Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tuesday Tops: The Top 10 Sci Fi Shows Cancelled Before Their Time





On select Tuesdays, we’re going to have some fun with the “Tuesday Tops”, and talk about the top “things” in different categories of my choosing (hey, it’s my blog!)  I was chatting on one of my Facebook groups about old TV shows, and how there are always great shows that get cancelled before their time, especially in the sci-fi area.  So many of them were really great, and had tons of potential.  So this week, in the first edition of the “Tuesday Tops”, I bring you my list of the Top Ten Sci Fi Shows Cancelled Before Their Time!

I did have to have a couple of criteria.  First, it had to be a show I saw when it was aired.  So, shows like the original “Star Trek”, which many I’m sure would feel belong on this list, was originally aired before I was even born, so it’s out.  Second, it had to have an unsatisfying ending or obviously had more story to tell.  You’ll see several of these were cancelled after cliffhanger season finales.

#10 Invasion
Network: ABC
Seasons: 1
Years: 2005-2006

This story, which was certainly influenced by “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, took place in a small town in Florida in the aftermath of a hurricane.  People who were caught in the storm seemed to have “changed” somehow.  Other strange occurrences, including the appearance of odd glowing creatures in the water, filled the days following the devastating event.  The series finale centered around a second hurricane headed for the area and fears, among those not affected by the first, about what the second might do.

I’m not sure why this series did not take off.  William Fichtner provided a sufficient creepy factor as the town sheriff who was obviously no longer himself.  The rest of the cast was solid, and shows like this that have an air of mystery about them (What were the creatures?  Where did they come from and what did they want?) have always appealed to me.  Creator Shaun Cassidy stated that the show was originally conceived as a five-season story arc.  It could be that production costs and a dislike of the show by ABC executives, despite a strong core following and critical acclaim, led to the demise of this series.

#9 Threshold
Network: CBS
Seasons: 1
Years: 2005-2006

I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that the same year “Invasion” came to ABC, this series landed on CBS.  However, “Threshold” had a different take on the alien invasion theme.  In the pilot, a strange interdimensional probe appears near a U.S. Navy vessel.  It emits a signal that, over time, rewrites the DNA of those who are exposed to it, and turns them into super-human soldiers with the overwhelming drive to propagate the signal and eventually have the entire human race join them.  The “Threshold” team is assembled to combat this threat, led by Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey, a scientist who had written several poorly received (until this point) response plans to combat various alien invasion scenarios.

This series was cancelled after only 10 aired episodes, so it was never really given a chance to develop.  The premise was different enough where it might not have appealed to a wide audience.  It was at times a little more cerebral than your typical alien invasion action-fest.  I think if it were given a chance, the characters (especially Dr. Caffrey and team member Arthur Ramsey, played by the very good Peter Dinklage) would have had an opportunity to grow into their roles.  Brent Spiner and Charles S Dutton were also part of the above-average cast.

#8 Flashforward
Network: ABC
Seasons: 1
Years: 2009-2010


Everyone on Earth simultaneously blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, causing accidents, deaths, and mass chaos.  In the aftermath, it is discovered that for that short period of time, everyone received a glimpse of where they will be exactly six months from that point.  An FBI task force is formed to investigate how the blackout occurred and in doing so, several members are led to question what they saw … or didn’t see.

I loved this show.  It had a very “Lost” feel about it, and in fact there was some speculation on the internet that this show might eventually crossover into the story that “Lost” built, since they were both ABC series.  The show won one Emmy and was nominated for two others.  As I recall, the series finale ended with a second blackout occurring.  Honestly, ABC messed this one up by putting the show on a three-month hiatus in the middle of its first season. It could never get its traction back after that, and thus another great show got cancelled with a cliffhanger as its series finale.

One powerful event in the series centered around the fact that, of course, there were many people that saw nothing during the blackout.  The theory was that these people were to die sometime in those six months.  In order to prove that the future could be changed, one character who saw in his vision that sometime in the next six months he will have killed a mother and a child in a car accident (and it was revealed that they saw nothing in their vision), committed suicide to prevent that from happening.

