Friday Snippet #44

Monica La Porta, , , 4 Comments

Finestra sull'Umbria SketchedGray outside. Gaia is in the hands of the editor once again. It took me a long time to implement his corrections and add my changes. Hopefully, this second time around it will go faster. Meanwhile, I’m working on Elios. A nightmare. I must rewrite the whole 90k words. The first 80 pages are mostly inner monologue. Although there’s a good reason for that—Elios is an Observer—the story can’t stand on its own the way it is written now. I don’t look forward to the task ahead.

From Gaia (still a working title):

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Sara was checking the weather to see if we could finally go for a hike somewhere nearby. I was trying to focus on something on TV while Pallino had decided to sleep on my lap.

“Spending a few days away from Seattle is going to help you reconnect with the rest of the world,” Sara said.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s been proven that open air is beneficial for the health of the gray matter. In your case, there isn’t a lot left to save, but still.”

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and I jumped, surprised because we weren’t expecting any of our friends. Pallino woke up, irritated by my lack of manners.

Sara went to see who it was when I felt it. I felt him.

I knew exactly who was behind that door before she reached the other room. I sat down on the first chair I found because I couldn’t stand up, couldn’t breathe. I just wanted to scream.

Elios had come back.

Friday Snippet #44

Friday Snippet #43

Monica La Porta6 Comments

15 in Dystopian June 2013 single shotSlightly confused, probably still jetlagged, but mostly bereft. Family matters required some travelling, and it normally takes me a few days to get back to my routine. This time, it took me slightly more.

Last week, thanks to an ad on Kindle Books and Tips, The Priest, discounted for the occasion to 99 cents, reached #15 on the the dystopian category on Amazon, and #64 on the science fiction category. It maintained that position for a few days which has driven sales for Pax in the Land of Women, and a trickle for Prince at War as well, and even for Linda of the Night. Meanwhile, Pax—also temporarily discounted to 99 cents—was featured on Bookblast and although it reached only one tenth of the number of downloads of The Priest—as it was to be expected being a second in a series—it still managed to reach #71 in the paid dystopian category. Thanks to the surge in downloads, The Priest has also received two new reviews. The lesson here is that good advertising pays. Unfortunately, good advertising is difficult to get. Step by step.

Yesterday, I finished all my corrections and rewriting on Gaia—still I haven’t decided on the final title—and I sent it back to the editor. It feels so strange to have nothing to correct and rewrite. I’ve been in editing mode for so long, not sure I know what to do with my day. I’ll probably go for a walk.

Finally, here’s the snippet I hinted in the post’s title, which is actually a little piece of flash fiction I wrote one or two years ago for a contest  and slightly revisited for Father’s Day.

Nocturne

“Daddy, Daddy! Look up!” Lucille glides weightlessly, skirting rocks and grass.

“The night is bright,” Dad says, closely following her.

“Look at the round light!” Lucille happily somersaults. “It’s so yellow, and so big, and so shiny. Can you catch it for me?”

“For you, my sweet fry, the Moon and the Stars aren’t enough!”

Koi Delight

Friday Snippet #43

Friday Snippet #42

Monica La Porta, , , , 4 Comments

Libera la MenteNot a lot to recap since my three thousand years stint in the alternate universe I went to a few days ago. I can only add what I think happened to my radio host, author Frank Smith, who keeps quiet about the whole thing. He declared having screamed at unanimated objects for four minutes. That’s my answer to him:

“Frank, although we didn’t take the same portal, I’m pretty sure I saw you waving at me at least in two different occasions. The first, if I remember correctly–it was a long time ago– it was in the occasion of my coronation as Empress Monica the First of Moon and Mars. I didn’t mention this detail earlier because I like to keep it real and humble. Anyway, I think you were among the delegation from Ganimedes. I could be mistaken. The second, I had a glimpse of you at the inauguration of the Transoceanic Railroad on Jupiter. Quite the crowd gathered for that occasion. You were accompanied by an attractive Venusian and quite interested in her gills. Although not excusable that could explain why you didn’t notice when the first bomb exploded. Since we finished our interview, I surmised everything went fine on your side.”

And now, my snippet. From, Green Glass and High Tide, Jules and Lucia are having lunch together in one of the Rotunda Restaurants just outside the megalopolis:

They settled on the cushions and played with the music selection while waiting for their food. Two servos arrived from who knows where and deposited the artfully arranged plates on the windowsill, took Lucia’s credit number by asking her to look into the robotic eye they all sported on their trunk, and finally left.

“I’d like to move back here,” Lucia commented, while having a second helping of her crème de cassiope.

“Don’t… say that. You know this is temporary.” Jules dropped her spoon and looked at Lucia with pleading eyes.

“It could be permanent.”

“Hell is going to break loose as soon as I start my investigation.” Jules pinched the arch of her nose.

Lucia thought that Jules looked more and more like their father. Even in the way they expressed anxiety, they moved their hands in the exact same gestures. “I can help you with that.”

“I think is better if you leave as soon as you can… so that the aftermath doesn’t reach you.”

“Nonsense, I’m not going to abandon ship.”

“Listen to me, Lucia. I love having you around, but, have you considered that maybe I will have to run away…?” Jules’s comlink chimed harmoniously and she made an I-told-you-so face. “And hell is going to break loose in three… two… one—she raised one finger to shush Lucia—Rizieri’s here. Yes, I’ll wait for him. Thanks.” Jules tapped gently her earlobe to close the call. “I’ve been assigned to a cleric. This is the beginning of the end.”

