The Party Starts NOW!

Update:The sun has risen and set upon June 25, 2014. Our party began with the dawn and ended at midnight. I think we, the author hosts, had as much fun as our guests! Thank you to all who participated. :D


Quantum Zoo:  Amazon I Amazon UK I Amazon DE I Amazon ES 

151 comments:

  1. Hiya folks! It is my honor and pleasure to get this party started!!!

    For those that don’t know me, I write paranormal fantasy and romance. I strive to compose stories that stretch the constructs of genre and challenge accepted norms. To win an ebook bundle of my first two novels, Sparks and Spirits (to be released in July!), tell me your name, favorite zoo animal, and reply with a typed sound bite of what a noise your animal makes. Best sound bite wins!

    I’ll go first! My name is Rachel McCoy and my favorite animal has to be the shoebill. It’s a craaaazzzyyy looking bird that makes a sound like a cow. MMMMRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr! Think you can do better? Want a pair of kick-butt paranormal romance ebooks? Reply!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, RS! My favourite zoo animal is the otter. I have no real idea what noise it makes, but I bet it's squeaky. It can't look like that and not be squeaky!

      But I don't think I qualify for the competition, so I'll just leave that there. :)

      Delete
    2. Hello!
      I'm Sam, and I suppose my favorite zoo animal would have to be the macaroni penguin. Is that really their name? I guess so. Anyways, I think it sounds like HRUHUHuHuHuhu....

      Delete
    3. Hi Rachel! Congratulations on being published in a wonderful Anthology! Still have to download the anthology (I will admit, I'm a hard copy fan!) but am looking forward to enjoying all the stories while on holiday!

      Great question you've posed. My favorite zoo animal - I have two! Polar Bears and Whales. Very different sounds!
      Polar bears do more than growl, though - they make sounds that seem to be sad, a bit of a cross between a cat and a dog! mmmmaaaaAAARRRH!

      Whales - their songs are beautiful, and so many, and unique. I like this one - mmmrrrrrRRRUUUuueh!

      Thanks for bringing us your creativity, and sharing your talents! Best of luck!
      Barbara

      Delete
    4. Hi Rachel,
      My sons like penguins. But when I go to the zoo, I HAVE to go see giraffes. And when we stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney World, one of my favorite things to do is sit on the balcony and watch the giraffes on their artificial savannahs...

      Delete
    5. Rachel, I have to go with the polar bears, even though I think they find it miserable in the Midwest heat. Polar bears CLEARLY go "RAWWWWWRRRR!" Fun fact--when hunting in the wilds of the ice fields, did you know that polar bears cover their noses with their paws? Here's a question for everyone--how do they know their noses are black?

      Unless...

      Well, they probably just watch other polar bears, come to think of it. Anyway, found that FASCINATING!

      Delete
  2. And now the UK wakes up...

    Hi, everyone. I'm excited to be here. Ignoble Deeds is my first short story to be picked up anywhere, which is a great honour. I won't pretend to be a short-form expert, since I like knotty plots and getting to know characters over 100K+ words, but after such a great experience with Quantum Zoo I'm sure I'll be writing more.

    I've got two books out, with the third due to go to my editor real soon now, so to win a copy of the first, Crowchanger, riddle me this. Which was the first Narnia book I read? There are only seven, so even if it's a complete guess the odds are (ever) in your favour. If there are multiple correct answers I'll do a draw, and if there are a lot of entries then I'll throw in a couple of extra copies.

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian?

      Delete
    2. Hey, Sam! Thanks for popping in and for your support with the story. :)

      Delete
    3. Hello AC! Woo hoooooo! Mahoosive congrats on being published in the Anthology! LOVE Crowchanger! And Stormweaver!

      Now, in the spirit of fair disclosure, I am a good friend of yours. And I think, at some point, you told me where you started the Narnia series, but I'm not sure. So I'm going to guess. If I get it right, then its probably because you told me at some point, and my guess shouldn't count!

      The Last Battle.

      Enjoy the launch party!!!!

      Delete
    4. Thanks, Barbara. Once again, supportive friends can't be beat. :)

      Delete
    5. So, only 2 entries, but at least one of them was right!

      My sister bought me Prince Caspian when I was 6 (or maybe 7--but I can remember getting the last one I needed for my 8th birthday). I tried to read it but had no idea what on earth was going on. Who were these kids? And where had they ended up? Of course when someone realised I should really have read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe first, that got sorted out. I credit Narnia with starting my lifelong love of fantasy.

      Delete
    6. Sam, I'll message you on G+. I know you were talking about getting Crowchanger. If you have it already, I'll send you Stormweaver instead. :)

      Delete
  3. And now the east coast of the United States wakes up! :D

    Hello and good morning! I'm one of the editors of Quantum Zoo. I write fantasy with a Norse twist with occasional jaunts into Greek mythology or - in the case of my story for Quantum Zoo, "Serpent's Foe" - into the mythology of ancient Egypt.

