Escalation Blog Tour - guest post by Stephen Tremp

SUPERNOVAS

Few words in the English language can evoke the WOW! Factor quite like Supernova. There have been bands, songs, and comic book superheroes named after this type of exploding star.

Supernovae occur at the end of a star's life when its furnace runs out of fuel. Because gravity then overcomes the star's ability to remain puffed up, there is a violent collapse, followed by an explosion that produces radioactive elements such as nickel and cobalt. Most of the light we see from a supernova is emitted as those radioactive elements decay, so the brightness falls sharply over a period of weeks.

Incidentally, all the iron in your blood came from the decay of radioactive nickel manufactured in a stellar explosion. So most of the atoms in your body were once in the interiors of stars. Reference In January 2014, a Type 1a Supernova in Messier 82, otherwise known as the Cigar Galaxy which is about 12 million light years from the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear) was discovered by students at the University College London. Some scientists call this a potential Holy Grail as it may give valuable insight into Dark Energy (more on this in a future post). It is positioned between the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. This rare cosmic event would be visible through a telescope any amateur stargazer could buy at a store.

We see this light 11.4 million years after the explosion happened, because of the time light takes to reach our galaxy. So it was a really special time in M82 11.4 million years ago. Reference

Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months. During this interval a supernova can radiate as much energy as the Sun is expected to emit over its entire life span. Reference: Reference

A star can go supernova in one of two ways:
Type I supernova: star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbor until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites.
Type II supernova: star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity Reference: Reference

Did You Know: A supernova occurs in our Milky Way Galaxy about twice every hundred years. This may seem to be a rare occurence. But since there are about 30-40 million spiral galaxies in the universe, this translates to a supernova happening somewhere about once every two seconds.

Supernova Fun Facts:
1. Some supernovas become black holes.
2. When a star explodes, it shoots out billions of atoms into space, where they form a huge cloud of dust called a nebula.
3. Most of the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, and iron that we have on Earth originally came from a supernova explosion.
4. In 1054 AD, astronomers in China and the Islamic Empire recorded a supernova (they noticed a star so bright you could see it in the daylight). That supernova is now the Crab Nebula.
5. If a supernova is one light year away, you will have one year to prepare for your eminent doom.
6. Even though one day our sun will die, it is not large enough to go all supernova on us. It will simply expand into a Red Giant and consume the Earth. So you can go to sleep in peace knowing you are safe from dying from our sun going supernova on you. Reference

Stephen Tremp is the author of the Breakthrough series. Together, Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation follow the lives of the unlikely participants from innocence to a coming of age through sacrifice, betrayal, passion, lust, unconditional love, and hope. Escalation will appeal to fans of modern-day science fiction, paranormal, action, horror, and even romance.

Stop by Stephen’s Blog for more information on the Breakthrough series.

To download Escalation: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan CLICK HERE.

If you think this post is worthy, please give it a Tweet or a Facebook share.

For those who know there is far more beyond our four dimensional continuum than our five senses can perceive.

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Don't forget my HUGE Speculative Fiction Giveaway celebrating 500 followers. You could win a grand prize pack of books donated by 14 amazing authors!

W4WS for November 2013

Welcome to the November 2013 W4WS event! I'm honored to co-host this event with three talented writers, Mary Pax, C.M. Brown, and Stephen Tremp.  The mission of this group is simple: we have a spotlighted author(s) that we strive to help bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands of new people, increase the sales of their book(s), drive new traffic to their blogs and increase followers, and create verbal and viral buzz.
 
We've made this simple and fast. It's as easy as a tweet or a RT, and sharing a status on Facebook. Go to the writer's blog and copy a tweet or RT from the posts with the tag #W4WS. The W4WS Facebook page will have all the updates and links for you.
 
To join the W4WS event, click here for the linky list. It will only take a minute of your time, and you'll have talented writers take a step closer to their dreams.

Michael Offutt writes speculative fiction books that have science fiction, LGBT, and paranormal elements. His first book, Slipstream has received some critical acclaim and was published by Double Dragon in 2012. You can find Michael on his blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

On A More Somber Note: Nick Wilford at Scattergun Scribblings superstar boy Andrew sadly passed away in his sleep a few days ago. Kyra Lennon is coordinating flowers/donation from authors for Nick and his family. Kyra is one of Nick's crit partners. If you want to donate and/or pass on the info, feel free. You can send money through Paypal to Kyra. Her Paypal address is kyralennon@gmail.com

 

Although it's early days, and we're not sure what Nick's family need right now (not that there's anything that can REALLY help), if anyone would like to donate some money to send them some flowers to let them know we're thinking of them, and any remaining money can be donated to a charity of their choice.

 

You can send money through Paypal - because that's the easiest way for it to be collected and sent on. Any donations are welcome - if you can only afford £1/$1, then great! If you can't afford anything, don't feel bad. What we're doing here is trying to let Nick and his family know that - as a group - us writers are there for him.

