sfxfantasy

My Inspiration For Warrior Girl

2008-07-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

When I was writing Warrior Girl by SFX Fantasy, I went back to my secondary school days, drawing on my memories of my Secondary 3 and Secondary 4 classmates in an all girls school.

Sarah was based on 3 girls I knew then, the main inspiration was around 15 to 16 years old at that time, a plain jane who became a prom queen, a tomboy who was quite a romantic and who is now a lawyer who'd sue me out of my home if she knew I based a character partly on her. To be safe, Sarah was also based on two other girls, one 16 to 17 years old and another 13 to 14 years old, all of whom were tomboys. Maybe that's why at times, Sarah seemed a little Schizo.

As I wrote the book I recalled the old conversations going on around me. All that boy craziness. The sighs throughout the room whenever certain names were mentioned. Mondays were when the girls would chatter excitedly about their weekend dates and when some girls might waltz starry eyed into the room.

When word got out that George Michael was gay, one girl was practically inconsolable and no, Jake is not in any way based on George Michael *shudder*

Jake embodies the old world strength and charm as well as gorgeousness and physical perfection that might make the entire class of 15 to 16 year old girls of that time, swoon. His personality and looks were inspired by snatches of conversation from lovesick girls in the class, the way they described the guys they fancy and the dream guys they had yet to meet.

Those were the days. My pals and I would sit on the window ledge between lessons and yak about our futures. We had big dreams back then.

Story-wise, the bulk of the book was based on vivid dreams. I was burnt out at that time and had nightmares as well as strange dreams that I wove into the book. The first draft of the book was like a patchwork quilt, with each dream written into a scene. My dreams are in full color but while the emotions I felt in those dreams left strong impressions, I recalled nothing of the conversations.

Most of the scenes were played out silently, so I had to figure out the dialogue, which I must admit, leaves much to be desired. Still, those 3 books are my first attempts at fiction.

I have drafts of 3 more books, with Jake and Sarah as secondary characters and a romance between a rather kooky lead female character and an unconventional hero for the next 3 books. Nothing is set in stone right now and the next trilogy seems more comedic than romantic. That is on the to do list for the next few years.

Meanwhile, my kids have been bugging me to write the next book for Tween Tales. They loved the first one and are waiting to read what happens next to Kay, Hank and the gang.

Wish I had more time. I've got a day job as I've got to eat you know. Books are my passion but hey, I can't even make a profit on book sales, but over time, I hope to get the other books out

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2008-05-09T08:03:00.001-07:00

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tween tales - ugggh

2007-12-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

I don't believe it. This is the 3rd time I clicked on approve for distribution. Each time I approve the book tween tales - robots, dragons and the interworld machine, I wait weeks but it does not appear in the distribution channel. Then I check again, I find it still pending approval. I hit approve again and it seems to go through. Weeks later, the book doesn't appear in amazon. I check my projects at lulu again, and it still asks for approval.

And I intended the book to be launched during the christmas season.

Oh well.

Anyway, if you have tweens who like superhero comics but want something less violent for them, tween tales series would be perfect. The language is more for advanced readers. Like my two kids, aged 8 and 10, who read books meant for teens. The story has everything they love. From giant talking hamsters to robots to car races to pizzas to superpowers. It was written as an indulgent book for tween boys.

Christmas gift idea for a teenage girl

2007-11-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

Teenagers can be so fussy. What do you get a teenage girl for Christmas?

She may not like the perfume you like. The clothes you think might look great on her may not fit. The accessories you might get for her may be too old fashioned for her taste.

Get her a book. May I dare suggest you get her Warrior Girl, Lost in Another Realm and The Dark Warriors which I'm told, appeals to teenage girls. Even to those who don't normally like to read.

Finally found my niche :D

Missing scene

2007-09-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

After publishing Warrior Girl, I wish I wrote more about the developing relationship between Jake and Sarah instead on focusing so much on making it a cannot-put-down-the-book page turner.