    I'd like to introduce the Grand Prize Contest for today.

    What is the Grand Prize?

    Ten of Quantum Zoo's authors will be popping in and out of the party today and they've all got ebooks in the prize pot. Check out all those stories pictured in the post above! The grand prize winner will get to choose one ebook from each author for a total swag pack of TEN!

    But that's not all!

    We'll also have a First Prize, a Second Prize, and a Third Prize.

    First Prize winner takes home 6 ebooks. Second Prize, 3 ebooks. And Third Prize, 1 ebook.

    How do you win?

    Here's how:

    1-Go to Quantum Zoo's page on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Zoo-Bridget-McKenna-ebook/dp/B00L0MZFVQ/

    2-Look at the section "From the Back Cover" under Editorial Reviews. You'll see quotes from reviews of other books by Quantum Zoo authors.

    3-Pick 2 of those quotes and match them up to the titles they refer too.

    4-Come back here and click the reply button on this contest and tell us your name along with your answers.

    Like this: Hi, I'm Jessica. Sarvet's Wanderyar. "...it's an entrancing story with a character you care about, and desperately want to succeed..."

    But don't use that one! It doesn't appear on the Quantum Zoo page! :D

    We'll draw the winners from the correct answers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it's time for something easy...

    Conversation (and a Drawing)

    What's your favorite fantasy book?

    Everyone who answers (even QZ authors) will go into the hat to win a copy of my novel Troll-magic. Ebook or paperback, your choice!

    I'd be hard pressed to name my own favorite.

    Beauty by Robin McKinley. The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. The Phoenix Guard by Steven Brust. Dark Mage by Barbara Hambly. Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones.

    You can name more than one too! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is so difficult! I tend towards epic fantasy, and high on the list at the moment is Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. The first two are out at the moment, and I will admit to a mini-obsession with Kaladin. I do love me an angsty character! I also love the Kushiel's Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey. I haven't read the other Kushiel novels, and I'd really need to reread the first three if I went on to the others, as the setting and politics are so complex. The ones that sucked me into fantasy in the first place were Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels and Katherine Kurtz's Deryni books.

      Really, I'm all about interesting people, in interesting places, doing interesting things.

      Delete
    2. Cool! Some of those titles and authors are new to me - more for my TBR list! :D

      Delete
    3. Fantasy has rather passed the older stuff by, I fear, though I still read all the new Deryni books as they come out, for old times sake. Fair warning that the Kushiel books are definitely 18+ for sexual themes that may not be to everyone's taste. Best research them before buying!

      Delete
    4. Discworld is my favourite. When I began writing, I had no idea what kind of 'style' I was aiming for. Reading Discworld definitely helped put me on the track that I am on today! I still haven't gotten through all of the series, but I'm making good progress!

      Delete
    5. Wow, rolling out the tough questions. :)
      I have to say, there are too many fantastic fantasy books out there for me to remember which ones I've read. One series that's standing out in my mind (possibly because I'm in the process of reading it) is The Marnie Baranuik Files by AJ Aalto. Just an amazingly humorous, dark urban fantasy. Also, though it's a bit lower level, The Ranger's Apprentice series and The Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan were fantastic to read.

      Though any fantasy book, as long as there some magical element, will probably catch my eye.

      Also, to all the authors, I have to say that you guys did an awesome job. I haven't gotten to read the anthology yet, but it's on my to do list!

      Delete
    6. I have to say, I think I like David Eddings' BELGARIAD best, though it's been years since I've read it.

      Has anyone ever read Rick Cook's WIZARDRY series?

      Delete
    7. Though, AJ Aalto's humor could be described as "off-color," so fair-warning there...

      Delete
    8. I agree, there are so many good ones, hard to choose just one! Kind of like the Quantum Zoo Anthology!

      I really liked MZ Bradley's The Mists of Avalon - I'd always been fascinated with the Camelot story line, but this took it to a whole new realm for me.

      I must also agree with Scott Dyson - Edding's BELGARIAD was stunning when I read it. It was one that made me re-read the books over and over.



      Delete
    9. Any YA recommendations? My sons (and me) liked Brandon Mull's FABLEHAVEN series...

      Delete
    10. Daniel Abraham's "Dagger and Coin" series, beginning with The Dragon's Path, are my current fantasy favorites. The fourth book--The Widow's House--is coming out this summer. Really great writing and wonderful stories that aren't quite what other fantasists are doing.

      Delete
    11. Wouldn't have thought them YA, but yes, it's a splendid story. I am NOT a trilogy-reader; anyone who can't tell a story in each book annoys me. ;) But this is one of the exceptions. Lots of great humor, gripping characters, and a great setting.

      Delete
    12. Yeah, my comment came after Scott's question about YA, but was meant in general. They're not YA, but I'm guessing a teenager who loved fantasy would love them anyway.

      Delete
    13. I'll definitely have to look for these books....

      Delete
    14. Mine is that Newbury award winner--"The High King," I think it's called? Really the first fantasy book I read, and definitely got me into the genre. Loved it!