Review for Indiestructible

Blurb:
Need motivation and inspiration to self-publish or sign that contract with an interested small press? Have you done all the research you can, but still feel ambivalent about the idea? Indiestructible: Inspiring Stories from the Publishing Jungle brings you the experiences of 29 indie authors—their passions, their insights, their successes—to help you make the leap into indie publishing.

This is not a how-to guide. This is the best of the indie tradition of experienced authors paying forward what they’ve learned, giving you information to help you on your journey. The personal essays in this book will leave you itching to get your work into the hands of readers and experience, first-hand, all the rewards indie publishing has to offer.

100% of proceeds will be donated to BUILDON.org, a movement which breaks the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education.

My review:
I'm already a published indie author. It wasn't a decision I made lightly, but it was one that was right for me at this time. All the pros and cons I've experienced firsthand. One of the cons about choosing this path is that it's a lonely one. It's frustrating, draining, and sometimes seemingly impossible. Doing it all myself makes it even more stressful.

What this book did for me was make me smile and filled me with hope. It reminded me that I'm not alone in this journey. There are other writers out there experiencing the same frustrations and challenges. INDIESTRUCTIBLE holds 29 amazing essays from authors walking an indie or small publisher path. Each is unique, but there's one powerful message: Don't give up on your dreams. You can do it too.

I felt stronger for reading: you're never too old to start writing. You're not a failure if you don't have an agent and you're not published by one of the Big 5. If you don't make a million dollars, it doesn't mean your story isn't loved. The laundry may not get done and you may not get much sleep, but with enough semicolons and proper time management, you can publish your own book. That makes you a success.

Thank you so much to all the contributors. This is a book I will keep on my Kindle and return to when I'm feeling lost and lonely. And even on good days, this is an excellent reaffirmation of why I'm proud to be an indie author.

Add INDIESTRUCTIBLE on Goodreads

Buy Indiestructible—support the indie author and an amazing charity—TODAY!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE INDIESTRUCTIBLE

eBook: $0.99 USD
Publisher: Vine Leaves Press
ISBN 10: 0987593102
ISBN 13: 9780987593108
Language: English
Edited & Compiled: by Jessica Bell

Contributing authors: Alex J. Cavanaugh <> Angela Brown <> Anne R. Allen <> Briane Pagel <> C.S. Lakin <> Ciara Knight <> Cindy M. Hogan <> D. Robert Pease <> Dawn Ius <> Emily White <> Greg Metcalf <> Jadie Jones <> Jessica Bell <> Karen Bass <> Karen Walker <> Kristie Cook <> Laura Diamond <> Laura Pauling <> Laurel Garver <> Leigh Talbert Moore <> Lori Robinson <> Melissa Foster <> Michael Offutt <> Michelle Davidson Argyle <> Rick Daley <> Roz Morris <> S.R. Johannes <> Stephen Tremp <> Susan Kaye Quinn

About Jessica Bell: The Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet, and singer/songwriter/guitarist, Jessica Bell, also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

She is the co-publishing editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca.

Connect with Jessica online: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Tweet about Indiestructible:
Wanna support the #IndieAuthor? Buy INDIESTRUCTIBLE today! 99c! 100% profits go 2 @buildOnEmpowers #SelfPublishing http://goo.gl/aS0ri

St. Peter at the Gate guest post and W4WS event for Septemeber 2013

Welcome to the September 2013 W4WS event! I'm honored to co-host this event with three talented writers, Mary Pax, C.M. Brown, and Stephen Tremp.  The mission of this group is simple: we have a spotlighted author(s) that we strive to help bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands of new people, increase the sales of their book(s), drive new traffic to their blogs and increase followers, and create verbal and viral buzz.
 
We've made this simple and fast. It's as easy as a tweet or a RT, and sharing a status on Facebook. Go to the writer's blog and copy a tweet or RT from the posts with the tag #W4WS. The W4WS Facebook page will have all the updates and links for you.
 
To join the W4WS event, click here for the linky list. It will only take a minute of your time, and you'll have talented writers take a step closer to their dreams. 

Cherie Reich is a self-proclaimed bookworm, a speculative fiction author, a freelance editor, and a book blogger. Her epic YA fantasy novel, REBORN, will be released May of 2014. Right now, her Nightmare Collection is just 99 cents! You can find Cherie on her blog, site, Facebook, and Twitter.

Helen Ginger is the author of three non-fiction books, a short story anthology, and a contemporary fiction novel, ANGEL SOMETIMES. She maintains an informational and interactive blog for writers and a weekly e-newsletter that has been going out to subscribers around the globe for thirteen years. You can find Helen on her site, blog, and Facebook.

Now on to our guest post by the talented M. Pepper Langlinais!

My award-winning novella St. Peter in Chains is currently free on Amazon (Kindle format only). In it, British spy Peter Stoller falls in love and must deal with the consequences when his lover is accused of espionage. And be sure to read the sequel, St. Peter at the Gate, in preparation for the third installment, St. Peter Ascends, which I hope to have out next year. As a fun little exercise, I’ve written a piece that shows Charles and Peter at Peter’s childhood home in Derbyshire. It is Charles’s first visit; Peter almost never goes home. Unlike the novellas, which focus on Peter’s perspective, this bit is told from Charles’s point of view. I hope you enjoy it!

