2009 PRISM Awards...

The Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA is pleased to announce the final placements in the 2009 Prism Contest.

Dark Paranormal:

First Place: Mona Lisa Craving by Sunny

Second Place: Immortals: The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley

Third Place: Hotter After Midnight by Cynthia Eden

Light Paranormal:

First Place: Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready

Second Place:La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock

Third Place: The Trouble with Moonlight by Donna MacMeans

Erotica:

First Place: Siren Singing by Isabo Kelly

Second Place:Carnal Desires by Crystal Jordan

Third Place: A Mermaid's Kiss by Joey W. Hill

Fantasy:

First Place: The Dragon Master by Allyson James

Second Place:Dragonborn by Jade Lee

Third Place: King of Sword & Sky by C.L. Wilson

Novella:

First Place: "Dark Nest" by Leanna Renee Hieber

Second Place: "Kung Fu Shoes!" by Jade Lee in These Boots were Made forStomping

Third Place: "The Spacetime Pool" by Catherine Asaro in Analog Science Factand Fiction magazine

Futuristic:

First Place: Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair

Second Place:Fallen by Claire Delacroix

Third Place: Moonstruck by Susan Grant

Time Travel:

First Place: Twist by Colby Hodge

Second Place:A Sexy Time of It by Cara Summers

Third Place: Madman's Dance by Jana G. Oliver

Young Adult:

First Place: Sleepless by Terri Clark

Second Place:CHOSEN: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast

Third Place: Cave of Terror by Amber Dawn Bell

Best First Book:

La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock

Best of the Best:

The Dragon Master by Jennifer Ashley w/a Allyson James

Congratulations to all who placed, and a big thank you to all who entered,all who judged, and to the FF&P board for making it all possible.

Jennette Heikes & Theresa Kovian,

FF&P Prism Contest Coordinators

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And congratulations to all of my friends who won, and who have been such an encouragement for my writing. Thank you. I hope that I can get to know the rest of you soon. You did well.

Frances

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

My Secret Garden – July 2009

How doth my garden grow? Until day before yesterday... it didn’t! Don't take this picture seriously. I just loved the kitschyness of it.


After a spring of rain, rain, rain, jungle, jungle, jungle, we’ve gone for over two months with less than ½ inch of water from heaven...which we have now gotten... yes, day before yesterday! Flowers, basically, had stopped; and, their leaves wilted and turned brown. Even the grass stopped growing, and I haven’t had to mow in weeks. Last night it poured and we're expecting more later. Hurrah! Just so long as it doesn't storm violently. Such are the vagaries of summer gardens of the Deep South. If we can't eat it, and it isn’t watered by God, it doesn’t grow. On my hill...it is root hog or die.


Except...we did water the vegetable garden which my roommate and I planted in my patio. I have success to report in this department. Well, qualified success. The Supreme Poodle Pasha Zackery, MaxieHaremKitty, and catnip have done their work. They have been ferocious defenders of the growing larder (they both like lasanga). This year, the deer haven’t gotten fat at our table’s expense. Houston, we have tomatoes. The watermelon, squash, cucumber and eggplant have been busts. Never made it off the launch pad. But there have been other problems in our organic garden.



First, it was the roly-polies. They are those tiny grey crustaceans which roll up into a ball when you touch them and are supposed to clean up dead leaves. Except, they decided that tiny new plants, dianthus in particular, were gourmet provinder! Sorry, the dianthus had to go... and the roly-polies returned to their proper duties.


Next, it has been the Tomato Horn Worms. They’re about the size of your little finger, and are truly voracious


MONSTERS. My roommate calls them the “pedophiles of the garden”. She says Horn Worms like ‘em “young and tender”. Yes, I know, vulgar, but she did give me permission to use the phrase. It isn’t a patch on what she really said the morning she found the top growth eaten off of all our tomato plants, so thank your lucky stars for my tender sensibilities in not repeating her exact words. Picking these worms off the plants over several days and spraying the plants with a Pears soap solution did the trick. The plants are now recovering and continuing to produce. We hear that pure diatomaceous earth works on both roly-polies and horn worms. Oh, well, next year!


Last night we had the first real rain since May. Everything has perked back up. The cashmere bouquet and summer phlox are no longer wilted, but are beginning to bloom again. The confederate jasmine has also started blooming once more. The daylilies are all rebloomers, but will take some time to recover. The next flowers to bloom on my garden calendar are the Philippine Lilies and the Naked Lady Lilies. I’ll post pictures as they open.


Happy writing, happy gardening,



Frances

Gardening and Writing Science Fiction Romance
Real Love in a Real Future

P.S. I haven't forgotten about History, Part III!

I'm Guest Blogging...Come for a Visit!

If you've never been to The Galaxy Express, you're in for a treat. Heather Massey has created the absolutely, greatest spot on the web for Science Fiction Romance fans to get the latest news and to simply have fun.

I'm going to be guest blogging at The Galaxy Express, tomorrow, Sunday, July 12. Please stop in for a visit. Heather asked me to blog on "Parallel Universe", and she is having some awesome articles from terrific bloggers.

Actually, she named the week of guest blogging "Parallel Universe"; but, being the literal clone of my mother, I took her at her word and wrote on...you guessed it..."Parallel Universes." *G*

Happy reading and writing,
　
Frances Drake

Writing Science Fiction Romance

Real Love in a Real Future

Happy Fourth of July, 2009...

This has been around for some time, but it is always worth remembering. Thank you American Liberty Alliance for reminding me. Remember that clicking on the picture will give you the full size.

As we go into Independence Day weekend, it's important to remember the sacrifice behind this great and Historic day.

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over his home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The Redcoats jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on theprotection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

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Whatever you're doing this weekend, be that a Tea Party (click here for a location near you) or just time with friends and family... remember the sacrifice our founding fathers made. The American Liberty Alliance wishes you a very safe and Happy Independence Day!

For Liberty,

Eric OdomExecutive Director American Liberty Alliance

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My post on History, Part III will be online next week.

Frances