12Mar 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Special Author Feature: Liz DeJesus

Writing
One of the first books I ever read from Musa Publishing was First Frost by Liz DeJesus. I was thrilled to discover her unique twist on fairy tales and even more thrilled to interview her back in 2013. Musa has now closed its doors, but the careers it started will continue for many years. Liz is one of many Musa authors who not only already had books published elsewhere, but has also found a home for the series she formerly published with Musa. Today Liz has returned to share her accomplishments in the last two years and the lessons she's learned as her writing career grew. 1. We last spoke in January 2013. Can you talk a little bit about where you were in your writing career at the time?…
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24Feb 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Passion cannot sustain art

Writing
I've been planning to write this post for a while, but it became even more relevant to my life--and the lives of a few hundred other people--last week when my beloved publisher, Musa Publishing, announced that they are closing their doors. Despite publishing the highest quality books that earned four or five star ratings everywhere they went, over the last several months we've suffered from reduced sales. Combined with the rising costs of doing business, this has brought about the end of an incredible publishing house devoted to empowering authors. Musa truly was a publishing house like no other, and everyone involved is mourning its early demise. This is a common problem in arts-based businesses. With more and  more free content available, more distractions, and a higher number of people struggling…
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06Feb 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Author Spotlight: Keith Yatsuhashi

Author Interviews
Today's author happens to be one of my favourite people at Musa, and I'm thrilled to have Keith Yatsuhashi here to discuss his work. I haven't actually read his novel, Kojiki, yet, but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Please give Keith a warm welcome. 1. Can you tell us a bit about your novel, Kojiki? Sure. Kojiki is the story of an eighteen-year-old Japanese girl named Keiko Yamada. Keiko lives in the US, but when her father dies unexpectedly, he leaves her with a mysterious note, telling her to go to Japan in his place and find ‘the Gate’. He gives no other explanation—just that her camera will show her the way. Not knowing what else to do, Keiko follows her father’s last wish and soon finds herself in the…
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29Jan 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Guess what? I’m a steampunk blogger

Uncategorized
I'll admit, there's no interview here today because I got distracted doing about a thousand other things: preparing for three book releases in the next three months, celebrating the release of The Caelimane Operation, editing one of my own manuscripts, starting a column on The Oak Wheel and writing guest posts for multiple other blogs. But none of those things, as exciting as they are, are what I really want to announce today. I've also been working hard to revive the blog associated with The Darkside Codex. I'll be posting a weekly column called Steampunk Musings and sharing both my thoughts on steampunk and interviews with fantastic steampunk artists. Today is also your last chance to win books from The Darkside Codex blog, so head on over and check it out! Direct links to Steampunk Musings articles: The True Appeal of Steampunk…
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22Jan 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Author Spotlight: Eric James Spannerman

Author Interviews, Reading Related
[caption id="attachment_1891" align="alignleft" width="200"] One of the books I have on tour this month[/caption] January is the month of steampunk here at The Dabbler, and Eric James Spannerman is one of the Darkside Codex authors here to school us on steampunk and how exactly one goes about writing it. Please give Eric a warm welcome and enjoy his thoughts on steampunk and writing. And don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the page for a chance to win some amazing steampunk books! Can you tell us a bit about Applied Natural Magic? Applied Natural Magic is the story of Charles Woodridge, a young professor in the city of Southwatch who hopes to improve the fortunes of the poor and secure his place among the elite by improving…
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15Jan 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Author Spotlight: Chris Pavesic

Author Interviews, Reading Related, Uncategorized
Today's author, Chris Pavesic, is a very special lady. Not only has she published some excellent short fiction in her time, she's also written a spectacular steampunk novel, The Caelimane Operation, the most recent novel in the Darkside Codex shared world series from Musa, to be released tomorrow. Please give Chris a warm welcome and don't forget to read until the end so you can enter to win some awesome books. Can you tell us a bit about The Caelimane Operation? The Caelimane Operation is set in the shared world of the Darkside Codex. This world, which revolves around the city of Southwatch, was created by Celina Summers and Richard C. White. Stories in this world are based in the steampunk genre, but can have additional elements of science fiction, fantasy,…
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08Jan 2015 by dlgunn

Author Spotlight: Andrew Leon Hudson

Author Interviews
Andrew Leon Hudson is the author of the third story in The Darkside Codex series, The Glass Sealing. Please give him a warm welcome. 1. Can you tell us a bit about The Glass Sealing? The Glass Sealing is a revolutionary novel ­but only in the sense that it's about a revolution, not that it's going to change the world! It's about one of the dominant conflicts of modern western society, between those who have everything they could want and likely always will, and those who can't even be sure they will still have a job in the morning. I was inspired by the protests of the Occupy Wall Street movement, but I wanted to transplant them to the time of the Industrial Revolution ­ and adding steampunk to the mix made for a bit more…
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01Jan 2015 by Dianna L. Gunn

Author Spotlight: Daniel Ausema

Author Interviews, Reading Related
Today's author is something of a steampunk supreme. With quite a few short stories published in fantastic speculative fiction magazines and an ongoing steampunk serial called Spire City, Daniel Ausema has clearly been one busy writer. But sticking with short fiction isn't the easiest way to go, and sometimes the bug bites you with a bigger story. The Electro-Addictive Moth Flame is Daniel's contribution to The Darkside Codex, a series of stand alone books in a shared world called Southwatch. Today Daniel's come to share how he's gotten to this point in his career and where he'd like to go--oh, and Daniel and the other Darkside Codex authors have put together a giveaway for you, so don't forget to enter before you leave! Before Daniel gets started, take a moment…
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11Dec 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

Author Spotlight: LV Barat

Author Interviews
Today's author is a debut novelist whose first epic fantasy novel, Eye of the Hawk, will be released tomorrow by Musa Publishing. She's a lovely lady whose novel I simply cannot wait to read. Please give LV Barat a warm welcome. 1. Can you tell us a bit about your book, Eye of the Hawk? An island exists in the far north surrounded by an astral golden band, inhabited by Jaanaarians, a people descended from gods who possess unrivaled magical talent. They cannot leave the island because some of their people became corrupted, bidding themselves out to the highest bidder of the royal houses of Perthia. A shapeshifter named Hawk is sent on a mission that is given to him in coded verses by a Jaanaarian druid. He must discover the…
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03Oct 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

Musa Publishing’s Colossal Anniversary Contest

Contests
with Musa Publishing Grand Prize $15.00 Musa Gift Certificate 6 Paperback Books Baiting the Hook by Mary Palmer & David Wilton Brothers in Crime by KM Rockwood Legends of the Timekeepers by Sharon Ledwith Indian Shirt Story by Heather Lockman Pantheon by Josh Strnad Windy City Heat by Remi Hunter 1st Place Winner $10.00 Musa Gift Certificate 6 Paperback Books Baiting the Hook by Mary Palmer & David Wilton Brothers in Crime by KM Rockwood Legends of the Timekeepers by Sharon Ledwith Indian Shirt Story by Heather Lockman Pantheon by Josh Strnad Windy City Heat by Remi Hunter 2nd Place Winner $5.00 Musa Gift Certificate 5 Paperback Books Cairo in White by Kelly Ann Jacobson Chasing Athens by Marissa Tejada First Frost by Liz DeJesus Who Wacked Roger Rabbit by…
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