RMFW Writer of the Year Nominees!

The nominees for RMFW's 2014 Writer of the Year Award are...

*drum roll please*

Shannon Baker, Christine Jorgensen, and Terry Wright. 

Congratulations!

Shannon Baker, author of the Nora Abbott Mystery series involving murder, environment and Hopi Indians, can often be found backpacking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, or just playing lizard in the desert. From the Colorado Rockies to the Nebraska Sandhills, the peaks of Flagstaff and the deserts of Tucson, landscapes play an important role in her books.  Tainted Mountain, the first in her Nora Abbott Mystery Series, is set in Flagstaff, AZ, where she lived for several years and worked for The Grand Canyon Trust, a hotbed of environmentalists who, usually, don’t resort to murder. She lived twenty years in the Nebraska Sandhills, where cattle outnumber people by more than 50:1. When Shannon moved to Boulder, CO, Nora followed her and Broken Trust is set in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains. Shannon now makes her temporary home in Nebraska and believes her job description is now itinerate writer.

Christine Jorgensen is the author of the mystery series Stella the Stargazer, about an astrologer and lovelorn columnist in Denver, Colorado, and writing as C.T. Jorgensen, the Casey Jansen series, about a police detective in Ridgewood, Colorado.

There’s nothing mundane in the writing world of Terry Wright.  Tension, conflict and suspense propel his readers through the pages as if they were on fire.  Published in science fiction and supernatural, his mastery of the action thriller has won him international acclaim as an accomplished screenplay writer. When he's not writing or judging contests, he's the editor at TWB Press.  He lives in Lakewood, Colorado, with his wife Bobette and their Yorkie, Taz.

Event! Event! 2013 Colorado Gold Contest Workshop!

Are you an unpublished writer of commercial novel-length fiction?  Interested in writing contests?

Join Chris Devlin, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Contest Chair, and Terry Wright, Co-Chair, on March 16, 2013 for a free workshop: Introducing the 2013 Colorado Gold Writing Contest!

Saturday, March 16, 2013
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Arvada Public Library
7252 W. 57th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80002
No RSVP required

Making the finals in RMFW's annual Colorado Gold Writing Contest is a great way to get your work in front of agents and editors. In fact, many past winners and finalists have gone on to have their books published. If you're thinking about entering Colorado Gold this year, then don't miss this opportunity to spend an afternoon with contest chair (and longstanding contest judge) Chris Devlin. Come learn what makes a good entry great, what catches a judge's eye, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Chris Devlin is a writer, blogger, and social media specialist. A long-time RMFW member active in critique groups and as a contest judge, this year she's Contest Chair. Her novel St. Vitus Academy: The Lazarus Rock finaled in the Pikes Peak Writing Contest in YA paranormal. She likes to study storytelling in different mediums to find the commonality among them.

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If you can't make it to this event, keep an eye on RMFW's 2013 Colorado Gold Writing Contest page for this year's deadlines and rules for submission. 

Janet Fogg

Janet is the author of Soliloquy, an award-winning historical romance, and co-author of the military history best seller, Fogg in the Cockpit.

When Do You Write Your Synopsis?

Writers talk a lot about the synopsis and how to write it. Most recently we at Chiseled in Rock published The Dreaded Synopsis by Terry Wright and Synopsis: A Perfect Fit by Janet Lane.

I have written seven novels. One was published only in audio. Two were published in hardcover, mass market paperback, and e-book. One manuscript needs a major rewrite and is probably destined to sit on a shelf forever. The other three are in various stages of writing, submission, and/or revision.

I'm a pantser, a binge writer, and I do not edit or revise as I go. Not necessarily desirable, but I've learned to deal with it. It took awhile, but over the years, I developed a synopsis-writing process that works for me. Here 'tis:

Before I begin the real writing of a novel, I use my basic idea to churn out a narrative outline. It's not a chapter outline or even a chapter-by-chapter plan, but I end up with a vague idea of my story line and characters.

Over the next few days (or in one case, years) I write and write and write until I finally have 65,000 to 70,000 words with somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 words to go.

