A Really Fun Ride!

A friend of mine from the gym has a pal in Florida who is an avid reader of the Vampire/Witches/Werewolves/Etc. genre. Reads it all. Who better to have an opinion of my series? So when my friend emailed to let me know she'd bought a copy of it for her friend Lisa in Florida, I was thrilled!

Well, today I was given the gift of a review by this avid reader of the genre!

HUGE thank you to Lisa Mena for the following review:

5 out of 5 stars
A really fun ride!
By Lisa Mena - This review is from: The Betrayal (A Living Dead Girl Novel) (Kindle Edition)

I had a great time reading this book and highly recommend it to any fan of this genre. It reminds me of a more grown up version of the House of Night books. I really look forward to the next book in the series.

I myself read the YA series of the House of Night books. And though I wish to bop Zoey (the series' leading lady) upside the head every now and again, I enjoy the series (I won't lie, I'm in love with Stark) immensely. It is a very character driven series and I like to believe the same for mine. So, to be compared to the House of Night series is a really wonderful compliment.

So thanks again, Lisa! I'm really happy you liked it! The 2nd book should be out in early 2012 if all goes as planned.

If you've read "The Betrayal" and enjoyed it. Please, toss up a review on Goodreads or your blog or Amazon and let me know.

Have a great week!

xo

Tamsin :)

Innapropriate?

Okay...I wanted to tweet about this but hell, it's too involved for just 140 characters.

I just had the oddest conversation here at work.

Let me preface this by saying that the floor I work on has two bathrooms. One is a restroom with a single toilet in it (it is marked "Women") and the other has a urinal and then a seperate stall (that locks) with a toilet in it. The door to that bathroom is marked "Unisex" and the door locks.

So here's where the strange conversation comes in.

Some chick on our new floor, no idea who she is...but we'll call her Bridgette. She looks like one. She walks up as my boss is telling me and my coworker that there is talk about labeling the Unisex bathroom "Men" instead. And I say, "That's fine, but if I have to go and the ladies room is busy, I'll be stepping into the men's room."

Bridgette looks appauled and hoity toity (did I mention she looks wound up so tight that the Ferris Beuller line about coal and diamonds would fit here?) and says, "That's innapropriate!" And I'm thinking she's kidding. So we all keep talking and she's wickedly infatic that for moral reason (no joke) we need to seperate these bathroom titles. Again I joke around and she again gets in a huge huff, "That is innapropriate!" This time she is almost spitting she's so flustered.

We're all at a loss.

Then Bridgette says, "It's not appropriate for a man and a woman to be in a bathroom together."

Ah...suddenly its clear. She thinks I'd go into there when a man is using the urinal or I'd be in the stall and let a man come in.

"IS SHE CRAZY?" I ask myself.

I find out later my boss turned to my coworker in the break room and said, "Bridgette's crazy."

I stand correct.

LMAO! She didn't realize there was a lock on the door! How are you up on this floor for YEARS and not know that?

I've come to the conclusion that Bridgette is nuts...end of story.

And...I'm okay with that.

Hell, she's not MY boss! :)

And that is my crazy office story of the month...year...whatever.

Have a good day all...and remember...men and women shouldn't share a restroom! ;)

Tamsin

P.S. I leave you with funny Unisex Bathroom signs I found...

Connections

Sunday night as I lay in bed I found myself thinking of writing this blog entry. Mainly because I've been having a dialogue with myself. (Don't give me that look, you do that sometimes too...I'm not crazy...well, not all the time ;)

Anyhoo, the dialogue I was having concerned a friend of mine. As I never use real names here, we'll call her Alison, Ali for short. Ali told me of a situation she's been dealing with and it got me to thinking about friendship and how as an adult it changes.

I know Ali through my theatre world...let's make that clear first and foremost as I feel it pertains to the issue at hand.

Anyhoo...here's her situation.

Ali has theatre friends and non-theater friends (as I do, which is why she came to me) and was debating the friendship of those non-theater-people. Why? Lack of support. You see, we theatre people are used to other theatre people plugging our shows for us (even if they've not seen them or if they did and didn't think it was amazing) or doing reviews on blogs of our shows for us and finding something positive to say even if the show only had a few high points. Theatre folks just support. Period. They are there for you, not your show.

So when her non-theatre-friends didn't act the same way she was concerned. Why would they not be supportive? Why would they be so closed to showing support "no matter what"? She was asking herself if they were really her friends and if she should limit her interaction with them.

See...I can understand this as I too am a theatre kid. I push my friends shows (be it a play or a band performance) even if I haven't seen it or have time to go to it. I push a friend's jewelry site even though I haven't bought anything and hell, I even promote my friend's new book that just came out before I've read it! Why? Cause I'm their friend...that's what friends do. Right?

Ah...see...that's my theatre background speaking...like Ali's. In the artistic community you know there is very little reward. Not everyone gets discovered at the age of 11 **cough cough Daniel Radcliff cough cough** and goes on to be this years Entertainer of the Year per EW Magazine (Congrats on that btw, Daniel! ) Yeah, like DR reads my blog! Ha! Anyhoo... Because of that fact, we all are supportive of each other's work NO MATTER WHAT.

I told her not to expect that from everyone. It didn't mean they were any less your friends, they just didn't have the same background. I asked her if she really wanted to remove those friendships from her world. If she would be fuller without them. Ultimately her answer was "no."

So, the next day I saw a show of one of my best friends. In that show was a guy I've not seen in FOUR years! His name for the sake of this entry is Nate. Nate and I weren't close, but we were connected through my best friend's work. Anyway, when he and I chatted after the show (at a bar, of course) we discovered we were both from Michigan, that we both attended the same college in Michigan (he years after me), that we both knew a slew of the same people, and that we both play Euchre (It's a card game mostly known in Michigan so don't wig if you don't know what it is...it's okay, we'll forgive you. Mind you, I would swear I majored in Euchre my 2nd year of Community College...but, that's neither here nore there, yes? Moving on.). It was hilariously amazing!

Here is a connection I didn't even know I had in the city. Here is a guy I'm connected to on TONS of levels and it opens up so many things...a new friendship that passes "casual aquaintence" is the main one. It also made be bubbly happy to connect to a life I left behind years and years ago. I may have only been at Western Michigan University for two years (I didn't graduate from there) but those two years felt like five and to open up those memories was wonderful! Thus, as I sat on the train Monday night heading home, I thought about this new connection and then thought of Ali.

As an adult you have different types of friends. Some are more supportive than others, some are more involved in your life than others, but all of them are important for one reason or another. I think that you can't classify them all the same...you can't hold them all to the same standard. They're not the same type of people with the same background. So how could they be the same?

They can't.

I sent Ali a text saying as much and she responded that it is true. And though some of your friends don't support you the way you wish, tons of other friends do, and that's what you need to dwell on. The others? They're still your friends, possibly with limitations, but it doesn't mean the love you less. They're just different. And if all the people in your life were the same, I feel you'd be an unbalanced person.

So...those are my thoughts on connections and adult levels of friendship. What are yours?

xo

Tamsin :)

Verbal Review

So, on Thursday night I spoke to a woman who has read my book. Her daughter was involved with the photo-shoot and she was so excited to buy it. For the sake of this blog post we'll call her Miriam. Hope she doesn't like, you know, hate that name.

Anyhoo...

I'd heard through the grapevine from her daughter that once she got started, she couldn't put it down.

YAY #1

When we spoke on Thursday I had no idea she'd already finished it. I asked her how far along she was and she excitedly said, "Oh, I'm done! But I'm DYING to get to the next one! When is that coming out?"

YAY #2

We then got to discussing the story. And I heard some things that were delicious! She, like the person who did my first written review, was so attached to/invested in the characters. She wanted a friend like Grayson, she pined for what was going to happen to Jensine, and she was torn between which of the two damanged men in Atlanta's life she wants her to choose. She loved them even though they are deeply flawed.