#7 The 4400
Network: USA Network
Seasons: 4
Years: 2004-2007

In one eventful day, 4400 missing persons are suddenly, simultaneously returned.  None of them have aged past the day they were taken.  Each one is returned with some kind of new ability they must learn to control and decide how to use. Some just want to be left alone, some want to use their abilities to help, others want to use them just to help themselves.  A special task force is assembled to investigate what happened and to stop those who decide to use their abilities in the wrong way.

Four seasons seems like a long time, except for the fact that this was a USA Network summer series of only about 10 or 11 episodes a season, with months in between.  This show is the first on the list where the producers seemed to know the show might not be renewed, so they wrote a finale that could have continued the story but also cleared up at least some of the plot points.  Even so, this show could have gone on for quite a while.

#6 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Network: Fox
Seasons: 2
Years: 2008-2009

Not much needs to be said about the premise for this show.  It takes place after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as Sarah and John Connor continue to fight to ensure Skynet never gets built.  Several terminators are sent back in time at various points, but their mission seems to have changed slightly.  Instead of just going after the Connors, they also appear to be trying to bring about the very events that lead to their own creation.  Summer Glau takes over as the terminator (given the name Cameron) sent back to be John’s protector – a great casting choice in my humble opinion.  I actually read that the role was created with her in mind because of her action scenes in “Serenity”.

Fox has a history of not giving good shows a chance, and this was no exception.  It did have a couple of problems – it basically completely diverged from the Terminator 3 storyline.  Some fans were completely ok with this, I’m sure a few had a problem with it.  And the casting of Shirley Manson as a T-1000 just didn’t work for me.  But still, as a huge fan of the Terminator movies, this series greatly added to the story and deserved better than a cliffhanger ending (the series ended with teenage John sent into the apocalyptic future).  No resolution, of course.

#5 Space: Above and Beyond
Network: Fox
Seasons: 1
Years: 1995-1996

An Earth colony 16 light-years from Earth is destroyed in an alien attack, and the attackers are headed for Earth itself.  With Earth at war with an unknown enemy, the series focuses on a particular unit of Marine pilots and their struggles with the enemy and each other.

Hey, look, here’s Fox again!  This show was of course action-packed, but also dealt with the dirty side of conflict.  The good guys were not always perfect, and the bad guys weren’t always pure evil.  The revelation towards the end of the series that the Chigs (the aliens) may have actually been from Earth was a great twist.  This was the new “Battlestar Galactica” before the new “Battlestar Galactica”.  I did read that a couple of the actors might not have been happy with the show, but my bet is production costs eventually killed this one well before its time.  The effects were very good for the time on television, and the show earned two Emmy nominations.

#4 Star Trek: Enterprise
Network: UPN
Seasons: 4
Years: 2001-2005

The prequel series to the original, this series took place during the very beginnings of the Federation, following the crew of the first starship Enterprise under the command of Jonathan Archer and the first multi-species crew in Starfleet, which at the time was purely an Earth military force.

This was the only one of the new Star Trek series that lasted less than seven seasons, and it showed as the finale (which was probably always meant to be the formation of the Federation) felt very rushed.  Plus they brought in two Next Generation characters for the finale (Riker and Troi) which they probably were meaning for an episode in the middle of the series.  I felt like every Star Trek series since the original seemed to need about two seasons under its belt before it really hit its stride, and Enterprise was like this too.  Basically, it was starting to get really good when it got cancelled.  This marked the end (for now) of Star Trek on television – it remains to be seen if the J.J. Abrams reboot movies will revive this great franchise on the small screen.

I just have to say one thing – what were they thinking with that horrible opening theme song????

#3 Eureka
Network: SyFy
Seasons: 5
Years: 2006-2012

What do you get when you put a regular guy in charge of security at a town full of supergenius scientists pushing the cutting edge of technology, often at their own peril and putting the entire world at risk almost every week?  You get the town of Eureka, Oregon.  Sheriff Jack Carter, almost by accident, falls into the job of head of law enforcement in the town where the government has collected the greatest scientific minds of the time.

