the thick trees and forest. It holds the town Commons where the harvest festival occurs, large Victorian houses, and tiny witch shacks that line the cobblestone streets.

Shadow Crest is on the other side of the river, where trees and plants always die, along with its residents. It is also home to the Hollow’s cemetery, Morningside, where inhabitants know better than to linger, especially after dusk. Shadow Crest is also home to Harvest Hill, a dead lump of land that once held the lumber to build the Founders’ homes…and coffins.

Red Leaf Hollow is home to the annual Werewolves convention, where people who have died return from the grave, and where many of the Salem witches fled to escape persecution. This is where witches drive black cats in the sidecar of their motorcycles and zombies are usually holding another 5K Moanfest. You’re the odd one out if you DON’T have a ghost in your house. Pumpkins line the streets and the houses and even some of the inhabitants’ heads.

Bring us your creepy, ghostly, and ghoul-y from the past or present. Bring us the things only you can see. Show us things that hide just below the surface of reality or under the stairs. Bring us colorful leaves swirling at your feet and brisk autumn days and nights under bright glowing stars and dark looming trees. We want creepy graveyards, legends, secret gardens, severed heads, monsters, dancing skeletons, burial grounds, secrets, witches, magic, curses, hauntings, macabre romances, and unexplainable events.

Submission link: Red Leaf Hollow

This is the picture they say inspired the
Red Leaf Hollow anthology.

Yes, I have a story in mind. Will I actually finish it? Or even start it? Who knows...

But you get the idea. I'm supposed to be continuing with my Shore Leave 38 blog posts. Instead, I'm writing about how easily I get distracted. See how that works?

Say, what's that shiny thing over there...

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Month's Free Photos - Sunsets And Food - Maybe?

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Yes, I know I'm supposed to get back to the Shore Leave posts, but I keep getting side-tracked. There was a great sunset this evening, so I took a couple of shots to post here. The sky got progressively more orange as the sun set.

And finally, on a completely unrelated subject, we have this one...

I've had beef kabobs and chicken kabobs, but this I'm not sure about...

Just in case YOU would like to try it, here's the info:

Take a friend with you when you go. It's always more fun that way. You know, like the guy who's a real cut-up. Let me know how that goes...

Well, that's all for now. Maybe in a month or three I'll post some new pictures!

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Images SUNSET_1.jpg and  SUNSET_2.jpg ©2016 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used, in whole or in part, with attribution. Do whatever you want with the Friends Kabob picture...

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Vote For Something Important

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Forget about the U. S. presidential elections, here's something of real importance!

Human 76 has been nominated for an award by the Indie Book Awards. Maybe not the biggest award, but an award nonetheless. And you can help it win! How? By voting for it!

Just to let you know, I'm not proud. I'll be happy if you vote even if you don't know a thing about the book. So, vote early and often. Yes, this is exactly like the presidential elections!

Anyway, it's nominated in 2 areas, Anthology and Dystopian.

• You can vote in the Anthology category here: ANTHOLOGY
• You can vote in the Dystopian category here: DYSTOPIAN

You can vote once per day (in each category) until the voting is done (10 days).

In the event you have no idea what Human 76 is, it's a shared-world, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi anthology (hence the anthology category) about a young woman's search for her younger sister in a land recovering from a nuclear holocaust. You can find links to it on my "My Works" page.

Thanks!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Wolf Trap - Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett

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I'll get back to the Shore Leave posts soon, but in the meantime, here's a few notes from the Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris concert at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts on August 12, 2016.

Emmylou Harris opened the show accompanied by Chris Donohue, Mary Ann Kennedy and Pam Rose. Harris' band is just the opposite of Lovett's Large Band—only four people with minimal percussion, which is well-suited to her folk/country style.

Emmylou Harris started her set before the sun was just setting.
The colored stage lights always distort the pictures I take with the phone...

After Emmylou finished, there was a short break to finish setting up the Large Band, then Lyle came out and jumped right into Church.