YAY #3

It's so important to me that people see them as flawed. Yes, they're pretty people. Yes, they have money. But that's mainly because of not only the genre (vamps tend to be pretty, lets face it...I said pretty, not sparkly...let's know the difference, people) and because I didn't want the conflicts of the story to revolve around money, I created viable ways for them not to worry about it. But, in exchange for giving them those small "outs" I gave them tortured backgrounds that revolve around moral dilemmas as well as life and death decisions.

No one is perfect. Even if they look it. They're not. No one is. From the dawn of time (well almost that long) we, as a species, have been sinners. We're flawed. But our baggage is what makes us who we are. It's what drives us to be passionate about one thing while we let other things slide. I spend much of the five books exploring Atlanta's faults as well as her positive attributes. In the first book you don't see as much of her flaws, but as the story continues, you will. She will fall on her face like we all do in life. In my mind, its how you recover from those falls, that defines who you are.

So to listen to Miriam talk about her love of the flawed men, it made my heart sing. It also was fantastic to hear someone enjoy the story, the adverture, and the world I've created.

I encouraged Miriam to go to Goodreads and post a review. If you have read my book, "The Betrayal" and feel it is 4 or 5 star (out of five) worthy. Please help a new author out and post the review.

Now, back to working on my NaNo novel...

xo

Tamsin :)

My FIRST Review!

So last night my bestie here in the city decided to look at my Amazon page to see where I ranked. I don't look. I rather not fret. I saw I was #9465 on Friday...and I had no idea what that meant until Juliet told me I was holding at #14,000 on Saturday and that was higher than most the books at her publishing house debuted at. That was nice to hear.

But what was nicer was that some reviewer has already posted a review on Amazon. They're just "Books"...and I have no idea who they are...but whoever you are, you were the nightcap of my weekend...the icing on the cake.

Here's what it said:

5 out of 5 stars
"Fascinating perspective in this genre. Gripping story!"

Witches, werewolves, vampires, shape shifters...

When I heard there was going to be another book in this genre, I wasn't overly excited to check it out, HOWEVER, I am extremely pleased to announce I was completely wrong. This story maintains a unique and gripping perspective with such wonderful character development. The story grabs you and it's grip on you strengthens with each passing page. You become caught up in the world, the drama, the mystique, and most of all the relationships. The twists and turns are a delightful surprise, and you find yourself constantly wanting to know.

Looking forward to the next installment...

What lovely things to say! I'm so happy to know the good things. You know, you spend so much time in the editing process concentrating on the errors you forget all the other stuff. So, it was really great to read this last night before bed.

So...go out and get the book if you've not yet! Barnes and Noble has stated they are having software issues and that's why my book isn't there yet...or other new releases, for that matter. But fingers crossed it will be soon.

Much love...time to get my butt in gear for the day!

xo

Tamsin :)

NaNoWriMo...here I come!

"What the hell is NaNoWriMo?"

"Oh, that's just the abbreviation for the National Novel Writers Month. You know, when millions of people around the globe decide they're crazy enough to try and write a 50K word book in 30 days."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Uh, no."

"Really, people actually DO this sorta of thing? Put their life on hold for a whole month so as to write a damn book?"

"Fifty thousand words, thank you."

"But why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Cause its fun?"

"Seriously. Come on now."

"It is! It's fun. I mean, if you're a writer. It's also a great challenge."

"Are you doing this?"

"I am. You should too."

"No thank you. I have...uh...TV to watch at night and...uh...sleeping in to do...and uh...yeah."

"Lame. I'm going to be finishing up a novel I started to work on before I broke my hand. Last year was my first year and I used it to finish writing Moon Over Manhattan. I wanted to see how long it'd take me to write 50K."

"So, how long did it take you?"

"Not as long as I thought...but I was in the climax of the story so it was easier to do. Plus, writing a sequel story is less difficult since the world is already so solid in your mind."

"Really, you're not going to tell me how long it took you?"

"Nope. None of your business. Just know I finished early."

"Let me get this straight, NaNoWriMo is to finish writing a book?"

"No no no. Most people are starting a new book and will finish it by the end of the month. You're supposed to start a new novel...and I'd planned to. Even had an idea. But then I broke my hand in August and left the second half of The Cameron Chronicles just sitting to be done. So I need to finish that. NaNo will push me to do so. Didn't you say you were trying to write something but couldn't stay focused? This would be a great chance to do that."

"I don't have the money."

"Uh...dude...it's free."

"Oh. Well. Uh..."

"Come on...just sign up and try. To be honest, it's how I met my writing group. They're just wonderful people and I truly think it was one of the best things I've done in years...joining NaNo. I love these girls to death. I just can't really tell you how great it is, as a writer...a solo activity most of the time...to have a support system of great gals (and some guys) to help you and encourage you. Best thing I've done in years. Honestly."

"Hmmm...I did really want to write that story I started last year..."

"Then come on and join! You'll have an excuse to do something other than go home and watch TV. AND, they have Write-Ins you can go to so you're writing with other writers!"

"Yeah...but I live in Queens. Coming to Manhattan at night to write would be difficult."

"They have Write-Ins all over the NYC burroughs. I think Queens is Tuesday...but you know my memory...go online and check it out! It's at www.nanowrimo.org ... sign up for free and then, on November 1st...we start!"

"I don't know..."

"How about this, tonight is a kick off party at No Idea Bar on 20th Street between Park and Broadway. Come with me. Meet some of my friends. I think you'll change your mind."

"What time?"

"It starts at seven. Free pizza and prizes too! I even offered up a free copy of my book as one of the prizes. Eeek! Hope whoever wins it likes Fantasy! Ha!"

"Okay, I'll go. And ya know what? I'll sign up to do this. Can't hurt, right? Even if I don't finish, it'll be fun, I'll meet new people, and I'll make some headway on the story. It's a win win win. See you tonight!"

----------------------------------------------

So....will I see YOU tonight at the NYC NaNo kick off party? Not joined NaNo? You should! Trust me, I meant what I said in the above invented conversation. You won't regret it.

Anyhoo...time for me to get back to work!

Hope to see you tonight! And if you can't make the party...hope to see you at a Write-In in Manhattan...Sunday afternoons and Monday nights! Woot!

Cheers!

Tamsin :)

Win a FREE, signed copy of my book, "THE BETRAYAL"

So, here's the deal...

In order for my newly released book to be available for Amazon's "Print on Demand" option, I need to sell 25 more e-books! Many of my friends want to get my book, but sadly don't have an e-reader. Hence, we MUST SELL 25 MORE BOOKS ASAP so they can get a printed copy through Amazon!

In order to try and push this along I am going to offer up a free signed copy of the printed version...here's how this will work...

TWO WAYS TO ENTER! (And you can end up entered multiple times. Read below!)

Option #1: Buy my e-book and let me know you did (either comment on this blog post or email me at tamsinlsilver@gmail.com). You will then receive a question about the book to verify it was actually purchased (something simple like, "On page __ what is the first word?"). Answer correctly and you're entered! Yay!

Option #2: Say you already own the book...convince a friend to buy it! Have them shoot me a message that they picked it up on YOUR recommendation (either by commenting on this blog post or emailing me at tamsinlsilver@gmail.com). They too will answer a silly question to verify purchase and then both they and YOU, the one who sent them to buy it, will get entered into the contest. Yay!

So you see...the more of your friends that purchase the book and tell me, the more times you are entered into the contest.

Where do you send them to buy the book? EASY! Send them to the TAMSIN SILVER WEBSITE. On the top left of the home page you'll see three links. They can purchase it through my publisher's website or they can go straight to Amazon Kindle or B&N Nook.

Easy. As. Pie.

The contest will last over the next week. I must receive emails from those who bought it saying they did so by 8pm next Sunday night.

So go forth and tell folks to spend the $6.99 and help me qualify my book for print!