I stop writing and read through the novel from page one, writing a chapter-by-chapter summary as I go.

At that point, I plan the remaining chapters of my novel and include them in the summary. This is where I also jot down notes regarding needed revisions.

Then I write, write, write until I've finished the first draft of the novel.

When I move into the revision stage, I change the chapter summary as I change the novel.

When I finish the book, I also have a completed long, detailed synopsis. Agents and editors don't have a uniform standard for the synopses they request with queries or initial submissions, so it's wise to go ahead and prepare a couple of shorter versions, including a one-page, single-spaced summary. They typically require a lot of rewriting as I pare the story down to its bare bones. I don't want to be caught churning out a variation at the last minute.

So when do I write my synopsis? I begin when I'm about 80% of the way through my novel's first draft and I continue revising it as I revise the manuscript. The shorter versions are crafted from the completed long synopsis.

Now it's your turn. When do you write your synopsis?

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By Patricia Stoltey, who is currently in the process of creating that first draft synopsis from a first draft manuscript that is about 80% complete.

What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?

Here are a few of the recent and upcoming releases from members of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:

Exile: The First Book of the Seven Eyes
By Betsy Dornbusch
Night Shade Books February 2013
ISBN: 978-1597804523
Hardcover $26.99

“Falsely condemned for the murder of his wife, Draken is banished from his home to Akrasia, a forbidding land on the brink of revolution. Consumed by grief, Draken lives only to avenge his wife’s murder. But the gods have bigger plans for him. His only ally an enigmatic necromancer, Draken is pressed into the service of an embattled queen whose life and land may well depend on the divided loyalties of an exiled warrior.”

Betsy’s website has more information about her novels.  She also hangs out on Facebook and Twitter.


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‘Til the World Ends: Sun Storm
An Anthology by Karen Duvall (Sun Storm), Julie Kagawa, and Ann Aguirre,
Harlequin Luna January 2013
ISBN: 978-0373803491
Paperback $14.95 e-book $8.49

“Sun Storm: Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she’s not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She’ll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.”

You can find out more about Karen’s work at her website and blog.  She is also on Facebook and Twitter.


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Hard Twisted
by C. Joseph Greaves (aka Chuck Greaves)
Bloomsbury November 2012
ISBN: 978-1608198559
Hardcover $25.00 e-book $12.99


"Based on true events, a homeless man and his thirteen-year-old daughter are befriended by a Texas drifter newly released from the federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. The drifter, Clint Palmer, lures father and daughter to Texas where the father, Dillard Garrett, mysteriously disappears, and where his daughter Lucile begins a one-year ordeal in captivity, culminating in four Utah murders and Palmer's notorious Greenville, Texas 'skeleton murder' trial of 1935."

To learn more about Chuck and his novels, please visit his website and blog. He can also be found on Facebook and Goodreads.


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Blood Therapy
By Lynda Hilburn
Silver Oak February 2013
ISBN: 978-1454900368
Paperback $14.95 e-book $7.99


“Dr. Kismet Knight and the dark world of vampires are back in this sexy sequel to the wicked romp The Vampire Shrink. Still reeling from her earlier adventures, the spunky, smart, and tough heroine tries to adjust to her new reality--and new undead clientele. Then she discovers a frightening secret about these powerful immortals that further warps her world. Needing to escape, she flees to New York for the American Psychological Association's conference, where she meets up with hottie FBI Agent Alan Stevens. Unfortunately, he's not the only blast from the past in the Big Apple: so is Lucifer, the demented tormentor who nearly killed her. As the killer closes in, everyone is rounded up for a shocking finale that no one will survive unscathed.”

For more information about Lynda and her novels, visit her website.  She can also be found on Facebook on her author page and the Vampire Shrink page as well as Twitter.