Lyle performing Church.
The Morgan State University Gospel Choir is on the left behind the piano.

Here are links to a few of the songs Lyle Lovett performed (not all official):

Church

If I Had A Boat

I'll Fly Away

She's No Lady

Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett preparing to perform together.

Here is a link to a video of one of the songs Emmylou Harris (with Lyle Lovett) performed:

Walk Through The Bottomland

During the concert, there were several mentions of singer/songwriter Guy Clark, who recently passed away. Both Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett had worked with him and greatly admired his talents.

Although I wasn't particularly familiar with either performer's work, I had a good idea how Emmylou Harris' show would go. I wasn't as prepared for the gospel-style songs from Lyle Lovett, backed up by the Morgan State University Gospel Choir. Let's just say it gets a little more lively when he starts up! Morgan State University is just around the corner from where I lived for a number of years. I even did some work there once, but that was many years ago. The show varied between having the Large Band on stage to just Lyle and one other musician, and he did a few songs with Emmylou Harris. I wasn't sure about this concert when I bought the tickets, but I came away a fan of both performers.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

The Times They Are A-Changin'

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I picked up my new library card this evening. I had to go to the library to get it. That might have been a mistake.

It's been a while since my last visit to the local library, and I was unprepared for the culture shock. The change was noticeable upon entry. The large desk, previously attended to by several ladies all feverishly working to check books in or out, was missing. In its place was one small desk manned by a young metrosexual sort of fellow. He was pleasant enough, and able to retrieve my card for pickup with little effort. He then proceeded to inform me where the adult section was (Adult section? What makes him think I'm an adult?), where the movie DVDs were, and where television show DVDs were located. You can take those out for a week. And, oh, there's some fiction and non-fiction stuff over back there, too.

Over back there? Do you mean actual books? I looked around. There were approximately a dozen computers and every station was occupied. One person wandered through the area shelved with real books, perhaps just getting exercise. Maybe I'd passed into the Twilight Zone when I entered.

Is this the way all libraries are these days?

When I get some free time (you can hear me laughing, can't you) I'm going to go back and read a book. Right out in public where they can all see me. That could cause quite a stir!

"Mommy! What's that man doing over there?"
"Shh, honey. Don't look at him! It just encourages that sort of behavior."

I hope they don't take my card away. It's barely broken in.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - Saturday - Panels And Pictures

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Saturday July 16, 2016

Saturday is the day the sessions given by the guests and the panel discussions begin in earnest. Of course, you can't do all of those activities without a good breakfast to start the day. This time I tried not to consume everything available at the breakfast buffet.

OK. Better luck next year.

After breakfast, it's off to the races. Which writing panels can I attend while seeing as many of the speakers as possible? And why are so many of the writer's panels held at the same time so I have to choose one and miss the others? Will I get to even see the art show? (I didn't, BTW.) It's always mass confusion on Saturday and the last minute changes to the schedule didn't help.

At 10:00 am I had the choice of two panels: Myths About Writing and Pitching. I chose Pitching, which is surely a weak spot for me.

Pitching

  Panel members:

•     Jeffrey Lang
•     Joshua Palmatier
•     Russ Colchamiro
•     Richard C. White
•     Andrew Hiller

Since many of these panelists have been on both sides of the author / editor (or agent) scenario, they were able to share stories about their experiences, usually pointing out what not to do. Like annoy the editor. One point the panel made was that agents aren't as critical to have as they used to be. That being said, they added that a good agent can be a great buffer between you and the editor. Approach editors with your ideas at appropriate times; don't follow them into the restroom to pitch your book. They emphasized that you should always have a quick pitch ready for your book because you never know when you might run into the right person, either an editor or potential agent. The pitch should be 3-4 sentences of about 50 words. Many editors don't have time to listen to an exhaustive description of your idea. For more formal pitches, they want something no longer than a page unless there is a really good reason. If you are emailing (or sending by post) your pitch, personalize each pitch or query. And keep tweaking it to make it better. Above all, make yourself interesting (that may be the most difficult part!). They also recommended checking Writer Beware to see if an editor or agent was legitimate.