      Delete
    15. And I've drawn the winner's name...

      Sam Cox!

      You have won a copy of Troll-magic! Paperback or ebook, your choice. Email me at jmng (at) jmney-grimm (dot) com to tell me which you prefer. :D

      Delete
  5. Hello, everyone!

    I'm S.E. Batt, author of the story 'At Home in the Stars' in the Quantum Zoo anthology. I specialise in writing humour, but not in a way that sacrifices a good story for a quick gag. The balance between story-telling and humour can be very tricky to pull off well!

    I'll be here to answer any questions you may have, as well as discuss humorous stories as a whole. Do you have any favourite humorists? Let me know in a reply.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome has got to be my favorite funny read. I laugh myself into stitches every time I re-read it.

      Delete
    2. I've never read that one! I shall pick it up immediately. :)

      Thanks for the comment!

      Delete
    3. As regards funny fantasy, my favourite is The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Again a fair warning, this time for language. They've actually done something very clever with one gag and the layout of the print book, at least in my paperback version.

      Delete
    4. I'm always a sucker for comic fantasy! I'll look into that one rightaway. :)

      Delete
    5. I ought to be on commission for that book, the number of people I've recommended it to!

      Delete
    6. Who do you admire most, S.E.? Do you include Vonnegut and Hiaasen as writers with a comic touch? Recently I've read some stuff by Tim Dorsey and found it to be very much in the Vonnegut vein...

      Delete
    7. Oh, I'll use the same answer as I just used for the previous question. The Marnie Baranuik Files by AJ Aalto are quite humorous. Though it couldn't be described as a comic fantasy, she (the author) adds enough humor to have me laughing at least every other page.
      Once again, warning for "vulgar-ness".

      Delete
    8. I admire Terry Pratchett the most! In his own words:

      "Humour is like a colour. Before you apply a colour, you must have something that you want coloured. Humour cannot be thing that just makes you go "ha ha" and sets you off looking for the next laugh line. Humour has to be something you apply to what you are writing. And if I am writing fantasy, then it is therefore fantasy with humour, not humour with humour."

      This goes in tandem with how I construct my own humour. I don't want my stories to be laden with just one-liners and zingers. When a story does that to me, it stops being a story, and starts reading like a joke book. People always set their targets on Pratchett when writing humour, but a surprising amount forget that, underneath his humour, is an engaging world and great characters!

      The thing about the comic touch is that it's *very* personal! A lot of people would find my work boring, and enjoy something I would find boring myself. If someone's work invokes humour in the author, and manages to find some readers who agree, then sure! I think they should be included.

      Delete
    9. (Correction: I should have said "very much in the Hiaasen vein...")

      Delete
    10. Thanks for the comment, Sam! Good to hear representation of a wide range of humorists on this board. :)

      Delete
    11. Loved your story in the Anthology, S.E. As to favorite humorist, I used to laugh hysterically at Erma Bombeck. Another is Bill Bryson who wrote A Walk in the Woods, a story about his hike on the Applachian Trail. I laughed until I couldn't breathe.

      Delete
    12. I once read a passage of Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country to a friend, and thought I was going to have to call an ambulance. She seriously could not breathe for laughing.

      And yes, Three Men in a Boat is still one of my all-time favorite books.

      Delete
    13. Connie, that reminds me of Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat. The first time I read it, I laughed so hard I choked.

      Delete
    14. +1 to the Bryson. Love his stuff. THE LOST CONTINENT was hilarious. . I remember one particular quote where he's talking about a busload of senior citizens on a tour who push in front of him at Williamsburg (I think) and he says something like he took comfort in the fact that they'd all be dead soon. I wasn't expecting it and I think I was about like Bridget's friend.

      Delete
    15. I loved that bit from The Lost Continent too, Scott. It's up there with the introductory chapter of A Walk in the Woods, about people being eaten by bears: it seems inappropriate to laugh, but there you are with tears streaming down your face while people inquire "Are you all right?"

      Delete
    16. Morgan here, Terry Pratchett is still the best fantasy humorist around. There is literally no competition. The guy just defines the genre so thoroughly--it's incredible. I have a real soft spot for GUARDS! GUARDS! and all of the Night's Watch novels.

      Delete
  6. Hi Folks!

    I'm D.J. Gelner, one of the editors of Quantum Zoo, and the author of "Echoes of Earth." I'm putting up a BUNCH of my books as giveaways, so let's get started.

    First winner will win a copy of my book, "Jesus Was a Time Traveler." In it, a quirky British scientist (Doc Templeton) is forced to go on a madcap scavenger hunt through time, meeting all sorts of historical figures along the way.

    Of course, Doc Templeton and his friends enjoy a few drinks along the way. So I was wondering what's your favorite drink to enjoy while reading a story and why? It can be anything from scotch on the rocks to soda pop--really, just anything you can drink. The winner will be the person who makes the most thoughtful, and potentially funny, reply.