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The Pearl of Death
By Terry Wright
TWB Press January 2013
e-book $2.99 Also available for Kindle and Nook


“The story of the world’s largest pearl is a mix of legend, history, and human tragedy that spans the Pacific from a pre-war paradise in the Philippines, through hell on the Bataan Death March during World War II, to prejudice and betrayal in America. Take the journey with a Filipino soldier, Timoteo Matito, and an American Geologist, Wilbur Cobb, as they battle greedy investors and a curse from ancient China. You’ll discover the dark heart of mankind and witness a brilliant wonder of nature few people have ever seen.”

For more information about Terry, his novels, and TWB Press, visit his website and blogs. TWB Press can also be found on Twitter and Terry is available at Facebook and Twitter. Here's the link to the webpage where you can read an excerpt of The Pearl of Death and watch the video trailer plus news clips about the pearl and see actual pictures of the players in the true story behind the novel.

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Information collected and formatted by Patricia Stoltey.

Author and Editor Terry Wright is Interviewed!

by Janet Fogg

We’ve been asked, so today we’re offering answers to questions such as: Chiseled Staff? Are they really that chiseled? Are they completely off their Rockers? And what do they do behind closed doors?!

Today we’re talking to Terry Wright, and let me assure you, there’s nothing mundane in HIS writing world! Tension, conflict and suspense propel his readers through the pages as if they were on fire. Published in science fiction, supernatural, and horror, his mastery of the action thriller has won him acclaim as an accomplished screenplay writer. A member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers since 1998, he now runs RMFW’s annual Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Terry is also the editor of his own electronic publishing company, TWB Press, specializing in science fiction, supernatural, horror, and thriller genres.

CIR: Welcome Terry! How do you describe yourself (the top three things that come to mind)?

TW: Self-motivated. Entrepreneur. Overachiever. And I exaggerate a lot.

CIR: Please describe the path of your writing career.

TW: Everyone knows what potholes are. My path is strewn with sinkholes.

CIR: What are your current writing goals and challenges? (What are you working on?)

TW: “Black Jack” Book one in a series of Jack Sabre Thrillers. “After the murder of his wife, Denver Detective Jack Sabre crosses the line between justice and revenge. No more Mr. Nice Guy.”

CIR: What are the two toughest things about writing?

TW: Writing and writing.

CIR: Do you prefer igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary?

TW: Metamorphic, of course, something beautiful forged under pressure and heat for a long long time. Igneous is too messy, and sedimentary is downright icky (no offense anyone)

CIR: How has RMFW helped you advance your career?

TW: Let’s put it this way, before RMFW, I was destined to die with a wrench in my hand.

CIR: As we know, RMFW is an all-volunteer organization. Have you or do you volunteer elsewhere in the organization?

TW: Yes. Anyone who answers no to this question should be taken out back and shot at dawn.

CIR: What writers inspire you?

TW: All my mentors are dead – except you, Mario.

CIR: What genres do you read?

TW: Science Fiction (hard – Michael Crichton – Douglas Preston) and Thrillers (legal, political, serial killer, and military). I also love good narrative non-fiction like “Sea Biscuit” and “Flyboys.”

CIR: Do you ever get writer’s rock, er… block? If so how do you break through?

TW: There’s no such thing as writer’s block. The inability to put words on the page is due to a lack of planning.

CIR: What do you feel your stories are born of?

TW: I was a writer in my past life, a caveman who chiseled in rock short stories of hunting deer and stealing the chief’s daughter away at night. It’s hereditary.

CIR: What one piece of advice would you offer to new writers?

TW: Sell shoes. Okay, not really. Be willing to make changes to your work. Writing is in the rewriting.

CIR: What’s your favorite rock and roll song?

TW: I’m a country fan, so give me a good two step like “Tequila Makes her Clothes Fall Off” or a waltz like “Lucile” or how about a cowboy cha-cha like “Neon Moon”... hee hawwww

CIR: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

TW: I’ve always been a writer. It was the Air Force who said I was a mechanic.

CIR: Do you also have a “day” job? Other interests or hobbies?

TW: I retired from my day job two years ago after owning and operating an auto repair shop for thirty six years. I’ll always love flying light aircraft, though I haven’t flown since 1998 (another long story), and my wife, Bobette, and I enjoy outings in our motor home and weekly forays on the dance floors around town. I’ve picked up the guitar again after forty years (no I won’t join your band) and I get a kick out of my Wii games.