***NOTE: If we do not reach the 25 goal, I can't get the printed copy for the prize so we MUST get those 25 copies sold!***

Thanks so much!

Tamsin :)

P.S. I'll totally pay the price of shipping for the book if you win the copy and do not live in NYC. GOOD LUCK to both you and me! LOL!

New York Comic Con 2011

Ah yes...my 2nd year at NYCC. I was so exhausted (plus I had no voice left) I took Monday off. Employers must just loooove their nerd employees this time of year. I took of both Friday and Monday and a lot of folks I know took off Thursday and Friday, seeing as that NYCC now is four days long vs. three.

Many who heard I was planning a book push for Comic Con thought I had a table. Oh no. My publisher isn't big enough to have a spot at NYCC, so instead of selling myself on the corner to afford a 3x3 space at NYCC, I made postcards, got dressed up, had Lauren dress up too, and we WALKED that bad boy for 3 days. Mind you, 2 days were for selling, the 3rd day was for fun.

I'll try and keep the events short and to the point.

Day One - 10/14/11 (Book Release Day)
Lauren and I got dressed up in gear (me in a waist cincher, a low cut top and a short skirt with heels boots and ripped up tights while she was in a small suede vest and low rise jeans with the long, curly black wig from the photo-shoot in June) and arrived at NYCC by noon. We worked our way over to the Vampire Freaks table (Jet got a primo spot this year in the aisle next to the HUGE Marvel display) to see if we could trade work for bag storage. Luckily they were willing to help us and so in turn we handed out TONS of Vampire Freaks cards/stickers/etc along with my postcards. We even went down to Autograph Alley to put them on every table.

The first thing Lauren and I did was wander Artists Alley. Met some wonderful people. One in particular I think you should check out is LOADED BARREL STUDIOS. These three men (2 of which are brothers) have created this amazing company where they film a story and then use the stills from that to create a graphic novel. I'm currently reading "GREY" so I'll review it when done.

After Artists Alley we decided to wander down to Autograph Alley as Lauren desperately wanted to see the deal on getting Mark Hamill's autograph and I had a few ladies I wanted to meet as well. Specifically Felicia Day (The Guild, Dragonage, Buffy), Eliza Dushku (Buffy, Tru Calling, Dollhouse) and Jewel Staite (Firefly, Serenity, Stargate Atlantis). I wanted to also give them a copy of my book for free. So I paid the money (oh yes, you pay for that autograph and that moment to say "Hi, I love your work.") and met the two of the three on Friday (met the third on Sunday) and gave them my card, letting them know if they wanted a free copy of my book to have their agent or manager email me. The most excited about that was Felicia Day. I learned later that's because she has a huge following on Goodreads. Yikes! I hope she likes the book. If not, I might be in trouble, huh? Oh well. I only gave it to her cause I thought she'd like it. My way of showing my admiration for her work. Here's a picture of she and I.


She took pics with anyone who asked. She was the only one who did this. Everyone else had signs that said no pictures. So HUGE props to Ms. Day!

I also visited with Eliza Dushku on Friday. Now, as some of you know, I've met (and actually hung out with) her before. I'm aquaintences with one of her brothers as he used to direct theatre here in NYC (he has since moved out to LA)...and I adore him. She and I hung out at a dress rehearsal of one of his shows. She's a very lovely, smart, sassy, woman with a sweet nature and a spunky attitude. I can see why she's gotten as far as she has. What was really great was after I said, "You probably don't remember me," she said I looked familiar and when I mentioned her brother she DID remember. Funny when something so small makes your day. What a darling lady. I even got to say hi to her beau, Rick, again. He's such a wonderful man. We chatted about his appearance on the TV show "Body of Proof."

After these two awesome encounters I decided to suprise my co-worker (Let's be honest, I did drag Lauren away from work and school for three days on her feet to work for me at this thing). She wanted nothing more than to meet and get Mark Hamill's autograph. Problem was his autograph cost $100. No kidding. So, I split it with her so she could afford it. Problem was, by the time I did this, he was done for the day. We'd have to come back tomorrow. Oh well.

By this point it was closing time for the show rooms and galleries. We'd have stayed and done some panel's but we both had to be up early and back the next day so we headed home for some rest.

Day Two - 10/15/11 (Book Release Party Day)

This was the day Lauren and I dressed up to the nine's. The pics at the top of this post of us is what we had on. And yes, we wore corsets from about 11am to 1am on Sunday. Let me tell you...not rushing to put it on again anytime soon.

Anyways, day two. We headed to the Vampire Freaks table, secured our things, picked up flyers/stickers/etc., and began to wander in areas where we'd be the most seen by photographers. The plan was if you wanted a pic you took a postcard for my book. We wandered the floor and to be honest, I lost count at 50 pictures, most of which were of either Lauren and me or just Lauren. After we did worked the floor (that sound dirty), we stopped by to visit people we'd met the day before (Jared with Loaded Barrel Studios and Ashliegh who was working for the Just Dance 3 exhibit) This is Ashliegh:


















This is what Ashliegh had to deal with all day:














Lauren and I made a point of stopping by to watch people dance and chat with Ashliegh each day, multiple times. It looks like a really fun game! I think Lauren is asking for it for Xmas! Yay!

Anyhoo...where was I? Oh yes...we headed down to Autograph Alley again...where we ran into these guys:


















We then got in line for Lauren to meet Mark Hamill. Here's what she had him sign:














He remembered seeing her in Felicia Day's line with me the day before. Awwww.:) I shook his hand and thanked him. He really made her day.

When this day at NYCC was done, we grabbed a cab and headed to the venue for the Book Release Party. I'll do a blog entry on that seperately so stay tuned for pics of that. Just know that it was a wonderful night. I'd secured the whole back are at Vintage Bar/Restaurant for the event. It was candle lit with comfy couches and great food/drinks. A lot showed up and we had a loverly night. Vince Lingner took a lot of pics so be warned...I'll post a lot! :)

Now, my buddy Matt was in town from Boston visiting and that party had us out until 1am-ish. Thankfully he bought us a cab ride home. We were out cold by 2am.

Day Three - 10/16/11 (Casual Day)

Today we were determined to dress comfortably, me especially, since I'd worn corsets/waist cinchers for two days straight. The day was just so we could wander and I was looking for a specific T-shirt (which I found) that says, "AND THEN BUFFY STAKED EDWARD. THE END." Awesome.

This is how comfy we dressed:

















We also took Matt to his first NYC Comic Con!

















And we OF COURSE visite with Ashliegh:













(Note: The head band thingy Lauren has on was a free gifty from Just Dance 3...yeah, we know it makes her look like Olivia Newton-John).

After roaming a bit I found my way down to Autograph alley again, this time to meet Jewel Staite. She's is an amazing sweet lady. I had typed up a letter for Sean Maher with concern to his recent coming out of the closet since the events on why he waited so long to "come out" mirrors a show I'll be directing in the spring. I wanted to see if he'd mind if we dedicated a night to him. I asked her to give him the letter. She said she would. I hope she does. I respect him and his decisions (as well as his work as an actor...he's about to be in Joss Whedon's "Much Ado About Nothing" so keep an eye out for him, he's playing the villian). Anyhoo...I had her sign a pic from Firefly and gave her a free copy of my book as well as the name of a great wine/cheese place she should try in town (if you don't know, Jewel has a great foody blog HERE).

It was a very exhausting weekend but in the end, we distributed 600 postcards for my book, I got to visit with Eliza Dushku again, I got to meet Felicia Day and Jewel Staite, I got my letter to Sean Maher delivered, shook hands with Mark Hamill, chatted with Rick Fox, made new friends, and hung with some old ones. It was visually amazing and to be honest...a lot more busy than last year's Comic Con!

I will say though, by the time Lauren and I got home...all we could do was sit there in silence and look through all our stuff from the Con...as our brains could no longer make converstion. Which was very likely for the best as I woke up with NO voice the next day. Ha!

