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Marian Allen

Marian Allen's Blog (7)

Finishing the Story

I just finished a science fiction story for the Southern Indiana Writers upcoming anthology, FUTURE PERFECT: TENSE IN SPACE. It was difficult to get started. I haven't written anything remotely resembling sf in years, and all my ideas kept coming out fantasy or comedy, and I already have one comedy in submission to the antho. I wanted one that, although it would have humor in it, addressed something a little more than how to poke a la… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on June 22, 2009 at 7:42am — No Comments

Interview with Sunny Frazier

I just interviewed fellow BookPlacian Sunny Frazier on the group blog http://Fatalfoodies.blogspot.com. She has a new book in the works, a juvenile about pirates and the spice trade. Come see what she has to say about it. MA Continue

Added by Marian Allen on January 13, 2009 at 7:47am — No Comments

Hooray for me!

I just received notice that I sold a story to this year's Marion Zimmer Bradley SWORD AND SORCERESS anthology! I sold one last year, to S&S22 and now I'll be in S&S23, as well. Happy, happy! This year's story is called "Undivided". It's about an itinerant Warrior who fights with...well...swords and sorcery, duh, but who has been warehoused by the country's leader as a reward for saving his life. Now she finds herself and her young servants being manipulated and used. She has to find out… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on May 22, 2008 at 12:41pm — No Comments

Working Vacation

I don't "go to business", as a New York boss I used to have would say. Since Charlie and I married, I stayed home and took care of the house and kids. That's the way I like it. I'm a putterer. While he was at work and the kids were in school, I could write and write and write. Then he retired and the kids went to college or off into the wide world, and I had less time--and less and less. My precious late mother-in-law used to say, "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems." MAN, was… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on May 1, 2008 at 9:11am — No Comments

An Unexpected Opportunity--Preach It, Sister!

Our preacher left for another church, and members of the congregation have been preaching while we look for an interim minister. This was my sermon, delivered April 6, 2008:
No Outside
I'm going to be making some "we" statements today that aren't too flattering, so feel free to exclude yourselves if the statements don't apply to you. I may end up standing up here talking purely about myself, and you may hear more than you want to know. Today, I'm going to talk about liv… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on April 12, 2008 at 12:55pm — No Comments

In Fond Memory of The Man of Many Names

Bob Iles--author Robert L. Iles--and I have been on-line friends for years--since before he had his first book published. Because he was selling short stories hand over fist when we started corresponding, I addressed him as The Exalted One, and he became The Great E.O. We would fall out of contact for months at a time, busy with writing, family obligations or other forms of Real Life. After a while, though, one or the other would check in and there would ensue a flurry of semi-coherent emails mi… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on March 25, 2008 at 8:30pm — No Comments

Writing by Any Other Name

What do I have to work on? I'm writing the first book in a series of humorous (I hope) mysteries. I'm getting a couple of short stories ready for submission and searching for markets for five novels, three of which were previously published electronically. I would LIKE to find a place that would publish the electronically and on paper. I like digital publishing, but I'm tired of my friends and family asking me when I'm going to be REALLY published. It's hard to do signings for electronic books,… Continue

Added by Marian Allen on March 12, 2008 at 3:04pm — No Comments

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MORGAN'S OWN BLOGSPOT

Are you ready?


I am so not ready for Christmas. I just realized I don't have much time either. One good thing is the DH is off Friday and possibly all next week, so I can give him a few chores to do, which may help some. I'm counting on him to put stamps and labels on the Christmas cards, and do a few things around the house to straighten it out some. Unfortunately, I'm the organizer in the family, so I can't expect too much on the getting-the- house ready front. That's pathetic, since I'm not very organized. (g)

Anyway, I hope to get the house into decent shape before Christmas, when I do my annual meal for the family. There's also that Christmas list to get together. Time is ticking away.

What about you? Are you ready for Christmas? Or do you celebrate another Holiday? If so, are you ready?

Please Welcome Mary Cunningham, Cynthia's Attic Author


Discovering Family in Cynthia's Attic


One of the main reasons for writing "Cynthia's Attic" came from my failure - failure to appreciate my ancestors. Our family stories are probably no more or less interesting than most, and I went out of my way to avoid remembering most of them or asking questions about my grandparents lives.

