Mythos 1: Bride of Death has been released by Aspen Mountain Press!  This is the first book in my Mythos series, a collection of Greco-Roman myths retold with a modern narrative voice.  I remain true to the original classical sources, which means reinjecting these stories with the original sensual context of the stories.  Most mythologies are of a sexual nature, and despite centuries of vanilla-izing still have those erotic overtones.  The story behind Bride of Death is the myth of Hades, the god of the Underworld, and his wife, Persephone, the personification of the spring maiden.  The story of their relationship was meant to explain the changing of the seasons–while the spring maiden is on earth with her mother, the world thrives and bears fruit.  But, when she is in the Underworld with her husband, winter descends upon the planet as Demeter grieves for her daughter.  Persephone is an early personification of sexual power–in the end, her allure is intense enough to bring Death himself to his knees.

You can pick up a copy of Mythos 1: Bride of Death at http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/new-releases/bride-of-death/prod_304.html.  You can read an excerpt of the story either on that page or on my website Shoot The Muse! 

Synopsis:When the mischievous god of love targets Hades, the god of death falls hopelessly in love with the spring maiden Persephone, the one immortal most ill-suited for his dark domain. Her mother Demeter will never allow the Lord of the Underworld to court her beloved daughter. The king of the gods proposes an unconventional solution: Hades may kidnap Persephone and take her to the Underworld to woo her. If Persephone agrees to marry Hades, Zeus will support the match.

But neither god has reckoned on Demeter’s inconsolable grief at the loss of her daughter.  If Persephone is not returned to her, the goddess has vowed to destroy all life. Can Hades win Persephone’s heart before her mother discovers who has taken her? Or will Persephone make her own wishes known as the intended bride of death? Even in the world of immortals, time is not on Hades’ side.

Aspen Mountain Press will launch its new Aurora Regency imprint on July 21, 2010!  Aurora Regency at Aspen Mountain Press is a line devoted to Regency romance. Traditional Regency romances, as exemplified by Georgette Heyer’s work, are first and foremost historical fiction about a very specific (and short) era.  So what are we looking for? Hopefully, this will answer any questions you might have about Aurora Regency’s guidelines.

1)      We expect historical accuracy. This includes language, clothing, customs, etiquette, events and places.  Your book should have rich detail, the appropriate language and slang and an understanding of life in Regency England or, if set outside of England, according to the customs of the country.  That includes behavior appropriate to a character’s life, position and social situation. (For example: divorce was notan option in Regency England so no new divorcées gallivanting at Almack’s in competition with the Season’s loveliest debutantes.)  Historical accuracy will be a consideration in the acceptance of manuscripts and an integral part of the editing process. If your manuscript has several historical errors, you may be asked to revise and resubmit.

2)      We hope for novel plotlines or exciting new twists on old themes. We are open to paranormal or Gothic themes as long as these elements do not compromise the Regency romance genre. So if your impoverished but well-born governess falls in love with the lord of the manor that’s fine. Just make it interesting.

3)      We expect romance—oh, loads of it!  Every kind of hero is fair game in a Regency romance and our heroines should be head over heels in love with them.  But remember—this is a Regency romance.  Spice is okay; jalapeno salsa is not.   In an era were even the smallest infractions would lead to social ruin, well brought up young heroines were virgins on the wedding night. {However, if your Regency is about a member of the demimonde (a courtesan) and is erotic in nature, please indicate this in your query letter.} And, naturally, a HEA is the conclusion of choice.

4)      Great dialogue. In the Regency romance, conversation is well-crafted and engaging. Half of the process of falling in love occurs when the hero and heroine engage in a battle of wits.  Repartee is an art form; conversation is seduction. Anachronistic sayings or language are strongly discouraged.

5)      Society.  Society rules these characters’ lives.  The Season is capitalized for a reason.  As Jane Austen said in Pride and Prejudice, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Society dictates that universal truth, and in a Regency romance Society is where the bridal hunt is carried out.  It can be London or Bath or Brighton or even a simple country parsonage involved in county society—but society (either capitalized or not) is as big a character as any human being.

