Valley and Ridge Sunset - photo by Nancy Brauer

Huckleberry Trail Geology Walk

Stroll two miles of the Huckleberry Trail from the New River Valley Mall through the Coal Miners Heritage Park and learn about the geology under your feet! We’ll cross three faults and outcrops with rocks from 500 million-year-old shales through 300 million-year-old coal beds. Barring torrential downpours or snow, the walk will be rain or shine. Wear comfortable shoes and, if you wish, bring your camera, a sturdy bag for rock samples, and your curiosity. Nancy Brauer is a Jill of all trades with a Master’s degree in geology from Virginia Tech. FREE

Sunday, October 28, 1-3pm

Start at trailhead at NRV Mall parking lot, ends at the Coal Mining Heritage Park parking lot in Merrimac

If you’d like to get a crash course in the geology of the New River Valley, consider signing up for the Backyard Geology class I’m teaching earlier in October. It was really well received when I taught it in the spring.

Backyard Geology

Thanks to the Pulaski and Salem Faults crisscrossing the New River Valley, there’s a wealth of geology in our backyards. After a brief overview of the kinds of rocks in our area, we’ll talk about how they got here and how they affect where we live, work, and play. Nancy Brauer is a Jill of all trades with a Master’s degree in geology from Virginia Tech. She’s a freelance programmer, graphic designer, and writer who flexes her geology muscles when hiking. $30

Date/Day/Time/Location: Wednesdays, 10/10-10/24, 6:30-8pm, Y Center Conference Room (1000 N. Main Blacksburg)

See the VT YMCA’s Open University page for online registration and the link to the fall course catalog.

When in doubt, use a picture of a dog in a football uniform fumbling a football.

It’s hard to believe that there’s a kerfuffle over the fate of Virginia Tech’s Stadium Woods. For those of you thinking “Stadium what?”, Stadium Woods is an 11-acre old-growth forest remnant in the middle of Blacksburg that miraculously has been left alone over the years. The VT Athletics Department plans to build an indoor football practice facility there.

According to the university’s 2006-2016 Master Plan Update (33 MB PDF) and the 2009 Master Plan Land Use Update (15 MB PDF), Stadium Woods is an environmental greenway. It’s cited multiple times for its importance for stormwater management. The master plan documents show the proposed practice facility where the tennis courts currently are on the south side of Washington Street. So why on earth is the building suddenly slated for the north part of Stadium Woods?

Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer wants it there.

This information comes from a report written by VT Forestry professor Dr. John Seiler. In the third section of the document Seiler writes:

At a January 20, 2011, Virginia Tech Arboretum Committee meeting, the members were informed by Matt Gart, University Landscape Architect, of the plans for a new indoor athletics practice facility. Mr. Gart informed the group that there were “alternative sites” but that “Beamer wanted it here” (“here” being the north end of Stadium Woods, Figure 6).

I was stunned when I first read this in February. Stunned and outraged, so much so that I got in touch with the founding Friends of Stadium Woods members and offered my help with web design and graphics. (I created and maintain the Save Stadium Woods site.) Beamer is a minor deity in these parts, but can he really point at a patch of land and say “Drop a building there”?

Nah. But the Hokie football money-making machine might be able to.

Recently I’ve learned more about the proposed indoor practice facility, including why “part of the project will involve removing 30 feet of elevation and moving approximately 80,000 cubic yards of dirt from the woods” (source).

Indoor football practice facilities are the latest weapon in the college football recruitment arms race.

In order to stay competitive when trying to woo high school football players and their parents, one must have a state-of-the-art indoor facility adjacent to the stadium and/or outdoor practice field. All of the cool kids are doing it!

1. Clemson, according to a March 30, 2012 story on orangeandwhite.com:

   “We’re trying to build a nationally-competitive program, and that’s something we haven’t had in a very long time,” [Coach Dabo] Swinney said. “We’ve accomplished a great deal in three years, and there’s a lot more work to do. But this facility is another step. … We’re going to be recruiting-ready all the time,” Swinney said. “When they drive up, they’re going to see extreme commitment. All the elements are in place.”

   Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips noted that “every school we play is very heavily invested in facilities” and called Clemson’s new building “another step in the direction” of making the school’s athletic facilities second to none.

2. University of Virginia, according to an August 2011 Daily Press story:
   

   Less than four weeks after Virginia Tech formally announced its intentions to begin building an indoor practice facility specifically geared toward its football program, Virginia is getting into the act with its own indoor facility plans.
   …
   U.Va. football coach Mike London confirmed plans for the facility are in the works. During his time as a U.Va. assistant coach from 2001-04 and ’06 and ’07, plus his current two-year tenure as the Cavaliers’ coach, he has seen firsthand what an indoor facility could bring to his program: practice time uniterrupted [sic] by poor weather, and a key recruiting tool.