For instance. Did I bother to ask my grandfather what it was like playing in the first night football game in America?

Or did I try to find out just which relative "supposedly" sold a city block on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles for $20,000? Guaranteed, I would not be sitting here writing a blog had that particular relative held on to the property.

Then there's the story, "Cynthia's Attic: Curse of the Bayou," of my great-great grandfather, Augustus Boilliat who disappeared in 1860 while taking a load of produce down the Mississippi River to New Orleans? Oh, sure I've read different accounts about what happened to him, but lost forever are the stories his grandson (my grandfather) could've told me about facts he'd heard from my great-great grandmother, Marie Julia, about her husband's disappearance.

I remember a few accounts told by my dad about his adventures as a teenage cave guide at one of the largest caves in the Southern Indiana area, Wyandotte, but I only have to guess at some of the adventures he must've had.

That's why I'm writing adventures I wanted my ancestors to have; adventures I can enjoy with them through the eyes and voice of my character, Gus.

The idea for Cynthia's Attic: The Magician's Castle came from detailed genealogy research done by my cousin, Betty. Long before the Internet, she traveled to Switzerland to search for documents that would tie our great-grandmother, Harriet Kistler, to Peter Kistler the First, President of the Republic of Bern, 1470-1480. I've tried to honor the Kistler family in the fourth adventure in Cynthia's Attic.

Thanks, Morgan, for having me as a guest!

          Mary Cunningham

Mary Cunningham is the author of the award-winning 'Tween fantasy/mystery series, Cynthia’s Attic. She is proud to announce the release of book four, "The Magician's Castle," Dec 1, 2009. Her children's mystery series was inspired by a recurring dream about a mysterious attic. After realizing that the dream took place in the home of her childhood friend, Cynthia, the dreams stopped and the writing began.

She is also co-writer of the humor-filled, women's lifestyle book, "Women Only Over Fifty (WOOF)," along with published stories, "Ghost Light" and "Christmas Daisy," A Cynthia's Attic short story.

To celebrate the release of "The Magician's Castle," (Quake/Echelon Press, DEC 1, 2009), a winner will be chosen on each blog stop to receive a copy of the "Cynthia's Attic" short story, "Christmas With Daisy!" So, be sure to make a comment!


Mary Cunningham Books
http://www.marycunninghambooks.com/

Cynthia's Attic Blog
http://www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com/

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Cunningham/e/B002BLNEK4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=digital-text&field-author=Mary%20Cunningham

Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/a20811/Mary-Cunningham/?

Quake/Echelon Press
http://www.echelonpress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=23&zenid=4ac57b7ae19fa071cab3b4295df7baf3



Please leave a comment to welcome Mary.

Check out the Mystery of the Missing Checks

Monday, I'm over at my group blog, http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/, where I'm blogging about the mystery of the missing checks. Come on over and find out what it's all about.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel

Can We Talk?

I'm firming up some dates for speaking engagements in 2010. One's tentatively set for March 28, at 1:30 at the Niles Public Library, another probably in mid May at the Schaumburg Township District Library.

Also, coming up is a radio interview at WJJQ again on May 7, at 9:35 a.m. before my booksigning May 8 at Cover to Cover Books in Tomahawk, WI.

I've heard that some people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying. Surprisingly, I find it easier each time I do it. As long as I have my cheat sheet with me to glance down at once in a while for security and I like what I'm talking about, I'm okay.

What about you? Do you like to talk or would you rather not?

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Rascal is sleeping right now. When she gets up, you'll know about it.

When RASCAL wakes up, you'll hear from her and/or her Mom - that would be me, Morgan Mandel.

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Christmas Bash at whisperyourfantasies@yahoogroups.com
December 12, 2009 at 6pm to December 23, 2009 at 7pm
Christmas Celebration at Whispers Publishing's reader's loop. Come meet authors, participate in chats, contests, read steaming hot excerpts, win books! Our grand prize this year is a basket filled with Godiva's Cocolates. Come join the fun
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Patricia Snodgrass Lifeline is our latest release! Come get a copy!
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