On hindsight, I wrote this piece Brother or would be lover to be set right after Jake recruited Sarah into his team.

Maybe one day, if there is enough demand for the book for a big publisher to pick it up, I might write a later edition with far more character building scenes than the original.

You can read the first few chapters of the book Warrior Girl online at Warrior Girl preview

Review at Amazon for Warrior Girl

2007-08-30T04:28:00.000-07:00

It really made my day when I saw the review for Warrior Girl.

As a writer, I really want to write stories that people enjoy. This was written from a bunch of dreams that left quite an impact long after I awoke. It was like a story that unfolded before my eyes in full color but without any sound. I could feel the characters' emotions in my dreams and ended up writing the stories as fantasy fiction books without any knowledge of the book industry.

When someone reads one of my books and likes it, that makes all those hours of rewrites and sacrifice worth the while.

Spin off site is up

2007-08-20T23:39:00.001-07:00

I've finally completed the book for the spin-off series for tweens.

The book is about two of Jake's and Sarah's kids meeting 2 other boys in a journey that takes them from world to world with Ven'eelgs and their ilk out to kidnap them.

Meant for kids ages 8 to 12 who are advanced readers. I didn't write down to them as I wrote this book for my own sons who read books pegged at teen reading levels. Yet my older son's teacher told me my kid needs to widen his vocabulary in order to do better for his composition. He is comfortable with the book's reading level. In fact, he's read the book over and over again, I don't know how many times. He remembers whole passages from it so when I've forgotten what I wrote, I'd ask him.

The book is Tween Tales - Robots, Dragons And The Interworld Machine

The official website : www.tweentales.com

Spin off site is up

2007-08-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

Preteen SFX Fantasy books out now

2007-06-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

This is for those parents who asked for a preteen spinoff of the main SFX Fantasy series so that their preteen kids can enjoy these fantasy tales as well.

Robots Dragons And The Interworld Machine is the first book of this preteen series. I'm working on a website to complement the book and hope the site would be ready by the time the book actually hits the market. Right now, here's where you can buy Robots Dragons And The Interworld Machine

Remember the baby at the end of The Dark Warriors? That's Kay in the bonus chapter in that book and who will be the star of the Tween Tales series.

In this novella, 4 boys, Kay, Hank, Mike and Matt are sucked in by the interworld machine into worlds inhabited by spidr'acs, dragons, robots and talking hamsters.
Kids (boys especially) would love the adventures these boys experience.

The language is more appropriate for advanced readers. I wrote it for my son, to further widen his vocabulary, after talking with his teacher.

Preteen spin-off

2007-06-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

I've finished the first book of the preteen spin-off. Cover's completed too. Now waiting for the final touches, the pre-publication activities before the actual launch of the book.

Kay and Hank, two of the kids in the bonus chapter of The Dark Warriors are the stars of this adventure. The two boys accompany Mike and Matt in their adventures. I excluded Kay and Hank in the original version of the tale, but it seemed lacking until I added these two kids in to wreak havoc.

The second book of Tween Tales is already in the works. Or at least, I've completed a rough sketch of what is to happen in there, with the input of my preteen sons who told me what they wanted their heroes to encounter in the next story.

While The Dark Warriors is a romance for teens and young adults, with a happy ending which is where Kay and Hank come in, this new series, Tween Tales, is for younger readers who would like the fantasy elements in the original series, but for whom the romantic elements are inappropriate.

I hope to launch the book in time for Christmas. There's going to be a new website for that series. Bookmark this blog as I'll keep you updated on the progress on both the Sfxfantasy Series and the Tween Tales series.

Lost In Another Realm book review is out

2007-04-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Enchanting reviews, the newly launched site that reviews books with romantic elements, has reviewed the second book in the sfx fantasy series.

Here's the Lost In Another Realm book review written by Cimorene.

The Dark Warriors

2007-03-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

I've got the lens for the Dark Warriors up at Squidoo. Still in its early stages. No reviews yet.

