Posts Tagged ‘romance’
heroine
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heroine
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her hair
is a stroke of pink
on the brown audience
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more compelling
than the script
or the decorated stage
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not surprising to see
her name on the program
Rose
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in black but for the hair
even her lips
implore the audience
to pardon the difference
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she, the heroic one
not Romeo
or Juliet
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not the dead
but the left-behind
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All my best.
Staying safe,
Jane
next book in the Meniscus Series
May 1 has arrived. With my new poetry books at the ‘proof’ stage, I have shifted gears to work on revisions of the next book in my science fiction series.
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Meniscus: The Knife is the eighth book in the Meniscus Series and continues with the love story of Tagret and Rist. I haven’t looked at the manuscript for two months, so I hope to see it with a new eye.
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When we left them in the last book, Meniscus: Encounter with the Emenpod, Tagret and Rist are parting company for a while. Rist, after the manner of all Slain, is going to his home to hibernate for the winter. Tagret will pass the winter months in the community of Themble Hill where she will have company and things to do.
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In Meniscus: The Knife, Tagret will go on a quest to save Rist from the dangerous Brotherhood.
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I think ‘The Knife’ is a great title for the book.
First, The Knife is the name of Rist’s home, the first step in Tagret’s quest.
Second, a knife is a metaphor for anything cut in two, a broken vow, a broken trust, a severed relationship.
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Third, there are no knives on the planet Meniscus. The reason for this is the mythological interpretation of the geological fault that physically separated the gentle Argenops from the oppressive Dock-winders and their Gel-head minions. Long ago, says the mythology, the Themble area was cut from the En’ast area by a magical knife and since then, no knives have been allowed on the planet Meniscus.
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I have a few steps to do before the book is done:
- Read the manuscript and make adjustments to storylines;
- Do line by line revisions (word choice and poetic structure);
- Add front matter, character descriptions, glossary and gel-speak dictionary;
- Submit the manuscript to my editor;
- Incorporate editorial suggestions;
- Format text;
- Finish drawings and maps, scan, scale and insert into text.
- Create cover painting and photograph;
- Scale photo and create cover;
- Submit to Kindle Direct Publishing and request Proof;
- Review and revise Proof;
- Resubmit and finalize;
- Push publish!
Then I begin the formatting process for the second time, to create an e-book.
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Sounds daunting but I have done this so often, I have worked out all (well, most) of the bugs. I am helped in this by my ‘little black books’ where I write out the revision and formatting steps, font sizes, image dimensions, Word settings and KDP requirements.
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I’ll keep you up to date on my progress.
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All my best,
staying safe and in my two-household bubble,
Jane
Kindle Free Book Deal: Intro to the Meniscus Sci-Fi Series
Meniscus — a planet far from Earth. When humans are taken there, they face a life of hardship and servitude. But humans are resilient. Follow the story of the humans who struggle to escape from the oppressive Dock-winders and build a home in an alien world.
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In the sixth book of the Meniscus series, Meniscus: Oral Traditions, meet Tagret. The Dock-winders have taken her from Earth and deposited her on the streets of the alien city of Sintha. Tagret feels helpless, but she soon meets other humans who will help her get along in this strange and dangerous place.
One of these is Rist, a Slain, a genetically modified human who has forged a life for himself. He does not want or need a tag-along to burden his days. But when Tagret is sold at a Dock-winder auction, Rist uses all his tickets to save her from a terrible fate. Tagret feels safe with Rist and makes plans for the future.
But Rist has a secret …
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Meniscus: Oral Traditions is a great entry point for readers who think they’d like to find out more about the humans on Meniscus. Each Meniscus book is written as a readable long poem and is illustrated by the author. The books are a quick read, and include both adventure and romance.
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For five days next week (August 5 to 9, 2019), I will be running a Kindle Free Book Deal and the e-version of Meniscus: Oral Traditions will be free at Amazon. here
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I will be sending reminders during the Kindle Free Book Deal, so stay tuned!!!!!
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All my best,
Alexandra Tims
(a.k.a. Jane)
New book in the Meniscus Series – Meniscus: Karst Topography
Only a few days to go before the fifth book in the Meniscus Series is published … October 15, 2018 !