CIR: What books have most influenced you?

TW: Here I should say “The Bible” but I’d be exaggerating again. The book that changed my life the most was “Wealth without Risk” by Charles Givens.

CIR: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

TW: I do. My English and Journalism teacher at South High School. Mr. Johnson. Because of him, I was going to be a journalist, well, until Vietnam and my best friend joining the Marines and me joining the Air Force (another long story).

CIR: Do you like rocking chairs?

TW: I’m more of a recliner man, myself.

CIR: If you could time travel, when and where would you go?

TW: OMG... I would love to see the dinosaurs up close. When I was a little kid, I was told that there were dinosaur bones in North America. I was going to go there someday.

CIR: What do you predict for the future of the publishing industry and where you fit into that?

TW: This is a huge topic for me, as most of you know. I’m an electronic publisher, TWB Press, firmly implanted in the future of the publishing industry. Why? Refer to question #1. But don’t worry, print books won’t go away until the last tree is felled, and rest assured, e-books will dominate the marketplace for decades to come.

CIR: And lastly, what did you dream of doing when you were twelve years old?

TW: Driving.

CIR: Thank you for joining us, Terry!

You can learn more about Terry and his writing on his website, at TWB Press, or visit his American Pork blog.

But wait, there’s more!

Terry’s on twitter at: www.twitter.com/terrywright13
and www.twitter.com/twbpress

Facebook at: www.facebook.com/terrywrightbooks
and www.facebook.com/twbpress

and on Youtube at: www.youtube.com/terrywright13.

The 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest!

By Janet Fogg

Oh, so you’re just thinking about entering The Colorado Gold Contest for unpublished writers and want my thoughts? Let me ask you something first, though. It sounds as if you’re trying to find an excuse to avoid entering. Why? What’s the problem?

What?! You’re afraid you won’t win? Well, pull up a chair and let me share a few thoughts about winning. To be honest though, I’m far more anxious to talk about losing.

Yes, I’ve won my share of contests and it’s exciting. First you receive word that you’re one of the finalists in your category. At the big banquet, all spiffed in your fancy pants, your heart pounds when your name is called. You bolt to the podium amidst waves of applause. And then, the moment of truth. Who won? You did? Applause! The editor picked your entry and now she’s shaking your hand!

Shhhh… Here’s what you’ll do later, right? You’ll find her in the bar or hospitality suite and thank her for selecting your manuscript. Then, at the perfect moment, she’ll undoubtedly lean close and slip you a three-book contract.

Ahem. You really do write fiction, don’t you?

What will really happen is that you'll have an edge, and the final judge in your category might just request a full. Regardless, you’ll have increased confidence as well as additional credentials to boost your resume, which is very helpful in this profession of ours. But wait, there's more.

Cut to scene at pitch meeting: ME, many years ago: “Hi, Big $$ Agent! I’ve had several articles published as well as one short story, and I just won first place in the Colorado Gold Contest for my time-travel, Soliloquy... Yes, it’s complete, about 80,000 words. Sure, I have a few pages with me. Here.”

BIG $$ AGENT (flipping through the first three pages): “Well, at least you can write. Here’s my card, send me the manuscript next week. I'll take a look.”

Happy dance! Was it because I’d polished and honed and studied and fussed and fumed and listened to my friends in critique regarding those first 20 pages, which helped me win the contest? Most likely. But I didn't win first place the first time I entered.

Speaking of not winning, I want to talk about losing a writing contest and why that’s not a bad thing. Yes, I know it’s not politically correct to say “you lost,” but if you didn’t win that means you lost. Or does it?

Alone, in the dark (and sometimes stormy) night, I’d written my first book. Then I attended a class on How to Get Published. At the class I joined fellow attendees to form a critique group (Uff Da!). During that class I also learned about writing organizations, conferences, and contests. I learned about RMFW. I wasn’t alone anymore.