Until next year's Comic Con, I leave you with a pic of Lauren and one of her fave Sci-Fi characters of all time:



Cheers!

xo

Tamsin :)

The book is OUT! The video is UP!

What...a...day.

It's been an emotional ride.

To sit down and pull up Amazon on the computer, do a search for my name, and see my book was surreal. I wasn't prepared. I was shocked (in a good way, of course) and then I was giddy. Then it all really hit me and I cried. Yes, happy tears. Then I went back to being shocked and giddy.

I've wanted to be a writer since I was in high school...and we won't talk about how long ago that was **clears throat**. Just know it's been awhile. :) So to have my work up there for people to buy...hell, let's be honest...if it was up there being published for nothing...it'd still had the same effect. I'm published. Holy crap, I'M PUBLISHED! How does one wrap their head around that?

Anyhoo...the long weekend coming up where I will be working the New York Comic Con floor will be exhausting fun. PLUS...I have friends coming in from outta town for the Con and the party I'm throwing on Saturday night, which makes me super happy. So its all win/win from here!

But, without further ado...go to MY WEBSITE and you'll see on the new home page (which looks GREAT right? HUGE props to Alexis Daria and Douglass Malone-O'Meally) links where you can buy the book! It's at Eirelander Publishing and Amazon...and it WILL be up on Barnes and Noble in the next 24-48 hours (I think). You can also see all the pics from the shoot under Photo Galleries! YAY!

Oh...and if you do read it and you like it, let me know! Tell your friends! Write a nice review online! If you do a nice review, or find a nice review, email me at tamsinlsilver@gmail.com and I'll link to it OR send it to me on Twitter and I'll re-tweet it! My twitter handle is @tamsinsilver

Now for the FUN portion of this post: Go HERE to see the video of the Living Dead Girl Photoshoot! While you're at my YouTube page you'll also see a inrto vid of me chatting about the shoot AND the video from last year's Moon Over Manhattan photoshoot (if you've not seen it before). BTW...you can get to my vids via a link that says "Videos" on the new homepage of the website too. :)

And last but not least...if you're at NY Comic Con on Saturday....swing by the Vampire Freaks booth (we're over by Marvel) and say hi! Lauren and I will be there dressed up in goth attire having folks sign up to win a FREE copy of my book!

Have a great weekend all! And go pick up my book if so inclinded! It's only $6.99! Woot!

xo

Tamsin :)

Roman A. Pierce

Roman Pierce (Model: Greg Lucas) is the head Vampire for The Great Order Council, handed down to him from his sister, Elizabeth, who has died just before the first book of LDG begins. His best friend, and personal assistant, Stephan Throneburg, live in an old, two story, white farm house (complete with wrap around porch) outside of Boston and are the two gentlemen that meet Atlanta and recognize that she's a witch, not a "misfit toy"...as my friend likes to say.
Picture: Roman speaking with Stephan

So so many of those who have read this book (or the following two that I've finished that follow it) ask me things like, "Do you hate Roman?" or "What did he ever do to you?" or "Is he based on an ex-boyfriend you hold a grudge against?" and so on. The answer to all of those is NO. I love Roman but he, like some people, needs his views on things widened.

For example:
*Sean learns things the hard way.
*Jensine jumps to learn things.
*Gray seems to skip process of learning and just, by osmosis, understands the things put into the air (ie: feelings, problems, etc.).
*Atlanta learns too quickly and skips things she needs to go back to later.

And Roman?

Well, he has trouble re-learning things. He's of the old mind-set of how The Order is to be run...with its laws and hell, its bi-laws. He's very stuck in the old world; the way his dad saw it. So it seems he's a bit reluctant to learn sometimes.

This will eventually cause issues for he and Atlanta...pictured below when things weren't so bad...

That said, I think Roman will be the character to change the most. He has to. His world, as the story begins, centers around the death of his sister and the laws that hold his world together. One a painful item and one a rigid one. He needs to work through that pain and hate and love/forgive himself as much as he needs to find the softer edges of the law and see where things can be changed for the better.

In many ways Atlanta cannot fully make her journey without Roman AND Sean at her side. Two very different men, both with perspectives she will be able to see and eventually admire and possibly understand. I firmly believe she needs both to make it through the war that's coming so don't hate her too much when the lines of "choice" become blurred for her. And don't feel too bad for Roman...everyone needs to go their own path to find contentment...his is just a bit more harsh than others. He can handle it.

Fun Note: I originally named him Alastair Hawkins (Name was changed due to too many "A" names. For example Grayson used to also have an "A" name, it was Alex). I'd chosen the name Alastair from a kid star I had a crush on when I was younger. Can any of you guess what his full name is and what cable TV show he was on? Hints: It was on a kids station AND if those kids did something wrong they were slimed.

Winner of this question gets...uh...I'll think of something good...trust me, I will. :) Just guess and see who gets it first...maybe I'll see if I can print up one of your fave pics from the shoot or a free signed copy of a book!
Oh...and just so you know, I've actually spoken more than once to the real Alastair...back then the long distance charges were a bitch. I got in BIG trouble. LOL! The point here though is that I FOUND him before the web, so take that, internet! Ha!

Anyhoo that's my full-on with concern to Roman...coming up next will be Stephan and Valencia so stay tuned!

xo

Tamsin :)

Blog Changes & What's Coming Up Next...

New pic curtosy of Alexis Daria, the graphics designer who is 1/2 of the team re-doing my website. This graphic will be the avatar for the LDG Series. It's cool, isn't it?

Anyhoo...on to my point of writing today...

You might notice that the Character Profiles have been re-posted with an October "post date"...even though I wrote them, posted them, and you read them back in July/August.

Why is this?

Well, simply put...seeing as The Betrayal is coming out in ONE WEEK from today (Wow, I still cannot fathom this), I wanted the readers to find these profiles easier and faster...so they're now at the top of the blog and in a manner of speaking, backwards? For example, though I would've written about our lead (Atlanta) first she's showing as most recent. Seeing as blogs go from more recent post to latest I have listed her as latest post so she shows up first.

Am I making sense? It's been a long day. :)

Anyhoo...that's the scoop! Stay tuned to www.tamsinsilver.com as of 10/14/11...it's going to have some HUGE changes! :)

AND...stay tuned HERE! Coming up on the blog:

1) The video from the photo-shoot will be the next post I do!
2) The links on where to buy the book will be posted on 10/14/11! Woot!
3) Pics and stories from New York City Comic Con! (Con is from 10/13-10/16/11)
4) Pics and stories from the Book Release Party! (Party is 10/15/11)

So be sure to keep an eye on the almight BLOG for the next two weeks for cool stuff!

Psssst! Plus...I'll be giving away a free copy of the book so STAY TUNED!

Have a great weekend!

xo

Tamsin :)

9/11

I wrote this on 9/11 but am just now posting it as I wasn't sure we all needed one more 9/11 Blog Post...but, after some thought...I've decided to post it. Here it is:

Drawing by Don East. For more of his art go to his BLOG.

On Facebook today I said this:

"I think today is best used for reflection...no need to overthink it. Reflect, appreciate, remember, love, pray....but no hate. And don't let the crazy media make it a circus. My TV is off for the day."

And it is. No TV for me. This whole 10th Anniversary crap is for the media & tourists. To a New Yorker it's like it was yesterday. Especially to those who lost someone. I was lucky and did not. I had a friend who worked in the mall there. In fact, I was on the phone with him the night before. It was 11pm and he whinned at me that if he didn't get some sleep he'd be late for work. I remember chiding him, saying something like, "You don't even need to be there at 8am! Why are you going in so early? Besides, I hardly ever get to talk to you!"

I kept him on the phone past midnight.

He overslept.

When the planes hit, instead of being there he was in bed.

Thank God.

I met a woman over the phone at my first collections (insurance) job who had escaped Tower Two alive. She and a friend had been working there during the bombing years previous so when Tower 2 swayed from Tower 1's explosion she and her friend, though told to stay calm and go back to their desk, grabbed their purses and said, "We're outta here."