At 11:00 pm I had the choice of three panels: Writing Behind the Scenes for TV & Movies, From Fan Writing to Pro, and Working with Editors. I chose Working with Editors because I thought that would be the most useful for me, though not necessarily the most interesting.

Working with Editors

  Panel members:

•     Greg Cox
•     Joshua Palmatier
•     Terry J. Erdman
•     Danielle Ackley-McPhail
•     Jen Gunnels
•     Marco Palmieri

The panel began by discussing the different types of editors:

1. acquisition (finds stories for a publisher), 
2. production (oversees production of story/book), 
3. copy (corrects spelling and grammar), 
4. content (checks consistency, factual errors), 
5. line (clarifies meaning, checks the way language is used), and 
6. proofreader (goes over the work for errors after the other editors are finished) 

In an ideal world, these should all be different people. In my world of small-press anthologies, of course, they aren't. The overall job of editors is to help focus the reader's attention by making the story readable and tightly written. The suggestions or corrections they make should not be considered as a personal attack. Still, there are times when things become tense between an author and an editor. In situations such as these, an good agent can act as a firewall between the two. There wee many examples given where authors and editors did not see eye-to-eye and how the panelists handled the situation. There is no formula for this. Each individual must be addressed in a way that will bring the project to completion. There are times when a good editor will suggest the author work with a different editor because they are better suited to  the genre of the story or the personality of the author.