Entering my first Colorado Gold contest was scary-fun. I remember being chew-on-your-elbows nervous when preparing my entry, to the point that I probably had the rules memorized from double-checking them. I already mentioned I didn't win first place in that first contest I entered. But in retrospect I did win, BIG time.

The RMFW conference and contest were my first real foray into the big, bad world of publishing. When I didn’t win first place I was flattened. Think fresh asphalt on a hot day. I was so certain that I would be the next Zenna Henderson or Julian May. The world of fantasy would be mine for the taking… and it wasn’t. But the writers and editors and agents at the conference welcomed me to their panels and luncheons and dinners, and we talked, talked, talked about writing and publication. I doubt that I’ve ever learned so much in so few days. But I was still sad about not winning first place.

At some point I hitched up my britches, grabbed a cup of tea, and carefully arranged my score sheets on the dining room table so I could study them on a warm, optimistic morning. Oh no, look at this, where I keep shifting POV! Oh no, look at that passive text! Deep breath. Oh wait, here’s a nice comment. This judge liked my synopsis, said the overall story holds together. And this judge said my voice is INCREDIBLE. All in caps! Wow! Then she said if I’d tighten my pacing, address a few mechanical issues such as POV and passive text, that she would have purchased my book if flipping through it at a bookstore!

I’d already sent out at least a half-dozen queries before entering that contest. I should dig them out and send apologies to each of those editors. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of my first manuscript, my very first try at novel-length fiction, but I now recognize how poorly it’s crafted, that it lacks pacing, subplots, and world-building. The comments from the contest helped me recognize what I needed to study to improve my next effort. And manuscript number two was better. I kept entering contests, reading, attending critique, learning, and most importantly, writing new words. Then, with manuscript number three I finally landed my first publication contract.

But let’s talk rejection for a moment. There could be an analogy made between losing a contest and that loss preparing you for a glimpse of the future, when query after query might trigger rejection after rejection. In other words, the contest is kind of an apprenticeship for the world of publishing. You want to win the contest and you want to win a publication contract. To win either there are lessons to be learned, words to write, worlds to conquer.

When an agent sends comments with a rejection this is a compliment, even though they're attached to a rejection. Just like in the contest, there are lessons to be learned from those comments. Yes, you do have to filter all comments, decide if you agree or disagree. But your writing will improve and someday you will win! First you’ll land an agent or you’ll meet an editor and pitch to them. They’ll love your story idea and request a partial, then a full. You’ll receive an offer and then… a contract!

So when it comes to writing contests, it seems as if losing might just be winning. Of course winning is winning as well. Guess that means you can’t lose, doesn’t it?

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Workshop alert!

Colorado Gold Writing Contest Workshop
March 24, 2012, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Lakewood Library
10200 W. 20th Ave. (West of Kipling at Miller St.)
Lakewood, Colorado

Here's your opportunity to get a heads up on the 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Join Terry Wright for this pre-contest workshop and learn how you can increase your chances of making the finals. That's what it takes to get your work in the hands of an agent or editor attending the Colorado Gold Writers Conference in September. It just might turn out to be the big break you've been working for. Publication. However, if your verbs are passive, your scenes are vague, or your characters are flat, and/or your synopsis is more plot than character, you might miss the final round. So take the time to benefit from Terry's 12 years of experience as a contest judge and coordinator.

For additional information on the contest, visit RMFW’s contest page.

What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers rocks, and so do its members! Here are a few recent and upcoming releases in no particular order:


Today is the official release date for C. M. Wendelboe's Death Along the Spirit Road from Berkley Trade.

"Eighteen years ago, FBI agent Manny Tanno thought he was leaving the impoverished Pine Ridge Reservation for good. Now a case forces him to return, digging up memories of his proud Sioux ancestry—and some family he'd rather forget.

The body of local Native land developer Jason Red Cloud is found on the site for his new resort near Pine Ridge Village. A war club is lodged in his skull, and there are clues to suggest a ritual may have been performed at the crime scene. Agent Tanno's boss orders him to return to the reservation, his former home, and solve the murder in two weeks—or he can kiss his job good-bye.