6)      Fun.  Above all, Regency romances are fun—both to read and to write.  The more adventures your madcap heroine has, the better.  Paranormal Regencies are acceptable as are the more intricate Regency murder mysteries. Even the darker side of the Regency world is fun.

So, do you think your Regency romance fits the bill? Then submit to us!  The Aurora Regency line is published by Aspen Mountain Press, a royalty-paying e-publishing company.  We do not charge fees for set up or charge for editing your story once it has been accepted for publication. Our contracts request rights to the contracted work, including digital and print formats as we will provide some of our titles in print later this year.

Aurora Regency is looking for well-researched Regency romances between 35,000 and 70,000 words, although we will bend on the upper word limit if the story merits it.  Please submit exactly and only the following if you wish your manuscript to receive serious consideration:A query letter in the body of an email with:

Your legal name, pseudonym if applicable and contact email.

Working Title

Manuscript Length

General story description in two paragraphs

Writing Credentials

Include the first chapter (or first twenty pages, whichever is shorter) embedded in the body of the email. We will not open attachments. If we like what we see, we will request the rest of the manuscript. 

If this is a simultaneous submission, please inform us of this in your query letter.  We will consider only COMPLETED manuscripts.  Aspen Mountain Press does not accept proposals from writers unknown to us. Aurora Regency at Aspen Mountain Press will open for submissions on February 15, 2010. Please send all questions and submissions to AuroraRegency@gmail.com.  We accept ONLY e-submissions.  Initial response times are anticipated to be no longer than 2 weeks. 

The Asphodel Cycle 4: Apostle of Asphodel

Author: Celina Summers

Artist: Renee George

BUY LINK: http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/apostle-of-asphodel/prod_263.html

Tamsen Ka’antira has grown into a woman of incredible power as the Virgin Huntress’ player in the game of the gods. After discovering the Hippolytes, a fabled race of women devoted to the arts of combat, she must lead them back to the plains of Ilia to fight the greatest war of antiquity again. The pantheon of gods awaits her in their Hall of Judgment, where the ultimate fate of the Elven Realm will be determined. (more…)

I am pleased and honored to announce that the third book in my epic fantasy series The Asphodel Cycle 3:Tempation of Asphodel has been nominated for a Golden Rose Award for Best Sci Fi/Fantasy Novel of 2007 by Love Romances and More.  To say that I’m stunned is an understatement; to even be mentioned on the same nominee list as Christine Feehan is beyond anything I ever dreamed about when I first started to kill off Elves in The Reckoning of Asphodel.

The voting continues until April 15th. You can find the voting page here and can vote for your favorites in several categories under the Love Romances and More aegis. It’s a wonderful thing to see nominees from small presses like Aspen Mountain Press alongside well known authors from huge publishing companies. It says a lot about how e-presses and independent publishers are changing the face of the industry.

Thank you so much to all of the faithful readers of Aspen Mountain books and especially fans of Asphodel.  None of this would be possible without you. So you have my greatest love and appreciation for the support you’ve continuously shown to me and to my work. Now go vote!

Cheers and many hugs–

Celina Summers

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is a journey through the short stories of critically acclaimed author Celina Summers.  Every story deals with a transformation–from a world where the Church places the blame for original sin upon men to a New Orleans garden that brings a play to life. The collection culminates with a previously unpublished prequel to Summers’ best selling epic fantasy series The Asphodel Cycle. Sometimes funny, sometimes horrifying, Metamorphosis is a romp through the realms of speculative fiction–where anything can happen and nothing is quite as it seems.

Coming March 27, 2009 from Aspen Mountain Press

Edited by Lori Basiewicz

Cover art by Renee George

Metamorphosis is a collection of stories in the spirit of the original Metamorphoses, written by the Roman poet Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso 43 BC — 17 or 18 AD). His Metamorphoses  serves as the primary source material for many of the transformation myths in Greco-Roman mythology. He also wrote the scandalous Ars Amatoria, a treatise on love and seduction, that eventually led to his exile from Rome by the emperor Augustus. My Metamorphosis explores the transformations of speculative fiction–not necessarily literal transformations like Ovid’s, but changes that make modern speculative fiction the new and exciting genre-bending world that it is. 