This quirky show is by far the best SyFy has ever produced, with action, humor, great characters, and enough continuing story arcs to keep continuity freaks like me interested.  To be honest, the show didn’t end on a big cliffhanger and the end was fairly satisfying – this show is on the list because I just didn’t want it to end.  The chemistry between the two leads was great too.

#2 Torchwood
Network: BBC/Starz
Seasons: 4
Years: 2006-2011

This spinoff of Doctor Who follows the popular character Captain Jack Harkness, who heads Torchwood Three, the last remaining operating division of Torchwood.  Their mission is to monitor a space-time rift running through Cardiff and protect humanity from all manner of extraterrestrial and extradimensional threats that are attracted to it.  Gwen Cooper is the newest member of Torchwood and almost plays Companion to Captain Jack.  The show consisted of two full seasons and was followed by what amounted to two mini-series.  The final ten-episode miniseries, “Miracle Day”, was aired by Starz and added Mekhi Phifer to the cast as a CIA agent working with Torchwood. 

Every time a season of this show ends, there is a clamoring for more, and for good reason.  Jack Harkness is probably the most popular non-companion character from the new Doctor Who series, and the platonic chemistry between he and Gwen is the heart of the show.  This is the all-grown-up, dark version of Doctor Who – Torchwood is willing to do things that the Doctor would likely never do, and are put into situations where they have little choice.  Why is this on the list?  Because I really want to know what happens to Mekhi Phifer’s character – and there are always new stories to be told about this group.  Even as I write this, there is ongoing speculation about a new season, and if anyone is willing to bring back shows after multi-year breaks, it’s the Brits.

#1 Firefly
Network: Fox
Seasons: 1
Years: 2002-2003

Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.  Sounds simple enough right?  What that canned synopsis doesn’t tell you is how great the characters, stories, dialog, and action were in this short-lived combination of Science Fiction and Western from the genius mind of Joss Whedon.

This one makes me want to scream.  There is absolutely no reason this show should not have worked, other than gross mismanagement by the network.  Episodes were aired inconsistently and out of order.  I have to admit, I broke my own rule with this one – this is the one show on the list I did not see when it was aired.  Only later, when I got the DVD set, did I appreciate what a great series this was and had the potential to be.  The follow-on motion picture “Serenity”, although also great, only did so much to satiate the appetite for this show.  Shame on you Fox, shame!!

So, that is my list.  What about you?  Do you remember any of these shows?  Are there others you think should be on the list?


Also, what other types of “lists” do you think would be fun to come up with?

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Patricia and I can also be followed here:    Facebook              Twitter

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Rudy and Trish are the main characters in our two published short stories in the "Evernight: Romance in a World of Darkness" anthologies.  You can get to know them as well as get 23 other great stories!  Here's where you can find them:

Evernight Volume 1:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Evernight Volume 2:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Friday, July 26, 2013

Finding Fiction Friday - Aby Irving


I'm excited to have relatively new author Aby Irving here with us today, and I hope you enjoy it!  She has a bubbly personality and outlook on life and writing which I am so glad she decided to share with us.  First, a brief introduction ...

Aby Irving is possibly one of the more confusing people you will ever know.  That’s okay, she confuses herself too.  Having thrown herself into writing with reckless abandon she has recently published her first novelette and writes risqué comedy under the pen name of Chastity McVirtue.  She’s far more educated than anything she does will ever convince you of (even if you’ve see the paperwork) and she earns her keep as a ghostwriter.  She’s very nice and very flexible.  She like dogs.

How does one go from a career in sales at an aerospace firm in Georgia to trying to become a writer in London?  There has to be a story there!

Ha!  Good research:-)  I had a lot of dealings with the branch in Georgia but I never actually visited there, I was always based in the UK.  I got into aerospace by accident and because I can’t help but work hard I found myself progressing and getting caught in the maelstrom.  One day I woke up and realized that adrenaline isn’t passion, stress isn’t drive and that if I didn’t do something soon I’d be in the same job forever, so when my branch decided to move I elected not to go with them.  I decided instead to give myself a chance at earning a living from what really compels me.

