Meet the Dwarves – Hippy

And last but not least, here is Hippy Dwarf. You can find him hanging around this blog on Sundays, when he’ll gift us with his talent and wisdom — with a few chuckles thrown in.

 

I’ve published numerous short stories over the years, two of which were nominated for the very prestigious Pushcart Prize.  My first novel, “A Touch of Deceit,” won the Southwest Writers Award, Thriller category.  For a limited time it’s being published on Amazon as an E-book for just $1.99.

Trying to find writing time is an arduous task.  I have a wife and two children who are usually asleep by 9, so it allows me a couple of hours each night for alone time.  I try to take advantage of this time to write as much as possible.

I’ve always been open to critiques of my work, so I found it easy to settle into this group.  The nice thing about our gathering is we review each other’s work with the eyes of a reader and not that of an English teacher trying to show off much he/she knows.  A very open and great group of writers. There’s no agenda here other than to support each other however we can.

Find My Book:

A Touch of Deceit

Find Me:

Website http://www.garyponzo.com/

Strongest Scene Contest http://www.strongscenecontest.com/

Twitter @AuthorPonzo

Meet the Dwarves – Smokey

Ah, Saturdays. How I love them. And to top it off, the first (usually) Saturday of every month, our gang heads over to Smokey’s for an afternoon of great company and delicious food. As Smokey says, he is our cook.

And man, can the man cook.

Introducing Smokey Dwarf, best darn cook in the west.

J.R. Williams is somewhat older than Gandor, but taller than Frodo and has decided to partially come back from the dark-side. 

In prior lives, he has been an intelligence analyst and software engineer but now focuses on corrupting the youth of the world through young adult fantasy.  He hones his techniques daily on his mostly-willing five grandkids.  They almost believe his tales of sailing the seven seas, fighting pirates, and slaying vampires and other beasts.

He is known by his fellow seven dwarves as a pipe smoking, fact checking, grammar and word Grinch.  He is also the group cook.

Find Me:

Blog: http://campchef.wordpress.com/

Meet the Dwarves – Eerie

Freaky Fridays are perfect for creepy horror writers. From ghosts to the macabe, he enjoys it all.

Please, don’t shudder or flinch. I’m afraid he might not like it.

Where do you call home?

 “Gilbert, AZ. I share a home with my wife three dogs and the cat.” 

 Have you published anything?

 “I have a short story published in an anthology, titled Shadowman. The story is also posted on my website at davebenneman.com.  Mostly, I refer to myself as pre-published.”

 What do you do when you’re not writing?

 “I’m an electrician by day, I write when I can.  Sometimes it’s pretty tough to find the time.  But I don’t really have a choice, I write because I have to.  Writing keeps the insanity at bay.”

 What do you write?

 “I write horror, the novel I’ve just completed is a ghost story of sorts with three young people as the main characters.”

 So is it young adult lit?

 “Well, I don’t like to pigeon hole my work, I believe adults as well as teens will enjoy it but the language is clean and I tried to include some humor I can’t take credit for the actual words on the page.  The characters write the stories, I’m just the scribe and a bad one at that.”

 What other interests do you have?

 “I’ve had hobbies over the years, but most of them have faded away.  I love to travel and if money wasn’t a barrier I would travel and write.  That would be living the dream.”

 Have you been anywhere special?

 “I’ve been to some very exotic locations like Peru, Uganda, Morocco and New Zealand.”

 You said earlier you write because you have to.  Does that mean you don’t care if you get published?

 “I don’t write stories because I think they’re publishable.  I write what the characters tell me to write, but when I’ve finished a novel I’ve become attached to the characters and I feel they have a right to be heard.  I don’t need fame and fortune.  I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to get paid for writing, though.  My goal is to make enough to stay home and write full time, and have enough left over to do some traveling.” 

Find Me:

Website http://www.davebenneman.com

Meet the Dwarves – Wicked

Thursdays go to this kick-ass woman. She may be short, but she’s mighty.

Introducing Wicked Dwarf.

It’s my world, you’re just visiting…

      Welcome to my world where the women can be more dangerous than the men who love them, the monsters can hide behind your best friend’s face, a normal life becomes a fleeting dream and the dead are just as annoying as they were when they were alive.

     It’s a dark and dangerous place out there, so come on in if you dare.  Be careful, keep your blades sharp, your gun loaded, and make sure your boots are laced because if tall, dark and wicked shows up all bets are off.

On Writing…

      The first time I wrote a story it was after I came home from watching Star Wars: A New Hope at a drive in theater. Deciding Princess Leia was just not good enough for Han Solo, I rewrote my own part into the story line.  Han was all for me, the tough female thief, and wussy Princess Leia could stay with Luke.  Years later when I found out Leia was Luke’s sister, it kind of killed the story but others had already sprung up in its place.

     My females can be intimidating but the men love them, even if they are a pain in the ass.  Besides, who has time to wait for some guy to save you, when it’s faster to do it yourself?  Magic, in all its strange and twisted forms, exists.  Which means all those fantastical creatures we thought were only fairy tales, they’re real too, complete with fangs, fur and claws.  Too bad it’s hard to tell who’s the real monster.

On Me…

      Adopted at the age of 14, I became the fifth eldest of 37 children while growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border. Heading off to college, I finally graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater.  Shortly after marrying my techie geek hubby (who moonlighted as my best friend in high school) I completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon as bills needed to be paid. 