There's a new Warrior Girl book review though. It's at the new website Enchanting Reviews. Here's where you can get Warrior Girl (both ebook and print versions)

Here's where you can get Dark Warriors ebook and print versions.

The Frailty of life

2007-03-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

I wrote this 150 word flash fiction based on Alcott, a minor character in Lost In Another Realm.

Harsh lights greeted Pam as she dashed into the emergency room. Alcott lay in a coma. Once a mighty warrior. Now a vegetable. He was a casualty of The Great Battle.

He had warned her that in his profession, their joy would be short-lived.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran her hands over the bronzed, muscled arms that could no longer hold her. “Wake up sweetheart. It's me.”

Their last words, spoken in anger, cut through her heart, tainting sweet memories of their time together.

When he was promoted to join the elite warriors, the authorities forbade their relationship. She was livid.

“Just for now. After the war, we'll be together again.” That was his promise.

She returned his kiss with a slap.

Bitter regrets plagued her heart. “Forgive me.”

Her lips descended onto his. She tasted his sweet lips one last time.

His lashes fluttered. “Pam?”

Alcott is one of the fallen warriors in Lost In Another Realm. The second book by SFX Fantasy.

Running low on calendar magnets

2007-03-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

I'm running low on calendar magnets. I only have a few left of the ones featuring the cover of Lost In Another Realm to give away. If you're looking for free printable calendars, you can print out the page on free calendars and cut them out. That page also lists some of the major online bookstores you can buy the book. Or you can suggest the books to your library and borrow them to read for free once the books arrive.

Here's the info the librarian may need.

Title: Warrior Girl
Author: SFX Fantasy
Published by lulu.com in USA

Where did you find out about the book?

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Girl-SFX-Fantasy/dp/1847286542

that url gives all the information they might need.

Published date October 6, 2006

Title: Lost In Another Realm
Author: SFX Fantasy
Published by lulu.com in USA

Where did you find out about the book?

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Another-Realm-SFX-Fantasy/dp/1847283004

Published Date September 29, 2006

Title: The Dark Warriors
Author: SFX Fantasy
Published by lulu.com in USA

Where did you find out about the book?

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Warriors-SFX-Fantasy/dp/1430309571

Published date October 9, 2006

affiliate marketing

2007-02-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

I wear two hats. One as author of SFXfantasy series. The other as an affiliate marketer.

Affiliate marketing is like a sales job. You earn commissions for the sales you refer. The price to the customer remains the same whether they buy directly from the store (the store did all the sales work) or the affiliate (the affiliate brought the sale.)

If you are interested in getting a commission for selling SFX fantasy books, check this out. I've done an affiliate marketing resource page for Warrior Girl. It has tips on how you as an affiliate can earn commission selling this book. It has links to stores that sell the book and how to join the affiliate programs so you too can sell it.

Review of Warrior Girl at Walkers Online Bookshop

2007-02-19T23:06:00.000-08:00

There's a review of Warrior girl at Walkers Online Bookstore in U.K. 4 out of 5. I'm really pleased with it as the review is an avid reader of fantasy books and knows his stuff. The feedback I received is very useful too. I'll focus on more world building and details in my future books.

Warrior Girl at Target

2007-02-19T05:21:00.000-08:00

I just saw Warrior Girl on sale at Target.

At Target, the retail price for Warrior Girl By SFX Fantasy
is $19.90. It is currently on sale at $13.53

If you want to read the book for free, suggest that book to the librarian at your local library. Give the librarian the following information to make it easier to find the book.

The book is available through the wholesaler Ingram
The book is found at Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Girl-SFX-Fantasy/dp/1847286542
Title: Warrior Girl
Author: SFX Fantasy
Publisher: Lulu.com
Published in USA
Published date: October 6, 2006
ISBN-10: 1847286542
ISBN-13: 978-1847286543

That should be enough info, I think. Then if they get it, you can reserve the book, borrow it and read it without paying for it.