Manny arrives in Pine Ridge to find that some things haven't changed since he left. His former rival, now in charge of the tribal police, is just as bitter as ever, and he has no intention of making Manny’s life easy. And the spirit of Red Cloud haunting Manny’s dreams is not much help either. Now Manny is on his own in hunting down a cold-blooded killer—and one misstep could send him down the spirit road as well. . . "

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Beth Groundwater's new Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures mystery series published by Midnight Ink officially debuts March 8th with Deadly Currents.

"The Arkansas River, heart and soul of Salida, Colorado, fuels the small town’s economy and thrums in the blood of river ranger Mandy Tanner.

When a whitewater rafting accident occurs, she deftly executes a rescue, but a man dies anyway. Turns out, it wasn’t the rapids that killed him—he was murdered. Tom King was a rich land developer with bitter business rivals, who cheated on his wife, refused to support his kayak-obsessed son, and infuriated environmentalists.

Mandy’s world is upended again when tragedy strikes closer to home. Suspicious that the most recent death is connected to Tom King’s murder, Mandy goes on an emotionally turbulent quest for the truth—and ends up in dangerous waters."

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Missing in Action: A Family Saga by Kevin Diviness is a January release available in paperback and ebook editions. You can learn more about Kevin on Facebook.

Mike Saunders was only four when his father's B-52 crew crashed into a mountain in North Vietnam. He vowed that he would one day find his father. Years later, Mike is assigned as military liaison to a team that will search the crash site.

Artifacts abound, but where are the remains? Do the local villagers know more than they are revealing? And what about the beautiful, but mysterious young woman whom Mike finds so enchanting?

Mike is determined to locate the missing crew, but will he succeed before the approaching monsoons put a halt to the search?

Missing in Action: A Family Saga is the story of one's man's quest to restore honor to those whom America has forgotten.

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J. A. Kazimer's urban fantasy novel, The Body Dwellers, was released in ebook in February from Solstice Publishing.

"In a world divided by genetics and a concrete wall, Indeara Adair, a mutant enforcer, survives by kicking the occasional gnome ass. A job her half-human, half-mutant cells make her terrifyingly skilled at.

Life is good with a few exceptions, namely, an elite force of cops who have Indeara in their sights, not to mention the reappearance of Quinn Daniels, a man who betrayed her three years ago to dwell among the human race. A man she must now protect in order to save the mutant population. Yet these are the least of Indeara’s concerns, for somewhere, a plague destined to destroy the mutants is scheduled for release. A plague developed by Indeara’s own grandfather.

With the help of a ragtag group of mutants led by the mysterious head of the rebel cause, Jake McClain, Indeara slips beyond the wall and into the human world to aid those she loves, and to learn the truth behind her own genetic code."

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The official release date for Tomorrow's Garden, a historical Christian romance by Amanda Cabot, is April 1st, but my experience with online booksellers tells me you'll receive the book sooner than that if you go ahead and pre-order.

"Harriet Kirk is certain that becoming the new schoolteacher in Ladreville, Texas is just what she needs—a chance to put the past behind her and give her younger siblings a brighter tomorrow.

What she didn’t count on was the presence of handsome former Texas Ranger Lawrence Wood—or the way he affects her fragile heart. But can Harriet and Lawrence ever truly conquer the past in order to find happiness?

Book 3 in the Texas Dreams series, Tomorrow’s Garden is a powerful story of overcoming the odds and grabbing hold of happiness."

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If you like zombie stuff with yuck and gore (and doesn't everyone?), check out Z-motors by Terry Wright, now available for ebook or in PDF.

The owner of Z-motors has a problem with his employees. They are brainless zombies who eat their customers. He needs a mechanic with a brain, so he places a Help Wanted ad in a Denver newspaper.

Unemployed Jim Lowry is looking for a job as a Master Mechanic. The perfect position opens up in a small-town auto repair shop on the Colorado plains. He loads his family into their SUV and sets out for Z-motors. He’s about to apply for the job from hell.