They took the stairs down and halfway down felt the building rock. The lights went out and they waited. The emergency lights came on and they continued down the stairs.

Legs feeling like jelly they exited Tower Two and got across the courtyard when Tower Two fell.

For stories like that, and many more, I do not see why NYC hasn't made it a city holiday. When it falls on a weekday it's my opinion it should be a paid holiday for anyone working in the any of the 5 boroughs of the city.

It wasn't 10 years ago in our hearts. It was yesterday. And we hurt just thinking about it. We feel a sense of unity. We appreciate those who died to save others. We pray for those who lost loved ones. We remember what that day felt like with just a photo...it takes our breath away. We love our fellow New Yorkers for being supportive...understanding...and giving.

I directed a short one act in the Chester Horn Short Play Festival called "Going Up." It was about these 6 people trapped on an elevator. 3/4 of the way through the play it is revealed that it is the morning of 9/11 and they're in the World Trade Center and as the play comes to a conclusion, they all take hands and go up into the light...as the elevator wasn't stuck, just their souls were waiting to move on...to accept their fate.

I asked the actors what it felt like on stage when the big reveal happened. As audiences effect your performance very often just by their energy (or lack there of). Each had similar versions of the same story. I specifically remember Suzanne and Rachel's answers, not word for word...but the gist. Suzanne stated how you could hear the whole audience (around 60 people) take a quick intake of air...followed by it catching in their throats. Rachel said that the energy, the empathy, that rushed off the audience in waves was so powerful it was hard to not burst into tears on stage, to stay focused as an actor.

So all this hoopla about "It's been ten years...blah blah blah..." No love, when New Yorkers really think on it, it was ten minutes ago.

So when 9/11 pops into your head...no matter the day...pray for all the survivors who lost loved ones that day. Pray for those who were so close to the devistation (not just in New York, but in DC and on Flight 93 In PA) that it effected them emotionally and/or physically (some are still sick). Pray that people will someday learn to love vs. hate...see no color...see no religion...see no sexual preference...

We are all God's children and that makes us equal in the only eyes that matter. His.

Tamsin

Shoes Challenge!

<---Did you see that? Is that the spider I keep dreaming about?

Naw, too small.

Don't ask. **shudders**

Anyhoo...

On to our blog entry...about SHOES!

I have this thing for stupid shoes. I like to take pictures of them. Its a sickness, I know. But really. How can I not? They wear them IN PUBLIC and I have a camera on my phone...they're just BEGGING for exposure!

Anyway, last week I was kidnapped by a shoe store and forced to buy two pair of shoes (Squeee!..uh...I mean, Damn them!...yeah...*clears throat*) and I saw these on display and about lost...my...shit.

Laughing, that is.



Really? SEQUIN UGGS!? ARE YOU F'N KIDDING ME?! Uggs in general are ugly boots (hence their name). *shakes finger at protester* Ah ah ah...YES they are! I don't give a flying pa-toot if they're warm. They. Are. Ugly. Seeing women pair them with skirts makes me want to call the Fashion Police, no mater how "in" they are. I can understand they're warm. I can. But they have no arch support or cushion to them either. So...ugly and painful. Then why are they so "in"? *sigh* But now...we have SEQUIN UGGS! I just can't even...I mean, really? Please God please stop the insanity!

Anyhoo, it got me to thinking of the stupid shoes I've taken pictures of and I decided to share a few with you today AND make it a contest. You ready?

OK...

We'll start with what was on the train with me this morning. Pic first. Then the ramble. Here you go:



These "loverly" sandals are...you got it, gold with rinestones...but it gets better! That top item is a skull w/crossbones and the bottom is a...fly? Maybe its a bee...but I think it looks like a fly. EITHER WAY...neither makes sense! And what are those gold things hanging off the side of the skull? Oiy. So...you've got tacky, ugly AND flat! Is this tourist REALLY gonna wander NYC today in these? God help her! Honey, might I introduce you to Fit-Flops? They're not "stylish"...but neither are what you're wearing and you'd at least be comfortable. Just sayin'.

Moving on!

We'll stick with sandals. This was my first shoe pic, ever. I just...couldn't...help...myself...



WTF?

Grapes sandals? Really? I just don't get it. Am I missing something here? I don't think I am. They're ridiculous and unattractive. They make her already small feet look dwarfed. :( At least the sole is thicker than mis gold lamé rinestone skull's are...but that's not saying much. And no, this wasn't part of a costume. Thoughts on these? Anyone? Anyone?.....I didn't think so.

On to our last victim.

I wish you could've seen the whole outfit on this cute little Asian chick. She was in her 20's I'd guess. On a date, I think. She wore ALL purple...in the same shade so kudos to her as that's hard to do. Purple in her hair, purple jaket, purple spandex mini skirt, purple tights and...*drum roll*...



With winter right around the bend I thought we'd end with these...but wow. I can't tell if I want a pair (in black of course) or if I think she stole Barney's feet! I hope they're warm cause...wow. I have not the words.

So...here's the challenge! Take your own CRAZY/STUPID/UGLY footwear pics about town (on either someone you know...or better yet, on someone you don't) and submit them to me at tamsinlsilver@gmail.com. The winner will get a free e-copy of the first book in the Living Dead Girl Series, "The Betrayal".

DO NOT SUBMIT PICS FOUND ON THE INTERNET. For EXAMPLE. They can be shoes you own but DO put them on! They can be shoes you see in a store, too. As long as its a non-pro snap-shot it'll count.

You have until the end of Release Weekend (10/16)! Winner and runner up will be posted on the blog!

Good luck!

xo

Tamsin :)

P.S. We start with sequins...we should end with sequins...

I leave you with a pair of shoes I totally want but CANNOT justify. Red, sequin (not glitter) Ruby Slippers (they're on my feet...I wear a size 6 btw..you know, if you have a pair you just don't know what to do with...*hint hint*). They are wicked uncomfortable and only good for dressing up as Dorothy (which I did as a kid a lot btw) so I'll never buy them but...if I did, I'd probably find another chance to wear them other than Halloween. Then I too would end up in one of these "stupid shoes" photos! LMAO!

Cheers!

Editing 102

No, you didn't miss Editing 101...it was just so long ago I don't think I could blog about it now.

So, what is Editing 102? Maybe a better title would be "You Never Stop Learning" or "You Never Stop Realizing Where Your Writing SUCKS" OR "Holy Jeebus I Spent 5 Days and 65 Hours Editing and SURVIVED" OR HEY...HOW ABOUT..."I NEVER WANT TO READ MY OWN BOOK AGAIN AS LONG AS I LIVE"...

*sigh*

Let's back up...

Editing 101 was a crash course slapped onto me by Ms. Grames a year ago, which was a HUGE "Ah-Ha" moment for me....(Jeebus, that woman reeeally taught me a lot)...I would then consider what I put myself through for 5 days this past weekend Editing 102...with notes from my current Editor, Mrs. Becraft.

It FINALLY clicked for me on Day 4. I'm slow, what can I say? I suddenly saw the horrible redundancy areas of my book. Sadly, I was 1/2 way through the book upon realization so I'm glad I'll have one more pass at the PIMA (Pain In My Ass...aka My LDG Novel) before it goes to the E-gods for public distrabution & consumption.

I spent 65 hours in my desk chair (aka torture device from hell) in 5 days. I basically ate, slept, edited, ate, edited...then repeat for 5 days. I refused to open Twitter, FB, or my blog for fear of being "sucked in" and losing valuable time. I had a deadline...and only one hand to edit with. I think I used up my 40 hrs of free Pandora and I only took breaks to walk the dog, grocery shop, hug on my dog, stretch or get food from kitchen. I think I took one phone call from a writer pal in MI and texted a bit with Lauren. That was it in 5 days. I was FOCUSED.

And I think my brain bled because of it.