We know what your bio says.  Tell us one thing about yourself that you think might surprise us.

My husband thinks I should have been born a man.

Do you remember what it was like, the feeling you had when your book was finally “out there”?

Absolutely! I’d made myself a little crazy over it during the week before and I pretty much just retreated into reading and tried to forget that there was such a thing as reality and that mine involved anything like the leap into self-publishing.  Once I’d taken the plunge though I didn’t feel anything but excited. 

Your published novella is called “The Hereafter”.  Tell us a bit about this book and the inspiration for it.

The story is a first person narrative from the perspective of a young male protagonist who finds himself in hell after a particularly raucous night out.  He meets Dr. Lucifer and Nurse Azrael who use a series of less and less gentle persuasive methods to get to the bottom of where his life went wrong.  I was actually inspired to write this about eleven years ago when a young actor in a TV show I was watching died suddenly of an overdose, I just remember thinking what a terrible waste of life that was. 

What other cool things do you have bouncing around in your head?  What’s next for Aby Irving?

I have a busy head! I have several science fiction stories that I’m working on.  Two are space tales; one is about xeno-espionage (like James Bond in space) and the other is centered around a telepathic character who struggles with his own culture and the new species he meets in the wider universe.  The two I’m most focused on are near future tales of suspense with a psychological element.  I’ve promised my sister-in-law that I would finish a werewolf romance that I started and I’ve also been thinking for a while about a darkly amusing series of comics about mutated fish people living in the Thames.  Equally I’ve not given up on my character from ‘The Hereafter’, he may yet get a second chance at life, just maybe not an easy one;-)  I love comics and art and I’d also be incredibly excited to be able to create an illustrated version of the ‘The Hereafter’ so I’d love to hear from any artists who like the story and have a vision of how it can be brought to life.

*Deep Breath*

I’m likely to focus on the two near future stories as I have a goal to publish my next novella/novelette by the end of the year.

What about being published and the book industry in general has most surprised you?

It would definitely be how supportive people have been.  Self-publishing can make you feel like a lone idiot flying in the face of reason to tout your sub-standard prose at a world that just doesn’t need it, but I’ve felt very encouraged by the reactions of those who’ve read the book so far and I’m really enjoying the networking and marketing side.

What other things besides writing do you have going on that keep you busy?

At the moment a lot of my time is being taken up by ghost writing which I have to say I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing. I’ve also taken to baking bread and cakes…to varying degrees of success!

To close the interview, I have ten questions for you, plus one.  Here they go!

  1. What is your favorite word?   Serendipity
  2. What is your least favorite word?  Worm
  3. What turns you on?  Food
  4. What turns you off?  Boredom
  5. What sound or noise do you love?  Bird Song
  6. What sound or noise do you hate?  Alarm Clocks
  7. What is your favorite curse word?  Bollocks
  8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  Cooking
  9. What profession would you not like to do?    Management
  10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?  Well done, have a hug.
  11. What question have you never been asked, that you wish someone would ask you?  Why didn’t you try to be a writer before?


Aby, thanks so much for spending time with us.  Can you let us know where to follow you, and where we can go to purchase your work?


You can also find me on:

www.abyirving.com (Home of my blogs, my work in progress diaries (which I need to update), my published work and some of my short stories and flash fiction.)
www.minutesofmayhem.com (Where I write articles as Chastity McVirtue (only for the open-minded).)
www.facebook.com/AbyIrving (Where I post links to all of the above.)

www.twitter.com/abyirving (Where I also post links of all of the above, chat a lot and occasionally ramble pointlessly after consuming red wine.)