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Review of Meniscus: Crossing The Churn, first book in the series:
I have never read a book that uses so few words to inspire so much emotion …
only 139 pages long, with each page holding 100 words or less per page … You will be amazed at how potent her words are!
I give this 5 stars for its power, its uniqueness, the fabulous graphics, and a terrific story.
Liza O’Connor, The Multiverses of Liza O’Connor
The Series follows the adventures of a group of Humans on the alien Planet of Meniscus. On Meniscus, Humans live in bondage and are not allowed to build relationships with one another. When a small group escapes the over-lords, they work together to build a new community, battling the elements, local wild life and dangerous aliens. Meniscus is the story of how Humans work to overcome any hardship.
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Meniscus: Karst Topography
After building a new town at Themble Hill, and thinking they are safe from their Dock-winder over-seers, the Human women of the town are taken by a Prell transport. The Slain return to the town from a supply run to find their women gone. They journey to Prell and use technology to locate the women and intimidation to procure their release. But Odymn is not in Prell and Daniel (one of the Slain) is convinced that she did not survive. Meanwhile, back in Themble Hill, Odymn struggles with her injuries and worries she has lost Daniel forever. Gradually she recovers from her injuries, uses her skill at parkour to recover her strength and mobility and learns more about the strange place they have chosen to settle. Eventually she learns about the rescue mission and determines to follow and find Daniel.
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Meniscus: Karst Topography will be available October 15, 2018. There is still time to catch up on the Series. The books are written as narrative poetry, 10-20,000 words and each a quick read! A love story with lots of action and adventure. Edited by Lee Thompson.
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Meniscus: Crossing the Churn A woman on a dystopian planet wants freedom and discovers that sometimes fate returns you to where you began; the story of the meeting of Odymn and the Slain, Daniel.
Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days When Daniel is injured, Odymn and a furry Argenop work to return him to health; the story of how Odymn’s past trauma may get in the way of her romance with the Slain.
Meniscus: South from Sintha Daniel tries to right the wrongs he has done and learns he must bear the consequences of his actions; the story of how the Slain returns six of his contracts to their homes.
Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb A group of people try to build the first human community on a dystopian planet and discover that their former masters have found a way to follow them; story of Odymn and Daniel’s first winter together on Meniscus and how they help six survivors of a transport crash.
Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill A group of people try to overcome the hardships of living together in the first human community on a dystopian planet; the story of what happens when parkour-loving Odymn breaks a leg.
Meniscus: Karst Topography A group of the Slain go on a mission to rescue the woman of Themble Hill; the story of how Daniel and Odymn deal with separation.
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All my best
Alexandra (a.k.a. Jane)
Available now – Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill
For those who are reading my Meniscus science fiction series, my new book Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill is now available at Westminster Books in Fredericton and from Amazon, in paperback and Kindle formats here.
I will be launching this new book at Westminster Books on May 25, 2018 at 7:00, so mark your calendars!
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Humans on the planet Meniscus have had it hard. Used as slaves by the Dock-winders and Gel-heads, they live without hope, deprived of family and community. A few Humans have escaped and band together to build the first Human community on the planet. Odymn and the Slain are part of the community of Themble Hill but can they escape interference from the Dock-winders?
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You will enjoy the continuing adventures of Odymn and the Slain, as Odymn tries to recover from a parkour accident and cope with the Slain’s former girlfriend.
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Find out who is lighting a line of purple gettle-shells (the Meniscus version of the Jack-o-lantern) on the heights of The Fault where the Dock-winders can see them!
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For more information and an excerpt from Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill, click here.
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Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill
Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill
by Alexandra Tims
an illustrated long poem
fourth in the Meniscus Series
science fiction – romance – adventure
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Follow the adventures of Odymn and the Slain!