Metamorphosis’ stories range from humorous to dark, from fantasy to horror and I had a lot of fun putting them all together.  Look for it on March 27.  Also, in honor of Read an Ebook Week, I’m giving away a set of my series The Asphodel Cycle!  Go to my blog Elf Killing and Other Hobbies and leave a comment in the thread and you’ll be eligible to win.  Enter by midnight on Sunday and I’ll announce a winner on Monday.  That way you can be ready for the final installment of the series Apostle of Asphodel when it’s released in May. 

Every writer finds it.  It’s rare, but it happens.  Once in a while, a story takes hold of you and forces you to keep writing.  You let things slide; dishes pile up in the sink, the house gets a little dusty, the cats and the kids have to whine at you to remind you they need to be fed.  But nothing supersedes the story. You’re compelled to keep working on it. You lock the door to your office and huddle there over your keyboard while the story forces its way from your imagination onto the paper.

Momentum.

That’s what every professional writer wants. Momentum. The kind of drive that pushes you to lose sleep, miss meals, forget appointments or snarl at any mortal foolish enough to interrupt you. Once momentum gains hold of your life, it’s hard to let go of it. Why, you may ask?

 Because a writer’s greatest fear is losing momentum.

There is a way to have your cake and eat it too.  Writers need to learn how to ride their momentum.  What I mean by this is very simple–scheduling. I’m a firm believer in scheduling. If I could schedule every second of my day,I would.  Right now, for example, I’m riding a huge wave of momentum.  I’ve got three projects cranking along at top speed.  However, I also have two projects (of mine) in edits plus I have to edit projects professionally for other writers.  How in the world am I going to accomplish it all?

Let’s start off with your schedule.  What suits you best? Do you write better in the morning, when you’ve had your first cup of coffee?  Or, like me, do you write better once the sun goes down and the house gets quiet? Your priority as a writer is to determine your peak time of day for work.  For me, it’s night.  The morning is the worst.  So, when I wake up I take care of the non-writing things: cleaning the house, feeding the critters, running errands.  Then, I look to my second priority–which is editing.  I take my editing seriously. I’m dealing with another writer’s work and it’s my responsibility to help them produce the best work possible.  So, I block out a two hour section in the late morning when I work on the editing projects I have on my desk.  My mind is alert–after all, I’ve already cleaned the cat boxes–and I can concentrate on the technical aspects of someone else’s work.  One thing I’ve learned is that since I’ve started editing, my own writing has improved immeasurably.

You may not edit professionally, but you still edit.  Rewriting is the most important part of the writing process, whether you revamp a story five times or thirty.  No matter who you are, there is no such thing as a perfect first draft.  So block out some time to rework your stories every day.  Even just sitting back and reading them without a red pencil in sight can give you insight into how your story flows. If not that, it’s a good time to blog. Stretch your writing muscles. Do a little world building. Do something writing related that will help your mind to expand and relax.

Then, whatever else you do, take some time for yourself. Have some coffee, watch some TV or read a good book for a while.  Me time is more important to a writer than you may think.

Now, finally, it’s time to catch that wave.  The momentum has been pushing against you all day.  The story is excited; it’s ready to come to life.  Shut yourself away in your writing space and pick up the story where you left it off yesterday.  You may be asking yourself why it’s important to take time away from that momentum.  Why not just get up and start writing first thing and go the whole day pounding out the story and to hell with the rest of it?  The answer is simple: the more focused your mind is upon the project at hand, the better the result.  Just as with musicians, authors have to practice. We have to exercise our minds, stretch them out a bit, before we turn to the project at hand.  There have been mornings when I ignored my schedule and went straight into writing.  Trust me; that’s usually where I have to rewrite the most. If I follow my schedule, I can ride that momentum with a clearer mind and a deeper focus on the story I’m working on.  But, to get the greatest benefit from that momentum, you have to learn how to channel it so that it works best for you.

You may find that your writing world is the direct opposite of mine.  I’ve always been jealous of those people who wake up at 5 a.m. and immediately sit down to write with clear minds and absolute focus.  I’m just not that kind of girl. What I can tell you is that if you find yourself in the grip of overwhelming momentum, there are ways to channel that energy and make every word you write count in the end.