Women, by nature are multi-taskers. Right now I have 12 things open on my desktop. Normal. It's a normal, happy place. The only things I had open were my Word doc, a verbs spreadsheet, iTunes & Pandora...it felt like a foreign universe.

But, I made a breakthrough in seeing the smaller errors this weekend. Big errors (Editing 101) were hard but yet once pointed out I was like, "I totally see that!" With Editing 102...it took a bit to really see. But when my mind went, "Holy shit! I get it!" It was a big break through. On this pass I cut the word count by almost 3000 words. NO JOKE. I added some too...which tends to happen when you're re-writing sections that need help. But in the end, I'd still cut about 2300 words.

Maybe, just maybe, I'm learning. :)

One more pass to go on it...after that, I swear on a stack of Bibles, I'll never read that full thing again (unless paid to).

XO

Tamsin :)

Postcards!

FRONT OF CARD





















BACK OF CARD

















Artwork on Front by Buffi Becraft
Layout of Card (both sides) by FMS Digital (my mom's company)
Headshot by Vince Lingner

Lauren and I will be handing these out at NYC Comic Con. If you're there, come find us! Ok, text me and I'll let you know where we are. Or send me a message on Twitter!

If you find us, you'll get to enter the give away! More on that later! So stay tuned!

xo

Tamsin :)

Come on Irene

Oh yes, there were many a Tweet on Twitter on Friday, Saturday & Sunday with the #ComeOnIrene hashtag. It put the 80's song (Come On Eileen) in your head, no?

Anyhoo, I thought I'd take you non-New Yorkers on my Irene Journey. Why? Why the hell not? It's a funny story!

All through this story one MUST remember I have only one good hand. It's a must. It makes it all the funnier. Truuust me.

OK...here we go...

Friday, August 26, 2011
As previously stated in the last blog entry, I braved the grocery store near my office for items I knew would be gone gone gone at my home store. I packed them up in a big re-useable bag and draaages that heavy bitch home with me.

On my way home I'm thinking of all the things I remember from living in the Carolina's for 10 years...on hurricane prep that is. Not that I was ever IN a bloody hurricane THERE...oooh noooo...but now that I'm up in NYC? Now I'm in one. (What about this seems wrong?) I make mental notes: Get water, buy batteries for radio, find flashlight, get batteries for it too, check candle supply, charge electronics (especially extra cell battery), fill tub with water.....you get the picture.

I'm also fretting about walking my dog in blowing rain. Remember? CAST. It's not supposed to get wet. *sigh* Wonderful. Well...at least I have my roommate (we'll call her Amy) to help me...........................

I get home to find Amy in a panic, packing her bags, and fleeing town. (Fucking wonderful.) I ask her where is she going to go. To a place out in the country on the CT/VT border, she tells me. I say, "Uh, the storm is heading there too, you know." To which she replies, "But there's less people there." O_o In her defense, she's from a small town, not been here long, her sister lives in Louisiana (can you say "Hurricane Katrina"?) and both her mom & sis have writhed her into a panic where she's going on about the sewer system backing up and no transportation (MTA shut down from Sat at noon till 5am this morning)and millions "trapped" in the city...etc. Panic. Mayhem. Trapped. She's on a roll...face white, pinched and body moving in a jerky fashion. Poor thing. They've pretty much convinced her she's dead if she stays.

So she goes.

Me? I go down to 170th street to buy Meade. (The difference btwn a city girl & a country girl I was told.)----for those who don't know...Meade is a high alcohol Honey Wine. You've possibly had it at a Ren Fair.

I get home and run to the grocery store in my neighborhood for the last things I need. I am still toting the 3 bottles of wine and have no rolly cart. I never said I was smart all the time.

So the place is a madhouse. Shocker. But everyone is patient, nice, and...confused. No one who wortks there is helping prople understand their shitty set up for lines. So...like any other Leo, as i get close enough and figure it out, I start answering questions and directing people. I know I know...typical.

By the time I hobble home with too many bags and put them away, I make dinner (God knows I have enough bloody food now) and read.

Saturday, August 27, 2011
I wake up at 8:15am.

Well hell.

I try to go back to sleep but my brain won't shut up....it's all, "You need to do laundry and go find batteries...which you won't find but you have to try and you need to get water...which will be wicked heavy...How are you going to get that up the stairs? You need to call your dad and do some editing and....are you still laying here? If you don't get to that laundramat before the rest of the womem in your neighborhood you could wait all day just to wash your stuff! What if they close early? Get your fat ass up!!!"

So I did.

With one hand on my cart and the other wrapped in plastic, holding an umbrella (or trying to) I head to do laundry. I call my dad as I sweat to death in that place. You see, I'm my dad's only child. He worries like an old lady. I know he's glued to the damn TV (if he's not, he wants to be) worrying and wondering if I'm in the evacuation area....but he won't call. Oh no. That'd show me he's worried and I'n an adult and blah blah blah. *sigh* I know him. I love him. So I call to quelch his fears.

Once laundry is done it's...you guessed it...it's POURING.

Fuck.

So here I go again with my plastic covered hand (a plastic grocery bag held on with rubber bands. Oooooh...stylish.) and I bumble along to get the damn cart into the gate and up the stairs. Ugh.

But I'm not done. Now it's "Find Batteries and Water" time. So I go to my remaining roommate to ask for help. She's sleepin (in her defense, she works LATE) and she's pretty much unresponsive...so, I'm on my own. I stop at 3 places. No C batteries. Shocker. *sigh* I do find some overly priced small candles in glass though. I buy three. I go to Rite Aid. LINES LINES LINES.

*Deep breath*
Find pack of many water bottles together.
Consider how to get in cart with one hand.
Man walks by. Sees my dilema.
Briskly escapes before I can ask for help.
Try to lift using bad hand. Stop as its not feeling like a wise idea.
A woman goes by, sees my dilemma, and she too runs before I can ask for help.
God give me patience!
Finally I use my one good hand and actually lift the buggering thing into my cart without dropping on myself.
It's a damn miracle.

Thankfully the guy working behind the counter comes around to ring it up and puts it back in my cart. I head home. Oh, did I mention its raining again?

I. Could. Scream.

I stop into a bodega and actally find batteries. MIRACLE! Drag my sweaty ass and my heavy cart home to stare at my stairs. I'm debating called roommate to put on some clothes and help me when a man comes along with his laundry. He sees me. Oh yes...he sees me. Does he offer to help me?

No.

But I corner the bastard and pittifully ask for help...convincing his hemming and hawing by saying "It's just one flight."

He helps. PRAISE GOD.

I get in and fall over onto my bed.

But no rest for the Hurricane weary folks! I need to get the apt ready!

Roommate still asleep.

So I take out the 3 things of garbage (in NYC we have to break up things into 3 bags; blue for glass/metal/plastic, clear for paper/cardboard, & black for other crap)...attempt to wash dishes with one hand (this is harder than you might think), put away laundry and shower.

My roommate THEN gets up and informs me she too is leaving.

Honest to goodness thought at the time: "You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

In her defense, her family lives not far from us and have been bugging her for 24 hrs to come over.

So she goes.

Alas, there I am. Alone. Broken hand. Hurricane coming. Dog to handle on my own. And then icing on the cake....TORNADO WARNING.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE F'N KIDDING MEEEEEEEEE!

*Deeep breath*

Pack a go-bag. Pack dog stuff. Pack computer. Put the stuff in the hall at safest spot for tornado.

Watch the news. Told the worst will be from midnight to 3pm. Doze off. Wake up just after 11pm.