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Meniscus: The Town at Themble Hill
… On the alien planet Meniscus, against all odds, a small group of Humans works to forge a new life together. When a Dock-winder drone pays them a visit, Odymn and the Slain trek along the heights of The Fault, to make certain the community is not in danger of invasion. They find a new way to scale The Fault and a perfect location for building a new village. Matters are complicated when Odymn is injured on a parkour run and the Slain’s former girlfriend joins the group. Faced with a dangerous journey through the Themble Wood and the hardships of building a new community, are the Humans in more danger from themselves, the alien landscape, or their Doc-winder overlords?
… In the fourth book of the Meniscus series, The Village at Themble Hill chronicles the first days of community life on a planet where Humans are not allowed to associate and freedom is always at risk.
home is the safest place … so build a home …
www.amazon.com/Meniscus-Village-Themble-Alexandra-Tims/dp/1546475982
Excerpt
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“What is that sound?”
says Odymn.
Looks north-west.
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Green light creeps
towards zenith,
blinking its way.
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The Slain rolls to standing.
Grabs Odymn’s arm.
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“Hide,”
he says.
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Slips over the limb of banyan.
Pulls Odymn after him.
Covers her with his body.
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Tugs at his armour,
five snaps per side
(its electric current
detectable, trackable).
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The armour detaches.
A grid of inert copper
between them.
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Above, the drone
nudges sideways,
sinks among the trees.
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Odymn holds her breath.
The Slain lays his mouth on hers
but she peeks around him,
wants to see.
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The drone hovers
a minute or more.
It blinks, effortless
on its cushion of air.
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Then it rises.
Swoops
to the north-east.
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The Slain lifts Odymn to her feet.
Finds a path
through banyan,
in the direction of Garth.
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Flawless navigation in dark
and Odymn wonders
what amethyst eyes see
in places where light
does not shine.
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About the Author
Alexandra Tims is a botanist, writer and artist living in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Her first five books in the Meniscus series, Meniscus: Crossing The Churn, Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days, Meniscus: South from Sintha, Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb, and Meniscus: The Village at Themble Hill were published with CreateSpace in 2017 and 2018. She has also published two books of poetry, within easy reach (2106) and in the shelter of the covered bridge (2017), under the name Jane Spavold Tims (both with Chapel Street Editions, Woodstock). In 2016 she won the Alfred G. Bailey Prize in the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Writing Competition for her manuscript of poems about bird calls. She is a fan of science fiction – books, television and film, including Star Trek, Stargate and Firefly. Her websites feature her drawings, paintings and poetry.
Other books in the Meniscus Series
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Meniscus: Crossing The Churn
Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days
Meniscus: South from Sintha
Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb
Copyright Jane Tims 2018
Meniscus: Crossing The Churn
Meniscus: Crossing The Churn
by Alexandra Tims
an illustrated long poem
first in the Meniscus Series
science fiction – romance – adventure
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Follow the adventures of Odymn and the Slain!
On the alien planet Meniscus, Humans are slaves. Every twilight, Odymn runs through the forests outside the city, practicing the art of parkour. Her runs give her strength, flexibility and endurance, and a way to survive a life of servitude under the oppressive Dock-winders. When the silent Slain rescues her from a brutal encounter with a gang of Gel-heads, Odymn believes she has reached the end of her search for freedom. In their travels through the Prell’nan District of Meniscus, she and the Slain encounter dangerous woodlands, dramatic water-climbs and an impassable water churn. Odymn and the Slain work together to evade the Gel-heads and overcome the dangers of the landscape. But is Odymn really free or is she caught in a cycle of trying to escape the inevitable?
In the first of the Meniscus series, Crossing the Churn tells the story of the meeting of a young woman and a genetically-engineered Slain whose kindness may not be consistent with his purpose.
try …. fail … repeat …
sometimes no matter how hard you run, the past grabs at your heels …
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542342635
Excerpt
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The sky congeals,
coughs up churning darkness,
and the air moves.
Reminder of home, on Earth.
The creaking weathervane
above the hay barn door.
The wind tosses sparse droplets.
Plucks handfuls of dust.
Pebbles like sleet.
The broken hills kilometres away.
Obscured by a looming sandstorm.
The Slain walks faster.
Distance widens between them.
She stumbles, falls to her knees.
“Why should I follow?” she whispers.
His hand grips her arm, drags her to standing.
Forward in uneven strides.
Leaning into wind.