    Looking forward to your responses!

    -D.J.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coffee. Always coffee. Any hour, any day, any place, I will drink coffee. I don't care how bad the coffee actually is, I am an addict.

      Delete
    2. That depends on what I'm reading, and when I'm reading it! It would be easy to say Bloody Mary's for vampire tales, but alas, not so.

      Nighttime reading - it's usually wine. Red, preferred. Or white. Or sangria. Or champagne. Or... Ok so there's a pattern here.

      Daytime reading - yes, coffee. Iced. With cream. And I understand the 'addict' side of Sam on this one!

      Delete
    3. Nice! I'm more of a green tea guy than a coffee guy--the strong stuff makes me too jittery...

      But I agree, Barbara--depends on what I'm reading. Hard-boiled mystery = whiskey on the rocks. Lighter fare = red wine, pinot, most likely...

      Speaking of which, Barbara (and Sam, if you'd like), what kinds of wines do you enjoy most?

      Happy to give you both ebooks--just email me at djgelbooks@gmail.com and I'll get them right over to you.

      Delete
    4. Well, I'm not much of a wine person. I probably couldn't tell much of a difference between different types, except the red and the white. That's obvious.
      But when I find myself drinking wine, I do prefer myself any red wine.

      Delete
    5. Maple syrup. It lasts longer! But only the stuff from Canada. (Their ice wines are pretty good too...)

      Delete
    6. D.J. - Pinot is great, but Malbec is my current favorite. I'm also one of those that drinks a wine because I like not, not necessarily because it goes with the cuisine! lol! Thanks for the gift of the book - exciting!!! Can't wait to read! I'll send you an email!

      Delete
    7. Also, I feel really bad for not including this is my last comment, (I wish there was an edit button or something.) but thank you so much! I'll definitely be sending an email over! Very eager for a new book!

      Delete
    8. Cold, cold water with lots of ice, beverage of choice always.

      But sometimes: half a glass of iced tea mixed with half a glass of milk from grass-fed cows.

      Delete
  7. Good morning, everyone, I'm Bridget McKenna. My story "A King in Exile" appears in Quantum Zoo.

    Since "A King in Exile" is about dinosaurs, I'm going to be giving away a free copy of "The Little Book of Self-Editing for Writers" to the first person to reply to this with the name of their favorite dinosaur. The second person to reply will receive their choice of one of my SF/F short story e-books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just realized I introduced myself using my Google account, which is not the home of my current web presence. The curious can find out all about me (or the parts I confess to, at least) at www.bridgetmckenna.com.

      Delete
    2. Hi Bridget! Your story sounds very interesting, and I look forward to reading it!

      It's been a long time since I've thought about a favorite dinosaur - I'd have to say the well-known T-Rex. The first museum of natural history that I visited as a child had a mock up of a T-Rex, and it was just so ---- impressive! I did also like the Sauropods, but T-Rex was my first intro to dino bones! A lasting impression!

      Delete
    3. Yes, I think every kid first falls in love with T. rex. Maybe it's the tiny arms...or the big teeth. When I was nine, I was headed for a career in paleontology. When I was quite a few years older, I drew some sketches of a T. rex and something about them sparked the idea for "A King in Exile."

      I'm going to send you a copy of The Little Book of Self-Editing. You can write me at bridgetmckenna_at_gmail.com and tell me whether you'd like to have a Kindle copy or something else.

      Delete
    4. Hm...
      Favorite dinosaur...
      Oh oh! The Brachiosaurus! I think that's how you spell it....There the big tall ones with the long necks. I think they were slow, and they ate trees....

      Delete
    5. By the by, Bridget's editing book is both fun and EXCELLENT writing advice. I read the whole thing in one bus ride, and I apply the lessons every time I write.

      Delete
    6. Ooh, Brachiosaurus. I love those, too! How can you not like an 85-ft (26m)-long lizard? Okay, not a lizard, but...you know.

      I'd like you to choose any of my short stories as a prize. You can read the descriptions here: http://www.bridgetmckenna.com/books.html, then email me at the address in my previous comment and let me know if you want a Kindle copy or something else. Thanks for playing!

      Delete
    7. Thanks, Fran. How nice of you to say so. The new version is longer--maybe a bus ride and a half. Check your Kindle account to see if they'll let you download it as an upgrade. If not I'll send you a copy.

      Delete
    8. Keep the dino comments coming, readers. I'll keep giving away a short story e-book to everyone who jumps in.

      Delete
    9. Thanks Bridget! I'll send you an email - can't wait to read it. Editing is always a bane of my process, so look forward to your suggestions!

      So which is your favorite dino? And why? And how did you find your way into dinos in SF/F genre?

