Bigfoot is Not Your Friend Free on Kindle Today!

I first attended the Superstars Writing Seminar in 2011 and found my tribe…

I have to admit, when I went to Superstars (which I attended again in February), I wasn’t expecting to connect with folks, well, as Geeky as me.

I mean, how Geeky could I be? I’d been not only loving sci fi and fantasy from a young age. I loved Dune, Lord of the Rings, the Dragonriders of Pern, Star Trek, Babylon 5, and, of course, Star Wars. Oh, an truth be told Highlander and—so much else.

But I didn’t just love them—I began writing my own stories as a teen. Some quite terrible, others—something about them made me re-write and re-write them because, well, the characters demanded it.

How could I possibly meet anyone who was as haunted by their character and stories as I was?

I literally attended my first sci fi convention at one of the lower points in my life—while I was getting a divorce and out of work. Oh, I was interviewing and interviewing, but there’s only so much of that you can do while your world is shattering… So, I turned back to my writing and wondered if my stories were as good as I felt they were.

So, I’d moved into my parents’ basement back in the Midwest and a sci fi convensation was being held practically literally down the street. Oh, and there was a job posting that caught my eye back “home” in the DC metropolitan area.

Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta were guests of honor at that sci fi convention, which started early, so they could offer a workshop on the business of being a sci fi/fantasy author. How cool was that? While there, I spoke with Kevin, who shared that I should attend the Superstars Writing Seminar, which was coming up in a few month (then in Salt Lake City).

That seemed impossible under the circumstances, but everything aligned. I got that job that was posted—and my Mom suddenly realized my stories were really good. So, my parents backed more attending Superstars.

Within a year, I’d have two contracts with small presses, one for my first novel, and another for a collection of my published short stories that appeared in an ezine of the past couple of years.

I went to learn the business of being a writer—and, yes, I learned to understand contracts and about a host of things from the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Eric Flint, Dave (Farland) Wolverton, Kevin J. Anderson. But it was the other people—those like me with similar dreams and just as Geeky. We were all storytellers—and lovers of stories both fantastic and in the stars themselves.

I’ve now attended six in fifteen years, encouraging others to attend—and promoting going for one of the now many scholarships offered through one of the alumni anthologies Superstars publishes to help more people without the means to do so to attend.

I stay connected to my fellow Superstars tribe in a variety of ways—we see each other at sci fi conventions, often participating on panels together, and online. I’m in a writers support group on Facebook, where I can ask questions or offer my advice.

And, it’s being welcoming at Superstars and being their for one another that’s so import. For example, I’ve a story in an anthology called Win in the End, where all the proceeds go to help pay for the medical bills of a Superstars alumn who is fighting Lymphoma.

I’ve met and continue to meet a lot of incredible writers through Superstars—and editors, illustrators, narrators, and a host of others, who offer professional services to authors.

This year what I needed—desperately felt I needed was a push to believe in myself—and to stretch, reach out in new ways.

I’ve already written my entry for the annual anthology call—wrote the first draft at the airport on the way home.

I’ve mentioned what my goals were in my previous post a couple of weeks ago… It’s attaining those goals, striving to make them real is what I’m working on for the coming year—while seeking to complete and launch three more book projects (including a children’s book with illustrations) and start a new one unlike anything I’ve done before.

All I can do is encourage you to follow your heart, your signal as I’m striving to with the support of my writing tribe from Superstars.

(Go forth, Padawan, your signal—whether you call it the Force or not—is stronger than you know, too.)

On a different note, looking for free stories?

Bigfoot is Not Your Friend, the first book in my Apocalypse Knot Series, is free on Kindle for a a limited time only—starting today! (Oh, and Apocalypse or Bust, the 3-in-1 novella prequel trilogy is now available on Kindle and in other epub formats).

My novella, Grounding a Mockingbird, a prequel story to my Bred in Captivity series, is featured this month in the promo, YA/NA Genre Fusion with a Spine, where you can find a lot more free stories to help enjoy a winter day.

And, last but not least, Smashwords is having its annual sale. You’ll find a number of my books either free or significantly discounted for the first week of March.

Dare 2 Believe,

D.H.