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By the way, did anyone notice the first two book listed have protagonists named Manny Tanno and Mandy Tanner? Great minds think alike, right?

Information compiled by Pat Stoltey in the Pat Cave.

What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?

I know, I said I was going to do this the third Tuesday of the month. But then I started booking RMFW writers to guest post or be interviewed, and the third Tuesday was on the authors' virtual tour schedule, so there you have it. My "What's New?" feature will float, and I'll go with whatever news I have at the time.

Before I begin, let me remind you of the Contest! Contest! Where Do You Get Your Leeches? post from yesterday. Post your comments by January 8th to be eligible for the cool prize.

And now for the news in random order:

"What could possibly go wrong on a date with a vampire?" Betsy Dornbusch announces that Quencher by E. Cameron Stacy and Ainsley is now available in a Kindle edition, as well as the ebooks from Whiskey Creek Press. Fallen Angel Reviews has posted an interview with Betsy.

The third book in the trilogy, Quenched, is now available as an ebook from Whiskey Creek Press.

Betsy also has two new short stories, one in Big Pulp and the other in Short-Short.me! For more information and the story links, visit Betsy's blog post, business first, at Sex Scenes at Starbucks.

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N. R. Williams announces the release of the Kindle edition of her high fantasy novel, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

"Missie is a gifted flutist in her final year at the University of Colorado. Despite her talent, she questions her abilities, instinctively knowing that something is missing. An unexpected spring blizzard blurs her vision as she is driving home for spring break. When a cloaked man appears in the middle of the road, she nearly collides into him. He points a staff at her and she is propelled through a portal into a medieval world."

Nancy will be a guest at Chiseled in Rock on January 18th as she makes the rounds on her vitual book tour. Here's the link to the complete tour schedule.

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Janet and Richard Fogg announce their book, Fogg in the Cockpit, is now available for pre-order from online booksellers and Casemate Publishers. For more information, visit their blog, Fogg in the Cockpit.

"Fogg In The Cockpit began, and ended, as a labor of love, but the focus of that love changed as the work unfolded. Howard Fogg's legacy was already firmly established thanks to his success as a railroad artist, but what son or daughter-in-law could resist the opportunity to build on that legacy when presented with a document as fascinating as a wartime diary?"

Learn more about Janet at her website.

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Today is the official release date for Carol Berg's The Soul Mirror: A Novel of the Collegia Magica. The opening chapter is posted at Carol's website.

Carol's upcoming appearances:

Tuesday, January 18, 5:30pm at Reader's Cove, Fort Collins
Wednesday, January 19, 7:30pm at Tattered Cover (Colfax), Denver

Carol blogs at Text Crumbs. For more information about Carol and her books, visit her website.

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Terry Wright announces The Beauty Queen, Justin Graves Series Book 5, is now available in Kindle and Nook editions, and from TWB Press.

"Struggling to get on with her life after the murder of her daughter, Sandy Brandish returns to the glitz and glamour of child beauty queen competition. There she meets an orphaned girl. Adopting her will catapult them to the top of Deckers' local pageant registry and spur a repeat performance of the night her daughter died, revealing the murderer and a dark secret in the Brandish mansion."

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Terry and were afraid to ask at his website. He also has a blog about zombies and other dead things, if you're so inclined.

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"What if...a colony on Mars inadvertantly contaminates an ecologically devastated Earth?" Find out in Crawlers, a novella by Rebecca Bates published in the anthology Infradead.

The anthology can also be ordered through High Crimes Mystery Bookshop.


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Coming Soon:

Suzanne Young's new mystery, Murder by Proxy, is scheduled for publication in February.

Death Along the Spirit Road by C. M. Wendleboe, now available for pre-order, is scheduled for a March 1 release.

Deadly Currents, first book in Beth Groundwater's new Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures mystery series is available for pre-order. The scheduled release date is March 1st.

Amanda Cabot announces the April 1st (no fooling) release of Tomorrow's Garden. It is also available for pre-order.