Look at dog.
Look at the clock.
Look outside at seriously blowing rain.
Remember its only gonna get worse.
Look at dog.
Look at the clock.
Look outside.
Cuss.
Put on plastic arm wrap.
Put on swim cap. (I didn't want to sleep with wet hair so stop laughing! Besides, it holds my glasses on. So there? )
Step into outdoor vestibule with dog.
We get to the gate...its REALLY BLOWING...and it'll be worse once I leave the protection of the side of the building. My dog pees briefly and we head to the gate. He looks at the gate but doesn't try to go to it. Instead he turns and looks at me. His eyes say, "Lady, you have GOT to be fucking crazy." I ask him, "Wanna go back in then?" He bolts back for the door to the apartment building.

Gooood boy. Thank you thank you thank you!

The barometric pressure has my injured hand swollen (it couldn't be that I did too much that day...oh no...blame it on the rain...) so I take 2 Motrin PM and pass slap the fuck out.

Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wake up at oh-dark-thirty (possibly 4am?) suuuper groggy from the meds and look outside. Not much wind, not heavy rain. I tell myself it must not be "here" yet. Pass out till 6am. Same view. Same thought. Sleep till 9:30am when my phone buzzes. Neighbor says its stopped raining but she can help with my dog. I scramble up at thr word "help", as I've had NONE till now, and it sprinkles the minute we're out...but she is helping so its easy.

She tells me Irene hit Jersey and then moved east...which means the worst is over. WOOT! We walk the dog and my neighborhood looks like nothing worse than a thunderstorm went through. Not a tree down, no flooding...not even a puddle!

So I busted my behind yestyerday for WHAT exactly.

Sometimes God's humor escapes me.

I leave you with the Come On Irene song someone did.......it's...well...you'll see.

Tamsin :)

P.S. I'd like to give kudos to NYC officials though. They were on the ball with preparations for the worst. Thankfully they weren't needed everywhere, but to those being wise asses about it? Shut up. They did their job well. If Irene hadn't hit South Jersey and run away to the east, you wouldn't be being so flippant. And to those who did lose power or their homes to flooding. Our prayers are with you.

****Funny Side Note: Where Amy ran to...got hit worse than we did at our apartment. Oh the irony. Makes me smile. :) ****

IRENE OVER NEW YORK:

NYC Hurricane To-Do List

Designed by Simon Fletcher. Link to Original on tumblr.

ENOUGH SAID.

xo

Tamsin :)

P.S. I am off to go buy hurricane supplies; Milk, bread, cereal, flashlight, wine, cheese, and snacks. That sounds right...right? Already got stuff to cook (gas stove is a plus when you realize power could go out) and a huuuge bag of dog food. Will buy some water at home. Not carrying the damn gallon or two of THAT from the office to home. Hells to the no.

Good luck all you New Yorkers! Watch...we'll get a sprinkle of rain and be done with it. Ha! Wouldn't that just be how it goes?

Prayers for those Irene's bawdy self does visit this weekend. Stay home or at least stay safe.

Black Sunshine

I got this idea. Its been swimming about in my head for the past few days. The thought or question(s) I've had was what would the world I created in the LDG Series be like in a hundred or more years if the human's didn't listen to and do something about the global warming and air polution. What would happen if the sky went dark? Would the vampires thrive? Die out? What about the human race?

I started seeing a story in my mind...using the grand daughter of Denika (our werewolf from "Moon Over Manhattan"). I can't really work on it yet as I...A) Can't really type well right now. B) I have edits for LDG to due.

But...I miss the creative process...all this editing isn't the same as writing/creating. So I took a little time today to play. See what you think. Pretty sure this isn't the first chapter...or if it is, there will be a prologue. It's rough...its short...its just a start.

Welcome to...

Black Sunshine

The city was dark, but that wasn’t anything new. It was always dark. Mia’s eyes were created to see better in it than the human’s who pushed past her, wearing their respiration masks. It still amazed her how determined they were as a race—the human’s that is. Surviving the wars, the pollution, and the death of the sun. Her brother called them cockroaches behind their parents’ back. Claimed it was because the scuttled from dwelling to dwelling in a protective shell.

Neither she nor her brother required protective gear or a RM (Respiration Mask). But that’s because they weren’t human. Never had been. Werewolves from birth, their lungs filtered the bad air automatically. In fact, two other of the four Clandestine factions could go without masks. The shape shifters and the vampires also wandered free of facial decoration, like her. The witches though? Too much human frailty in them as a species to go without one. This was why Beck wore a RM as he blathered on to her.

“I told you, I don’t know why your brother requested you. I just follow orders, Mia, that’s my job.”

Mia abruptly spun her tall form into his way, placing her hand on his chest, stopping his movement so fast his tall and lanky form stumbled. “I was busy.”

“I…I…I won’t tell him where I found you or what you were doing,” he stammered.

A human walked by, giving Mia an accusing stare.

“What? You got a problem?” She snapped and the human female scuttled off.

“They just think I’m human, that’s all,” Beck said, making excuses for the woman who’d gone by. “They don’t like it when our kind rough up theirs."

Mia removed her hand from Beck and continued to walk north on 8th Avenue. “What does Mabon want? Did he say?”

“No ma’am.”

She sighed. Her brother was always doing this. Ever since their father had gone missing he ordered her around like a puppy. It was driving her mad. She had work to do. Not that her family approved of her work, but she didn’t care.

She pushed her long bangs out of her face with an exasperated sigh. “If this is trivial, and you cost me my bounty for nothing, I’m taking it out of your ass, Beck.” When he didn’t say anything she turned her gaze on him, his floppy black hair bouncing with his steps.

Looking nervous, he swallowed and nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

“Come on, you’re draggin’ your ass.” Giving his arm a slight tug they changed direction as they walked through Columbus Circle.

They walked in silence, Beck almost at a trot to keep up as they passed many who stared at her. Mia knew she looked like a Barbie doll wandering through the streets of Hell—tall, curvy, blond with blue eyes and a flawless face. It’s why she chopped off her long hair the minute she was of age to do as she pleased with it. She hated the comparison. It helped a bit that she usually wore her black leather, bounty hunting gear. Yet, her Barbie looks weren't the only reason people stared at her as her knee high boots crunched mercilessly on garbage on Central Park West.

“Freak!” A voice yelled from the subway stairs. She paid it no mind. It was the daily norm.

The other reason they watched her was because they wondered which faction she was. Shortly after the human’s had ruined the sky and in turn, the atmosphere, they had learned of the Clandestine World. Not so much because they weren’t careful, they always had been, but now they stood out. When human’s had started dying off and they hadn’t, they hadn’t been a way to blend anymore.

Scientists attempted to throw some of them in cages, pull DNA to study so as to improve the human’s quality of life. But they weren’t successful, neither in creating the serum nor in keeping Clandestine held captive. It had only resulted in more dead humans. So they stopped. Now they just stared—like they were animals in cages at the zoo. Often Mia stared back.

“Do you ever wish they didn’t know about us?” She asked.

Beck cleared his throat inside his mask, his voice then coming out through the speakers with a slight squeak, “We run the world now, Mia. Why would we want to go back to that?”

To be normal. To blend in. To not be watched all the time.

“Never mind. We’re here.”

© Copyright Tamsin L. Silver

Let's Talk About Imagination

"I'm just 'tending, daddy." (psst...that's child slang for "pretending," btw)

This is what I said to my father at the tender age of 4 when he was concerned that I wasn't aware of the difference between reality and make believe. We were at a restaurant, my mom, a friend of the family, and obviously my dad and I.

My mother, who likes to tell this story, then explains how I looked at my father, rolled my eyes, huffed out a completely exasperated sigh and put him in his place. My face and tone were nothing short of saying to him, "How can you be so stupid to think I don't know the difference?" My father is a very black and white person, so its easy to see how my gray line confused him. Ya know what? Still does. LMAO!

So this was me, at the age of 4.

Mind you, my best friends are very likely nodding their heads right now saying, "I'm not suprised at all." :)

Yeah yeah...I know, I've not changed too much.

Nor has my imagination.

I was an only child and was used to playing alone, talking to fake people, creating stories. I was BIG into barbies...using them to reinact musicals (using the original Broadway recording--on tape--for the songs of course) or tell stories...but those stories were "on going"...like a soap opera.

