Wormhole Electric 2013 in Review

So we begin another amazing year, Don. Did you know that we’ve published 6 books, 2 books for an individual author, written over 125 posts, entertained over 4000 page views for people from around the world! Thank you! Thank all of you for participating in this conversation, even if just to read it. I enjoy reading Don’s words and often find myself wishing I was as passionate about different subjects as he is.

I was a bit hesitant at first to start this blog, kind of wondering if we’d run out of things to talk about like an old couple at the dinner table. But we haven’t yet! Our conversations have run the gambit from music to heroes, to books, to movies, to movies from books,  travel, and Don has listened nicely to my explorations into the Wired Generation.

I thought I’d take a few lines to talk about the writers for Wormhole Electric. It is because of their talent and willingness to share their work that Don and I got to together. That in itself is a story! The writers come from different backgrounds as well as different parts of the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Several are mothers with young children – they write at nap time or when the kids finally get to sleep at night or between clients or on the coffee break at work. One is a stay at home dad who has an audio book company, another is a dad who solves technical computer problems from home. We have an IT expert, a lighting designer, an accounts payable specialist, an artist / song writer, a real estate specialist, a couple of teachers…

You can tell from the topics there are several who enjoy the supernatural and the macabre, others who write fantasy like it was their daily life experience. Science fiction rolls off the keyboards of some while they twist everyday life with the spice of science and fantasy.  

A couple of months ago, we asked the authors some questions about how they get their story ideas, do ideas keep them up or wake them up at night,  or whether or not their characters talk to them when they’re not writing about them? Or how do they deal with the times great ideas come to them and they can’t write the idea down! Almost all responded that their characters are fairly disciplined and able to wait to comment until the writer gets up in the morning, but then, LOOK OUT! Several mentioned that they keep a small tape recorder handy and one admits to using his wife because his ideas often come when they’re driving on the interstate! One writer has been able to write his travel adventures into his stories. All admit to hearing their characters “discussing the current situation they are in”, but no one admits to being pestered by characters who just want a better role in the story. Well, I did back when I was doing the fiction portion of my writing.

So how did we all get together? I talked about this way back in one of the beginning blogs with Don, but I’ll say it again. It started with a “If you could do anything, what would you do” type of question on a coffee break. Someone heard, offered to help me put the website together, I mentioned it to friends who had friends who loved to write… it really is one of those “follow your dream” things. I didn’t give up my day job – but a lot of that has to do with how much I love teaching. We’re not rich – yet. I think our time will come. We have too much talent writing, editing, designing for Wormhole to end up as anything less than spectacular!

I was asked once why we call the monthly ezine “Science Fiction Fantasy Transports”. When we were originally putting this concept together, several of us were speculating about the transporter used on Star Trek. It transported people to “other places”, which is what fiction reading should do for the reader – transport them to another world, another dimension, another concept… ezine Transports were born.

So what’s next? Science Fiction Fantasy Transport 27!

Ariel Cinii has provided us with three books so far, and is now allowing us to showcase her final book, The Telepaths’ Song which we will be running throughout the first six months of 2014. I think this book is perhaps her greatest! It is well written, has a tight story line that pulls the reader to end of the story, characters that are well fleshed out and believable! Even though it is science fiction/steam punk, it still has to be believable! Jack Levravich and Lisa Manifold are providing the set-up episodes so that in February, they can wrap their stories up. They’ll take a much needed rest – I’ll give them a couple of months, then I imagine they will both be back with more great stories.

We’re pleased to have SM Baughns back with us in April along with O’Ryan Jackson. These two are our macabre specialists. Their stories are tight, grizzly, well developed, and have just enough of a twist in them that you really don’t see the ending coming.

Colby Elliott and Jeph Keir are back in February. Colby is our stay-at-home specialist and Jeph Keir has blessed us with the Iron Sky Empire stories. For both of these writers, all their work is good, and each new story is better than the last.

In March, Tamara will publish another story with us. She is one of those fascinating authors who can take every day happenings and weave in science fiction in such a way that by the end of the story, you’re more than willing to believe the story she has created. You believe it hook, line and sinker.

Me? I’m working on non-fiction at this point in time. I enjoy the research process and sharing what I find out. Through the blog, I’ll keep you all informed as to those “did you know?” moments that I stumble on concerning the Wired Generation. In May, I’m thinking that Don and I have put together enough riddles that we could publish the best ones in a Riddle Me book type of thing. I have to have Don’s permission to do this – please note that I’ve been asking Don for over a year now to come on board as a writer because I know he writes, but he’s side stepped me so far. Maybe this is the way to get him involved!

 

Well, I think I’ve used up my weekly blog real estate, as Don would put. Time to wish all of you a great New Year! Follow your dream! It is worth it! Give up your day job? That’s up to you. The point is, enjoy what you’re doing! That is what gives life worth.

Happy New Year everyone!

Carolyn