   “The obvious benefit is the opportunity to continue to practice in the case of inclement weather, and to continue to train and develop the players in season and out of season,” London said. “The auxiliary reason would be for the recruiting standpoint, to be able show that we’re committed to provide the best facilities available and possible.
   …
   “Let’s face it, in today’s culture and today’s society, young men are coming out there looking to see the benefits that can be provided to them. You want to be able to provide opportunities from an academic standpoint. I think it covers all bases, without a doubt, but at the same time if you’re going to compete and say you want to compete for championships and try to attract the top level student-athletes that are out there, then some of the things they look at and use in their decision about where they’re going is where do you train, how do you train, in the even inclement weather occurs where to you go, what’s your weight room look like?”

   Similar remarks in appear in an August 2011 Daily Progress story.

   “Those boys down the road [referring to Virgnia Tech] are building one and we need to build one,” said an interested UVa party. “Because if we don’t respond, we’ll definitely be second fiddle.”

   Building a new facility, probably where Onesty Hall now sits, would show how serious a commitment Virginia is making to restoring its football glory. Recruits notice. Recruits ask.

If my hypothesis is correct, a key reason why VT Athletics wants their new practice facility where about half of Stadium Woods now stands is recruitment. To compete with other football programs, an indoor practice facility must be similar to existing ones, which means adjacent to an outdoor field and at the same elevation. In theory that makes it easier to recruit better football players, which means better Hokie football, which equates to millions of dollars of funding to Tech in various forms, not to mention all of the business deals that hinge on Hokie entertainment.

I understand that football is an important part of the Blacksburg economy, but for cryin’ out loud, could we build the new facility on the original site and spare the over 250-year-old trees? You know, like it’s been planned since at least 2006? Pretty please?

John Lennon Memorial, Central Park, New York City; photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heardsy/2006642839/

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
— John Lennon, “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”

About a year ago life happened to me in a big way. That’s why this site has been all but dead for so long. Suffice to say that I hung in there and powered through with the help of some wonderful friends. So even though I’ve been babbling away and being silly on Facebook, it’s time to get back on the blogging horse.

I’ve chosen to ignore the typical blogging advice about focusing on one or two topics. My interests are all over the map: DIYing, writing, animal welfare, and geology to name a few. Why should my site be anything less? So pull up a chair and prepare to be entertained, or maybe perplexed. You decide.

This Saturday through Monday I’ll be in august company at Balticon 45, a long-running sci-fi/fantasy convention held in Baltimore, Maryland. (The con begins on Friday 5/27/11, but I won’t be there until Saturday.) If you’re within driving distance, please stop by and say hello! Balticon is a big event with lots of artists, entertainers, games, vendors, and cosplayers. Something for everyone, indeed.

I’m especially looking forward to reconnecting with three fantastic writers I met at SheVAcon in March: Elaine Corvidae, David Forbes, and Leona Wisoker. Bring on the con parties! I think the Science Fiction Title Chain game will be a blast, too.

Here’s my schedule, should you want to catch up with me.

Saturday 5/28/11

5:00 PM — Small Press Publishing Round Table
Back by popular demand. Small press publishers discuss how they work with artists and artists discuss how their experiences working with small press publishers have been awesome or could be improved.

6:00 PM — Grand Openings (round table discussion)
Once upon a time (in a galaxy far far away)… So, how important is a good opening? What does it need to pull the reader into the story? How can it cast light upon mood, setting, character, tone, and still work as a hook for the reader? Discuss favorite openings, and tell why they work so well. What actually is the “right” beginning for the story? How does a writer figure out if the story on paper’s starting too early, too late, or at the right time?

Sunday 5/29/11

10:00 AM — Nancy Brauer, Michelle D. Sonnier and Patrick Thomas Autographing

12:00 PM — My Favorite Planet
What fictional (or non-fictional) world would you most like to visit or inhabit? Why? Describe it. Past, future, or alternative Earths are also gratefully appreciated.

4:00 PM — Motivation — Why Ask Why?
Does it matter why characters act the way they do? How to explain them to your readers.

5:00 PM — Science Fiction Title Chain
It’s a game! The audience provides the words for a science fiction story or novel’s title, the panelists arrange them in a more or less coherent order and each panelist comes up with a descriptive synopsis. The audience votes on the synopsis they like best!