Updated prices for SFX Fantasy books

2007-02-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

The prices of SFX Fantasy books at Amazon and Lulu have been raised.

Now, Warrior Girl is $19.90, on sale now at $13.53 at Amazon - go to Warrior Girl

The Warrior Girl ebook downloadable version is available at Lulu for $6.09

Lost In Another Realm is $19.90, on sale now at $13.53 at Amazon

Lost In Another Realm ebook download version is available at Lulu for $6.35

The final book (for now. It ends the trilogy but the series has only just begun) is The Dark Warriors, retailing at $19.90, now on sale for $13.53
The ebook download version of The Dark Warriors is $6.01 at Lulu.

Well, you can read these books for free. You can get it from your local library. If they don't have the book, you can suggest the book to the librarian there.

They'd need the Title, author, isbn, published date and where to get the books. The books are available also at the U.S. wholesaler Ingram. All the info the librarian might need is on the Amazon page. Take the time to suggest it to your librarian and you'll be able to borrow the book and read it for free.

SFX Fantasy Books price watch

2007-02-11T01:50:00.000-08:00

Looks like the discounts on Warrior Girl at Amazon.com are gone. The price has gone up to $18.35.

At Booksamillion, the price for Warrior Girl at booksamillion is currently $14.41 for everyone, but $12.96 for members.

At Barnes & Noble, Warrior Girl is going for $13.10 for all customers while members get it for $11.79 so if you have yet to get the book, get it quickly from Barnes & Noble before the price goes up.

Lost In Another Realm and The Dark Warriors are still on sale with healthy discounts at Amazon.com

Lost In Another Realm at amazon.com is still discounted at $12.85. Not sure how long they'd keep it at this price. Now's the time to buy it before the prices go up.

Warrior Girl at booksamillion is going for $12.75

At Barnes & Noble, Lost In Another Realm online price is currently $12.88 but Members Pay: $11.59

The Dark Warriors at Amazon.com retails at $19.90, but now has dropped to $12.38 so now's the time to get it. Again, it looks like they might raise the prices any moment. Warrior Girl's price has already gone up. It won't be long before the rest will follow.

At Barnes & Noble, The Dark Warriors is going for the discounted price of
$12.94. Members Pay a further discounted price of $11.64

At Booksamillion, The Dark Warriors is going for $14.23. Those in the Millionaire's Club pay $12.80

Reworking book 4

2007-02-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

After weeks of distractions, I'm back writing the SFX Fantasy series again.

Intially, book 4 was to be Sarah's diary, about her adjustment to her new life. I wrote that draft in first person from Sarah's point of view.

In this new draft for book 4, the new character, Tess, the female version of Doc in Back To The Future takes the limelight instead. She has a pet cactus and is caught in a love triangle when the warriors enter her world. It'll be more of a chick flick rather than a sci fi fantasy, though the warriors, their powers and battles feature significantly in this book. Jake and Sarah play an important role as they represent the world of the warriors. Tess and a bunch of hilarious new characters represent the mortal world. The best scenes from earlier drafts books 4 and 5 would be put into this new version.

I'm excited about this rewrite of book 4.

The Dark Warriors

2007-01-29T23:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the start of the third book, The Dark Warriors.

Who am I... Why am I here?
These thoughts ran through his mind as he roasted the meat of a deer over a fire.

Digging his toes into the powdery sand, he stared at the waves that licked the shore. A large bird swooped and caught a wriggling fish in its beak. Life was peaceful, though lonely. There were no other humans on these shores... not that he knew of anyway.

He closed his eyes and thought of her. That woman who visited him in his dreams. Her golden tendrils caressed her face as she lowered her emerald eyes. She would peek at him through long, fluttery eye lashes and her cheeks would turn red. He could feel her love embrace him as her soft, luscious lips touched his. Then she vanished.