      Delete
    10. In another century, possibly the 19th :), I wanted to be a paleontologist. Of course I was 9 at the time. But even as an adult I read a lot of books about dinosaurs. I was already selling SF/F short stories to places like Asimov's and F&SF when I came up with an idea for a Victorian dinosaur story. I told someone close to me, who immediately shot the idea down. Hard. No-one would take a story like this seriously, he said. And Victorian women didn't have adventures. And lots of other stuff about what he didn't like about my writing. I can say I should have known better but it hurt, and hurt isn't about knowing. I put the idea away for several years before checking it out of hospital and giving it another go. "A King in Exile" was the result. I've never written another dinosaur story, but I probably ought to.

      Delete
    11. Wow, interesting! Kudos to you for resurrecting it! I bet that rejection was hard. It does seem to be that we tend to believe that one negative, rather than follow instincts! But no more!

      I think this is a great idea - something that turns the expected norms of the time period on its side, and presents a strong, well-written character has all the qualities that I, for one, look for as a reader.

      I'd say yes, keep the dinosaur element swirling in the creativity - it's a very cool take on a story!

      Delete
    12. Wow! Nice job...I have to say I would not have the ability to bring that one back to life.
      Thanks for the eBook! Your stories look fantastic!

      Delete
    13. Soon after that incident one of my writing mentors, Gene Wolfe, warned me never to allow anyone to critique an IDEA. Anyone, he said, can shoot an idea full of holes. Keep your ideas close to your chest and when you have a STORY, then it's time to show it around.

      Yeah, it hurt. But less so as time went by. And making it into a story healed it a whole lot.

      Delete
    14. Wait, what? Gene Wolfe was your mentor?

      *bows down*

      Delete
    15. I was lucky enough to have quite a few good writing teachers in my early career, Gene among them. I'm undoubtedly a better writer because of it than I would have been.

      Delete
  8. Good morning! I'm Scott Beallis, but I write my fiction under the name "Scott Dyson". (I'll answer to either, or just "Scott"!) I'm located in the Midwest, in a suburb of Chicago. So, go Cubs, Bulls, Hawks, Bears...and I guess White Sox, too...

    I started my indie-publishing journey in the fall of 2013. Inspired by the blogs of D.W. Smith and J.A. Konrath, and by the example of online friend Annetta Ribken, I decided to pull out that mystery novel I'd written and shape it up for publication. But in an attempt to generate some name recognition, I chose to start by publishing short stories. I have seven short stories or short collections (2 or 3 stories bundled) published on Amazon, and I have a 14 story collection titled 14 DARK WINDOWS. I also wrote a sort-of-guidebook to Walt Disney World under my real name.

    I will be checking in to answer questions about my stories, my upcoming works, and I'll even answer questions about dentistry, should anyone have one! (But only in a general sense...) I'll post a contest or two later. As it is, I'm in between patients right now, which means I have only minutes at a time. Fire away...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, it worked! Guess I have to use IE. Something in my Firefox settings must be trashing the messages...

      Delete
    2. Glad Blogger finally cooperated with you, Scott! Welcome to the party! :D

      Delete
    3. Scott, I really enjoyed your blog post about end of the world fiction. Have you seen The End is Nigh? It's part of a triptych of anthologies edited by John Joseph Adams and Hugh Howey. Great, great stuff.

      Delete
    4. Thanks Bridget! It's my guilty (and not so guilty) pleasure! I'll look at that anthology. Did I see it on Hugh Howey's blog? Perhaps.

      Delete
    5. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    6. I had to remove that...messing up your and you're is highly embarrassing...
      So anyways...
      I've actually really wanted to ask this...
      Do you ever get bitten by your patients? Does that affect your writing?

      Delete
    7. I'm pretty good at keeping my fingers out of the way by now! ;-)

      Delete
  9. Happy Launch - great idea for a party. I'll come back later - have to finish today's writing - just wanted to wish you all good sales.

    Alicia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Alicia! We'll look forward to seeing you here after you've written your x-many words. :)

      Delete
  10. Here's a contest, with the prize being the Kindle ebook (the only version that exists at this time) of my sort-of-guidebook DOING DISNEY!

    How many visits has my family made to both Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida? (As a hint, I'll tell you that my oldest son will be 14 years old, and my younger son is 12, and we've never gone without both of them...)

    Just for information's sake, the book, written under my real name (Scott Beallis) was put together as a template for families to visit Disney's Florida resort the way we do - a week at a time and no more than once a year, usually less frequently than that. Most guidebooks try to give every last bit of information. But I've found that a lot of the info in them was not of use. I tried to compile the information that we used when we planned OUR trips, and how we structured our trips. Throw in some commentary and some anecdotes and and I had a 100 plus page guidebook. This is the book!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Greetings, partiers. I'm Ken Furie, but I write my fiction under the name of Ken Furie, just to confuse people. I've been writing since I was six, when apparently I wrote a story about a frog that fell in the toilet and surprised my sister. *flush* I've applied myself diligently ever since and my sister admits I might have improved some, so long as I stop making her the butt of my jokes. (I haven't, as you can see.)