8:30 PM — Nancy Brauer — Reading
I’ll read from Strange Little Band, Strandline, and/or short stories. Audience’s choice.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43602175@N06/4070018782/

I was having trouble coming up with a catchy title for this post, so I decided to be cryptic. RaEW stands for “Read an Ebook Week”. Seeing how Smashwords crashed this morning from a deluge of hits, I’d say it’s off to an enthusiastic start!

In honor of “Read an Ebook Week”, I’ve made my dark paranormal romance Strange Little Band half off on Smashwords this week. Use coupon code CT43G to download SLB for a mere $1.50!

Here’s how the designs came out. Click the images below to see a larger version.

From Thursday March 3 through Sunday March 6 I’ll be a guest at SheVaCon 19 in the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel and Conference Center in Roanoke, VA. The guests of honor are Virginia Hey, Peter Beagle, Matt Busch, and Spat Oktan. If you’re within driving distance, please drop by and say hello!

The con starts on Thursday evening with the premier party. My S.O. and I will attend in costume. He’ll be the fearsome Dr. Horrible, armed with his freeze ray (Tell your friends!). I’ll be Penny—possibly the Penny from the third act if I have time for appropriate makeup. I’m looking forward to meeting fellow writer Elaine Corvidae, who will also be in costume. Who says we have to wait for Halloween?

Here’s my schedule of panels and readings for those interested. I’ll have copies of Strange Little Band and Other Sides with me, as well as some freebies. You can download PDFs of the SheVaCon schedule and program book.

I hope to see you at the con!

Paige, me, Kim and two copies of Strange Little Band at my first book signing at Annie Kay's in Blacksburg, VA, December 2010

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubygirlcreations/5368958106/

If you’re weary of lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day mushiness, you may want to give Addison’s and Shane’s lusty, love/hate relationship in Strange Little Band a try. Here’s a taste.

Shane stared idly at the few stars not blocked by the arboretum’s canopy. For once he didn’t wonder which his father had come from. With Addison laying on top of him he didn’t care. His hands wandered over her smooth, toned body, completely sated and fighting off sleep. They needed to leave before a guard found them.

“Come to my quarters,” he blurted.

Harris lifted her head long enough to scowl at him. “Prat,” she muttered, letting her head drop to his chest. ~You couldn’t keep your mouth shut, could you?~

Although part of him said to do just that, Shane’s pride spoke up. ~You seemed to be enjoying my mouth earlier.~

Harris growled, then rolled off him. Shane happily ogled her as she stood and slipped into her dress. Then her mind disappeared behind her shields. “Our ‘coitus meeting’ is over,” she informed him, “so I’m free to tell you that you’re the most insufferable, arrogant bastard I’ve ever met.”

All together now: awwww!

Download the Strange Little Band ebook for FREE today only with coupon code AR62P at Smashwords!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrs2fat/4338843244/

This was originally published on Zoe Winters’ blog as a guest post. Thanks again, Zoe!

So you’ve written a book. Your imagination has flowed out your fingers into a computer or through a pen to paper. Now it’s time to create a billboard for your story. A good cover tells potential readers volumes about your tale, whether it’s an ebook or in print.

This post is an overview of the design process for non-artists. It would take thousands of words to convey the principles I use when I create cover art. This primer will get you started in creating attractive, informative book covers without breaking the bank. I’ll use the cover of my dark paranormal romance Strange Little Band as an example.

What You’ll Need

• The interwebs
• A graphics program (Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, PaintShop Pro, etc.)
• Your book’s title
• The trim size of your book

If you’re scratching your head about trim sizes, don’t worry. Print-on-demand services like CreateSpace and Lightning Source list standard book trim sizes. Even if you plan to publish electronically only, I recommend choosing an industry-standard size and designing a print-resolution cover. A printed version of the cover could come in handy for promotion.

Example: I chose a trim size of 6 x 9 inches (15.24 x 22.86 cm) for Strange Little Band.

Ponder Design Elements

Before you rev up Photoshop, think about your book in general. What is its tone? Is there a theme? Think about the genre, and search Amazon for books similar to yours. See what kind of covers those books have. You don’t have to copy other books’ styles, but checking out the competition could spark ideas.

Imagine you’re a reader browsing a brick-and-mortar or online bookstore searching for a book like yours. What element(s) in your novel would catch your eye? It could be a face, a striking landscape, an object key to your story, or a combination. Write all of them down. You’ll revisit this list later.

Example: Strange Little Band is an unconventional sci-fi/romance with antihero protagonists. I wanted to feature the main characters and their love/hate relationship. No smoochies, roses, and hearts on this cover!