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Patricia and I can also be followed here:    Facebook              Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rudy and Trish are the main characters in our two published short stories in the "Evernight: Romance in a World of Darkness" anthologies.  You can get to know them as well as get 23 other great stories!  Here's where you can find them:

Evernight Volume 1:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Evernight Volume 2:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe


Friday, July 19, 2013

Finding Fiction Friday - Tara Barnacle


Today on Finding Fiction Friday, we are visiting with Tara Barnacle, author of "Blood, Bone and Stone".  I'm very excited to get to know her and I hope you are too!  First a brief bio ...

Tara Barnacle lives in sunny South Australia, and dreams of walking on wild wintery Atlantic shores. She worked in a Library in another life, but had to quit before her book addiction reached epic proportions...well, almost before! Blood, Bone and Stone is her first fiction book.

How did you get started writing, and what made you decide to go ahead and try publishing something?

It’s almost a cliche, but I’ve always written, even as a child squished into the back of the car on summer holidays, or in class, especially Chemistry and Physics! At least I looked like I was taking notes…
By the time I was writing Blood, Bone and Stone I’d already had a non-fiction book published, and also several articles for various peer reviewed journals. Friends had been nagging me for years to get some of my stories in print, so I thought I would try to capture some of the tales running around in my mind. There are lots more still in there, so this might take a while...

We know what your bio says. Tell us one thing about yourself that you think might surprise us.

I once found a Roman coin by tripping over in the middle of a crop circle!

Do you remember what it was like, the feeling you had when your book was finally “out there”?

I won’t forget it in a hurry! A queer breathless mix of elation and anxiety that maybe I hadn’t REALLY finished it…palpitations either way!

So your published work is called “Blood, Bone and Stone”. Tell us a bit about this book and the inspiration for it.

This book bubbled into life from the ferment of my obsessions, some life long and some more newly acquired. A fascination for prehistory and archaeology, and the myths of Orkney and Glastonbury simmered along comfortably enough together, but then I had my mitochondrial DNA tested and that well and truly upset the pot. I had wanted to do it for many years, and it was genuinely life changing, in a ‘light the blue touch paper and retire’ kind of way! I wrote Blood, Bone and Stone because I couldn’t think of better way to share the profundity of that experience.

The story spans the millennia between modern day Oxford and Bronze Age Orkney, with the mysterious town of Glastonbury floating somewhere in between, combining modern day archaeology and ancient history, cutting edge DNA research and reincarnation, and blurring the borders of life and death..

How did you choose the setting for it?

That was the easiest part of the whole process! I chose places that I absolutely love, and hope to keep on visiting throughout my life. Orkney and Glastonbury absolutely top that list, with the added bonus of their own fabulous atmospheres.

What does the future hold for Tara Barnacle’s writing career? What’s next?

Definitely another book set in Orkney, in fact I think there will be a trilogy in that series. The next one is about the male side of things..YDNA and Vikings!


What about being published and the book industry in general has most surprised you?

Two things mostly – How much it has changed since I published my first book, social media and eBooks were unheard of then! A very steep learning curve...I hope I’m at least hallway up the hill!
The other thing was a very pleasant surprise - how supportive the online community of authors are to each other on the whole. There’s always someone ready with an answer or suggestion, really wonderful!

What other things besides writing do you have going on that keep you busy?

Busy is an understatement! I’m also a Marriage Celebrant, and I manage a Bed and Breakfast for some dear friends of mine, in between finishing building my mud brick house and carving out a garden from an ex vineyard! 

To close the interview, I have ten questions for you, plus one. Here they go!

1. What is your favorite word? Yes!
2. What is your least favorite word? But…
3. What turns you on? Wit!
4. What turns you off? Being bored.
5. What sound or noise do you love? The cabin announcement “Ladies and Gentlemen, the ferry will be docking in Kirkwall harbour in ten minutes..”
6. What sound or noise do you hate? The slow glacial grinding of approaching deadlines.
7. What is your favorite curse word? No one word in particular..I prefer a good old Anglo Saxon string of ‘em!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Anthropologist…Watching the world is an occupational hazard for a writer, I’m pretty sure I could do it professionally!
9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything to do with a Complaints Department. Move on people!
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Where the Hell have you been?