About the Author
Alexandra Tims is a botanist, writer and artist living in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Her first four books in the Meniscus series, Meniscus: Crossing The Churn, Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days, Meniscus: South from Sintha and Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb, were published with CreateSpace in 2017 and 2018. She has also published two books of poetry, within easy reach (2106) and in the shelter of the covered bridge (2017), under the name Jane Spavold Tims (both with Chapel Street Editions, Woodstock). In 2016 she won the Alfred G. Bailey Prize in the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Writing Competition for her manuscript of poems about bird calls. She is a fan of science fiction – books, television and film, including Star Trek, Stargate and Firefly. Her websites feature her drawings, paintings and poetry.
Other books in the Meniscus Series
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Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days
Meniscus: South from Sintha
Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb
Kindle Countdown Deal – Meniscus: South from Sintha
From March 8 to March 15, 2018, you can buy the Kindle version of Meniscus: South from Sintha at a reduced price. In the Kindle Countdown Deal, the price begins at $.99 and is increased by $1.00 increments during the deal promotion. Buy now and get a great read for a bargain!
Meniscus: South from Sintha is the second in the Meniscus Series. It is illustrated, written as a long poem. Science fiction, romance and adventure.
Just click here.
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Follow the continuing adventures of Odymn and the Slain as they try to undo the past wrongs of the Slain.
Together, they will try to:
break an evil Gel-head out of jail and return him to his home
release a captive, wolf-like kotildi to his pack
rescue a cook from her bondage in Sintha
take an eight-year old Dock-winder child back to her family
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You can try to mend the broken, to right the wrongs of the past, but sometimes you can`t go back.
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A Free eBook – Winter by the Water-climb
Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb, the third book in my sci-fi romance/adventure series, is available free from March 3 to March 7, 2018 in Kindle format. Just click and you will be taken to Amazon to get your book free of charge.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1544818068
Meniscus: Winter at the Water-climb
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Winter on the planet Meniscus is brutal — the plenty of other seasons gives way to scarcity and desperation. Unprepared for the months ahead, Odymn and the Slain find shelter with the generous Argenops, friendly furry creatures. When Odymn has to survive without the help of the Slain, she must depend on her own wits and her skill at parkour to survive the alien landscape of the Themble. But she is not prepared for new arrivals, group of survivors of a transport ship crash. On a planet where Human relationships are not allowed, ten people and an alien child take the first steps toward building a community.
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In the third book of the Meniscus series, Winter by the Water-climb, Odymn and the Slain must survive a winter apart from one another’s help and protection.
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I hope you enjoy reading this and other books in the series!
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Copyright Jane Tims 2018
Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days
Yesterday, a courier knocked at my door and left my box of new books – Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days, the new book in the Meniscus Science Fiction Series.
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The first book in the series (Meniscus: Crossing The Churn) describes the meeting between Odymn and the silent Slain and the beginning of their love story. By the second book (Meniscus: South From Sintha), they are committed to one another. Meniscus: One Point Five tells the story of the forty missing days in Meniscus: Crossing The Churn (between the time when the Slain is shot and the time when he and Odymn release her lock of hair to the wind).
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When the Slain bails on his contract to sell Odymn to the Dock-winders, he is shot trying to escape. Odymn, who loves the Slain, cannot abandon him and recruits Wen-le-gone, an Argenop elder and healer, to help her nurse the Slain back to good health. As they make their way toward the relative safety of the Themble, the trio must forage for food, save Odymn when she encounters a poisonous foe, and get to know and trust one-another. When Wen-le-gone leaves for his home, Odymn decides to stay with the Slain. As they continue on their journey, they work together to survive the dangers of the Themble Wood but in the end, memories of the past may be their biggest obstacle to building a life together.
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You can get Meniscus: One Point Five free of charge on Wattpad here. If searching Wattpad, use @AlexandraJTims since there are a couple of Alexandra’s listed!
If you would like a free copy of the paperback version (for the price of postage) contact me at timstims@nbnet.nb.ca
The paperback version of Meniscus: One Point Five is also available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978407564
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Odymn and the Slain
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Copyright 2018 Jane Tims