Hunt Stock Photos and Illustrations

Several stock photography and artwork sites have excellent search engines to help you find images of just about anything. If your budget is tight, try Flickr and Morgue File. Be sure to note each image’s license. If an image is copyrighted with all rights reserved, you must contact the photographer/artist to negotiate a license to use his or her work. But if the image has been released with a Creative Commons license, you can use the image for free if you meet the license’s requirements. Learn more about the different Creative Commons licenses.

Flickr’s advanced search makes it easy-peasy to find CC-licensed works. Here’s a search for CC-licensed “tiger lily” images.

If you can afford $10 to $50 for stock photos/artwork, check out iStockPhoto. iStock’s search interface is outstanding, which is a good thing considering the size of their image archive! I’ve yet to be disappointed by them.

Example: After a lot of searching, I found two photos on Strange Little Band that look like the main characters and have appropriately pissy expressions. Meet Addison and Shane.

Got Images. Now What?

Now it’s time to get creative. Start up your graphics program and create a new document a little larger than the trim size of your book (to allow for bleed) and at 300 dpi. If you’re using a single image, you’re almost done. If you’re using multiple ones, it’s up to you to position and/or edit them together.

When deciding where to place elements in your design, keep in mind “z flow.” Westerners’ eyes move in a z pattern when scanning a page: top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right. Put important object somewhere on the z.

Example: I spent longer than I care to admit tweaking the two stock photos into one image. The color tones of the photos were vastly different, so I made Addison’s image more cyan and darker. I also positioned Shane’s head in the upper right corner and Addison in the lower left corner on purpose. Viewers’ eyes move from Shane’s face to Addison’s naturally.

Fonts, Text Size, and Text Placement

The fonts you use for the text on your cover are as important as the graphic behind them. Fonts have personality. Choose one or two that match the tone of your story. I say this with two caveats.

1. Keep it simple and legible. It’s tempting to use ornate, decorative fonts. Make sure they’re easy to read!
2. I strongly advise against using Comic Sans, Papyrus, Jokerman, and Curlz. They’re overused and cliched.

If you’re looking for more fonts, try dafont.com. There are more than you’ve ever imagined.

Text size indicates the relative importance of the message. If you’re a new or not (yet!) well known author, there’s no need to make your name the largest text on the cover. Your name won’t help sell your book. Your title might. I recommend making the title the most prominent text on your design.

As for where to put your book’s title and your name, you can’t go wrong with the top and bottom of the design. Those positions fit the z pattern that viewers’ eyes follow. Elsewhere on the z works as well.

Example: I’m not entirely happy with the text on SLB’s cover. The title design is based on an offbeat sans-serif font, which I think matches the tone of the book. It and my and my co-author’s names are positioned at the top left corner, which viewers can’t possibly miss. I don’t think there’s enough contrast between the title and the background. It doesn’t pop as much as it could, in part because the background is a little busy. The end result is a compromise. I had to draw the line somewhere.

That’s book cover design in a nutshell. The process is time consuming, but worth it in my opinion. Once you have a good cover design, you can reuse it for bookmarks, postcards, posters, and other promotional material. Good luck!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jainsama/5351160288/

Tori and her fellow characters in the paranormal thriller Tori’s Row have had a long, long nap. That’s because life intervened for MCM and me, so the 18 chapters we’d written have been waiting for an ending.

At long last MCM and I are banging out the last nine chapters. We plan to have them ready in early March. For now you may want to check out the first two-thirds of Tori’s Row. It’s free! Here’s the blurb.

Tori McNulty has problems. As she’s putting her life back together, she’s attacked in Boston’s South End. She doesn’t remember much: mostly blood-drenched pavement and the crumpled body of her assailant. The good news is that she’s uninjured and not a murder suspect. The bad news is the obnoxious young man in 18th century dress shadowing her and confusing, violent flashbacks. Tori must figure out what happened that night before her stalker gets to her or she goes completely mad.

If you’d like a little more of a taste, check out this short bit of flash fiction I wrote last year. It’s a teeny bit spoilery.

Since this is just barely Tori’s Row-related, I’ll take this opportunity to pimp the most recent Strandline episode. It’s related because I’m taking a brief break from Strandline to finish up Tori’s Row. Episode 19 of Strandline will go live on February 4th.

Anyhoo, episode 18 of Strandline begins thusly.

The schooner’s patchwork sails marked it as one of the Greenmen’s ships just as much as the green man stenciled on the prow. Although Petra had no idea why Naveen was sprinting straight toward it, letting him get near a crew of witches couldn’t end well. Without breaking stride she hurled a verbal and psychic command at him: “Naveen, sleep!”

Naveen slowed, shook his head, then kept running. He was closing on the ship’s gangplank fast.

Read the rest, or start with episode 1.