Lucia touched her sister’s arm. “May the Truth prevails… as father would say.”

“Forever and ever,” Jules finished the formulaic prayer with a sigh.

Friday Snippet #42

My Fourth Radio Interview and the solved case of the Mysterious Blackout

Monica La Porta, , , , , , , 5 Comments

Black ParadiseIn case you missed me last night, here is the link to yesterday’s Journal Jabber Show. There was a four minutes blackout, due to a storm. During that time, I was transported to a parallel universe. I lived there for three thousand years without aging a bit. I wrote fourteen different series of twenty three books each. All of them bestsellers. I learned one hundred and fifteen different languages and became proficient in fifty-eight of them. I invented ten languages. One was accepted as a common koine and taught in schools. Kids all around the world hated me with a passion. And it was okay. In the meantime I let my hair grow until I had a train eight meters long. Two maids followed me everywhere and took care of my hair. After four hundred years, I decided I didn’t need to eat anymore and stopped. It improved my skin and my productivity. I also stopped sleeping. I learned how to play the piano, but didn’t enjoy it that much and switched to viola, violin, harpsichord, and clarinet. Finally, I admitted that music wasn’t my cup of tea and pursued a career as a ventriloquist. Given all the free time I had, it wasn’t difficult to master the art. To avoid getting easily bored, I also studied medicine and cured several diseases. Collected a dozen of Nobel prizes. Among them, one for finding the cure for a virus which was also my creation. Nobody is perfect, but I almost succeeded. Then, I was sucked back here and finished the interview without missing a beat. While I was there, Klingon was added to bing translator. You’re welcome.

My Fourth Radio Interview and the solved case of the Mysterious Blackout

Prince at War: the Official Cover Reveal

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PRINCE-AT-WAR-Copertina Finale Amazon

I know a new cover is normally revealed before a book is published, but I tend to do things unconventionally—like supposedly stirring the coffee the other way around—my husband actually called a poll on facebook to prove I was the only one doing that. I must admit that after the results were in, I was among the few… But that’s not the point of this post. The point of this post is that I published Prince at War with a temporary cover and I’m happy to show off my cover artist Alessandro Fiorini’s beautiful job with the official one. Isn’t he great at what he does?

Prince at War: the Official Cover Reveal

Friday Snippet #41

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Sunny DayI survived my lecture and came back to say everything went well. If the video turned out fine, it will be posted on YouTube, otherwise you’ll have to take my word for it. In that case, I’ll declare I was fabulous.

Meanwhile, in the green land of the never ending rain there was sun. Like a lot. I got freckles all over my face since I was out for long walks every day.

In other news, I decided to put Smashwords to work and made Linda of the Night free there. If somebody will report the lower price to Amazon, eventually the short will become a perma-free. I’d rather have readers taking a chance and sample my work than having the short sitting there, collecting dust.

This Friday’s snippet is brought you by my antihistaminic. At the moment, there’s more pollen than breathable air outside my room.

From Green Grass and High Tide, a science fiction novel I wrote two or three years ago and that might see an editor in the near future:

A soft orchestra of machines sounds, hissing, chirping, and the unmistakable regular thumping of a frail heartbeat, welcomed them inside Mother’s sleeping chamber.

“Come closer my dears.” A feeble voice came from the center of the room.

“Rya, my love—” Tyo’s voice broke.

Jules looked at his father and she saw etched in his face that he missed his companion more than he wanted to show.

“Mother, how do you feel?” Lucia walked past Jules and bent on the big bed that was the point of origin of every sound in the room.

Jules stood at the door petrified, barely breathing.

“I’m happy to sense you. I think I was sleeping before you entered. Tyo, how long has been since last time you talked to me? I have troubles understanding time…” Rya painfully dragged the words one after the other.

“You had an accident several years ago, and we’re keeping you in cryonic sleep until we find a way to reconnect your mind to your body,” he answered.

Jules thought that Father could have sweetened the pill, but Tyo would have never denied his beloved Rya anything, not even a harsh truth.

“Why did you wake me now?”

“Happy second century, my dear Rya. We’ve gathered to celebrate your birthday, love.” Tyo’s eyes were clouded with unwanted moisture.

Friday Snippet #41

My First Lecture and a Big Announcement

Monica La Porta, , , 6 Comments

After almost two weeks of silence, I’m back. I’ve been working on several projects at once and I had an unexpected and very pleasant visit from a childhood friend of mine. After a few busy months , I took a mental vacation and greatly enjoyed it. The weather was beautiful and the friend and I could walk for hours under the sun. Walking and chatting, my idea of a perfect time.

Back on my normal schedule now. Tomorrow night, I’ll give my first lecture, The Indie Revolution: How a Single Click Changed the Publishing Industry. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I’ve been rehearsing the presentation for the last month and still get tongue tied every now and then. Hopefully, by 7:00 pm tomorrow, I’ll magically become an outgoing person.

Prince at War, formerly known as Prince of War, is done, as in edited and proofread done, and waiting for the formatting step. By the end of this week, it should be published. The stories of Mauricio, Rosie, Pax, and Prince have come to an end. After waiting to release this last book for so long, the aftertaste is surprisingly bitter-sweet. There will be a fourth book in the series, but it can be read independently by those three. To celebrate Prince at War’s release, The Priest will be $0.99 from today till Saturday.

Locandina Lecture

My First Lecture and a Big Announcement