One item that was suggested that made a great deal of sense for those writing in the SF or fantasy genres where there are odd names and unusual spellings. Provide the editors with a cheat sheet of character names and quirks of dialect so they will know exactly how the author meant them to be. This can greatly assist the editors in doing their job.

~~~

At 12:00 pm I had the choice of two really interesting panels: Kick-ass Women Heroes or The Whole Package (book covers). Unfortunately, this was also the time slot for the only celebrity photo I had planned for the entire conference. So that became my choice. Here I am with celebrities from Star Trek TOS, Barbara Bouchet and Michael Forest.

Barbara Bouchet, Me, & Michael Forest at Shore Leave 38
(I'm in the center, just for clarification)

That's all for now. I'll have more about the happenings on Saturday in the next post!

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In the meantime, you can read my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology!

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - Friday - Michael Forest

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Friday July 15, 2016

Michael Forest is another actor that many at the convention will only know from Star Trek. Even after seeing photos of his earlier television appearances, younger attendees, unfamiliar with the shows, may not appreciate his other work. As I browsed through the photos of his many roles in the early westerns (and Zorro), a flood of memories came back. When I was a child, evening television programming was awash with westerns. A half-century has passed and I can still remember the characters he played. They must have made a bigger impression on me than I thought.

Michael Forest at Shore Leave 38

Many of Michael's roles were as villains or "Indians" in the westerns. The reason he got so many parts was his height (along with his acting ability, of course). The "good guys" in those westerns were tall. These were stories about big men in a big country—and they needed big bad guys to fight against. James Arness, Clint Walker, and Fess Parker were all very tall. James Arness, for example, is listed at 6'7" (2+ m). Having a fight scene with a person of average height would have looked a bit awkward—perhaps even silly. Michael is listed at 6'3" (but I think he may be a hair taller), so he fit the bill. And even though he is part Native American, that's not what got him his roles playing "Indians." It was his height.

We were getting an autograph on one of Michael's Star Trek photos as Apollo when I made mention of a few old black-and-white photos he had out. That's when Michael said he had some pictures he really liked. He pulled out several portraits from a folder he had behind his table. They were not items he had out for sale. I hadn't planned to purchase a lot of photos at the conference, but when I saw these I knew at least a couple of them were going home with me. Best of all, he related the following story of how they came to be.

After his work in television in the United States, Michael lived in Italy for a while. Italian director Vittorio de Sica asked his personal photographer to take pictures of Michael and other actors/actresses to be used as publicity shots. Michael was surprised when asked to accompany them. He didn't know the director had such an interest in him. They went out into the Italian countryside where the following two pictures were taken (in a barn, Michael told us). It seems that the Italian actors were not pleased with the attention Michael was given, an gave him a bit of the cold shoulder. Michael is still in awe of the work the photographer did. He said, "I didn't look this good. The photographer made me look this good." The scans really don't do the photos justice. "That's not me," he said, gazing at an old image of himself. "That person doesn't exist anymore." This is one of those stories that might never have been heard had he not chosen to show us these pictures. Please do not use or distribute them for commercial purposes without getting Michael's permission.

Michael Forest in Italy

Michael Forest in Italy

Here are a couple pictures I took of Michael Forest at the Shore Leave 38 convention.

Michael Forest laughing with one of the attendees at Shore Leave 38.
I believe that is his wife, Diana, in the foreground.

A few final notes on Michael Forest:

1. He has a lot of energy for an 87 year old person. Like Barbara Bouchet, he arrived at the conference early and stayed late. He was more than willing to talk at length about his career or pose for pictures with the convention attendees.
2. He comes across as a very humble man.
3. He also signs autographs that are readable.
4. Michael's Wikipedia page is HERE.

I hope to see him again at a future convention. I'd like to get another one of those old pictures with just his autograph.

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In the meantime, you can read my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology!

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - Friday - Barbara Bouchet

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Friday July 15, 2016

Like many at the Shore Leave convention, my knowledge of Barbara Bouchet began and ended with her appearance in the Star Trek TOS episode By Any Other Name. I knew there had to be more to her career than that, and there was!

During her talk (which she shared with Michael Forest, also of Star Trek TOS fame), she answered questions about her work on Star Trek. She also mentioned the time William Shatner came to her trailer and asked her to dinner. She didn't recognize him. He wasn't wearing his hairpiece. But she did go out with him. She said many good things about David Niven with whom she did the original Casino Royale playing the part of Miss Moneypenny.