The fragrance of ripe apples wafted towards him, reminding him of her, though he knew not why. Who was she? Was she real in the first place.

Opening his eyes, he looked up in the sky. A flock of seagulls flew over him. Flight. He could almost feel himself in the air... with her.

Peering carefully, he saw a woman flying behind the seagulls, chasing them mischievously.

He blinked and stared again.

She saw him. Her face lit up in a radiant smile. She was even more beautiful than what he remembered from his dream.
“Jake!” she cried as she embraced him.
Startled, he stepped back.
The woman from my dreams... she seems so real.

“Who are you lady?”

Her eyes welled up with tears. “Don't you remember me? I'm your Sarah.”

“I'm sorry lady. I don't remember anything. Not even my name.” Gently, he wiped her tears away.

“Come back with me,” she said as she flew off.

He looked up and pinched himself to see if he was still dreaming.

“What are you waiting for?” she flew in circles above him, presuming he would join her in the sky.

“How do you expect me to follow you? Fly?”

Sarah landed in front of him. She tilted her head as she scrutinized him. That scent. Forest fires mixed with pheromone-laced sweat – Jake with his fire.
If I can just get him to use his power, it might jolt him out of this...

She took his hand and flung it, like a cat might shake a mouse around.

“What are you doing?” His eyes twinkled as he laughed.

“Trying to get you to do this.” In exasperation, she threw a bolt of energy to stun him.

Available at Barnes And Noble

Squidoo lens

2007-01-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

I made lenses for Warrior Girl. Besides basic info on the book, I'll put links to prequels and other tidbits related to it.

Here's the Squidoo Warrior Girl Lens

I gave giant postcards on Warrior Girl to the Barnes and Noble bookstores and Borders book stores in New York New York. Not sure if they'd display the postcards in the stores but they should receive it over the next few weeks. If you pop by any of the bookstores there, you can try asking them for the book, or for the giant postcards that feature the book cover.

Back to work

2007-01-18T00:40:00.000-08:00

I just started work on actually writing the main sfx fantasy series again, specifically book 4 of the series. Initially, it was to be from Sarah's point of view, in a diary format but that proved too restrictive.

It is basically about two friends, their loves, their lives and the perils they face. Tess was supposed to be the main character in book 5, but I realized book 4 is as much about her as it is about Sarah. Perhaps more so.

In this book, the warriors begin their integration with regular folks. Jake and Sarah are among the first in this new project. No glasses to hide their secret id type of thing. They go to a part of the world that does not know them, where they can raise their family as normal people. It is there that Sarah meets Tess.

Tess is a out of luck inventor who meets the warriors through Sarah. I shan't say much more as I don't want to give away the story but things aren't always what they seem.

I'm rewriting this to include another main character. I'll name him Bruce, for now. He'll play an important role in this tale.

I'll probably combine books 4 and 5 into one book as it would make more sense, unless the story gets too long. Currently, book 4 ends on a hopeless note. Kind of like The Empire Strikes Back in the original Star Wars saga, while book 5 ends on a lighter note, though not everything would be resolved. Still, that would be a better ending point for the book.

Nothing's set in stone yet, but that would be the way I'd probably go.

I foresee many many drafts for this one. At least Sarah and Tess are giving plenty of input after the holiday break. Now I have two muses instead of one and boy do they see things differently.

SFX Fantasy at PEARL

2007-01-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

SFX Fantasy is on PEARL's Debut authors for 2006 list.

New Flash Fiction Based On SFX Fantasy characters - Friends Or Lovers

2007-01-14T02:15:00.000-08:00

Bob and Helen tread the fine line between friendship and romance in the sfx fantasty series.

There was a CLit challenge organized by T.E.L.L. over the new year. The challenge was to write flash fiction exactly 150 words long. No more, no less. It must have a beginning, middle and end. A complete story on its own.

I wrote this piece for the challenge. Friends Or Lovers

It is about Bob and Helen -- a pivotal scene in their relationship.

Hope you like it.