    I run a software company during the day, but that's boring by comparison to making things up and writing them down. Still, having spent many years working under the bootheels of bosses and bumblers, I have a wealth of inspiration for dastardly villains and belligerent cannibalistic aliens, both of which are featured in my stories/books.

    I'd be glad to give away an ebook to the first person who can guess the name of the frog that fell in the toilet and surprised my sister. Here's a hint: It rhymes with "poppy" and refers to an action often associated with frogs.

    Cheers,
    Ken

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Crappie? (pronounced like the fish, of course...) ;-)

      Delete
    2. Maybe I shouldn't have brought up toilets....

      Delete
    3. Sorry, I was just describing my day at work as well.

      Delete
    4. Hello, Ken! (not to be confused with Ken)

      Jack the Ripper, eh? Interesting to think of him in a zoo! Looking forward to reading your tale! I'm sure it will be 'Ribbeting'

      Okay, that was really bad. Apologies. Still can't wait to read it though! :)

      Delete
  12. Good morning from the San Francisco Bay Area! It's a gorgeous day here, just right for hunting and capturing the frumious Bandersnatch. What, no Bandersnatches? Not even a Jabberwock!? Oh, pooh. We will have to make do with the exotic animals and locations in the Quantum Zoo!

    I've been writing science fiction and mysteries for awhile, but if you know me at all it's probably through The X-Files (now there were some odd beasts!!!). I co-wrote and researched the first three Official Guides to the X-Files, as well as four years' worth of trivia questions, magazine articles, etc. In a sense, I've never really stopped writing about monsters, ghosts, aliens, and strange beasts. I have published murder mysteries set in San Francisco which involve the ghost of an Old West lawman (Deadfall, Deadwater), a young adult SF novel set on the moon (Farside), and a science fiction novel about a man who may, or may not be, a shapechanger (Chimera).

    Tell me your favorite imaginary, non-existent animal, and I'll send you a copy of Chimera (hard copy or ebook, your choice)! The more outrageous, the better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll bite. My favorite imaginary animal is the Kirin. I rather like the beer, too.

      Delete
    2. I'll bite too, three times. Dire wolves, Dune Sand Worms, and the Phoenix.

      Delete
    3. Dire wolves are an actual thing, or were. Unfortunately they weren't very large - slightly smaller than modern wolves.

      Delete
  13. Hi, I'm Fran Stewart, long-time writer, short-time published. I don't have any books to give away, so my thing's less a contest than a fun activity.

    Warm wind dries the rain
    But my work is in bloom now
    Though late in season

    I'm pretty good with haiku, so...if you suggest a zoo-related subject, i will craft you a haiku to match. :)

    Penguin basks in sun
    On warm grey stone, but wonders
    why is there no snow?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too cool! I can't wait for someone to suggest something. These are neat!

      Delete
    2. If nobody does, I may continue unbidden, lunatic that I am. :)

      Spring comes to my cage
      But not to me. Inside, I
      Still feel chill, and dead.

      Delete
    3. Okay, I can't resist that challenge!

      Hunger

      Delete
    4. Technically, it needs to be longer and refer somehow to a season, but you got the brevity down. ;)

      Delete
    5. I wasn't haiku-ing. :) Suggesting a topic!

      Delete
    6. Well, paint me purple and call me a doofus! I'll get down to it, then:

      Soon the man will come
      Slabs of cold meat in his hands.
      How warm his would be!

      Delete
    7. Write me a zoo-haiku from the viewpoint of the last Tasmanian Tiger in captivity.

      Delete
    8. Ooh, I really like your use of "cold meat" as a seasonal marker. You give good haiku, Fran!

      Delete
    9. Where are the others?
      Curled up like a yellow leaf,
      My barren pouch, dry.

      Delete
    10. Thankyew, thankyew! I've always loved the form. :)

      Delete
    11. Ooooh! Creepy, shivery in a totally non-horror, real world way. You are good!

      Delete
    12. Wonderful! An autumn haiku for the withering of a species. You SO rock!

      Delete
    13. Wow! You DO rock! Wow! And that's just off the top of your head??!!!!! Wow.

      Ok, how about: Polar bear cub. OR, someone falling into an exhibit.

      Delete
    14. Whups! Lost the last ones to a mis-post. Well, we'll try new ones, then. And as Bridget can tell you, the top of my head is a strange and busy land. :)

      Mother says the snow
      was all there was before, but
      here it never falls.

      Foolish monkey slips,
      falling from his world, landing
      face down, at my feet.

      Delete
    15. Missed the season in that last one. I love the challenge of haiku.

      Delete
    16. Wow! You are truly talented at this! What about one with overly social birds. I'll elaborate on that: they would be birds that are overly social to the point of annoyance with each other....
      That's a really odd topic....

      Delete
    17. You guys either really like me or hate me. :)

      Shut up shut shut up!
      I would migrate if I could;
      put the seas between us!

      Squawk talk talk talk
      The love cries you wooed me with
      Now grate on my ears.

