Barbara V Evers

Happy Independence Week to each and every one of you, especially those of you in the USA. In honor of the holiday, An Eclectic Muse will take a break this week. A new post will return the week of July 7. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy time with friends and family. That's what I'll be doing.

Last Saturday, June 21, 2014, the world celebrated World Giraffe Day.  This year marks the first annual day to recognize these amazing animals.  We don't hear much about their dwindling numbers because they aren't hunted by poachers or infringing on any lands, but they are dwindling.  Estimates place the total giraffe population at 80,000.  That's not a lot. In honor of my favorite animal, I want to provide some important links to my readers.  Please check them out and learn more about the giraffe. World Giraffe Day The Giraffe Conservation Foundation   The Giraffe Conservation Foundation Facebook Page Please considering contributing to their survival.  Our world is not as magical without God's creatures in it. My husband and me feeding a giraffe at San Diego Wild Animal Park. Picture taken by Giraffe Specialist, Vicki Notaro

This week, I'm participating in a blog tour for writers.  Each writer answers four questions about their writing and tags a few more authors to do the same next week.  I'd like to thank Tracy Cembor who tagged me for this week.  I met Tracy at the writing workshop during the 2013 DragonCon.  She writes Steampunk and has a lot of writing projects in the works. Now, on to the questions! What am I working on?   The Watchers of Moniah is a fantasy set in the matriarchal kingdom of Moniah, where women fight battles, and the members of the royal family form telepathic bonds with giraffes. The Watchers, an elite squadron of female soldiers, possess enhanced visual capabilities aiding them in scouting, archery, and protecting the royal family.   Their gifts include prophesy through dreams and visions. The story follows Adana as her life shifts in drastic ways on the last day of her mother, the queen's, life.  Aware that her daughter, Adana, is not...

Packed Writing Workshop Panel at ConCarolina I realize most people think of SciFi\Fantasy Cons as a gathering of geeks and nerds who dress up like their favorite characters and play games.  Although gaming and costumes make up a significant part of the con experience, it's not the reason I attend.  Each event offers workshops and panels with people in the SciFi/Fantasy business, including authors, agents and editors.  I go for the workshops related to writing, commonly known as the Writing Track For this reason, in 2012 I attended ArmadilloCon , in 2013, DragonCon , and in 2014, ConCarolina .  Last Saturday, I traveled to Charlotte for ConCarolina. The workshops I attended on Saturday provided new insight to my writing efforts, especially the ones on sidekicks and the live action slush reading. Sidekicks This panel refuted the myth that your readers shouldn't be drawn to your secondary, and sometimes, tertiary characters. In the past, I've heard you h...