     Now, years later, I’m back in the Southwest where  I’m out numbered in my own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly friendly 105 pound male lab. 

     Writing is what saves my sanity.

Where I’m At:

Find me at http://jamigray.wordpress.com/

Meet The Dwarves – Sunny

Ah, Wednesdays. The hardest day of the week to spell.

Which means it’s time to introduce Sunny Dwarf, so named by the group because she is always so upbeat, happy, smiling and encouraging, even when her world is cloudy.

-aka- Sunny Dwarf

 

Writing has been a part of my life since adolescence. It has served as a vehicle for self-expression, creativity and has been an integral part of transforming my life at key points in time. Many different types of writing speak to me and over the years I have done my fair share of writing in poetry, non-fiction/self-help, journalism, and of course, my new favorite—young adult fiction with a thread of fantasy.

I also recently finished a ghostwriting project for a self-help book titled “Awakening 101—The Gift of Empowerment”.

I have spent the better part of 20 years trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Now I know, as long as I’m growing, the ‘up’ part isn’t really important. I know writing and helping others will always be a part of what I do in some way or another.

In 1999, after 300+ hours of studying, practicing & growing, I became a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Over the years, I have helped people quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, etc., and experience natural childbirth. (I have experienced natural childbirth twice, it’s awesome!)

In 2008, the voices in my head started talking. My fellow writers will know what I’m speaking of, but the rest of you are free to think I’m schizophrenic. Besides, most writers consider it a compliment because every voice represents a potentially future character. After ignoring the relentless voices for six months, I caved and started writing in Jan. 2009. I grabbed the family laptop computer, locked myself in the bedroom, and started writing. The first night, I don’t think I came out for almost eight hours. To me…it seemed like only two. I’ve been writing ever since.

 I’m primarily drawn to young adult characters, and I suspect it’s because I have five children ages 12-17 living under my roof. My house, my daily routines…are immersed in young adult viewpoints, situations and emotions. Writing about teenagers comes naturally to me.

I’m currently working on two novels, both Young Adult; a short story and working on several non-fiction projects, as well.

 Find me at:

http://gabrielletaylor11.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @AuthorGabrielle

Meet the Dwarves – Quirky

Tuesdays are Quirky Days.

           This is my first bio. Consequently, I want to talk about everything at once. But since I know well that no one wants to read a lengthy description of my bildungsroman from childhood to adulthood, I’ll stick with the short version of things.

            Legos and building blocks were my toys as a child, so creativity had the perfect breeding ground in my head. Like wine, ideas mature into something much better than what they initially were, and as I grew older, my outlet for creativity could no longer be toys. I tried my hand at drawing, but my cousin one day suggested that I start writing. So, at sixteen, I sat down and started writing all sorts of fantasy. I received praise from my family, which is the highest anyone can ever ask for, and thought I was really good at it.

            Yeah, I was wrong. Over a year ago, I joined a writer’s group in my local area and learned just how horrible at writing I was. But I’m no quitter. Mainly because I like writing a lot. I think it’s that rush I get when I’m writing with no outline, and I have no idea what’s going to happen next until I actually type the words on the page. Or maybe it’s that great feeling of accomplishment after a good, long edit.

            Whatever the case, everything up until then was kiddy crap. Writing classes in high school and college were nothing compared to the real comments of adults who knew what they were doing and didn’t hold back. And as a result, I’m a better writer.

            My regret? That I took a Creative Writing Degree in college, and everything I thought I would learn there I learned with real life experience.

            Similar subject: I know I say I write Sci-Fi right now (was in my first post on my wordpress page) but the first words I ever wrote for the intent of a story were of fantasy, so don’t expect me to go forgetting my roots, or how I really started getting serious about writing.

Find Me:

Blog; http://kyletownsend.wordpress.com/

Meet the Dwarves – Snarky

Ooh, it’s Monday. That means I’m up. Here’s a little about me:   

BEWARE: Sizzling Passion ahead.

      Sometimes love BURNS, and women refuse to stay home, waiting for rescue, but instead go out and brave the dangers of the world to fiercely protect the men they love.

     Who am I? Well sit down a spell and I’ll begin.

     I’m an author of Urban Fantasy—gotta love those Kick-Ass heroines and the Alpha Males they tame. I also write spicy Paranormal Romance with magic, mayhem and independent women who find their destined mate—though the path to true love is never easy.

     Some say writers must be schizophrenic, or at least have multiple personalities. I don’t think I quite agree with that, though I’ve yet to come up with an explanation for all the people and voices running around in my head saying ‘Write about Me!’ I love to work on different projects, each one taking me to a new world to meet new characters. That’s what I hope others get from my writing: An ESCAPE to a place full of action, mystery, and most important, finding LOVE along the way.

     My favorite places are those where Dragons not only soar the sky, but become sexy partners in bed. Where a princess is also a tiger shifter, and it’s her duty to drag her runaway betrothed home. Where a half-breed must find her way through life while keeping her soul intact, and face the difficult choice of Love—the sexy angel or the dangerous demon?

     As a mother of four, I was blessed with two boys ages 13 & 11, and two younger girls for them to protect, ages 8 & 4. In the fall of 2010, my baby starts kindergarten, and I’ll be left home alone.

     Writing time!

Where I’m At:

 Find me on Twitter: @higleybrowne

At http://higleybrowne.wordpress.com/

Or as Dragon Mama at: http://plotmamas.wordpress.com/