      Delete
    18. Yes, you truly are brilliant! That definitely put a smile on my face

      Delete
    19. Getting towards sign-off time, folks. Any further haiku requests? Or anything else? Questions? Comments?

      Delete
  14. The High Sierra region is sunshine, vivid blue skies, still a touch of snow way up on the mountain tops - marvelous. I'll come back later after I've been tortured by my trainer. I wrote him into Mark Two for revenge - poor guy [in the book] was beaten and tortured - fortunately he's recovering.

    One of my giveaways - I'll include you in Mark Three as a character - no promises whether good or bad - if you can guess my nationality. Clue - fair dinkum, mate.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello John
    Your series sounds interesting, I'll have to check it out.
    Are you Australian?!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sam - Yes, I'm Australian. Perhaps I made the clue far too obvious!

    Do you want to be included as a character in Mark Three, or would you like an ebook?

    [I've commenced Mark Three, and aim to release it October/November].

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are you giving away more than one character? I also guessed (after putting quite a bit of intellectual muscle into the task, as you might imagine) that you're Australian. I once appeared as an admiral in a Star Trek novel, but that was in another century. I'd love to have my name (either first or last) in your upcoming book. You could kill me in any creative way you desired. Or if you change your nationality, you could make me guess again, just to be fair.

      Delete
    2. Hi Bridget - I can add you to the list! I can imagine there was a need to really think about the clue... So either first or last name but not both? :-)

      You're on the list for character assassination...

      Delete
    3. Ooooh, assassination! nice!

      Yes, that was a very difficult question, John. I think you should give the rest of us an easy one. :) Oh, oh I know - the answer is Fosters!

      Delete
    4. Thanks John!
      Whichever is easier for you. I'd imagine writing a character in would be easier, but if you have it planned out, you could send an ebook, so whichever you prefer is fine by me!

      Delete
    5. Use my name however it suits you, John, but in combination it's a fairly unusual name, so feel free to split it up. Looking forward to my (fictional) demise.

      Delete
    6. Barbara - Yes, Fosters wins - it's a bit mass-produced tho. So character or ebook - let me know! {Or, indeed, both!]

      Sam - I can do both -hey, this is a generous competition. Which genre - SF or Thriller for your ebook? Email me with your contact details - John - at - JohnHindmarsh.com. Sam - I think maybe a rogue sheriff for you.

      Bridget - one of my beta readers claims my [writing] body count is higher than the chapter numbers - I always need more characters. Probably a Russian spy disguised as a Child Welfare Officer.

      :-)

      All - to keep up to date with your characters - in Mark Three - subscribe to my mailing list - see my web site. [DJ and Jessica - do we have a 'Zoo mailing list? - I should know but...]

      Delete
    7. John, yes. We do have a Zoo mailing list. The sign-up is in the sidebar on this site. So...any lurkers who enjoyed the party, sign up and don't miss the next bit of fun we plan. :D

      Delete
  17. Okay, here's my lame-o contest: I'll soon be releasing an anthology of short stories from my Primus universe. To get a copy, tell me a brief version of your favorite "creation" myth. It could be about a world, a place, anything. I'll share one of my faves, as an example:

    In norse myth, the first of the gods, Buri, is born from a chunk of salty ice; an immense cow named Audhumla licks the ice, and day by day she melted Buri out of it. Buri was Odin's grandfather.

    What's your favorite creation myth?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If fictional myths count, I love Tolkien's Valar singing creation into being.

      Delete
    2. I would, if only I knew the creation myths. ;)
      They've all escaped my head...

      Delete
  18. Good afternoon, I'm Morgan Johnson another author in this lovely anthology. My piece, SKIPDRIVE, is a lovecraftian space opera tale. I think it's damn fun.

    Before this, I co-wrote a weekly advice column from a Giant Squid for ten years. As in, actual readers would send us advice questions and we'd answer them in character as a giant squid (who spoke English, and lived in a pressurized tank in the penthouse of a Detroit-area skyscraper). The advice slowly evolved into adventure stories and serialized novels and all sorts of delicious weirdness.

    So here's my question for you: What is the oddest thing you've written (or created, if you're not a writer)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a mostly-written short story sitting in my "someday" pile because it needs some outside views and editorial love. The plot: A man returns from a trip to discover that power's gone out in his house, and an intelligent fungus has grown in his fridge that's half Elvis, half Jesus.

      Either that or the business proposal I re-wrote last week that was all passive voice and adverbs.

      Delete
    2. One night I was sitting around with a roomful of writers and someone brought up a tabloid headline along the lines of "Dog buried for three days comes back to life." "What kind of dog would that be?" someone wondered. "A zombie dog," said someone. "A vampire dog," said someone else. "You're both wrong," I told them, and I'm gonna write the story to prove it."

      A short time later I wrote "The Good Pup," which was published in F&SF and Hayakawa's SF and nominated for some awards. Unfortunately I can't tell you in what way it's the wierdest thing I ever wrote without spoiling it. But it was.