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Stay tuned for more new release announcments from the excellent authors of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

Compiled by Pat Stoltey

What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?

By gathering bits and pieces of publishing news here and there, I've come up with this first list of recently- or about-to-be released books and e-books from the authors of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. If you're looking for a good read, or a last minute Christmas gift, you might find what you need right here.

Check back each month for more authors and titles available from this great group of writers.

AVAILABLE NOW

Book 5 of Mario Acevedo's Felix Gomez mystery series, Werewolf Smackdown, is available at online booksellers and many bookstores.

"WEREWOLF SMACKDOWN puts undead PI Felix Gomez right in the middle of a supernatural battle for power, one that will wake the ghosts of Charleston and could destroy both human and undead if he’s not careful. A civil war is brewing between rival werewolf factions and Gomez will do anything he can to ensure this conflict doesn’t turn into an all out battle that will make the supernatural underworld explode."

The Father's Child by Mark Adair is available in a Kindle edition.

"John Truman, a bright, introverted, college student belongs to the New Dawn...he just doesn't know it yet. The 300-year-old, Oxford-based, secret society designed him, created him, and built their organization to interface with him. They cannot survive without him; he cannot survive without them. All he wants is to survive today; all they want...is to rule the world."


Teresa Funke's well-known collection of stories about the women of World War II, Dancing in Combat Boots, is now available for the Kindle.

"2007 Colorado Book Award Finalist. 2007 EVVY Award winner for fiction -- Based on true stories… When the going got tough during World War II, America's women got going. By the millions, they stepped into factories, offices, hospitals—anywhere capable hands were needed. The eleven fictional stories in this remarkable collection are based on real women whose experiences were at once typical and extraordinary."

Jennifer Morey is the author of The Librarian's Secret Scandal, now available from Silhouette Romantic Suspense in mass market paperback and a Kindle edition.

"Fifteen years ago Lily Masterson was Honey Creek's bad girl—until she fled with a terrible secret. She's now a responsible librarian, but no one believes she's changed—except handsome sheriff Wes Colton. And though she's determined to keep her secret, she and the sheriff certainly give 'em all something to talk about…."

I won't even try to list all of the stories Terry Wright has published in Kindle editions, but the most recent is Riches to Rags, from the Justin Graves horror series.

"Justin Graves travels to the Caribbean to roundup a gang of lawyers and accountants who’d killed an old lady for her estate money, a multi-million dollar fortune she’d bequeathed to a cat rescue organization."




COMING SOON

Carol Berg's new release, The Soul Mirror: A Novel of the Collegia Magica, is scheduled for January 4, 2011.

N. R. Williams has announced that The Treasures of Carmelidrium will soon be available at the Kindle Store.

Authors Blog and Bloggers Write

You'll find regular articles at this site from our contributors about the pros and cons of blogging, when a writer should start her blog, and how to build a following. But what do writers blog about? How to write? How to query agents? Living with vampires? Living with elders? You'll find a wide range of topics if you check out the blogs I've listed below.

I'm gathering information to create an RMFW blogroll for Chiseled in Rock. Here are just a few authors/bloggers I've discovered so far who belong to Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

Vampire experts Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein at The Biting Edge
December 12th post She's Talking About If Walls Could Talk

Kenn Amdahl at The Wordguise Alembic
December 12th post A Review of Jumper and the Bones

Author Mike Befeler (geezer mysteries)
December 12th post on Volunteering and Anti-oxidants

Peg Brantley at Suspense Novelist
December 11th post on Criminal Profiling

Beth Groundwater (mysteries)
December 9th post on Writing "How-To Books" (a golden oldie)

Lynda Hilburn at Paranormality (vampires)
December 13th post New Year's Giveaway

N. R. Williams, Fantasy Author
December 13th post The Crazy Holiday Blogfest etc.

Terry Wright's Blog (Zombies and Other Dead Things)
December 7th post Ginger

I hope you'll check out these fine blogs and visit them often. We'll be adding more RMFW bloggers as time goes on.

Pat Stoltey