11. What question have you never been asked, that you wish someone would ask you?
Exactly how DOES it feel to be on the Times Bestseller List?


Tara, thanks so much for spending time with us. Can you let us know where to follow you, and where we can go to purchase your work?

Thank you too, it’s been a pleasure! I can usually be found lurking on my Facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Barnacle-Author

Blood, Bone and Stone is available from all eBooksellers…Amazon Kindle, the iBookstore, Kobo, Barnes & Noble...and wherever you buy your ebooks!





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Patricia and I can also be followed here:    Facebook              Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rudy and Trish are the main characters in our two published short stories in the "Evernight: Romance in a World of Darkness" anthologies.  You can get to know them as well as get 23 other great stories!  Here's where you can find them:

Evernight Volume 1:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Evernight Volume 2:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Friday, July 12, 2013

Finding Fiction Friday - Denysé Bridger


Today on Finding Fiction Friday, I have the distinct privilege of interviewing Denysé Bridger.  Denysé is one of the more prolific writers I know, and has been recognized for her achievements more than once.  Plus, she is just an awesome person.  


Denysé has been signed with over a dozen publishing houses, winning the prestigious title of Best Author of 2012 from the Predators and Editors site. The best-selling author has been nominated for and won numerous awards. Never confined to one genre, she writes in many and has garnered a loyal audience over the past decade.


How did you get started writing?
           I’ve told this story a few times but it seems to entertain, so here we go. I fell into writing in an offbeat way over 30 years ago. I was fed up to the eyes with the way my favourite television show was progressing, so I decided to write my own story for it. I’d never heard of fan fiction at that time, but I did decide to send it off to Hollywood as a gift for the actor I liked so much. 13 days later the phone rang late at night and imagine my shock when I found myself talking to the actor in question! He said he’d read the story on a break, and it was better than what they were filming that week. I was totally stunned. He encouraged me to keep writing, and told me I had a talent for it. When I showed the story to another friend, she introduced me to fanzines and wanted to publish the story. That began a 20 year training period that was a blast, and taught me a lot about writing in general.

We know what your bio says.  Tell us one thing about yourself that you think might surprise us.
          Most people find it hard to believe two things about me – my age, and then my shyness. I’ve learned to push myself to be out-going because it’s so necessary in this line of work, but I’m painfully shy, and it frequently scares me into a panic to have to be so public for the work.

Do you remember what it was like, the feeling you had when you learned you were being published for the first time?
          It was exciting, but also totally shocking to me because I’d entered a writing contest at the very last minute, and never expected to win. I had decided not to enter this thing, I don’t like writing competition at all. But, 48 hours before deadline, the idea fell into my mind and wouldn’t let go – I wrote 13K in less than 24 hours, edited it the following day, got it proofread, then sent it in hours before the deadline. Three weeks later, the email came... I haven’t stopped since.


You’ve been a pretty prolific writer.  What genres have you covered, and is there one in particular you haven’t tried yet that you’d like to?
          At the moment, I can’t think of a genre I’m drawn to but haven’t written, even in a small way. At the moment, according to my website, I’ve covered: Action, Adventure, BDSM / Dom's, Contemporary, Dark Fantasy, Erotic, Fairytale, Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Historical, Historical Western, Holiday, Horror, Ménage, Mystery, Non-Erotic, Paranormal, Pirate, Romance, Sensual, Suspense, Thriller, Vampire, Victorian Mystery, Voyeurism, Western...

Of the books you have written, do you have a particular favorite?
          I have a couple that I think are better than others, but if I was pushed to really pick a favourite, it would be the two that are The Devane Files. They’re Victorian era mysteries, with a sensual romance running through them. The hero, Police Inspector Michael Devane is a clairvoyant opium abuser, and a very unorthodox investigator who’s haunted by the Ripper murders. He was part of H Division.