      Delete
    3. Oldest complete story is a baseball story. My grade school friends were the teammates, I was the manager, and we played against teams from other cities in Illinois. I took it all the way to the "Little League" World Series in Japan.

      I also used to write a bunch of stuff based on TV shows, always making my friends the "cast". Like Mission: Impossible, when it was on the air. That stuff goes back almost 45 years now. (Maybe more...oops!)

      Delete
    4. Oddest thing I've written: When I was in elementary school - about 10 years old - I had my first male teacher. He was wonderfully creative in scary story telling but never finished a tale. He was also creative at odd ball assignments if you got into trouble.

      Trouble having found me one day, I had to write a 500 word essay on: Life inside a Ping Pong Ball.

      I'm a bit ashamed to say that rather than use it as an opportunity to be very creative, I wrote the word BOING 500 times.

      Delete
    5. Actually, I think that was a pretty creative solution to the problem!

      Delete
    6. I'm with you, Bridget! I mean, there are a lot of ways to go at that, but it takes determination to actually follow through with 500 BOINGs. :)

      Delete
  19. I must get my Egyptian Gods contest up before the sun sets. Ancient Egypt has fascinated me from the time I first learned about the ancient world in grade school. Why didn't I write a story set there sooner? :: shakes head :: Thank goodness QZ prompted me to write "Serpent's Foe."

    My contest...

    Name an Egyptian god, but don't duplicate anyone else's answer.

    Yes, this one is easier early, gets harder as more people answer!

    Everyone who answers gets one of my ebooks, your choice.

    Plus I'll put all the winners in a hat for a drawing; that winner gets a paperback of Perilous Chance or Devouring Light or Sarvet's Wanderyar. (Or another ebook, if you eschew paper.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel like I replied to this, but I'll add Isis!

      Delete
    2. Sam, Bridget, and Barbara you have each won an ebook from me. Your choice of which one. Plus I've done the necessary drawing of names from a hat and...

      Bridget McKenna has won a paperback copy (unless you prefer ebook, Bridget - totally your call) of either Perilous Chance, Devouring Light, or Sarvet's Wanderyar.

      Email me at jmng (at) jmney-grimm (dot) com to let me know which titles you want and so that I can make arrangements to get the books to you.

      Although...my eyes are literally dropping shut, so I think I'll be checking email tomorrow morning rather than tonight. :D

      Delete
  20. Bes, who watches over dwarves. Cook up a "gods" antho, and I'll happily write one about him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You tempt me! D.J. and I continue to mull over a second anthology. This one was a lot of fun. Hmmm...a "gods" anthology...worth contemplating!

      Delete
  21. Seth - god of evil, storms and chaos. A hybrid, one half being an unknown creature - sounds like he'd fit in the Zoo!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I seem to only be able to comment with the name of my employer, The Enrichment Alliance, or Anonymous. I am neither. I am Mary Anna. Jessica, I don't know if a post came up as Enrichment Alliance, but if it did, is it possible to remove. Anyway, what I said was CONGRATULATIONS on all the success you are already having on Amazon. Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Mary Anna, welcome to the party and thank you for your warm congratulations. (The other post you mention is not here - so no worry about that.) As you can see, there are a variety of conversations and questions on offer here. Look around and step in as you please. :)

      Delete
  23. I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read by J. M. Ney-Grimm, which is most of her published works. Looking forward to the anthology.

    My favorite zoo animals are the river otters at the National Zoo. Eager little perpetual motion bundles of fur!

    Congratulations to the authors in the anthology!

    -Amy Vandenburg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Amy! Lovely to have you visit us here. As someone said upthread - Ann, I think - good friends are the treasures in life!

      Delete
  24. Thank you D.J. and J.M. for putting the Anthology together. What an amazing collection!

    Congratulations to all the very talented authors - thank you for sharing your stories, your thoughts, and your muse's commands!

    I've thoroughly enjoyed the blog launch party - wish I could have participated all day. Thanks for all the great challenges - very cool reading everyone's perspectives, likes and ideas.

    Best to everyone in all your future endeavors. I'll be following your work with great enthusiasm!

    - Barbara

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for joining us, Barbara! You've been a charming guest and a pleasure to converse with. :D

      Delete
  25. Wow!
    This anthology looks great. You all are a great collection of authors. Today was a blast!I thoroughly enjoyed this party, it was a fantastic idea. You all are a pleasure to chat with! Thank you for everything, from putting this whole thing together to having fun topics and drawings. You guys are really generous people.
    I definitely have a lot of books and authors to read now!

    Thanks again, best of luck to you all, and have a nice night!
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You too, Sam! We're having great fun hosting. Hope you enjoy the book!

      -Fran

      Delete
  26. Time to sign off, I think. Thank you all for coming, and we all hope you enjoy the book!

    Through the bars I watch
    strange new creatures come each day
    to my exhibit.

    Remember, bars face two ways!

    -Fran Stewart, Assistant Quantum Zookeeper

    ReplyDelete