Once she reached the age of 39, Barbara decided to stop acting in movies. In addition to her American and British films, she had acted in numerous Italian films until that time. She continued to do some television work. It wouldn't be until Martin Scorsese asked her to take a part in the movie The Gangs of New York (2002) that she would return to the American screen.

After Barbara left movies in the '80s, she was faced with a decision about what to do next. She said she was not one to just set around twiddling her thumbs. It was about this time that Jane Fonda was coming out with her exercise videos, and that struck Barbara as something she could do. Also, gyms were not very popular, especially for women, at that time in Italy. So she recorded exercise videos, opened a gym, and eventually added a line of clothing. She became the Jane Fonda of Italy. She said, "If you find Italian women attractive, you can thank me for that." She ran her fitness business for 12 years.

As of late, she has been doing theatre in Italy. She lamented about the low pay and the less-than-glamorous environment when travelling. Unless the show is in a major city like Milan, the tour does one night in each town, then it's off to the next venue early the following morning. Still, she loves the theatre.

Here are a few of the pictures I took of Barbara Bouchet at the Shore Leave 38 convention.

A few final notes on Ms. Bouchet:

1. She arrived early on Friday and stayed late on Sunday, even after most others had left and many of the vendor stalls had been dismantled. And she was available for autographs and questions nearly all of the time. She seems to take her convention responsibilities quite seriously!
2. She was very friendly and was willing to talk at length about here life and her time at the convention.
3. When she signs an autograph, you can actually read her signature. She thought that was important. "So many of them are just squiggle, squiggle, squiggle." I can't remember if those were her exact words, but it's close.

I hope to see her again at a future convention, though that may not happen as she lives on the other side of the pond. When I mentioned possibly going to Italy someday, she said, "Sure! Come on over to Italy!" Maybe I will.

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So, while I'm over in Italy you can read my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology!

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - Friday

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Friday July 15, 2016

I arrived at Shore Leave 38 around 3:00 pm and checked into the hotel ( Hunt Valley Inn Wyndham Grand ). A few of the actor guests were already set up in the main hall. The book vendors and authors were starting to arrive. I went to the registration desk and got my badge, then unloaded the car. Unfortunately, I had to leave for a while to take care of some personal business. When I got back, it was time to head into the "Valley Room" where the show was already underway.

At 8:00 pm, I listened to the talk given by Barbara Bouchet and Michael Forest.

Barbara Bouchet and Michael Forest

Shore Leave is a mainly a Star Trek convention, and both of these actors appeared in episodes of Star Trek TOS. Michael was also in an episode of Star Trek Continues. Although Star Trek was a minor part of their careers, many people only know them from these roles. I'll have more on both actors in upcoming posts, including stories they relayed during their appearance and when I talked to them afterward.

After Barbara and Michael were finished, it was time for the comedy group Luna-C to do their skits.

The Luna-C players taking a bow

Once Luna-C was done, it was 11:00 pm. It had been a long day and it was time to turn in.

There will be much more about Shore Leave 38 to come!

In the meantime, check for my story, The Song of Aiden, in Human 76 - a post-apocalyptic, shared-world anthology!

Check #Human76 on Twitter for news!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Shore Leave 38 - The Preparation

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Shore Leave 38 is coming up this weekend. It's a month earlier this year. That leaves less time to work it into my schedule—which is unfortunately full.

Logo on Shore Leave polo shirt
(from http://www.shore-leave.com/emporium/)

I'm not as excited about the convention this year. Partly because the guest list doesn't hold a great deal of interest and partly because other events in my life are making it difficult to get into the proper mood.

The one thing that could be interesting is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. There will be lots of fan-made movies and I can imagine many of the attendees will be decked out in their best costumes. There will be a showing of the Starship Farragut movie The Crossing along with many others, most of which I've never seen.

So, the plan will be to post to the blog from the convention with, perhaps, a few interesting pictures! Maybe I'll try to do a video this year. Until then, you can check this out:

I'll keep you posted!

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© 2012-2015 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Month's Free Photos - Moonstruck

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Just a reminder: It's okay to leave comments!

A sliver of a moon obliged by appearing during the twilight hours allowing my little point-and-shoot camera to capture it with not-great but acceptable photos. If you zoom in on the first photo, you can even see the hint of a crater or two. Not bad for a the type of camera used (Nikon Coolpix S6800). Eat your heart out, Hubble!

A sliver of a moon above the horizon