“Out of the Past” seems to have gotten a bit of attention lately, especially for that stunning cover.  Can you tell us a bit about that story, and the cover as well, how that cover was put together?
          The novel is one of the rare ones I’ve done in recent years. It is three very unique stories that are all wholly a part of a bigger picture. Each one is independent when you begin reading, but by the end of the book, they’ve merged and each dovetails seamlessly to form the last section of the novel. If any of the three stories were removed or altered, the novel would fall apart, so it was a real challenge. The cover is Kayden McLeod’s genius. All I did was pick an image from some she’d sent – and I chose the lady in red... the rest... Kayden’s vision.
          I think it’s very cool that the cover has won contests, and has gained so much attention for Kayden’s work.

What else do you have cooking in that brain for the future?
          *laughing* At the moment, I’m still working on getting 2012 projects done, but in a nutshell, I have a genie story almost ready, four stories committed to Ellora’s Cave, three coming from New Dawning before year’s end, my next release with Noble Romance is an erotic historical western called Champagne and Chocolate. That doesn’t even begin to cover the three new novels that are plotted and waiting, and one very special novella inspired by a wonderful friend who’s a model. Just for starters... J

What about being published and the book industry in general has most surprised you?
          Sadly, there are many things that have proven to be very discouraging and disillusioning about the publishing industry. The blatant lack of professionalism is an issue I have a difficult time with on a daily basis. Computers have made almost everyone think they’re writers, and the truth is, many who publish are NOT writers that would have ever been published 25 years ago. The standard has declined radically with the emergence of quick and easy internet publishing.
          Then there is the new breed of author who is wholly preoccupied with themselves and shows no respect or support for other authors. Forums and sites devoted to trashing your peers and your publishers, all in the name of informing the unsuspecting and innocent are just bullshit in my opinion. Here again we have the lack of professionalism and respect. What happened to showing a little sense, and directing your business issues to the people involved, not bitching on the internet? Career suicide seems to be afflicting many these days.
          It’s professional and only good manners to actually READ what a publisher wants before you submit, and then submit it in the correct format. All of this marks you as a professional who cares. (Ending my rant here, or I’ll go on for paragraphs...)

What other things besides writing do you have going on that keep you busy?
          I’m a full-time care-giver, too, so my days are very full. When I have rare down time, I like to watch old shows, read a lot, philosophy at the moment. I bake, and I love to walk in the local park.

To close the interview, I have ten questions for you, plus one.  Here they go!

What is your favorite word? Love
What is your least favorite word? Hate
What turns you on? Intelligence
What turns you off? Ignorance
What sound or noise do you love? Laughter
What sound or noise do you hate? Loud car stereos
What is your favorite curse word? Shit!
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Architectural Design
What profession would you not like to do? Nurse
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Welcome home.
What question have you never been asked, that you wish someone would ask you? If you were told tomorrow was the last day you had to live, and you could spend it any way you wanted–what would you do with that final day?  Answer: I’d spend the day at a cabin in the mountains, by a lake, with someone who challenges me and makes me feel like life really is an incredible gift that is more beautiful when it’s shared with a person who wants nothing more than to be with you. And this is not necessarily a lover, obviously.

Denyse, thanks so much for spending time with us.  Can you let us know where to follow you, and where we can go to purchase your work?
         
Thank you so much for having me as your guest, Aaron. I’m everywhere, but the main sites are:

Fantasy Pages (general): http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com
Bound by Passion (adult content): http://boundpassion.blogspot.com
Sensual Treats Magazine: http://www.sensualtreats.webs.com

Since I publish with ten publishers currently, the best place to find my work is to check out my books page on my website: http://denysebridger.com/booksV2.php

Pictured books: 

Bella Signorina:

The Devane Files: Out of Hell:

The Devane Files: An Unspoken Betrayal:

Out of the Past: eBook:



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Patricia and I can also be followed here:    Facebook              Twitter

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Rudy and Trish are the main characters in our two published short stories in the "Evernight: Romance in a World of Darkness" anthologies.  You can get to know them as well as get 23 other great stories!  Here's where you can find them:

Evernight Volume 1:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe

Evernight Volume 2:   Amazon       XoXo          ARe