He found Peter seated on a chair in the garden, a book from the house library open on his lap, the morning sun slanting over him in dappled kisses. For some, the honesty of light makes them appear older, but on Peter it had the opposite effect, making him unaccountably unlined, young and innocent. Charles felt ancient by comparison, though there were not a full five years of difference in their actual ages.

Peter knew he was there; Charles was certain of it. The appearance of youth did not bestow a lack of intelligence, and Peter’s work was as embedded in him as any genetic code. But Peter kept his eyes on his book as Charles walked over to join him.

The garden was enclosed in low hedges and ringed in rose bushes that were only just beginning to bud. A flagstone path led to a similarly paved square that held two chairs and a small table between them. The chairs faced out rather than one another, as if it was not expected that two people might want to look at each other while conversing. This simple arrangement told Charles more about Peter’s home life than anything else he’d yet encountered in the house.

But then, they had not yet seen Peter’s mother.

“You’re up early,” Charles remarked as he eased into the vacant chair. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Mum only allows breakfast until eight,” said Peter, never looking up from his book. “One has to be up early if one wants to eat.”

Charles’s eyes traveled up the lovely grey stone of the house. Beautiful, but not warm. He suddenly understood why Peter had come out into the garden to read; the chairs were not the most comfortable, but there was warmth here that the plush armchairs of the library could not provide. The house radiated cool, even chill; the garden, with its smell of grass and perfume of roses, offered contentment and unspoken kindness.

“It’s a good thing I’m not hungry, then, I suppose,” Charles said. He hesitated, then asked the question that weighed on him. “Will she like me?”

“No.”

The answer came so quickly, and with such certainty, that Charles started where he sat. He looked hard at Peter, who finally deigned to lift his gaze from the pages. “I’m sorry,” Peter went on, though his tone was matter-of-fact, “but better to know the truth. Then you won’t need to waste any time trying to make a good impression. Ah, God,” he sighed, his eyes turning toward the house, and Charles looked too.

She was coming up the path toward them, her spine erect, her face pinched. But what surprised Charles—though why it should, he didn’t know—was how like Peter she looked. Or rather, he looked like her, Charles supposed. The same aristocratic cheekbones and stubborn mouth. And now the faces wore identical expressions, ones akin to two knights readying for the joust.

Pick up your copy of St. Peter in Chains on Amazon.

And you can find St. Peter at the Gate here!

Re-Introduce Myself Blogfest

This wonderful blogfest gives everyone a chance to re-introduce themselves to our growing community. All you have to do is take a minute and tell everyone something interesting about yourself. This is a blogfest, so please visit the other participants and get to know them. Don't forget to give a big thank you to our marvelous hosts Stephen Tremp, Mark Koopmans, Elise Fallson, and C.M. Brown.

Hello! Please allow me to re-introduce myself. I'll make it short and sweet. My name is Christine Rains and I'm a geek mom. My son shares his bed with Ernie, Brobee, and Cthulhu. We play Candyland like a role-playing game and frequently turn our couch into a pirate ship. I love to write and read. Hopefully I can help nurture those loves in my son as well.

I'm shy and not terribly exciting, but I love getting to know new and old friends alike. Tell me something about yourself, please.

Announcing the Writers4Writers Group

I'm so excited to announce the Writers4Writers Group (W4WS). I've teamed up with three absolutely amazing writers to host this monthly event: Stephen Tremp, C.M. Brown, and M. Pax.

Our Mission:
1) Help writers bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands new people.
2) Help writers reach Amazon's top 100 in at least one category (i.e. suspense, free, etc.)
3) Increase sales of their book(s) after the promo is over.
4) Drive new traffic to their blog and increase following.
5) Create verbal and viral buzz.

We'll choose one writer a month to promote to start off. As the group takes off, we can choose two or three. With enough people helping in this initiative, it will have an astounding effect. It will be fast and simple to do. Easy as a tweet.

Nancy Thompson, author of the recently released The Mistaken, will be our first recipient. We'll be starting on December 6th. Mark it on your calendars! We'll have more information later in the month. Please feel free to take the badge and display it on your site.

Sign up for W4WS on the linky list below.

Teaser Tuesday with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and extra news

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I've been wanting to read Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith for a while now. The concept is so much fun, but it's dry reading so far. It's basically about what you think it's about: Abraham Lincoln killing vampires. Everything's a vampire conspiracy in this book. I think this is one case where the movie will be better than the book.

Here's your teaser:
There was talk of shadowy madmen. Of foreign spies.
There was even talk of vampires. (page 23)

I have some extra good news for you!

Stephen Tremp is giving away his newest novel, Breakthrough: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan for FREE! It's the first book in the Chase Manhattan sci-fi thriller series, and it promises to start with a bang!  Click here to get your Kindle copy on Amazon. Did I mention it's free?!

Also, a wonderful short story anthology, Ocean Stories, is now available on Amazon and B&N. My horror story, "A Ticket on the Train" is one of the great tales in it. The editor is giving away five copies on Goodreads. Click here to sign up to win!