Zoomed out a little...

A tiny arc in the purple evening sky

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Images MOON_1_2016_07_06.jpg, MOON_2_2016_07_06.jpg, and MOON_3_2016_07_06.jpg ©2016 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used, in whole or in part, with attribution.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Human 76 - Goodreads Giveaway!

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The only thing better than a book is a free book. Especially when it's signed by an author!

Michael Wombat is having a giveaway for Human 76 on Goodreads, signed by himself. He's one of the authors and also the editor. The giveaway will run until July 31, 2016. If you want to try your luck, here's the link:

HUMAN 76 GOODREADS GIVEAWAY

There's only one copy and 100 people have already signed up! There were less than 50 when I first checked this morning and took the picture I've posted here. So make sure you add your name to the list. It's a big book, too, coming in at 368 pages on Amazon.

Good luck!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Human 76 - It's Here!

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The long-awaited post-apocalyptic anthology Human 76 is finally here!

This isn't some skimpy little collection of short stories. It's a beefy assortment of post-apocalyptic excitement from 14 points of view, all based around a young woman's search for her younger sister in an often-unfriendly world. The main character, Ghabrie (aka Human 76), is pictured on the cover, modeled by Bekah Shambrook. You can read more about how the idea for this anthology came to be on Lisa Shambrook's blog.

My story, The Song of Aiden, involves another young woman, Maeve, who has come from the barren Northlands to live with her cousin Kendra and her mother. It is in Kendra's village, Pentreffen, where she meets Aiden, a musician travelling with a small band of performers. It is also the place where she meets Ghabrie for the first time, though not in the best of circumstances. Maeve's idyllic life (for a post-apocalyptic world) takes a sudden turn and she embarks on an adventure that will determine her future—and possibly Ghabrie's! Here is a snippet of the interaction during that first meeting:

    
    As the girls faced each other, the silence overwhelmed them. Opposite to where they stood, the circle began to part. Just beyond the opening, a young woman waited, her dark hair swept back, the markings of a warrior on her face. 
    Kendra whispered to Maeve, her voice quivering, "It's her! Don't look into her eyes, Maeve! If you do, she'll kill you!"

Shortly thereafter...

    Maeve launched herself at Ghabrie, but the deft swing of a muscled arm sent her sprawling in the dirt. Ghabrie grabbed her collar and lifted Maeve onto her knees.
    "Look at me!"
    "Please! Please don't hurt him!"
    "Why won't you look at me?"
    "They said you would kill me if I did."
    "I may kill you if you don't."

I don't want to give away too much of this scene. It could spoil the story for others!


You can get more info on the book on the Human 76 Facebook page.
 

Here's the story line-up...

1. Leaving the Nest by Lisa Shambrook
2. Follow the Leader by M. S. Manz
3. Where the Wild Things Are by Nick Johns
4. Glint by Michael Wombat
5. Behind These Walls by Alex Brightsmith
6. Hiero Worship by Jeffrey Hollar
7. Human X by Michelle Fox
8. The Hunted by Steven Paul Watson ( also on Wordpress )
9. What You Put In by Julia Rios
10. Underneath by Denise Callaway
11. The Song of Aiden by K. R. Smith
12. Sand by Michael Wombat
13. The Oasis by Rebecca Fyfe
14. Sheshwatay by K. J. Collard
15. The Ballad of Ash and Hum by Alison Deluca
16. We Make The Future by Lisa Shambrook

    Edited by Miranda Kate

How to get Human 76...

   Lulu (paperback)
   Lulu (ePub)  -  free for a two-week period!
   Amazon - paperback (Kindle coming soon)


And please remember...

All proceeds from this book will go to Water is Life, a global charity that provides clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene education programs to schools and villages in desperate need. Our book is about those displaced and struggling to survive in a dangerous world and this charity fits perfectly with our stories. So when you buy the book you will be helping those in need.

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved. Cover image copyright Lisa Shambrook.

Cover Reveal - Human 76

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The long-awaited post-apocalyptic anthology Human 76 is just days away now! Here is the cover!

Here's the story line-up (I believe—I haven't seen the book yet, but this should be close).

1. Leaving the Nest by Lisa Shambrook
2. Follow the Leader by M. S. Manz
3. Where the Wild Things Are by Nick Johns
4. Glint by Michael Wombat
5. Behind These Walls by Alex Brightsmith
6. Hiero Worship by Jeffrey Hollar
7. Human X by Michelle Fox
8. The Hunted by Steven Paul Watson ( also on Wordpress )
9. What You Put In by Julia Rios
10. Underneath by Denise Callaway
11. The Song of Aiden by K. R. Smith
12. Sand by Michael Wombat
13. The Oasis by Rebecca Fyfe
14. Sheshwatay by K. J. Collard
15. The Ballad of Ash and Hum by Alison Deluca
16. We Make The Future by (unknown at this time)

This started out almost a year ago as the glimmer of an idea by Lisa and Bekah Shambrook. In just a few days, it should be here!

Here are the Twitter accounts for those who worked hard to bring this anthology to fruition:
   Bekah Shambrook @bekahshambrook
   Lisa Shambrook @LisaShambrook
   Miranda Kate  @PurpleQueenNL 
   Wombat  @wombat37

If you like the book (or even the cover) let them know!

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© 2016 K. R. Smith All rights reserved