Happy writing!

Well, it’s nomination season and the gods have been good to me again–so good that I’m still reeling.

You remember last year when The Reckoning of Asphodel was a Top Ten finalist in the Preditors and Editors Annual Readers’ Poll as Best Sci Fi/Fantasy Novel of 2007? This year has surpassed last year and I am literally gobsmacked.

 The Gift of Redemption has been nominated by P&E for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Novel of 2008.

The Temptation of Asphodel has been nominated by P&E for Best Novel of 2008.

I have also been nominated in the Authors Published in 2008 category!

I’m am completely overwhelmed by the honors that have fallen upon my books and myself.  Just the fact that this is a readers’ poll, where readers nominate and vote for the books, makes it very special to my heart–and those of the other authors nominated as well.  There are quite a few of them from Aspen Mountain Press also nominated, plus AMP was nominated as Best E-Publisher! If you wanted to vote (and of course you do, why wouldn’t you?) go to http://www.critters.org/predpoll/. You can find The Gift of Redemption under Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels and The Temptation of Asphodel under All Other Novels.  You can vote for me under the Authors category.
Then…hold on…it gets better. I have something to show you–twice:

The Gift of Redemption was nominated by Love Romances and More Cafe as Best Sci Fi/Fantasy novel of 2008 AND Temptation of Asphodel was nominated for Best Cover Art of 2008–that wonderful bit of work done by Renee’ George! Voting opens at LRM on January 5th, and I’ll post more about that later.

Until then, please allow me a moment to thank all of the great readers and devotees of Aspen Mountain Press for your continued support and love for our product.  We work very hard to bring you quality literature, and judging from the love we’re getting through various awards organizations our hard work is paying off.  I wish you all a very Happy New Year with all of the blessings and joy you deserve upon you!

Hey there!  I’m completely excited–Temptation of Asphodel, the third book in my epic fantasy series The Asphodel Cycle, has been released today by Aspen Mountain Press. I was pretty flabbergasted to find this blog entry about Tempation’s release today –http://jpscribble.blogspot.com/

 ”…I should tell you that I am not, generally speaking, a fan of epic fantasy. Summers’ offering, however, is just head and shoulders above the other books I’ve read in the genre. Her characters are complex, fully-realized people (or gods, as the case may be), rather than coming across as something a fanboy might have worked up on a D&D character sheet first …”

 Dang.  I love blushing first thing in the morning.

I’ll be hanging around on Facebook all day for a book release event.  Feel free to drop by my Temptation of Asphodel Release Party and leave a note on my wall there–I’ll be giving away copies of Asphodel books all day! I’ve got an excerpt up and live on my blog and my website in case you want to check those out.

Hope you American folks had a great Thanksgiving. 

The Temptation of Asphodel

Author: Celina Summers
Artist: Renee George

Tamsen has learned to sacrifice everything as she plays the game of the gods but as she nears the end of her quest, everything changes again.  The hunter becomes the hunted, the ally becomes the foe and behind it all lies the hand of a third, unknown god who tries to lure her from her destiny. Can she hold firm against the temptations that are thrown in her path, or will she fall into failure as generations of Elves have done before her? As the rumbling memory of an ancient war settles over the realm of Ansienne, Tamsen’s faith falters. When she is drawn into conflict with immortal enemies, she discovers that the line between obedience and temptation is much narrower than she thought. Temptation can be dangerous, but obedience can kill.

For those of you following my fantasy series The Asphodel Cycle,  I have good news!  Tamsen and Brial will be back in the third installment of the series, Temptation of Asphodel,  on November 28, 2008.

This is my favorite cover to date!  Renee George is the artist and she did a fabulous job.

The Asphodel Cycle 3: Temptation of Asphodel

Tamsen has learned to sacrifice everything as she plays the game of the gods, but as she nears the end of her quest everything changes again. The hunter becomes the hunted, the ally becomes the foe and behind it all lies the hand of a third, unknown god who tries to lure her from her destiny. Can she hold firm against the temptations that are thrown in her path, or will she fall into failure as generations of Elves have done before her? As the rumbling memory of an ancient war settles over the realm of Ansienne, Tamsen’s faith falters. When she is drawn into conflict with immortal enemies, she discovers that the line between obedience and temptation is much narrower than she thought. Tempation is dangerous; obedience can kill.