So you see, I've always been long winded. :)

I've also always been detail oriented and very visual. As I got older this didn't change. If you're old enough to remember when the "Sony Walkman" came out you know it changed everything! You could take your music EVERYWHERE and no one could hear it but you! How wonderful! Jeez...it SAVED me from the boring drives to church (30 min drive each way) three times a week (Wednesday night, Sunday morning & again some Sunday nights. What can I say? Baptists.) with my parents. I'd listen to music and daydream.

Before I dicovered rock-n-roll in 7th grade I would listen to...are you ready for this? I would listen to the score to the latest John Williams movie...aka Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi, mostly. I'd use the music to dream up my own stories.

No suprise that music today still lights my imagination on fire. Some of my best action sequences or romantic scenes come to me on the train, listening to music (used to come to me in the car before I lived in NYC). I literally can see scenes in my head.

I think, in many ways, this history and vast imagination are the key to my writing. I stated on Twitter today the following: "If you create a thorough & meticulous world for your series, with well flushed-out characters...continuing that world will be fun, not a chore."

As a writer, especially a Fantasy/Sci-fi writer, I think its extremely important that you take the time to know the world you create. Know everything about it. Do research if you can and visit the area you set its a real place...that is, if you don't live there already. Its obvious that Cassandra Clare spent time in and did research on/about London before writing The Infernal Devices first book, "Clockwork Angel" AND that Nora Roberts has spent MUCH time in Clare, Ireland.

But even if your land is totally make believe, it should be as real to you as your back yard. Know every inch of it. Know the laws and the rules, how things exist there...know it by heart (or jot it down if its easier for you...I have maps of areas in Boston and Canada to aide me). Live and breathe that place, those people. If you do, so will your reader AND if its a series...it'll be a joy to write the sequels, not work. You'll have endless possibilities. Cassandra Clare's Immortal Instruments Series is a wonderful example of this kind of detail.

I pray I too can take my readers on multiple journeys in the Living Dead Girl Novels...seeing as my head has lived there on and off for almost 20 years.

Now, it's time to start the 2nd edit of that bad bitch of a manuscript so when you buy the book this October (and I pray you do) it doesn't suck. :)

Until I emerge from my edits...

xo

Tamsin :)

Broken Hand

So yeah, I broke my hand...that's why my blog has been MIA. But, seeing as I still have two character posts to do, I'm going to type them with one hand and pray I don't wanna beat myself in the head with my cast before I finish.

That said, I might as well share my pain with you all...as I'm a TMI sorta gal as it is...and nothing tells a story better than pictures. :) So here you go.

8/8/11
Fall on the way to the subway and do this to my finger:

I go home, I buddy up the left pinky with ring finger and tape them, wrap my hand in a bag of frozen corn (no, really...that's the truth), called my boss, call my PCP and get on the train to downtown. And yes...I'm crying like hell as quietly as I can. People are staring. I'm in a panic. Good times.

PCP agrees..."Yep, it's broken. But we can't Xray or help you. You need a hand surgeon or the E.R." Oh heeeell no, I'm NOT going to an E.R. Find me a doctor today please! I tell them, "I don't care if I wait all damn day, I just wanna see them today and verify it's broken and find out what to do."

So luckily they find one who will squeeze me in that day. And off I go!

It takes HOURS but I'm finally seen and wow, is it brokem! Here's the X-ray (look at the base of my pinky, where it meets the hand. See the break and twist of the bone?):


The guard they put on it until surgery:











8/9/11
SURGERY DAY!
Doc marks the correct finger & arm:

The weirdest underwear and ugliest socks...you HAVE to wear these for surgery. Oooh...sexy. NOT! See:

I wake up to THIS large of a cast (yeah, that's only my thumb you can see) w/o warning:
I'm like "WTF? Didn't I say I needed at least one finger! Aaarrgh!" ---that huge foam thing, for those of you lucky to have never seen or worn one...it keeps the hand upright...constantly (yes, even in sleep). I find out though that they were able to do a "closed reduction" (and boy, are they wiggy happy about it). I find out later that its a bit rare to get to do this. Hence doctor happiness.

Luckily I am only to wear this bastard for a week.

Let me tell you...its the small things you realize you appreciate when you have no second hand. Like what? Oh, like putting on your underwear! Talk about a reach around! Almost gave up on wearing any! My bra? I didn't even bother to try.

So I lay in a bed for 7 days...eating, reading and being depressed (and in wicked pain, but that's a given, right?) and gaining pounds by the moment...or that's what it feels like. I'm a mover. I'm a shaker. And now...I'm a lump on a bed. *Grumble*

Oh, did I mention my book edits were due?

Would it be unwise to tell you I possibly cried over that as much as I cried about the pain while at the doctor office?

Does this make me shallow?

ANYHOO...where were we?

Ah yes, one week to wear the bloody buggering bastard of a cast...

8/15/11
NEW CAST DAY! (I get fingers back!)

They have to saw the thing off. (Maybe, just maaaaybe I had visions of that saw going thru to my skin and my blood spurting all over the white little room...but let's not talk about it, shall we?)...and I see the pins in my swollen hand:


They take a new Xray (LOOK AT THOSE HUGE ASS PINS IN MY SMALL HAND!):











They then put me in this cast (yay fingers!) and send me off:

Where do I go? I visit my pal Charlie and work up the courage to cut all my hair off. Why? Wrll....

1) It's August in NYC
2) I can in NO way "do" my hair with 1.25 hands. Can't.
3) I look good in short hair and have been thinking about doing it for awhile.

So, I meet up with Lauren and we both get our hair cut short (me more so than her, mind you). Here is what I had done:

FAST FORWARD A WEEK....

I start experiencing severe numbness in my index finger. I call the doc's office. I'm told I've pushed too hard, elevate my hand for 24 hrs and call on Sunday.

On Sunday it's worse and I'm now in a bit of a panic (like I wasn't the night before...ha! I totally was!). I call. Bob asks me, "Is your cast loose?" I'm like, "Yeah, why?" Alas...Bob tells me that its possible the reason for the extra pain at the pins and numbness is because the cast is loose enough to rub them.

LOVERLY.

I'm told I needt to come back in.

*sigh*

8/22/11
BACK TO THE DOCTOR WE GO...3rd Monday in a row!

They cut off the cast (insert mild anxiety of saw & blood & spatter again), re-Xray it, and pour alcohol on the pins (ouch!). Good news is te swelling is waaay down and though these are a bit red, doc says they look great. (Uhhh, really? Cause to me thry look angry, pal) See?
Doc also says its healing really well...bone's in the perfect place...etc. He also thinks my numbness is due to cast pinching my wrist. So, good news, I get a shorter cast, more padding...and it's BLACK. Yep, it now matches my wardrobe. *snicker* See?:




Anyhoo...normally I'd get this one off in 2 weeks buuut that's Labor Day and my doc only sees patients on Monday's (he's in surgery the other days) so I must wait until Sept 12th. 10:30am. I'm counting down the days with marks on my cast (like jail) until I'm free. I'll probably still need to wear that cuff they made me on the day of the break after the cast is off...but I SO don't care. :)

So that's my tale of woe...of my first broken bone ever. Good news is my Orthopedic Hand Surgeon is one of the top in the country and he feels I should have full use of my pinky after some PT. YAY! I shou;d be rip, rarin' and ready to rock br 2011 NaNoWriMo!!!! Woot!

So be carefull where you walk New Yorkers...this ALL came to be because I tripped on a broken sidewalk on my way to the subway/work.

Yeah, trust me, I already know I'm a klutz...hell, I'm actually shocked it took this long for me to break something!LOL!

Take care all! Wish me luck with my edits...First round went to the editor on Saturday and we have 2 more passes till it's ready. I still want this book to come out 10/14/11! So pray I get fast with this one hand method of typing! :)

xo

Tamsin :)