If you want to know more about The Asphodel Cycle, check out my website Shoot The Muse!  The prologue is up and live for Temptation of Asphodel plus you can find out more information about the world of Asphodel and the previous two books in the series.  You can check out reviews, awards, and my own strange little world there–and don’t say I didn’t warn you! The book trailer for Temptation is also up if you like that sort of thing. ( I do; I’ll admit it.)  You can also find out more about the first two books, The Reckoning of Asphodel and The Gift of Redemption  at the Aspen Mountain Press website.

As a fantasy writer, I spend a great deal of time building the worlds that I write about.  It’s a unique tool of the speculative fiction writer and one of the most difficult things to do. How do you create a world that is completely credible? What elements do you need?  How much work is it really?

It’s a lot of work.  I’ve always approached world building with a single goal in mind: if someone asks me a question about my world, I already have to know the answer. The world of Asphodel, which I write about in my fantasy series The Asphodel Cycle, is complex and huge.  As a matter of fact, my world building file is as large as the first book. It’s crammed full of history, short stories that take place outside of the Asphodel plot, character profiles, maps, religous procedures and rituals and a long mythology.

But I’ve been developing Asphodel for years.  Recently, I got an email from a young writer still in high school, asking me how he could learn to build a world as complex as mine.  That was when I developed this short list for him to start off with.

World Creation For the Beginner

1. Physical - maps, climate, topography(Is your main town in the mountains? A port city? On the plains? Is it warm? Cool?  What are the borders? And always remember that rivers can NOT flow uphill–you’d be surprised at how many people forget that

2. History-this means government, military background, currency, the biggest trade product, anything that would have an effect upon the characters (Democracy or dictatorship? Standing army? Navy?  Agricultural or industrial nation?  Gold-based currency or paper?)

3. Mythology-gods, worship practices, temples, magic( Is this a monotheistic society or is there a pantheon? What rituals are used in worship? Big white marble temples or humble outdoor shrines? How does magic work?)

4.Time - calendar, units of measurement (Solar year or lunar year?  How long?  How long is a month?  Clocks? Sundials?  Hours, minutes, or some other sort of measurement?)

5.The current situation. Every world has a here and now.  What makes this time so unique?  Is the change to come or is it already here?  Who affects it and how?

and the most important….

6.How this world affects the protagonist–and how the protagonist reacts to it.

These basics can get anyone started. A quick note about magic for fantasy writers–

Magic is hard to write.  You have to make something that is inherently incredible into a believable action.  Wouldn’t it be nice if your protagonist could just wave his hand and change the world?  Unfortunately, that makes for boring fantasy, even if your protagonist is a god. There have to be limits established from the beginning: who can work it, how they work it, when they work it, what they need to work it, and what the consequences of working it might be.  Be careful when you’re writing about magic, folks–poorly defined magic can ruin the credibility of your ENTIRE story.

A quick caveat for sci-fi writers: your science had better be accurate.  Although you may love the spectacular explosions in space when you’re watching Star Wars, there’s not only no fire in space (no oxygen to feed it) but there’s no sound in space. Keep your science facts straight so that you can build your science fiction with credibility.

World building is the skeleton upon which you hang the flesh of your speculative fiction story. There is no such thing as too much world building.  Allow me to repeat that: there is no such thing as too much world building. However, for the fledgling writer these basic starting points should help you to kick off your own fantastic journey through the imaginary worlds that live in your mind.

The Asphodel Cycle is my baby and I’m very proud of it.  With the first two books already released and doing well (The Reckoning of Asphodel and The Gift of Redemption) the world I’ve created is thriving. This holiday season, Temptation of Asphodel will expand that world even more.  Although the world of Asphodel is immense, it all began with these six points and exploded from there.

Hopefully, these will help you as much as they have me.  Good luck and happy writing!